26 Field Naturalists' Club — Proceedings. Fvoi^'^xxxi 



LVol. XXXIII. 



Farm, Ormond, and Mr. Chas. Vincent, " Ravello," Barkly- 

 street, St. Kilda, were duly elected members of the Club. 



PAPERS READ. 



1. By Mr. P. R. H. St. John, entitled " Notes on the Growth 

 of Eucalyptus vinmialis." 



The author stated that a tree in his garden at South Yarra^ 

 raised from seed sown in January, 1912, is now 25 feet in 

 height and 9 inches in diameter at one foot from the ground. 

 It had received no special care or treatment. The first sign 

 of flower buds was noted in November, 1915, and these had 

 matured and the tree blossomed last month. Though not 

 five years old, it was now shedding its bark for the first time. 

 He thought this fact had not received much attention from 

 botanists, and hoped others with better opportunities would 

 make some observations on the point. 



An interesting discussion took place, in which Messrs. Sutton,. 

 Barnard, Beuhne, Hardy, and Gates joined. 



2. By Mr. J. W. Audas, F.L.S., entitled "A Botanist in the 

 Portland District." 



The author described a week's rambling around Portland 

 during which a number of interesting plants were met with,, 

 several of which — notably Kiinzea parvifolia — would make 

 excellent garden shrubs. On the Cashmere heath-lands the 

 cominon Epacris imprcssa covered many acres, and was a 

 beautiful sight in its varying tints of pink and crimson. At 

 West Portland Stypandra ccespitosa and Boronia filifolia grew 

 in abundance. 



The chairman congratulated the author on the interesting 

 nature of his remarks, which would be valuable to future visitors 

 to the district. 



NATURAL HISTORY NOTES. 



Mr. J. Ciabriel said that during the last few weeks the much- 

 maligned sparrow had done an immense amount of good in his 

 garden in clearing plants of aphis, and had also captured 

 quantities of small moths. 



Mr. A. D. Hardy, F.L.S., recorded some observations made 

 on the habits of slugs during the recent showery weather, when 

 he had noticed them, after the sun had risen, suspended by 

 threads from branches on the shady sides of shrubs. 



Mr. J. Searle drew attention to the extent of the irruption of 

 the Caper butterfly this season. Mr. F. G. A. Barnard said 

 the appearance of these butterflies is quite a month, later 

 than usual, and it was not recorded in Waterhouse and Lyell's 

 " Butterflies of Australia " for Melbourne in December. The 

 scientific name of the butterfly, which is one of the Pieridse. 

 is now given as Anaphceis Java teutonia. Fab. He also men- 



