196 The South Australia)! Ornithological Association. 



grass bird, and southern white-eye. Mr. Ashby also exhibi- 

 ted birds from the same district, and gave a short account of 

 the bird life. He also displayed a small collection of bird 

 skins from Western Australia, many of which were rare and 

 interesting. Amongst others were the red-plumed pigeon, 

 Oriental dotterel, rock field-wren, rufous desert-wren. Mr. F. 

 R. Zietz showed a number of bird skins from the museum col- 

 lection for comparison. 



JULY 28, 1916. 



A monthly meeting was held, at which Dr. A. M. Morgan 

 presided. Mr. M. Saunders, was elected a member. 



Capt. White reported the destruction of swans by the 

 so called aboriginals at the lakes passage, and that action had 

 been taken. A resolution was passed that the Hon. Secre- 

 tary should write to the Commissioner of Crown Lands, and 

 requested him to lose no time in preventing the swans from 

 being killed. 



Mr. J. W. Mellor reported having seen a black-backed 

 magpie at Lockleys, and having seen and heard the pallid 

 cuckoo for the first time this season. He also reported the 

 nesting of pied grallinas and white fronted herons at Lockleys. 

 Capt. W. G. Randall was welcomed as a visitor, and he gave 

 some valuable information in reference to the Pacific gulls 

 carrying up shells and letting them fall to abstract the con- 

 tents. Mr. J. W. Mellor gave an account of a trip he made to 

 Yorkes Peninsula in May last, and remarked that all the wa- 

 ders had left the shores and flats, evidently migrating to their 

 nesting haunts. Mr. Mellor showed some bird skins. Capt. 

 White showed bird skins from Yorkes iPeninsula, and a skin 

 of the Australian fairy prion (Pseudoprion turtur), which had 

 been picked up in the paddocks at the Reedbeds after record 

 rough weather. Mr. F. R. Zietz drew attention to the great 

 number of silver gulls which had congregated about the Tor- 

 rens Weir. 



AUGUST 25, 1916. 



Dr. A. M. Morgan presided over a monthly meeting. 

 Notice was drawn to a letter from Mr. A. F. Furniss of 

 Morphett Vale, suggesting the destruction of sparrows by 

 means of poisonous gases. Members were of opinion that the 

 experiment would be dangerous, and if successful, would not 

 have much effect upon the vast numbers of these birds. 



