204 " '^^'^ Emit." [isf"jan. 



''The Emu." 



In this number we publish a coloured figure of the White-throated 

 Shrike-Robin. The generosity of that enthusiastic bird-lover and 

 keen ornithologist, H. L. White, Esq., of Belltrees, Scone, is 

 responsible for that important development of our illustrations. 

 He offered to pay half the cost of a coloured plate in each number 

 of The Emu on condition that members contributed the other half 

 of the cost, which totalled approximately ^^36 a year. Members 

 have now provided annual donations of £18, and Mr. White has 

 sent his cheque for £18 for the present volume. 



Through an oversight, no acknowledgment was made that Pro- 

 fessor Baldwin Spencer, Director, and Mr. J. A. Kershaw, Curator, 

 of the National Museum, Melbourne, had kindly provided and 

 mounted the specimen of the new Honey-eater, Macgillivrayornis 

 claiidi, figured in the October issue of this journal. M^e take this 

 opportunity of apologizing for the omission. 



A recent criticism stated that The Emu was neglecting popular 

 ornithology and was becoming too technical. The editors are 

 keenly alive to the necessity of developing popular interest in 

 Australian birds, and have not lost sight of that plank in the 

 Union's platform. All piapers dealing with the popular side of 

 ornithology that have reached the editors have been printed in 

 full. This year we have had the good fortune to obtain two valu- 

 able scientific papers from Dr. Shufeldt, the veteran American 

 ornithologist. Writing from Washington, U.S.A., he states that 

 he considers The Emu " one of the best of the numerous ornitho- 

 logical journals" that come to his table. It is pleasing to the 

 Council that a scientist of Dr. Shufeldt' s standing should do us 

 the honour of contributing to our pages. Dr. Shufeldt is an 

 honorary member of the R.A.O.U. Articles dealing with the 

 habits and life of birds will be welcomed. 



Royal Australasian Ornithologists' Union. 



The following office-bearers have been elected for the year 1915- 

 16 : — President, Captain S. A. White, M.B.O.U. ; vice-presidents. 

 Dr. W. Macgillivray and Dr. J. A. Leach, Col. Mem. B.O.U. ; hon. 

 secretary, Mr. W. H. D. Le Souef, C.M.Z.S., &c.. Zoological Gardens, 

 Melbourne ; hon. treasurer, Mr. Z. Gray, L.C.A., 190 Bridport- 

 street. South Melbourne ; hon. librarian, Mr. W. H. D. Le Souef, 

 C.M.Z.S., &c. ; hon. editors of The Emu, Dr. J. A. Leach, Col. Mem. 

 B.O.U. , and Mr. Charles Barrett, C.M.Z.S. ; associate co-editor, 

 Mr. A. J. Campbell, Col. Mem. B.O.U. ; hon. press correspondent, 

 Dr. Brooke Nicholls ; hon. auditor, Mr. J. Barr, A.I.A.V. ; printing 

 committee, Messrs. W. H. D. Le Souef, A. H. E. Mattingley, and 

 A. C. Stone. 



Local State secretaries : — Mr. A. S. Le Souef, C.M.Z.S., Director 

 Zoological Gardens, Sydney ; Mr. E. M. Cornwall, Mackay, Queens- 



