28 THE VICTOKIAN NATURALIST. [Vol. XXVI. 



exchange from all parts of the world shows that it is appreciated 

 as a record of natural history work in Victoria. The frequent 

 inclusion of valuable illustrations, which are greatly marred by 

 folding for the post, has induced your committee to arrange 

 for the journal to be sent flat through the post in future, and it is 

 thus hoped that the number will make a more presentable volume 

 when bound. Three notable illustrations in the volume were the 

 first published (February, 1909) plates of the nest and eggs of 

 Newton's and the Tooth-billed Bower-birds, the long-looked-for 

 desiderata of Australian oologists. A fair number of back 

 numbers have been disposed of during the year, and the stock of 

 some volumes is now extremely low. 



" The Hawthorn and Cambervvell Microscopical Society for- 

 warded a communication asking that it might be affiliated with 

 the Club, and after some consideration the requisite additional 

 rules for the affiliation of kindred societies were drafted and 

 adopted at a general meeting in November last, but up to the 

 present the Society has not taken any further step in the matter. 



" The Plant Names sub-committee, since its appointment in 

 August, 1907, has held eight meetings, and has provisionally 

 adopted more than 450 names. In order to obtain uniformity in 

 the naming, it has been in communication with the Government 

 Botanists of the various Slates, several of whom are in sympathy 

 with its objects, and it expects to have, in particular, the valuable 

 co-operation of Mr. J. H. Maiden, F.L.S. Although much 

 success did not result from the first attempt to glean material 

 from the schools, other efforts will be made in that direction, and 

 much information is also expected when the copies of the 

 recording census, compiled by Prof. Ewart, and issued at the 

 beginning of the year, are returned to the Herbarium. 



" During the year the Royal Society of Victoria initiated a 

 fund to provide a medal in commemoration of the late Dr. A. 

 W. Howitt, C.M.G., a former honorary member of this Club, and 

 your committee forwarded a donation of two guineas to the fund 

 as some recognition of the high place which Dr. Howitt held 

 among the nature students of Australia. 



"The recent foundation in Melbourne of a society devoted 

 solely to microscopy in its various branches has to be recorded. 

 The society will doubtless do much to advance that method of 

 studying the wonders of nature, and, we trust, will have a useful 

 career. 



" With reference to matters of more public interest your com- 

 mittee are pleased to report a further step in the reservation of 

 Wilson's Promontory, for which this Club has so long been working, 

 in the appointment of a ranger, but it is greatly to be regretted 

 that the intention of erecting a vermin-proof boundary fence has 

 not yet been carried out. The set of lantern slides of .the 



