THE Victorian Naturalist THE JOURNAL AND MAGAZINE of the FIELD NATURALISTS’ CLUB OF VICTORIA VOL. XLIX MAY, 1932, TO APRIL, 1933 Hon, Editor : CHARLES BARRETT, C.M.Z.5. The Author of each Article is responsible for the facts and opinions recorded MELBOURNE: Brown, Prion & Co. Pry. Ltp., 430 LITTLE Bourke STREET 1933 with vernacular names and regional distribution SECOND EDITION, 1928. a al Published by ; THE FIELD NATURALISTS: CLUB OF VICTORIA Price 3/6 i- Incleding a Copy of Supplement No. 1, 925,02 Containing Alterations and Additions up-to-date. ~ Order from the Hon. Librarian, Royal Society's ‘Hall, Victoria Street. BOOKSELLERS SUPPLIED. ENTOMOLOGICAL APPARATUS CHERRY & SONS PTY. LTD. GISBORNE (Vie), and 231 SUSSEX STREET, SYDNEY. Store Boxes—Setting Boards—Entomological Pins—Butterfly- Nete—caci Killing Bottles—Cork Lining—Zine Relaxing erapes Bees ‘ Cabinets—Curved Forceps—Insect Cement, &c., &c., Write for our Price List and Sample Sheet of Pins. Sctentifie and Nature MICROSCOPES | $ Field Naturalists’ Large Selection. 5/6 to £80.. Requisites. Accessories, 10.000 Mounted. Slides. —<—— . erick; Leitz Leica Cameras. Barometers, etc. Micro - Projectors (as demonstrated at recent Naturalists’ Exhibition) QE, Seward Pty. Lid. from £10. “Optical House,” Sight-Testing 457 BOURKE ST., MELBOURNE, C.1 ' Spectacles, Central 9439. | * | T he Victorian Naturalist “Vol. XLIX, Nbr I. May 5s 1932. “No. sar 581 THE FIELD NATURALISTS’ CLUB OF VICTORIA. The ordinary monthly meeting of the Club was held in the Royal Society's Hall on Monday, Apri) 11, £932. at 8 pan. The Prosident, Mr. J. A. Kershaw, C.M.Z.S., occupied the chair, and about 120 meinbers and friends were present. CORRESPONDENCE, ETC There was no correspondence. Reports of excursions were [urnished by Mr. W.-H. Ingram, Beechworth, and Mr, W, Hanks, Campbellfield North. ELECTION OF MEMBERS. Miss Shirley Crawford and Mr. D.\. Casey were duly elected ordinary members, and Mr. F. Robbins as a cousttry member, GENERAL RUSINESS.- Mr, Charles Barreti, recently returned from Sydney and Ade- laide, conveyed the greetings of kindred societies in those cities. Mr, Barrett also drew attention toa hook Afossex Mith a Hand- tons, by A, J. Gront, Ph.D., who had-présented it to the Club. Miss Noa'xes called the attention of members to the fact that vacancies existed in the Botany class af the Workers’ Educa- tional Association. LECTURE. ‘Professor A. J. Uwart, Ph.D. D.Sc. F.R.S., described his researches. in Central and North-western Anstraha. Using a full collection of lantern slides, Professor Ewart illustrated the varied nature of the country. The sands, gibber plas, “desert? vegeta- tion and individual species were depicted. ‘The remarkable nature af the gorges cutting through the Macdutmell Ranges was clearly shown. An interesting account of the methods used in tracing the causes Gf losses of stock concluded the lecture, EXHIBITS. Miss J. W. Rufi—Colleetions trom Beechworth. Mr. S. Mitchell-—Some rare minerals. Mr. F. H, Salau—Jfowealacu scoparia { Prickly Broom-heuth) from Cheltenham; cone ot White Pine (Pinus evceisus} fram Beechworth: photographs of Faster excursion. Mrs, F. Wf. Salaw—Vartous Inngi, Mr. F. Pitcher-- Flowers of Srevecarpas stimatus (Queensland Firewhvel Tree), grawn by exhibitar, Vick. Nar, a Field Nahuratiste’ Chil Proceodtings. Vin. XLIX. Mr, C. J, Gabrigh—MWegius ontiquis Mant ; a. caral-dwelling marine shel Tram Maucitios. Mr. H. Whitmore —Funei from Ciyele. stone axa fron: Toora- tlin: large “yabbie’’ crayfish, Mr WOT Ingram.--Dipledactylas vittaliis (Fat-tailed Lazare), from Beechwortl. Mr. A, J, Swaby.—li-pinnate torn of Blechuwi dlseolor ¢ Pish- bone Fern). An improved vangation of Nerine frum a root (hulb) offset. PORT PHILLIP A “BASIN': AN ABORIGINAL TRADITION, Reading in the February Neeturadiss, Mo. R. A. Keble's arsicle, “Arthur's Seat as a Viewpoint.” fo was much interésted; if ealled Lo Mind a tradition told to me by 4 very old Queensclift resident. Some forty years ago, during a Holiday at Queenscliff, we rented a house fram ity. W. Stephens, who had lang been settled there. His necups- tion was that of a boatman, and he had the job of taking pilots, mails, ete,, tu the pilot beats in the offing, as required, Wher he hoard that T had been w “shellback,” we fraternised and had muny a yurn con- cerning ships, he