Vo1 - III, 1 Australasian Ornithologists' Union, 1 67 



1904 J b / 



similar publications speak highly of it, and both European and 

 American scientific societies are applying for it. The first 

 volume is out of print, but a fresh supply will shortly be available, 

 of which due notice will be given in The Emu. There has been 

 no lack of papers, but, of course, the number that can be pub- 

 lished is regulated by the state of our finances. The coloured 

 plate was a success, being well reproduced, and it is proposed 

 to have coloured illustrations of two Honey-eaters in vol. iii. 



A good deal of work has been done by the Council in the interests 

 of our feathered friends in the various States, but much more 

 needs doing, especially in the better carrying out of the Game 

 Laws in the country districts, where in many places it is prac- 

 tically a dead letter. 



We are glad to notice that two of our members have been elected 

 among the first Colonial Members of the British Ornithologists' 

 Union — namely, Col. Legge, our president, and Capt. Hutton, 

 of New Zealand, and our energetic co-editor, Mr. A. J. Campbell, 

 has been elected a Corresponding Fellow of the American Ornitho- 

 logists' Union, and a member of our Council — namely, Mr. R. 

 Hall — has been elected a Corresponding Member of the Zoological 

 Society of London, a compliment he well deserves ; and we also 

 desire to congratulate that gentleman on the success that has 

 attended his visit to Siberia in search of the breeding haunts 

 of many birds that pass their winter in Australasia, an account 

 of which will doubtless appear in The Emu later on. 



Efforts have also been made through representations to His 

 Excellency the Admiral of the Australian Station to get the 

 Royal Company's Islands visited by one of His Majesty's ships, 

 but so far without success, as at present, although these islands 

 are marked on the Admiralty charts as being about 400 miles 

 south of Hobart, they have never yet been visited by a British 

 man-o'-war, nor have they been surveyed, and practically nothing 

 is known about them, not even by the Admiralty ; but as the 

 matter is now before them in London, it is hoped that efforts 

 will be made to either prove or disprove their existence, as, if 

 they do exist, probably many sea-birds would be found breeding 

 there whose eggs and young have so far not been described. 



Much information has been obtained through the Queensland 

 Government regarding the habits, &c, of the Torres Strait 

 Pigeon, and steps have been taken to prevent their wanton 

 destruction during the nesting season. 



Successful efforts have also been made to prevent the destruc- 

 tion of the breeding ground of the White-faced Storm-Petrel on 

 Mud Island, in Port Phillip, and these interesting little birds 

 are nesting in fair numbers this year. 



I have the honour to be, 



Ladies and gentlemen, 



Your obedient servant, 

 D. Le Souef, 



Hon. Sec. Aust. O.U. 



