THE VICTORIAN NATURALIST. 47 



discussing these papers or in natural history notes — have brought 

 forward many new and interesting facts and observations. 



" The exhibits at the monthly meetings have shown that there 

 are many members who have not yet contributed papers, who in 

 forming such excellent collections must have acquired the 

 necessary material, and we hope that they will come forward 

 during the ensuing year. 



" A successful programme of field excursions was gone through 

 during the year, but we should like to see more members par- 

 ticipating in the undoubted benefits of field work in conjunction 

 with those who have had considerable experience in collecting. 

 The extended excursion of the year was to the Furneaux Group 

 of Islands in Bass Strait, and was a great success. The party 

 was small, mainly ornithological, and their experiences of the 

 breeding habits of sea birds were especially interesting, and the 

 photographic records unusually excellent. 



" Our journal, the Victorian Naturalist, has now completed a 

 decade of its existence ; the thanks of members are due to 

 Mr. F. G. A. Barnard for the trouble he has taken in editing it 

 during the past year. Although a great expense to the Club, 

 it has amply justified its existence. Your committee have 

 reluctantly decided to alter the form of the supplement and to 

 curtail the number of pages, in order that the journal may not 

 become an incubus to the Club ; these alterations will apply to 

 the eleventh volume, now commencing. 



" The meetings for practical work have been continued during 

 the past year, and interest has been fully sustained throughout. 

 They have been devoted exclusively to microscopy, and for the 

 latter half of the year to a systematic course in practical botany. 



" The juvenile prize competition for natural history specimens 

 has been continued, but the committee must confess to a feeling 

 of disappointment that the entries do not show any increase 

 in numbers, although, to do justice to the competitors, the 

 excellence of the exhibits has never been surpassed. To 

 those who have responded to our appeal for funds for the 

 purpose of the scheme our best thanks are due, and also to 

 Baron von Mueller for his great kindness in again consenting to 

 distribute the prizes ; indeed, we know that his words of kind 

 sympathy and encouragement when presenting the prizes are as 

 great an incentive as the prizes themselves. 



"Two members of the Club, Messrs. E. Anderson and F. Spry, 

 have published an excellent handbook, entitled ' The Butterflies of 

 Victoria.' It marks a considerable advance in our knowledge of 

 the life-histories of our butterflies, and can be confidently recom- 

 mended to all interested. Nor must we omit to note the publication 

 by Mr. C. French, F.L.S., Entomologist to the Department of 

 Agriculture, of the second part of his ' Handbook to the 



