THE VICTORIAN NATURALIST. 



The function of nutrition and respiration, the elaboration of cell- 

 sap into plant food, was treated by the lecturer in his usual 

 thorough manner. Numerous diagrams and blackboard illustra- 

 tions, togetlier with a number of microscopical sections, enabled 

 the members to clearly follow the subject. Several microscopes 

 were kindly lent by Messrs. W. Watson and Sons. 



The hon. librarian reported the receipt of the following 

 additions to the library : — " Animals of New Zealand," by 

 Hutton and Drummond (purchased) ; " Annual Report Depart- 

 ment of Mines, Victoria," 1903, from the Department ; Journal 

 of Agriculture of Victoria, vol. ii., part 8, July, 1904, from the 

 Secretary for Agriculture; £fnu, vol. iv., part i, July, 1904, 

 from the Australasian Ornithologists' Union ; Geeloug JYatnralist , 

 vol. i., part 2, from the Geelong Naturalists' Society ; " Forest 

 Flora of New South Wales," vol. i., parts 9 and 10, by J. H. 

 Maiden, F.L.S., from the author ; Agricultural Gazette of New 

 ■South Wales, June and July, 1904, and "Annual Report 

 Department of Mines, New South Wales, for 1903," from the 

 Department of Mines and Agriculture ; " Nests and Eggs of 

 Birds Found Breeding in Australia and Tasmania," part 4, by A. 

 J. North, C.M.Z.S., from the Trustees Australian Museum, 

 Sydney ; and Nature Notes, June, 1904, from the Selborne 

 Society, London. 



ELECTION OF MEMBERS. 



On a ballot being taken. Dr. J. W. Dunbar Hooper, Collins- 

 street, Melbourne, and Mr. A. Russell, Bourke-street, Melbourne, 

 were elected as ordinary members ; Messrs. Eric K. Larking, 

 Alma-road, Caulfield and Francis E. Wilson, Wesley College, 

 Prahran, as associate members ; and the Misses Muriel Barnard, 

 and W. Shephard, Methodist Ladies' College, Hawthorn, and 

 Edith and Rita Sayce, Harcourt-street, Hawthorn, as junior 

 members of the Club. 



GENERAL BUSINESS. 



Mr. F. Wisewould reported that at the request of the 

 Committee he had interviewed the officers of the Lands 

 Department with regard to the leasing in grazing blocks of the 

 land reserved for a National Park at Wilson's Promontory. He 

 found that it was probable that the land would be cut up into 

 smaller blocks than shown on the plan, and suggested that joint 

 action with the Royal Society, Ornithologists' Union, &c., be 

 taken with the view of preventing the scheme being carried out. 



Mr. T. S. Hall, M.A., said that at the request of the Royal 

 Society he had written to the Department asking for action to be 

 stayed for the present, and in reply the Minister had appointed 

 the following Wednesday to receive a deputation on the matter. 

 He trusted that as many as possible would endeavour to be 



