322 Alexander, Additions to the Library. [isf April 



" Cause of the ' Fishy ' Flavour of the Flesh of \^lld Ducks." 

 W. L. M'Atee. Auk, vol. xxxv., p. 474. 



The author shows that the fishy flavour met with at times in 

 Ducks and other birds is not caused by their feeding on fish, as is 

 commonly supposed, but is probably due to lack of condition 

 and a consequent breaking-down of fats. A similar taste is 

 sometimes found in butter and cheese under circumstances that 

 preclude its being derived from fish. On the other hand, many 

 birds that feed mainly on fish, and cattle and pigs fed on fish 

 meal, commonly have no fishy taste. 



" The Reversed Under Wing Coverts of Birds and their Modifica- 

 tions." G. L. Bates. Ihis, vol. vi., p. 529. 



About Members. 



Mr. M. Symonds Clark, of Knightsbridge, South Australia, who 

 is an original member of the R.A.O.U., celebrated his eightieth 

 birthday on the 19th January last. We all congratulate Mr. 

 Clark on his many years of usefulness, especially in bird- 

 protection matters. The Adelaide Register gave a column 

 extolling his work in that direction and his sterling character. 

 Mr. Clark told his interviewer that when in England, the land of 

 his birth, " I met the great J. Gould — that wonderful bird writer. 

 I went to his place of business in London in 1865. He was a 

 publisher, and I bought his book on the birds of Australia. He 

 was a most interesting man, and chatted of the many new birds 

 he had discovered in my adopted land." Mr. Clark first arrived 

 in Adelaide in 1850, so he must have observed many Australian 

 birds in their native haunts. 



Walker, May and Co., Printers, 429-431 Bourke-street, Melbourne. 



