Cbc Uktorian naturalist. 



Vol. XXXIII.— No. 8. DECEMBER 7, 1916. No. 396. 



FIELD NATURALISTS' CLUB OF VICTORIA. 



The ordinary meeting of the Club was held at the Royal Society's 

 Hall on Monday evening, 13th November, 1916. 



The president, Mr. F. Pitcher, occupied the chair, and about 

 fifty members and visitors were present. 



REPORTS. ■*. 





A report of the Croydon to Belgrave excursion on Saturday, 

 14th October, was made by the leader, Mr. F. Pitcher, who ^^ %^ 

 stated that fifteen members and friends took part in the outing, '^^v- 

 The coaches were utilized to the foot of Mount Dandenong, 

 which was reached about 10 a.m. The road up the mount 

 was taken leisurely in order to admire the views and collect 

 specimens ; among those gathered may be mentioned Tecoma 

 australis and Goodia lotifolia. The trig, station (2,000 feet) 

 was reached about i p.m. After lunch the road to Olinda was 

 followed, thence through Sassafras and along the tourist track 

 to the Sherbrooke Falls. A fine plant of the Silk-pod Creeper, 

 Lyonsia stmininea, which had recently been blown down with 

 its tree support, proved a novelty to many of the party. The 

 Belgrave track was then taken, and after a roadside tea the 

 station was reached after a very enjoyable ramble of about 

 twelve miles. About sixty plants were collected in flower, 

 and a number of interesting birds and butterflies were recorded 

 by Messrs. P. R. H. St. John and A. N. Burns. 



The leader, Mr. J. Searle, stated that a party of twenty, 

 comprising members of the Field Naturalists' Club and the 

 Microscopical Society, took part in the excursion to Alphington 

 on Saturday. 21st October. The afternoon proved an ideal 

 one, and a considerable amount of interesting and instructive 

 collecting resulted. 



A report of the Coimadai to Lerderderg excursion on Satur- 

 day, 28th October, was made by the leader, Mr. J. G. 

 O'Donoghue, who stated that a party of five journeyed to 

 Bacchus Marsh by the morning train. After crossing the 

 Lerderderg, it was decided, as the majority of the party were 

 more interested in botany than in geology or physiography, 

 to proceed up the river. The entrance to the Gorge was reached 

 soon after noon. The steep face of the glacial deposit abutting 

 the Ordovician was negotiated after lunch, and an equally 

 steep descent made to the river on the latter formation. The 



