^l^^g'l Field Naturalists' Club — Proceedings. 169 



midsummer, several interesting plants and shrubs had been 

 found in bloom. 



A report of the visit to the Zoological Gardens on Saturday, 

 9th February, was given by the president, Mr. F. Pitcher, who 

 said that about 40 members and friends had attended. The 

 party was shown round the gardens by the director, Mr. D. 

 Le Souef, C.M.Z.S., and his assistant, Mr. J. Wilkie, through 

 whose kindness, and knowledge of their peculiarities, the 

 various animals, birds, reptiles, &c., were displayed to the 

 visitors under the most favourable conditions, and many 

 interesting notes and anecdotes related regarding the specimens. 

 x\fter the principal portions of the Gardens had been visited, 

 at the invitation of the office-bearers of the Club an adjourn- 

 ment was made for afternoon tea, which Mr. Le Souef had 

 kindly arranged to be taken on the lawn surrounding his office. 

 He had taken the opportunity to express the thanks of the 

 Club to Messrs. Le Souef and Wilkie for their kindness, to 

 which the former replied in his usual happy style. Mr. 

 Le Souef then invited the members to inspect his private 

 museum, which contains a large and valuable collection of 

 natural history specimens. The afternoon was greatly enjoyed 

 by all, and closing time appeared to arrive too soon. 



GENERAL BUSINESS. 



Mr. G. A. Keartland referred to the request preferred by 

 sportsmen to the Fisheries and Game Department to alter the 

 opening of the quail season to March, which, he said, had been 

 definitely refused. The opening of the duck season on the 

 New South Wales side of the Murray River had been arranged 

 for the same date as in Victoria — viz., 15th February in each 

 year. 



Mr. J. A. Kershaw, F.E.S., reported that he and Mr. G. A. 

 Keartland had waited on the Chief Inspector of Fisheries and 

 Game with the request that police supervision be given to the 

 northern metropolitan districts on account of the unlawful 

 shooting of young quail, when it was promised that effective 

 steps would be taken. 



REMARKS ON EXHIBITS. 



Mr. F. G. A. Barnard called attention to his exhibit of a 

 growing specimen of the fern Botrychium ternatum, Meadow 

 Moonwort. He had exhibited the same plant at the June 

 meeting, when he stated that the new season's fronds usually 

 appeared about the second week of February. He had brought 

 the specimen again to verify his statement, the new fronds 

 being now just above the ground, while last year's infertile 

 frond was still in fairly good condition. 



Mr. H. B. Williamson called attention to dried specimens 



