%fe%. ■4 Sibraro of tin ffuscum OF COMPARATIVE ZOOLOGY, AT HARVARD COLLEGE, CAMBRIBGE, MASS. 0 ( -AccA/o^x^. . The gift of CAjl ^ ^h In lOuAjiyUjYy^ No. /^. ^f/. 1 if ill RECORDS AUSTRALIAN MUSEUM EDITED BY THE CURATOR. Vol. I. PRINTED BY ORDER OF THE TRUSTEES Curator. ^" SYDNEY. 1890-91. Sybil en : F. W. WHITE, PRINTER, MAlHvET STREET. C O N T E N T S No. 1. Published March, 1890. Pages 1-40. Plates i.-ii. EeiJort on a Zoological Collection from thf Solomon Islands, page Part I. by E. P.' Eamsay ; Part II. by J. Douglas Ogilby ... 3 Re-Description of an Australian Skink. By E. P. Eamsay and J. Douglas Ogilby ... ... ... ... ... •■• ••• S Re-Description of an Ablepharus from Australia. By J. Douglas Ogilby 10 Report of a Collecting Trip to Mount Kosciusko. By Richard Helms 11 General Notes made during a Visit to Mount Sassafras, Shoalhaven District, by Messrs. R. Etheridge, Junr., and J. A. Thorpe. By R. Etheridge, .Junr. ... ... ... ... ■• ••• 1" Report of a Collecting Trip to North-Eastern Queensland during April to September, 1880. By Messrs. E. J Cairn and R. Grant -7 On a Species of Moth (Epicrocis terebrans) destructive to Red Cedar and other Timber Trees in New South Wales. By A. Sydney Olliil 32 Note on Piczorhynchus leucotis, Gould, Pyaioptilus Jioccosus, Gould, and others rare to New South Wales. By E. P. Ramsay ... 35 Notes on the Nidification of Merula vlnitincta, Gould, and Ocydromus sylvestris, Sclater, from Lord Howe Island. By A. J. North... 31) Notes ou the Nidification of Heteromyias cinereifrons and Orthonyx Spaldingi, Eamsay, from the Cairns District, North-Eastern Queensland ; and on Sternula sinensis, Gmelin, from the Tweed River, N.S. Wales. By A. J. North 37 No. 2. Published May, 1890. Pages 41-54. Plates iii.-vi. Report on the Worm Disease affecting the Oysters ou the Coast of New South Wales. By Thos. Whitelegge 41 No. 3. Published July, 1890. Pages 55-7G. Plates vii.-x. Descriptions of two New Species of Australian Lophobrauchiate Fishes. By J. Douglas Ogilby 55 Description of a New Australian Tortoise. By J. Douglas Ogilby 56 Descriptions of Upper Silurian Fossils from the Lilydale Lime- stone, Upper Yarra District, Victoria. By R. Etheridge, Junr. GU Re-description of Pseudaphritis bassi, Casteln. By J. Douglas Ogilby 'J7 Re-description of Anomalops palpehratus, Bodd. By J. Douglas Ogilby... Additions to the Insect-Fauna of Lord Howe Island, and Descrip- tions of two New Australian Colcoptera. By A. Sidney OUiff (J9 No. 4. Published September, 1890. Pages 77-88. Plate xi. On a New Species of Petaurides from the Bellenden-Ker Eange, page N.E. Queensland. By Dr. E. P. Ramsay 77 On Pannella Etheridgei, Brazier. By C. Hedley, F.L.S., Zoologist, Queensland Museum, Brisbane. (Communicated by J. Brazier) 78 Description of VcrmiceUa Bertholdi. By J. Douglas Ogilby ... 80 Descrijition of a New Tetrodon from New South Wales. By J. Douglas Ogilby ... 81 On a Fresh-water Alga at West Maitland Waterworks. By T. Whitelegge ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... 82 Specimens obtained on a Dredging Trip in Port Jackson, Saturday, 30th May, 1890 81 No. 5. Published 21st November, 1890. Pages 89-104. Report on a Zoological Collection from British New Guinea : — Part I. Reptiles, Batrachians, and Pishes. By J. Douglas Ogilby ... ... 89 Part II. Coleoptera (Cicindelidcc, Carahidw, and B^ipreslidcc). By Thomas G. Sloane 103 No. G. Published March, 1891. Pages lO.j-121. Plates xii.-xvii. On a New Species of Pteropine Bat from the New Britain Group. By E. P. Ramsay 105 Notes on the Disappearance — Total or Partial — of Certain Species of Birds in the Lower Lachlan District. By K. H. Bennett... 