Che Uictorian llatMralisi 



Vol. XXXIV.— No. 12. APEIL 4, 1918. No. 412. 



FIELD NATURALISTS' CLUB OF VICTORIA. 



The ordinary monthly meeting of the Club was held at the 

 Royal Society's Hall on IMonday evening, nth March, 1918. 



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

 fifty members and visitors were present. 



REPORTS. 



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

 February, was given by the leader, Mr. R. A. Keble, who said 

 that there had been a fair attendance of members. The blue- 

 stone (basalt) quarry had been visited, and in the fluviatile 

 clay underlying the basalt a number of fine specimens of leaves, 

 &c., were obtained, particularly Fagus Lnehmanni and Lomatia 

 Bosistooides. A portion of a legume was also obtained, the 

 first yet found in the deposit. 



A report of the visit to the Burnley Horticultural Gardens 

 on Saturday, 9th March, was given by the chairman, who said 

 that there had been a good attendance; of members. About 

 thirty had proceeded up the river by motor-boat to the Gardens, 

 where about a dozen more were awaiting their arrival. The 

 Director of the Gardens, Mr. J. P. M'Lennan, before starting 

 on a tour of the Gardens, asked the party to assemble in the 

 lecture room, where he gave a brief resume of the operations 

 carried on by the students, which include a number of ladies. 

 Both theoretical and practical horticulture are dealt with in 

 the course of instruction. Some fine samples of preserved 

 fruit made by the students were on view. An adjournment 

 was then made to the grounds, where first of all the notable 

 flowering plants and shrubs were pointed out ; afterwards a 

 visit was paid to the orchard, where methods of cultivation, 

 pruning, &c., were shown. At the invitation of Mrs. M'Lennan, 

 an adjournment was made to the lawn for afternoon tea, but 

 the good things had hardly been handed round before a 

 thunderstorm, with heavy rain, caused all to seek shelter, and 

 thus interrupted what would have been a very pleasant finale 

 to an enjoyable and profitable afternoon. 



On the motion of the president, a cordial vote of thanks was 

 ordered to be sent to Mr. and Mrs. M'Lennan for their 

 hospitality and kindness. 



ELECTION OF MEMBER. 



On a ballot being taken. Dr. Griffith Taylor, B.E., B.A., 

 F.G.S., Commonwealth Bureau of Meteorology, Carlton, was 

 duly elected an ordinary member of the Club. 



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