Heads, and local surroundings, The low-lying tand stretehiag from the south end of Swan. Bay, past the Salt Lake, and the fresh-water Jakes, towards Ocean Grove, suggested that at one time the surplus water of Port Phillip had thereby found its way to the sea; but notin any large run. This, again, suggests that there was an unbroken coastfine between Points Nepean and Lonsdule; and that. due to the great arte of Port Phillip Bay, the evaporation would almost equal that ef the few streams poured into in, For, normally, the volume of water in the lakes is small. Me. Stephens told me the shorigines had said that, in past tinte, there was to passage between the Points and only a small flow of water passed intermittently from Swan Bay. But there came a great shaking of the earth, Lhe narrow, solid shoreline was broken, and the sea gained entrance. The story was clear, foreible and credible. Hae Mr. Keble ever heard of this?’ When an old chart of The Meads is conned, there wil] be seen a lomg erack in the rocky bottom running south-east for same distance, and over this crack used to he the fairway for vessels of deeper draught. { think this was what was known as “Man of War euurse,” and oarly beacons indicated it. The point is—the tradition indicates that Port Phillip Bay was a large basin with ao tulal entrance. E. R. McTAGGART (Ballarat), COLOUR PLATES IN NATURALIST. Pians for improvement of the Phe Naturelest include colour plates, the first of which is the feature of this issue. lt is nol only beautiful, but has also much scientiiic value. since the plants figured are, almost certainly, new species. The blocks were made by Messrs, Patterson, Shugg Pty. Ltd., of Melbourne, fram the original paintings by the late Mrs. EIs Rowan, The result is one of the finest colony plates of fungi yet published im any journul, either popular or scientific. The Club Cornmittee has approved of ancther plate heing prepared for the Jone Naliuralist, re. MCLENNAN, Some C'rineling fungi. 3 _ SOME “CRINOLINE” FUNGT —-PATUAN SPECIES OF DICTYOGPHORA BDESVAUKX. By hinti McLexwan, D.Sc, Those fungi which fornn large and consynectious friiting bodies ahove the surface of the ground, either on soil or rotting logs, are indiserintinately classed together under the popular term “toad- staal." Any student of this large and exceedingly variable group realises from the outset. that the colour and the torm oF these Truigme strictures ure wo characters of anuch intportance when an attempt is nade to find the svstemabe postion and the eorreet hotanical name of these plants. These, of course, are not the only characters which have been made use of im conypiling artificial keys as an unl to their identification. for shape and size of the actual spores, etc., are Lhe ultimate criteria, and afford a sounder suide to the mycologist. Nevertheless, it iz a well-established fact that colour and torm are correlated afren with specifie differences. Now. anyone knows thar if we follow the usual procedure adopted when dealme with fowermg plants, and we simply cry and preserve this dried speciiven of a toadstood, all semblance to its oritimal condition is lost. Although stich a dried specimen may sall vield the clue to spore structare and size. and sq is sti an integral part of the nncological herbarium, the worker in the fungal field should have resource to coloured drawings ot the forms as they are gathered. ie while still fe ovtte im the field. In this way one is able to preserve jndchnitely the two characters which are su evanescent. and therefore are lost us the specimen dries. Imono group as this so esseulal as in the toadstodls. Me. Charles Barvett, for the “Wild Nature in Art Exhibition,” held at the “Herald” Building. Melbourne, during April. brought togtther a beautiful collection of drawings, paintings and photo- gryaphs represenative of many sides of natural science. These were obtained from chiiferent States as a result of the conrtesy and enlerprise of museums and other institutions, and many mdi- viduals. , As a student of the dungi, when I visited this exhibition I was surprised to realise that this group was not represented among the any varied examples displayed there, However, the lack was recohed in an unlovked-tor aud interesting way, which incidentally provided the stimulus for this paper. ‘The late Mrs. Ellis Rowan, well