Unfortunately the Gang-gang newsletter has omitted some details
of the talks scheduled for our meeting on 14 June at 8pm in Canberra Girls
Grammar School
theatrette. Our resident and erudite guru Dick Schodde will give the short
talk, on the difference between the “true” quails and the button-quails.
The main talk will be given by Robert Gosford, of CRES, ANU. His topic will be “A
central Australian ornithorium: birds, country and culture in a central
Australian desert.” He will examine three aspects of the readily
accessible bird knowledge of Aboriginal language groups living in and near the Tanami Desert
in central Australia.
He will briefly examine the nature, context and potential of ethnoornithology
in Australia
generally and in relation to the Warlpiri language group in particular.
Secondly, he will present an
analysis of material he has located on two arid zone bird species, the rare and
threatened Grey Falcon Falco hypoleucos,
and the irruptively abundant Budgerigar Melopsittacus
undulatus. It should be a most interesting evening so do come along.
All welcome. Barbara Allan, COG secretary
