The Emu. 
155 
attached to a stronger line, and then to a one-inch rope which is 
hauled over the limb and down to the ground. The ladder is now- 
attached and drawn up into position, the end of the guy line 
being made secure to a heavy log or tree-trunk. The ladder is 
120 feet in length and is made of the best Manila rope with 
rungs of sound cedar. For the sake of convenience it is made 
in two lengths, and may be rolled up and fitted into a bag. 
All the photo, blocks were engraved by Messrs. Patterson, 
Shugg and Co., 256 Elizabeth-street, Melbourne. 
About Members. 
Herrn Adolph Nehrkorn, Braunschweig, Germany, is the first 
foreign member to join the Australasian Ornithologists' Union. 
Herrn Nehrkorn possesses one of the largest scientifically- 
classed egg collections in the world — nearly 4,000 species. 
Although he has bequeathed his great collection to the Berlin 
Museum, he retains possession of it during his lifetime, for, not- 
withstanding his three score years, he is still an active collector. 
Very general regret will be felt at the announcement that, 
owing to continued ill-health. Dr. William SnowbS.ll has retired 
— for the present, at all events — from his practice, to reside at 
his country residence at Longwarry, Gippsland. On account 
of his great skill, his enforced retirement, even for a short period, 
will be a public loss as far as suffering humanity (especially 
children) is concerned, while his metropolitan oological friends 
will miss much his pleasant chats about their mutual hobbies. 
Mr. Edward Degen, formerly of the National Museum, Mel- 
bourne, and whose name has been mentioned in the "Beginnings " 
of the Australasian Ornithologists' Union, has been engaged as 
zoological collector to an expedition organized by Colonel 
Harrington, the British Consul-General at the Court of King 
Menelik, Abyssinia. A start is to be made by caravan from 
Zaila, on the Somali Coast. " From Zaila," Mr. Degen writes 
in a letter to one of the editors, from London, " this journey will 
be 500 miles overland to the capital, Ades Abbeta, which 
for some time we shall make our headquarters. From here 
excursions into the different districts will be made in all direc- 
tions, while Lake Tsana or Dembea will be made the object of 
thorough investigation from a piscine standpoint. Of course big 
game will also receive due attention, likewise the avifauna its due 
share. The return journey will be made down the Blue Nile, 
through the Dar Berta country and contiguous mountains, to 
reach the Sobat River, called Addena at its head-waters. On 
reaching the White Nile, south of Fashoda, we shall follow this 
mighty artery to Khartoum, and in due course hope to reach 
Cairo." Mr. Degen expects the trip will occupy about nine 
months' time. 
