The Victorian Naturalist 



Vol. 73--N0. 8 DECEMBER 6. 1956 No. 876 



PROCEEDINGS 



Honour Conferred on Editor. — At the General Meeting on 

 Monday, November 12, 1956, Mr George Co^hiH spoke in praise 

 of the efforts of our Editor, Mr. N. A VVukerield, not only in his 

 official capacity, but in organizing sales of the Club's publications. 

 He moved that the Club confer an Honorary life Membership 

 on Mr, Wakefield. This motion was earned with acclamation. 



Olympic EfTom. — Volunteers were called to help al a show at 

 Prahrao, in setting up and in lecturing at trie exhibition of wild 

 flowers being installed by the Hank of New South Wales, and 

 in putting final touches on the nature track at the Sir Colin Mac 

 ker.zie Sanctuary. 



Poisonous Australian Spiders and their Venom. — Dr. Werner's 

 lecture proved most interesting. He pointed out that there ate 

 many recorded instances of deaths from spider bite, both of the 

 Red-backed Spider (in all slates) and of the Funnel web Spider 

 (mainly in areas near Sydney), He narrated the efforts made 

 and the success achieved in preparing an antivenene, and men- 

 tioned that our ''red-back'" was so closely related, not only to the 

 Katipo 01 New Zealand but to similar species in South Africa, 

 Eurasia and North America, that antivenene effective with Hie hire 

 of one gave relief with the others This had not so far proved to he 

 so with the Funucl-svcb Spider, lliouyh results had been achieved 

 in this case also. 



Membership- — Mr, A. 1. Burns, who first joined the Club in 

 1916, is entitled to Honorary Membership. Mr. J. C. Johnston was 

 admitted as Ordinary Member- Miss Flora TJnyd of Snnbiiry.and 

 Mr. A, W. Rose of Kalorama. were elected a.s Country Members, 

 and Brendon Wilson as a Junior. 



MICROSCOPICAL GROUP 



Mr, C Middlefon waj the speaker at the meeting; on October )7 P his subject 

 being "I Humiliation — with special reference to daik ground' 1 . Mr. Middlelon 

 referred to and explained the several different methods of illumination ;n 

 use UK.ny, inducing the Kohter system and Nelson 1 ? critical method. He also 

 mentioned the use of the Abbe condenser oiled to the slide, a method which 

 was not used greatly because of its not being well known. The lecturer 

 covered all phases -ol the subject very thoroughly, exhibiting several type* 

 n! dark-ground condensers, ami mentioned two of the old-fashioned pieces oi 

 apparatus which could well be used today, notably the "Leiberkuhn" and the 

 Ipfl* ten*. 



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