38 Field Naturalists' Club — Proceedings. fvol'^xxxi 



and Vegetable Pathology on Saturday, 13th June. Two hours 

 or so^were spent in examining the various collections of insect 

 pests of Victoria, including those of forest trees, samples of 

 various fruits showing insect pests, insectivorous birds and their 

 nests, and samples of foodstuffs showing damage caused by 

 insects, &c. In the Pathologist's Branch attention was directed 

 to specimens of diseased fruits, &c., preserved in formalin. The 

 mycological collection and the herbarium were also inspected 

 with interest. 



ELECTION OF MEMBERS. 



On a ballot being taken, Mr. L. G. Chandler, 56 Dixon-street, 

 Malvern ; Mr. L. P. Winchcombe, 466 Little Colhns-street, 

 Melbourne ; and Miss O. B. Davies, Trinity College Hostel, 

 Sydney-road, Parkville, were duly elected ordinary members ; 

 and Mr. T. Alexander, Grange School, Domain-road, South 

 Yarra, and Mr. D. Mitchell, Cave Hill, Lilydale, as associates. 



GENERAL BUSINESS. 



Mr. J. R. Tovey, in accordance \vith notice previously given, 

 moved the omission of the words "and over the age of 

 sixteen " in clause [d), rule 4, and briefly outlined the reasons 

 that necessitated the deleting of the words specified. The 

 motion was seconded by Mr. J. Gabriel and carried. 



Mr. O. Rosenhain referred to a recent paragraph in the Argus 

 respecting the alleged damage to grass by large numbers of 

 Black Swans at The Heart, near Sale, and to the subsequent 

 announcement in the same paper that the Chief Inspector of 

 Game had granted permission to the owner of the property 

 to which the birds resorted to destroy them up to the end of 

 July. In his opinion, the Club should take immediate action 

 to prevent the destruction of these beautiful birds. 



Mr. D. Best said that a deputation should wait on the Chief 

 Inspector of Game and obtain the actual facts of the case. 



After some discussion, in which Messrs. Searle, Gabriel, Hardy, 

 St. John, and Rosenhain took part, Mr. A. D. Hardy moved, 

 and Mr J Searle seconded — " That the president and Mr. 

 Rosenhain wait upon Major Semmens and ascertain the facts 

 of the case." The motion was carried. 



Mr. C. L. Barrett said he would like to see something done 

 towards suppressing the laying of poison for rabbits, whereby 

 immense numbers of our insectivorous birds were destroyed, 

 and suggested that the Club join with other kindred societies 

 in a deputation to wait on the Chief Inspector, Mr. F. Allan, 

 and discuss the matter with him. 



In the discussion which ensued, Messrs. Rosenhain, St. John, 

 Gabriel, Scott, and the President took part. Mr. A. D. Hardy 

 read extracts from a lengthy memorandum by Mr. F. Allan, 



