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©ffirial Organ of tlu Jlusiralasian Ornithologists' (Enion. 



Bir«Js of & feather." 



Vol. III.] 7TH JANUARY, 1904. [Part 3. 



Australasian Ornithologists' Union. 

 HOBART CONGRESS. 



The third annual Congress of the Aust. O.U. was a signal success. 

 Pleasant preliminaries commenced at Launceston on the after- 

 noon of Wednesday, the 24th of November, when some members 

 landed from Adelaide and Melbourne, en route for Hobart, and 

 were met by Messrs. Wra. M'Gowan, Superintendent of Public 

 Reserves, F. M. Littler, F.E.S., and H. C. Thompson. An 

 enjoyable " brake " drive to the Electric Power Station and 

 other places of interest was most thoughtfully provided by Mr. 

 M'Gowan, while Mr. Littler entertained the party at a " surprise " 

 tea at the romantic Cataract Cliff Grounds. 



At Hobart on Thursday morning the president, Colonel 

 Legge, the hon. secretary, Mr. D. Le Souef, and Mr. F. R. 

 Godfrey, on behalf of the visiting members of the Union, waited 

 upon His Excellency the Governor, Sir Arthur Havelock, at 

 Government House, and were kindly received. His Excellency 

 expressed great interest in natural history, and took an especial 

 interest in the protection of birds that were shot for the sake 

 of their feathers. He wished the Union every success in its 

 endeavours to enlist public sympathy in favour of our feathered 

 friends. His Excellency also alluded to the pleasure it would 

 give him to preside at the proposed illustrated lecture on " The 

 Islands of Bass Strait." 



The real business of the Congress began in Hobart on Thursday, 

 25th November. The meetings were held in the Royal Society 

 of Tasmania's hall, which had been kindly placed at the disposal 

 of members ; but owing to the late arrival of Victorian and 

 South Australian visitors proceedings did not begin until 8 p.m., 

 instead of 3 p.m., as originally arranged. Colonel Legge, F.Z.S., 

 &c, took the chair. After the minutes of the Melbourne Congress 

 had been read by the hon. secretary (Mr. D. Le Souef, C.M.Z.S.) 

 and duly confirmed, the annual report was read, which dealt 

 with the work done by the Union during the preceding year, 

 and is published in this issue. The motion for the adoption 

 of the report was proposed by Colonel Legge, who thought it 



