22 Field Naturalists' Club — Proceedings. [voi'^^xxxvi. 



best results in searching for seaweeds. He had collected 67 

 species in one day at Western Port. He offered to give a 

 demonstration on mounting seaweeds for the Herbarium on 

 some suitable occasion, and called attention to his exhibit of 

 a collection made many years ago by the late Mr. H. Watts, 

 one of the original members of the Club. 



Mr. C. J. Gabriel said he was pleased to know that the marine 

 plant Cymodocea antarctica is to be found in Port Phillip Bay. 

 At the previous meeting he had exhibited some small 

 shells found on the plant, which had been forwarded from 

 South Australia ; he would now try if the mollusc occurred 

 here. 



2. By Mr. J. Booth, M.C.E., B.Sc, entitled "About 'Pet 

 Peter/ a Flying Phalanger." 



The author gave an interesting account of the life of a Lesser 

 Flying Phalanger, Petaurus hreviceps, Waterhouse, commonly 

 known as the Small Flying Squirrel, which had been kept in 

 captivity for a period of nearly six years, when it apparently 

 died of old age. Being a nocturnal animal, it was, of course, 

 difficult to watch all its movements. It seemed to recognize 

 its usual caretaker, and made sugar and milk-soaked bread 

 its staple diet, though it was fond of an occasional cock- 

 roach. 



Mr. J. A. Kershaw, F.E.S., remarked on the happy way in 

 which the author had described his pet's peculiarities, and, 

 referring to its food of insects and honey, asked whether it 

 ever ate gum (Eucalyptus) leaves. 



Mr. A. D. Hardy, F.L.S., said that he had had no experience 

 with the Phalangers, but he had recently been inquisitive as to the 

 food of a Queensland Koala (Native Bear) kept by a travelling 

 circus, when he was informed that its favourite food was the 

 leaves of the Sugar Gum, Eucalyptus cladocalyx. He had tried 

 it with leaves of E. Delegetensis, but they had been refused. 

 The animal had never been known to drink during the three 

 years it had been with the circus, apparently obtaining all the 

 moisture it required from the gum-leaves. 



Mr. Booth, in reply, said gum-leaves had been offered to 

 " Pet Peter," but he did not appreciate them. 



EXHIBITS. 



By Miss C. C. Currie. — Fruiting specimen of Billardiera 

 longiflora, Lab., Purple Apple-berry, from Loch Valley ; fronds 

 and sporocarps of Nardoo, Marsilea quadrifolia, L., grown 

 at Lardner. 



By Mr. J. Gabriel. — Collection of Victorian seaweeds made 

 by the late Mr. H. Watts (one of the founders of the Club), 

 principally at Warrnambool, 1858-66. 



