THE VICTORIAN NATURALIST. 39 



NATURAL HISTORY NOTES. 



Mr. J. G. Luehmann, F.L.S., drew attention to his exhibit of 

 Arenaria axillaris (Ord. Caryophyllese), collected by Mr. St. Eloy 

 D'Alton at Dimboola, and Acrotriche ventricosa (Ord. Epacridese), 

 collected by Mr. P. St. John near Lilydale, as plants new to 

 science ; and of Scirpus prolifer, var. caslanea (Ord. Cyperaceae), 

 collected by Mr. St. Eloy D'Alton at the Grampians. 



Mr, A. Mattingley read a note drawing attention to the great 

 value of the shrub H t/menantliera banksii as a fodder plant. 

 Bullocks had thriven wonderfully on it when grass was scarce, and 

 a pastoralist had informed him that he considered it of the utmost 

 value. 



Mr. D. Le Souef, C.M.Z.S. reported an instance of a Wedge- 

 tailed Eagle, Uroaetus audax, having attacked a sheep-dog which 

 was following its master along a bush track in Western Australia, 

 and had it not been for the man's presence would probably have 

 killed the dog, showing that these birds when pressed by hunger 

 will attack animals larger and heavier than themselves, and 

 which they cannot possibly carry away. 



Mr. D. M Alpine described a fungus, Clathrella pusilla, new for 

 Victoria, which had recently been found by Mr. C. French, jun., 

 at Sandringham. 



EXHIBITS. 



By Mr. F. G. A. Barnard. — Five species of Coccidae, forwarded 

 by Mr. J. Lidgett, including Mytilaspis bicomis, Green and 

 Lidgett, from Launceston, Tasmania. 



By Mr. A. Coles. — Egg of Collared Plain Wanderer, Pedionomus 

 torquatus. 



By Mr. C French, F.L.S. — A remarkable Longicorn beetle, 

 Hypocephalus armatus, from Cayenne. 



By Mr. C. French, jun. — Plants of Styphelia semdata, with 

 exceptionally large flowers (Mitcham, 10/6/00). 



By Mr. C. J. Gabriel. — Marine shells, including Spondylus 

 regius and S. princeps, mostly from Gulf of California; also, 

 Fusus pyrulatus, from Western Port. 



By Mr. J. H. Gatliff. — Marine shells, Odostomia petterdi and 

 Marginella tenisoni, in illustration of papers. 



By Mr. R. Hall and Dr. C. Ryan. — Osprey — 3 phases : nestling, 

 young, and adult. 



By Mr. G. A. Keartland. — Eggs of various birds of prey, in- 

 cluding Uroaetus audax, Wedge-tailed Eagle ; Nisaetus morph- 

 noides, Little Eagle ; Haliaetus leucogaster, White-bellied Sea 

 Eagle ; Haliastur girrenera, White-headed Sea Eagle ; H. 

 sphenurus, Whistling Eagle ; Faho melanogenys, Black-cheeked 

 Falcon ; F. hypoleucus, Grey Falcon ; F. subniger, Black Falcon ; 

 F. lunulatus, Little Falcon ; Hieracidea berigira, Striped Brown 

 Hawk : and H. orientalis, Brown Hawk. 



