JOURNAL ni- TIIK W 1! H HIKD IXVESTIGATION SOCIKTV. 



59 



monthlv meetings, excursions, etc., anansjed, 

 and work (-ommenced. 



The Secretary will be pleased to forward 

 nomination forms and further particulars, or to 

 reply to any queries, on application. Envelopes 

 should be marked " Local Branches." 



St. Andrews. — Chairman : Prof. D'Arcv W. 

 Thompson, C.B., D.l.ltt., I'.R.S. ' Hon. 

 Secretary: O. S. Orr, Commercial Hank 

 House. 



.March 17th. — Dr. Walter K. ('i)llint;e in a most 

 instructive lecture on " The l-Ood and Feeding 

 Habits of \\'ild Birds," pointed out that during 

 the past few \ears an increased interest had been 

 l.iken in the subject o\ving to the shortness of 

 food. '\'hc extreme views held as to the economic 

 )30sition of \yild birds were, in the lecturer's 

 opinion, largely due to ignorance. Strictly speak- 

 in^-, we had really very few injurious birds in 

 this country, and much of the harm they did 

 might be prevented if effective repressive meas- 

 ures were instituted. Of the majority of species, 

 liowever, nothing but good could be said. .After 

 dealing with the various methods of estimating a 

 bird's food, a large series of lantern slides were 

 shown illustrating the percentages of the various 

 food items, and it was shown that in spite of such 

 injurious species as the house-sparrow, bullfinch, 

 wood pigeon, and sparrow hawk, the sum total 

 of their activities was distinctively in favour of 

 the farmer and the fruit grower, for the benefits 

 they confer are almost twice as g'reat as the 

 injuries thev inflict. .After some remarks by the 

 Chairman, the Rev. G. Nowell Price, Mr. C. 

 Bayne Meldrum proposed a vote of thanks to Dr. 

 Collinge for his most interesting and instructive 

 lecture. 



Xovembcr 2nd.— Dr. W. K. Collinge occupied 

 the chair. .Mr. C. H. Cniild was elected an asso- 

 ciate member. Miss E. V. Baxter gave an 

 account of " Our Common Waders," treating of 

 their distinguishing features, seasonal changes of 

 plumage, habits, nesting' sites, and migration. 

 Her remarks were illustrated by a large series of 

 specimens, set up and in the skin, of the oyster- 

 ■catcher, ringed plover, knot, redshank, dunlin, 

 and turnstone. The address was most instructive 

 and interesting. Mr. \"alentine followed with an 

 €xhibit of and remarks on the egg's of the same 

 species. Dr. Collinge gave a brief account of the 

 results obtained in a recent investigation on the 

 food of the kingfisher, in which he showed from 



an analysis of the nest contents, pellets, and 

 stomach contents, that this bird, by destroying 

 large C|uantities of the larvae of water-beetles, 

 dragon-flies, etc., was really beneficial to angles. 

 .Mitinows and sticklebacks formed the major [)or- 

 tion of the fish food, only 7.28 per cent, of trout 

 being present. No fish ova were found in any of 

 the stomachs. \ most interesting paper on the 

 aid of photography in the study of wild bird life 

 was read by Mr. O. .S. Orr, and illustrated by a 

 wealth of very beautiful photographs. 



December 6th. — .Miss L. j. Rintoul lectured on 

 "Bird Watching and Bird Nesting." The lec- 

 turer's intimate acquaintance with, and wide 

 knowledge of, our wild bird fauna was sufficient 

 guarantee of a lecture of more than ordinary' 

 interest, and with the aid of a fine series of lan- 

 tern slides, ably shown Ijy .Miss E. V. Baxter, 

 she surpassed most expectations. The dangers 

 and difficulties, as well as the pleasures, of bird 

 watching, whether along the rocky shore, the 

 hillside and moor, or from the lighthouse top, 

 were fully dealt with. Many interesting points 

 relating to the means of identification, the sea- 

 sonal changes of plumage, modes of flight, 

 migration song, the spring and autumn migrants, 

 the movements of wild duck, and other matters 

 were fully described and illustrated. Bird nest- 

 ing, from the lecturer's standpoint, did not mean 

 the destruction of nests and the stealing of eggs. 

 These fjeautiful constructions and their contents 

 were left unmolested, but by means of the camera 

 a permanent record was obtained of their form 

 and structure. ihose of a wide range of species 

 were shown and numerous |X)ints of interest ex- 

 plained. The keen interest with which the mem- 

 bers had followed Miss Rintoul's remarks was 

 fully evidenced by the numerous cjuestions which 

 were showered upon her at the close of a most 

 interesting and instructive lecture, excellent alike 

 in treatment and display. Professor Thompson, 

 who presided, voiced the feeling of the meeting 

 in according Miss Rintoul and Miss Baxter a 

 verv- hearty vote of thanks. 



Dunfermline. — Dr. Collinge has recently ad- 

 dresseil a large meeting of local naturalists, 

 and a local branch is now being formed. .\ 

 full report will appear in our next issue. 



Yoker, Renfrewshire. — Thanks to the energy and 

 enthusiasm of Mr. .Alexander Cuthbertson, 

 there is every prospect of a local branch being 

 formed. 



