THE VICTORIAN NATURALIST. 125 



The Geobasileus' eggs were nearly hatched, while the Bronze 

 Cuckoo's was quite fresh. It is well known that the young 

 cuckoo, when hatched, ejects the rightful occupants of the nest, 

 but in this case the latter would have such a start that it is 

 doubtful if the tables would not be turned. Some time ago I 

 shot a Bronze Cuckoo which was carrying an egg in its mouth, 

 and this is undoubtedly the means by which the egg is deposited 

 in the small domed nests which are usually selected. We reached 

 the station again about sundown, and in due course Melbourne, 

 having had a most enjoyable outing. — H. P. C Ashworth. 



EXCURSION TO WERRIBEE GORGE, 

 With a Note on its Geological Literature. 

 On the 9th November an excursion was made to the Werribee 

 Gorge, near Bacchus Marsh, by several members of the Club, 

 two of whom turned their attention to ornithology. The geologists 

 of the party were, however, augmented by fifteen members of the 

 geology class at the Working Men's College, under Mr. G. 

 B. Pritchard. We were met and guided by Messrs. Brittle- 

 bank and accompanied by Mr. Lidgett, and better exponents 

 of the natural history of the district could not be found. The 

 club is fortunate in having such able and willing members on 

 whom to rely for guidance in such difficult country. As the 

 report of a recent excursion to this locality will be found on 

 page 54 of the present volume, it will be unnecessary to describe 

 our day's outing more than by saying it was a most enjoyable one, 

 and that the two lady geologists who accompanied us scrambled 

 over the rocks and scaled the steep cliffs of the Gorge with, 

 apparently, less difficulty than some of the other members of 

 our party. 



Probably the conglomerates and sandstones of Bacchus Marsh 

 have had more written about them than any other of our deposits. 

 The writings are scattered, and many of the earlier ones are 

 difficult of access, and before any other papers are written on 

 the subject it would be well for someone to collate the literature, 

 and clear the ground for fresh work. One or two points have 

 come under my notice in this connection which show how 

 easy it is to overlook what has been done in the past, and how 

 mistakes once made are liable to be perpetuated. We are told 

 that Mr. R. Daintree was the first to ascribe the deposits 

 to ice-action, that Selwyn adopted his views, and that Mr. 

 E. J. Dunn was the first to prove their glacial character by 

 the discovery of grooved and striated pebbles. Now it is 

 more than likely that none of these statements is correct. First, 

 with regard to the glacial character of the beds. The 

 earliest mention of the beds that I have met with is one by 



