14 THE VICTORIAN NATURALIST. 



dust from the roof of the National Museum was appended for 

 the purpose of comparison. The paper was well illustrated by 

 a series of lantern slides. 



A short discussion ensued, in which the president, Messrs. 

 Barnard, Hardy, Walpole, and Keartland took part. 



On the motion of Messrs. J. Stickland and Barnard, a vote of 

 thanks was accorded to Mr. J. Searle for again placing his 

 lantern at the service of the club. 



Owing to the lateness of the hour, Mr. G. Weindorfer's paper, 

 " The Physiognomy of the Australian and European Alpine 

 Floras Compared," was postponed until next meeting. 



EXHIBITS. 



By Mr. F. G. A. Barnard. — Fertile frond of Elk-Horn Fern, 

 Platycerium alcicorne, of Queensland. 



By Messrs. F. Chapman and H. J. Grayson. — Lantern slides, 

 photographs, microscopic slides, and red-rain sediment, in illus- 

 tration of their paper. 



By Mr. A. Coles. — A young Wombat. 



By Mr. J. A. Kershaw. — ^A " twin Mushroom," found at 

 Mordialloc by Mr. F. W. Baillie. 



By Mr. F; M. Reader. — Dried specimens of the following 

 plants: — Aira minuta, Loefl., and Trifolium parviflorum, Erh., 

 naturalized and new for Victoria ; also, specimens of the Egg- 

 pla!it, Solamtm melongera, L. ; Safiflower, Carthaimis fiiictorius, 

 L. ; and Cape Gooseberry, Pliysalis peruviana, L., grown in the 

 Wimmera. 



By Mr. G. Sweet, F.G.S. — Red rain, caught on sheets of paper 

 at Brunswick, 28th March, 1903. 



By Mr. C. Walter. — Enxalyj^tus liemijoldoia, from Somerton 

 district, previously recorded from N.W. and E. of Victoria; 

 Persoonia chamcepeuce, from Dandenong Ranges, previously 

 recorded from N.E. and E. of Victoria ; also, in illustration of 

 paper: — Acacia microcavpa, F. v. M., Wimmera District, October, 

 1900; A. stricta, Willd., Watts River, August, 1899 ; A. leprosa, 

 Sieb., Dandenong Ranges, October, 1900; A. montana, Benth., 

 Bacchus Marsh, September, 1899 ; A. moiUana, Benth., van 

 d'alto'iti, Wimmera District ; A. sclerophylla, Lind., Wimmera 

 District. 



After the usual conversazione, the meeting terminated. 



ON THE SO-CALLED PETRIFIED MUSHROOM. 

 By D. M'Alpine. 



{Head before the Field Naturalists'' Club of Victoria, 'IQth April, li)0;3.) 

 In January of this year I received from Mr. M. B. Gray, of 

 Hamilton, a specimen supposed to be a petrified mushroom, and 



