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Vol. XII.— No. 12. MARCH, 1896. No. 148 



FIELD NATURALISTS' CLUB OF VICTORIA. 



The ordinary monthly meeting of the Club was held at the Royal 

 Society's Hall on Monday evening, 9th March, 1896. The 

 president, Professor W. Baldwin Spencer, M.A., occupied the 

 chair, and some 60 members and visitors were present. 



THE LATE DR. JEAN MUELLER. 



Baron von Mueller attended the meeting to offer a eulogy in 

 memory of Professor Dr. Jean Mueller, of Geneva, the eminent 

 lichenologist, news of whose death had just come to hand, 

 remarking that our colony is greatly indebted to his researches 

 for the elucidation of its lichen flora, more especially during 

 recent years, from material contributed principally by the Rev. F. 

 R. M. Wilson, a former member of this club. 



PAPERS. 



I. By Mr. T. S. Hall, M.A., entitled "The Weathering of 

 Rocks." 



The paper gave an interesting resume of the forces at work in 

 moulding the face of the earth. The characteristic appearance 

 of various kinds of rocks exposed to atmospheric influence was 

 described, and the localities where they could best be observed 

 indicated. The action of water in wearing away rocks was also 

 considered, the point being emphasized that water carrying 

 sediment is much more destructive than clear water. Glacial 

 action and the influence of changes in temperature were briefly 

 referred to, the latter being shown in many cases to split up huge 

 masses of rock with a loud report. 



In the discussion which followed Mr. H. T. Tisdall, F.L.S., 

 gave an instance of a basalt bar across the creek at Walhalla, 

 which since the settlement of the district had been cut away 

 much more quickly than before, although there is now only one- 

 third of the quantity of water. 



Professor Spencer referred to recent correspondence in the 

 columns of Nature on the occurrence of loud noises in various 

 localities, and considered the reference by Mr. Hall to splitting 

 rocks a likely explanation. In Central Australia the influence of 

 the violent changes of temperature was plainly discernible. 



