i Xo Notes from the Zoological Gardens, Melbourne, [y ixxxii 



to roost in the Gardens during the day. going over to the low- 

 lying ground near West Melbourne to feed in 1 he evening, and 

 returning just before, or at. daylight ; while at least a hundred 

 Magpie-Larks frequently Hock to the Gardens to roost during the 

 night in winter, when the nesting season is well over ; they also 

 go to the vacant ground near West Melbourne to find their food 

 supply ; they come in just before the Nankeen Herons go out. 



It is worthy of note that approximately 334,937 people visited 

 these interesting Gardens last year. 



" Records of the Geological Survey of Victoria." — 

 The recently issued part of this publication (vol. iii., part 4) 

 is entirely devoted to a monograph by Mr. F. Chapman, 

 A.L.S.. F.R.M.S., Palaeontologist to the National Museum, 

 Melbourne, entitled " Cainozoic Geology of the Mallee and 

 other Victorian Bores." The extent of the author's investi- 

 gations may be gathered from the fact that he devoted 

 some six or seven years to the work, which needed tremen- 

 dous patience, dealing as he was with such minute organisms. 

 principally foraminifera and ostracoda. The publication ex- 

 tends to over 100 pages, while the index of genera and 

 cies mentioned contains over 200 entries, and there are 

 15 plates, containing about 140 figures. The Mallee bores 

 examined were eleven in number, situated in the Murray- 

 ville district, and extending to the South Australian border. 

 The general depth reached was 160 to 300 feet, but the last one 

 was < arried down to 600 feet, in order to fully test the thickness 

 ol the lower rocks. Mr. Chapman's conclusions point to the 

 fact ihat there are two layers ol water one held by the 

 Kalimnan blue clay bed, and the other and better supply con- 

 tained in the Janjukian polyzoal rock below. The main 

 features ol bores a1 Portland, Sorrento, and Bairnsdale are also 

 given for comparison. 



Swans and Young. — Mr. P. L. C. O'Shannessy, of Hastir 

 fell-known bird observer, writing to the Argus lately, says 

 thai h has been remarked thai the young ol the Australian 

 Black Swan have not the habil ol nestling among the feathers 

 ol the moth 1 -wan'- ba floal i on thi the 



ot tin' European swans, Thi . he ay . i an error, for at 

 breeding time the mother Blacl Swans may often be seen swim- 

 ming with their brood oi tiny young on then backs. Thesame 

 applies to the Black Duck, and it may be this trail in the latter 

 bird's habits which has given ri many extraordinary 



tboui the birds can ying their young down on 1 heir barks 

 from the nests when they breed 1 



