THE 



Vol. XVI.— No. 11. MARCH 8, 1900. No. 195. 



FIELD NATURALISTS' CLUB OF VICTORIA. 



The ordinary monthly meeting of the Club was held in the 

 Royal Society's Hall on Monday evening, the 12th February, 

 1900, when the president, Mr. J. Shephard, occupied the chair, and 

 about 40 members and visitors were present. 



REPORTS. 



A report of the excursion to Willsmere, Kew, on Saturday, 

 20th January, was read by the leader, Mr. W. Stickland, who 

 stated the results were very similar to those of the previous 

 excursion to the same locality. The rare rotifer, Pterodina tri- 

 lohata, was taken ; also a number of green Hydras, which are 

 usually somewhat rare, but on this occasion were very numerous, 

 especially on the stems of Nitella. 



A general report of the excursion to Wallaby Creek, Plenty 

 Ranges, on 26th and 27th January, was read by the leader, Mr. F. 

 G. A. Barnard, who stated that several interesting specimens had 

 been obtained, notably two small freshwater crustaceans, which 

 might prove new to science. Other members of the party gave 

 reports on their several branches of natural history, showing that 

 fairly complete records of the fauna and flora had been made in 

 the short time at their disposal, and a hope was expressed that 

 a future excursion might be made to the southern slopes of the 

 Plenty Ranges. 



PAPERS. 



1. By Messrs. E. Ernest Green, F.E.S., and Jas. Lidgett, 

 communicated by Mr. F. G. A. Barnard, entitled " Descriptions 

 of New Victorian Coccidse." 



The authors described the following new species : — Mytilaspis 

 bicornis, Fiorinia lidgetti, Eriochiton luelaleucce, and Dactylopius 

 australiensis. 



2. By Mr. R. Hall, entitled " Notes on Four Species of Birds." 

 The author pointed out that Pardalotus affinis, Gould, and P. 



assimilis, Ramsay, were doubtless identical, and gave some field 

 notes on a variety or phase of P. assimilis, Ramsay. He also 

 gave particulars of a case of a tree-building Pardalote acting as 

 foster-parent of a Cuckoo, and gave additional information on the 

 plumage of the Blue Wren. 



Messrs. Le Souef, Coles, Brittlebank, Keartland, and Campbell 

 joined in the discussion that followed. 



NATURAL HISTORY NOTES. 



Mr. J. G. Luehmann, F.L.S., Curator of the National Her- 

 barium, called attention to some dried plants which had been 