known to most as an artist who devoted her talent to the painting of the wild-flowers of the Commonwealeh andl New Gumex. evidently did not restrict her- self ta perpertinting the heauty ef our Aowering plants. [ar dur- ing her cestlerice at Madang, in Papua, she apparently was fortu- nate enourh ta ste many examples of trapical toadstools. Kx- Inlarated, no doubt. hy their exquisite heanty, she panited many 4 McLennan, Some Crinatine #urtyt. vat KLE, of them. These paintings have been preserved by Miss 1b. Ryan, of Macedon Upper, who, on visiting the Wild Nature in Art Exhibition, and sceing examples of Mrs. Rowan's work made available to the public—even if only for a brief period—wrote tu Mr. Barrett telling him of these Further examples of her sister's art. ant forwarded thirty of them) for lis inspection, Through his kmdness, the writer was cnabled to see these before they were hung in the exhibition, ancl was delighted to find that they were all paintings of 'toadstouls.” some of them representing Forms which. na douht, are new to science, Although Mrs, Rowan prob- ably did ti0t Know this as she—imoved more by their beauty ancl unusual form—placed their characters in her masterly fashion on .to paper, she has teft a record for all time, which, apart from the paintings’ artistic valuc. will probably serve as an impetus to my- cologists ta find owt further facts abont them, Six represent examples of the so-called “face” or “crinnline” fungi. The coloured plate reproduces four of these, all of them Papuan forms. Thev helong ta the genus Dictyopharu Desvaux, which literally means bearing a net. Thev are related to the common “puft-balls’’; both, in fact, are included in the large group of the Gasteromycetes. While the “puff-hall” (helonging te the order Lycoperdales) is filed with a dry dust consiscine of myriads of spores, which are set free by the bursting of the outer protec- tive Jayer, the “crinoline’ fungi when younz are in the form of a saft, more ar less spherical bait which is protected oo the exterior by a thick gelatinous coat. When it 1s ripe the ball or “ope” suddeiily bursts at the top, and then there comes out of it, in approximately half-au-hour, a sort of “Jack-in-the-Box.” macle up of a lung, hollow, spongy stalk or receptacie, hearing at its free end a2 more: or less conical cap covered with slime—often dark green in colour [See Plate I for the parts of the mature plant: the gelatinous coat of the burst “egg” may be seen at the hase of the stalk near to or partly in the ground. | The presence, in addition, of a remarkable reticulated expan- sion attached below the apical cap and campanulate in form, spreading out arcundl the stem like a frill or crinoline. often with a circumference of 20 inches or more, characterises the genus Dictyaphora, and distingtishes tt frem,other allied forms. lt is a genus included in the order Phallales. another order of the Gasteromycetes. It includes gelatinous fungi commencing their fruiting stage in “ege” [orm., which later bursts and exposes the spore mass, which ts slimy, and borne into the wir on some kind of stalk ur receptacle. Popularly they are known as ‘Phalloids.' When the egg ts ruptured, the spore part is exposed, and at first the sporing surface is firm atid solic, and emits a faint but not unpleasant odour; yery suon, however, even before the elonga- May ] McLennan, Some Crinvline Fungi, 5 4987. tion of the receptacle is complete. the spore surface begins to darken, and the odour becomes foerid ; at the samme time, it becomes converted into a slimy, sticky mass. These changes begin at the top of the cap, but rapidly extend downwards, and they seem to depend on light. When examined under the microscope this foetid, slimy mass is found to contain myriads of small spores. These fungi Truit when insect Jife is abundant, and as S0en as the odour is developed they are visited by a large nuniber of flies or other fiving insects, which suck up this Huid mass, [or it contains a quantity of sugar, In this way the spores are imbibed by the insects, and in ardi- tton they adhere to their legs, etc. The excreta from fies, which have been observed ta feed on this slimy mass, was found to con- sist very largely of spores, microscopically similar to those ol served on the plant itself. Such spores are not injured by the sojourn in the insect's