56 THE VICTORIAN NATURALIST. 



The most important field work accomplished by the Club 

 during the past year has been in connection with the excursions 

 to the Kent Group of Islands and to the Upper Yarra, and I 

 think it is a matter for congratulation that these somewhat pro- 

 longed excursions seem now to be firmly established as a necessary 

 part of the annual doings of the club. 



It is scarcely necessary to point out that the more elaborate 

 organization necessary when a party of half-a-dozen to a dozen 

 determines to penetrate the wilds of our bush, and live under 

 canvas for a week or two, remote from stores and hotels, gives a 

 training in many matters essential to the success of a naturalist^ 

 which necessarily cannot be afforded by the afternoon or even 

 by the day collecting trip. 



So that, apart from the actual results gained by each excursion 

 of this character in the shape of new species of fauna or flora 

 discovered and new knowledge acquired of geographical distri- 

 bution, such trips as those to the Upper Yarra and to the Kent 

 Island of the past year, and those to Eastern Gippsland and 

 King's Islands in preceding years, promote one of the objects of 

 this Club in giving young naturalists a training and experience 

 which will be of value to those of them who in later life may take 

 up on a larger scale the study of natural history in unexplored, or 

 at least unsettled, portions of this continent or of other lands. 



The Kent Group visit was arranged to determine the question 

 as to whether that group of islands is more nearly related to 

 Victoria, with which it is closest geographically, or with the 

 more remote land of Tasmania, as well as for the collecting of 

 specimens. The party numbered seven, and the trip took place 

 in last November, was favoured by fine weather, and fulfilled 

 expectations. The bulk of the fauna and flora was found to be 

 common to Victoria and Tasmania, but there were six or seven 

 varieties of birds peculiar to Tasmania to two peculiar to Vic- 

 toria. The conclusion was that the islands had been separated 

 from Tasmania after that island was disjoined from the mainland. 

 Among the plants several forms were found varying somewhat 

 from the typical forms of the same species on the mainland ; 

 while it was interesting to find that the arboreal Short-eared 

 Opossum had changed his habits so far as not to feed on the 

 leaves of the eucalypt, and to keep to the ground. Whether the 

 flavour of his flesh were changed, or his tail had become less 

 muscular and his claws less powerful, the report sayeth not. 



The visit to the Yarra Falls was made at the end of November 

 by six members of the Club, unfortunately under most unfavour- 

 able conditions of weather, both for enjoyment and for collecting 

 and for observations. Notwithstanding this disadvantage a con- 

 siderable amount of collecting was accomplished, and the know- 

 ledge of one of the most beautiful and interesting portions of our 



