125 Australasian Ornithologists' Union. I j^j 



Emu 

 Jan. 



Col. W. V. Legge, F.Z.S., F.R.A.S. (Ceylon), gave a paper 

 entitled " Some Notes on the Location of Birds in the Vicinity 

 of Homesteads, Break-o'-day District, Tasmania," the observa- 

 tions recorded being of value and assistance to working orni- 

 thologists. 



Next Annual Session. — It was unanimously decided to hold 

 the next annual session in Melbourne, on the motion of Mr. 

 A. H. E. Mattingley, seconded by Captain S. A. White. 



Alteration of Rule. — On the motion of Mr. A. H. E. Matting- 

 ley, seconded by Mr. E. Lane, rule 4 was altered to read as 

 follows : — " The business of the society shall be conducted by a 

 Council consisting of a president, two vice-presidents, secretary, 

 treasurer, librarian, editors of The Enii/, and six members," &c. 



General. — Mr. L. Harrison exhibited an interesting clutch of 

 the eggs of the White-shafted Fantail {Rhipidura albiscapa) 

 containing an egg of the Pallid Cuckoo {Cuculus pallidus) ; also 

 some abnormally small eggs of the Emu {Droniceus novcE- 

 JiollandicB). 



A flashlight photograph having been taken, and a vote of 

 thanks passed to the chairman, the meeting adjourned for the 

 excursion via Brisbane, Queensland. 



Next day a visit was paid to the Australian Museum, where 

 members were met and welcomed b}' the Curator, Mr. R. 

 Etheridge, jun., F.G.S. The general collection of birds was 

 examined under the Curator's personal guidance, and the type 

 specimens of birds and eggs were kindly placed at the disposal 

 of members for inspection. 



In the afternoon members proceeded b)' the northern express 

 to Brisbane, en route to Tumbulgum, a small township situate on 

 the Tweed River, N.S.W., for the " working " field excursion. 

 A fortnight of useful study was spent in the rich sub-tropical 

 growths of that region, and many field notes of interest taken, 

 which will be subsequently published in The Emu. 



Vice^Presidential Address. 



The following address by Mr. A. J. Campbell, Col. Mem. 

 B.O.U., was read : — 



Introduction. 



Ladies and Gentlemen, — Owing to the unavoidable absence of 

 our esteemed president (Mr. D. Le Souef, C.M.Z.S., &c.), who is 

 at present travelling abroad in the best interests of the Zoologi- 

 cal Society, Melbourne, I have been deputed by the Council of 

 the Australasian Ornithologists' Union to prepare the customary 

 annual address. 



Following the excellent example of our retiring President 

 (Surgeon-Colonel C. S. Ryan, P.M.O., Victoria, whose admirable 



