Jhe £mu 



(JDfficial dDrgan of the Australasian dDruithnlogists' Enion. 



" Bir^s of a fczitber." 



Vol. VI.] 1ST JANUARY, 1907. [Part 3. 



Australasian Ornithologists' Union. 



SIXTH (HOBART) SESSION. 



On Wednesday, 21st November, a large number of ornithologists, 

 including a party of nine from South Australia, proceeded by the 

 turbine steamer Loongana to Launceston, the passage across Bass 

 Strait being exceptionally calm, the boat skimming along the water 

 with a bird-like motion, most appropriate to her name, Loongana, 

 which, in the Tasmanian aboriginal dialect, means " Swift Bird." 

 How appropriate, too, for a party of bird-lovers to be in such 

 pleasant and suitable associations. 



Arriving early in the morning at Launceston, visiting members 

 were met and welcomed by several Launceston members. Mr. F. M. 

 Littler, with great kindness, took charge of all the party's 

 luggage, and had it conveyed to the railway station, preparatory to 

 their departure by rail in the afternoon for Hobart. Members, 

 being now free from the cares of their impedimenta, were the guests 

 for the day of Mr. Littler, who had the party conveyed by drag to 

 the picturesque Corra Linn, a beautiful gorge chiselled out of a 

 mass of trap rock by a rapid stream, cursory observations being 

 made of the bird life en route. The outing was most enjoyable, the 

 day being bright and fine, and after the return journey Mr. Littler 

 entertained the members at lunch at the Metropole. Departing by 

 the 3 p.m. train, members reached Hobart about 9.30 p.m., and 

 were further welcomed by members of the Tasmanian Naturalists' 

 Club and local members of the A.O.U. 



First Day. 



Next day a working excursion was made to the creek in the 

 Cascade Brewery's property, where many varieties of forest birds 

 were studied. Everywhere the beautiful Crescent Honey-eater 

 {Meliornis australasiana) was to be seen and heard as it called 

 " Egypt " with a glucking twang. The lively little Dusky Fantail 

 [Rhipidura diemenensis), too, was heard repeatedly. A Fan-tailed 

 Cuckoo {Cacomantis flabelliformis) was found in a nest of the Brown- 

 rumped Tit {Acanthiza diemenensis), which was hanging pendent 



