THE VICTORIAN NATURALIST. 63 



EXHIBITION OF SPECIMENS. 



The following were the principal exhibits of the evening : — By 

 Mr. F. G. A. Barnard.— Case of Queensland butterflies. By Mr. 

 A. Coles. — Pair of Black-backed Crow Shrikes, Gymnorhina 

 tibicen, ; 20 coloured plates of Australian birds' eggs; and stomach 

 of Black-backed Crow Shrike containing wheat, in support of a 

 statement made by exhibitor at a previous meeting. By Mr. C. 

 French, jun. — Three eggs of Aquila audax, from the Wimmera, 

 showing the variation in colour of the eggs. By Mr. H. Grayson. 

 — Test rulings for microscopical purposes executed by exhibitor. 

 By Baron von Mueller, K.C.M.G. — New plants from mountainous 

 parts of British New Guinea, collected in Sir W. M'Gregor's 

 travels, and including two species of Quercus; a species of Acaena, 

 the genus being new as Papuan ; Haloragis micrantha and another 

 species new as Papuan ; Akama, new as Papuan ; three species 

 of Rhododendron ; Vaccinum, of the section Agapetes ; a Corys- 

 anthes, for the first time from New Guinea ; a supposed new 

 Fern tree, Cyathea inimosacea, remarkable for even the ultimate 

 frond segments being stalked ; a very tall Spiridens Moss, fully a 

 foot high ; also a Dawsonia Moss over a foot high. By Mr. G. 

 J. Page. — Microscopic slide of Fossil Sponge Spicules from coal 

 shaft near Williamstovvn. By Mr. J. Shephard.— Stage micro- 

 meters and test plates for microscopic objectives, ruled by ex- 

 hibitor. 



After the usual conversazione the meeting terminated. 



EXCURSION TO PICNIC POINT (HAMPTON). 



On Saturday afternoon, 17th February, a party of Field Natural- 

 ists met at the Brighton Beach station, en route for Picnic Point, 

 which had been decided upon as a suitable locality in which to 

 inaugurate a series of trawling expeditions for the purpose of 

 capturing some of the larval forms which swarm in the bay at 

 this season of the year. On arrival at the starting point some 

 difficulty was experienced in obtaining boat accommodation, and 

 eventually it was arranged that half the party should confine their 

 operations to marine trawling, whilst the other half should scan 

 the shore in search of those forms which live between high and 

 low water marks. As the party in the boat included a diatomist, 

 an effort was made to reach the deeper water, so as to obtain 

 some of the mud, which is known to be very rich in diatom life. 

 The trawling apparatus was also let down. This consisted of a 

 cone of muslin about 36 inches long and 21 inches across the 

 open end. A large lamp chimney was fixed at the apex of the 

 cone with its broader end outermost, covered with muslin. Cork 

 and lead weights were so arranged that the whole apparatus 

 floated in a fairly horizontal position near the surface, and thus a 



