44 THE VICTORIAN NATURALIST. 



reservation and proper scientific management of such areas. To 

 carry on its work and keep its aims before the public money is 

 needed, and all nature-lovers are invited to become members of 

 the League, the annual subscription to which is one shilling. 

 The hon. secretary of the Field Naturalists' Club has expressed 

 his willingness to receive and forward subscriptions and donations 

 from sympathisers, and we hope that members will do all in their 

 power to further the objects of the League. 



Records of the Geological Survey of Victoria. — The 

 second part of this new publication of the Victorian Department 

 of Mines, edited by the Director, Professor J. W. Gregory, 

 F.R.S., D. Sc, is devoted to a " Catalogue of the Described 

 Species of Fossils (except Bryozoa and Foraminifera) in the 

 Cainozoic Fauna of Victoria, South Australia, and Tasmania," 

 by Messrs. J. Dennant, F.G.C., F.C.S., and A. E. Kitson, F.G.S. 

 The species are grouped under the three headings — Eocene to 

 Oligocene, Miocene, and Pliocene and Pleistocene, for the first 

 of which thirty-four localities are given, and about i,ioo species 

 listed, but why on the map appended the numbers of the localities 

 do not agree with the numbers in the lists, or why the reference 

 list to the map itself is not arranged numerically, instead of 

 alphabetically, and so help a worker at a distance who is ignorant 

 of the geography of South-Eastern Australia, is one of those 

 puzzles which authors so often set the general student. Under 

 Miocene nearly 400 species are listed, and about 250 under 

 Pliocene and Pleistocene. A good bibliography of the published 

 papers, &c., is included, in which the late Professor Ralph Tate, 

 F.G.S. , naturally figures largely. In a brief introduction the 

 authors state their reasons for the grouping adopted, but these 

 are completely nullified by the editor's footnote: — "The classifi- 

 cation and correction in the Catalogue are the authors', and not 

 necessarily to be generally adopted for the use of the Geological 

 Survey. — J.W.G." Such a note seems out of place in an official 

 publication. No mention is made of any plant remains in the 

 catalogue. 



"Journal of Agriculture of Victoria." — This publication 

 was resumed with the May number as the first part of the second 

 volume, and is now edited by Mr. D. M'Alpine, the Government 

 Vegetable Pathologist. Among other articles it contains a report 

 on the St. John's Wort pest by Mr. C French, F.L.S., who states 

 that about 8,500 acres are more or less overrun with the plant. 

 Mr. French also furnishes an article on one of our insectivorous 

 birds, the Babbler, Pomatorhinus temporalis, Vig. and Hors., 

 which is illustrated by a coloured plate drawn by Mr, C. C. 

 Brittlebank. Mr. D. M'Alpine contributes an article on an in- 

 jurious fungus, known as the Tomato-leaf Spot, Septoria lyco- 

 persici, Speg., which is also illustrated by a coloured plate by Mr. 

 Brittlebank. 



