^"jg„^' ] Address by the State Governor. 167 



in London, which had cost ;^700, and another in Berhn. /i,ooo. 

 This bird, of which there was one reconstructed specimen, was, 

 however, knocked into the proverbial " cocked hat " by an ex- 

 tinct native of Madagascar 13 feet high, whose egg held about 

 i;^ gaUons I Sir Wilham said that he mentioned these gigantic 

 birds to demonstrate the need of protection, for, however strong 

 they were, they could not survive without help against man, and 

 unless cared for many valuable species would soon be extinct. 

 He then read out a form of pledge which the Gould League of 

 Bird Lovers was (under the auspices of the R.A.O.U.) placing in 

 the hands of boys and girls, by which they promise to protect 

 native birds, and to abstain from collecting their eggs, at the same 

 time exerting their influence to prevent others from doing so. 

 The birds were indeed worth protecting, for they could beat out 

 of sight any human being in dancing or singing. His Excellency 

 concluded with a humorous story of how he used, while in Fiji, 

 to liberate the Parrakeets at Government House by opening the 

 cage doors, until he at last converted the family to giving up keeping 

 such pets in captivity. 



Exhibits. 



Ox behalf of Mr. Atlee Hunt, C.M.G., Melbourne, Mr. D. Le 

 Souef, C.M.Z.S.. exhibited and explained the following New 

 Guinea birds, namely : — The Gardener Bower-Bird (Amblyornis 

 inornata) : Orange-crested Bower-Bird {Amblyornis subalaris) ; 

 Macgregor Bird-of-Paradise {Cnemophihis niacgregori) ; Twelve- 

 wired Bird-of-Paradise {SeJeucides nigricans) ; Hunt Bird-of-Paradise 

 {Paradisornis hiinti) ; Grant Bird-of-Paradise {Paradisea granti). 



On behalf of Mr. H. L. White, of Belltrees, N.S.W., Mr. A. J. 

 Campbell exhibited a selection of North-Western bird-skins col- 

 lected by Mr. G. F. Hill, a former hon. secretary of the R.A.O.U., 

 notably the Smutty Parrakeet {Platycercus hrowni), the rare Rain- 

 bow Pitta (P. iris). Buff-sided Robin {Pcecilodryas cerviniventris). 

 White-tailed Robin {Eopsalfria pulvendenta). Grey Fly-eater 

 {Gerygone cinerascens). Lavender-flanked Wren {Malurus didcis). 

 Red-headed Honey-eater {Myzomela erythrocephala), Rock-Pigeon 

 {Petrophassa albipennis). Chestnut-backed Quail {Turnix castanonota), 

 the smallest of Australian avifauna, Smicrornis flavescens, and 

 several Kingfishers. In addition was a pair of Black Tree-creepers 

 [Climactcris melaniira), the conspicuous white feathers of the throat 

 being edged with rufous on the female instead of black as on the 

 male, and a male Banded Honey-eater {Myzomela pectoralis) in 

 striking immature plumage — a rufescent stage even to the pectoral 

 band, and with a large patch of yellow on either side of the neck, 

 like a Ptilotis. Mr. Campbell also described the following : — 



New Species. 

 Falcunculus WHITE! (Yellow Shrike-Tit). "v 



Male. — Next the bill small white patch ; sides of the head and 



