44 THE VICTORIAN NATURALIST. 



heteromorphum, as it agreed very well with the descriptions of 

 that species, instead of being attached as usually to a fila- 

 mentous alga, and therefore an epiphyte, was here attached to 

 one of the Entomostraca or Water-fleas (Daphnia,. sp.), and was 

 thus epizoic." 



My co-leader, Mr. J. Shephard, reports as follows on the pond- 

 life : — " After the main portion of the party left the banks of the 

 river for the hills, two members remained behind and spent the 

 day on the fiats. The character of the pools is the same as those 

 at Heidelberg with which the members of the Club are familiar, 

 there being a number of lagoons, evidently old portions of the 

 river channel. One of the first things noticed was the Rotifer 

 Stephanoceros eichornii. Previously this beautiful form has only 

 been obtained from the Botanical Gardens, Melbourne, and some 

 doubt was felt as to its being merely an introduced form ; its 

 discovery on this occasion may be regarded as deciding the 

 point in favour of this species being indigenous to Victoria. 

 Other Rotifers found were Alelicerta ringens, Lacinularia natans, 

 Brachionus bakeri, Asplanchna (sp.), and Fedalion mirum. This 

 last-mentioned form may now be regarded as common in the 

 valley of the Yarra. Another observation was made as to the 

 prevalence of mosquito larvje in permanent pools ; about a 

 dozen empty pupa cases were noticed floating on the surface of 

 the water in an area of about two square feet. This particular 

 lagoon, we were informed by a local resident, does not dry up, 

 and water boatmen, the alleged enemy of the larvse in question, 

 we observed in plenty, and the presence of fish was asserted by 

 the anglers who were there." 



Though the land party had on the whole a quiet day, still from 

 the fine weather experienced, and the splendid views obtained 

 from the tops of the hills, the excursion proved a most enjoyable 

 one. — J. A. Kershaw. 



Honours. — It is pleasing to record that natural science has 

 been recognized by King Edward in awarding the " birthday 

 honours " this year, and that the coveted distinction of C.M.G. 

 has been bestowed upon Professor W. Baldwin Spencer, M.A., 

 F.R.S., Melbourne University, in recognition of the valuable 

 work he has done in biology, ethnology, &c., during his resi- 

 dence in Australia. 



In recognition of his life-long work in Australian ornithology 

 and oology, Mr. A. J. Campbell has received notification of his 

 election as a Corresponding Member of the British Ornithologists' 

 Union. 



