THE VICTORIAN NATURALIST. 107 



By Mr. F. G. A. Barnard, about 12 species from Braybrook, 

 including Veronica gracilis, Lobelia anceps, Craspedia chrysantha, 

 Gorrea speciosa, and Ptilotus sjjathulatus. 



By Mr. J. Wilcox, Boronia jiinnata, from Warragul. 



OTHER EXHIBITS. 



By Mr. F. G. A. Barnard. — Specimens of scale insect, Gryptes 

 (Lecaniuni) haccatus, Maskell, on Acacia dealbata, forwarded by 

 Mr. J. Lidgett, Myrniong. By Miss Cochrane. — Paintings of 

 wild flowers. By Mr. A. J. Campbell. — Carter's Honey-eater, 

 nest and eggs, and Wattle- cheeked Honey-eater, nest and eggs. 

 By Mr. A. Coles. — Pair Spotted Pardalotes, nest and eggs, in 

 natural surroundings, collected at Mornington by Mr. S. P. 

 Townsend. By Mr. G. A. Keardand. — Eggs of Green-Leek 

 Parrakeet. By Mr. F. M. Reader. — 3 species of mosses new to 

 science — Barhula androyyna, C. Mueller ; B. chrysogcete, C. 

 Mueller; B. perbrevifolia, C. Mueller. By Mr. H. C. Smart. — 

 7 species of Victorian Acanthizas. 



After an extended conversazione and examination of the 

 flowers exhibited the meeting terminated. 



PLANTS OF PREY. 



By Henry Thos. Tisdall. 

 {Read hefvre the Field Naturalists^ Club of Victoria, llth Sejjt., 1899.) 



Amongst the animal kingdom we find many notable examples of 

 the manner in which members of that kingdom manage to en- 

 snare or catch their prey. Who has not watched a cat crouched 

 patiently for an indefinite period until the long-wished-for mouse 

 made its appearance ? We read of snakes terrifying little 

 birds, so that in their fright they fail an easy prey. In fact, on 

 land, in the air, and more especially in the sea, myriads of 

 animals prey on each other, either by swiftness or by lying in 

 wait. These facts are well known to everyone, but few notice 

 the wonderful adaptations of the organs of certain plants by 

 which they ensnare animals. When we consider the want of 

 swift motion it is hard to see iiow a plant can possibly catch 

 animals, the said animals for the most part being quick-flying 

 insects. 



Let us for a moment consider what use a plant could have for 

 the flesh of an insect. Every plant must obtain a certain amount 

 of such elements as carbon, oxygen, hydrogen, and nitrogen, in 

 order to turn them into plant food. They obtain them partly 

 from the soil and partly from the air. Of course, different plants 

 require diff'erent quantities of these elements, and this brings us 

 to the fact that many species require more nitrogen than they can 



