146 THE VICTORIAN NATURALIST. 



the return of the Premier from Hobart, and it was thought 

 probable that the object would have the support of the Cabinet. 



Mr. G. A. Keartland drew attention to the efforts that were 

 being made in various parts of the State to have the opening day 

 for quail-shooting altered to ist March, and suggested that the 

 Club take immediate action in the matter. After some discussion, 

 it was resolved that the hon. secretary write to the Minister of 

 Lands and the press, protesting against any alteration to the 

 Game Act. 



PAPERS READ. 



1. By Mr. F. M. Reader, F.R.H.S., entitled "Notes on 

 Geococcus pusillus, J. Drummond. " 



The author stated that he had recently had opportunities of 

 watching the growth of this plant, and found that in favourable 

 localities it produced well-defined stems, and though ripening 

 the majority of its fruit underground, still sufficient are ripened 

 above ground to provide for dispersal by the agency of animals, 

 or transportation by wind or water. 



2. By Mr. E. E. Green, Government Entomologist, Ceylon, 

 entitled " New Victorian Coccidifi." Communicated by Mr. F. 

 G. A. Barnard. 



The author described six new species and varieties of Scale- 

 insects collected by Mr. Jas. Lidgett in the Mryniong district. 



3. By Mr. O. A. Sayce, entitled " Description of a Common 

 Shore Crustacean." 



The author gave a detailed description of the Isopod, Ligia 

 australiensis, so far only briefly described from broken specimens 

 from New South Wales. Examination of specimens from 

 Tasmania, Victoria, and South Australia showed no fundamental 

 morphological differences, and were referable to the same species. 

 It was also compared with the New Zealand and European 

 species, and peculiar differences pointed out. The paper was 

 illustrated by a drawing showing the outline of the body and 

 various parts of tlie appendages. 



4. By Mr. F. Chapman, A.L.S., " On some Fossil Casts in 

 Tertiary Ironstone from Stawell, figured by M'Coy." 



The author dealt with the validity or otherwise of four fossils 

 figured and very briefly alluded to by the late Sir F. M'Coy in 

 the " Progress Report of the Geological Survey of Victoria," 

 No. II., 1874. He had compared these fossil casts, in the 

 National Museum collection, with the published figures and 

 descriptions, and had arrived at the following conclusions : — 

 Lepralia stawellensis having been founded on the cast of the 

 zoarium, it is better to let this name drop altogether from our 

 lists, since it is impossible to correctly identify a specimen in 

 this condition ; only a probable guess at the afifinities of the 

 species with known and better-preserved forms can be made. 



