^"^•'1 Excursion to Studley Park, Kew-. 



1919 J ■' 



59 



where it had Uved a more or less parasitic or saprophytic 

 existence until the roots had penetrated to the ground through 

 the decayed heart-wood of its host. Among some planted trees 

 along the northern side of the road it was noticed that the 

 Mahogany Gums, E. hotryoides, had done well, while the Sugar 

 Gums, E. cladocalyx, were a poor lot. The Blue Gums, E. 

 globulus, had long lost their vitality, and should be removed, 

 to the benefit of their neighbours, as they form a breeding- 

 ground for timber-destroying insects. At a pool in a disused 

 gravel-pit a White-fronted Heron was undisturbed by our 

 presence when passing close hy, and continued its scrutiny of 

 the pool, though separated by only a post and rail fence from 

 a main road bearing much traffic. This portion of the park 

 contains a few Sheokes, Casuarina suberosa, and Cherry 

 Ballarts, Exocarpos ciipressiformis, besides Manna Gums and 

 a number of well-grown exotic trees. We then visited the 

 surroundings of the abandoned fish-hatcheries, and made our 

 way towards Mr. Gabriel's house, Mr. Gabriel pointing out 

 some gum-trees which horses had barked, a somewhat unusual 

 practice. We were then kindly invited by our vice-presieent 

 to partake of afternoon tea prepared by Mrs. Gabriel and 

 family, which we greatly appreciated, and before separating a 

 vote of thanks was enthusiastically tendered to our enter- 

 tainers. — A. D. Hardy. 



A New Isopod. — In the report of the excursion to Lake 

 Corangamite, at Easter, 1918 [Vict. Nat., June, 1918), mention 

 is made, on page 27, of the discovery of an isopod, wliich would 

 probably prove new to science, by Mr. J. Searle, in the shallow 

 water on the western side of the lake. In a recent letter to Mr. 

 Searle from Dr. Chilton, of Christchurch, N.Z., to whom speci- 

 mens were sent for identification, he says : — " The isopod proved 

 to be of considerable interest. I have made a new genus for it, 

 and in your honour have named it Halonisciis searlei, sp. nov." 

 Type specimens of the new crustacean, which closely resembles 

 an ordinary woodlouse, have been deposited in the National 

 Museum, Melbourne. 



Australian Wattles. — Mr. E. E. Pescott, F.L.S., in con- 

 tinuation of his articles in the Victorian Journal of Agriculture on 

 " The Australian Flora from an Ornamental Aspect," deals with 

 the wattles in the July journal. He lists about fifty species 

 which are worthy of garden cultivation, mentioning their several 

 features. He also gives some particulars of the pests to which 

 the trees are subject, as well as hints about pruning, which 

 should be undertaken when the trees are in flower, or shortly 

 after. 



