the Oi ctoriait naturalist 



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Vol. XXXV.— No. 4. AUGUST 8, 1918. No. 416. 



FIELD NATURALISTS' CLUB OF VICTORIA. 



The ordinary monthly meeting was held at the Royal Society's 

 Hall on Monday evening, 8th July, 1918. 



The president, Mr. A. D. Hardy, F.L.S., occupied the chair, 

 and about eighty members and visitors were present. 



CORRESPONDENCE. 



From Dr. G. Sweet, University, stating that she had 

 inquiries from America for articles on Australian polyzoa, and 

 asking any member who could spare reprints to forward them 

 to her. 



REPORTS. 



A report of the extra excursion to Heyington on Saturday, 

 15th June, was, in the absence of the leader, Dr. G. B. 

 Pritchard, F.G.S., given by Mr. F. G. A. Barnard, who said 

 that there had been a good attendance of members, and an 

 instructive afternoon had been spent. Meeting at Burnley 

 station, the party walked through Richmond Park, where the 

 changes which have taken place in the position of the Yarra 

 in the course of time were pointed out and explained. The 

 river was then crossed, and the geological features of Heyington 

 cutting were demonstrated in an interesting manner. The 

 cutting contains some fine examples of altered bedding ; one 

 particularly fine example was figured in the Naturalist for 

 September, 1910 (Vict. Nat., xxvii., p. 80), also intrusive dykes, 

 &c. The characteristics of the valley of Gardiner's or 

 Kooyongkoot Creek were then pointed out, and the party 

 separated on reaching the Riversdale-road tram. 



A report of the visit to the Economic Museum, &c, at the 

 Botanic Gardens on Saturday, 22nd June, was given by the 

 leader, Mr. F. Pitcher, who reported a good attendance . of 

 members. The museum was inaugurated during the regime of 

 the late Mr. W. R. Guilfoyle as director of the Garden's, and 

 he (the leader) had had the principal part in its planning 

 and arrangement during the director's absence in England. 

 The value of such a collection was pointed out, and atten- 

 tion directed to the numerous examples of timbers, fibres, 

 food products, fruits, gums, resins, oils, perfumes, &c, all 

 of plant origin. The carpological collection, which occupies 

 a series of show-cases in the centre of the building, was 

 mentioned as being unique ; it comprises about 2,500 species 

 of seeds and seed-vessels arranged in botanical sequence, each 

 fully labelled. Those of the eucalypts, acacias, and pines are 



