THE VICTORIAN NATURALIST. 



during the year, and — a hopeful feature — they have given rise 

 more frequently to discussions. Mr. Sayer has described his 

 brilliant first ascent of Mount Bellenden Ker ; Messrs. Le Souef 

 and French have recorded their observations on the animals 

 and plants respectively of the Mallee district, near Lake 

 Albacutya ; and Mr. Stirling has written of the flora of Mount 

 Hotham. Mr. A. J. Campbell has added to oological science 

 a description of the nest of Queen Victoria's Rifle Bird of" 

 Paradise, and of the eggs of sixteen species of Australian birds 

 not previously described. Mr. Hunt has speculated in an 

 interesting manner both on nidification and on the colouration 

 of birds' eggs. Messrs. Gatliif and Bracebridge Wilson have 

 furnished well-authenticated lists of Victorian Mollusca. Baron 

 von Mueller has continued his original descriptions of Aus- 

 tralasian plants, including that of a fine New Guinea Rhodo- 

 dendron, and has also given a supplemental list of over 300 

 hitherto unrecorded Australian lichens. The Cryptogamists, 

 indeed, have given us several papers : — Mr. Tisdall on Fungi ; 

 Miss Campbell on Vegetable Pathology ; Mr. Sullivan on 

 Mosses ; and the Rev. F. R. M. Wilson, two papers on Lichens. 

 They have also added about 100 species to our lists of evascular 

 plants. The exhibits, both at the ordinary meetings and at the 

 Wild Flower Show, have been good and varied. At the latter 

 no less than 250 species of wild flowers were exhibited 

 in the living state. We cannot, in justice to all exhibitors, 

 and in mercy on your patience, enumerate all the 

 objects that deserve mention. But we cannot pass by 

 in silence the very excellent water-colour drawings by 

 Mr. Brittlebank, in which he has delineated faithfully the 

 different stages in the life histories of so many of our insects. 

 This is new ground. The work is very valuable, and it is a 

 great source of regret that the Club's finances are not such as 

 to enable them to reproduce Mr. Brittlebank's careful and 

 beautiful studies in the Victoria?! Naturalist. 



The committee have this year made a new and wise departure, 

 in drawing up at its commencement a programme of excursions 

 for the whole twelve months. By this arrangement a more 

 systematic and more varied series of outings has been secured, 

 and interest has been revived. As railway communication is 

 extended it becomes easy to reach, especially on holidays, 

 localities affording fresh forms and phenomena, and the 

 opportunities of the year have not been neglected. Parties of 

 the Club have visited the Trentham Falls, Bacchus Marsh, 

 Croydon, Ringwood, Lilydale, the Dandenong Creek, Berwick, 

 and the Plenty River at Bundoora, in addition to the well- 

 handled collecting grounds near town. 



But the great expedition of the year has been that to King 

 Island. There have been campings out in previous years at Lily- 