107 Description of a New Fish from Lord Howe Island. By J. Douglas Ogilby 110 Supplement to the Catalogue of " Nests and Eggs of Birds found breeding in Australia and Tasmania." By A. J. North ... Ill Notes on new and little known Australian Madroporaccic. By W. Saville-Kent, F.L.S., F.Z.S., Commissioner of Fisheries, Queensland ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... 123 No. 7. Published 30th June, 1891. Pages 125-148. Plates xviii.-xxii. Further Descriptions of Upper Silurian Fossils from the Lilydale Limestone, Upper Yarra District, Victoria. By R. Etheridgo, Junr 1^5 A nuxch-thickened variety of Bulimns bivaricosus, Gaskoin, from Lord Howe Island. By R Ethcridge, Junr 130 The Land and Fresh-water Shells of Lord Howe Island. By C. Hedley 134 On the Organism Discolouring the Waters of Port Jackson. By Thomas Whitelegge... ... ... ... ... ... ••• 144 Note on the Nidification of PloLus novw-hollmidicc, Gould. By A. J, North 147 No. 8. PubUshed July, 1891. Pages 149-178. Plates xxiii.-xxvii. On a new and peculiar Fresh-water Isopod from Mount Kosciusko, page By Chas. Chilton 149 Notes on "Rock-shelters," or " GiVjba-Gunyahs," at Deewhy Lagoon. By R. Etheridge, Junr... ... ... ... ... 171 Description of a New Pelagic Hemipteron from Port Jackson. By Frederick A. A. Skuse ... ... ... ... ... 174 Note on the Nidification of Edoliisoma tcnuirostrc. By A. J. North. 177 No. 9. Published October, 1891. Pages 179-197. Plates xxviii.-xxix. On the Recent Discolouration of the Waters of Port Jackson. By Thomas Whitelegge. (Plate xxviii.) ... ... ... ... 179 Descriptions of three New Papuan Snakes. By J. Douglas Ogilby 192 Note on the Nidification of Turnix melunotis, Gould. By A. J. North 19.5 On Hadr a gulosa, Gonld. By C. Hedley (Plate xxix.) ... ... 196 No. 10. Published December, 1891. Pages 199-211. Plate xxx. On the occurrence of the genus Palccaster in the Upper Silurian Rocks of Victoria. By R. Etheridge Junr. (Plate xxx.) ... 199 The Operculate Modreponnia rugosa of New South Wales. By R. Etheridge Junr 2(il Notes on the structure of I'edionomus torquatus, with regard to its systematic position. By Hans Gadow, Ph.D., M.A. ... ... 205 LIST OF THE CONTRIBUTORS. With Jief(i7^e7ices to the several Articles contributed by each. Bennett, K. H. page Notes on the Disa])pearance — Total or Partial — of cjertaiu Species of Birds in the Lower Lachlan District ... ... 107 Cairn, E. J. Keport of a collecting trip to North-eastern Queensland during April to Sentembei', 1SS9 ... ... ... ... 27 Chilton, Chas. On a new and peculiar Fresh-water Isopod from Mount Kosciusko. (Plates xxiii.-xxvi.) 149 Etheridge, K., Junr. A much-thickened variety of Bidinms bivaricosus, Claskoin, from Lord Howe Island. (Plate xx.) ... ... ... 130 Descriptions of Upper Silurian Fossils from the Lilydale Lime- stone, Upper Yarra District, Victoria. (Plates viii.-ix.)... (jO Further Descriptions of Upper Silurian Fossils from the Lily- dale Limestone, Upper Yarra District, Victoria. (Plates xviii.-xix.) ... ... ... ... ... ... ... 125 General Notes made during a visit to Mount Sassafras, Shoal- haven District, by Messrs. K. Etheridge, Junr., and J. A. Thorpe ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... 17 Notes on " Eock-Shelters " or " Gibba-Gunyahs " at Deewhy Lagoon ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... 171 On the occurrence of the genus Palceaster in the Upper Silurian Rocks of Victoria. (Plate xxx.) ... ... ... ... IDlt The Operculate Madreporaria nigosa of New South Wales . . . 201 Gadow Hans. Notes on the structure of Pedionomus torquaius with regard to its systematic position... ... ... ... ... ... 205 Grant, E. Keport of a collecting trij) to North-eastern Qiiecnsland during April to September, 1889 ... ... ... ... 