86 THE VICTORIAN NATURALIST. 



the ie[)orted failures with formaHn arose from the fact that a too- 

 diluted solution had been used, as it should be borne in mind 

 that " formalin " is tlie commercial name for a saturated solution 

 of formic aldehyde in water. 



2. By Mr. H. T. Tisdall, F.L.S., entitled '• Symbiosis between 

 Fungi and Certain Dicotyledons." 



After referring to the well-known symbiosis between alg^e and 

 fungi in the constitution of lichens, the paper dealt with the 

 recently discovered partnership between many flowering plants, 

 including not a few large trees and the hyphse of fungi, which 

 take the place of root hairs, and supply the tree with sap. The 

 paper concluded by exhorting some of the members of the Club 

 to follow up this line of research. 



In discussing the paper, Mr. D. M'Alpine stated that they 

 should not lose sight of the fact that many fungi are parasitic, 

 and cause the destruction of their hosts. 



NATURAL HISTORY NOTE. 



Mr. G. Lyell, jun., of Gisborne, contributed a note on the life- 

 history of the rare butterfly Xenica Hobartia, with detailed obser- 

 vations by Mr. E. Jarvis, of Macclesfield. 



EXHIBITION OF SPECIMENS. 



The following were the principal exhibits of the evening : — By 

 Mr. C. French, F.L.S. — Newly described beetles, Ceratognathus 

 Gilesi, from Victoria, and Rhyiiphora Frenchi, Fornax coloratus, 

 btigmodera alternata, and a moth, Spilosoma Frenchi, from North 

 Queensland ; also life-history of Xenica Hohartia, from larvce, 

 taken recently for the first time in Victoria by Mr. E. Jarvis, 

 Dandenong Ranges. By Mr. C. French, jun. — Nest and eggs of 

 Orange-winged Sittella, from Werribee. By Mr. W. H. F. Hill. — 

 Fungus, Is'iria surmatodes, M'Alpine, from South Van Yean. 

 By Mr. G. A. Keartland. — Skins and eggs of Western Black 

 Cockatoo, Calyptorhynchus stellatus ; Black-backed Superb 

 Warbler, Malurus melanotus ; Red-lored Pardalote, Pardalotus 

 rubricatus ; Crested Wedgebill, Sphenostoma cristatum ; Port 

 Lincoln Parrot, Platycercus zonarius ; Keartland's Honey-eater, 

 Ptilotis Keartlandi ; also eggs only of Yellow-collared Parrakeet, 

 Platycercus semitorqicatus, Swift-flying Lorikeet, Lathainus dis- 

 color, Yellow-bellied Parrakeet, Platycercus Jiaviventris, and Brown 

 Red-throat, Pyrrholcemus brunneus. By Mr. J. A. Kershaw. — 

 Top of Tree Fern stem covered with the orchid Ghiloglottis 

 Gunnii in flower ; third year of flowering since taken ; grown by 

 Mr. W. Kershaw, at Narracan, Gippsland. By Messrs. P. J. 

 Ryan and W. H. F. Hill. — 31 specimens of rare butterfly, 

 lalmenus myrsilus, with ova of same, from Gordons. By Mr. F. 

 Spry. — Larva of butterfly, Epinephile abeona, Don. 



After the usual conversazione the meeting terminated. 



