168 THE VICTORIAN NATURALIST. 



at hazard pronounced Bursaria truncatella, a form remarkable for 

 its large dimensions, being easily visible to the naked eye, and 

 also its constancy of occurrence in the shallows of this lagoon, 

 underneath the leaves of the Azolla and other floating plants. 



The third place worked was situate to the right of the Kew- 

 road, about half a mile lower down the river than the bridge. 

 Nothing of interest was noted on the spot ; but here, as at other 

 places, material was secured for the future microscopical examina- 

 tion so imperative if benefits are to be obtained by excursions of 

 this character. The home examination showed the material 

 obtained to be unusually rich in tube-building rotifers — Cejyhcdosi- 

 plion limnias, Limnias ceratophylli, Eociotes longicornis, E. 

 crystallinus, and Melicerta ringens, all occurring in numbers. 

 One bit of weed presented to view four species of the family 

 Melicertadse within the field of a half-inch objective. Of free- 

 swimming rotifers Dinocharis tetractis was the only one of 

 interest noted. The distinct find of the day was made by Mr. G. 

 J. Page, who among his gathering found a single specimen of a 

 green species of Hydra. This was exhibited living at the last 

 meeting of the Club, and is on view to-night mounted. The 

 specimen is considerably smaller than the average size of brown 

 Hydrse, and possesses six tentacles very regularly placed around 

 the mouth, shorter than the body, and held straighter than is 

 usual with the brown species. So far as I am aware, this is the 

 first record of a green Hydra being found in Australia, and it is a 

 source of satisfaction that these " pond life " excursions should so 

 soon have resulted in the discovery of a new species of Hydroida 

 for Australia. 



NOTES ON THE INSECTIVOROUS BIRDS OF 

 VICTORIA.— Part II. 



By C. French, F.L.S., F.R.H.S., Government Entomologist. 



(Readhefore Field Naturalists^ Club of Victoria, Wth May, 1891.^ 



Order VII. — GtoIIcb. 



Family — Charadriadce. Plovers. 



(Edicnemus grallarius (The Southern Stone Plover). 



This bird, the largest of the plovers, is found in most parts of 

 the colony, although in the moister parts ot Gippsland, (Sec, it is, 

 as a rule, somewhat rare, but in the grassy plains of the Wim- 

 mera and other warm, dry places, this plover is by no means un- 

 common. 



Being on a visit to the mallee country not far from Dimboola, 

 and whilst crossing a patch of dwarf stringybark forest, I was 



