THE 



1^ i c t o r i a II ^t a t u r a 1 1 1. 



Vol. XVIIL— No. 4. AUGUST 8, 1901. No. 212. 



FIELD NATURALISTS' CLUB OF VICTORIA. 



The ordinary monthly meeting of the Club was held at the 

 Royal Society's Hall on Monday evening, 8th July, 190 1. 

 The president, Mr. T. S. Hall, M.A., occupied the chair, and 

 about 40 members and visitors were present. 



REPORTS. 



A report of the Club's visit to the National Museum on Satur- 

 day, 15th June, was given by Mr. J. A. Kershaw, F.E.S., who 

 acted as leader on the occasion. He stated that some time was 

 spent in looking over tlie Museum Library and examining many 

 of the rare volumes it contains — an opportunity which most 

 of those present had not had before. The galleries were then 

 visited, when the leader briefly pointed out the arrangement of 

 the collections in the main hall. The large collection of mounted 

 specimens temporarily stored in one of the galleries was inspected, 

 in which were noted a beautiful specimen of Grevy's Zebra, Equus 

 grevyi, the largest and most recently discovered species ; a very 

 fine Kiang or Tibetan Wild Ass, Equus hemionus, from Ladak, in 

 Tibet ; and a pair of the delicate little Klipspringers, Oreolragus 

 sahator, from South Africa — all recent additions. The collections 

 on the ground floor were next visited, and the fine groups of 

 Black Swans, Lyre-birds, and Native Companions, each arranged 

 with their natural surroundings, and in all stages from the egg to 

 the fully adult birds, were specially admired, as was also the 

 attractive group of Regent Bovver-birds, with the bower, &c., in 

 its natural position. The afternoon, however, proved much too 

 short to permit of more than a hurried glance at the majority of 

 the specimens exhibited. 



The hon. librarian reported the receipt of the following 

 donations to the library : — " Nests and Eggs of Australian Birds," 

 by A. J. Campbell, from the Government ; Queensland Agricul- 

 tural Journal, June, 1901, from the Department of Agriculture, 

 Brisbane ; pamphlets on various subjects from Department of 

 Agriculture, Sydney ; Knowledge and Science Gossip for June, 

 1 90 1, from the proprietors. 



CORRESPONDENCE. 



From the Inspector of Fisheries (Department of Ports and 

 Harbours), replying to a letter from the secretary of the Club re- 

 garding an alteration in the close season for Quail, and stating 

 that the question will shortly receive attention. 



