THE VICTORIAN NATURALIST. 83 



The author, in an extremely interesting paper, illustrated by a 

 series of lantern views and diagrams, drew attention to a case of 

 stream capture near Ringwood, and pointed out how important 

 stream action is in determining the surface features of a country. 

 He showed that the area to the east of Melbourne was originally 

 a sandy plain, sloping towards the south-west, laid down on a 

 platform of highly inclined palaeozoic shales and sandstones. 

 This had been denuded by stream action into the hills and valleys 

 as we now know them, and as the force of one stream happened 

 to be greater than that of a neighbouring one, so there had gradu- 

 ally been alterations of the water-parting ; and in this way he 

 considered the upper waters of the Dandenong Creek had been 

 captured by the Mullum MuUum or Deep Creek, as it worked 

 back towards its source at Birt's Hill, near Ringwood. 



The author was complimented by Prof. E. W. Skeats, D.Sc, 

 who remarked upon the careful and concise manner in which Mr. 

 Thiele had placed his facts before the meeting, and had dealt so 

 fully with his subject as to leave no room for discussion. 



Prof. Skeats's remarks were endorsed by Messrs. T. S. Hall, 

 M.A., A. E. Kitson, F.G.S., and the president. 



NATURAL HISTORY NOTES. 



Mr. A. D. Hardy drew attention to the steps taken by the 

 London County Council for the better protection of birds. 



Mr. A. H. E. Mattingley referred to the life-history of the eel, 

 and said that Mr. G. Gentry, D.Sc, had determined that repro- 

 duction was by means of ova. 



EXHIBITS. 



By Mr. R. W. Armitage. — Daphnia with red blood ; mosquito 

 larvae taken at Deepdene, 8th July, 1906. 



By Mr. F. G. A. Barnard.— Core from block of basalt, from 

 Footscray. 



By Mr. F. Chapman, A.L.S. — Volcanic dust which fell at 

 Naples during the recent eruption of Vesuvius, consisting prin- 

 cipally of Green Augite and Plagioclase Felspar. 



By Miss S. W. L. Cochrane. — Paintings of Orchids, Pi-aso- 

 phyllum dixoni and P. archeri. 



By Mr. C. French, jun. — Two fine specimens of aboriginal 

 stone axes from Loch, South Gippsland. 



By Mr. C. J. Gabriel. — The following marine shells from North 

 America: — Ghlamys subnodosus, Sow., C. irradians, Lamk., 

 C. caurinus, Gould, Murex radix, Gmel., M. brassica, Lamk., 

 M. foliatum, Gmel, and Trophon triangulatus , Carp. 



By Mr. J. A. Leach, B.Sc. — Larvae of malarial mosquito 

 (Anopheles, sp. ?) and egg-rafts of Culex mosquito (rare in 

 winter) taken at Deepdene, 8th July, 1906. 



