THE VICTORIAN NATURALIST. 95 



flava, Hook. ; Goodenia paniculata and Scirpus setaceus, un- 

 recorded for the N.W. of Victoria. By Mr. H. W. Whitney. — 

 Bronze Cuckoo, Chalcococcyx plagosus. 



After the usual conversazione the meeting terminated. 



A BOTANIST ON MT. KOSCIUSKO. 



Taking advantage of his visit to Melbourne, Mr. J. H. Maiden, 

 F.L.S., Government Botanist of New South Wales, and Director 

 of the Botanic Gardens, Sydney, at very short notice offered to 

 give a lecture before the Field Naturalists' Club, entitled " A 

 Botanist on Mt. Kosciusko." The committee accepted the offer 

 with great pleasure, and arranged a special meeting of the Club 

 for Tuesday, 19th September, at the Royal Society's Hall, when 

 there was an excellent attendance of members and friends. Mr. 

 J. Shephard, the president, occupied the chair and briefly intro- 

 duced Mr. Maiden, who at once entered upon his subject with 

 the remark that he preferred to term it a " chat " rather than a 

 lecture. His remarks were illustrated with limelight views, which 

 were well displayed by Mr. J. Searle. 



The lecturer described a trip taken in January last, his starting 

 point being Jindabyne, on the Snowy River, some 300 miles south 

 of Sydney, from whence the top of Kosciusko is distant about 30 

 miles. The pictures shown were nearly all taken from a botanical 

 point of view, and showed the character of the vegetation met 

 with during the ascent, and mention was made of the extent of 

 ground covered by such species as Phebaliuin ovalifolium, Orites 

 lancifolia, Prostanthera cuneata, which often occurred in acre 

 patches. The flowers, as a rule, were of the more sombre hues, 

 but what they lacked in colour, was made up in quantity. The 

 region at about 50c feet below the summit proved the most pro- 

 lific gathering ground, and many interesting plants were noted 

 there, while the beautiful Galtha introloha was found flowering 

 beneath the snow. At the close of the lecture Mr. F. Wisewould, 

 in an enthusiastic speech, proposed a vote of thanks to the 

 lecturer, which was seconded by Mr. C. A. Topp, M.A., LL.B., 

 and carried by acclamation. 



PLANT OR ANIMAL— MYXOMYCETE OR MYCEl'O- 



ZOON ? 

 By D. M' Alpine. 



{Read lefore the Field Naturalists' Club of Victoria, IQth July, 1899.) 



It is very gratifying to find that a member of this Club, and an 

 expert microscopist (Mr, Sayce), has undertaken the investigation 

 of some of the so-called slime-fungi, and now that attention is 

 being called to them it may not be inappropriate to consider the 

 much-debated question as to their position in the scale of life. 



