Dec, 1908.] 



fHE Victorian naturalist. 143 



Amhlyornis subularis, was also taken, and several bowers or play- 

 grounds were observed and described. Some notes on the eggs 

 and food of several of the birds of paradise were also given. 

 Altogether eleven species of birds of paradise, eleven species of 

 pigeons, six parrots, and many other birds were obtained, together 

 with a number of birds' eggs, butterfles, and moths. 



A series of photos, were shown in illustration of the paper. 



Messrs. A. E. Kitson, F.G.S., F. Pitcher, and J. A. Kershaw, 

 F.E.S., spoke to the paper. 



NATURAL HISTORY NOTES. 



Fibre-Balls. — Mr. F. M. Chapman, A.L.S., remarked that in 

 July, 1904 {Vict. Nat., xxi., 47, 62) some fibre-balls from a 

 South Australian beach were exhibited at a club meeting with the 

 view of obtaining opinions on their origin, but with little result. 

 He had since ascertained that an article on the subject by W. 

 Russell appeared in the Bevue Generate de Botanique for February, 

 1893, of which a resume was given in Natural Science for April, 

 1893, PP- 250, 251. The article traced the various theories which 

 had been advanced for their origin, and the conclusion arrived 

 at in 1857 that the fibres were the remains of a marine plant, 

 Posidonia caulini, felted by the action of the waves. 



[At the July meeting of the Linnean Society of New South 

 Wales (Proc, 1906, p. 425) Mr. J. H. Maiden, F.L.S., referring 

 to an exhibit of a similar character at a previous meeting, ex- 

 pressed the opinion that the fibre was the product of a marine 

 plant, Fosidonia australis, Hook., f , belonging to the Naiadese 

 (Fluviales, F. v. M.)— Ed. Vict. Nat.\ 



Acacia Seedlings. — Mr. J. P. M'Lennan, of Emerald, con- 

 tributed a note calling attention to some specimens of seedling 

 acacias exhibited bearing true leaves as well as phyllodes. 



Porpoise. — ^Mr. R. W. Armitage reported that on Saturday, 

 22nd September, he saw a Porpoise in the Yarra at Studley Park, 

 between the Victoria-street and Johnston-street Bridges, about 

 12 miles from the mouth of the river. The porpoise was watched 

 for fully five minutes gambolling about as it gradually made its way 

 down the stream. The water in this part of the river is quite 

 fresh. 



exhibits. 



By Mr. J. W. Audas. — Introduced plant, Gnaphalium candid- 

 issimum, Lam., collected at Kilmore Junction. 



By Professor A. J. Ewart, D.Sc, Ph.D. — Specimen of Billida 

 graminea, Ewart, genus and species, new (Proc. Roy. Soc. Vic, 

 Oct., 1906). Locality — Jibberding, W. Australia. 



By Mr. G. Coghill. — A small collection of wild flawers from 

 Point Lonsdale. 



By Master Frank Cudmore. — Fossils from new coal shaft at 

 Altona Bay. 



