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FIELD NATURALISTS’ SECTION 
OF THE 
Koval Society of South Australia. 
—~~En 
THIRTEENTH ANNUAL REPORT 
OF THE COMMITTEE, BEING FOR THE YEAR ENDING SEPTEMBER 
30TH, 1896. 
Evening Meetings.—Hight evening meetings have been held 
during the year, at which the attendance has again been well 
maintained, the number present being very even throughout 
the session. It is interesting to note that whereas in the early 
years of its existence the Section depended almost entirely on its 
elder members and outside help (such as University Professors 
and others) for members, &c., younger members are now coming 
forward for this purpose, with the result that the Section is 
becoming more self-reliant. The subjects dealt with have been 
varied and interesting—plants, birds, gold-crystals, and aquaria 
being some of the topics, while instructive addresses on the 
structure of feathers and of hair have also been contributed. 
Exhibits in natural history have formed a prominent feature at 
these meetings, and the “Question Box” has frequently been 
utilised as a means of eliciting information on various subjects. 
Owing to the holding, in October last year, of the Learned 
Societies’ Conversazione, to which members of this Section con- 
tributed a large number of exhibits, no similar gathering was 
held by this Section during the year. Papers, &c., have been 
given by Dr. Perks, Miss E. F. Haycraft, B.Sc., Messrs. J. G. O. 
Tepper, F.L.S., T. D. Smeaton, E. Ashby, 8. Smeaton, B.A., and 
W. H. Selway, jun. 
Excursions.—Eleven excursions have been held, and the ex- 
periment has again been tried of continuing them through the 
winter months, when the seaside has usually been visited. These 
coastal trips have not been so much in favour as those to the 
