THE 



Qictovian tyatxxvali&t. 



Vol. IX.— No. 1. MAY, 1892. No. 101. 



FIELD NATURALISTS' CLUB OF VICTORIA. 



The ordinary monthly meeting was held in the Royal Society's 

 Hall on Monday evening, 14th March. Professor W. Baldwin 

 Spencer, president of the Club, was in the chair, and there was an 

 attendance of some 80 members and friends. 



librarian's report. 



The hon. librarian reported the receipt of the following 

 donations to the library : — " The Geelong Naturalist," quarterly, 

 Nos. 1, 2, and 3, from Gordon College Field Naturalists' Associa- 

 tion ; "Technics," journal of Stawell Technical College, 1st 

 February, 1892, from Stawell School of Mines; "Records 

 Australian Museum," vol. i., No. n (Index), from Museum; 

 " Catalogue Marine Shells of Australia and Tasmania," part i., 

 from Museum ; " Journal New York Microscopical Society," vol. 

 viii., part 1, from Society. 



ELECTION OF MEMBER. 



On a ballot being taken, Mr. H. Quiney was elected a member 

 of the Club. 



PAPER. 



The only paper of the evening was communicated by Professor 

 W.Baldwin Spencer, on "A Trip to Queensland in Search of 

 Ceratodus." Special interest attaches to this form, since it is the 

 Australian representative of a small group of animals (the 

 Dipnoi) which is intermediate between the fishes and the 

 amphibia. Ceratodus has its home in the Mary and Burnett 

 Rivers in Queensland, whilst its ally, Lepidosiren, is found in the 

 Amazon, and another relative, Protopterus, flourishes in the 

 waters of tropical Africa. Although unsuccessful in obtaining the 

 eggs of Ceratodus, owing to the early season, Professor Spencer 

 was able, (rom a careful study of the surroundings under which 

 the animal lives, to demonstrate very forcibly that its lung is, 

 doubtless, of as great a service to it during the wet as during the 

 dry season — a theory in direct opposition to the generally 

 accepted one that it functions principally during the dry season, 

 when the animal is inhabiting a mud-cocoon within the dry bed 

 of the river. Many interesting specimens, including Ceratodus, 

 earthworms, land planarians, Peripatus, &c, were secured, and 



