July, 1908.] THE VICTORIAN NATURALIST. 51 



illustrating the growth of young Sheoak, Casuarina quadrivahis ; 

 also filaments of antheridium of Nitella shown under the micro- 

 scope. 



By Mr. G. A. Keartland. — Pair of Gang-Gang Cockatoos, 

 C allocephalon galeatum, and crop of same full of seeds of a 

 species of eucalyptus. 



By Mr. J. A. Kershaw, F.E.S., on behalf of Mr. C. W. Maclean, 

 Inspector of Fisheries. — Example of so-called " Sea-fibre," found 

 in large sheets on the beach at Welshpool. The material was 

 said to appear about August, and to disappear again about the 

 end of October. On submitting a sample to Professor Ewart, 

 Government Botanist, the material was found to be composed of 

 the filaments of a species of algae, probably mainly of Cladophora, 

 which had been felted into a mat-like mass by the action of the 

 wind and tide, forming a sheet some five feet long. 



By Mr. G. B. Pritchard, B.Sc— Fibre-balls and portion of 

 grass-stem, illustrating the manner in which it is shredded into 

 fibre by the action of sand-blows. From Middleton Beach, near 

 Albany, Western Australia. 



After the usual conversazione, the meeting terminated. 



Economic Geology of Victoria. — A useful catalogue of the 

 publications in which references will be found to the economic 

 geology of Victoria has been published by the Mines Department 

 as No. 3 of vol. ii. of " The Records of the Geological Survey." 

 The full title is " A Contribution to the Economic Geology of 

 Victoria, to the end of 1903." Its author, Prof J. W. Gregory, 

 F.R.S., D.Sc, lately Director of the Geological Survey, and his 

 assistants niust have put a tremendous amount of work into the 

 compilation, as it seems to have been very thoroughly done, 

 and amounts to over 120 closely printed pages of references. 



Protection of the Fauna and Flora of Australia. — The 

 scientific societies of South Australia desire to enlist the sympathy 

 of kindred societies in other parts of the world in a proposal, 

 which was recently made to the South Australian Government, 

 to set aside some 313 square miles of country at the western end 

 of Kangaroo Island as a reserve for the protection of the native 

 fauna and flora. x\ reserve of 67 square miles in the vicinity of 

 Cape Borda was readily granted, but it is considered that the 

 larger area is not excessive when the importance of the proposal 

 is borne in mind. Kangaroo Island, it will be remembered, was 

 the home of the now extinct Emu, Dromceus ater, and, at the 

 present time, possesses some very local birds and plants. We 

 trust that the movement will be brought to a successful 

 issue. 



