Cbe Uictorlan naturalist 



Vol. XXIL— No. 6. OCTOBER 5, 1905. No. 262. 



FIELD NATURALISTS' CLUB OF VICTORIA. 



The ordinary monthly meeting of the Club was held at the 

 Royal Society's Hall on Monday evening, nth September, 1905. 

 The president, Mr. F. G. A. Barnard, occupied the chair, and 

 about 75 members and visitors were present. 



REPORTS. 



A report of the excursion to Ashburton on Saturday, 26th 

 August, was read by the leader, Mr. F. G. A. Barnard, who said 

 that, considering the time of year, there was a good attendance of 

 members. However, the results of the outing were not very 

 striking. In a small pool near Gardiner's Creek Volvox glohator 

 was found in great abundance, in the interesting antheridian 

 stage. Among flowering plants the most noticeable was the 

 orchid Pterostylis nutans, which, it was mentioned, makes a 

 capital pot plant, and the irritability of its labellum adds consider- 

 ably to its interest when cultivated at home. 



A report of the junior excursion to Studley Park, on Satur- 

 day, 2nd September, was given by the leader, Mr. F. G. A. 

 Barnard, who said that the afternoon turned out wet, and in 

 consequence the attendance was much smaller than anticipated. 

 However, some 30 or more faced the weather, and rambled 

 towards Bight's Falls, where some historical and geological 

 information was afforded. On the top of a neighbouring ridge 

 some remains of Brachiopods were obtained in the outcropping 

 Silurian rocks, and numerous varieties of galls were collected on 

 the shrubs around. The principal plants noticed in bloom were 

 Hymenanthera banksii, Acacia acinacea, and Myoporum viscosum, 

 the former shrub being a pretty sight. The opportunity was 

 taken by Mr. J. A. Leach, B.Sc, to point out the geology of the 

 district and the resulting geography, and finally the reservoir, 

 about 195 feet above sea level, was visited. 



A report of the excursion to Eltham on Saturday, 9th Septem- 

 ber, was furnished by the leaders, Messrs. G. A. Keartland and 

 G. Coghill. The first named dealt with the birds, which, though 

 fairly numerous, were not of sufficient importance to call for any 

 special remarks, with the exception of the White-naped Honey- 

 eater, Melithreptus lunulalus, which was remarked as having 

 brown instead of the usual black-capped heads, while the rest of 

 the plumage lacked its usual brilliancy. Mr. Coghill said that the 

 botany of the outing was very uninteresting, as the paddocks 

 traversed were utilized for grazing, with the consequence that 



