Ilo Australasian Ornithologists' Union. [ist^"ian 



Dr. W. V. Angove moved that a vote of thanks be passed to the 

 retiring office-bearers. The motion was seconded by Mr. R. 

 Crompton and carried. 



Sunday. 



Visit to Reedbeds. — Two names that leap to the tongue when 

 ornithology is mentioned in South Australia are those of Captain 

 S. A. White and Mr. J . W. Mellor, both of whom have rendered the 

 science signal service. On Sunday afternoon the delegates 

 visited their homes at Fulham, and saw further evidences of their 

 practical enthusiasm and love for bird-life. More than an hour or 

 two is wanted to do justice to these wonderful collections — and, 

 perhaps, more than a day or two. There is a whole history behind 

 each of them. A splendid response was made to the invitation to 

 go to Fulham, and the party had a happy and profitable time. 



The eighth flood of the season had practically blotted the pad- 

 docks out, and terra firma was visible only in patches. The creeks 

 were gushing, racing, swollen streams, and for miles around an 

 immense sweep of water met the eye. The " try again " 'buses 

 never needed more to act up to their popular name. An ornitho- 

 logical wag asked the driver if he held a master's certificate and 

 carried an up-to-date chart. The conveyances rolled and wallowed 

 so that, after all, the humorous remark had a big dash of lurking 

 fitness in it. The notice-boards which proclaimed grazing paddocks 

 at the disposal of stock-owners were evidently sarcastic, because 

 passengers were asking, " Well, whose water is that ? " It would 

 have been absurd to have said "field." Fulham has had 

 enough wet this year to give it a green carpet through several 

 droughts. 



Bird Collections. — Mr. Mellor's diversified collection of live birds 

 first claimed attention. The tour of the cages was most interesting 

 to the visitors, and the members of the Mellor family were sub- 

 jected to a running fire of questions about this and that specimen 

 until time came to leave. The people of Holmfirth have a pocket 

 edition of the Zoo, and have many valuable birds and animals 

 dotted about the big, tree-studded garden. At Wetunga Captain 

 S.'A. White and Mrs. White had another little wonderland of interest 

 for the delegates : this time a rare private exhibition of bird-skins, 

 big game trophies, shells, and so on — altogether a marvellous range 

 of items. These were displayed in a museum which Captain White 

 has had erected at the rear of his home. It must contain every 

 letter in the alphabet of curios. South African specimens are 

 prominent, and some particularly attractive mementos of the Boer 

 war — if shells and bullets may be called attractive. The delegates 

 were entertained at tea by Captain and Mrs. White and Mr. and 

 Mrs. John F. Mellor, and the visit to Fulham will always rank as a 

 most pleasant retrospect. 



The Expedition. 



On Tuesday, the 5 th October, several of the members left Port 