body. for they have been shown to be vialle when placed in suatable conditions, so in this way insects serye for the dissemination af the species. Compared with the Jarge number of other fungi. whieh as a group might be described as il) iy colour, the colours deyelapex| in the “Phalloids" ave briMiane and of pure tints, approximating to the tints found in Howers: This. no doubr. renders them can- spienous, and differentiales them [rom the conmmoner, duller colour of the more abundant fungi; also the remarkable reticu- lated “yeil’—or more correctly called the “Indusium"—round the stem) is an additional factor which renders the “crimoline” iungi conspicuons objects during their sporing stage. So that in this venus it can scarcely be doubted that we have a group of fungi with highly-spectalised fruit bodies, specialised for thé dispersion of their spores by the agency of insects and, especially, hy these insects which habijually affect putrid substances. The “Phalloids” lave always aroused a good deal of scientific interest, for they ave of infrequent occurrence and usually heauti- fulin form, Lloyd (1) in 1907 published some notes om Australian Phailoids. In the introduction he states- “Practically all that has. heen published on the Phalloids of Australia and New Zealand ts based on the specimens now preserved at Kew (England) and the British Museum, which were originally studied by Berkeley, JEx- eepting what he wrote, now +0 or 50 years ago, little has been written on the Subjects, It was brought together in Cuoke's Ffaned- lionk of Australian Fungi, ut the account is quite inaccorate,” Lloyd did not recognise the genus Dictyophorn ay distinct in irself, Inet merged it in the wenus Phullys, creating a separate sec- tion for forms characterised by a Jong, conspicuous veil ar mi- dusium, and he inchided im this section four (4) Australian species — - i) McLennan, Some Crinoline Fungi. Phra) cig Phathis indusiatus—The description he gives lacks any mention of spore measurements or measurements of the various parts of the plant.- He desctibes the ‘veil (in- dusium) as long and White and the receptacle as White, Its occurrence in Australia is based on specimens at Kew coal- lected along Endeavour River by yon Miieller and at Bris- bane hy ‘Bailey, He says “that the net in the Australian plants is White as far as is known, but forms with Pink nets accur in other countries, and probably also in Australia.” Phallits seruliuts—No measurements are given; the veu is White; the Stem is also White, Tt is known only from Australia from a single collection by Bailey from Brishane, Lilevd considers it only a form of P. indusialis. Phallus nidticolour—No measurements are given. The eap is described as Orange-red, the veil bright Lenion- yellow. stalk Lenon-vellow. the cup at the base (remains ot the “eze” coat} Tink. It was collected at Brisbane by Bailey, and the colour descriptions are from notes by him taken from the fresh plant, Penzig finds the same species abundantly in Java, Phalins cattichrous—No measurements given. The species was orivinally deseribed from Brazil. It is evidently close to multicolour, but differs in havitig a White stripe ancl veil and an Orange cap. Theve is at Kew a specimen collected by Bailey, at Brisbane, and a coloured sketch, Cunningham (2), as recently as Jast year. discusses the genus Dictyophora as it occurs m Australia. He gives as the distribu- tion of the genus Africa, North aud South America; East and West Indies, India, Ceylon, China, Cook Islands, Australia. He considers there are only four (4) valid species in the entire genus, “the many others described being synonyins of this or Claxtravia (a closely allied genus), or at most colour forms” -— i, is Dictyophora indusiotau—With a wide distribution through the tropical and sub-tropical regions, and characterised by wx ewlite veil, cap and stalk. Dictyaphova duplicata—-Confined to North America, Ut closely resembles the preceding (by many workers con- sidered to be identical), but separated by the more definite character of the reticulations of the cap. Dictyophora farlowii—Confined to Rrazil, It differs in the structure of the veil and reticulations on the cap. THE VICTORIAN NATURALIST VoL. xtix May, 1932 Plate I Papuan “Crinoline’” Fungi (Dictyvophora From paintis by the late Mrs, | K aes McLRXNAN, Some Crinoline Buagt. 