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I? ] 
T& THE GEELONG NATURALIST. 
The lecturer pointed out that insects are often regarded as the 
hereditary and relentless foes of plants, but, as he had shown in a 
previous lecture, plants were under considerable obligation to the 
tiny creatures for aid in fertilisation. A number of plants, too, 
utilised insects in a peculiar way by catching and digesting or 
absorbing them. These constituted the insect traps to which the 
lecture referred, and of which 500 kinds are known. The Droseras 
or Sundews—plants common in our fields—were described and 
illustrated by several slides. Their methods of attracting, 
capturing, and digesting minute insects, were described from 
personal experiments. Many other varieties of plants that have 
acquired _ insectiyorous propensities were clearly described,- 
prominence being especially given to such as were indigenous 
to Australia. The various “ Pitcher Plants,” including the genera 
Nepenthes, Cephalotus, Sarracennia, and Darlingtonia, afforded 
some highly interesting views and instructing remarks. Some 
excellent slides of a Nepenthes from nature were exhibited. 
Besides these and other kinds, the Utricularias of our own 
district-also came in for a description. 
At the conclusion of the lecture, which was given without 
notes in a pleasant conversational manner, Mr. Adcock was 
accorded a very hearty vote of thanks on the motion of Mr. 
G. L. Massingham, seconded by Mr. J. Kendall, and carried with 
acclamation. The lantern, which added much to the enjoyment of 
the audience, was manipulated by Mr. E. Wilson. ay 
A.W. 
BIRDS OF OTWAY FOREST. 
Bx Mr W. Suaw. 
Wuar strikes the traveller through the forest perhaps more than 
anything else is the almost total absence of bird life. This is 
doubtless owing to the poor quality of the soil and corresponding 
vegetation. But when we reach Airey’s Inlet, all this, to a very 
great extent, is changed; and with the better land, and more 
luxuriant growth of timber, we find, to our delight, birds in con- 
siderable numbers. In this locality many varieties of Honey-eaters 
are to be found, including the Friar Bird, with its bare and strange 
looking head; the beautiful and delicate Spine Bill; the long 
slender and curved bill of this bird, Mr Gould says, “seems specially 
adapted for extracting the honey and insects from flowers, wattle 
and gum tree blossom.” ‘There are also noticed the White-eared 
Honey-eater; the  Warty-faced Honey-eater, probably the 
