•{q"? ] Field Naturalists' Club— Proceedings. 23 



Mr. J. Gabriel said that many years ago the settlers in the 

 Otway Forest felled and destroyed the blackwoods without 

 stint or scruple. After a period of twenty-five or thirty years 

 those portions that had been used in fencing and in the con- 

 struction of buildings were now being eagerly sought after, 

 and sent to England to be worked into veneers. 



In reply to a query by Mr. Barnard relative to the size 

 attained by the pines in the Mallee, Mr. Hardy said the average 

 diameter was about nine inches, and in reply to Mr. Pitcher's 

 question, " Is there any particular area in Victoria where 

 blackwoods exist in large quantities ? " he was compelled to 

 answer in the negative. 



NATURAL HISTORY NOTES. 



Natural history notes were contributed by Miss Amy Fuller, 

 describing a fight between two Great Brown Kingfishers for 

 a snake ; and by Mr. G. A. Keartland, regarding the breeding 

 in captivity of the Warbling Grass-Parrakeet. 



EXHIBITS. 



By Mr. F. G. A. Barnard.— Specimen of Common Mistletoe, 

 Loranthus celastroides, Sieber, with thickened leaves, collected 

 at Greenvale, 9/5/15 ; also a specimen of basalt from the 

 " Organ Pipes," Sydenham. 



By Mr. T. S. Hart. — Specimen of Slender Mistletoe, Loranthus 

 linophyllus, Fenzl., in fruit, and parasitic on Acacia melanoxylon, 

 from cemetery, North Creswick. 



By Mr. J. Gabriel. — Photograph of nest of the White-backed 

 Magpie, Gymnorhina leuconota, constructed on a table in a 

 dwelling. 



By Mr. F. Pitcher. — Blooms of Acacia Maideni, F. v. M., 

 Maiden's Acacia, and Acacia salicina, Lindley, var. varians, 

 Weeping Cooba, or Willow Wattle, at present flowering in the 

 Botanic Garden ; and also a fruiting branchlet of the Queens- 

 land Beech, Gmelina Leichhardtii. 



By Mr. J. G. O'Donoghue. — Spiny Emex, Emex australis, 

 Steinh. (N.O. Polygonaceae), collected at the " Organ Pipes," 

 8/5/15- 



After the usual conversazione the meeting terminated. 



EXCURSION TO NARRE WARREN. 



The holiday on Eight Hours Day, Monday, 26th April, was 

 utilized for another visit to the Logan or Rocking Stone, near 

 North Narre Warren, as the ladies of the party had not been 

 able to reach it in November, when the previous attempt was 

 made. This time it was decided to make Upwey the starting 

 place instead of Belgrave, as being slightly nearer. After the 



