circulars and cards and for postage would bo well spent in 

 attempting to solve those questions. 



Gentlemen, I need not assure any of you that it will bo a 

 great pleasure to me to identify any specimens you may 

 capture or shoot if they are sent to me, and, as it is necessary 

 that we should have absolutely correct records, if the distance 

 may prevent the sending of the whole body of the bird, 

 the head, the feet, the wings, and the tail need only be 

 forwarded. All parcels addressed to the Director of the 

 Transvaal Museum are conveyed free by rail if labelled 

 " Specimens of Natural History." I would also like to 

 remind those who wish to assist in a serious way^ of the 

 importance of making an accurate note of the colour of 

 the iris and soft parts, and to distinguish, when possible, 

 between old and young specimens and also between the 

 sexes. I find the iris of one species described in one book 

 as light brown, in another as dark brown, in a third as 

 hazel, in a fourth as brownish yellow, and in a fifth as red I 

 It is therefore of some interest and importance to renew 

 these observations and to record them carefully. A last 

 remark, before inviting you to an inspection of our col- 

 lections of birds and eggs, would be to request you to open 

 the crops of all birds coming under your observation. There 

 is still great uncertainty as to the principal food of very 

 many common birds in different seasons of the year, and 

 I need not remind you of the importance of correct know- 

 ledge on this point, especially in view of the close relationship 

 in which birds may stand to agricultural pursuits. 



A vote of thanks was passed to the retiring Editors and to 

 Dr. Gunning for his remarks and for the able and genial 

 manner in which he had presided over the Congress. 



The Members of the Union then inspected the Museum 

 and the Taxidermists' Laboratory, and with this visit 

 terminated an extremely pleasant and satisfactory meeting. 



A number of interesting specimens were exhibited during 

 the meeting, amongst which may be mentioned the albino 

 collection of the Museum, including several curious varieties 



