126 THE VICTORIAN NATURALIST. 



— the birds preferring what is called a beam wind, and for which 

 they may wait many days ; and the moment it arrives, with a 

 common impulse, they will start on their journey. True, migra- 

 tory birds usually depart in the following order, but they do not 

 invariably travel in flocks : — The lead is taken in the first week 

 by all the spring birds ; in the second week the males follow ; in. 

 the third week the females, the last being formed of the maimed 

 and crippled birds. Closely connected with the subject of migration,, 

 and equally deserving of systematic observation, is the congre- 

 gation or flocking of birds in the autumn and winter months, and 

 it is probably correlated with fishes and reptiles. 



With the scheme of meteorological observations universally: 

 adopted I need not take up the time of the club, as that is so ably 

 done by the Government Astronomer, and leaves the time of all' 

 who take up the scheme as a study to collect the data accurately. 

 In consultation with Mr. Ellery on tlie subject, he promised to 

 assist the club with what data they may require ; and as previous 

 phenological reports have been published by the Astronomer's, 

 department, I have no doubt he would be pleased to do the same 

 again. 



All the club would have to do would be to obtain a few mem- 

 bers in each district, as before mentioned, skilled in the various 

 departments under review ; and the work might greatly be assisted 

 by the co-operation of the field clubs at Ballarat, Geelong, and 

 Sandhurst, and any other centres that may be thought desirable. 

 Approved schedules for the work have been drawn out, and, w^itb 

 postages, would not cost more than about ;^5 per annum at the 

 most. In carrying out this the club would only be doing that which 

 Baron von Mueller has desired and pointed out as of great value 

 (see the introduction to the " Key to Victorian Plants," part ii.) ;. 

 and it would be also some recognition to the Government for the 

 many favours received from it. 



In conclusion, let me sum up the advantages of carrying out 

 the scheme. Firstly — x\s regards plants, the club wou! 1 know the 

 earliest flowering dates for the various districts, and from a few 

 seasons' data a proper table of places to visit for excursions would 

 be obtained, which would give more certainty than at present 

 exists that such would not be fruitless. Secondly — With regard ta 

 insects, accurate data would be recorded, which, in conjunction 

 with the meteorological at hand, could then be probably antici- 

 pated, and preventive measures adopted in time before much 

 destruction to crops had taken place. Thirdly — Proper attention 

 to the nesting, song, and migration of our native birds would,. 

 in time, lead to a proper estimate of the close seasons that should 

 be adopted for the various localities of the colony for their pro- 

 tection. As the present Act stands, it is the same for the whole 

 colony; the English Act provides for the variety of climate. 



