J^ll'] Notes. 47 



The Austral Avian Record. — In No. 3 of \^ol. iii. (7th 

 April, 1916), the editor, Mr. Gregory M. Mathews, adds about 

 80 new sub-species to his list of the birds of Australia. Most 

 of them are founded on minute differences in size or colour. 

 He also takes the opportunity to make several changes in 

 generic names. Henceforth we must know the Brown Quail 

 as Ypsilophorus ypsilophorus australis, while Meliphaga becomes 

 Dorothina, with twenty-one species and sub-species instead of 

 the one listed by the R.A.O.U. in its 1915 Check-list. 



Honours. — Just twelve years ago we had the pleasure of 

 recording that Professor W. Baldwin Spencer had been honoured 

 by King Edward in being created a Companion of the Order 

 of St. Michael and St. George. As a further recognition of his 

 continued services to Victoria and to Australia as a leader of 

 science, especially as regards natural history and ethnology, 

 it was gratifying to find that he had been singled out for 

 knighthood in the customary birthday honours last month, 

 and created a K.C.M.G. Sir Baldwin Spencer occupied the 

 position of president of the Field Naturalists' Club in 1891-2-3 

 and 1895-6-7, and took part in two of its most strenuous 

 explorations, and we regret that the numerous calls upon his 

 time during recent years have allowed him few opportunities 

 of attending its monthly meetings. It is pleasing to record 

 that another member of the F.N.C., Mr. E. A. Petherick, the 

 Commonwealth Archivist, whose knowledge of works relating 

 to Australia, especially those of past centuries, is unrivalled, 

 was the recipient of the Companionship of St. Michael and 

 St. George on the same occasion ; and that a good friend of 

 the Club, Mr. J. H. Maiden, F.R.S., Government Botanist of 

 New South Wales, and director of the Botanic Gardens, Sydney, 

 was honoured with the Imperial Service Order (I.S.O.) 



'Possums. — " F.R.," in " Bush Notes " in the Australasian 

 of 24th June, has some remarks on the food of 'possums in 

 captivity. He says that in their wild state it was obviously 

 impossible for 'possums to obtain cooked meat, 3^et in confine- 

 ment they will eat it freely. Again, before the advent of the 

 white man fruit was practically non-existent in Australian 

 forests ; yet a neighbour, who has a choice garden containing 

 some fine apple-trees, finds that as soon as the apples begin to 

 ripen the 'possums begin to arrive, though no one would suspect 

 that there were any of the animals in the neighbourhood. 

 They are very fond of apples, and will also eat peaches and 

 other fruits, while potatoes and other vegetables are also 

 favoured. In another friend's garden the buds of a La France 

 rose were continually disappearing, the cause being put down 

 to snails, but it was afterwards found that 'possums were the 



