The South Australian Naturalist. 13 



fellowship, seem to arouse that elemental feeling of oneness 

 with the birds and flowers which, in spite of the veneer of 

 civilisation, lies dormant in the subconscious mind. The deli- 

 cate tints, the dainty forms of the wild flowers, the scent of the 

 ferns and of the virgin soil, the stately outline of the eucalypti, 

 the bright gold and faint odours of the wattle, the twittering of 

 the small birds, the liquid gurgle of the magpie, and the plain- 

 tive cry of the harmonious thrush, transported the city dwellers 

 into an earthly paradise. Added to this, the passion for re- 

 search and the joy of discovery animated the eager investi- 

 gators in their several departments. The entomologist enters 

 the dense scrub, vigorously shaking every tree and every bush, 

 seeking for spoil to fill his little phials ; the botanist revels in 

 the glory of Nature's garden, and with satchel and trowel 

 prepares to convey his booty to a convenient place for more 

 careful examination ; the geologist, from a neighbouring hill, 

 surveys hill and valley, and ponders on composition of the rock, 

 and with his hammer chips off fragments and calculates the 

 lay of the strata and the dip of the reef; the ornithologist 

 marks the flight and listens to the song bv which he identifies 

 the bird." 



''AGAPAETUS" in ''The Saturdav Journal." 



LECTURES AND EXCURSIONS. 



Excursion to Slape's Gully, August 18, 1923.— Mr. W. H. 



Selway led a large party of members. It was rather early for 

 native flowers, but two species of greenhood {Pterostylis nana 



and P. rcjiexa) were notieed and one speeies oi helmet orehid 

 {Corysanthes fimhriata). The walk through the Gully included 

 some of the most charming scenery of the hills. 



Lecture, "A Trip to Groote Eylandt, Gulf of Carpentaria." 

 Mr. Norman B. Tindale, August 21, 1923.— Mr. Tindale inter- 

 ested a large audience with an account of his collecting trip to 

 this hitherto unknown island. The lecturer's remarks were 

 illustrated by a fine series of slides, and by a selection of 

 native weapons, ornaments, fishing traps, and cases of insects 

 collected by the lecturer, who had been able to take no less 

 than 500 ethnological specimens, 150 birds and 9,600 insects, 

 in addition to many mammals, shells, and botanical specimens. 



