THE WOMBAT. 



The annual meeting of the Gordon College Science Club 

 was held during August. The report shows that the member- 

 ship (exclusive of honorary members) has increased to 40 from 

 the original 23. Seven meetings have been held, some being 

 open to the public, with an average attendance of 50. The 

 financial position is also satisfactory, as the receipts for the 

 six months since the foundation of the society amounted to 

 £a ( 7s. od., while the expenditure was only £1 i7s. 2d. The 

 following office-bearers were elected for ensuing 12 months: — 

 President, Mr. Jas. Wighton ; Vice-presidents, Messrs. 

 J. F. Dentry, R. C. Hocking, J. B. Leitch, and S. R. J. 

 Mawson ; Treasurer, Mr. J. F. Dentry; Secretary, Mr. J. B. 

 Leitch ; Committee, Messrs. J. Hammerton, A. Mueller, O. 

 Pohl, A. Purneil, and H. G. Roebuck ; Press Correspondent, 

 Mr. C. O. Dentry ; Auditors, Messrs. R. Mockridge, and 

 A. Ramage. It is proposed to hold two meetings monthly in- 

 stead of one, as previously. No syllabus has been issued for the 

 current quarter, but among the papers promised are one from 

 Mr. G. B. Pritchard on ' ' Fossils : their preservation and interpret- 

 ation " ; one from Mr. Fletcher on "Wash-products (chemical) 

 in Victoria " ; one from Mr. Brewer on " Native Philology," 

 and one from Mr. Hepburn on " Paper Manufacture." 



THE RETURN DINNER TO 

 MR. A. J. CAMPBELL. 



A complimentary dinner and reunion of ornithologists and 

 oologists was held in Melbourne on Aug. 26th in honour of 

 Mr. A. J. Campbell and his work. Mr. McAlpine, Govern- 

 ment pathologist, occupied the chair. After returning thanks 

 Mr. Campbell made the following remarks : — 



" It is a very happy thought to make these reunions of 

 ours annual affairs. If we keep them up, no doubt they will 

 merge into an Australian Ornithological Union at no distant 

 date. August too is about the best month to meet, because 

 it may be regarded as the New Year of Australian oology, 

 when the earlier birds commence to lay, and when migrants 

 from far-off Siberia are taking wing for our southern shores. 

 These feathered visitors — about a score of species — are of 

 great interest to Australian workers, especially the oologists. 

 I do not think any of our generation will ever track them to 

 their nesting grounds — many of their eggs we know absolutely 

 nothing about, and they have yet to be described, but I dare 

 say some of those who are growing up will do so. It is an 

 easy matter to reach Japan now, and there will soon be a 

 Siberian trans-continental railway ; so that we will be able to 

 get out at almost any point to collect. 



