THE VICTORIAN NATURALIST. 



EXHIBITION OF WILD FLOWERS AND LIVING 

 AUSTRALIAN BIRDS. 



The success of the first exhibition of fresh native flowers having 

 been so pronounced, it was determined to repeat the experiment 

 this year, and accordingly the last (October) meeting of the Club 

 was specially devoted to an exhibition of these interesting signs of 

 a returning spring or summer. In order to somewhat vary the 

 exhibits it was also decided to admit live specimens of Aus- 

 tralian birds, which proved an additional attraction. 



Of native flowers there were about 180 species shown. These 

 were exhibited in different ways, according to the several tastes 

 of the exhibitors, but principally in the ordinary show stands. 

 The flowers presented a very creditable Appearance, considering that 

 many of them had been gathered on the previous Saturday, and 

 had come from such distances as Echuca, Leigh-road, Croydon, 

 Avoca, etc. About 20 species were also shown from Sydney. 



Among the principal exhibitors were Mr. G. Coghill, who exhi- 

 bited about 100 species from Echuca, Eltham, Dandenong Ranges, 

 Leigh-road, etc., among which were grevilleas, swainsonias, 

 etc., and several orchids. He also had sixteen species of 

 wild flowers from Sydney. Mr. 0. A. Sayce had about 80 

 species from the Gembrook Ranges and Beaconsfield, among 

 which were several acacias, Utricularia fJichotoma, etc. Mr. C. 

 French, F.L.S., had about 60 species from Dandenong Ranges, 

 Mulgrave, Oakleigh, and Cheltenham. Mr. C. A. Topp, M.A., 

 exhibited about 60 species from Croydon, Diamond Creek, and 

 Studley Park, including Grevillea rosmarinifolia, Myopnmm vis- 

 cosum, etc. Mr, F. G. A. Barnard exhibited about 60 species 

 from Croydon, Cheltenham, and Doncaster, those from the latter 

 place having been collected by Mr. Thiele. In this exhibit were 

 several handsome leguminaceous flowers, the orchids, Lyperanthus 

 nigricans, and Caladenia Menziesii, etc. Rev. C. M. Yelland exhi- 

 bited a nice collection of about 35 species made at Avoca by 

 Miss Sproston ; among these Erio$temon ohovalis, Grevillea alpina^ 

 and several species of orchids were much admired. Mr. W. R. 

 Guilfoyle, F.L.S., showed a fine stand of 24 species of the rarer 

 Victorian plants grown at the Botanical Gardens, among which 

 were Lhotzki/a ge7iettjlloicles, Velleya paradoxa, Grevillea oleoideSy 

 G. confertifolia, Calycothrix tetragona, Eriostemon myoporoides. 

 Among Mr. J. E. Prince's specimens was the quondong (Santalum 

 j)ersicartLm) in fruit, also Boronias, etc., from Sydney. Baron von 

 Mueller, K.C.M.G., who also very kindly assisted in naming many 

 of the specimens, exhibited dried specimens of the curious " sheep 



