Mr. James Macfarlane also wished to have an opportunity 

 of studying the paper in print before discussing it. 



After further discussion, it was decided that the paper should 

 be taken into consideration on a date to be fixed by the Council 

 cf the Society. 



NOTKS AND EXHIBITS. 



Mr. Henry Baker gave an account of his recent visit to 

 the Furneaux Group to study the habits of the mutton-bird. 

 He found when he reached the islands that the birds had left 

 about ten days previously. There appeared to be a tendency 

 on the part of the birds to leave a little sooner every year. 

 This was probably due to the encroachment of sheep and cattle 

 on the rookeries, and the vast amount of egging which went 

 on. The Government had imposed regulations, but they did 

 not appear to be stringent enougih. He had been told that 

 the number of young birds that escaped was much less than it 

 used to be. Next to mutton-birding, kangarooing was the most 

 habitual occupation of the islanders. These animals had prac- 

 tically disappeared from all the smaller islands, and were be- 

 coming scarce on the larger ones. Three thousand a year 

 would be a low estimate of the number that were killed. The 

 kangaroo were hunted by dogs, which were kept half-starved 

 to render them savage. It seemed a pity that so many kan- 

 garoo should be killed, considering the small price the skins 

 brought. They were an important source of meat supply to 

 the islanders, and if the close season were strictly enforced 

 they would be subjected to considerable suffering. _ It was 

 necessary, however, that the indiscriminate destruction that 

 went on at ^resent should be checked. He thought it was a 

 great pity that the islanders could not be induced to take up 

 some other forms of earning a livelihood than those they fol- 

 lowed at present. If the people of Tasmania would interest 

 themselves a little bit more in the islands their future would 

 be brighter. 



Mr. R. M. Johnston said he 'had visited the islands in 1874, 

 and related some of his experiences. He agreed in the neces- 

 sity for the preservation of native birds and animals, and hoped 

 that Mr. Baker's reference to the matter would result in good. 



Mr. T. Stephens thought the matter ought not to be allowed 

 to rest. He suggested that the Council of the Society should 

 address a letter to the Government, asking them to cause in- 

 quiry to be made as to the extent to which the existing regula- 

 tions were carried out, and as to the wholesale destruction of 

 kangaroo and wallaby. He moved a resolution to that effect, 

 which was carried. 



JULY 13, 1008. 



The Monthly General Meeting of the Society was held at 

 the Museum on Monday evening, July 13, 1008. 



