28 THE VICTORIAN NATURALIST. 



The "Australian Naturalist." — The advent of the new- 

 year (1906) brings with it the first part of a new contemporary — 

 the Australian JVaturalist : the Journal and Magazine of the 

 New South Wales Field Naturalists' Club — which is intended to 

 take the same place in Sydney that the Victoriati JS^akoralist does 

 in Melbourne. Our sister society has been established some 

 six years, and, having published two valuable memoirs, has now 

 decided to publish its transactions quarterly, a step which will 

 doubtless do much to keep the members in touch with one 

 another, for we feel sure that the regular publication of the 

 Victorian Naturalist has been a great factor in the success of the 

 Field Naturalists' Club of Victoria. The part under review 

 contains the fifth annual report of the Club, which is a record of 

 steady progress ; the presidential address by Mr. W. W. 

 Froggatt, F.L.S., who took as his subject " The Aims and Use- 

 fulness of Field Naturalists' Societies," containing a number of 

 valuable hints and statements ; a paper by Mr. L. Harrison, 

 entitled " Notes on Cuckoos," and an abstract of a paper by 

 Mr. C. Hedley, F.L.S., on " Pearls and Mother-o'-pearl." We 

 hope that our contemporary will have a long and useful career. 



Puff-Balls. — Mr. C. G. Lloyd, of the Lloyd Library, Cin- 

 cinnati, Ohio, U.S.A., who is devoting all his time to the study of 

 the puff-balls of the world, has asked us to make known his 

 desire for specimens of puff-balls and bird-nest fungi from all 

 parts of Australia. He has recently published beautifully illus- 

 trated pamphlets on the Lycoperdacege of Australia and on the 

 genera of Gastromycetes. These will be forwarded to any 

 person who shows an interest in the subject and will forward 

 specimens for determination. Australia is the richest country in 

 the world for these peculiar plants. He says in his directions 

 that the collection of puff-balls is the simplest matter in the 

 world. Simply pick them up when you find them, and lay them 

 aside for a few days to dry. When dry wrap each one separately 

 in thin paper. Simply twist thin paper, such as tissue paper, 

 round them as fruit is wrapped. Enclose loosely in a small, 

 strong box, and post to his European address — viz., 107 Boule- 

 vard St. Michel, Paris, France. If the specimens are small, 

 several of the same kind can be wrapped together. Include your 

 name and address, and say where the specimens were collected. 

 Several members of the F.N. Club have already forwarded 

 specimens, but more are wanted. Don't send immature speci- 

 mens — i.e., the spores should be ripe, resembling so much dust — 

 and don't wrap them until thoroughly dry. As Mr. Lloyd is a 

 great traveller in search of his hobby, he says collectors must not 

 be disappointed if they do not hear from him promptly, but all 

 will be acknowledged in due course. 



