THE 



^xctoviaxi ^atnvali&t. 



Vol. XVI.— No. 1. MAY 4, 1899. No. 185. 



FIELD NATURALISTS' CLUB OF VICTORIA. 



The ordinary monthly meeting of the Club was held at the Royal 

 Society's Hall on Monday evening, loth April, 1899. The 

 president, Mr. C. French, F.L.S., occupied the chair, and about 

 50 members and visitors were present. 



REPORTS. 



The leader, the President, gave a short report of the visit to 

 the Aquarium on Saturday, 25 th March, when there was a good 

 attendance of members and an instructive and pleasant afternoon 

 was spent. 



ELECTION OF MEMBERS. 



On a ballot being taken, Messrs. Jas. Sutherland, 2 Stawell- 

 street, Kew, and H. W. Whitney, Victoria-street, Williams town 

 North, were duly elected members of the club. 



GENERAL BUSINESS. 



The President drew attention to the forthcoming conversazione, 

 and impressed on members that all should do their best in order 

 to ensure a thorough success. 



PAPERS READ. 



1. By Messrs. J. Gabriel and H. T. Tisdall, entitled " Two 

 Naturalists at Phillip Island." 



The paper gave a general description of several days spent 

 dredging in Western Port Bay, with rambles on shore, and enum- 

 erated the more important shells, polyzoa, and seaweeds rioticed. 



In the discussion that followed, Mr. T. S. Hall, M.A., said he 

 hardly credited the story of the crab opening oysters by the 

 insertion of small stones, and, as showing the way mollusca are 

 preyed upon, he mentioned the large starfish and the mussels, in 

 which case it has been shown that main force is exerted to cause 

 the bivalves to open. Mr. Hunt spoke on the same subject, and 

 asked the cause of the holes so often found in mussel shells. Mr. 

 J. G. Luehmann and Mr. D. M Alpine mentioned the fact of pearls 

 being frequently taken from mussels, though the latter could not 

 recommend the industry. Mr. J. H. Gatliff drew attention to the 

 mollusca new to science obtained by Mr. Gabriel. 



2. By Mr. R. Hall, entitled " Notes on the Magpies, Gymnor- 

 hina leuconota and G. tibicens." 



The author pointed out the differences in the two species, and 



