46 
The Emu. 
interest and attention, and further details of their life-history 
will be welcome. There is no doubt but little in the way of new 
material to be brought to light in connection with these birds, 
except, perhaps, in the case of the Northern Bower Birds, 
the eggs of one of which, the Tooth-billed, are still undescribed. 
There are two genera, however, Ptilotis and Podargiis, almost 
purely Australian, regarding which much useful information may 
still be afforded, such as descriptions of their nestling and 
immature plumages, which, if I mistake not, have yet to be 
made known. The Rifle Birds and so-called Podargi are of 
special interest, the first being the Australian representative 
of the Birds of Paradise of New Guinea, and the second the 
prototype of the little-known Malayan " Frogmouths " {Batracho- 
stomus). 
Finally, it is right to mention certain genera in the afore- 
mentioned widely extended group of the Timeliidce^ which, 
though not being remarkable as regards plumage, are birds of 
interesting and obscure habits, being denizens of lonely forests 
and dense scrubs — such as OrtJionyx, Psophodes, and Hylacola. 
Their economy is all the more interesting owing to their 
sylvan retirement and habits of shyness and timidity. 
From my own experience in tropical jungles I know that it 
is long before a full knowledge of the natural history of forest- 
loving birds can be acquired, and doubtless there is much yet to 
be learnt concerning the species now alluded to. For example, 
the Log-runners {OrtJwnyx) and Ground-Wrens {Hylacola) are 
birds of peculiar interest, and it is to be hoped further research 
will bring new facts to light concerning them. 
It is finally desirable to mention, in concluding this all too 
imperfect reference to the fauMlies and genera of interest among 
the great concourse of Australian birds, that the nidification of a 
few of our well-known species, such as the two Barn Owls and 
the Night Parrot {G. Occident alis) is still unknown, and that 
members of our union should endeavour to supply the hiatus 
which exists in their natural history. 
It only now rem.ains for me as president of our Union to 
wish success to all your efforts, and to express the hope 
that many valuable discoveries in the directions which I 
have indicated, and in others perhaps overlooked in this address, 
may, through the medium of our journal, largely add to 
the general knowledge of Australian ornithology. Above 
all, let us try to raise our journal above a provincial standard, 
and devote its pages as much as possible to matter which 
will supply desired information to naturalists and workers 
abroad who are interested in the ornithology of our great 
country. We may, I think, rest assured that if we content 
ourselves with the publication of matter of merely local interest 
in our journal, our Union will not take the place it should in 
the ranks of the world's scientific bodies. It will be for us to 
