THE VICTORIAN NATURALIST. 15 



The author gave a very interesting account of the history of 

 the fungus known as " Native Bread," gathered from his own 

 observations extending over many years, introduced by some 

 remarks on the growth and reproduction of certain fungi. 



Messrs. D. M'Alpine, F. G. A. Barnard, F. Pitcher, and the 

 President discussed the paper, the former stating that Mr. 

 Tisdall, in his paper of November. 1885, was undoubtedly the 

 first person to suggest this fungus being a Polyporus. 



Owing to the lateness of the hour, Mr. T. S. Hall's paper, 

 entitled " Note on Some Victorian Echinoids," had to be 

 postponed. 



NATURAL HISTORY NOTES. 



Mr. J. Shephard drew attention to his exhibit of a mounted 

 microscopic slide of the Rotifer, Stephanoceros eichornii, which 

 he had obtained on the Club's excursion to Yarra Glen in April 

 last. 



Mr. G. A. Keartland mentioned that a lady in Carlton has a 

 fine specimen of the Satin Bower-bird in captivity, which is in 

 splendid plumage. It is very tame, and talks and mimics 

 animals. It is now twenty years old, and has been in mature 

 plumage over sixteen years, thus upsetting the theory that they 

 die soon after assuming the brilliant blue-black plumage. It is 

 fed on boiled potatoes, raw carrots, and apples. 



In connection with his exhibit of two young Brown Snakes, 

 Diemenia textilis, Mr. Keartland furnished the following note : — 

 " On 26th March two prospectors found 28 of these eggs amongst 

 some stones at Brookside, near Bright. Two of the eggs were 

 forwarded to the Age office, with a note from Mr. O. V. Briner, 

 saying that he had already hatched some, which were alive and 

 active. When these eggs were handed to me on 30th March 

 they were somewhat wrinkled, with no sign of life. I made a 

 small opening in one, and, finding the snake alive, put it back in 

 the box which I had carried about town for two hours in the sun. 

 On arriving home I placed them in the sun for a short time, 

 when both hatched, and were very lively. When alive they 

 measured 9 54 inches, but on being killed immediately they were 

 found to have stretchsd to 10 5^ inches." 



EXHIBITS. 



By Mr. H. H. Baker. — A new and ingenious mechanical stage 

 for microscope, which can be applied to almost any instru- 

 ment. 



By Mr. A. Coles. — Specimens of the following birds from South 

 Africa; — Promerops cyanomelas, Porphyria tophus, Goliphemus 

 concolor, and Teracus albocristatus. 



By Mr. C. French. — " Native Bread," from Emerald. 



