THE VICTORIAN NATURALIST. 19 



were appointed a committee, with power to add to their number, 

 to formulate details in connection with a deputation to the 

 Minister of Lands on the subject. 



[The sub-committee, having gained the co-operation of the 

 Royal Society, asked the Minister of Lands to grant them an inter- 

 view, and, accordingly, a combined deputation waited on the 

 Hon. J. M'Intyre, at the Lands Department, on 17th May, and 

 proceeded to state their reasons why the proposed settlement in 

 the Dandenong State Forest should not take place. They were, 

 however, informed by the Minister that scientific theories in 

 mining matters having proved, in some cases, incorrect, he could 

 take no notice of such theories with reference to denudation of 

 forests, rainfall, &c., and that the aesthetic aspect of the question 

 could not be entertained. 



Another deputation from residents of the surrounding districts, 

 with reference to conservation for water supply purposes, has met 

 with similar treatment. — Ed. Vict. JVat.] 



PAPERS. 



Only a short time remained for reading the four papers 

 which had been accepted by the Committee for this meeting, 

 and it was eventually decided to take two of them as read, in 

 view of early publication in the Naturalist. 



1. By Mr. C. French, F.L.S., entitled, " Notes on a New 

 Victorian Injurious Insect," with description by Mr. G. B. 

 Buckton, M.A., F.L.S. The ravages of this remarkable insect 

 (closely allied to the Cicadee) have been long known to 

 orchardists, but the precise cause has only lately come to light 

 through the investigations of Mr. French. Its natural home is 

 the wood of the young eucalypti, but of late years it seems to 

 have sought out more palatable food in some of our orchards. 

 Its presence upon the trees may be easily observed, since it lays 

 its eggs, from six to eight in number, in small punctures so close 

 together that the tree is perfectly riddled with holes, the apertures, 

 after the deposition of eggs, being closed with white flocculent 

 matter. Mr. French counsels severe pruning when the tree is 

 dormant, the prunings to be immediately burnt. The stem and 

 larger branches should then be painted with a mixture of lime, 

 sulphur, and soft soap, whilst the smaller branches should be 

 sprayed with kerosene emulsion and resin compound, put on the 

 trees whilst hot. The scientific description and other matters ' 

 connected with its ravages will be published in part iii. of 

 " Destructive Insects of Victoria," which will shortly be issued 

 by the Department of Agriculture under the supervision of 

 Mr. French. 



2. By Mr. F. L. Billinghurst (communicated by Mr. T. S. 

 Hall, M.A.), entitled, "Notes on the Land and Freshwater Mol- 



