72 Correspondence. | ,^f "]„!,. 



Dr. Sharpe founded this species on a single male specimen, 

 procured in the north-west of our State (W.A.) C. cinnamonieuin 

 is an interior bird, and, moreover, a species likely to be met with 

 around Lake Way. The female of the latter is not strikingly 

 distinct from that of C. margiiiatuiu. It seems to me, therefore, 

 quite a natural thing for Mr. North to take advantage of the 

 opportunity presented by the presence in his hands of the two 

 males and one female of C. viargiuLXtuui collected by myself to 

 aid him in his description and identification of the female skin 

 sent by Mr. Gibson. I do not blame him for doing so, but I 

 think at the same time that an acknowledgment of the fact 

 was due either to Mr. H. L. White or myself 



I take this opportunity, too, of stating that it is rather painful 

 to me to have my sexing of the type specimen of Lacustroica 

 zuhitei questioned by Mr. North, even if indirectly.* After 

 skinning and sexing birds for upwards of 30 years, I think I 

 may be trusted to distinguish the male from the female, 

 especially during the height of the breeding season. — I am, &c., 



F. LAWSON WHITLOCK. 



Young's Siding, D.R., W.A., 6/6/10. 



Bird Observers^ Club. 



The quarterly dinner and ordinary meeting of the club were held at the 

 Strand Tea Rooms, Collins-street, Melbourne, on 14th April, 1910. There 

 was a good attendance. At the conclusion of the dinner, Dr. H. W. Bryant 

 was voted to the chair. A report from the Chief Inspector of Vermin, Mr. 

 F. E. Allan, regarding the use of poisoned baits in orchards (forwarded by the 

 .Secretary for Agriculture) was read. Mr. Allan contended that the statement 

 that thousands of birds were destroyed annually by means of baits was 

 exaggerated, if not entirely without foundation. Mr. D. Le Souef, C.M.Z..S., 

 saicl the shooting in orchards did more damage than poison. Mr. G. E. 

 Shepherd remarked that only Parrots and other birds provided with crops 

 were liable to poisoning. Mr. C. F. Cole expressed the same opinion. 

 The resignation of Mr. E. J. Christian, of the Kamarooka Estate, was 

 received with regret, and it was resolved that he be placed on the list of 

 country members. A paper by Mr. A. G. Campbell (Pomonal), dealing 

 with the Victorian Sericornes., was read by Mr. A. J. Campbell. The 

 author's contention was that Scncornis frotitalis and ..S". osciilnns are really 

 distinct species. Several members stated that two distinct types of nest 

 were of general occurrence, one type being covered with moss externally, 

 the other with bark. Mr. L. G. Chandler exhibited skins of .V. ffontalis, 

 and Mr. J. A. Ross eggs of S. frontalis and other species of Sericortiis. 

 In the general discussion of the evening, reference was made to recent 

 flocking of migratory birds, and to White-bearded Honey-eaters {Melwrfiis 

 novcr-/iol/an(h\r) nesting, as a result of protracted warm weather. Mr. J. 

 A. Leach, M.Sc, reported that a dead specimen of Oceanitjs oceanicus had 

 been picked up 9 miles from the sea-coast, at (^eelong. Instances of Mutton- 

 Birds (Short-tailed Petrel) and White-faced Storm-Petrels having been 



* Vicl. Nat., xxvi., p. 138. 



