THE VICTORIAN NATURALIST. 49 



rufigularis, shot at Ascot Vale ; also specimen of African Box 

 Thorn, seeds of which were found in its gizzard. 



By Mr. C. French, jun. — Two fine specimens of Obsidian 

 (volcanic) bombs from Hamilton, Victoria. 



By Master C. French. — Orchids — Pterostijlis parvijlora, with 

 two stems of flowers, and one stem showing basal leaves, on the 

 one plant, from Sandringham ; Pterostijlis rejlexa, showing basal 

 leaves, from South Gippsland. 



By Mr. C. J. Gabriel. — Shells, Tellina staurella, from Medi- 

 terranean. 



By Mr. A. D. Hardy. — Loranthus celastroides, growing as a 

 parasite on L. pendulus, which in turn is parasitic on Eucalyptus 

 sideroxylon, Ironbark, from Whroo, Victoria. 



By Mr. A. Mattingley. — Echinoderms from King Island, Bass 

 Strait — Asterina calcar, A. gu7inii, and Stichaster polyplax. 



By Mr. F. M. Reader. — Dried specimens of Xerotes elongata, 

 Benth., new for Victoria, from Little Desert, Lowan, To/io/97 ; 

 and Trifolium fragifer^hm^ L., from Wimmera, 21/10/95. Nat- 

 uralized, and new for Victoria. 



After the usual conversazione the meeting terminated. 



NOTES ON EELS. 



By W. Hopkins. 



(Communicated by T. S. Hall, M.A.) 



{Read he/ore the Field Naturalists' Club of Victoria, ISthJuly, 1903.) 



The statement was made some little time ago that eels breed 

 only in the sea. As I think this is incorrect so far as our 

 Victorian eel is concerned, I purpose putting on record a few 

 facts which have come under my observation during recent years. 



The Angahook River, which flows into Airey's Inlet on the 

 eastern side of the Otway peninsula, has a sand-bar across its 

 mouth for from six to ten months in the year, the water soaking 

 through the sand and flowing into the sea at about the level of 

 high tide. There are plenty of eels in the river, and it seems to 

 me that if eels breed in the sea there should be at times numbers 

 of eels waiting to get out, and later on trying to get back to the river; 

 also young eels should be observed endeavouring to get in from 

 the sea. Now, I have had occasion to be there at all times of 

 the year, and have never seen an eel trying to get in or out, nor 

 yet young eels in the sea. There is a shallow bay just at the 

 mouth of the river, in which fish can easily be seen. 



A fevv years ago we drained a swamp at Gherang. When the 

 water ran out, large numbers of young eels a few inches long 

 went down the drain. As this swamp had not overflowed for 

 several years, these eels must have been bred in the swamp. 



