1 6 PROCEEDINGS OF THE 



noideum and S. montanum ; he pointed out the formation of 

 primitive soil by three methods : (1) from crustaceous lichens, (2) 

 mosses, and (3) decay of coniferous needles. Upon this primitive 

 soil these Semperviva flourished and formed groups, which might 

 be regarded as individuals or colonies, but for which he preferred 

 the non-committal term of ' pseudo-colony.' The stolons, which 

 were emitted from the rosettes, were sometimes of great length 

 before giving rise to a daughter-rosette. 



Dr. Otto Stapf followed with some additional remarks, and 

 the Author replied. 



Mr. James Buckland exhibited a series of sixty lantern- slides 

 received from the United States of America, and Australia, in 

 illustration of various species of birds in imminent danger of 

 extinction in consequence of the commercial demand for their 

 plumage as means of adornment. He pointed out the urgency 

 of prohibitive legislation in order to save a multitude of birds, now 

 rare, owing to the reckless slaughter by the plume-hunters. 



The first group of slides showed the slaughter of gulls and terns 

 on the Atlantic seaboard of the United States, so great that 

 President Roosevelt had intervened by proclaiming certain portions 

 as I'eservations, and the resultant saving of the terns in these pro- 

 tected sanctuaries. Next were shown the Snowy Herons on the 

 Florida Keys Eeservation ; the patrol boats for the enforcement 

 of the protective regulations ; the grave of a warden shot in 

 the execution of his duty by a bird-hunter on forbidden territory ; 

 and nesting-habits of the Egret in Tlorida. 



Following these came slides of plumage-birds from Oregon. 

 California, and Venezuela ; the flightless birds of New Zealand ; 

 the Birds of Paradise, Emu, Lyre-bird, various Bower-birds, and 

 hon^e of the Albatross ; the Australian Gannet in its rookery, 

 closing with " The cost of a plume," a series of slides showing the 

 effect of the slaughter of the parent birds by the lingering death 

 of the nestlings by starvation ; these latter slides had been obtained 

 by climbing with the camera to the top of the Blue Gums, in 

 which the nests were built. 



Prof. A. Dendy spoke of the remarkable interest of the ex- 

 hibition, and trusted that the devotion of Mr. Buckland to the 

 cause he had so much at heart would be crowned with success. 

 He referred to the fact that the Council of the Societj^ had 

 done what it could in the good cause, by supporting the proposed 

 bill for the restriction of the importation of plumage into this 

 country. "With regard to the flightless birds of New Zealand : they 

 occupied different ground, as the dauger to which they are exposed 

 is chiefly due to the introduction of predatory animals into the 

 Dominion. 



