Report of the Council.



v.



valuable assistance. Our Magazine, month after month, finds

its way to France, Italy, Switzerland, to Holland and Bulgaria,

Portugal and Madeira; to various parts of India; to Egypt,

South Africa and Natal ; to the West Indies and the United

States of America; to Tasmania, Western Australia and New

South Wales. One Member studies its pages in his tent in the

Sudan, with a grave laxity as regards attire and his feet in a

bath, trying to feel cool with the thermometer standing at 122 0

Fahr. in the shade; while another, writing from Lokoja in

Northern Nigeria, tells us how she looks forward to the coming

of the Avicziltural Magazine , and how she enjoys the lovely

birds she sees about, and “ If I can get any curious ones

photographed I will send you copies.” The thought that our

Magazine thus goes to such distant and out-of-the-way parts of

the earth, and gives instruction and pleasure to so many at home

and abroad, ought to spur us on to produce a publication worthy

of the Society and of our country.


4 Various changes have been made in the constitution of the

Society, with the view of strengthening it and making it more

efficient; we may specially refer to the creation of the new post

(honorary) of Correspondence Secretary, so kindly accepted and

ably filled by Dr. A. G. Butler, Ph.D., &c., &c.


It has been felt that it is unfair to old and faithful Members

that new comers, who have neither laboured nor contributed

towards the measure of success now attained by the Society and

its Magazine, should be able to step in and fully participate on

the payment of so small a sum as 2/6. The Entrance Fee has

consequently been raised to 10/6, a substantial but still quite a

small enough increase under the circumstances.


The sale of the Avicultural Magazine to the general public,

and business of a similar character, continue to show a steady

increase, thanks to the energy of our publisher, the volume of

business transacted being again well in advance of that of any

previous year. The demand for back volumes still continues,

with the result that Nos. 1, 3, and 4, as complete volumes, are

now out of print.


The season has not been altogether a favourable one for



