^°'' ^^^"1 Royal Australasian Ornithologists' Union. ^45 



Mr. O. W. Rosenhain read a paper dealing with the destruction 

 of bird-life, and embodying his observations during a trip to 

 Europe and other countries. He gave statistics showing the 

 alarming manner in which birds were decreasing in numbers in all 

 parts of the world, owing chiefly to the persecution of plume- 

 hunters and collectors. He made suggestions for reforms, and 

 urged that restrictions should be placed on collectors as well as 

 the plume-hunters. 



Mr. A. H. E. Mattingley comphmented the author on his paper. It 

 was a valuable contribution to the literature of bird protection. The 

 question was a vexed one, and, as there was still a lot of work to 

 be done in Australia, and the collection of a certain number of 

 specimens was necessary, indiscriminate slaughter was to be 

 deprecated. Mr. J. W. Mellor said that the amount of destruction 

 was deplorable. Albatrosses, Herons, and Egrets had been nearly 

 exterminated throughout the world. Dr. G. Home considered 

 that the solution of the problem lay in the education of the 

 public generally in the matter of bird interest and bird protection. 

 Col. Legge stated that large collectors in Europe, the proprietors 

 of private museums, were responsible for the destruction of 

 birds. The case of the Chatham Island Rail was a case in point. 

 Collectors visited this island and exterminated this rare species, 

 along with others. 



A thesis entitled " The Morphology of the Strepera," by Dr. 

 J. A. Leach, was read. Diagrams in illustration were shown. 



Mr. J. W. Mellor proposed that the next session of the Union 

 be held in Western Australia. Mr. Rosenhain seconded the 

 motion, which was carried. 



Third Day. 



The session was continued on igth November, Mr. A. H. E. 

 Mattingley presiding. The chairman stated that during the last 

 two years the special committee had been labouring to bring the 

 Check-list matter before the members of the Union. The material 

 contained in the committee's report was of paramount importance 

 to ornithologists of Australia and other parts of the world, and 

 the report would mark an epoch in the history of the Union. 



Mr. A. W. Milligan then read the report of the Check-list 

 Committee. 



Captain White, in discussing the report, stated that it was an 

 important matter, and required much thinking over. Dr. G. 

 Home stated that the numerical system had now come into use 

 in the astronomical world. He wished to know whether the 

 system was an experiment of the committee or otherwise. Mr. 

 Milligan said that it was a system modelled on Dewey's Universal 

 Library System. Col. Legge stated that, as an English orni- 

 thologist, working in company, in 1880, with Dr. Bowdler Sharpe, 

 H. Seebohm, and other celebrated ornithologists, he found, even at 

 that early date, that the trinominal system was considered cumber- 

 some. He agreed with Dr. Sharpe that the trinominal system 



