220 THE SECRETARY OX ADDITIONS TO THE MENAGERIE. 



oils, and skins. This traffic is on tlie increase, and ifc is quite 

 certain therefore that unless the killing of these creatures is 

 controlled, and regulations enforced for their proper protection, 

 the species in many instances will rapidly become extinct — a fate 

 that has already overtaken the valuable animals in many Sub- 

 Antarctic lands. 



Even Macquarie Island, a dependency of Tasmania, has been so 

 worked by New Zealand sealers that it has also suffered. Never- 

 theless, it still abounds in most types of Sub- Antarctic life, and 

 is the most ideal spot in those seas to be retained as a National 

 Reserve for the jorotection and propagation of the various species 

 of Penguins and Seals. This little island, which lies buried in 

 mist and fog amidst the turmoil of the great rolling seas that 

 sweep unchecked around the Globe in those latitudes, is one of the 

 wonder spots of the world, for to this ocean sanctuary flock the 

 seal and bird life of millions of square miles of the surrounding 

 waters. It is the great focus of such life in the Autralasian Sub- 

 Antarctic, and an indescribable attractive force impels the land- 

 seeking life in those wide seas towards its shelter. The Penguins 

 thi^ong the beaches, and it is one of the few havens left to the 

 great elephant-seals. Seal and bird life, with which the island 

 still teems, has been greatly restricted as a lesult of the slaughter 

 by the sealers. Within tive j'ears after the discovery of the 

 island, the Fur-Seal was almost exterminated, and the species 

 is now virtually extinct. A species of flightless PaiTot is now 

 non-existent, while the noble King Penguin has dwindled in 

 numbers until it is now represented only by one small rookery at 

 Lusitania Bay. 



Turning to the Australasian Antarctic shore, the great abun- 

 dance of seals, penguins, and whales will sooner or later attract 

 exploiters, and it is well that the responsible Governments should 

 legislate ahead in the interest of the continuance of the species. 



February 18th, 1919. 



A. Smith Woodwabd, Esq., LL.D., F.R.S., Vice-President, 

 in the Chair. 



The Secretary read the following Report on the Additions 

 made to the Society's Menagerie dinnng the month of January 

 1919:— 



The registered additions to the Societj^'s Menagerie during the 

 month of January were 42 in number. Of these 21 were acquired 

 by presentation, 9 were deposited, 10 were received in exchange, 

 and 2 were purchased. 



The following may be specially mentioned : — 



2 Lion Marmosets [Leontocehus rosalie), from S.E. Brazil, 

 presented by Sir Geoi-ge Noble, Bt., F.Z.S., on January 25th. 



