104 THE VICTORIAN NATURALIST. 



acclimatize several English song birds, notably the Blackbird and 

 Thrush, and protection was afforded to them here, but in New 

 Zealand, where they had been introduced, they had multplied so 

 greatly that they had caused serious damage to orchards and 

 gardens, and rewards were offered for their destruction. He 

 thought care should be taken not to repeat the mistake already 

 made in the case of the sparrow. Mr. Le Souef said that the 

 birds had many enemies here which were absent from New Zea- 

 land, and did not seem to be appreciably increasing in numbers. 

 Mr. F. G. A. Barnard said that he had observed Goldfinches 

 breeding in Studley Park this year for the first time. 



The meeting closed with the usual converzaione, at which the 

 following were exhibited : — By Mr. F. G. A. Barnard. — Papilio 

 sthenelus, from Queensland. By Mr. D. Best. — Australian 

 beetles of the genus Curculio. By Mr. G. Coghill. — Flowers from 

 the Mitta Mitta and Sandringham. By Mr. J. E. Dixon.— 78 

 species of beetles from Beaconsfield and the Plenty Ranges. By 

 Rev. W. Fielder. — Desmids from Yan Yean water. By Mr. J. H. 

 Gatliff. — Conns anemone, C. rutilus, C '. segravei. By Mr. J. S. 

 Hart. — Apus from Sandringham. By Mr. D. Le Souef. — Spar- 

 rows' eggs of various markings. By Mr. G. Lyell, jun. — Rare 

 butterfly, Xenica hobartia. By Baron von Mueller. — Thelymitra 

 elizabethce (sp. nov.), Isoetes drummondi, from Minyip ; Ere- 

 mophila gibbosifolia from Wimmera ; Didiscus glaucifolius from 

 junction of Murray and Darling; Astrotriche biddulphiana (sp. 

 nov.) from Queensland. By Mr. J. Shepherd. — Rotifer Mono- 

 styla quadridentata. By Mrs. R. Simson. — Living and dried 

 specimens and cast skins of the leaf insect from Seychelles Is- 

 lands. By Mr. F. Spry. — Australian butterflies, including Xenica 

 hobartia from Dandenong Ranges. By Mr. T. Steel. — Series of 

 New Zealand "Vegetable Caterpillar," and a small beetle infested 

 with parasitic mites (Acarus, sp.) By Mr. G. Sweet. — Gangamop- 

 teris spatvlata, G. angustifolia, and G. obliqua, fossil plants from 

 Bacchus Marsh. 



EXCURSION TO BACCHUS MARSH. 



The Prince of Wales' Birthday is now recognized as one of our 

 annual public holidays, and, as such, is rightly availed of by our 

 Club for one of its usually pleasant excursions. On this occasion 

 the locality selected was Bacchus Marsh, and on Monday last, 

 the 10th November, at the hour appointed — 7.50 a.m. — no less 

 than — -not the proverbial two men and a boy — nine men and a 

 boy put in an appearance. The train was somewhat late in 

 departing, but we arrived at our destination at about half-past 

 eight when, to our great disappointment, Mr. Brittlebank, who 

 we understood was to meet us at the station, was not observable, 

 nor did we learn anything of him. This was all the more dis- 



