THE 



U l c t o r i a u 311 a t it r a 1 1 1. 



Vol. XV.— No. 11. MARCH 9, 1899. No. 183. 



FIELD NATURALISTS' CLUB OF VICTORIA. 



The ordinary monthly meeting of the Club was held at the Royal 

 Society's Hall on Monday evening, 13th February, 1899. Mr. 

 J. Shephard, one of the vice-presidents, occupied the chair, and 

 about 35 members and visitors were present. 



REPORTS. 



A report of the excursion to Lilydale on Thursday, 26th 

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

 stated that the members had spent an enjoyable day, principally 

 along the valley of the Olinda Creek, and that several interesting 

 insects and flowering plants had been obtained. 



A report of the excursion to VVillsmere, Kew, on Saturday, 

 nth February, was read by the leader, Mr. W. Stickland, who 

 stated that, notwithstanding the great heat prevailing, seven 

 members had been present. The water in the lagoon was very 

 low, leaving many of the weeds, usually prolific of freshwater 

 life, high and dry. The handsome rotifer Lacimdaria socialis 

 was extraordinarily abundant, especially on the under sides of 

 the leaves of the white water-lily, Ottdia ovalifolia ; L. pedunculata 

 was also found. Tube-building rotifers of the genera Melicerta, 

 Limnias, and Floscularia, and a free-swimming species of the 

 genus Asplanchna, were taken. An interesting Protozoan, Stentor 

 Roeselii, with several Sponges and Hydras, were also noticed. It 

 is probable that a new rotifer was found by Mr. Shepherd, but 

 further time is required to work it out. 



ELECTION OF MEMBER. 



On a ballot being taken Mr. A. J. Relph was duly elected a 

 member of the Club. 



CONVERSAZIONE. 



The chairman announced that the committee had decided to 

 hold a conversazione about the middle of May, and urged 

 members to take in hand the preparation of exhibits. 



PAPERS READ. 



I. By Mr. H. T. Tisdall, entitled "The Alg* of Kerguelen's 

 Land." 



The author introduced the subject with a brief account of the 

 island, and the results of previous explorations, and then gave 

 some notes on the Algae recently collected there by Mr, Robert 

 Hall 



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