110 THE VICTORIAN NATURALIST. 



This tcok the form of a lecturette, describing the country 

 traversed by the recent Horn Exploring Expedition in the locality 

 of Lake Amadeus and the Macdor. nell Ranges, in Central Australia, 

 and was well illustrated by a series of some 70 lantern slides 

 depicting the flora and geological features noted, also some of 

 the ethnological observations made, as well as some of the 

 difficulties connected with travel in such barren country. The 

 author pointed out the great advantages expeditions now had over 

 those of the early explorers owing to the use of camels, without 

 whose aid their party could not have accomplished its task in the 

 short time at its disposal. Special interest was manifested in 

 the views, owing to the fact that they were the first photographs 

 which had been taken of many parts of Central Australia. The 

 lantern was well managed by Mr. J. Searle. 



Owing to an unavoidable delay, and the length of the paper, 

 its discussion had to be postponed. 



NATURAL HISTORY NOTES. 



Mr. C. French, jun., contributed a note recording the taking 

 of the Rosehill Parrakeet's eggs in an old nest of the Temporal 

 Pomatostomus. 



Mr. J. Shephard contributed some notes with reference to a 

 phosphorescent Ostracod recently observed by him at Brighton 

 Beach. 



EXHIBITION OF SPECIMENS. 



The following were the principal exhibits of the evening: — 

 By Mr. F. G. A. Barnard.— Saw-flies (larvte obtained on Box 

 Hill Excursion, June, 1894). By Miss S. W. Cochrane. — Paint- 

 ings of rare Victorian Orchids. By Mr. A. Coles. — Three sheets 

 of Australian birds' eggs, containing thirty-three hand-painted 

 illustrations ; silver ore from Mount Stewart, N.S.W. By Mr. 

 C. French, F.L.S., on behalf of Department of Agriculture. — 

 Indian Silk Moths. By Mr. C. French, jun. — Eggs of Queen 

 Victoria's Rifle Bird and Lewin's Honeyeater, from Queensland ; 

 clutch of six eggs of Platycercus eximius taken in an old nest of 

 the Temporal Pomatostomus near the Werribee. By Mrs. 

 Flatow. — Seaweed and Polyzoa from Portland. By Mr. R. Hall. 

 — Nest, eggs, and skin of White-winged Corcorax, from Swan Hill 

 (weight of nest, 9 lbs. 6 ozs.) By Mr. W. H. F. Hill. — Case of 

 Victorian Lepidoptera, taken recently. By Mr. Bernard F. 

 Hill. — Diamnea bicolor, the Solitary Ant (male and female). By 

 Mr. G. A. Keartland. — Eggs of Poly telis Alexandres, Princess 

 of Wales Parrakeet ; Platycercus Baueri, Bauer's Parrakeet ; P. 

 Jlaviventris, Yellow-bellied Parrakeet ; P. pallidiceps, Pale-headed 

 Rosella ; P. eximius, Rosehill Parrakeet ; and Emblema picta, 

 Painted Finch, all from Central Australia. The exhibitor called 

 attention to the eggs of Polytelis Alexandres and Emblema picta, 

 as this is believed to be the first time eggs of either of these birds 



