64 THE VICTORIAN NATURALIST. [Vol. XXIV. 



insects ; museum collections and types, in which brief references 

 are given to the leading public and private collections in Australia; 

 and publications dealing with Australian entomology, showing 

 what few advantages the Australian collector has hitherto had in 

 the way of literature. With the publication of this work we can 

 confidently look forward to increased enthusiasm and a new era 

 in Australian entomology. 



The Plovers. — Two of the commonest birds on the Western 

 Plains (Victoria) are the Spur winged Plover, Lobivanelhis lohattis, 

 Lath., and the Black-breasted Plover, Zonijer tricolor, Vieill. 

 They are both handsome birds, and they are real Victorians, in 

 that they never leave the district from one year's end to the other. 

 But we have other plovers, which are not nearly so numerous, 

 and which are only visitors. Early in April I came across quite 

 a flock of Grey Plovers, Squatarola helvetica, Linn., on the plains 

 near Lismore. They were feeding amongst the stones on a 

 hillside, and harmonized wonderfully with the ground. They are 

 very plain-looking birds, as compared with either the Spur-winged 

 or Black-breasted Plovers. It is a curious fact that, though this 

 plover is found pretty well all over the world, its only known 

 breeding-place is Siberia. As we only see the birds in the " off" 

 season, we see them at their worst. Mr. A. J. Campbell remarks 

 that in the breeding season the plumage on the belly turns to a 

 rich black, while the back becomes a beautiful dappled-grey. 

 Unlike our own plovers, the visitors when disturbed make no 

 noise. Doubtless, however, they have plenty to say in the 

 breeding season. — "F. R.," Australasian, 29/6/07. 



Myxonema tenue. — At the meeting of the Royal Microscopical 

 Society of London held on 20th March last a paper was read by 

 Dr. Hebb, for Mr. A. D. Hardy, F.L.S., F.R.M.S., entitled, 

 " Notes on a Peculiar Habitat of a Chlorophyte, Myxonema tenue." 

 This alga is usually found in rapidly-flowing water, frequently 

 attached to the submerged parts of riverside plants, but more 

 often to stones and dead twigs. It is also found in stone-paved 

 gutters where there is a rapid flow of water. The author, how- 

 ever, found it growing feebly in a small fishpond about 10 feet in 

 diameter, where the water was nearly stagnant ; while on some 

 golilfish in the pond it grew luxuriantly, and the author thought 

 that some interest attaches to the adaptation of this stream-loving 

 Myxonema, which, unable to thrive in stagnant water, yet flourished 

 on moving objects, where it obtained the necessary water-friction. 

 It may be added that the effect of this algal growth on the fish 

 was their premature death. — English Mechanic, 12/4/07. 



