68 THE VICTORIAN NATURALIST. 



The Lesser Golden Plover. — An adult female of the Lesser 

 Golden Plover, Charadrius dominicus, Miill , was shot by Mr. 

 Clarence Smart in Hobson's Bay on the 15th of June last. This 

 is either a bird which failed to go north to breed and summer, or 

 returned very early in the season, contrary to the usual practice 

 that young birds come south first, and are followed by parents or 

 adults. — Robert Hall. 



King Island. — In the agricultural columns of the Australasian, 

 of 27th July, " Bruni " writes that King Island, hitherto regarded 

 as useless, has, owing to the spread of an introduced plant, 

 become valuable for dairy farming. When the members of the 

 Field Naturalists' Club of Victoria held their first extended 

 " camp-out"' there, in 1887 (Victorian Naturalist, iv., p. 129), the 

 country was reported as being sandy, and sterile, and unsuitable 

 for grazing, but it seems that since that time some seeds of a 

 clover-like plant, Melilotus officinalis, were washed ashore from a 

 wreck on the southern coast, and, contrary to the usual custom of 

 introduced plants, has transformed the barren wastes into splendid 

 pasture. The island now supports a population of about 250, 

 and boasts a general store with post-office, while a creamery is 

 talked of, but no school, church, or hotel has yet been established. 

 The official requirements of the island are supplied by a police 

 trooper. In the following issue of the Australasian, Mr. Frank 

 Madden, M.L.A., writes warning farmers in Victoria against trying 

 the Melilot as a pasture plant, as it is nothing more than a useless 

 weed. It is, however, according to Baron von Mueller, " Select 

 Extra-Tropical Plants," a valuable honey-yielding plant. 



Moth Taxidermy. — The summer number for 1901 of the 

 Boi/s Own Paper contains a useful article on the stuffing of the 

 bodies of moths, in order to avoid 'grease," &c., from the pen of 

 Mr. Linden Heitland, formerly secretary of the Middlesex 

 Zoological Society. The article is too long to quote here, but is 

 worthy of perusal by those who wish to preserve specimens of 

 Zeurera eucalypti, &c., with their natural appearance. 



National Touring Association. — The objects of this Associa- 

 tion, which is primarily intended to facilitate the enjoyment of 

 cycling and touring, if not quite in accord with those of field 

 naturalists, should, at any rate, be helpful to them in their 

 outings, and provide, among other things, for the publication of 

 guide-books to interesting portions of the State. Membership 

 can be obtained for an annual subscription of five shillings, and 

 when the association is thoroughly going is expected to secure 

 conveniences and advantages unobtainable by individual effort. 

 The first number of the Tottrist, the official organ of the Associa- 

 tion, is announced to be published this month. The secretary, 

 Mr. B. Garnet, Equitable Building, Collins-street, will be glad 

 to furnish further particulars to intending members. 



