THE VICTORIAN NATURALIST. 



tion for the Advancement of Science will be found an interesting 

 essay by the same author on the influence of physiographic 

 changes in the distribution of plant life in Australia, delivered by 

 him as the presidential address of the Biological Section. The 

 same work contains an succinct account of the physiography of 

 the Australian Alps, by Mr. James Stirling, who has contributed 

 papers to our journal on the same district. 



Other works, published during the year, which will be found 

 valuable to the members who are studying the particular depart- 

 ment of natural history which is the subject of the memoir, are 

 " Census of Molluscan Fauna of Australia," by Professor Ralph 

 Tate; "Australian Butterflies," by A. S. Olliff; "Report on 

 Insect and Fungus Pests, Queensland," issued by the Department 

 of Agriculture ; " Lichen Flora of Queensland," by John Shirley ; 

 " Report on the Government Scientific Expedition to the 

 Bellenden-Ker Range, Queensland," by the Colonial Botanist. 



In the " Proceedings of the Linnean Society of New South 

 Wales," Mr. E. Meyrick, F.E.S., has continued his "Revision of 

 Australian Lepidoptera," and describes above a hundred in his 

 last papers ; the Rev. G. S. Blackburn continues his notes on 

 Australian Coleoptera ; and Mr. F. A. A. Skuse's part 7 of 

 " Diptera of Australia " has been published, bringing the number 

 of species described up to 385. 



A matter in which members of the Club will feel an interest is 

 the organization during the year of the Government Entomolo- 

 gist's department. We all felt that it was a matter for congratula- 

 tion that one of the founders and most enthusiastic supporters of 

 this Club, Mr. C French, was chosen to fill the responsible posi- 

 tion of Government Entomologist. Mr. French informs me that 

 at the offices in the Exhibition Building there is already formed a 

 valuable library of works on economic entomology, which is being 

 daily added to, as well as specimens of insects prejudicial to 

 plant life ; and that live specimens are also being kept and reared, 

 and their life-history watched, the number of days' duration of 

 each stage noted, &c. There is also a fine collection of stuffed 

 specimens of the insectivorous birds of Victoria, so that farmers 

 and others may readily learn to recognize birds which are really 

 their friends and should be carefully preserved. The first 

 number of the " Handbook of the Destructive Insects of 

 Victoria," containing ten coloured plates with descriptive letter- 

 press will shortly be issued, the artist being Mr. C. C. Brittlebank, 

 a member of our Club. This number, I understand, will treat of 

 insects injurious to some of our most important fruits, such as 

 apples, pears, apricots. 



An increased interest in the preservation of our forests has 

 been shown by the appointment of Mr. G. Perrin, F.L.S., as 

 Chief Inspector, and we may hope that the valuable timber — the 



