146 THE VICTORIAN NATURALIST. 



followed with great interest by those present. Full descriptions 

 were furnished of the nests of the Semi-palmated Goose (Anseras 

 melaleuca) and the Bittern (Botaurus poicilopterus) — the " Bun- 

 yip " of the aboriginals — and details of a raid on an ibis rookery, 

 gave an insight into some of the delights of an ornithologist. The 

 photographic camera formed a valuable adjunct to the outfit of 

 the excursionists, and some excellent photographs of nests in sitv, 

 and rookeries in active work, were shown in illustration of the 

 paper. Altogether Mr. Gabriel's paper roused the enthusiasm of 

 members in ornithological pursuits, which should bear good fruit 

 in the future. 



Mr. T. S. Hart's paper on " Some Rock Sections of Brighton 

 and Moorabbin and the Adjoining Districts " followed. The order 

 of succession of the various strata at Beaumaris, from bottom up- 

 wards, was given as — first, ferruginous and calcareous sandstones- 

 and shelly marls, with an abundance of fossils ; secondly, a 

 series of ferruginous sandstones, with ironstone bands, and no 

 fossils ; thirdly, a deposit of sand, grey, white, yellow, and red in, 

 colour; fourthly, a second deposit of loose white sand, with a 

 layer of recent shells at the top. The various strata were then 

 considered in detail, not only as regards their formation and 

 nature, but also in reference to their relative position at different 

 parts of the coast. Mr. Hart considers that the movements 

 causing the variations may have been only local, and certainly 

 that they were unequal within comparatively small areas. Thus 

 the fold at Beaumaris shows a difference of elevation in a very 

 short distance of nearly ioo ft., and same holds good at Picnic 

 Point, although to a somewhat less extent. The instability thus 

 clearly shown is set down to volcanic activity near at hand. 



THE CLOSE SEASON FOR QUAIL. 



At the close of an interesting meeting, Messrs. D. Best, 

 R. Hogg, and G. A. Keartland were appointed representatives 

 of the Club in approaching the Commissioner of Customs 

 on the subject of the close season for quail, and the hon. secretary 

 was directed to supplement their efforts by a written com- 

 munication to the Commissioner. The meeting was unanimous 

 in its desire that the present close season should not end till the 

 i st March, and the members of the deputation were asked to 

 urge upon the Commissioner the necessity, not of altering the 

 present law, but rather of taking steps to insure stricter super- 

 vision in the administration of it. 



EXHIBITION OF SPECIMENS. 



The meeting closed with the usual exhibition of specimens, 

 of which the following is a list : — By Messrs. E. Anderson and 

 F. Spry. — Ova, larvae, and imagines of Lampides bceticus, Lin.,. 



