igi/ ] Excursion to Broadmeadows. 227 



surprise by finding afternoon tea set out for them through the 

 thoughtfulness of Mr. and Mrs. Wisewould, to whom the thanks 

 of the members were expressed ere the party returned to town 

 by the 7 p.m. train. — F. G. A. Barnard. 



Bees in the Open. — In a forest of Banksia serrata, two miles 

 inland from the Ninety-Mile Beach at Lake Reeves, Gippsland, 

 I came upon a '" camp-out " of bees. From a sloping trunk of 

 a Banksia, 10 feet from the ground, hung four fine sheets of 

 comb, about 2 feet 6 inches long, in possession of a small 

 colony of bees, evidently reduced in numbers by swarming. 

 I could just make out some sealed brood on one of the centre 

 combs. From the dark appearance of the comb, I should say 

 that the bees had wintered there — a real winter " camp-out." 

 The unusual occurrence may be accounted for by a coincidence 

 of circumstances — (i) absence of hollows in the banksias ; 

 (2) the mildness of the weather ; (3) the presence of a laying 

 queen at swarming time ; (4) the abundance of honey. The 

 swarm, being full of nectar, and wax secretion going on so fast 

 that the bees hanging in a cluster waiting so long for scouts 

 to bring news of a suitable hollow get a piece of comb built, in 

 which the queen, in full laying trim, deposits some eggs. These 

 hatch in three days, and make the bees feel interested in the 

 spot. The weather continuing mild, and a fine honey flow 

 keeping up, the colony gets firmly established. That it came 

 safely through the winter is not so remarkable. They must 

 have had a good stock of food, and the cluster, being reduced 

 well away from the edges of the comb (which, of course/ is a 

 bad conductor of heat), heat was conserved until a mild spring 

 allowed them to forage for nectar and pollen. The four sheets 

 of comb extended downwards from a first-rate roof of wax, so 

 that rain could not get into the cluster from above. I think 

 that they have a good chance of wintering there another season. 

 Information from a friend of mine living 12 miles away, at 

 Dutson, and often passing the spot on his way to the beach, 

 will be sought concerning the future of the " camp-out." — 

 H. B. Williamson, Geelong. 



Stranded Whales in Bass Strait. — The Australasian of 

 nth March contains a number of illustrations of the remark- 

 able sight occasioned by the stranding of thirty-seven sperm 

 whales on Perkins Island, near Duck River, Tasmania. They 

 consisted of thirty-six bulls and one cow, and their length 

 averaged about 50 feet. The occurrence seems to be a record. 

 The animals are being turned to commercial purposes as quickly 

 as possible. 



