THE VICTORIAN NATURALIST. 135 



2. By Mr. S. A. Le Souef (communicated by Mr. D. Le Souef, 

 C.M.Z.S.), entitled " Descriptions of Some Mallophaga from 

 Victorian Birds." 



A brief outline of this paper, which was of a technical character, 

 was given by Mr. D. Le Souef, The author described nine species 

 of parasites from Australian birds, and was congratulated on 

 taking up the working of a group so long neglected. 



3. By Mr. F. P. Dodd, entitled "Supplementary Notes on the 

 Queensland Green Tree Ants, CEcophylla smaragdina, Fabr. (?) " 



This paper, consisting of some additional notes to those read at 

 the last meeting on the same subject, owing to the lateness of the 

 hour, was taken as read. 



NATURAL HISTORY NOTES, 



Mr. A. E. Kitson, F.G.S., contributed a note on the habits of 

 the Butcher-bird, Cracticus destructor, at Kongwak, South Gipps- 

 land, which followed the same practice as some magpies in darting 

 savagely at passers by when in the vicinity of the nests. 



Mr. Kitson also contributed a note on an unusual occurrence 

 with the Common Opossum, Trichosurns vulpecula, in the same 

 district, one which he disturbed while sleeping at the foot of a large 

 hollow dead tree having retreated into one of a number of holes 

 in the ground, instead of climbing the tree, as is usual with 

 these animals. 



Mr. A. Coles furnished a newspaper cutting dealing with an 

 apparent remedy for the eradication of a moth known as ihe 

 Pyrale, which has been working havoc among the vineyards of 

 Beaujolaise, in France. The owners of the vineyards adopted a 

 method of fixing acetylene lamps around their areas, the flames 

 being exposed and the lamps placed over a bowl containing 

 petroleum. Attracted by the light thousands of insects either 

 perisii in the flames or in the petroleum. It is stated that by 

 using two lamps for eighteen nights 170,000 of these moths were 

 killed. 



Mr. D. Le Souef, C.M.Z.S., mentioned that two pairs of 

 Magpies had lately built their nests in the Royal Park, and also 

 stated that a captive Nankeen Night Heron, JSycticorax cale- 

 do7ticus, at the Zoological Gardens, had killed and eaten recently 

 an Australian Dottrel and a Quail. 



The President, Mr. T. S. Hall, M.A., mentioned a case which 

 he witnessed recently of the common English garden Snail, Helix 

 aspei'sa, eating an earlh worm. 



EXHIBITS. 



By Mrs. E. Bage. — Japanese dwarfed Pine Tree intertwined 

 with a Maple. 



By Mr. A. Campbell, jun. — Nests of the Rose-breasted Robin, 

 I'etrceca rosea, and Rufous Fan-tail, Rliijiidura rufifrons. 



