3^ THE VICTORIAN NATURALIST. 



by Mr. T. Harrison, wlio is will -known as an observer of the 

 habits o£ ants, bees, and sjiiders, and who has contributed two 

 papers on his favourite study, and tlu results of his observations 

 seem to fully confirm the g-eneral belief of the great instinct 

 possessed by these interesting little animals. He also contributed 

 an interesting and humorous paper on what he termed " Life on 

 an Old Pile," being a description of the many and varied forms of 

 animal life he had observed on an old pile recently thrown up on 

 the beach. Lepidoptera, or the butterfly family, always receives 

 justice from the hands of Dr. T. P. Lucas, who has, under the 

 title of " Experiences of an Old IsTet," pleasantly recorded the 

 results of collecting trips to MarysvilJe and Warragul. Some 

 Russian an 1 other beetles, sent by Count Bramston, a Russian 

 entomolog'ist of some note, have been described by Mr. French, 

 who drew attention to the singular fact that two beautiful black 

 and red species of a longicorn beetle of the genus Purpuricenus, 

 from Algeria and Hungary, very closely resemble the one found in 

 New South Wales, West and South Australia, from which, indeed, 

 it is scarcely distinguishable. Conchology has only had one repre- 

 sentative, viz., Mr. J. H. Gatliff, who gave an interesting descrip- 

 tion of the genus Pecten and their peculiar powers of motion, some 

 species, as is well known, being capable of jumping out of large 

 baskets. Mr. A. H. S. Lucas has explained the position of 

 sponges in the animal kingdom ; also the sound organs in the 

 green cicada or green locust, so well known to the youth of the 

 colony. Mr. T. A. F. Leith has recounted several anecdotes in 

 connexion with the phocidte, or seal family, expres-^ing his belief, 

 from personal observation, that music has an undoubted attraction 

 for them, and also that they have great foresight in apprehending 

 danger. Mr. J, F. Bailey has described a new species of gordiu-, 

 or hair worm, which he r.^ceived from the ^^t. George River, near 

 Lome, and over this considerable discussion took place relative to 

 the generation of worms. In the course of it Mr. Watts took 

 occasion to mention that, although there was a general belief that 

 infusoria existed in the Yan Yean, he had, after very careful exam- 

 ination, failed to find any trace of them. The formation of a postal 

 niiscroscopical society, similar to one recently established in England, 

 was advocated by Mr, Watts, the object being the transmission 

 tlirough the post from one member to another of specimens for ex- 

 amination, and their ultimate return to a recognised head office. 

 'J'he excursions have been much better attended than during the 

 previous year, and have resulted in not only pleasant outings, but 

 also the discovery of many rare and several new species of plants and 

 insects. The exhibits at the monthly meetings have been exception- 

 ally good. Amongst the many may be specially mentioned seven 

 stages in the life of one of our common months, Ossorhina nana, by 

 J. F. Spry ; a fine series of coloured plates showing the development 

 of the dreaded Phylloxera vastatrix, by Dr. L. L. Smith ; limestone 

 fossils from Lilydale, by F. G. Barnard ; xVustralian fungi, by 



