THE VICTORIAN NATURALIST. Ill 



but it is possible that hereafter from floral notes another generic 

 place may have to be assigned to this species. The bracts 

 almost conceal the fruits ; this already gives the plant an aspect 

 different to that of G. tenuifolia ; the ramification is also less, the 

 leaves are longer and their segments narrower, furthermore the 

 fruits are shorter and their setules not divergent ; the leaves are 

 in form not unlike those of Bidens lineariloha, but seem never 

 doubly segmentose. 



CORRESPONDENCE. 



To the Editor of the Victorian Naturalist. 

 Dear Sir, — It may interest my fellow Naturalists to hear that 

 one of our prettiest ornamental trees has been added to the list 

 of " dangerous foreigners." Recent investigations following sad 

 experiences have shown that the Rohinia pseudacacia possesses 

 very poisonous properties. In the establishment of a certain 

 wood-turner, all the men working with robinia-wood, and therefore 

 inhaling the fine dust, consisting of minute particles of the wood, 

 suffered very severely. The Pferdefreund, a journal devoted to 

 the interests of lovers of horse-flesh and horse breeders, reports 

 that horses, after eating the leaves and bark of the Robinia, soon 

 showed symptoms of paralysis of the hind legs, dying shortly 

 after. The post-inortem examination proved the bowels, mucous 

 membranes, and lungs to be affected by the poison. In other 

 instances the horses which had eaten of the plant, and which 

 were similarly affected, recovered, but remained extremely feeble 

 for a long time after. The German Pharmaceutic Gazette now 

 explains that the bark of the Robinia contains a highly poisonous 

 albuminose (i-66 per cent.) 



G. RENNER. 

 Department of the Government Botanist, 

 28th October, 1891. 



To the Editor of the Victorian Naturalist. 

 Dear Sir, — I have been noticing one of our luminous centi- 

 pedes. The light is spread over the lower surface of the body. 

 The luminous matter appears to come from two glands, specially 

 devoted for its formation. These phosphorescent glands on being 

 pressed exudes a sticky, yellowish matter, possessing a distinctive 

 disagreeable odour. A curious feature in this luminosity is that 

 it comes and goes, which may be attributable to the various 

 seasons ; but it is always present during the autumn. It has 

 been suggested that this luminosity is connected with the pairing 

 season. — Yours truly, 



JAS. LIDGETT. 

 Myrniong, 3rd May, 1S91. 



