200 THE VICTORIAN NATURALIST. 



Droincetis irroratus, and ordinary one, D. novce-hollandioi. An 

 opinion exists that all Western Australian Emus are of the Spotted 

 kind, but it is not so. One cannot well identify them unless a 

 specimen is secured, as the difference between the two birds is 

 not very noticeable. The original type, as we know, came from 

 South Australia. 



Near Katanning Mr. Turner, of the Survey Department, found 

 a curious toad about 2 feet below the surface of the soil, under 

 the roots of a large White Gum tree which he was having grubbed 

 up. The creature is now living well in confinement. It is very 

 soft, and of a dark greyish-brown colour, and is apparently very 

 helpless. Mason Wasps were often seen, and one found had built 

 an elongated home of mud with fourteen compartments in it — 

 quite different to any I had seen before. 



I have lately received from Mr. Bradshaw, of the Victoria 

 River district, a claw of the curious crab, Parthenope horrida, 

 which I take the opportunity of showing this evening, as it is a 

 wonderful instance of protective mimicry. 



What I have brought before you this evening is but a brief and 

 incomplete sketch of a few of the objects noticed in this very 

 interesting country as I hurried through it on my recent visit. 

 I barely had a month there, and much of that time was spent 

 in travelhng, as the distances from one place to another are 

 considerable. 



I have to thank Mr. J. G. Luehmann, our Government 

 Botanist, for very kindly naming the specimens of flowers I 

 brought over with me. 



[The paper was illustrated with a series of about sixty lantern 

 slides. — Ed. Vict. Nat.] 



South Australian Ornithological Association. — The first 

 annual meeting of this Association was held in Adelaide on 2nd 

 March last, when a very satisfactory report of the year's work was 

 presented. The committee had been engaged on a list of Aus- 

 tralian birds for the use of the members, which was nearing 

 completion. Several members had made extended excursions, 

 and brought the results of their observations before the monthly 

 meetings, when also many interesting specimens had been ex- 

 hibited. Dr. A. M. Morgan was re-elected president, with Mr. A. 

 H. C. Zietz, F.L.S., as vice-president, and Mr. J. W. Mellor as 

 hon. secretary and treasurer. 



Victorian Fungi. — The following fungi, new for Victoria, 

 were collected by Mr. C. French, jun., at Mount Macedon in 

 January last : — Glocosporium hedycaryi, Cooke and Mass., on 

 Hedycarya cu7ininghami, Tul. ; Septoria martinice, Cooke, on 

 Senecio Bedfordi, F. v. M. ; and Fabrcba rhytismoides, Sacc, 

 on Cotula Jhlicula, J. Hook. 



