THE VICTORIAN NATURALIST. 31 



NATURAL HISTORY NOTES. 



Mr. A. Dendy, M.Sc, reported that he had found a planarian, 

 Geoplana carulea, at St. Kilda, the species having been recorded 

 only once before. 



Mr. C. Frost read a number of notes of cases of illness said 

 to have been caused by bites of the red and black spider 

 Lathodectus scelio (Katipo) ; and also described some experiments 

 made by himself on various animals. 



Mr. F. G. A. Barnard read an extract from the report of a 

 recent collecting trip to Mount Kosciusko, N.S.W., published in 

 the " Records of the Australian Museum," in which the author 

 gave some particulars of the occurrence of the moths known to 

 the aboriginals as " Bogongs " or " Boogongs," and said that 

 they had proved identical with a noctuid moth, Agrotis spina, 

 which was very common in all parts of Victoria in November 

 last. 



The following were the principal exhibits of the evening : — By 

 Mr. D. Best. — Two boxes of Australian Coleoptera, families 

 Lucanidse, and Chrysomelidse. By Mr. A. Coles. — Regent Birds 

 in various stages of plumage. By Mr. J. E. Dixon. — Sixty 

 species of Victorian Coleoptera, &c, including several rare 

 species. By Mr. C. French, F.L.S — Larvae of moth, Nyctemera 

 arnica, with larva? of ichneumon taken from body, obtained at 

 Caulfield; also drawing of moth. By Mr. C. French, jun. — Eggs 

 of Yellow-legged Spoonbill, from Kerang. By Mr. G. Lyell, 

 jun. — Case of Victorian butterflies, viz., Delias aganippe, D. harp- 

 alyce, D. tuetonia, Terias smilax, and Papilio macleayanus. By 

 Baron F. von Mueller, K.C.M.G. — New Australian plants — 

 Helipierum fitzgibboni, collected about a hundred miles north of 

 Eucla, W.A., by Mr. J. D. Batt ; and Helipterum incanum, var. 

 irvince, from Barrier Ranges, N.S.W., collected by Mrs. Irvine. 



After the usual conversazione the meeting terminated. 



EXCURSION TO PORTA ELLINGTON, SATURDAY, 

 15TH FEBRUARY. 



There was ample accommodation for your party on board the 

 Courier. After taking due note of the probably unique congre- 

 gation of bacteria and their products in the pool, we were glad to 

 find in the last reach of the river that there was a rather fresh 

 head wind, which served to blow away any lingering odours 

 from the vessel. On the mud-flats at the mouth of the Yarra 

 the Pacific Gulls were feeding in a great multitude on the worms 

 and shell-fish, while in marked contrast about half-a-dozen Cor- 

 morants sat perched in gloomy isolation watching for a stray 

 fish, or digesting a previously captured breakfast. 