7 4+ Dictyophora inulticolour-—Sinvlar to D. indusiata iy form, hut differs considerably in colaur. It has a limited distvi- bution in Australia and Java. Cunningham excludes Dictyophora merutina Gerk, (Phallus macrulinns of Lloyd’s pape), recorded in error by Cooke trom Australia. The plant figured by Cooke under this name is iden- tical with 0D. dedusidta, as was suggested by Lloyd, He also ex- cludes Dictyophora caitichroa A. Mocll. (Phalis cailichrous ot Lloyd's paper), which he considers to be syrionymous with D, rd insiate, Of the five species listed in Cooke’s Handbook (3), ifour, viz., Dictvophora phattaidca Desy.; 2, tahitensiy Schi.:; D. speciosa Meyen; D. mervlina Berk., are all listed by C unningham as synonyius of Do irdysieta, This leaves onty two (2) species which are definitely known from Australia :>— 1. Dietyophora indysiata (Vent, ex Pers.) Fischer-—“Egg" White up to + em, diam. receptacle np to 20 x 3:'5 em, White, cap campanulate Dingy-vellow when the spore mass is removed : indusium (veil) edarsely net-bke White aper- lures laree, bars of the net elliptical int sectiony, spares elliptical, smooth. tinted 3-5 — 45 * 1:5 — 2p. Australian records from Queensland, Daintree River; Brishane; Endenvaur River, New Sonth Wales, Neutral Hay. 2. Dictvophora aulticalor, Berk. and Broome.—Receptacle 16 x Sem. White helow, Pink above, cap Orange, indusiuns (veil) hanging to 4 an. below cap Salmon Pink with fine meshes; spore slime Olive-brown, spores tinted, elliptical, sinwoth 3-5 x 1-8". Australian vecords, Queensland, Bris- bane. 4 New South Wales—WBallina; National Park.t Cunuingham states: ‘This is a strongly marked colour form ot D. inewsiata, the colour ts not always constant for in the type specimen from Brisbane, Queensland, the stalk was stated to he Cream-coloured, veil Temon-yellow, and rap Orange, while Cleland and Cheel in 1923 have described a specamen fron N-S.AV. with the stalk White below shad- ing from Orange to Pink above cap Orarige, veil Salimon- pink, auc the “ege™ linted Lilac. The six Papuan plants, so beautifully figured by Mrs. Rowan, in the light of the existing knowledge of the genus /ietyophora 1. Species description adapted from Cunningham. 8 McLennan, Some Crinoldte Frnpi. we eS are, then, exceeditigly interesting. One inpublished figure shows a form with Lilac to Plum coloured “egg” case. cap Green (proab- ably scill covered with the spore slime so that the true colour ot the cap ts nol discernible), White stalk and a While veil, This form would prabably be corvectly identified as 2). tuvsiala (Went. ex Pers.) Fischer, and the record contribures another conntey co the distribttion of this species. Another wipublished hgure shows. a plant with White stalk, cap Purple-black (again probably stil] cov- ered with spore slime) and a Pinkish-ved “veil.” This farnt might possibly be placed as D. multicolor. The four published figures seem ta represent unknown pr un- described Species of the genus, In the absence of actual specimens, it is not possible to describe them in detail and to place them more accurately, Wut the opportunity of figuring these in colour in this journal, for tuture reference, suggested by Mr. Barrett. and ap- proved by Mr. |. A. Kershaw, President of the Field Naturalists’ Club of Victoria. seemed to me to be too excellent to neglect. When specimens of the fungi figured tn Plate [are again founel ant further described the writer suggests that the nume Dretyo- flora Rowansi should he given to one. so that Mrs, Rowan’s con- Iribiition to our knowledge of this genus muglit be duly recogniser. Tn conclusion, I should like to emphasise again the value of such colour drawings of fungi, and ta uppeal fo any members of the Field Naturalists’ Club who possess telent of this type ta ¢onsider the fungus group as pre-enitiertly worth they attention and akill. BIBLIOGRAPHY. (1) Lloyd. i. G.z The Pieliotds of Austrafasia, Cincinnati, 1907. (2) Cunningham, G. Ho: Vhe Gosteromxectes of Australasia X- The Phattales. Part t. Proc. Linn. Soe, N.S AV., vol, li, 1931, (3) Cooke. M.C,; Handbook of stistralian Pung? Loidon, 1892. EXCURSION TO CAMPBELLFIELD NORTH. A party of abpul 20 members and friends attended, It was rainy jn the morning, but the wether improved before the outing began. The rain caused the flooding pf the Merri Crevk, which was