132 



Financial. — The subscriptions have again considerably ex- 

 ceeded the payments, the former having amounted to £15, while 

 the disbursements have only been slightly over £10. 



Membership. — Fresh names continue to be added to our roll 

 of membership, whilst, as always happens, some have been 

 removed from various reasons. The number now on the roll 

 is 88. 



M. Symonds Clark, Chairman. 



W. H. Selway, J un., Hon. Secretary. 



Adelaide, 20th September, 1897. 



NINTH ANNUAL REPORT OF THE NATIVE 

 FAUNA AND FLORA PROTECTION COMMITTEE 

 OF THE FIELD NATURALISTS' SECTION OF 

 THE ROYAL SOCIETY OF SOUTH AUSTRALIA, 

 TO BE PRESENTED AT THE ANNUAL MEET- 

 ING OF THE SECTION ON 21st SEPTEMBER, 

 1897. 



The Birds Protection Act. — The chief business of your Com- 

 mittee lias been the preparation of a bill for the further protec- 

 tion of the native fauna, embodying most of the provisions (in 

 an amended form) of the Game Act and the Kangaroo Protection 

 Act, together with some new clauses. Your Committee, believing 

 that the term " Game Act " was misleading, adopted the name 

 of the " Birds' Protection Act." The new clauses comprise pro- 

 visions, amongst others, for the protection of Cape Barren geese 

 on their island breeding places ; for the establishment of public 

 and private reserves for the protection of birds and other animals : 

 for preventing the sale of kangaroo skins of less than 1 lb. 

 in weight ; for the issue of licences to trap alive birds, &c, for 

 the purpose of domestication ; and for the granting of permits 

 to scientific collectors, providing, however, that such licences and 

 permits shall become void on conviction of the holder of any 

 offence under the Act. The first schedule comprises birds and 

 lizards to be protected during the whole year, the native birds 

 being distinguished by the scientific family or generic names 

 taken from Gould's Handbook to the Birds of Australia. The 

 second schedule includes all other birds and quadrupeds, with 

 certain named exceptions, to be protected during portions of the 

 year. Mr. Wm. White generously offered to submit the draft 

 bill to his solicitor, who suggested several amendments of a verbal 

 nature, which greatly improved the measure. The Minister of 

 Education has kindly promised to take charge of the bill. It is 



