session 1907-1908. 
XXV 
Visit to the Gardens of the Zoological Society, 
Regent’s Park, London, 
30th May, 1908. 
The meeting was under the direction of Mr. G. M. Mathews, 
P.L.S., P.Z.S., who conducted the members round the Aviaries 
and explained the habits, etc., of the most interesting birds, 
devoting special attention to those from Australia, which he 
knows so well. Of these two species are represented in the 
Gardens which appear to be almost on the verge of extinction. 
They are the emeu ( Dromseus novae-hollandiae) , now only known 
to exist in Australia, where it frequents the open country, but, 
owing to the growth of population, is becoming scarce, and the 
closely-related cassowary ( Casuarius emeu), which is confined to 
N.E. Australia, New Guinea, and adjacent islands. These birds 
are in the Stork and Ostrich House. Another bird in the same 
house, the kiwi ( Apteryx australis) of New Zealand, is rapidly 
becoming exterminated there by the stoats which have been 
introduced to keep down the rabbits. This is owing to its 
incapacity of flight, being a practically wingless bird, like the 
moas which flourished in New Zealand several centuries ago 
and of which the largest species ( Dinornis giganteus) was at 
least ten feet in height. In the Great Aviary, amongst 
other interesting birds which were noticed, was the beautiful 
Australian sacred ibis ( Ibis strictipennis) , and it may be of 
interest to record that it has bred in the Gardens with 
Bernier’s ibis. 
Tea was partaken of near the Band-stand, after which the 
members dispersed to different parts of the Gardens. 
Tickets for admission, to the number of about forty, were 
provided for the members and their friends by Fellows of the 
Zoological Society. 
Visit to the Royal Gardens, Kew, 13th June, 1908. 
The members assembled at the Main Entrance, Kew Green, 
and walked through the Gardens under the guidance of 
Mr. Daniel Hill, F.R.H.S., who has contributed the following 
account. 
Mr. Hill first pointed out the fine maidenhair tree ( Ginkgo 
biloba) which since our visit in June, 1905 (‘ Trans.,’ Vol. XII, 
p. Ixx) had increased its bulk considerably. There is, however, 
a much finer specimen at The Grove, Watford, the residence 
of the Earl of Clarendon, in what used to be “ the old garden.” 
In the Greenhouse a fine collection of hyppeastrums was 
noticed; in the Succulent House the large whitish composite¬ 
like flowers of two or three proteas were very conspicuous ; 
in the Economic House, where plants used for food are grown, 
a banana with a big bundle of fruit was pointed out and also 
a coffee-tree with its scarlet fruit-cases. 
vol. xiv.— part iv. 
c 
