Che Uktorian Ddturalist 



Vol. XIX.— No. 3. JULY 10, 1902. No. 223. 



FIELD NATURALISTS' CLUB OF VICTORIA. 



The twenty-second annual meeting of the Club was held at the 

 Royal Society's Hall on Monday evening, i6th June, 1902. The 

 president, Mr. T. S. Hall, M.A., occupied the chair, and about 

 60 members and visitors were present. 



REPORTS. 



A report of the Club's visit to the Zoological Gardens on 

 Saturday, 17th May, was read by Mr. D. Le Souef, C.M.Z.S., who 

 stated that some 20 members attended, and, under his guidance, 

 spent a pleasant afternoon viewing the various animals contained 

 therein. Several improvements were noticed, particularly in the 

 aviaries, which are now constructed of wire-netting only, some 

 large shrubs providing all the shelter necessary. The birds 

 certainly looked at home here, and were in perfect condition. A 

 number of the smaller kinds of native birds were noticed, such as 

 Quail, Collared Plain Wanderers, Warty-faced and Lunulated 

 Honey-eaters, &c., while the nesting mounds of the Scrub 

 Turkeys again attracted much interest. Among the larger 

 mammals is a fine Indian Tapir, which has been added to the 

 collection since the Club's last visit, while the Polar Bears now 

 seem to be thoroughly acclimatised and are in perfect condition. 



A report of the excursion to Mitcham on Saturday, 14th June, 

 was read by Mr. F. G. A. Barnard. Messrs. C. French, jun., and 

 A. H. Weslley acted as leaders, in the unavoidable absence of 

 Mr. G. Coghill. After following the Doncaster road for about 

 half a mile some paddocks which sloped towards the MuUum 

 Mullum or Deep Creek were visited. Here the Native Heath, 

 Epacris impressa, principally the white variety, was fairly plentiful, 

 but, being almost midwinter, other flowers were necessarily scarce. 

 However, stray specimens of Viola betonicifolia, Erythrcea aus- 

 tralis, Daviesia corymbosa, and Acacia verticillata were found in 

 bloom. The best flower of the day was Hibbertia obticsi/olia, 

 which, with its handsome yellow flowers, about an inch across, 

 brightened the hillside near Mr. Westley's house. Fungi were 

 fairly plentiful, but none of particular interest were seen. The 

 most surprising find of the afternoon, however, was a spray of 

 Bursaria s2nnosa in bloom, which was thus either six months too 

 late or six months too early. Such a divergence from the normal 

 flowering season seemed worth recording. 



The hon. librarian acknowledged the receipt of the following 

 donations to the library : — Entomologists' Monthly Magazine, 



