86 THE AUSTRALIAN NATURALIST. 
Miss McAnene, Cup Moths, last year’s specimens and Lamelli- 
corn Beetle, also an interesting note on an eagle, which cap- 
tured in infancy became tame and was an excellent means of 
ridding the farm of rats. : 
The main business of the evening was a lecture by Professor 
Harrison on “Some of our Birds.” The lecturer dealt mainly 
with common types, and gave much valuable information on 
nesting and other habits. The evil ways of the cuckoo, both 
pallid and bronze-wing, were touched upon and most interesting 
slides shown of the tragedies consequent on their shirking of 
responsibilities. The many illustrations as shown by the lantern 
gave evidence of the patience as well as the skill of the photo- 
grapher in securing such wonderful and interesting details of 
bird lite. The lecturer stressed again and again the part played 
by birds in our lives, not only economically, but aesthetically. 
The birds dealt with were Yellow Bob (Hopsaltria australis) , 
Blue Wren (Malurus cyanochlamys), Redhead (Aegintha tem- 
poralis), Honeyeaters (Meliphagidae), Fantails ( Rhipidurae), 
and many others. 
December 5th.—The President, Mr. Shiress, in the chair. 
There was a very good attendance. The business of the even- 
ing was the exhibits of members, which were as follows:— - 
Miss McAnene, spray of Christmas Bush (Ceratopetalum 
gummiferum) with flower, red calyx and fruit, all complete. 
Woody capsule of Xylomelum pyriforme. Flower of Lomatia 
silaifolia, which she had found fatal to house-flies. Juvenile and 
adult leaves of Zecoma australis, showing variation, fruit-cluster 
of Clematis aristata; Buprestid Beetles; Persoonia hirsuta, 
flowers and fruit of Clerodendron, and Verbascum blattaria, an 
introduced weed. Miss Winter exhibited Trifolium arvensis, 
Stereum, an interesting molluse Vetbys angesi. 
Mr. Gallard, fine exhibit of life history of Thynnid wasp. 
He also pointed out its good work among the curl grubs -in 
strawberry beds. Mr. Shiress read most interesting notes on 
the Hucalypts round Mittagong. Miss Le Plastrier showed the 
tenacity to life of Bryophyllum which on a dry and seeming 
quite dead branch had hundreds of bud bodies from each of 
which a new plant would spring. Another interesting exhibit 
was Brachyloma daphnoides in fruit, from the Hawkesbury 
River. Miss Ivby’s account of the eclipse as seen from Casino 
was also read, and, together with the drawing sent, proved very 
acceptable. 
