124 THE VICTORIAN NATURALIST. 



authorities at South Kensington kindly sent me some clutches of 

 eggs of birds which visit our shores but do not nest here. I have 

 them here this evening. They are mostly from the collection of 

 the late H. Seebohm, a name well known to all ornithologists. I 

 reached Melbourne, as before stated, on 22nd December. 



D. Le Souef. 



EXCURSION TO LOWER FERNTREE GULLY. 



Although the weather was all that could be desired for a 

 collecting trip into the country, only five members met at the 

 appointed tmie to take part in the excursion to Lower Ferntree 

 Gully on Saturday, 3rd December, of whom four devoted them- 

 selves to ornithology. Leaving Melbourne by the 1.35 train, we 

 reached the Lower Gully about 3 p.m., leaving us five hours 

 for collecting. Before arriving at our destination it was arranged 

 that as some of the party desired to renew some investigations 

 that had been made on a former occasion at the Upper Gully, the 

 party, few as they were, should divide and work the two localities, 

 meeting again on the return homewards. Two members, there- 

 fore, alighted at the Lower Gully and made a start for a small 

 gully in the direction of Bayswater. The district was looking 

 fresh and green, considering the dry weather, and many small 

 plants and shrubs of various kinds were noticed in flower, but as 

 botany was not represented in the party we had simply to admire 

 and pass on, regretting that our knowledge of this branch of 

 natural history was so limited. 



After going some distance, noting and collecting such objects 

 of interest as presented themselves, we struck the gully, which 

 we found to be almost dry, and decided to follow it to the hills. 

 There was here plenty of timber and undergrowth, and conse- 

 quently a favourite place for many birds, among which were 

 noticed the Rufous-breasted Thickhead, Harmonious Thrush (an 

 old nest of which was also seen). Yellow-breasted Robin, Little 

 Acanthiza, White-shafted Fantail, &c., some of which were plenti- 

 ful. The pretty Veronica Derwentia was growing in the shaded 

 parts of the gully and in full flower, and as this forms the food 

 plant of the larvae of at least one rare butterfly, Holochila Heathi, 

 besides attracting many of the perfect insects when in flower, it 

 was carefully searched, but without success. The Leptospermum 

 and other flowering shrubs were well shaken for Coleoptera, but 

 with rather poor results, only the commoner kinds as a rule being 

 seen. A few water-beetles, Macrogyrus Reichei, were noticed 

 swimming in the little water there was left in the gully. Of the 

 Lepidoptera, butterflies were scarce, only three of the commonest 

 species being seen, but no blues or skippers. Certain of the 



