142 THE VICTORIAN NATURALIST. 



The author described four dark varieties of the male of 

 Heteronympha merope, Fabr., which he collected in Gippsland, 

 and alluded to a very dark form of the female of the same species 

 which he saw at the same time. This, he considered, agreed with 

 the female described by the late F. A. Skuse as var. suffusa. 

 He also described a very dark variety of the male of H. philerope, 

 Boisd., and added some notes on the variation of ihis species, 

 questioning, at the same time, the advisability of giving varietal 

 names to such varieties. 



The chairman, in speaking to the paper, alluded to the diffi- 

 culty of determining when a variety is sufficiently distinct to be 

 entitled to a varietal name. 



2. Reports on the Buffalo Mountains Camp-out. 



Mr. G. Coghill read a detailed report dealing generally with 

 the Club's camp-out on the Buffalo Mountains, which extended 

 from 24th December, 1903, to 4th January, 1904. The party 

 numbered altogether twenty-six, including eleven ladies, and 

 notwithstanding the discomforts occasioned by the wet weather, a 

 thoroughly enjoyable outing was spent. The ten days were fully 

 occupied in exploring the surrounding country, where the collec- 

 tors in the party found plenty to interest them, and especially 

 those who visited the district for the first time. The opportunity 

 was taken by two members of the party to extend their explora- 

 tions to Mount Bogong, the highest point in Victoria. 



Reports were given on the following subjects : — Ornithology, 

 by Miss McHaffie ; entomology, by Mr. J. A. Kershaw, F.E.S.; 

 pond life, by Mr. J. Shephard ; Crustacea, by Mr. O. A. Sayce ; 

 and botany, by Mr. G. Weindorfer. 



A number of lantern views illustrating various localities and 

 incidents of the trip were exhibited. 



The chairman congratulated the members of the excursion on 

 the good results of their outing. Messrs. F. G. A. Barnard and 

 C. Coles also spoke. 



3. By Mr. G. Weindorfer, entitled " Notes on the Origin of the 

 Alpine Flora." 



The author took advantage of the observations made during 

 his visit to the Buffalo Mountains and Mount Bogong to sum- 

 marize the theories of different authors on the origin of our 

 alpine flora, and whether it had been affected by a glacial period, 

 and showed how the latter would account for certain resem- 

 blances in the floras of Australia and Tasmania with those of 

 the Chatham Islands and southern South America. 



NATURAL HISTORY NOTES. 



Mr. G. A. Keartland mentioned that on the 30th January last 

 he visited the Melton district with some friends, taking with 



