THE 



tyijctoxian Qatxxvali&t. 



Vol. YII.— No. 7. NOVEMBER, 1890. No. 83. 



FIELD NATURALISTS' CLUB OF VICTORIA. 



EXCURSION TO RINGWOOD, SATURDAY, i 3 th SEPT. 



As usual this season, the day fixed for this excursion turned out 

 unpleasant in the morning, and finally rain set in. However, about 

 ten members arrived at Ringwood by the 1.20 p.m. train. It was 

 now raining slightly, but the paddocks were very wet. On a con- 

 sultation being held, five decided to try their luck, the remainder 

 of the party returning to town. 



A southerly direction was taken, towards the Dandenong Creek, 

 which it was intended to reach if weather permitted. The mem- 

 bers found the country very soft, and were not particularly well 

 rewarded for their perseverance. The orchid Caladenia deformis, 

 with its pretty blue flowers, was very conspicuous in many places ; 

 others, such as Ptetostylis nutans, nana, and curia were also seen ; 

 also C. carnea, patersoni, and two or three Diuris. Of flowering 

 plants nothing particularly rare was seen, though about forty species 

 were noted during the walk ; of these, perhaps Euphrasia broivnii 

 seemed the rarest. On reaching the banks of the creek a fine 

 growth of trees and shrubs was seen. Acacia dealbata had made a 

 fine display, but was now over. Bursaria, Prostantheras, Pomader- 

 ris, Leptospermum, &c, where here in abundance, and the locality 

 should reward our entomologist later in the season. 



In entomology little was done, the weather being too bad. 

 Specimens of butterflies — Vanessa Kershaivi and V. itea — were 

 seen, and several small moths and larvae taken. A longicorn, 

 Phoracantha (sp.), was about the only other insect taken. 



. F. G. A. B. 



EXCURSION TO CHELTENHAM. 

 The weather on the day fixed for the Cheltenham excursion — 

 27th September — was even more unpromising than that of the 

 Ringwood one, and it was, therefore, not very surprising that only 

 five members met on the Cheltenham platform, nor that these 

 five immediately began to discuss the best way of getting home 

 again. The rain was coming down in torrents, and the sky had 

 a uniformly grey appearance that boded ill for any change for the 

 better. But we were in a cheerful frame of mind, and preferred 

 to point out how the dark background showed off the beauties of 

 the lightwood and other shrubs in the enclosure opposite to us. 

 That form of amusement being exhausted, two members returned 



