THE AUSTRALIAN NATURALIST. 213 
attendance at meetings and excursions is maintained, 
Lecturers and Field-leaders will be more or less in evi- 
dence, but when—as is unfortunately too frequently. the 
case—the attendance is limited, the busy worker will hesi- 
tate to devote the time and attention necessary for the 
preparation of a lecture, or be prepared to forfeit an 
afternoon to field-work, for the benefit of an indifferent 
audience. In these circumstances it may be advisable to 
vonsider the question of providing a sphere of activity of 
an interesting character for our non-professional mem- 
bers, with a view to enlisting their services in making ob- 
servations upon unusual occurrences, and investigating 
imperfectly known episodes in the life-history, distribu- 
tion, ete., of our fauna and flora. Hitherto: we have been 
at a loss for a local botanical work with a technique with- 
in the compass of the lay reader; but: the publication of 
a simply-phrased, comprehensive text-book, containing a 
wealth of examples from our State flora, by our talented 
lady members, Miss A. Brewster and Miss ©. Le Plastrier, 
should go a long way towards the removal of this disa- 
bility. Assisted by this work, members, especially those 
who have had the privilege of making field excursions 
under the leadership of Mr. E. Cheel, and the advantage 
of listening to his lectures, and the explanatory notes on 
his numerous exhibits, should now be in a position to enter 
upon the work of investigating some of the simpler phe- 
nomena presented by our Native Flora. The kindred sub- 
ject. Entomology, with its numerous votaries, has been 
well catered for by Mr. W. W. Froggatt, ably supported 
by Mr. Gurney, and it has acquired an added interest by 
the publication of a monumental work on Australian 
‘Butterflies,’ by Mr. G. A. Waterhouse and his colleague, 
Mr. Lyell, and ‘‘The World of Little Lives,’’? the ably 
written production of Miss Gladys Froggatt. The activity 
of this section, always well maintained, has been consider- 
ably enhanced by the carefully collated studies of insect 
life by Miss Mabel Brewster, the numerous and valuable 
notes ‘on the habits of ‘‘Caterpillars’? by Mr. Wickham, 
and the painstaking exhibits of ‘‘Moths.’’? with accounts 
of their life-histories, prepared by Mr, Luke Gallard. The 
investigations now being carried out by Mr. Zech on in- 
truders in Ants’ Nests, will doubtless disclose some in- 
