120 THE VICTORIAN NATURALIST. 



number of specimens of the Golden Beetle, Lamprina rutilans, in 

 the soft wood, ready to take up another stage of their life in a few 

 days, and some beautifully coloured examples were taken. The 

 orchid Thelymitra aristata was rather common about here. We 

 now examined the flowers of Leptospermum scoparium for beetles,, 

 and though the day was not too warm, and flowers not too plentiful, 

 beetles were scarce. Only about four species of Buprestidse were 

 taken, common species of other orders, such as Cleridae, Cur- 

 culionidae, Lagridse, Scarabeidae, Mordellidse, &c. Working our 

 way up the hill we got above the growth of Leptospermum, and 

 turned our attention to turning over logs &c, under which we 

 found a number of Planarian Worms, five species or varieties 

 of which were taken for examination by an absent member, but, 

 owing to ignorance as to their habits, they were simply put in a 

 box, and on examination next day were found to be dried up and 

 dead. Collectors securing these uncanny creatures should place 

 something damp in the box with them. Time was getting on, so 

 we retraced our steps down the hill, closely inspecting the 

 Leptospermum again, but not with much better luck. A skipper 

 butterfly was taken, which proves to be a scarce insect, and 

 another seen ; but no other rare butterfly was noted ; small 

 moths were numerous. Under a stone were found several cocoons,, 

 evidently of a hymenopterous insect, and on one of them being 

 opened a spider in a sort of hypnotic state was found enclosed. 

 This we were not surprised at, but the fact of the spider having 

 had all its legs removed at the first joint from the thorax was to 

 us a new item in natural history wonders. Crossing a piece of 

 flat ground, evidently very damp in winter, a large number of 

 flowers of Utricularia dichotoma were obtained. These flowers, 

 contrary to many Victorian flowers, last a long time in water, 

 viz., ten or twelve days. Specimens of the smaller grass-tree, 

 Xanthorrhcea minor, were obtained here in full bloom. Very few 

 flowers were seen besides those mentioned. After another inter- 

 view from the station-master about our fares, we left by the 5.45 

 train, and spent three-quarters of an hour on the Ringwood 

 platform on our way to town, owing to the reduced train service. 



Two youths recently discovered a most remarkable bird's nest 

 in a gumtree, near the local bridge (says the Benalla Standard )~ 

 One of them climbed the tree and brought the nest down, when 

 it was found to have been made entirely of wire and one or two 

 pieces of galvanized iron. The way in which it is threaded 

 together is remarkable, and speaks volumes for the ingenuity of 

 the birds, which were probably magpies. Altogether the nest in 

 between 2 ft. and 3 ft. in circumference, and weighs about 3 lbs. 



