156 THE VICTORIAN NATURALIST. 



Toorak, and St. Kilda, the thin coat of Tertiary has been removed 

 and the Silurian comes to the surface. From Mordialloc to the 

 east and south we should find the Older Volcanic rocks intervening 

 between the Tertiary beds and the Silurian, while nearer to Frank- 

 ston we might come on the Mesozoic, for it crops out on the 

 beach near to Mornington. 



Some but not all of these points were discussed on our excursion, 

 and we were pleased to welcome some new members, who, it is to 

 be hoped, found this branch of science of interest. 



T. S. Hall. 



NOTES ON THE BIRDS OF THE BOX HILL 



DISTRICT. 



By Robert Hall. 



{Bead before the Field Naturalists^ Cluh of Victoria., \^th February, 1899.) 



In this, the concluding paper of the series on the birds of the 

 Box Hill district, I wish to bring under your notice the introduced 

 birds of the district, which number in all seven species. Six of 

 them, viz., the Thrush, Blackbird, Goldfinch, Greenfinch, Sparrow, 

 and Starling, are imports from Western Europe, while the seventh 

 is the Indian Myna. All are town birds, and pass their time in 

 close proximity to the little townships of the district, especially 

 Box Hill proper. 



The Thrush, Turdus musicus, Linn., is very welcome to our 

 country, and law-abiding citizens who know this species is pro- 

 tected by Act of Parliament should do all they can to afford 

 protection to so good a singer and destroyer of noxious animals. 

 You simply have to listen in the gloaming, when your finer 

 feelings will be heightened by the song of this bird. It might seem 

 strange to us that such a high-born bird should build its nest in an 

 old kerosene tin hung from a fence, but such it occasionally does 

 — for in one, within a thousand yards of where I live, two broods, 

 each of four, were successfully reared. Egg-laying extends over the 

 months between August and January inclusive, and four to five 

 eggs form a clutch. In 1895 one unfortunate bird had its nest 

 and hedge burnt away, so that one egg to complete the clutch 

 was laid upon the ground under a tree near by. I concluded 

 this was the state of affairs, because the egg was warm and later 

 on cold. 



The Blackbird, Turdus merida, Linn., also bears a good 

 name as a semi-domesticated garden-bird. Still, it is fond of 

 gooseberries, and consequently cannot live at peace with every- 

 one. Only last November I impressed upon a young friend, 

 who had a nest of young in his garden, not to cage them. Later 



