Cbe Uictorian naruralist. 



Vol. XXXVI.— No. 5. SEPTEMBER 4, 1919. No. 429. 



FIELD NATURALISTS' CLUB OF VICTORIA. 



The ordinary monthly meeting was held at the Royal Society's 

 Hall on Monday evening, nth August, 1919. 



The president, Mr. A. D. Hardy, F.L.S., occupied the chair, 

 and about 35 members and visitors were present, the curtail- 

 ment of train and tramway services, owing to the seamen's 

 strike, being doubtless responsible for the small attendance. 



CORRESPONDENCE. 



From the Town Clerk, Preston, stating that the Club's 

 suggestion that Edwardes Park should be proclaimed a bird 

 sanctuary had been adopted, and the necessary steps initiated. 

 The president remarked that in the course of a few years the 

 park would probably make a good excursion locality. 



REPORT. 



A report of the excursion to Hurst Bridge on Saturday, gth 

 August, was, in the absence of the leader (Miss A. Fuller), given 

 by Mr. F. G. A. Barnard, who said that there had been a good 

 attendance of members, but that, owing to the lateness of the 

 wattle season, the excursion was at least a fortnight too early, 

 as hardly a Silver Wattle was fully in blossom. The party had 

 rambled up the picturesque Arthur's Creek valley for a mile 

 or so, and enjoyed the outing very much. Very few other 

 plants were found in bloom except the lowly, sweet-scented 

 Drosera Whittakeri. The Cootamundra Wattle, Acacia Bailey ana, 

 was, however, making a fine show in private gardens. 



The chairman said that it might be better in future years 

 to defer fixing the date of the " wattle excursion " until it was 

 seen at what date the Cootamundra Wattle blossomed, as this 

 species was generally two or three weeks earlier than the 

 Silver Wattle. Mr. C. C. Plante supported this idea. Mr. 

 F. Pitcher said that at Belgrave (Dandenong Ranges) the 

 Silver Wattle would not be in full bloom before the end of 

 the month. 



WELCOME. 



The chairman took the opportunity of welcoming back to 

 Victoria one of the Club's members, Mr. F. A. Cudmore, after 

 three years' service in the British Army during the Great War. 



ELECTION OF MEMBER. 



On a ballot being taken, Mr. Chas. Lambert, Bank of New 



