^°';^^^^] Notes and Notices. 1 49 



Tasmanian Field Naturalists' Club. — Lovers of nature and 

 field students will hail with satisfaction the formation of a Field 

 Naturalists' Association at Hobart. In all Australia where could 

 be found a better and more beautiful collecting and observing 

 ground than the environments of Mt. Wellington ? The objects 

 of the Club are the encouragement of the study of nature, and 

 the collection, preservation, and systematic classification of 

 specimens, to be promoted by periodical meetings and excursions, 

 the formation of a library, and the publication of papers and 

 proceedings when deemed advisable. The of^ce-bearers for the 

 year are : — Chairman, Dr. Gerald Smith ; vice-chairman, Mr. 

 Samuel Clemes ; secretary and treasurer, Mr. E. A. Elliott ; 

 committee : Messrs. E. S. Anthony, A. Conlon, M. W. Harrison, 

 A. M. Lee, A. Morton, and J. E. Smith. 



Coloured Figure Fund. 



The following donations are acknowledged, with thanks : — 

 F. L. B., los. ; E. D'Ombrain, 5s. ; R. Wace, 6s.; Geo. Graham, 

 5s.; T. Iredale, los. 6d. ; T. Tindale, 5s.; Dr. Magillivray, 

 ^'i 2s. ; J. M'Clymont, 7s. 6d. ; W. B. Barnard, 5s.; H. E. 

 Hill, 5s. ; Miss M. Brumby, 5s. 



Bird Preservation in New Zealand. 



At the Sydney session of the A.O.U. Colonel Legge referred to 

 the interest taken by members of the Union in bird preservation, 

 and spoke of the lamentable extinction of interesting birds in 

 New Zealand, such as the Notontis, the Quail {Coturnix novcB- 

 zealandice), the Macquarie Island Rail, one of the Cyanorhamphtis 

 genus of Parrakeets, &c., &c. 



He alluded to the praiseworthy efforts of the New Zealand 

 Government to preserve other interesting endemic forms, such 

 as Apteryx, Ocydromus, &c., in the " bird sanctuaries" of Reso- 

 lution Island and Little Barrier Island. 



The subject of the further preservation of these restricted 

 New Zealand forms was dealt with by the Committee of the 

 Biological Section, A.A.A.S., under Colonel Legge's presidency, 

 and as the result he took the opportunity, when in Wellington, 

 of of^cially addressing Sir Joseph Ward, in whose department 

 the subject of bird preservation is dealt with, on the preservation 

 of the very interesting " Flightless Rail " of the Chatham Islands 

 {Cohaliis modcs/us), which has become almost extinct from several 

 causes — clearing of low scrub, destruction of the rough pasturage 

 by sheep, and finally by the ruthless onslaught of the fast- 



