THE VICTORIAN NATURALIST. 



gave a number of notes on the birds and their habits, especially 

 as to nest-building while in captivity. 



Mr. Le Souef said that in his travels he had not seen the 

 Black-backed Magpie in North-East Australia, where its place 

 was largely taken by the Roller- bird. Mr. G. A. Keartland 

 stated that he had seen the Magpies in Central Australia, but 

 only rarely, and they were always of the Black-backed species. 

 Mr. H. W. Hunt had had a male Magpie in captivity that 

 each year at nesting time gathered sticks, apparently for nest- 

 building, though it did not attempt to build. Mr. Tisdall said 

 the speakers had, so far, omitted to notice the sweet note of the 

 Magpie, which, according to a recent writer who had experience 

 of many birds in all countries, was the sweetest of all bird sounds. 

 Mr. Coghill asked the author if he had noticed that in some 

 districts the birds did not complete their song, but ended abruptly 

 when about half through. Mr. Currie mentioned that with bush- 

 men the gathering together and singing of the birds was con- 

 sidered to indicate a change of weather. Mr. A. E. Kitson said 

 in his experience the birds away from towns in remote parts were 

 quite as pugnacious as those nearer settlement, in which statement 

 he was strongly supported by another member. 



3. By Mr. C. C. Brittlebank entitled " The Birds of Myrniong 

 and Surrounding Districts." 



This, after a few brief introductory remarks, gave a list of about 

 160 species which had been noted in the district, and dis- 

 tinguished those which were known to breed there. 



NATURAL HISTORY NOTES. 



Mr. T. S. Hall, M.A., read a note asking for information as to 

 the occurrence of the Tupong, Marble Fish, or Freshwater Flat- 

 head in salt water. 



Mr. G. A. Keartland read a note on the exhibit of the eggs of 

 the rare Megapodhis pritchardi. 



Mr. A. E. Kitson brought forward a newspaper paragraph 

 recording the capture of a Flathead weighing 14 lbs. off the 

 Williamstown Pier, said to be the largest ever taken in the Bay. 

 A Silver Bream, measuring a foot in length and weighing between 

 three and four pounds, was taken a few days previously in the 

 same locality. 



EXHIBITS. 



By Mr. F. G. A. Barnard. — Flower of Native Iris, Diplarrhena 

 morcea, grown at Kew. By Mr. D. Best. — Fossils from Tas- 

 mania. By Mr. A. Campbell, jun. — A Magnificent Rifle-bird, 

 Ptilorhis magnifica, from Cape York. By Mr. C. French, jun. 

 — Orchids in bloom — Pterostylis parvijlora, P. aph.ylla, Eriochilus 

 fimhriatus, E. autumnalis, Prasophyllum despectens, collected at 

 Sandringham, 9th April. By Mr. J. H. Gatliff. — 11 species of 

 marine shells, dredged by Mr. Gabriel at Western Port, including 



