42 THE VICTORIAN NATURALIST. 
the meeting by Mrs. J. Simson, compiled from papers left by the 
late Mr. William Keene, F.G.S The tortoise, which was found 
in 1859, and lived until the beginning of the present year, was 
apparently different to any known local species, and much resembled 
one found fossil near Armidale. This note gave rise to some 
discussion respecting the finding of frogs, etc., in mines and rocks. 
Mr. P. Dattari exhibited a convenient tabular form for a 
Botanical key, taking for his illustration the order Ferns, as given 
in the late Rev. W. W. Spicer’s Dichotomous Key to Tasmanian 
Plants. Mr. ©. A. Topp, M.A, explained at some length the 
advantages claimed by Mr. Dattari for his plan as a help to 
beginners, and stated that in the classification and the use of terms, 
the compiler had simply followed Mr. Spicer. Mr. D. M‘Alpine, in 
the course of his remarks, condemned the use of botanical keys, and 
urged students to adopt such a work as Hooker’s British Flora for 
their guide. Mr. Dattari distributed lithographed copies of his table 
amongst those present. 
Some remarks were made by Messrs. French, Lucas, and M‘Alpine 
as to the desirability of taking up the subject of economic entomology 
in a systematic manner, and which will probably lead to practical 
results. 
The following were the principal exhibits of the evening:—By Mr. 
EK. Bage, living specimens of Volvo globator, under the microscope; 
by Mr. A. J. Campbell, a Gang Gang cockatoo, which had been 
purchased in the market that day as ‘‘game”; by Master 8S. B. 
Coghill, stalactites from the Chudleigh Caves, Tasmania; by Mr. 
A. Coles, an Indian pheasant, (mounted); by Mr. P. Dattari, fossils 
from near mouth of the Gellibrand River, Victoria, collected by 
Rev. W. T. Whan; by Mr. E. Dombrain, eggs of pink eye-browed 
duck, and fronted Ephthianura, ete., from New South Wales; also 
a white snipe shot in County Cork, Ireland; by Mr. C. French, 
F.L.8., specimens of branches of shrubs, etc., affected by injurious 
insects; by Mr. J. T. Gillespie, Victorian birds’ eggs; by Master R. 
Hall, twelve species of Victorian birds, also (in spirits) a young 
emu with two heads and one body; by Mr. W. Hatton, twenty 
species of Tasmanian birds’ eggs; by Masters W. and G. Hill, 
Lepidoptera ; by Master Hatch, geological specimens from Ararat ; 
by Mr. W. Kershaw. Australian Lepidoptera ; by Mr, BR. Kennon, 
ring-tailed opossum (alive) ; by Mr. J. M‘Kibbin, orchids in bloom, 
Pterostylis vittata, P. concinna, Corysanthes pruinosa, Cyrtostylis 
reniformis ; by Mr. D. M‘Alpine, lizard showing internal anatomy; 
by Mr. J. E. Prince, photographs of Orbost, Snowy River. and of 
several aboriginal ceremonies ; by Mr. G. Renner, map of moon ; by 
Mr. F. Reader, plants from Studley Park, order Liliaceee ; by Mr. 
O. A. Sayee, specimens of Vivianite from Hamilton, Tourmaline, 
