Q4 Australasiaii Ornithologists' Union. f ,^, "}" 



able men should be enabled to help to formulate the course of the 

 Council's work, yet the rules of the Union were imperative, and 

 could only be altered by giving notice of motion as set forth in the 

 rules. He trusted that the matter would be settled at the next 

 annual meeting. 



EXHIBITS. 



Nests of Rhipidnra diemenensis, also Zosterops ccerulescens, were 

 exhibited by Col. Legge, who pointed out that the latter was 

 peculiar in the architecture of the way in which the bowl was set 

 upon the twigs supporting it. Frail as it appeared to be fastened, 

 yet the wonderful lacing of the material made every strand stand 

 its due proportion of strain. Col. Legge also exhibited leg bones of 

 mainland form of Emu and those of the extinct species found in 

 the sand dunes on King Island. 



Miss F. Downing exhibited a series of water-colour drawings of 

 Tasmanian bird-life, including Thickhead, Pardalote, Pink-breasted 

 Robin, Native-Hen, Honey-eaters, &c. 



After a vote of thanks had been heartily accorded the Royal 

 Society of Tasmania for the gratuitous use of their rooms for the 

 business of the the Congress, the session was adjourned to 

 Launceston for the working excursion. 



On Monday morning members travelled by the express train to 

 Launceston, arriving at that city early in the afternoon. They were 

 met on arrival by Mr. M'Gowan and Mr. H, Thomjjson, and were 

 their guests for the afternoon. A large drag was in waiting, and 

 the visitors were whirled off to the Electric Power Station, situated 

 some miles out of Launceston. at the end of the famous 

 Cataract Gorge. Here members were taken across to the electrical 

 works in an electrical aerial trolly. After examining the surround- 

 ings, a charming walk down through the crags and beetling cliffs of 

 the Gorge was undertaken, some birds being observed en route, 

 principally a nest of the Flame-breasted Robin {Petroeca phceniceci), 

 which had been built in a crevice on an overhanging crag, whilst 

 the nest of a Long-tailed Blue Wren was found, which contained one 

 Malurus egg, also one egg of the Bronze-Cuckoo and one egg of 

 the Fan-tailed Cuckoo. The occurrence of two different Cuckoos' 

 eggs in one nest set speculation rife, and many interesting 

 hypotheses were advanced as to the ultimate end of the two 

 Cuckoos. After afternoon tea had been done justice to, members 

 adjourned to the city, and in the evening a lecture, entitled "The 

 Islands of Bass Strait," was delivered by Mr. Mattingley (in the 

 unavoidable absence of the appointed lecturers. Messrs. A. J. 

 Campbell, D. Le Souef, and J. F. Bradly) in the Art Gallery. 



A large meeting was presided over by the Worshipful the Mayor 

 of Launceston, and the interesting pictures of the wonderful bird- 

 life found on those islands called forth repeated applause. The Mayor, 

 in thanking the lecturer, said it was due to the work of such high- 



