Che Ulctonan namralisi 



Vol. XXVII.— No. 6. OCTOBER 3, 1910. No. 322. 



FIELD NATURALISTS' CLUB OF VICTORIA. 



The ordinary monthly meeting of the Club was held at the 

 Royal Society's Hall on Monday evening, i2th September, 

 1910. 



The president, Mr. F. Wisewould, occupied the chair, and 

 about 70 members and friends were present. 



The president, in a few words, feelingly referred to the death 

 of Mr. F. R. Godfrey — who had been a member of the Club 

 almost from its incept on, though not a very frequent attendant 

 at its meetings — and to the great loss sustained by the com- 

 munity, but more particularly by the ornithological sections of 

 the various natural history societies. 



CORRESPONDENCE. 



From Mr. A. J. Wells, Smith's Gully-road, near Queenstown, 

 communicated by Mr. J. A. Leach, M.Sc. The writer drew 

 attention to the wanton destruction of small birds by school 

 children, who in that district were to be seen on their way 

 home from school competing for the highest record of birds 

 killed ; and also to the practice of using small birds for cod- 

 fishing bait along such rivers as the Murray, Goulburn, and 

 Yarra Yarra — a practice by which thousands of small birds 

 were destroyed. The letter was referred to the committee for 

 consideration. 



REPORTS. 



A report of the excursion to Eltham on Saturday, 13th 

 August, was furnished by the leader, Mr. C. French, jun., who 

 stated that, favoured by a beautiful afternoon, a party of about 

 30 members and friends had attended. The object of the ex- 

 cursion was to see the Silver Wattles, Acacia. death ata, in bloom, 

 and the party was fortunate in seeing many trees at their best. 

 A very fine specimen of one of the shrubby acacias, A. di-giisa, 

 was noticed in bloom, also a few of the early spring flowers. 

 Some attention was paid to scale-insects and galls, and several 

 larvae of the longicorn beetle, Uracanthiis simulans, were col- 

 lected. Before leaving for town the members accepted the 

 invitation of the president to late afternoon tea. 



A report of the excursion to Black Rock on Saturday, 27th 

 August, was given by the botanical leader, Mr. J. P. M'Lennan, 

 who reported an attendance of sixteen members, including 

 several ladies. Attention was directed to the typical coast 

 plants of the locality, among which Acacia longifolia, var. 



