THE VICTORIAN NATURALIST. 



aminea, from Russell River, Queensland ; Cassinia Icevis, new for 

 Victoria, collected by A.J. Campbell, near Bacchus Marsh ; 

 Cassytha paniculata, new for Victoria, collected by S. Jephcott, 

 Hume River; Eugenia hedraiophylla, F. v. M., Mossman's River, 

 Queensland — new to science. By Mr. D. Le Souef. — Eggs of 

 the Comb-crested Parra or Lotus Bird. By Mr. F. Spry. — Larva 

 of Agarista casuarince (18 days old).' 



The ordinary monthly meeting of the Club was held at the 

 Royal Society's Hall on Monday evening, nth April. Professor 

 W. Baldwin Spencer (president) was in the chair, and there was 

 a full attendance of members and friends. 



REPORTS OF EXCURSIONS. 



.The first report was read by Professor Spencer, who, together 

 with Mr. C. French, F.L.S., headed an excursion to Fern Tree 

 Gully on 26th March. The party was ur.able to get through 

 much real work, owing to the heavy showers of rain which fell at 

 intervals during the day, but those who remained in the district 

 for the following day were more fortunate. Professor Spencer 

 recorded seven species of earthworms, two of which were new, 

 together with the same number of land planarians and a few 

 specimens of Geonemertes ; Mr. French reported a fair collection 

 of beetles, flies, cicadas, and ichneumons ; Mr. H. T. Tisdall 

 furnished a long list of botanical specimens, including a large 

 number of fungi. Amongst the former was a rare orchid (C. 

 leptochila), recorded for the first time for Victoria. Mr. C. Frost 

 named several birds and five lizards, one of the latter (Liolepisma 

 ceneum) being noted for the first time in Australia, though found 

 previously in New Zealand ; whilst Mr. T. Steel noted the curious 

 land shell, Helix atramentaria. 



A report of the Club's excursion to Merri Creek, under the 

 leadership of Mr. G. Sweet, followed. The geologists met with 

 a fine section showing the basalt resting directly on the silurian 

 rock ; but by far the most interesting objects were the fine 

 sections of columnar basalt. Only a few of these columns have 

 been left standing their full height, the superiority of the stone 

 for building purposes making it an object of special interest to 

 the quarryman. In a special note Mr. Sweet advocated the 

 employment by the Government of some of the unemployed to 

 clear away the debris which at present somewhat obscures this 

 remarkable and uncommon formation. 



ELECTION OF MEMBERS. 



A ballot for new members resulted in the election of Mr. Eyre 

 Williams, B.A., Mr. J. B. Backhouse, M.B., and Mr. H. Grayson. 



