^"Igfz"'] ^^^^ Observers' Club. 57 



Bird Observers' Club. 



The monthly meeting of the Bird Observers' Club was held at the Mia-Mia 

 Tea Rooms, CoUins-street, Melbourne, on Wednesday evening, 21st Feb- 

 ruary, 191 2. Mr. J. A. Leach was the host for the evening. Dr. H. W. Bryant, 

 the president, occupied the chair. Mr. L. G. Chandler, hon. sec, stated that 

 the sub-committee appointed to deal with the question of game bags had fixed 

 the limit to be proposed at 20 and 15 brace respectively for Quail and Duck. 

 Mr. T. H. Tregellas read extracts from a letter which he had recently 

 received from a friend living near Kerang. It was stated that several 

 "big guns" were in use in the swamps around Kerang. In March, 191 1, 

 Cygnets were ruthlessly shot on the lagoons by visiting sportsmen. The 

 hon. secretary read a report of the interview with Mr. Graham (Minister for 

 Agriculture) on the subject of the close season for Quail. Mr. J. A. Leach, 

 M.Sc, stated that he had since conferred with Dr. Cameron and Major 

 Semmens. Dr. Cameron was much impressed with the views put forward 

 by the deputation. Mr. C. Cole said that at Heidelberg on the opening day 

 of the season there appeared to be a number of young and half-grown 

 birds about. Mr. J. A. Leach referred to the great success of the Gould 

 League of Bird Lovers. He praised Messrs. H. W. Wilson and C. Fenner 

 for their excellent work in connection with the League. Mr. D. Le Souef, 

 C.M.Z.S., moved that a sub-committee consisting of Messrs. J. A. Leach, 

 H. W. Wilson, F. E. Wilson, C. Fenner, Charles Barrett, and L. G. 

 Chandler, be formed to conduct the business of the League. The motion 

 was seconded by Mr. A. H. E. Mattingley, C.M.Z.S., and carried. It was 

 unanimously decided that the money be placed in a trust account, to be 

 called the B.O.C. Gould League Trust Account. Mr. C. Barrett then 

 read the report of the sub-committee appointed to deal with the Gould 

 League essays. The report was adopted. Mr. D. Le Souef read the 

 report of the sub-committee which was appointed to suggest a means 

 whereby the Mutton-Birds on Phillip Island might be preserved. After 

 some discussion, Mr. A. J. Campbell moved that the following suggestions 

 be added to the list of recommendations : — "(i) That there should be a fee 

 per head for campers, or toll on every dozen eggs ; (2) that no burrows 

 should be opened by hand or by the aid of any implement whatever." 

 The motion was seconded by Mr. F. E. Wilson, and carried. On the 

 motion of Mr. Leach, seconded by Mr. H. W. Wilson, the report was 

 adopted. 



The March meeting of the Bird Observers' Club was held at the residence 

 of Mr. D. Le Souef, C.M.Z.S., Zoological Gardens, Parkville, on Thursday 

 evening, 21st March, 1912. Dr. C. Ryan and Mr. Le Souef were joint 

 hosts. Before dinner a tour was made of the gardens. A fine specimen of 

 the White-plumed Egret {Hcrodias tiinoricnsis), domiciled in the large 

 flight aviary, was greatly admired. Mr. Le Souef stated that when the Duck 

 season opened a number of birds made the gardens a sanctuary. At 8 p.m. 

 Dr. Ryan was voted to the chair. Mr. C. Fenner was unanimously elected 

 a member of the Club. Mr. A. H. E. Mattingley proposed that Mr. H. W. 

 Wilson be made a life member of the Club, in appreciation of his past 

 services. The motion, which was seconded by Mr. E. Brooke Nicholls, 

 was carried unanimously. Messrs. C. Barrett and E. Brooke Nicholls were 

 re-elected as the B.O.C. representatives on the committee of the National 

 Parks Association. Mr. Le Souef read a paper on the Mutton-Birds' 

 rookeries at Phillip Island and elsewhere. At one rookery on Phillip 

 Island he saw sixteen birds which had been cut open. Mr. A. H. E. 

 Mattingley said he thought that it would be a good idea to put rings on 

 the legs of a number of Mutton-Birds. An offer of rings made by Mr. 

 Dyer was accepted with thanks. Dr. Chas. Ryan offered to give ;^i 

 towards the expense of buying rings. It was finally decided to make 

 a trip to Phillip Island. Mr. Mattingley read a paper entitled "Birds 



