THE VICTORIAN NATURALIST. 131 



which is generally the case with the ordinary surface water. In 

 the discussion which followed the consensus of opinion was that 

 the theory had nothing to recommend it but its originality. 



The last paper was read by Mr. Dudley Le Souef, who gave 

 an account of a recent " Trip to Queensland." The paper^ which 

 took some forty minutes to read, literally bristled with facts of more 

 or less interest to naturalists, and could only have been written 

 by one who possesses the instinct and power of observation of a 

 true naturalist. The greatest prize taken on the trip was the 

 nest and egg of the Victoria Rifle Bird, a full description of 

 ■which will be found on a later page, as well as the circumstances 

 'Under which it was obtained. 



EXHIBITION OF SPECIMENS. 



The following is a list of the exhibits with which the meeting 

 terminated : — By Mr. G. Coghill. — Vallisneria spiralis. By 

 Mr. A. Coles. — A Bearded Swift and a parrot (supposed to 

 be the smallest parrot in the world, measuring only 2^ 

 inches long), both from New Britian ; also a Hoopoe, a Jay, 

 and a Cock of the Rock. By Mr. J. E. Dixon. — Large speci- 

 mens of Drosera binata, from Cheltenham; also Coleoptera 

 <:ollected at Dandenong Creek, Oakleigh, &c., By Mr. C. 

 IFrench, sen. — Lepidoptera (Rhopalocera and Heterocera) from 

 British Honduras. By Mr. C. French, jun. — Three nests con- 

 taining eggs of the White-throated Thickhead {Pachycephala 

 •gutturalis), showing the variation in the colour of the eggs 

 collected at Bacchus Marsh, Oakleigh, and Dandenong Ranges ; 

 also rare orchid in flower (Orthocerus strictum), collected in 

 December at Cheltenham. By Mr. J. Gabriel. — Ringed Water 

 :Snake from Fiji. By Mr. G. A. Keartland. — Pair of Blue-tongued 

 Lizards (Cyclodus gigas), taken at South Brighton. By Mr. J. A. 

 Xershaw. — Eggs of Phaeton ruhricauda (Bodd.), Red-tailed 

 Tropic Bird, from Lord Howe Island ; Recurvirostra ruhricollis 

 .(Temm.), Red-necked Avocet, from Yandembah, New South 

 Wales ; Pelecanus conspicillatus (Temm.), Australian Pelican, 

 <from Gippsland Lakes ; Menura alherti (Gould), Prince Albert's 

 Lyre Bird, from New South Wales; Ardetta minuta (Linn.), 

 Minute Bittern, from Murray River, Victoria ; also skin of the 

 'latter bird. By Baron von Mueller. — Swainsona cyclocarjm, 

 Macdonnell Ranges, Rev. W. F. Schwarz (new to science) ; 

 'S. forresti, West Australia, Hon. J. Forrest (new to science) ; 

 S. monticola, Wangaratta, Miss Henley (new for Victoria) ; 

 Bauhinia holtzei, Port Darwin, N. Holtze (new to science) ; 

 Aeschynomene aspera, var. oligarthra, Port Darwin, N. Holtze 

 i,(new for Australia) ; Caleya minor, Grampians, C. Frost (new for 

 Victoria) ; also " Monography of Australian Characese," by Dr. 

 J^ordestedt, of Sund, Sweden. By Mr. J. Searle. — Orchid 



