ABSTRACT OF PROCEEDINGS. Jiu. 
this would mean the destruction of 480,000,000 grasshoppers 
inaday. Reference was also made to the destruction of 
small noxious rodent animals, as field mice, bush rats and 
rabbits, by owls, moreporks and hawks. Immense quantities 
of guano had accumulated from birds on ocean islands. 
The lecturer made out a strong case for the better pro- 
tection of useful bird life in New South Wales. America 
had societies for this purpose throughout the length and 
breadth of the land. Although legislation was in force in 
this State, the laws were often broken with impunity, and 
the surest way of preserving bird life was to educate the 
people, such as the Gould League of Bird Lovers was doing. 
Mr. GILDER referred to the valuable work Dr. CLELAND 
was doing in examining the contents of bird’s stomachs, 
with a view towards determining their economic value or 
otherwise. 
Monthly Meeting, 11th July, 1918. 
Mr. H. W. Ports in the Chair. 
Mr. SacH read a note on “‘The Probable Cause of Woodi- 
ness in Passion-fruit. He stated that as the result of three 
years’ experience in growing passion vines at hisown home 
in which some vines were completely exposed to the south 
and south-east winds, and others were completely sheltered, 
he had come to the conclusion that the deformed fruit on 
the exposed vines was due to the cold winds. When grown 
in sheltered situations the fruit was quite normal.. 
Mr. DARNELL-SMITH thought that cold winds were not 
the only explanation. In some cases woodiness was due 
to bad soil, in others to bad pruning. The development of 
woodiness in passion-fruit was very erratic. 
Mr. H. BREAKWELL read a note on “* The Cultivation of 
Grasses and Fodder Plants at Public Schools.’’ Very-val- 
uable work was being done in this direction, and the data 
