144 Field Naturalists' Club — Proceedings. [vli'.'^'xxi'x. 



previously unrecorded for " south " of Victoria — collected by 

 exhibitor and Mr. J. G. O'Donoghue. 



By Mr. H. B. Williamson. — Dried specimens of Victorian 

 ferns. 



By Miss Bage, Messrs. Kershaw, Robertson, Shephard. and 

 WiUiamson. — Series of photographs of National Park. 



After the usual conversazione the meeting terminated. 



EXCURSION TO FRANKSTON. 



About a dozen members journeyed to Frankston by the 

 mid-day train on Saturday, 14th December, for the study of 

 marine life. On arrival we found the tide was just about to 

 turn, so made our way towards the rocky headland beyond 

 the township, in order to investigate the rock-pools before 

 they again became submerged. The most striking feature of 

 the day was the enormous numbers of the European Shore-Crab. 

 Carcimis mcenas, found everywhere. This crab is now 

 thoroughly naturaUzed in Port PhiUip, and is supposed to have 

 come here in the bottom of some wooden ship, as it was first 

 observed at Port Melbourne, from whence it has gradually 

 spread round the bay. Numerous specimens were found under 

 the stones, such as sea-planarians, starfish, sea-urchins, and 

 chitons ; several of the latter were roughly dissected so as to 

 show the radula or lingual ribbon. On the sand between the 

 tide-marks numerous burrows were observed, which, on being 

 investigated, were found to have been made by a species of 

 Callianassa, a specimen of which was secured. It is a 

 crustacean, notable from having one of its claws of much larger 

 size than the others. While digging for them several worms 

 were collected, many of which were of great length, but 

 extremely brittle. Being unable to secure a boat in order to 

 make use of a tow-net, we made casts of the net from the pier, 

 securing a great variety of specimens. The water was 

 crowded with diatoms, mostly a cushion-shaped species. The 

 nauplius forms of the Barnacles, Lepas, and Sacculina, also the 

 cypris form of the latter, were taken. The Copepoda con- 

 sisted of a few Calanidae and Centropagida? and numerous 

 HarpacticidrL' ; the species identified were Centropagns typiciis 

 and Idya furcata. Three si)ecies of rotifers of the genus 

 Synchaeta were taken, also several specimens of those curious 

 little animals, the arrow-worms, Sagitta, sp. Zoea and larval 

 forms of crabs, also larval forms of various molluscs and 

 worms, and a young pipe-fish, Syngnathus, sp., were among 

 the captures. — J. Seari.e. 



