The Ornithological Congress. 285


which the members assembled in the Victoria Hall to listen to

an extremely interesting paper by Mr. Rothschild on “ Extinct

and Vanishing Birds,” which was illustrated by a wonderful

collection of specimens and drawings. Mr. Rothschild divided

his paper into three headings, namely, birds that were already

extinct; those on the verge of extinction ; and those threatened

with extinction at no very distant date.


After luncheon the members divided into three groups ;

one proceeding in brakes to the reservoir, the home of many wild¬

fowl, notably the Great-crested Grebe ; a second party went into

the park to see the Emeus and Kangaroos ; while a third visited

the gardens and greenhouses. The members will have a lasting

recollection of Mr. Rothschild’s splendid collection and the

great work that he is doing.


On Friday Dr. Wilson of the Discovery Antarctic Expe¬

dition gave an interesting account of Antarctic birds, illustrated

by excellent photographic slides. Dr. Hartert contributed a

masterly paper on “ The principal Aims of Modern Ornithology,”

and Mr. Bonhote read his paper 011 “ Experiments in Hybridizing

Ducks,” which was of very great interest. I11 the afternoon the

members of the Congress were received by the Lord Mayor and

Lady Mayoress at the Mansion House, and in the evening the

foreign members were the guests of the British Ornithologists’

Union at a dinner held at the Frascati Restaurant.


O11 Saturday morning Dr. Bruce read his paper, which

was illustrated by some beautiful photographic slides, on the

ornithological work accomplished by the Scottish Antarctic

Expedition, the most noteworthy of the slides being those

illustrating the nesting of the so-called Cape Pigeon (Daption

capensis'). Although a very common species in the Southern

Seas, the nest of this Petrel had never before been discovered.


The only paper strictly devoted to aviculture was that read

by Mr. D. Seth-Smith, on “ The Importance of Aviculture as an

aid to the Study of Ornithology.” The author pointed out that

cabinet ornithology, although of the utmost importance, taught

nothing of the life-habits of birds, and in the case of many

species it was next to impossible to study their nesting habits

satisfactorily without keeping the birds under close observation



