THE VICTORIAN NATURALIST. 57 



territory was extended. It is probable that the reports brought 

 back of the grandeur of the forest scenery and the sublimity of 

 the falls will tempt another visit to the Yarra Falls at no distant 

 date. Three new animals were also added to science, two being 

 Planarian Worms and one a worm related to the now familiar 

 Giant Earthworm of Gippsland. 



Though not strictly a Club excursion, the visit of Messrs. 

 Howitt, Dendy, and Lucas, members of our Club, to the Mount 

 Wellington district in Gippsland, a report of which was read at 

 the February meeting, may be properly mentioned. This visit was 

 undertaken for the purpose of investigating the formation of one 

 of the too rare mountain lakes of Victoria, the origin of which is 

 somewhat obscure. During this expedition a probably new 

 characeous plant was collected, as well as a new toad, a new 

 planarian, a new variety of crayfish, and a new fish. 



It is encouraging to notice that during the past twelve months 

 the diligent collecting and trained observation of members of 

 our Club have resulted in the addition of several new species of 

 animals and plants to the Victorian fauna and flora. Instances 

 have been given in connection with the collecting trips I have 

 just mentioned. Besides these I may mention that Mr. Howitt 

 has described a new gum tree eucalypt, from Gippsland ; that 

 Mr. Tisdall has discovered six new Agariciand one Hygrophorus ; 

 Mr. Gatlifif has described a new Conus, from Western Port; Mr. 

 M'Kibbon has found a new orchid, described by Baron von 

 Mueller as Thelymitra elizabethce ; Mr. French two new genera 

 and seven new species of scale insects (published by Mr. Maskell 

 in the " Transactions of the New Zealand Institute "). These 

 facts show that even in so long a settled and well explored 

 country as Victoria there is scope for the discovery of a new form 

 of life, apart from the many interesting problems of distribution 

 and life-history which in regard to many groups have scarcely 

 yet been attacked, and some of which, from their requiring close 

 and prolonged observation rather than technical training, are 

 peculiarly suitable for the members of this Club. 



Besides the reports of the visit to the Kent Group of Islands 

 and to the Yarra Falls, which occupied three numbers of the 

 Victorian Naturalist during the past year, various other papers 

 of interest have been read at our meetings, and subsequently 

 published in that journal. 



Mr. C. French, F.L.S., has commenced a series of papers of great 

 practical value on the insectivorous birds of Australia. Part i., 

 treating of the Australian Bustard, was published in the March 

 number, and it must be a satisfaction to all lovers of our avi- 

 fauna to learn that this beautiful and useful bird, which has 

 diminished in numbers so rapidly that its early extinction seemed 

 probable, has now been permanently protected by law, through 



