Il6 , About Members. [ist^'oct. 



By reason of the " material " and fine library at his hands, Mr. 

 Basset Hull's services on the " Check-list " Committee will be 

 doubly valuable. 



Obituary. 



Death has removed two influential members of the R.A.O.U. 



First, Mr. O. W. Rosenhain, who was travelling with Mrs. 

 Rosenhain in the East at the time. Three days before arriving 

 at Japan Mr. Rosenhain was attacked by a heart seizure, which 

 ended fatally on the 4th September, 1917. He was born in South 

 Australia, and was comparatively a young man. He took keen 

 interest in birds and bird protection, and promoted the " Bird Pro- 

 tection Court " at an exhibition held in Melbourne some years 

 ago. At the Bird Observers' meetings and field outings the late 

 Mr. Rosenhain was the most genial of members, and his loss will 

 be keenly felt. 



Second, Mr. E. A. Petherick, C.M.G., the Australian biblio- 

 grapher, who, in submitting himself to an operation, died at 

 Mount St. Evin's private hospital. East Melbourne, on the 

 17th September. Mr. Petherick was born at Burnham, Somerset, 

 England, and was 70 years of age. In 1909 Mr. Petherick presented 

 the nation (through the Commonwealth Parliament Library) with 

 an invaluable collection of books, documents, charts, &c. 

 (numbering several thousands — the collection of a lifetime) per- 

 taining to the history of Austraha and the early voyages of 

 navigators in the Southern Seas. At the annual session of the 

 R.A.O.U. held in Sydney, 1911, a movement was started to have 

 the Petherick bibliography concerning Australian ornithology 

 published. The movement has not yet borne fruit, and, on purely 

 national grounds, should be set afoot again, perhaps after the war. 

 The work of the " Check-list " Committee would be greatly aided 

 by such an indispensable reference. 



All members of the R.A.O.U. will desire to pay tribute to the 

 memory of these two deceased members, and tender their sincerest 

 sympathy to the respective families. 



Notes. 



The honorary secretary, Mr. Le Souef, would be glad of any 

 notes that members can give him from actual observation on 

 the food of birds of prey, especiaUy Eagles. 



The honorary treasurer is desirous of reminding members that 

 subscriptions for the current year are now due. Owing to the 

 great increase of printing cost, he would be glad to receive sub- 

 scriptions promptly. 



Following the decision of the vote of members, the Council has 

 decided that the annual congress and camp-out shall not be held 

 this year, and that the election of officers and the business of the 

 annual meeting shall be conducted by correspondence. 



