June, 1908.] THE VICTORIAN NATURALIST. 2/ 



hills from a distance the leafless trees gave one the impression 

 that a bush fire had recently passed along, for the trees all 

 appeared brown. There was no evidence that the caterpillars 

 had been on the flat country. The favourite food seemed to be 

 the leaves of the Stringy-bark, Eucalyptus inacrorrhyncha, as 

 scarcely a leaf was left on any of these trees. A noticeable 

 feature was that, although many of the leafless trees were covered 

 with mistletoe (Loranthus), not one of the latter had been 

 attacked. A resident stated that the caterpillars had even 

 attacked apple, pear, and plum trees in some orchards. The 

 larvae had at that time all disappeared, but, although they had 

 been in such myriads, none of their cocoons could be found. 

 Where had they all gone to pupate? For a short time before 

 the ground was in some places literally covered with the larvae 

 when they were moving from tree to tree. 



EXHIBITS. 



By Mr. C. F. Cole. — Fern, from the Grantville district, showing 

 proliferous growth of frond, apparently constant. The plant was 

 not in fruit, and does not tally exactly in vegetative characters 

 with any Victorian fern. 



By Mr. J. Gabriel. — Large series of marine shells, &c., obtained 

 during the Easter excursion to Stony Point. 



By Mr. J. S. Kitson. — A living example of the Common Phal- 

 anger, Trichosurus vulpecida, captured at Tungamah, Victoria. 

 The specimen has been living in captivity about 2j4 months. 



By Mr. A. H. E. Mattingley, C.M.Z.S. — Mounted specimen 

 of Gunn's Bandicoot, Perameles gunnii, Gray, captured by U. 

 Ramsay, Esq., at Winchelsea, Victoria. 



After the usual conversazione the meeting terminated. 



KooNUNGA CURSOR, Sayce. — We are pleased to notice that 

 Mr. O. A. Sayce's paper on the new crustacean found near Ring- 

 wood, read before the Field Naturalists' Club of Victoria in October 

 last, has been reprinted in the Annals and Magazine of Natural 

 History for April, 1908. It is accompanied by a note from Dr. 

 W. T. Caiman, the distinguished carcinologist, who says : — " By 

 the kindness of Mr. Sayce the British Museum has now received 

 specimens of the very remarkable crustacean described above. 

 From an examination of these I am able to bear witness to the 

 accuracy, in all essential parts, of his description. I believe, 

 however, that the difference from Anaspides in the flexure of the 

 thoracic legs will prove to be more apparent than real, and I do 

 not think that the alterations now necessary in the diagnosis of 

 the Syncarida in any way impair the status of that group as a 

 natural division of the Malacostraca. A discussion of these and 

 similar points must, however, be deferred until the appearance 

 of Mr. Sayce's promised memoir." 



