36 Field Naiuralisls' Club — Proceedings. [voi^^'xxxv 



been a fine display throughout the year. The explanatory 

 notes which are frequently given by the exhibitors have added 

 considerably to the interest in the exhibits. 



" Numerous half-day excursions to localities of interest and 

 of easy access to the metropolis have been made during the 

 year, the attendance of members and friends in almost every 

 case being excellent. In addition, several whole-day trips, 

 visiting places further afield, have been made, and these 

 also have attracted a goodly number, His Excellency the 

 Governor-General on one occasion honouring the Club by taking 

 part in the outing. One week-end excursion was made to 

 Toolangi in January last, while a five-days' visit was made to 

 the Colac district at Easter. These were productive of much 

 material for investigation, and proved delightful naturalists' 

 outings. Several Club members took advantage of the 

 Government Tourists' Bureau excursion to the Grampians in 

 September, and greatly appreciated the wealth of floral beauty 

 for which the district is deservedly famous. 



" Perhaps the most important evt*nt of the year was the 

 exhibition of Australian wild-flowers, held in the Melbourne 

 Town Hall on the 2nd October last. Such a collection of 

 native floral beauty, representing every State in the Common- 

 wealth, had never been brought together before, and it is 

 gratifying to know that the effort was appreciated, as is 

 evidenced by the net cash result — £212 5s. id. — which the 

 committee was enabled to hand over to the Y.M.C.A. National 

 Fund for the benefit of the soldiers on active service. Great 

 credit is due to the members wlio ungrudgingly gave of their 

 best in time, labour, or material to the effort, but much of the 

 success is attributable also to the many kind friends of the 

 Club, scattered throughout the metropolis. State, and Common- 

 wealth, who readily assisted in ways too numerous to mention. 

 We accord them our thanks. Apart from the worthy object 

 of augmenting the fund before referred to, .the wild-flower 

 exhibition of 1917 resulted in the creation of a greater general 

 interest in the study of our native flora. The numerous similar 

 exhibitions organized by various societies and bodies in the 

 suburbs and elsewhere in the State give at least some witness 

 of this interest. 



" While the study of botany is always a popular subject with 

 many of our members, valuable research work has been con- 

 ducted l)y mem])ers interested in microscop}^ especially as 

 regards the micro-fauna of our lakes and streams, of which 

 more will probably be heard later. Other branches of natural 

 history have not been overlooked, and in conjunction with the 

 Eislieries and Game Department the CIuIj has rendered 

 valuable support in such important matters as the protection 



