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The Council Meeting



and markings of eggs. With this object in view the Museum authorities

have decided that it is necessary to secure a considerable amount of

material, as also to settle the question whether or not the variation is

produced by local conditions. If one turns to p. 11, where there is

a photograph of clutches and single eggs of the Tricoloured Redwing,

it will be at once seen that the Museum is not likely to fail for lack of

material; indeed, one might justly condemn such wholesale acquisition

of eggs, even of a common species, though they were ten times more

variable. (Bee Avicultural Magazine, 3rd Series, Vol. IV, p. 282.)

But just as many clutches are considered necessary to indicate the

variability in one species, so in another we are informed that twenty

sets are prized precisely because they do not vary. We should have

thought that two or three clutches at the outside, accompanied by

a printed statement to the effect that the eggs of this species were not

variable, would have answered the purpose quite as well without making

havoc of so many birds’ homes. Of course, we have an English bird whose

eggs exhibit more wonderful variation than any of its relatives, and

might be robbed to an unlimited extent without causing much grief to

most of us, and that is our House Sparrow.


A. G. Butler.



THE COUNCIL MEETING


The annual meeting was held at the Zoological Gardens on July 23.

Owing to the lateness of the publication of the July number, only a

small number of members were present, but those who came enjoyed

an excellent tea in the Fellows’ Pavilion, when matters avicultural

were discussed, after which the party broke up into smaller sections

and paid visits to the many avian treasures in the Zoo, the Small

Bird House naturally being the centre of attraction.


A meeting of the Council was held on the same afternoon at 3 o’clock,

when various matters concerning the welfare of the Society were

discussed. Chief among these was the necessity of accepting a revised

estimate from the Printers, due to general trade conditions. Owing

to this largely increased cost, the finances of the Society will require

very careful management, and there will be no surplus for illustrations.



