TUK VICTORIAN NATURALIST. 153 



Hill, about 1,500 feet above sea level, from which we obtained a 

 magnificent outlook, embracing Melbourne and suburbs and the 

 whole of Port Phillip Bay, with the Dividing Range as a back- 

 ground to the north. The afternoon was fairly clear, and many 

 landmarks were easily picked out. We then leisurely followed 

 the road down the eastern side of the valley, admiring the many 

 charming views on the way, and gathering some of the more 

 prominent flowers as reminders of a very pleasant day spent in 

 the midst of Nature's handiwork. 



The following notes about some of the phanerogams and ferns 

 noticed during the day have been given me by Mr. F. G. A. 

 Barnard : — The most important find was a plant of the epiphytal 

 orchid, Sarcochilus pai'vijlorus, in bloom, on a hazel which had 

 been blown down by a recent storm. After emerging from the 

 gully the little Violet, Viola hederacea, was found to be flowering 

 in great profusion on the hillside, along with Glycine clandestina. 

 On our way back by the road we found FiineUa ligiistrina and 

 the charming climber Clematis aristala in full bloom, and on 

 reaching the lower country the beautiful white iris, Dij)larrhena 

 morwa was fairly plentiful. Magnificent specimens of the 

 Victorian Staghorn Fern, Poly podium pustulatum, were seen 

 growing on some Blackwoods, Acacia vielanoxylon, nesir the head 

 of the gully, while a fine growth o{ Polypodium jnmctatum occurred 

 on the roadside as we descended. 



We reached the station in ample time for the 5.30 train, but 

 the entomological section was not there to join in the return 

 journey. — R, A. Bastow. 



THE RULES OF NOMENCLATURE. 

 By T. S. Hall, M.A. 



{Read he/ore the Field Naturalists^ Gluh of Victoria, llth Dec, 1905). 



About seven years ago 1 read a short paper before the Club 

 entitled "What's in a Name?" {Vict. Nat., xv., 15). In this 

 article some account was given of the rules by which the fixing 

 of a name on any particular organism are agreed upon. There 

 is not, and cannot be, any supreme power which shall settle these 

 things, and punish, by the arm of the law, offenders against the 

 rules. Rules, if any be used, must therefore rest merely on the 

 agreement of naturalists. The only penalty to be exacted is that, 

 if the rules are disobeyed, then the name violating the rule shall 

 be ignored by the great body of the scientific public. There 

 have been several codes of such rules drawn up, but, in spite of 

 the care with which they have been, compiled, difticulties have 

 arisen and confusion has occurred. 



Two rules are self-evident as of prime importance, which must 



