THE VICTORIAN NATURALIST. 



CORRESPONDENCE. 



MICROSCOPICAL TEST RULINGS. 

 To the Editor of the Victorian Naturalist. 

 Sir, — I regret to have to request space for a personal matter 

 with reference to an article entitled " Note on Microscopical Test 

 Rulings," and signed H. J. Grayson, which appeared in the last 

 number of the Naturalist (vol. xi., p. 163). VVhen the note was 

 read I pointed out that Mr. Grayson had omitted to mention 

 that, as was well known to several members of the Club, I had 

 been associated with him for several months in the production of 

 test plates. This was admitted by him ; nevertheless he has 

 allowed the note to be printed with a sentence allotting the whole 

 matter to Mr. Stone and himself. 



I may add in explanation that the project was entered into and 

 carried on by Mr. Grayson and myself, not as a scientific 

 enterprise, but as a commercial one, and in applying scientific 

 usage to the note in question I take it in the light in which Mr. 

 Grayson apparently desires it to be read. On retiring from the 

 partnership I pursued the project alone, and through my firm was 

 able to announce test plates and other rulings as commercial 

 articles prior to the reading of the note in question. Regretting 

 having to trouble you, I am, &c. J. SHEPHARD. 



Practical Geology. — The Geological Magazine for December, 

 1894, contains a short article by Mr. H. M. Bernard, M.A., F.L.S., 

 entitled " Application of the Sand-blast for the Development of 

 Trilobites." The article records the results of some recent experi- 

 ments, and throws out hints which may be of use to other pal^eon- 

 tological workers in getting at hidden parts of their specimens. 



Practical Uses of Ladybirds. — The San Francisco Ex- 

 aminer of 8th January, 1895, contains a long report by Mr. A. 

 Craw, Entomologist to the State Board of Horticulture, on the 

 benefit resulting from the colonization of the Australian ladybird, 

 RJiizobius ventralis, among the orchards of that State. Scale- 

 insects disappear rapidly before their advance, while their rate of 

 increase is so rapid that in one orchard over a million beetles 

 have been collected for further distribution. 



Victorian Lepidoptera. — Mr. G. Lyell, Gisborne, reports 

 the following entomological captures : — 



Callidryas lactea, Butler (first record for Victoria), taken 

 at Pjendigo, March, 1895. Received from A. Purdie, 

 Esq., M.A., B.Sc. 

 Jlesperilla peronii, Latrielle (once previously recorded from 

 Victoria), Ocean Grange, Lake Victoria, Gippsland, 

 February, 1895, by Miss May Wise, Sale. 

 Clauca struthias^ Meyrick (first record for Victoria), taken 

 near Sale, 4th April, 1895, by Miss May Wise. 



