3 [Vol. xxv. 



a task which, although of great interest, was by no means 

 free from danger. 



This proposal was unanimously and enthusiastically agreed 

 to, and ordered to be entered on the Minutes of the Meeting. 



Mr. Ogilvie-Grant announced that lie had just received, 

 through the Foreign Office, a copy of a letter from the 

 Netherlands Minister for Foreign Affairs to His Majesty's 

 Minister at the Hague. 



This letter approved of the plans of the British. Ornitho- 

 logists' Union as described in Mr. Ogilvie-Grant's letter of 

 the 28th of May, and intimated that the Government steamers 

 would be placed at the disposal of the Expedition and that 

 all Custom-house facilities would be granted. 



Mr. Ogilvie-Grant stated that, on behalf of the Members 

 of the B.O.U., he had forwarded, through the Foreign Office, 

 their grateful thanks to the Netherlands Minister for 

 Foreign Affairs. 



Mr. Walter Goodfellow then gave a brief outline of the 

 plans of the Expedition so far as they were at present 

 matured. 



Chairman's Address on Opening the Eighteenth 

 Session of the B. O. C. 



Brother Members of the B. 0. C, — 



In accordance with the custom which has prevailed since 

 the foundation of this Club in 1892, 1 propose to offer to the 

 Members now present a few remarks on some of the prin- 

 cipal events in Ornithology that have taken place since the 

 commencement of the last Session of the B. O. C. in October 

 1908. 



To commence witli ourselves. We are now holding our 

 hundred-and-fifty-third meeting, and may be well content 

 in being able to say that during the long period of seventeen 

 years the attendance of Members of this Club and their 

 friends has never failed us, and, what is of still greater 



