THE VICTORIAN NATURALIST. 121 



NATURAL HISTORY NOTES. 



Nesting of Waterfowl in Riverina. — Mr. D. Le Souef, 

 C.M.Z.S., said that during a recent visit to the Murray swamps 

 he had found the nesting of all the waterfowl late compared with 

 last year. On the ist of November last year hundreds of the 

 Nankeen Herons were nesting, while this year, though a fair 

 number were in the neighbourhood, hardly any were nesting. 

 The Egrets were sitting, but no young were yet hatched, while the 

 White Ibis were only just commencing to construct their nests, 

 and where probably a fortnight later there would be many 

 thousands of birds we saw only a few hundreds. It would be 

 interesting to know whether members have noticed the same 

 thing elsewhere this season. 



Zoological Gardens. — Mr. D. Le Souef, C.M.Z.S., stated that 

 at the Zoological Gardens this year clutches of the Squatter or 

 Partridge Bronze-wing Pigeon, the White- bellied Plumed-Pigeon, 

 and the Stubble Quail had been hatched and reared. 



Bee-eater. — Mr. A. Coles drew attention to his exhibit of a 

 pair of Bee-eaters, Merops ornatus, which was shot at Ascot Vale, 

 and remarked that the occurrence of these handsome birds so far 

 south was unusual. 



Snake-Lizard. — Mr. A. Mattingley drew attention to an exhibit 

 on the table of a live specimen of a Snake-Lizard from New 

 South Wales, the legs of which, having become atrophied, were 

 not readily discernible. 



exhibits. 



By Mr. M. Bell. — Native bread, made by the natives of New 

 Greenwich from dried Bread-fruit. 



By Mr. A. Coles. — Bee-eater, AIeroj)s ornatus, male and 

 female, shot at Ascot Vale. 



By Miss K. Cowle. — Dried specimens of Eriostemon hille- 

 brmidi, F. v. M., from the Goat Mountain, Grampians, and 

 same species from Warburton. Not recorded before from " S." 

 Victoria. 



By Mr. A. D. Hardy. — Flowers of Satin Box, Eriostemon 

 squameus ; also Native Bread, Polyporus mylittee, and other 

 plants, from Beech Forest. 



By Miss M'Haffie. — White-velvet or Lambswool Plant, Lach- 

 nostachys verbascifolia (Verbenaceae), from Murchison, Western 

 Australia. 



By Mr. G. A. Keartland. — Skins of Red-winged Lory, Ptistes 

 erythropterus, in illustration of paper. 



By Mr. L. K. M'Nab. — Seven spear-heads, from Kimberley ; 

 also orchids and flowers from Perth, Western Australia. 



By Mr. A. Mattingley. — Birds in the flesh from Tuggerah 

 Lakes, New South Wales, viz. : — Malurus lamberti, M. cyaneus, 

 Zoncegi7ithus oculatus, and Eurystomus australis. 



After the usual conversazione the meeting terminated. 



