178 THE AUSTRAL AVIAN RECORD [Vol. III. 



during week-ends and holidays. They also spent some weeks 

 at different times with Mr. John McGregor at the Koo-wee-rup 

 Swamp. D'Ombrain showed Macgillivray how to skin and 

 mount birds, and the latter then began his collection of bird 

 skins. Macgillivray became a member of the Field Naturalists' 

 Club of Victoria while still at school, and when at the University 

 was elected a member of the Committee. 



In 1891 Macgillivray acted as locum tenens at Kanwa in 

 the western Wimmera and made a collection of Mallee forms 

 not found near Melbourne. Then a year at Bendigo, travelling 

 as medical referee, gave him ample opportunity for observation, 

 as most of the travelling was done by buggy or gig with fre- 

 quent stoppages. Next, he was a few months at Launceston, 

 where observation of bird life was possible ; but then followed 

 two years in Melbourne when no bird work could be undertaken. 



In 1895 Macgillivray married the third daughter of Dr. J. H. 

 Eccles, of Newstead, and began to practise at Coleraine in western 

 Victoria. The practice was a large one and took him to all parts 

 of the surrounding district, and birds were observed all the 

 time. D'Ombrain then began work in the neighbouring town 

 of Casterton and they often had the opportunity of comparing 

 notes. After two and a half years Macgillivray moved to the 

 larger town of Hamilton, twenty miles farther east, where 

 he made both business and pleasure trips into the adjoining 

 country and became very familiar with the bird life. 



In February, 1901, Macgillivray left Hamilton for Broken 

 Hill, in New South Wales. Here his busy city and country 

 practice allowed him little leisure, but he managed to make 

 excursions in every direction. Macgillivray used to take his 

 son out, and from six years of age the boy accompanied him 

 on almost every occasion. 



About this time Mr. W. Maclennan arrived at Broken Hill 

 from Casterton, and brought a letter of introduction from 

 D'Ombrain, who described him as a keen observer and enthu- 

 siastic bird lover. He accompanied Macgillivray on his week- 

 end trips, whenever able to get away from his employment. 

 Each year Macgillivray, his son and Maclennan made a month's 

 excursion into the surrounding country after birds, at the same 



