THE VICTORIAN NATURALIST. 115 



were given of the dififerent species of Acacia, the flowers of which 

 varied from " pale canary colour to soft, rich chrome ;" the Scarlet- 

 flowering Gum, whose habitat is confined to a narrow strip of the 

 forest lands along the southern coast ; shrubs of the Boronia lo ft. 

 high ; patches of the Bottle-brush shrub, the flowers of which at 

 seasons yield a nectar which proves intoxicating to the honey- 

 eating birds which regale themselves upon it ; a virgin Karri forest,, 

 individual trees of which reach a height of 250 ft. to 400 ft., whilst 

 an average height of 200 ft. is attained. A hundred other beauties- 

 of the forest were described in poetic language, the effect of which 

 was only marred by the lateness of the hour at which the paper 

 was read. 



NATURAL HISTORY NOTES. 



Natural history notes were given in by Rev. E. H. Hennell, on 

 "The Rosella Parrot ;" Mr. C. French, jun., on "The Trade in 

 Kangaroo Skins ;" Mr. T. Steel, on " The Charms of the Cicadas ;"' 

 Mr. J. Shephard, on " Zoology in the Streets ;" and Mr. G.. 

 Renner, on " Earthworms as Fertilizers of the Soil." 



Owing to the success which attended the exhibition of wild 

 flowers and grasses last month, the committee again solicited 

 exhibits, with very satisfactory results, the following being the 

 principal exhibitors : — Miss Cochrane, Miss A. E. Roberts, Miss 

 Henley, Baron von Mueller, and Messrs. J. E. Dixon, C. D'AIton^ 

 G. Coghill, J. G. Luehmann, and W. H. Wooster. Mr. C. 

 French, sen., exhibited some British Sphingidse ; C. French, jun.^ 

 eggs of the Straw-necked Ibis, from Swan Hill ; and Mr. H. Hill, 

 a case of Victorian Lepidoptera. Baron von Mueller also 

 exhibited the following plants new to science : — Ilypoestes 

 moschata, collected near Port Darwin — Mr. Holtze ; Glossogyne 

 orthochceta, Coen River, Queensland — Johnson; Garcinia warreniy 

 Coen River, Queensland — Johnson ; Feperomia enervis, Mt. 

 Bartle Frere — St. Johnson ; also Thelymitra, sp., from Youn- 

 degin, Western Australia ; and rare orchid, Caladenia congesta, 

 from near Dandenong Creek — Miss Cochrane. Further, 

 Coprosma, from the highlands of New Guinea, accompanied by 

 a Geranium and an Hydrocotyle. 



PRIZE COMPETITION FOR NATURAL HISTORY 

 SPECIMENS. 



With a view to the encouragement of the study of Natural 

 History amongst the younger members of the community, the 

 Field Naturalists' Club proposes to offer prizes for the best collec- 

 tions of Natural History specimens according to the schedule and 

 conditions set forth below. These prizes will be awarded at 



