NATURAL HISTORY OP MELBOURNE. 205 



April 16th. House Martin, (Hirundo urlica,) May 1st. Swift, (Ci/pselus 

 apus,) May 10th. 



The Cuckoo, {Cuculus canorus,) was first heard on May 2nd.; on May 10th., 

 I heard this bird singing shortly before midnight. 



The Dipper, {Gindus aquaticus.) During the severe frost in the early part 

 of the present year, a pair of these birds were observed on a small river near 

 this place, where they remained some weeks. They are by no means common 

 in this county. 



The Starling, (Sturnus vulgaris,) July 5th. To-day I found a nest of 

 this bird containing three young ones lately hatched. Is it not an unusual 

 thing for this bird to breed twice in the year? 



The Missel Thrush, {Tardus viscivorus.) A few days since I saw one of 

 these birds in the act of eating the egg of a Hedge Accentor. I was close 

 to it at the time, and observed it most distinctly. 



Garden Warbler, (Curruca hortensis.) Lesser Whitethroat, (^Curruca sylviella.) 

 Grasshopper Warbler, (Salicaria locustella.) I have never met with a single 

 specimen of any of these birds in this neighbourhood. 



Large Plane Tree, (Platanus occidentalism A fine tree of this species is 

 growing at Beaupre Hall, in this county, which measures at three feet from 

 the ground, thirteen feet eight inches in circumference. 



The White Dead Nettle, {Lamium album.) This plant, so common in the 

 western and southern parts of the county, is wholly unknown within ten miles 

 of this place. 



Thornage, Norfolk, July IZih., 1854:. 



NOTES ON THE NATURAL HISTORY OF MELBOURNE. 



BY S. HANNAFORD, ESQ., JUN. 



WHE>r I wrote you, some twelve months since, a few rough notes on 

 the Botany of Victoria, it was my intention, from time to time, to contribute 

 to your valuable publication, sketches of the natural objects met with in 

 my rambles. Unfortunately, however, other avocations have prevented me 

 from fulfilling my intentions, and allowed me only a few leisure hours 

 occasionally to devote to the study of our native plants. I am the more 

 anxious to send you a few lines now, for as civilization extends, so do I 

 find the neighbourhood becoming less and less interesting to the Naturalist, 

 from the decrease in number of all birds and insects, and the eradication 

 of many of our beautiful wild flowers, with which on my first arrival here, 

 the whole country was covered. 



The Yarra banks, on which crept the small white purple-streaked Violet, 

 (Erpetion;) the delicate pink Gratiola; the elegant Lomaria; and the drooping 

 Sida prdchella; with a host of others even surpassing these in loveliness; are 

 now covered with tents inhabited by quarrymen and wood-cutters, whose camp 



