^igos^'j Australasian Ornithologists' Union. I2Q 



ornithology, and that we should extend our sphere of labour 

 beyond the "region" contained in the Commonwealth, and deal 

 as much as we are able with the " sub-regions " of Malaysia and 

 Oceanica. The wider the area over which our observations and 

 work extend, the more influential our journal will be, and the 

 higher the stand that it will take in the biological world of 

 Europe and America, in both of which we may hope to find 

 support and patronage for our journal. The Emu. 



It is very satisfactory to find that eminent ornithologists in 

 England have already, in the first year of its existence, spoken 

 favourably of the journal, which is the flag under which the 

 Union must always sail ; and our thanks are due to the editors, 

 whose painstaking work in bringing out the journal has in no 

 small measure contributed to the satisfactory status of The 

 Emu. 



There is a magnificent field open to workers (both field 

 naturalists and students) in the Aust. O.U. What is now 

 desirable is a more extended knowledge of the birds of the 

 inaccessible regions in the central, northern, and north-western 

 districts of Australia. Collectors should be encouraged to 

 explore these regions, and carefully compiled lists, accompanied 

 by field notes of the collectors, should appear in our journal for 

 the guidance of avifaunistic workers. These will keep alive the 

 interest taken by naturalists abroad in the ornithology of Aus 

 tralia, and will help to complete our knowledge of "geographical 

 distribution " within the confines of our " region." These are 

 points as regards the advancement of our knowledge which 

 cannot be kept too clearly in view, and in this connection it is 

 very gratifying to note the appearance already, in the first 

 volume of TJie Emu and succeeding parts, of such important 

 papers as Mr. Hall's review of the collections made in N. W. 

 Australia by that energetic worker, Mr. J. P. Rogers. The 

 papers in question are on the lines of those in vogue ever since 

 TJie Ibis was started, and of the immense value of which I, as an 

 author, can speak most warmly. 



It appears to me that one cannot do better in a short address 

 than to take a cursory glance at the progress made in the pages 

 of our journal (since its commencement last year) towards the 

 advancement of ornithological knowledge in Australia. In so 

 doing it will perhaps be best to notice the labours of each of the 

 principal contributors in detail, as this course will give a clearer 

 idea of the work done by them than by dealing with each part 

 consecutively, and will avoid repetition in alluding to the authors 

 of papers. 



The chief contributors, from an educational and scientific 

 point of view, have been Messrs A. J. Campbell, A, G. Camp- 

 bell, D. Le Souef, R. Hall, Tom Carter, C. M. Lyons, A. M. 

 Milligan, and Professor Hutton, F.R.S. The articles those 

 gentlemen have contributed show that our journal promises to 



