THE AUSTRALIAN NATURALIST. 19 
leech, Hirudo sp., was taken and two fine specimens of the 
weter spider, Dolomedes facetus, one of them in the act of 
devouring a small green spider. There was an abundance 
of the little fish, the ‘“‘Blue Eye,’ Pseudomugil signifier, 
which led up to an interesting account by the leader of the 
development of the tail in fishes. Two or three specimens of 
a pond snail, Isodora sp., were taken. It is not generally 
known that this snail acts as host to the sheep fluke. There 
is an interesting account of this on page 178, ‘‘Nature Studies 
in Australia,’’? by Gillies and Hall, a charming introductory 
book for young naturalists. The magpie lark is fond of this 
snail, and, therefore, helps to keep down sheep fluke. Hach 
member carried home something of interest and we look for- 
ward with pleasure to the next occasion when Mr. McCulloch 
will lead us. 
E. S. Epwarps. 
THE EVOLUTION OF THE QUEENSLAND COAST. 
(By O. Hedley, F.L.S.) 
Unper this heading Mr. Hedley said in his presidential address 
at the Brisbane Session of the Australasian Association for 
the Advancement of Science :— 
. The uniformity of the Indo-Pacific marine fauna is a 
theme of text-books. From the Red Sea to the Hawaiian 
Islands is an enormous distance, yet the marine fauna of this 
belt maintains a constant aspect and numerous species range 
throughout. This Indo-Pacific Province is subdivided into 
regions, among which the Solanderian, as I have termed that 
under consideration, is as distinct as any. On the south the 
Queensland fauna is limited by the cooler waters of New 
South Wales, and on the north the volume of fresh water is- 
suing from the Fly and neighbouring rivers is an impediment 
to emigration and immigration. 
A considerable proportion of our fauna is as yet unknown 
abroad. Further research will, however, alter the propor- 
tion of epidemic forms both by the discovery of Queensland 
forms beyond our limits, and by the recognition in our wa- 
ters of species described from Japan, the Philippines, and else- 
where. But the completed returns will follow the direction 
indicated by incomplete data. We note the absence from 
our beaches of several genera, such as Harpa, which otherwise 
range over the whole Indo-Pacific area. Oyproea mauritiana, 
one of the commonest and widest-spread Indo-Pacific forms, 
a 
