48 THE VICTORIAN NATURALIST. [Vol. XXV. 



ranges I made the acquaintance of Mr. C. E. Cowle, and with 

 his kindly aid obtained many birds' eggs previously unknown, 

 all of which have since been exhibited at our meetings. 



" In 1896 I was appointed to accompany the Calvert Exploring 

 Expedition across the great desert of north-west Australia, and 

 again had opportunities of noting the range of many rare birds 

 and plants, besides the discovery of several new species. It was 

 when apparemtly stranded after our perilous trip across the 

 desert, in which two comrades and ten camels perished, that I 

 first realized the practical value of the friendships formed in this 

 Club. Just when things appeared at their worst, telegrams 

 reached me on the Fitzroy River from two members of this 

 Club, as follows : — " If in need of financial assistance, wire at 

 once." However, matters were not so black as they looked. I 

 had the satisfaction of doing more work and returning home 

 without taxing the generosity of these gentlemen ; but I will never 

 forget my feeling when I opened those telegrams. 



" Having said so much of a personal nature, let me now give 

 a very brief review of items which occur to my memory. On 

 glancing round the room I miss many old friends. Some have 

 gone to distant parts, others have resigned, but many have gone 

 to their long home. Many of our members furnished papers, or 

 took parts in the proceedings of the Club, which only need 

 mentioning to awaken happy memories. Who will forget the 

 interesting lecturette we had at one of our conversaziones 

 from Mr. C. A. Topp, entitled * Life on an Old Rail,' which 

 revealed what a wealth of animal and vegetable life existed on a 

 piece of old timber. The papers on fungi contributed by Mrs. 

 Martin, the late Baron von Mueller, and Mr. H. T. Tisdall were 

 full of useful information. Mr. O. A. Sayce gave valuable hints 

 on ' Staining Reagents for Microscopic Work.' Then we had a 

 series of papers by Mr. Robert Hall, in which the birds of Box 

 Hill were critically discussed ; Mr. A. J. Campbell used to read 

 notes on the Cuckoos and their foster-parents. Accounts of 

 excursions to Albatross Island, by Messrs. Ashworth and Gabriel ; 

 to the Bloomfield River district. North Queensland, by Mr. D. 

 Le Souef ; and in recent years, botanical outings by Messrs. Bar- 

 nard, Weindorfer, and Dr. Sutton, were all extremely interesting. 

 Mr. C. Barrett's papers on birds, showing the various changes 

 from nestlings to maturity, were very valuable, and a class of 

 work of which we want a great deal more. Dr. Hall has made 

 us familiar with the geology of a considerable portion of Victoria, 

 and many other names might be mentioned of those who have 

 contributed to our knowledge. 



" I feel sure I am correct when I assert that it is largely due 

 to the work of this Club that nature study occupies such an 

 important position in the curriculum of our public schools. 



