" Bir«is of a fcMhcr. 



Vol. XIV.] 



1ST JANUARY, 191 5. 



[Part 3. 



Royal Australasian Ornithologists' Union. 



FOURTEENTH (MELBOURNE) SESSION. 



Minutes of the Fourteenth Annual Session of the Royal 

 Australasian Ornithologists' Union, held at Mel- 

 bourne FROM 4TH TO 8tH NOVEMBER, I914. 



First Day. 

 On Wednesday, 4th November, a number of members from Sovith 

 Australia arrived by the express train in Melbourne, and were 

 welcomed at the station by Mr. A. H. E. Mattingley, president, 

 and other Victorians. 



Dr. and Mrs. J. A. Leach entertained visiting and local members 

 at the Botanical Gardens in the afternoon. There were present :— 

 Captain and Mrs. S. A. White, Mr. J. W. Mellor, Mr. and Mrs. 

 J W. Hosking, Mr. and Mrs. Bews, all from Adelaide ; Colonel 

 W V Legge, from Tasmania ; Mrs. C. Barrett, Dr. and Mrs. E. B. 

 Nicholls, Mr. and Mrs. A. C. Stone, Mrs. J. W. Israel, Mr. and 

 Mrs O W Rosenhain, Mr. and Mrs. G. A. Dyer, Mr. and Mrs. 

 C Cole, Mr. and Mrs. A. H. E. Mattingley, Mr. Anderson, Mr. 

 F. Erasmus Wilson, Mr. D. Le Souef, and others. A delightful 

 afternoon was spent admiring the beauty of the vistas that are to 

 be seen everywhere in these entrancing gardens, also noticing the 

 abundance of bird-life both on the ponds and in the grounds. 

 Imported birds, such as Thrushes and Blackbirds, were very 

 plentiful, and, of native birds, Honey-eaters were most in evidence. 

 Refreshnients were served, and the visiting members from other 

 States were welcomed by the president, Mr. Mattingley, and Dr. 

 Leach. Colonel Legge and Captain White briefly responded. 



In the evening the first general meeting of the session was held 

 at the Melbourne Town Hall. Mr. A. H. E. Mattingley, the 

 retiring president, occupied the chair at the opening of the 

 proceedings, and it was subsequently taken by Captain S. A. 

 White the new president. Among those present were Mr. D. 

 Le Souef, C.M.Z.S., Col. W. V. Legge, Mr. J. W. Mellor Dr. E. 

 Brooke Nicholls, Dr. J. A. Leach, Mr. and Mrs. J. W. Hosking, 



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