174 THE YOUNG NATURALIST. [AuguS t 



mens of Cidarla dotata, with dark banded variety taken in his own garden. Mr. 

 J. A. Clark, specimens of Tittinia resinella, and Mr. Tugwell made some remarks 

 upon its curious habit of feeding, and making its cocoon in resinous matter. Mr. 

 Turner, a remarkable albino decoloration of Melatiippe jiuctuata. Mr. Adkin, 

 Spilosoma mendica, var. rustica, bred from selected parents, the offspring largely 

 following their respective parents ; also larva and pupa of Gonepteryx rhamni. Mr. 

 N. E. Warne, Cosnonympha. davus, from Cumberland ; it was remarked that like 

 most English specimens it differed on the underside from the unicolorous Scotch 

 forms. A discussion ensued on Melanism, Messrs. Weir, Tugwell, and Slater taking 

 part. Mr. Weir, leaves of Urtica dioica, with a number of dead flies attached, which 

 were surrounded by a fungus; Mr. Billups considered they had died from an in- 

 ternal parasite. Mr. Billups, clusters of flies Anthrax ibis, with parasites of the 

 genus Encrijtus ; also Orgilus obscurator, bred from larva feeding on sallow ; also 

 Apanteles ruficornus, in cocoon, in remains of its host {Diloba ccBruleocephala) , and 

 made remarks on the variety of its hosts, besides the above, Levcania littoralis, 

 Spilosoma menthastri, Levcania pollens, Collix sparsata, Agrotis prcBCOx, were men- 

 tioned. Mr. Tugwell, stems of Salix repeiis, with what appeared to be galls closely 

 resembling in appearance the berries of Vaccininm. — H. W. Barker, Hon. Sec. 



A Day's Collecting on the Banks of the 

 River Yarra, Australia. 



By ERNEST ANDERSON.* 



Starting about 8.30 a.m. from my house, on December 24th, 1888, 

 I took train to the city, and, arriving there in about ten minutes, got 

 on one of the very excellent cable trams, which soon whirled me to 

 the banks of the River Yarra. Here I met by arrangement some 

 friends, and we took a fast outrigged boat. Putting our provisions 

 and impedimenta into the stern, we pointed the boat's head upstream, 

 and with light hearts and lusty arms set off upon our day's pleasure 

 and collecting. 



The banks at this spot are very pretty. On the one side it rises 

 abruptly to a great height, being covered with gum trees and wattles, 

 while opposite, a fringe of willows, wattles, and various species of 

 tea tree, hide from view the flat meadows overgrown with long grass 

 and rushes. As we pulled up the sluggish and muddy river, swollen 

 by recent heavy rains, we could not but notice the thousands of 

 Libellulce, comprising several species, which kept settling on our oars, 

 the boat, and ourselves ; while ever and anon, bright brown butterflies 



* A Paper read at the meeting of the City of London Entomological and Natural 

 History Society, May 16th, 1889. 



