~l 
THE VICTORIAN NATURALIST. 
dealing generally with scientific subjects or treating of great 
principles our private and public libraries are well supplied. 
Botanical and zoological text books are not difficult to obtain, but 
what we do need is books dealing specifically with the various 
departments of fauna and flora as they are found in this colony. 
This need was pointed out by my learned predecessor in this chair, 
Dr. Dobson, who last year pleaded for a “ \Jichotomous Key to the 
Plants of the Colony,” and so well did Dr. Dobson plead, and so 
wisely did he act, that the Government Botanist, the Baron von 
Mueller, readily undertook the preparation of such a key, and has, 
during the past ye:r, given to it much attention, and hopes ere long 
to have it r.ady for publication. I understand that this key is to 
be made as useful as possible in that it will be illustrated. Those 
of our members who make botany their study are to be congratu- 
lated on the prospect of so soon having their labours lightened. 
But what Baron von Mueller is doing for plants is much needed 
in all departments. Our students find it very difficult to learn 
what objects have or what have not been described. A strange 
shell, or mollusc, or zoophyte is found, and there is nothing to tell if 
it be new to science or not; often even its generic place is hard 
to discover. What we need are monographs or catalogues. So far 
as one family is concerned, this want has been, during the past year, 
ably supplied by the publication of a catalogue of ** Australian 
Hydroid Zoophytes.”” We are indebted for this immense help in 
the study of forms familiar on all our sea coasts to Mr. W. M. 
Bale, Secretary of the Microscopical Society of Victoria, and a 
member of our Club. Mr. Bale has described and figured nearly 
200 forms, diligently searching previous records, and so presenting 
to us a catalogue made up to date. The illustrations, so carefully 
and accurately lined, will enable, in connection with the descriptions, 
the observer to identify and name any of the forms that may come 
under his notice. An introduction of 4U pages gives a sketch of the 
most important features of the structure and life history of the Hydroid 
Zoophytes. We cannot, however, while congratulating the author 
on the useful and important work he has produced, but express our 
regret that the book is headed “ Australian Museum,” rather than 
that of the National Museum of Victoria, and the imprint of 
Thomas Richards, Government Printer of Sydney, rather than that 
of John Ferres, Government Printer of Melbourne. It is hardly 
creditable that the bringing out of an important work on Natural 
History by a Victorian student should have been undertaken by the 
Government of another colony. 
Nor must I pass without notice a catalogue of the eggs of 
Victorian birds, by Mr. Campbell, together with a supplement. 
While Gould left little to do, so far as the birds of Australia are 
concerned, he was not able, from the comparatively short time he 
