THE VICTOKIAN NATURALISE. 55 



Brown Snake, Diemenia textilis, named by Prof. M'Coy Furina 

 bicucullata in his " Prodromus of the Zoology of Victoria," but on 

 further examination it was found to possess the characteristic 

 scales of lizards, and had been identified as one of the legless 

 lizards, Aprasia jndchella. The resemblance was very remark- 

 able, and the reason for mimicking a poisonous snake was 

 obvious. 



3. By Mr. G. A. Keartland, entitled "The Range of the 

 Alexandra Parrakeet, Spathopterus alexandroi." 



The author said that for many years this bird had been 

 regarded as strictly confined to the mtra-tropical portion of 

 Central Australia, but smce 1885 had been recorded from various 

 places extending from near Derby, North-Western Australia, to 

 Oodnadatta, in extra-tropical South Australia, and he thought it 

 possible that its range may yet be extended into New South 

 Wales. 



NATURAL HISTORY NOTES. 



Foxes. — Mr. A. E. Kitson, F.G.S., said that the Geological 

 Survey party, in charge of Mr. VV. Baragwanath, jun., recently 

 working in the ranges to the north of Mt. Baw Baw, had noticed 

 English foxes in the locality, which, besides destroying the 

 Lyre-birds in great numbers, had developed a liking for grass- 

 hoppers. The animals seemed to show a slight variation from 

 the ordinary fox, being smaller and greyer in colouring. 



Source of Yarra River. — Mr. A. E. Kitson, F.G.S., said that 

 the survey party referred to had also found that our present maps of 

 the source of the Yarra and Thompson Rivers were incorrect, 

 as it had been found that the stream which had hitherto been 

 regarded as the furthest source of the Yarra was really the head 

 of the Thompson. The mistake had occurred through tlie latter 

 river flowing firt>t west, then north, and east, before taking its 

 southerly course. It was probable that at one time the portion 

 flowing westerly had belonged to the Yarra, but it had been 

 captured by the stream flowing to the north, and was thus lost to 

 the Yarra watershed. The country where this occurred was 

 covered with very dense vegetation, and without the aid of 

 instruments it was quite impossible to ascertain the positions of the 

 ridges and the trends ot the valleys. He also said that it had 

 been found that the three peaks of Baw Baw — i.e., Baw Baw 

 proper, Mt. Mueller, and Mt. Erica — all rose from an elevated 

 table-land about 4,800 feet above sea level. Unfortunately 

 another peak, situated at the south-eastern edge of the plateau, 

 was known locally as Mt. Erica, but it was really some five miles 

 distant from the Mt. Erica of the maps. 



exhibits 



By Mr. W. Baragwanath, jun., per Mr. A. E. Kitson, F.G.S. — 

 Photographs taken on Mount i3aw Baw, at over 5,000 feet, by 

 Mr. A. E. Rodda. 



