THE VICTORIAN NATURALIST. 165 



anterior tip. This is shot out with great rapidity, and is, doubt- 

 less, of use in catching its prey ; at the same time, it appears to 

 serve partly as an organ of locomotion. We watched the creature 

 shoot out its proboscis, and then, fixing the extremity, use this as 

 a fixed point on which to draw the body forward, the proboscis 

 meanwhile gradually passing back into its sheath. 



A pair of large Darelli caterpillars are found under the bark of 

 a dead silver wattle. One has since emerged (9th January), and 

 proves to be a variety of the well-known Loelia australasice, 

 though much smaller than those to be found in Melbourne. 



Under the logs and bark we find the customary collection of 

 spiders, beetles, centipedes, and myriapods, together with those 

 curious spider-like forms, the Phalangidse. Scorpions are very 

 rare. Not uncommon also is a species of earth-worm, belonging, 

 apparently, to the genus Megascolides (probably a new species), 

 and hence allied to the giant Gippsland earth-worm. It measures 

 at most 8 inches in length and ^ inch in width. 



Of spiders, all along the track species of the following genera 

 are common on open webs : — Epeira, Gasteracantha, Tetrag- 

 natha, and Argiope, whilst the pretty little red-jewelled Arcys, with 

 Tholia, Linyphea, and Tharpyna, come into the umbrella when 

 shaking shrubs for coleoptera. Amaurobius and Clubonia are 

 found in holes and crevices in the bark of trees, where they form 

 a small ragged sort of web outside, with a tubular structure leading 

 into their retreat. Species of Thomisus, Drassus, Lampona, 

 Voconia, Xysticus, and Philodromus are frequent under loose 

 bark. 



Associated with Mygale, and sometimes Latrodectus, under 

 logs, are various species of the spider-like Phalangida, of which 

 we take examples of Phalangida australis and Tricenobunus 

 bicarinatus (male and female). 



During the rain we had seen a female of the little Sombre 

 Sericornis several times in the bushes near our camp fire ; our 

 presence seemed to disturb her, and, when it is fine, we see that 

 she has a nest close by with three young ones in. Our ornith- 

 ologist receives strict instructions to let her alone. Close by, 

 also, the squeaking of a young magpie reveals the presence of its 

 nest in a tall tree, and the nests of the White-shafted Fantail and 

 Little Brown Acanthiza — the latter with three eggs — are taken 

 close to camp. 



Of reptiles a species of Lygosoma and Hinulia quoyii are 

 common, and specimens of Carlia melanopogon are secured. 



There is very little trace of mammalian life. Opossums are 

 heard, but the only form taken is the marsupial rat, Antechinus 

 swainsoni. 



In the afternoon the scrub becomes comparatively dry and we 

 take our cameras down to a gully near at hand thick with tree 



