^"igV ] Bird Observers' Club. 63 



P. slrii^oiiics and P. cnvieri are distinct species, but adds that more skins 

 are needed, as the difterence can only be discovered by carefully sexin^^ the 

 birds. 



The quarterly dinner was held on the evening of 22nd May. .-\t the 

 meeting afterwards there was a large attendance of members and friends. 

 The chairman (Mr. A. J. Campbell) bade a hearty welcome to Mr. Isaac 

 Bate)', who had the honour of being the oldest bird observer present, and 

 whose observations and field notes (to be published in Tlie Emu) went back 

 60 years, to the time when the illustrious John Gould was in Australia 

 collecting material for his great coloured work, " The Birds of Australia.'' 

 Mr. Mattingley then entertained the company with a lecturette on "The 

 Murray Swamps," illustrated with some of his unique lantern views of bird 

 life, depicting, among other things, White Egrets in their nests at a height of 

 50 feet from the ground, where the photographer could only reach them at 

 some risk by the aid of rope ladders and climbing irons. 



South Australian Ornithological Association. 



Thk annual meeting of the above was held at the residence of Dr. A. M. 

 Morgan on Friday evening, 8th March, 1907. Mr. J. W. Mellor presided 

 over a good attendance. The hon. secretary (Capt. S. A. White) read the 

 eighth annual report, which showed that good work had been accomplished 

 during the year. Si.x general meetings had been held, at which the 

 attendance was good. Exhibits were always plentiful, which, combined 

 with field notes, formed valuable groundwork for discussions and dissemi- 

 nation of useful knowledge relative to the habits and identification of native 

 birds. The association had ever been watchful to bring under the notice of 

 the authorities any breach of the law connected with birds, and it was 

 thought that the work in this direction was beginning already to bear fruit. 

 There seemed to be an awakening interest on the part of the public 

 generally to protect the useful native birds, and it was trusted that by the 

 study of the habits of our feathered friends the rising generation would 

 become more interested, and eventually the spirit of destruction among the 

 young would be stamped out. Two delegates (Mr. J. W. Mellor and Capt. 

 S. A. White) attended the annual congress of the Australasian Orni- 

 thologists' Union in Tasmania at the close of last year. At these meetings 

 they advocated the introduction of the Lyre-Bird {Meuura victoria) into 

 Tasmania and the mound-raising Pheasant or Mallee-Fowl {Lipoa occllata) 

 into Kangaroo Island. Both places were ideal localities for these birds, as 

 there they would be free from the ravages of the fox, which threatened to 

 exterminate them on the mainland. The indebtedness of the association to 

 Dr. Morgan for the use of his rooms for meetings and generous hospitality 

 always shown to the members was placed on record, and a hearty vote of 

 thanks was carried by acclamation. The sccietary reported upon the \isit 

 to Tasmania and work done at the various meetings, excursions held in 

 Hobart and Launceston, and gave extended notes of the birds found on 

 Mount Wellington, showing several skins procured there, including the 

 Black Cockatoo {Calypiorhyjulnis /i'Jierei(s), Small-billed Cuckoo-Shrike 

 {Graiicalus fariurosiris), and the Bronze-Cuckoo {C/ialcococcyx plagosies). 

 The chairman in his annual address dealt with the natural history aspects 

 of Mount Barrow, which was visited by the ornithologists while in 

 Tasmania. The ascent of Mount Barrow by the party was graphically 

 described, and the peculiar i)lant life seen in these elevated parts— 4,644 feet 

 above the sea, or 500 feet higher than Mount Wellington — was described. 

 Mr. K. Crompton showed a peculiar albino Crow from Lake Frome (S.A.) 

 Mr. Y. R. Zietz reported having a pair of the Yellow-rumped Finches 

 {Muniajlmiprymna) in captivity. Mr. A. H. C. Zietz, F.L.S., recorded the 



