THE VICTORIAN NATURALIST. 



The chairman wished to know if the galls on the wattles, 

 said to be produced by rusts, might not be partly due to 

 insects, but it was explained that while the galls might be bored 

 and tunnelled by grubs after being formed, none of the insects 

 found belonged to the gall-forming species. He also asked 

 whether some of the rusts could not be used for destroying 

 noxious weeds, but Mr. M 'Alpine considered this was hardly 

 feasible, since some plants, like the Mallows, were very subject to 

 rust, and yet they managed to thrive in spite of it. 



NATURAL HISTORY NOTES. 



Mr. T. S. Hall, M.A., drew attention to his exhibit of some 

 so-called " fossil apples," which had been found amongst coal in 

 various parts of the State. On examination they proved to be 

 the nuts or seeds of a palm, and resembled the vegetable ivory 

 nut of commerce. From inquiries it seemed that they must have 

 become mixed with a coal cargo on one of the wharfs, and thus 

 distributed to distant inland towns. 



Mr. D. M'Alpine referred to a curious abnormal formation of 

 apples underneath the bandage of a graft, and exhibited the 

 specimens. 



EXHIBITS. 



By Mr. H. H. Baker, F.L.S., F.R.M.S.— Land shells from the 

 New Hebrides. 



By Miss S. W. L. Cochrane. — Paintings of Victorian orchids. 



By Mr. J. E. Dixon. — 27 species of Coleoptera, collected 

 recently. 



By Mr. C. French, jun. — Rare Victorian orchid, Pterostylis 

 grandijiora, F. v. M., collected near Bacchus Marsh by Mr. C. C. 

 Brittlebank, 6th April, '06. 



By Mr. C. J. Gabriel. — Shells from Western Port, Victoria — 

 Fasciolaria australasia, Perry, Ficstis undulatus, Perry. 



By Mr. T. S. Hall, M.A. — Seeds of palm, known as vegetable 

 ivory, found among coal cargoes, Melbourne wharf, in illustration 

 of note. 



By Mrs. A. D. Hardy. — Dried blooms of Golden Spray or 

 Swamp Oak, Viminaria denudata, from Wilson's Promontory, 

 Christmas, 1905. 



By Mr. A. D. Hardy, F.L.S., F.R.M.S.— Fruit specimens, 

 preserved in salt solution, of Native Olive, Notelcea ligttstrina, 

 collected by Mr. Mackay, Otway Forest ; Fresh-water Algse — 

 Monostroma expansa, G. S. West (sp. nov.), Xanthidium 

 gloriosum, G. S. West (sp. nov.), in illustration of paper. 



By Mr. J. A. Hill. — Hybrid parrot, from the male of the 

 Yellow-vented Parrakeet of Victoria, Psephotus xanthorrhous, 

 Gld., and a female of the Pale-headed Parrakeet of Queensland, 

 Flatycercus pallidiceps, Vig. 



