THE AUSTRALIAN NATURALIST. AT 
vessel used was the Commonwealth steamer Miner, which had. 
been lent for the purpose by the Federal Government. The: 
dredging party consisted of Professor Haswell, Dr. Hill, 
Messrs. Hedley, F.L.8., HE. J. Goddard, B.Se., H. L. Kesteven, 
and A. R. McCulloch, and the yessel was under the command 
of Lieut. J. H. A. Lee, R.N. 
Screntivic HExcursion.—Mr. OC. Hedley. F.L.S. recently 
organised a scientific excursion to Northeru Queensland. The 
party, in addition to the leader, consisted of Mr. T. G. Taylor, 
B.Sc., B.H., of the Sydney University, Mr. J. Gabriel, of 
Melbourne, and Mr. A. R. McCulloch, of the Australian. 
Museum. ‘he party travelled by steamer to Cooktown, andi 
there chartered a comfortable schooner of 25 tons to convey 
them to a point onthe Great Barrier Reef. Most of the time 
was spent in collecting upon the historic reef where Captain 
Cook, in H.M.S. Endeavour, was wrecked in 1770. Dredging was 
undertaken at every opportunity, and this added considerably 
to the collections made. Mr. Taylor devoted himself chiefly to 
studying the geological aspect of the question; Mr Gabriel 
obtained some interesting Polyzoa; Mr. Hedley collected a. 
number of new and rare Mollusca; and Mr. McCulloch’a valu- 
able series of Crustacea. The collections are now being worked! 
out, 
Nores on Burrerriies—Mr. G. A. Waterhouse, B.Sc., 
records the following information: ‘In December last, at 
Pambula, a small butterfly, Neolucta agricola, D., W. and H.,, 
was observed to be attacked and eaten by a small bird.” This 
is the third instance of the kind noted in the pages of this 
journal. We shall be glad te publish further records of such 
Observations, and would urge collectors and country friends to 
carefully note any instances of the kind they may observe. 
Mr. Waterhouse also records that in January last, Papilio 
macleayanus, Leach, was plentiful on Mt Kosciusko, and that 
right up on the summit numerous individuals were seen; 
further, one specimen of Heteronympha solandri, Waterh., was: 
taken at the same time at the 5000ft. level of the mountain. 
Buconc Morn anp Larv#.—Throughout August and Sep- 
tember of this year swarms of caterpillars haye appeared 
in various districts of New South Wales. ‘These are mainly 
larve of the “Bugong” Moth (Agrotis cnfusa), and are 
apparently progeny from the huge numbers of these insects 
which appeared towards the end of 1905 throughout New 
South Wales, and in Victoria and Queensland. ‘The cater- 
pillars are black, with indications of brownish stripes laterally 
and dorsally. Like some other Noctuid moth larve, these 
caterpillars are known as “ cutworms,” from the habit of cut- 
ting off the tops of young plants by eating right through the 
