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Cfte Uictorian naturalist. 



Vol. XXXVL— No. 6. OCTOBER 9, 1919. No. 430. 



FIELD NATURALISTS' CLUB OF VICTORIA. 



The ordinary monthly meeting of the Club was held at the 

 Royal Society's Hall on Monday evening, 8th September, 1919. 

 The president, Mr. A. D. Hardy, F.L.S., occupied the chair, 

 and about fifty members and visitors were present. 



CORRESPONDENCE. 



From the "R. M. Johnston Memorial Fund " Committee, 

 Hobart, soliciting subscriptions to the fund being raised to 

 commemorate the memory of the late Mr. R. M. Johnston, 

 I.S.O., F.L.S., Government Geologist of Tasmania, and one 

 of the foremost workers for natural science in that State. 

 Subscriptions will be gladly received by the hon. sec, Mr. CHve 

 Lord, Tasmanian Museum, Hobart. 



REPORTS. 



A report of the excursion to Cheltenham on Saturday, 23rd 

 August, was given by the leader, Dr. C. S. Sutton, who said that 

 there had been a good attendance of members, who were favoured 

 by a bright afternoon. The party visited the area in the neigh- 

 bourhood, of "The Springs," but found few flowers of note, 

 owing to the fact that the scrub had been burned some months 

 before, and the new growth had not become sufficiently 

 established to provide the floral wealth for which the district 

 is celebrated ; but later in the season it would doubtless be 

 worth visiting. Owing to the absence of Mr. J. Searle, the 

 pond-life results of the excursion were not commented on. 

 Dr. Sutton and others deplored the rapid extension of building 

 in the Cheltenham and Sandringham districts and the con- 

 sequent extinction of the most prohfic and interesting flora 

 near Melbourne, and regretted that no public park had been 

 set aside so that future generations might have some idea of 

 what our heath lands had been. In this connection mention 

 was made of the recent gift by Mr. Theodore Napier, of 

 " Magdala," North Essendon, of a considerable area of well- 

 wooded land to the Essendon City Council for the purposes 

 of a public park, on condition that none of the original trees 

 be disturbed. On the motion of Messrs. F. G. A. Barnard and 

 F. Keep, it was resolved to forward a letter to Mr. Napier, 

 informing him of the Club's appreciation of his action. 



A report of the excursion to Ringwood on Saturday, 30th 

 August, was given by the leader, Mr. F. G. A. Barnard, who 

 said that the large party was favoured by a delightful after- 

 noon. Taking a difterent route than usual, the Dandenong 

 Creek was reached by way of the Wantirna-road in about two 



