138 ^iyd Observers' Club. [.sf'oct. 



On the motion of Mr. J. A. Ross, seconded by Mr. C. W. Wilson, it was 

 decided to contribute one guinea towards the expense of the Flinders 

 Memorial Tablet. Mr. C. F. Cole stated that the Bronze-Cuckoo {Chalco- 

 coccyx basalts) was seen at Auburn (Vic.) during April and June. Mr. T. H. 

 Tregellas also had evidence of the presence of the Bronze (C basalts), 

 F"antail {Cacomantis Jlabelliforinis), awA Pallid Cuckoos {Cuciilus pallidus) 

 at Launching Place (Vic), the birds still being there. On the motion of Mr. 

 L. G. Chandler, seconded by Mr. A. J. Campbell, Mr. C. P. Conigrave was 

 nominated as a member of the Club. On behalf of .Mr. H. L. White, of New- 

 South Wales, Mr. A. J. Campbell exhibited two types of skins of Ptiloiis 

 gracilis, from Queensland, and skins of Prion ariel and P. desolatus, from 

 New South Wales. 



The monthly meeting of the Club was held at the Mia-Mia Tea Rooms, 

 Collins-street, on 17th July. Messrs. C. Barrett and E. Brooke NichoUs 

 acted as joint hosts. Mr. C. Price Conigrave was elected a member of the 

 Club. A letter from Mr. A. H. E. Mattingley, dealing with the scheme for 

 the advancement of the Club, was read. A discussion followed on the 

 report of the sub-committee which had been appointed to deal with the 

 question. It was finally decided that an amendment proposed by Mr. A. J. 

 Campbell be incorporated in the report, and that the suggestions be sent to 

 members. Mr. C. Barrett read a paper entitled " Method in Bird 

 Observing." The subject was an interesting one, and the paper was 

 discussed by several members. Mr. Barrett contended that it was more 

 necessary to study the habits of birds than to describe eggs and nests. A 

 life-history of the bird from a nestling was what we required. Mr. E. Brooke 

 Nicholls read a list of migratory and partially migratory birds, which had 

 been compiled by Mr. A. J. Campbell. Mr. Davis, of New Zealand, was 

 welcomed to the meeting by the president, and he responded by a brief 

 account of some New Zealand birds. Mr. T. H. Tregellas mentioned that 

 he had recently received a letter from a friend living near Kerang. Big gun 

 shooting was carried on around Kerang, on the swamp, and Ducks were 

 being shot in the close season. It was resolved that the hon. secretary write to 

 the Chief Inspector of (jame, drawing his attention to the matter. Mr. J. 

 A. Kershaw stated that five Lyre -Birds had been liberated at Wilson's 

 Promontory. Interesting nature notes were contributed by Messrs. C. F. 

 Cole, Stone, and other members. 



South Australian Ornithological Association. 



The monthly meeting of this Association was held on Friday evening, 31st 

 May, in the Royal Society's Rooms, North-terrace, Mr. E. Ashby 

 presiding. Among other matters, a motion was passed in favour of recom- 

 mending an amendment to the Birds Protection Act by adding the scientific 

 terms to the birds' ordinary names. It was also recommended that 

 Mathews' " Hand-list " should be taken as a standard, seeing that it is the 

 most up-to-date one published. Mr. H. E. Lafifer, of the Agricultural 

 Department, was nominated as a new member. Part 2 of Mr. G. M. 

 Mathews' Austral Avian Record was discussed, owing to its containing a 

 long list of new sub-species. It was the opinion of many members that 

 owing to the splitting into so many sub-species of the birds the study of 

 Australasian Ornithology was confusing. The subject of the evening 

 was the genus AcantJiiza, and there was much discussion thereon. Mr. R. 

 Zietz (Ornithologist to the Adelaide Museum) showed a fine series of these 

 small birds for comparison. Mr. Ashby also showed some interesting forms 

 of these birds. Capt. S. A. White brought several species of Acanthizas, 

 among them Acanthisa ivhitei, horn Kangaroo Island, lately described by 

 Mr. G. M. Mathews as a new sub-species of lineata. 



The monthly meeting of the Association was held at the Institute, North- 

 terrace, on Friday evening, 29th June, Mr. E. Ashby presiding. A letter 



