72 Baknakd, The F.N.C. of Victoria: a Retrospect. [v^."xxxvH. 



The new buildings of the National i\Iuseum were opened in 

 April, 1906 {V. N., xxiii., 23). At the April meeting Prof. 

 A. J. Ewart, the newly-arrived Professor of Botany at the 

 I'niversity, was unanimously elected a member of the Club. 



1906-7. — Mr. Barnard again occupied the office of presi- 

 dent, and Mr. J. A. Kershaw took the place of Mr. J. F. 

 Haase as hon. secretary. The annual report (F. N., xxiv., 43) 

 showed that the roll contained 235 memlicrs, with 25 associates 

 and 120 juniors. Twenty-eight papers had been read, and £11 

 added to the credit balance of the Club. .\t the annual meeting 

 the retiring president (Mr. F. G. A. Barnard) gave an address 

 showing how the facilities for the study of natural history had 

 increased since the foundation of the Club in 1880 {V. N., 

 xxiv., p. 48). The feature of the year was the camp-out for 

 a week at ]\Iornington at Christmas, 1906, where, in additicm 

 to aliout thirty members, fifty State school teachers took part. 

 Sev(;ral of these afterwards became members of the Club, and 

 remained constant for many years. The success of the outing 

 was greatly due to the organizing abihty of Mr. J. A. Leach 

 {V. N., xxiii., 195). The attention of the Railway Department 

 was called to the geological features of several of the railway 

 cuttings near Melbourne, and a request was made that they should 

 be kept free of decorative vegetation. At the re(iuest of the 

 Club Malleson's Glen was permanently reserved as a beauty 

 spot (T. A^., xxiii., 135). In February the wholesale destruc- 

 tion of game was brought under the ncjtice of the Department, 

 and in March a gun tax and alteration of the duck season were 

 advocated, while the destruction of the wattles, &c., in tiie 

 grounds of the Kew Asylum were brought under the notice 

 of the authorities. 



1907-8.— The president for the year was Mr. G. A. 

 Keartland, whom we still have amongst us, with Mr. J. A. 

 Kershaw as hon. secrt-tary. The annual report showed 241 

 members and 54 juniors. Twenty-six papers had Ix-en reiid, 

 but tin- balance-sheet recorded a decreased credit balance by 

 £2. Such questions as a close season for ojiossums, the 

 destruction of fish by seals at Phillip Island, and tlic firing 

 of the timber at Tommy's Bend, occupied sc^veral meetings. 

 The Plant Names Conunittee, formed in August, i()ob, presented 

 its first report, and Prof. Ewart urged that members making 

 new plant records should present specimens of tlu; same to 

 the; Club or the National Herl)arium for record (I'. A'., xxiv., 

 ()5, !()()). A memorable paper was read by Mr. (). A. Sayce, 

 recording a new remarkable fresh-water crustare.m f<iund !)>• 

 him near Kingwood (!'. A^., xxiv., 117). .'\n ohl friend of 

 many members of the Club -Mr. Charles Walter— passed away 

 in September (V. N., xxiv., no). A remarkable incursion of 

 the White Caper Butterfly on 30th November and ist Decern- 



