Q2 Australasian Ornithologists' Union. [ j^J''"]",,, 



they have been kind enough to send for the acceptance of Their Royal 

 Highnesses. The Prince and Princess of Wales are much interested in 

 receiving a report of the transactions of the Union for the past year, and 

 wish the members of the Congress every success at their annual meeting, 

 I have the honour to be, Sir, 



Your obedient Servant, 



E. W. WALLINGTON. 

 Arthur H. E. Mattingley, Esq., Hon. Sec. 



The annual address of the president. Colonel C. S. Ryan, 

 P.M.O., Victoria, dealing with the protection of native birds, was 

 read by the vice-president, Mr. J. W. Mellor. 



NEW MEMBERS. 



On the motion of Capt. S. A. White, seconded by Mrs. Roberts, 

 the following new members were elected : — Victoria — Messrs. W. H. 

 Cornford, W. Young, F. S. Smith, A. E.Sambell, J. A. Leach, B.Sc, 

 E. G. Austin, A. B. Harrison, A. Robinson, G. F. Hill, and H. 

 Spowers. New South Wales— Messrs. C. T. Musson and A. F. 

 Bassett Hull. Queensland— Mrs. S. S. Pegg, Messrs. J. Dodd and 

 E. J. Banfield. '^ South Austraha— Dr. W. V. Angove. Western 

 Australia — Mr. Chas. G. Gibson. Tasmania — E. A. Elliott. 

 England — Messrs. E. P. Rogers and G. M. Mathews. 



The office-bearers were then elected, viz. : — President, Col. -Surgeon 

 Chas. S. Ryan, P.M.O., Victoria ; vice-presidents, Mr. D. Le Souef, 

 C.M.Z.S., &c., and Mr. J. W. Mellor; hon. treasurer, Mr. E. B. 

 Nicholls ; hon. editors, Mr. C. F. Belcher, M.A.. LL.B., and Mr. 

 A. G. Campbell ; hon. secretary, Mr. A. H. E. Mattingley ; and as 

 members of the Council — Col. W. V. Legge, F.Z.S., F.R.A.S. (Ceylon) 

 (Tasmania), Mr. E. Stead (New Zealand), Mr. P. Peir (New South 

 Wales), Mr. W. M'llwraith (Queensland), Mr. R. Hall, F.L.S., 

 C.M.Z.S. (Victoria), Mr. A. W. Milligan (Western Australia). 



The reading of papers then took place. 



Col. W. V. Legge, F.Z.S., F.R.A.S. (Ceylon), contributed an 

 interesting paper, dealing with the extinct King Island Emu, 

 written some time previously. Bones of both the present day and 

 the extinct Emu were exhibited in illustration of the paper. The 

 extinct King Island form must have been, according to the size of 

 its bones, about two-thirds that of the present mainland species. Col. 

 Legge recommended that the bogs in Tasmania be systematically 

 searched, so that some bones of the Tasmanian form could be 

 scientifically dealt with. Further discussion elicited the fact that 

 four eggs of the extinct Tasmanian Emu were in existence — Mr. J. 

 W. Mellor (i), Mr. A. Brent (2), Mr. D. Le Souef (i). 



Mr. Mattingley congratulated Col. Legge on his admirable paper, 

 and thought that the matter brought forward would show that the 

 King Island and the Kangaroo Island forms were distinct, and 

 further research would reveal other parts of the skeletons, and make 

 the evidence more complete. 



A long and interesting paper by Mr. Richard Henry, of Dusky 

 Sound, New Zealand, by the courtesy of the Marine Department, 



