66 Tfic South African Oriiitholos.ists' Vnioii. f ^"^l' 



' •= List Oct. 



in England. At present we only number 52 members, but 

 they are really all enthusiastic ornithologists, and the Union 

 was only founded on Sth April this year. We hope to bring 

 our first No. out with the beginning of the new year, when I 

 trust we can effect an exchange, which would be of mutual 

 interest and assistance. Our subscription is one guinea, which 

 I am afraid is a little under what should have been the amount. 

 " Will you please tender our thanks to your Council for their 

 kind assistance." 



Every member of the Aust. O.U. must be glad that in South 

 Africa an effort is being made to encourage the study and pro- 

 tection of birds, and wish the new society all the success it 

 deserves. 



In connection with the founding of the South African Orni- 

 thologists' Union the following appeared in The Transvaal 

 Leader, 9/4/04 : — 



" A number of gentlemen met in the Normal School, Pretoria, 

 in response to a circular letter issued by Mr. A. K. Haagner. 

 The object was to form an Ornithological Union for South 

 Africa, and the attendance, and number of letters received 

 on the subject, proved that the time was a most opportune 

 one. 



" Mr. W. L. Sclater, M.A., F.Z.S., presided, and representatives 

 from all the South African colonies were present. Mr. Sclater 

 opened the proceedings by calling upon Mr. Haagner to read 

 his report on what had been done. The report showed that 

 40 gentlemen interested in the subject had sent in their 

 names. These were divided amongst the colonies as follows : — 

 Transvaal, 21 ; Cape Colony, 12; Natal, 4; Orange River 

 Colony, 2; Rhodesia, i. 



" Dr. Gunning, F.Z.S., proposed — ' That an Ornithologists' 

 Union for South Africa be formed, and that a committee be 

 appointed to draw up rules and to inquire into and report upon 

 the possibility of publishing a journal.' This was seconded by 

 Mr. J. A. Bucknill, M.A., of Pretoria, and carried unanimously. 

 " The committee elected was as follows : — Mr. W. L. Sclater, 

 M.A., F.Z.S. (Director South x'\frican Museum, Cape Town) ; 

 Dr. J. W. B. Gunning, F.Z.S. (Director Transvaal Museum and 

 Zoological Gardens, Pretoria) ; Mr. J. A. Bucknill, M.A., Pre- 

 toria ; Mr. A. D. Millar, Durban ; Mr. W. Macdonald (editor 

 Transvaal Agricultural Journal), Pretoria ; Mr. J. A. Alexander, 

 F.R.S. Edin., Johannesburg ; and Mr. A. K. Haagner, M.B.O.U., 

 Modderfontein, hon. sec. pro tern. It was decided to leave 

 the framing of rules and election of ofBcers to a subsequent 

 meeting. 



" Mr. W. L. Sclater then read an interesting paper on the 

 history of similar societies, and the early South African pioneers 

 of ornithology. 



" After a hearty vote of thanks to the chairman the meeting 

 terminated." 



