Sept., 1907.] THE VICTORIAN' NATURALIST. 85 



By Mr. A. O. Thiele. — Specimens of Serpentine from Mt. 

 Wellington. 



By Mr. E. O. Thiele. — Native axes from Mt. Wellington 

 district. 



By Mr. J. R. Tovey. — Pterosii/lis co7icinna x rejlexa, var. 

 intermedia. A hybrid orchid collected at Mentone, July, 1907, 

 growing among Pterostylis concinna, R. Br., and P, rejiexa, 

 R. Br., var. intermedia., A. J. Evvart. Vegetatively it somewhat 

 resembles the latter species, but the labellum is broader and 

 faintly but distinctly bifid at its apex, in this respect approaching 

 P. concinna, R. Br. Pterostylis co7icinna, R. Brown, type form. ; 

 Pterostylis rejlexa, R. Br., var. intermedia, A. J. Ewart, n. var., 

 in Proc. Roy. Soc. of Vict., 1907, type form. 



By Mr. J. Wilcox. — A protozoan, Dinohryon, sp., most probably 

 D. sertularia. 



After the usual conversazione the meeting terminated. 



Popular Names for Native Plants. — Following up the 

 suggestion made in a paper read before the Field Naturalists' 

 Club some little time ago, a sub-committee has been appointed 

 to see what can be done towards compiling a list of popular 

 names for our commoner native plants. The first step is, of 

 course, to get as many lists of names as possible from observers 

 in various parts of the State, and with that view the sub-committee 

 requests all interested, especially teachers, who, perhaps, have 

 better opportunities than others, to forward any names they may 

 know of to Dr. C. S. Sutton, Rathdown-street, North Carlton, 

 who has kindly consented to act as secretary to the movement. 

 It is not to be expected that this work will be accomplished in 

 one season, but, if started at once, it will not be long before a 

 satisfactory foumiation can be laid for future work, which, it is 

 hoped, will include the publication of a Floral Calendar for the 

 State. Parcels of dried specimens, with local names attached, 

 may be forwarded to the care of Mr. J. A. Leach, M.Sc, Training 

 College, Carlton. 



Effects of Tree Planting. — " F. R.," in an interesting 

 article in the Australasian of 3rd August, 1907, points out how 

 the western plains of Victoria, which were formerly treeless, and 

 consequently almost destitute of bird-life, at any rate of the 

 smaller species, have, by the judicious planting of many miles of 

 shelter-belts on the various estates, become almost wooded 

 country. Many of these trees, principally gums and wattles, are 

 now 40 feet high, and afford nesting-places for various birds 

 never seen in the district before, such as Honey-eaters, Wattle- 

 birds, Yellow-rumped Tits, Grallinas, and Noisy Minahs. In the 

 middle of June dozens of Scarlet-breasted Robins were to be 

 seen about Lismore. Magpies, Parrots, and Parrakeets have 

 also found out the plantations. 



