^*°';„'^,'^'] Addi/ioiis lo the Lihniyy. 33I 



Science and / luliislrv, \-(>l. i., Nos. 5, (), 7, cS. 



Soiilli Ansiralian Oniilholo^isl, vol. iv., part 4; \-ol. \-., part i; 



\'(»1. iv. (4) contains an interesting paper on " Tlif Weights <)[ 

 Birds," by Dr. A. "SI. Morgan. Capt; S. A. White, also con- 

 tributes a paper on " Birds Recorded from ICarly Days up to 

 the Present Time for the Reed Beds District." In all, some 168 

 species of l)irds ;iri' noted, no mean achievement for a single 

 district. Vol. w (i), "A New Sub-species of Emu- Wren {Stipi- 

 iiints inalachiiriis /lalviaiiiyina)" is here described by F. V.. I'arsons. 

 Mr. Gregory Mathews deals with "Ornithological Nomenclature." 



Univci'sify of ('alifcniia Publications in Zoology, vol. xix., Nos. 



8, 9 ; vol. .\\., Nos. 1, 2, 3, 4 ; vol. xxi., No. 3. 

 \'icl(>rian Xaliiralist, \-()l. xxxvi., Nos. l-io. 



Monthly Conversaziones of R.A.O.U. 



Thk December conversazione of the R..\.().li. was liekl at the 

 rooms, Collins-street, on Wednesday, 4th inst., and, despite the 

 unfa\-ourable weather and heavy rain, there was a fair attendance 

 of members. Mr. A. J. Campbell was voted to the chair. 

 Commodore Cochrane, whose naval duties have led him into most 

 parts of the world, entertained members with some of his bird- 

 observing experiences in foreign lands. The cream of these 

 experiences he has written up under the heading of " Red Letter 

 Days." The Commodore selected five of these days, dealing with 

 the Siberian Meadow-Bunting in China, the Storm-Petrel in the 

 Mediterranean, a Falcon of Sardini?,, a Sea-Eagle of Greece, and 

 Terns on an island near the shores of Palestine. The Siberian 

 Bunting usually nests on the ground, and, desiring to obtain eggs 

 of this species, he let it be known in the village that infor+uation 

 leading to the finding of nests would be rewarded. The " heathen 

 Chinee " is still a heathen, and one bright young scoundrel, having 

 found a nest containing four eggs, skilfully constructed another 

 nest near b\',in whicli he rleposited half the clutch, and endt-axoured 

 thus to obtain two ri'wanls. The delightful description of the 

 linding of a nest of this specie's under a flowering wild rose-liush 

 stamped the Commodore as not merely an ornithologist but a 

 true nature-lover. 



In the Mediterranean is a tiny rocky island that for very man\' 

 \-ears serv(>d as a })ractice-target for British naval gunners. So 

 nuirh used was it for. this purpose that tlie only time one could 

 land there was at the week-ends. Vet here for generations a 

 small colon\- of Storm-Petrels have braved the dangers and 

 reared their broods. His account of a visit to this island in search 

 of Petrels' I'ggs was indeed interesting. Some of his trips were 

 attended with no little danger, and he related how he was nearly 

 drowned when visiting a lonely islet near the coast of Sardinia. 



