34 THE VICTORIAN NATURALIST. 



2. Mr. D. Best read his two papers : — (a) " Notes on Diamma 

 bicolor." The author described the female of this as " the large 

 metalUc-blue or green-coloured bulldog ant so common on the 

 sandy wastes of Oakleigh," &c., and stated that he had recently 

 received the first male he had ever seen. Mr. Kershaw stated 

 that he had reared both sexes, and later on exhibited the 

 specimens in their cocoons. He stated that he did not know of 

 a description of the male. Messrs. M'Alpine, Campbell, Spry, 

 Sayce, and Keartland also joined in the discussion, {b) " Notes 

 of a visit to Logan." The author gave an account of a holiday 

 excursion to this part of the Avoca, and described his searches 

 for beetles and their larvae under bark, in the scrub, and in the 

 solid wood, generally with poor success, though he considered the 

 district as worthy of attention in the early summer. 



3. Mr. J. Shephard read his paper entitled '•' Some Animals 

 Reared from Dried Mdd." 



In this paper the author gave an account of the various animals, 

 rotifers, &c., in the order of their appearance in his culture 

 bottle, illustrating his remarks by drawings of the animals and 

 their stages of growth. 



NATURAL HISTORY NOTES. 



Mr. R. Hall read a paper contributed by the Rev. F. R. M. 

 Wilson on " Lichens from Kerguelen Island," treating with the 

 literature on the subject and Mr. R. Hall's collection. 



Mr. D. M'Alpine drew attention to an exhibit of a tree-killing 

 fungus and a false truffle from South Australia, the latter being 

 said to be commonly dug up and eaten by the Curlew. He asked 

 if it were a recognized practice of any birds to eat fungi. 



Mr. A. J. Campbell did not know of the practice, and doubted 

 whether the Curlew (so called, more correctly the Southern Stone 

 Plover) would dig as suggested. 



Mr. G. A. Keartland had seen magpies eating grubs which they 

 procured from mushrooms. Tree-creepers tear fungi for the same 

 purpose. 



Mr. M'Alpine said the truffles in question were free from 

 insects. 



EXHIBITS. 



By Mr. D. Best. — Beetle in wood and specimens of Diamma 

 bicolor, in illustration of his paper. By Mr. R. Hall. — Four stages 

 of the Rock-hopper Penguin, Uudyptes saltator. By Mr. J. A. 

 Kershaw. — Specimens of Ilolocldla subjmllidtis, Luc, Queens- 

 land ; H. erimis, Fabr. ; //. vicerens, Rosen., and Areas 

 marginata, Don., Queensland and Victoria, all in illustration of 

 his paper. By Mr. D. M'Alpine. — Tree-killing fungus, Armillaria 

 mellea, on gooseberry bush, with photos. ; jNIaned Coprinus, subter- 

 ranean fungi from S.A., including an edible false truffle. 



