Vol. xxvn."j Kershaw, Migration of Eels in Victoria. 201 



but managed to adhere by its tail. I noticed particularly that 

 the eels never attempted to climb up the rocks washed by 

 running water, however little it might be ; and from my 

 observations I do not think it would be possible for them to 

 retain a hold. They choose the places where the rocks are 

 kept in a moistened condition by the spray, taking advantage 

 of the slimy vegetable growths found here and there, through 

 which they more easily wriggle, and avoid the rocks which 

 are quite dry. 



It is recorded that in some localities ladders of straw bands 

 are constructed to aid their ascent. After watching them, 

 one could quite imagine how much such a device would be 

 appreciated and availed of. 



It seems highly probable that many of the eels never succeed 

 in passing the falls — at any rate, by climbing them — and the 

 larger ones seen may be the unsuccessful ones. 



Owing to wet and boisterous weather, I was compelled to 

 make three separate visits to the falls, and the photographs 

 were obtained under most difficult circumstances. 



Black's River empties itself into the Hopkins some distance 

 up the stream. My visit there was unsuccessful, although Mr. 

 Evans assured me he saw the elvers ascending the rocks a few 

 days previously. Later on, however, I noticed a few young 

 eels passing up the stream, close in to the banks, in the direction 

 of the falls. 



It would be interesting to ascertain the rate of growth of the 

 young eels. The elvers are believed to be a year old when they 

 commence to migrate up the rivers. Of those I saw, probably 

 one-fourth were ten inches or more in length. Could they be 

 remnants from the previous year's migration which were unable 

 to surmount the falls ? 



BOOK NOTICES. 

 The Geology of Melbourne. By G. B. Pritchard, B.Sc, 

 F.G.S., Lecturer in Geology, &c., Working Men's College, 

 Melbourne. Melbourne : P. G. Tait, 63 Queen-street. 

 Pp. 187 (7 X 4J), w4th maps, &c. 4s. 

 In this little work the author has, in clear and concise terms, 

 dealt with the principal geological features in the immediate 

 vicinity of Melbourne, and by a series of visits to ten different 

 localities adjacent to the city has produced a handbook which 

 will be of great value to the student and the visitor alike. For 

 the special benefit of the student, and to pave the way for 

 the remarks in the descriptive chapters, chapters on geo- 

 logical time ; fossils, with a tabular synopsis of the animal 

 kingdom ; and the construction and reading of maps and 

 sections, are included, the latter being a most useful addition. 



