^5 
between, and are filled with eggs (or rather 4 or 5 in a nest) 
making 50 to 100 eggs on a bush. The birds are packed 
together on these bushes as close as they can stand, till nothing 
of the bushes or ground between can be seen for them. It is 
a wonderful sight to one who has never seen it before. The 
young birds began coming out about three days ago, but some 
are still laying." — CoNWAY M. Macknight, Surgeon. 24/1 i/oi. 
From Magazines. 
"Report of the Eighth Meeting of the Australasian 
Association for the Advancement of Science, held at 
Melbourne, 1900." — In connection with this volume, which has 
just been issued, it is to be regretted that for the want of the 
necessary funds the following papers are recorded only, and not 
published, viz. : — " Protective Colouration of Australian Birds 
and their Nests," and " Variation in the Colour of Australian 
Birds' Eggs," both by Mr. D. Le Souef, C.M.Z.S. ; " Notes on 
Some Desert Birds," by Mr. G. A. Keartland ; " Notes on a 
Collection of Birds from Western Australia," by Mr. R. Hall; 
and " Reserve Fertility of Birds," by Mr. A. Sutherland, M.A. 
The loss of publicity of these interesting articles emphasizes the 
necessity for the existence of such a purely ornithological journal 
as TJie Emu. 
While on the subject of the last Melbourne Congress of the 
A. A. A. S. it was perhaps an error of judgment in the " Hand- 
book " to have furnished old and obsolete names with such 
excellent descriptive matter as that on the "Birds of the Melbourne 
District." This is all the more remarkable seeing that at the 
previous (Sydney) meeting a " List " of Australian birds' names, 
both technical and vernacular, was adopted by the Association 
and afterwards published. 
* * * 
A Nice Point. — At the Sale police court four lads were 
charged with being in possession of Swans' eggs, contrary to 
the provisions of the Game Act. The first case was that of 
George Palethorpe, who pleaded guilty to having 55 eggs in 
his possession. He was fined is. for each egg, or 55s. in all. 
The other three defendants, who were in company with Pale- 
thorpe, were defended by Mr. G. Wise, who objected that, as 
Palethorpe had been convicted of having the 55 eggs, the other 
defendants could not also be convicted for having them. Mr. 
Cresswell, P.M., said the objection was fatal, and dismissed the 
cases against the three, adding that if they had all been charged 
collectively they would have been convicted. — The Argus, 
20/7/01. 
* Usual complement 2 to 4. — Eds. 
