126 Royal Australasian Ornithologists' Union. fisf^Tan 



— still sacrifices have to be made for posterity, and, out of deference 

 to the curriculum of the school of younger ornithologists, the 

 sooner the International Code is adopted and used the simpler, 

 and therefore easier, will it be for future students to follow the 

 science of ornithology in its application to Australian birds. It 

 will be a benefit alike to Australian and foreign students. To 

 overcome the difficulty and bring the binomialists and tri- 

 nomialists of Australia into line, and for the better advancement 

 of ornithological science in the Commonwealth, I would urge that, 

 in future, no better compliment could be paid by one orni- 

 thologist to another than to quote the binomial name as well as 

 the trinomial name where possible for sub-species, slender as the 

 differences often are, until the time when, through the greater 

 knowledge acquired by the future study of the life-history of our 

 birds, the framing of a new Check-list to supersede the present 

 one will be imperative. 



In conclusion, permit me to point out that we must take 

 advantage of every factor which helps in scientific development, 

 and, ignoring no person who has a contribution, however small, 

 to offer, we must go on to better things, with the consciousness that 

 only the end of time will see perfection. For we shall assuredly 

 outgrow any system that may be inaugurated, because we are 

 constantly moving on towards the ideal. And may we ever 

 remember that our ideal of perfection in nomenclature will be 

 improved upon by the rising generation, for which we should be 

 indeed grateful. With all humbleness, and with gratitude in 

 our hearts for the benefits bestowed on us by scientists of the 

 past for the gift of the present nomenclatural system, let us 

 return to them our sincere thanks. 



The Mallacoota Excursion. 

 By a. H. Chisholm, R.A.O.U. 



" A LOVELY and a lonely place ; neither Port Jackson nor Broken 

 Bay are fit to hang on the line with it in memory's gallery." This 

 was the testimony given Mallacoota Inlet less than a decade ago 

 by the late Francis Myers, picturesque writer and nature-lover. 

 A striking recommendation, truly ; and, to those bearing it in 

 mind, the decision of the Council of the Union to hold the 1914 

 excursion at Mall^oota could not fail to arouse pleasurable 

 anticipations. There were, however, a variety of factors 

 militating against a record attendance of members when the time 

 came, and the result was that the excursioning party was not 

 quite so comprehensive as is usually the case. At the last moment 

 Dr. C. S. Sutton, of Melbourne, was prevented from making the 

 trip; and, as neither Dr. J. B. Cleland, of New South Wales, or 

 Mr. F. M. Angel, of South Australia — two " regulars " — could get 



