THE VICTORIAN NATURALIST. 95 



are enumerated, special mention is made of the few birds almost 

 or quite peculiar to the State, while in the other groups, for want 

 of space, necessarily only a few of the more prominent species 

 can be mentioned. In conclusion, the author takes the oppor- 

 tunity of pointing out for the benefit of readers in other lands 

 that our bears, cats, opossums, squirrels, weasels, magpies, larks, 

 turkeys, trout, cod, &c., are in no way scientifically related to 

 their namesakes elsewhere, the names having been adapted by 

 early colonists from some fancied resemblance to the creatures 

 they were familiar with in their original homes, the same 

 remark applying to forms of vegetation known as oaks, box-trees, 

 &c. In the six pages in which Mr. Weindorfer summarizes the 

 flora, he points out that Victorian plants can be grouped into 

 three main divisions, the largest of which forms part of the 

 South-Eastern Australian forest flora, secondly the portion of the 

 Central Australian desert flora which penetrates into the north- 

 western corner of the State, and thirdly the Alpine flora, restricted 

 to the highest parts of the mountains in the north-eastern portion 

 of Victoria, from about 4,000 to 6,000 feet above sea level. Hav- 

 ing briefly glanced at the most noteworthy of our plant forms, the 

 author deals more extensively with the characteristics of the 

 three groups of vegetation already mentioned, and concludes a 

 brightly written article with the remark that Victoria presents 

 to the botanical student, in its great variety of plant life of 

 nearly 2,000 species, an exceedingly interesting and beautiful 

 flora. 



The Tasmanian Field Naturalists' Club. — This society, 

 whose headquarters are at Hobart, has issued an excellently 

 illustrated report of the Easter camp-out held at Freycinet 

 Peninsula, near Oyster Bay, on the east coast, about 100 miles 

 from Hobart. Forty members and friends took part in the outing, 

 and evidently had a very good time. We note with pleasure that 

 the Club is desirous of having the peninsula proclaimed a 

 National Park for the preservation of Kangaroos, Wallabies, &c., 

 and we trust that their effort will meet with success. 



The Brisbane Field Naturalists' Club, — From the report 

 in the Daily Mail of 30th June last it seems that this Club is now 

 well established, and likely to do good work in the northern State. 

 The third ordinary meeting took place on the 22nd June, and was 

 presided over by Professor S. B. J. Skertchly, who dwelt at length 

 with the results of a Club excursion to Sunnybank, calling 

 attention to the many interesting plants and insects obtained 

 during the outing. 



The San Francisco Earthquake. — Dr. J. C. Branner, Pro- 

 fessor of Geology, Stanford University, California, contributes an 

 article to the Palo Alto Times of 2nd May, in which he states 



