jyC) Royal Australasian Ornithologists' Union. [ist^'Dec 



TO TEACHERS. 



Mr. J. A. Leach, M.Sc, Inspector of Nature Study in Victoria, 

 delivered a lecture in the Albert Hall on the evening of the i8th 

 October, under the auspices of the Royal Australasian Orni- 

 thologists' Union, on the subject of "Bird-Life as a Branch of Nature 

 Study." In the unavoidable absence of the Hon. W. H. Barnes 

 (Minister for Public Instruction), Mr. D. Storey (Under-Secretary) 

 presided. Mr. Leach's admirable lecture was freely illustrated by 

 lantern slides showing the different birds found in Australia, and 

 illustrating their habits, the lecturer emphasizing the fact that 

 Australia was singularly blessed in regard to the many different 

 species found in this country. Prefacing the display of slides, Mr. 

 Leach dwelt upon the objects of nature study among children 

 of the schools in Victoria. Children were encouraged in the study 

 so as to try and enable them to observe things about them, 

 and to express in essays or by other means the outcome of their 

 observations. They wished them to be able to see, think, and 

 tell, and to attain that one lesson a week was given on some 

 common object, such as a stone, a leaf, or a bird. That one lesson 

 was followed by a five-minute talk each morning, and the child 

 brought to observe something every day on his way to school. 

 Observation for observation's sake, without thought, and without 

 being followed up, was quite useless, and a child could not observe 

 anything to advantage unless it knew what to look for. As far as 

 his talk on birds was concerned, he hoped that it would have the 

 result of showing those present that they knew far more than 

 they thought they knew about birds, and also that it would induce 

 them to give those live-minute talks each morning to the children 

 about birds. Mr. Leach then took his audience through the 

 21 groups of birds, explaining their habits and incidentally mak- 

 ing strong pleas for the preservation of different species. At the 

 conclusion of the lecture a hearty vote of thanks was accorded 

 Mr. Leach, on the motion of Inspector Kennedy. About 500 

 teachers and friends were present. 



Provincial Visits. 



BUNDABERG. 



The members who were able to join in the provincial tour were 

 well rewarded. The first place of call was Bundaberg, where we 

 arrived from Gladstone on the evening of Monday, 17th October. 

 We were first taken to the Council Chambers, where the mayor 

 (Mr. Peter Neilsen), Alderman Maynard, and others kindly welcomed 

 us on behalf of the citizens. The next morning was mostly spent 

 in giving short lectures on the value of bird-life to the scholars 

 in the various State schools. In the afternoon a delightful motor 

 drive was taken to a hill in the neighbourhood, from which a most 

 interesting view was obtained of the extensive fields of sugar-cane. 



