^"^2o ] Barnard, The F.N. C. of Victoria: a Retrospect. 71 



THE FIELD NATURALISTS' CLUB OF VICTORIA, 

 1905-20: A RETROSPECT. 



By F. G. a. Barnard. 



{Read before the Field Naturaltsts' Club of Victoria, 10th May, 1920.) 



Fifteen' years ago, as the subject of a presidential address, 

 I had the pleasure of giving a brief history of the founding 

 of our Club, and its doings during the first twenty-five 

 years of its existence ; and, though it might have been more 

 in the usual order of things to have deferred making further 

 reference to its history until it attained its jubilee in May, 

 1930, I felt that ten years at my time of hfe was too great a 

 space of time to look forward to ; and as I wished to bring the 

 history up to date, I propose to take advantage of to-night 

 l)eing the fortieth anniversary of its foundation to give you 

 some brief notes of the doings of the last fifteen years. 



The address referred to will be found in the Naturalist for 

 July, 1906 (F.A^., xxiii., p. 65), and I will continue on the 

 same lines, simply giving the names of the president and hon. 

 secretary for each year, and notes of any important happenings. 

 It may be noted that, excepting for 1919-20, Mr. G. Coghill 

 was hon. treasurer for the whole of the period. 



I will conclude with a summary of results so far as thev can 

 be shown by figures, and will leave you to judge whether the 

 Club has justified its existence. 



1905-6. — Mr. F. G. A. Barnard occupied the presidential 

 cliair, with Mr. J. F. Haase as hon. secretary. The annual 

 report {V.N., xxiii., 57) gives the membership as 211, with 

 17 associates and 19 juniors ; 28 papers were read, and the credit 

 balance was increased by £ib, notwithstanding £ioc) was spent 

 on the Naturalist. At the July meeting great regret was 

 expressed at the death of Mr. H. T. Tisdall, who had been a 

 prominent worker and office-bearer of the Club for many years 

 (U. A''., xxii., 56). The fifteenth conversazione of the Club 

 was held at the Masonic Hall on the 19th and 2()th October 

 (U. N., xxii., 104). This included an exhibition of wild-flowers. 

 Illustrated lecturettes were given by Dr. T. S. Hall on " The 

 (ieology of the Eastern Suburbs," and by Mr. A. E. Kitson, 

 I'.G.S., on " The Upper Waters of the River Yarra." The 

 exhibition of wild-flowers was privately visited by Her 

 Excellency Lady Northcote, who evinced considerable interest 

 in the display. A three-days' visit to Warburton was made 

 in November (]'. N., xxii., 128). An illustrated lecture on 

 \Vilsf)n's Promontory as a National P.-irk was given in the 

 Masonic Hall b\- Dr. T. S. Hall in l-'ebruary, T9()b, before; a 

 very larg(> audience (]'. X., xxii., 179). At the I'V])rnary 

 meeting th(; leader, Mr. A. I). Hardy, gave an account of the 

 first Club expedition to the National Park (!'. N., xxii., 191). 