27 Hedley, C. On Hadra gulosa, Gould. (Plato xxix.) ... ... ... ... 196 On Parmclla etheridgei. Brazier. (Plate xi.) ... ... ... 78 The Land and Fresh-water Shells of Lord llowe Island. (Plates xxi.-xxii.) ... .,, . ... ... ... 134 Helms, Eichard. Eeport of a Collecting Trip to Mount Kosciusko 11 North, A. J. Note on the Nidification of EdoJusowia iemw-osfrc ... ... 177 Note on the Nidification of Plotus novce-hollandi.v, Gould ... 147 Note on the Nidification of Twj-nix' meJaHof is, Gould ... ... 195 Notes on the Nidification of Hcteromyias cinereifrons and Orthonyx spaldingi, Eamsay, from the Cairns District, North-eastern Queensland ; and of Stcrnula sinensis, Gmelin, from the Tweed Eiver, N.S. Wales. (Plate i.)... 37 Notes on the Nidification of Merula vinitincta, Gould, and Ocydromus sijlvcsiris, Sclater, from Lord Howe Island. (Plate i.) 30 Brazier, John Specimens obtained on a dredging tiip in Port Jackson, Satur- day, 30th May, 1890 84 North, A. J. page Svxpplement to the Catalogue of " Nests and Eggs of Birds found breeding in Australia and Tasmania." (Plates xii.-xiv.) ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... Ill Ogilby, J. Douglas. Description of an Ahlepharus from Australia ... ... ... 10 Description of a New Australian Tortoise. (Plate vii.) ... 56 Description of a New Fish from Lord Howe island ... ... 110 Description of a New Tetrodon from New South Wales ... 81 Description of Vermicella bertholdi ... ... ... ... 80 Descriptions of three New Papuan Sna.kes ... ... ... 102 Descriptions of two new species of Australian Lophobranchiate Fishes ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ,55 Re-description of J.>ioma?opspaZpe6rahts (Bodd.) ... ... 69 Ee-description of PseudapJiritis bassi, Casteln. ... ... ... 67 Report on a Zoological Collection from British New Guinea : — Parti. Reptiles, Batrachians, and Fishes... .. ... 89 ReiDort on a Zoological Collection from the Solomon Islands : — Part II. Reptiles, Batrachians, Fishes, &c . . . ... ... 5 Olliff, a. Sydney. Additions to the Insect-Fauna of Lord Howe Island, and Descriptions of two New Australian Coleoptera. (Plate x.) 72 On a Species of Moth (Epicrocis terebrans) destructive to Red Cedar, and other Timber Trees, in New South Wales. (Plate ii.) • 32 Ramsay, E. Pierson. Note on Piezorhynchus leucotis, Gould, Pycnoptilus floccosus, Gould, and others rare to New South Wales ... ... 35 On a New Species of Petaurides from the Bellenden-Ker Range, N.E. Queensland ... ... ... ... ... ... 77 On a New Species of Pteropine Bat from the New Britain Groiip ... ... ... ... ... ... . . ... 105 Report on a Zoological Collection from the Solomon Islands : — Part I. Mammals and Birds ... ... ... ... ... 3 Ramsay, E. Pierson, and Ogilby, J. Douglas. Description of an Australian Skink ... ... ... ... 8 Saville-Kent, W. Notes on a new and little known Australian Madropjoracece. (Plates xv.-xvii.) ... ... ... ... ... ... 123 Skuse, Frederick A. A. Description of a New Pelagic Hemipteron from Port Jackson. (Plate xxvii.) ... ... ... ... ... ... ... 174 Sloane, Thomas G. Report on a Zoological Collection from British New Guinea : — Part II. Coleoptera (Cicindelidw., Carabidw, and Buprestidm) 102 Whitelegge, Thomas. On a Fresh-water Alga at the West Maitland Waterworks ... 82 On the Organism discolouring the AVaters of Port Jackson ... 114 On the Recent Discolouration of the Waters of Port Jackson. (Plate xxviii.) 179 Report on the Worm Disease affecting the Oysters on the Coast of New Sonth Wales. (Plates iii.-vi.) ... ... 41 Si^ecimens obtained on a Dredging Trip in Port Jackson, Saturday, 30th May, 1890 84 LIST OF PLATES. PLATE FIG. I. 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. II. 1-9. III. 1-10. IV. 1-6. V. 1-3. VI. 1-10. VII. 1-2. VIII. 1-2. 3. 4-5. 6-9. IX. 1. 2-3. 4-5. 6-7. X. 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. S-86 XI. 1-4. XII. XIII. XIV. XV. 1-4. 5-8. XVI. 1. 2. XVII. XVIII. 1-2. XIX. 1-2. 3. 4-5. 6-8. Egg of Steriuda sinensis, Gmelin. ,, Orthonyx spaldingi, Ramsay. „ Ocydromus sylvestris, Sclater. „ Heteromyias cinereifrons, Ramsay. ,, Merula vinitincta, Gould. Epicrocis terebrans, Olliff, c? • Polydora (Leucodore) ciliata. Polydora, enlarged under a lens. Ostrea cuculata. Born. Oyster-shells showing tubes of Polydora. Chelodina rugosa, Ogilby. Trochus (Scaloetrochus) lindstromi, Eth. fil. Niso, sp. Niso ( Vetotuba) brazieri, Eth. fil. Favosites grandipora, Eth. fil. Niso, sp. Niso (Vetotuba) brazieri, Eth. fil. Cyclonema australis, Eth. fil. Oriostoma northi, Eth. fil. Toxeutes rasilis, Olliff, ? . Rhytiphora rosei, Olliff. Ceresium procerum, sp. nov. Moyiohammus wstheticus, Olliff. Noihophysis barnardi, Olliff. Monohammus artius, Olliff. Elasmostoma insulana, sp. nov. Anoplognathus punctxdatus, ?p. nov. Parmella etheridgei. Brazier. Nest of Ailuroedus viridis, Latham. Nest and egg of same. Nest and eggs of Sphecotheres maxillaris, Latham. Gonioptora frxdicosa, S.-Kent. Alveopora spongiosa, Dana. Goniopora fruticosa, S.-Kent. Alveojiora spongiosa, Dana. Tridacophyllia rectifolia, S.-Kent. Ambonyclda jMststriata, Eth. fil. Cyclonema australis, Eth. fil. Cyclonema lilydalensis, Eth. fil. Phanerotrema australis, Eth. fil. Bellerophon cresswelli, Eth, fil. PLATE FIG. XX. 1-6. 1. XXI 1. 2. ;3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8. 9. XXII. 1. 2 & G. 3. 4. 5 & 8. XXIII. 1-7. XXIV. 1-oa. XXV. 1-G. XXVI. 1-6. XXVII. 1-10. XXVIII. 1-7. 8. 'J-16. XXIX, 1-6. XXX. 1-6. 7-15. 16-17. Placostylus hivaricosus, Gaskoin, ap., var. solidus, Eth. fil. Placostylus bivaricosus, Gaskoin. Diplommatina macgillivrayi, Pfr. Liplomniatina cajjillacea, Pfr. Nanina sophioe, Gask., var. conica, Uraz. Placostylus bivaricosus, Gask. Microcystis catletti, Braz. Patula whiteleggei, Braz. Na7iina howinsulw, Cox. Bealia exquisita, Pfr. Simpxdopsis ? mastersi, Braz. Patula whiteleggei, Braz. Nanina hilli. Cox. Placostylus bivaricosus, Gask. Parmella etheridgci, Braz. Nanina howinsulw. Cox. Nanina sophim, Gask., var. cunica, Braz Phreatoicus australis, Chilton. Halobates whiteleggei, Skuse. Glowdvnium rubrum, Whitelegge. Gymnodinium spirale, Bergh. Dinophysis homunculus, Stein. Hadra gulosa, Gould. Rhizophyllum australc, Etlieridge, fil. Rhizophyllum intcrpunctatum, De Kouinck. Pala:aster meridionalis, Eth. fil. ADDENDA ET CORRIGENDA. PAGE LINE 8. 1. Otiiit"Ke-." 8. 1. For " an " read " a new." 8. Omit foot-note * 9. 30. For " 44 " read " 48." 10. 1. Omit " Ee-." 10. 1. For "an" read "anew." 10. Omit foot-note. 18. Foot-note f for " 1877 " read " 1887." 20. ii2. For " milee " read " miles." 23. 33. For " viverinus " read " viverrinus." 21. 3(5. For " Lymnodynastes " read " Limnodynastes." 27. 30. For " Barwon " read " Barron." 30. 20. For " nalabatus " read " iialabatus." 30. 42. For " Scenosepus" read " Scenopceus." 31. 10. Omit "Ptilotis" and substitute „ 31. 17. For " epioletus " read " epicletus." 31. 17. For " Agavista" read " Agarista." 31. 30. For " Gonyodactylus " read •' Gonyocephalus." 31. 38. For " Myxophies " read " Mixophyes." 30. Omit foot-note. 37. Omit foot-note. 38. Omit foot-note. 41. (». For " Lucodore " read " Leucodore." 40. 23. Add " 4 " after " Ser." 51. 24. For " moveable " read " movable." 52. 0. Add " 4 " after " Ser." 61. 30. For " macroscopic " read " microscopic." 05. 30. For " mising " read " mosing." 00. 5. For " cresentic" read " crescentic." 78. 2. For " (155) " read " (15-5)," 81. 23. For " of the total " read " in the total." 81. 23. For " four-sevenths of " read " four-sevenths in." 81. Omit "and is" in foot-note. 80. 8. For " ai'tica " read " arctica." 86. 10. Add " Herd." after "viridis." 87. 0. Omit " , " before " ovum." 01. H). For " subtymppanal " read " subtympanal." 98. 41. For " mmch " read " much." 99. 18. For " this " read " thus." 99. 30. For " percepttble " read " perceptible." 123. 2. For " Madroporacese " read " MadreporaceiE." 123. 8. For " csEnenchyma " read " coenenchyma." PI. xi. The figures are reversed. „ xxi. (Explanation) For " Microcystina " read " Microcystis. Xote " DoTicus PESTiLENS : A correction. — From a communication kindly forwarded by Mr. F. P. Pascoe, it appears that the genus for which I adopted the MS. name MetodoUcus (see p. 75), has been described under the name Doticus (Ann. Mag. Nat. Hist. ix. p. 27, 1882). The Victorian Apple-pest should, therefore, be known as Doticus pestilens, instead of Mctadoticus pestilens, as at first suggested. A figure of the insect, and some account of its life-history, are contained in Mr. French's recently published ' Handbook of the Destructive Insects of Victoria.' — A. S. O." I isr HD E X PAGE J PAGE Ablepliarus Amblypneustfs boulengeri ... 10 ovum 87 Acanthiza Amphipoda, 149,151, IGO, 162, S}).?... 30 166, 167, 168, 170 Acantholophus Amphisile echinatus ... 25 strigata 7 Acanthomunna Amphorella 'proteus 1(33 ganymedcs ... ... 189 Acanthophis Anatostoma antarcticus ... 99 australasiw . . . 25 Icevis ... 95,98,99 Ancylus prcelongus ... 95, 99 australasica '* 26 Acanthorhynchua Anelasma 110 tenuirostris... 31 sqxialicola . . . 110 Actinocrinus 125 Anoisopoda 166, 167 Adelium Anomalodonta . . . 126 calosomoidcs 25 Anomalops 70 jmrcatum . . . 25 grcvjfii 70 Adinida . . 183 palpiebratus 69, 70 At'ricaniim Anoplophyra ater ... 79 circulans 164 Agarista 31 Anoplognathus ^gidte 170 pundulatus 72 Agrotis Antechinus spina 14 sp.? 31 Ailurcedus Antedon maculosus ... ...31,112,113 inimila 86 viridis 111, 112, 113 Anthenea Alcedo acuta 86 isxnda 122 Anthura ... 166 168, 169, 171 Alcyone Anthuridse 163 pulrhra 30 Anurea pusilla 30 cochlearis ... 183,190 Algffi 179, 182, 190 Apertus Allorchestes 151 tuberculatus 25 Alveopora Aphritis 67, 68 spongiosa ... 123 bassi 68 viridis ... 123, 124 dumeriii ... 68 Amalda urvillii 67, 68 marginata ... 85 Aprosniictus oblonga 85 scaindatus ... 24, 30 Amathia Apseudes 153 lendigeri 86, 87 Apseudidae 167 tortuosa 86 Area Ambunychia gubernaculum 86 ? poststriala ... 126,127 Archaster ? triton 127 typicus 7 PAGE PAGE Arcturida; 169, 171 Buccinulus Arcturus ... 167 affinis ... 85 ... niveus ... ... 85 Artamus ... 38 170, 171 Bulimulus 131, 140 styjcrciitosus Asdlida3... 151, 168, IGlt, Biilimus alexunder ... ... 132 Asellus ... 157, IGU, 164 167, 160 auric ulifurmes ... 132 uquaiiLms, 153, 15(j, 157, bivaricosus ... 130, 131, 132 160, 16L^ 163, IG'J var. cuniculinsulw ... 130 Asterias ,, etheridgei ... 130 calamarix ... ... 87 ,, solidus, 130, 131, 132 Asteroidea ... 199 caledonicus ... 132 Astropecten fibratus ... 132 2Jolyacanthus ... 86 souvillei ... 132 Astrurvis Bulla crucicauda ... ... 164 ampulla ... 86 Astur atistralis ... 86 cinereus ... 30 Bullina Atrypha ... 126 lineata. ... 85 reticularis ... ... 126 Bythinella Atella ramsayi ... 113 propiiKiua ... ... 31 whilelegijei ... ... 143 Atheinistes ... 72 Attagis ... 206 Cadulus Australiuiu acuminaius ... 85 tentorij'urmis 85 Calaniita Aviculiduj ... 126 doliehopsis ... Calamus ... 100 Badistes ... 196 aust rails ... 118 Balanus Calappa trigunus 86, 87 hepiulica ... 7 Batocera 7 Caleeola 2Ul, 202, 201 Beania Calliope conferta ... 86 fluviatilis ... ... 150 Bellerophou ... 60, 125, 130 Callocephalou cresswclli ... ... 130 galcaUnn ... ... 24 squamosus ... ... 130 Calloodes Bellerophontidte ... 130 mastersi ... 73 Bipora prasinus ... 72 elegans ... 86 Calyptorhynchus j^hiliirpincnsis ... 86 funereus ... 24 Birgus solandri ... 115 latro 7 Campephaga Bittium jardinii ... 177 granariuvi ... ... 85 Caprimulgus Blatta ... ... 25 macrourus ... ... 30 Bodiauus Caprellidse ... 170 palpebral us... ... 70 Capulus Boltenia violaceus ... ... 85 2Mchydermatina ... 86 Cardiothorax Bong-a ... 28, 30 castelnaudi... ... 25 Boogong ... 14 Casuarina 26, 34 Btachiopoda ... 126 Casuarius iiraobys(jnia auslralis ... 31 (rislc 95, 97 Catbird ... ... Ill Broaeinio New South Wales ... ... 112 gen. el sp. jiov. ... 25 Queensland ... 112 Ceblepyris jardinii Cedar, Eed Cedrela toona Celleopora tnammillaris Celmisia... Centropus •pliasianxLS Centrostephaniis rodgevsii Cephalotes j)eroni Ceratium dilatatum furca fusus globatum gravidxim hirundinella longicorne parvum peniagonum rectum tripos Ceratobatrachus guentheri ... Ceresium pachymerum procerum Cerithiopsis crocea Chaetodon vlttatus Chalseuiiis hitwtatus maculifer Chalcophaps chrysochlora Charopa ? ccecilia cimex ?ignava textrix unwini wilMnsoni ... Charopra Chelodina riigosa Chibia bracteata Chione calophylla .. striatissima Chiroptera PAGE . 177 . 32 . 32 . 86 . 13 . 31 . 87 145, 185 18G 186 185 186 186 183, 186 186 186 186 186 186 74 85 7 102 102 31 138 137 138 137 138 138 26 56 30 54 86 105 Chlamydomonas p>ulvisculus... Chloritis brevijnla Chowchilla Chrysococcyx minutilla ... Ciliata ... Circe angasi Cladonia retipora Clanculus clangulus ... Clathurella bicolor sculptilis S}).? ... Clavella australasicE... Clibanarius . sp.? Climacteris leucop)hcea ... Clistenterata . . . Coach-whiiJ Cockatoo Solander's Blach Codonella annulata galea lagenula Collyriocincla boweri harmonica ... Colochirus spinosa Colpodes... Columbella exiynia filosa lincolnensis... Cominella . tritoniformis Composite Conocardium ... Conocyathus coHipresstts ... zealandim ... Coptocercus rubripes Corbi^la smitliiana ... tunicata Corcorax melanorhampihus Coropliium PAGE 83, 84 ... 196 ... 38 ... 31 ... 189 ... 86 ... 26 ... 85 ... 85 ... 85 ... 85 ... 87 ... 86 ... 31 ... 120 ... 24 ... 115 ... 189 ... 189 ... 189 ... 30 ... 24 87 1(14 85 85 85 13 123 87 25 86 86 24 167 PAGE Dacelo Corticata 186 gigas 24, 80 Corucia leachi 30 Coturnix Dactylopsila pectoralis Cotyle riparia zebrata 107 122 5 trivirgata . . . Dsedrosis amhigua Darter 31 25 Cracticus New Holland ... 147, 148 quoyi 30 Dasyurus rufescens 30 viverriiius ... 23 Cribrilina Dendrochelidon clithridaia 8G mystacea 5 radiata 86 Dendrolagus Crinia lumholtzi ... ... 28, 29, 30 signifera 24 Dendrophis Crocodihxs calligaster ... 3,7 porosus 5,89 elegans 194 Crosseia papua. ... 193, 194 concin7ia 85 Desmidiaceffi ... 146 Crypta Diatomaceee 146 unguiformis ... ... 85 Dicee bronze 5 Cryptodromia Dichelaspis 7iodulifera 87 orthogonia ... 86, 88 sculpta 86 Dicholophus 208 Cuculus Dicoeum inornatus 23 aneum 5 Currajong Cyamidse 15 170 Dictyocysta templum 189 189 Cyclonema Difflugia 189 carinatum. var. mnlti- Dinifera 184 carinatum ... ... 64 Dinoflagellata ...145, 183, 190, 191 Cyclonema ? australis Cyclonema australis coraUii 63, 64 127, 128 127 125 Dinopbyida Dinopbysis allieri homunculus 184 145 185 184 guilleri 128 ineequalis . . . 185 lilydalensis zonatum 128 128 Icevis tripos 184 185 Cyelopsitta macleayana 31 Diplommatina ... cantori 142 143 Cylichna arachis capillacea . . . 142 85 chordata ... 142, 143 pygmvea 85 macgillivrayi 142 pyramidata 85 var. beta ... 142 regularis 85 Diijlommatinse... 142 Cylicia Diplopsalis 145 qainaria 87 lenticula . . . 185 Cymothoidae 167 Doctor Bird 36 Cynonycteris Dorcasia 26 brachyol is 3 Dorypbora Cypbogaster sassafras . . . 20, 26 venerea 102 Drillia Cystopelta 70 metcaljii 85 Cyttarocylis Dromia cassis 189 excavata 86 claparedei 189 tculpta 86 PAGE PAGE Durgella Euphema khasica 79 petrophila ... 115 Dye-berry Dynastidse 118 7 Excalfatoria australis Exuviaella 195 lima 184 Ebiirna cntstralis ... Echinocardiiim australe 85 85 Falco suhniger Favosites 107. 108 125 Edoliisoma 4 177 aspera 125 salomonensis tenidrostre ... grandipora... hamiltonensis .. 60,61,62 61 Egernia 24 hemispherica 61 kingi intella 61 Elasmostoma ... 73 turbinata ... 61 insxdana 74 Fierasfer Elenchiis badius Eleotris 85 homii Flemingia Flustra 7 66, 67 porocephalus 101 militaris 86 sp.? sp.? 101 101 Fly-catcher, Ashy-fronted ... 37 Fusus Emarginula Candida 85 hanleyi 85 Emmonsia ... ... 61 Emoa 95 Galaxias Gain 12. 13 209 Enygrus Gansr-gang 24 bibroni carinatxts ... 3,7 7 Gastropoda Gecko 127 Eopsaltria vittatv.s 5 chrysorrhoa nana ... 30 ... 80 Gehyra oceanica 5 Eotrochiis 66 variegata ... 31 EpMhianura Gelasimus albifrons ... 169 vocans 7 Epicrocis 33 Gena mesembrina 33 nigra 85 patuJalis 33, 34 Gentiana rufitinctella 34 montana 13 strigiferella 33 Geocichla siiblignaJis ... 33, 34 lumdata 24 terebrans ... Estrelda 32, 33 hmidata, var. Geopelia 30 bella 36 placida 31 bichenovii . . . 36 Geophaps Ethneca 75 scripta .. 107, 108 Eucalyptus 111, 148. 177 Geronticus Euchelus 125 spinicollis ... ... 118, 119 canaliculatus 125 Gerygone Euglema ndicivora ... 30 sanguinea ... 179 Gibba-gunyahs 171 Eumeces Gibbula albo/asciolatus 6 coxi ... 85 Euomphalus strangei 85 higsbyi 66 Glenodiniiim ...145, 179. 181, clarkii 67 182, 183, 188 PAGE PAGE Glunodinium Haplocheira ... 167 rubrum 1-45, 183, 187 Heliastes Glyphodon lepidurus ... ... 7 tristis 97 Helicarion ... 136 Gobiodon Helicma ... 135 rivulatus ... 7 zebriolata ... ... 143 Goniodoma Heliochrysum ... 13 acumiyiata ... 185 Helix Goniophyllum ... 203, 204, 205 brevipila ... 26 pyramidale... ... 201, 205 capillacea ... ... 26 Goniopora 123 funerea ... 26 fruticosa 123 gulosa ... 26 Gonyaulax Hemipodii ... 209 polyedra 185 Hemipodius ... 210 Gonyocephalus pugnax ... 210 hoydi 31 Hemitoma dilophus 92 rugosa ... 85 modestus ... 90 Heteromyias Grac'iila cinereifrons 30, 37 viridis 112 Heterophthalinus Graucalus hatoptron ... ... 70 hyperleucus 178 Heteroijus Uneatus 30 albertisii ... 93 pusillus -i bicarinatus . . . ... 93 salomonensis -i pedoralls ... 9 swainsonl, var. 4 Honey-eater Gymnodactyliis Yellow-throated .. ... 114 platurus 31 Hoplocephalus Gymnodinida ... 188 par 7 Gymnodiaixitn ... ... 181, 188 Hnmphreyia spirale 181 multiangulare ... 86 GyniQorhiaa strangii ... 86 tibicen 109 Hydroscena Gypoictinia acutiliriata ... 143 melanoste nion 108 Hyla dolichopsis ... ... 100 Hadra macgregon... ... 100 gulnsa 195 macrops ... 3, 7 pedestris Hadrse ... 196 197 sp.? Hypaspistes ... 31 ... 192 Halcyon (ilbicillo, ... 4 dipsadides ... Hypnuoi ... 192 ... 38 leucopygialis macleayi Halmaturus 3 30 Hyjjochrysops epioletus Hypotcenidia ... 31 ruficollis 23 philippensis ... 37 stigmaticus... thetidis 30 23 Hypsa ... HypsilnriLS ... 31 ... 90 ualabatus, var. apiralis ... 30 Halobates lanthe hayanus 174 speciosn, . 158, 103 ivhiteleggei ... 174 Ibis Halosphajra White 118 Sp. ... 190 Ichnosoina 163 viridis 190 bacilloides ... ... 163 Haminea Ichthyocampus cuticulij'era 80 carce 56 Ichtliyocampiis cindus tryoni Icilius ... Idotea ... elongata lacustris Idoteidae ...106, Inkweed... Iphigenia Isopoda ... 149, 151, IQi, 165, 166, Jsera Janira ... Kennedya Kentia hehnoreana . . . forsteriana... Labyrinthulidea Lacon caliginosus ... Lalage leucomelcena tricolor .». Laiighing Jackass Lawyer- Vine ... Leiopyrga jjidurata ... Lepralia depi'essa elimata 2joissoni vestita Lepromoris Leucodore ciliatus Leucosarcia picata Lialis bicatenata ... hurtoni Limnodynastes dorsalis tasmaniensis Limnoria Liolepisma Liotia Icieneri Littorina Littorinida? Lopholaimiis antarcticus... Lophyrus dilophus PAGE 56 56 167 151, 153, 167 ... 153, 170 151 168, 169, 171 118 167 160, 163, , 167, 168, 170 163 163 114 7» 145 30 30 ... 24 lis 85 86 86 86 86 73 41, 53 ... 51, 52, 53 24 90 90 24 24 167, 170, 171 ... 9,93,94 85 128 ... 127, 128 117 92 Lucapina lineata Lucina sp.? Lutraria oblonga Lygosoma albertisi atroqulare ... baudini hicarinatum cyanogaster cyanuriim . . . niaccooeyi ... mustelinum pedorale quoyi rhoniboidale sniaragdinum striato-fasdatum tetradadylum Lyre Bird Mabouya haudinli Machgerirrhynchus Jiavivente r . . . Macropiis major Macropygia phasianella Mactra jacTcsoniensis ovalina Madroporacese ... Magiria robusta Mahirus cruentatus .. Mangilia lineaia Mappi ... Marginella metcalfii olivella ovulum transludda Uirbinata ... Matuta vidrix Medusa Megapodida^ Megerlia pulrhella ... Melanodryas bicolor Meleagris ... 85 ... 80 ... 86 90, 93 90, 94 ... 95 90, 93 5 ... 5 ...8,90 ... 24 ...9,90 ... 31 ... 31 5 5 ...9,90 ... 24 ... 95 ... 30 ... 23 31, 117 ... 86 ... 86 ... 123 ... 33 ... 30 ... 85 ... 2S ... 85 ... 85 ... 85 ... 85 ... 85 .. 179 ... 209 ... 86 ... 108 ... 208 PAGE PAGE Membranipora Murchisonia spinosa 86 corallii 125 Meneristes sinuosa 129 laticollis 25 Murex Meniphilus brazieri 85 nigerrimus ... 25 Mus Menuia caudimac'iilat'us 31 superba 24 sp.?... 16 Meriila sp. ?... 31 vinitincta ... 36 Mynes Mesites 206 geoffroyi 31 Metadoticus 75 Myodora mastersi 75 2Mndorceformis 86 pestilens 75 Myonia Metopa 168 concinna 85 Micippa sinuata 85 imrvirostris 86 Mytilaceffi 120 spinosa 86 Myzantha Microcystis flavigula 109 catletti 137 Myzomela var. major 137 obscura 31 Microporella ciliata 86 Nanina 136 diadema 86 godeffroyi ... 136 malusii 86 hilli .. 136 Milvus howinsulce ... .. 135, 136 affinis .. 107, 108 hunstein i ... 136 Mimeta sophiw .. 135, 136 affinis 31 var. conica 135 Minolia Naninidaj .. 136, 197 prodictus . . . 85 Nassa vitiligenia ... Mitra strangii 85 85 jacksoniana paupera Natica 85 85 Mixophyes euzona 85 fasciolatus ... 31 subcostata ... 85 Mocoa Nesera tetradactyla 9 brazieri 86 Modiola Neritina australis 86 soiiverbiana 85 Modiolaria Neritvila barbata 86 lucida 85 cumingiana 86 Ninox Monocrepidius boobook Ill sp.? 25 conniveiis . . . Ill s}). nov. Monohammus 25 Niso brazieri 125 62 aistheiicus ... 72 ? brazieri ... 125 artists 72 Niso? Montagua 108 darwinii 63 Morelia Noctiluca variegata ... 95. 96 miliaris 188 Mulberry-Bird... 113 Noctikicida^ 188 Munnopsis 167 Notaniia Murchisonia .. 125, 129 gracilis 86 attenuata ... 129 Nothophysis cingulata ... 129 barnardi 72 Notonomus • PAGE variicolHs ... 25 Palsester Nutmeg-Pigeon eticharis ... 200 White 116 exculptus . . . ... 200 Nycticorax granulosus ... ... 200 caledonicus... 31 jamesi matutina . . . ... 200 ... 200 Octopus meridionalis 199, 200 granulatus . . . 85 niagareyisis... ... 200 Ocydromus schoefferi ... 200 sylvestris ... 3G, 37 Palseoniso ... 63 Odostomia Palaeotrochus ... ... 66 lavis 85 Palasterina ... 199 Olivella Paramithrax exquisita 85 peroyii 86 87 nympha 85 Paranthura ... 167 Omphalotrochus 66 Pardalotus Omphalotropis melanocepihalus ... 30 X>feifferi 143 punctatus ... ... 30 Oniscidas 167 Parruacochlea ... ... 79 Oota 28, 30 Parmarion ... 79 Ophiactis Parmella ... 79 resiliens 86 etheridgei ... 78, 136 Ophichtbys planata ... 78 colubrinus ... 7 Paroquet, Rosehill ... 24 Ophideres 31 Parrot, King ... 24 Ophionereis Passalus schayeri 86 sp.? ... ... 25 Ophiothrix Patula cfcspitosa . . . 86 whiteleggei . . . ... 138 fumaria 86 var. balli ... 139 Ophiuroidea 199 ,, ledgbird I... ... 139 Ophryzone Pavo ... 208 kaupi 30 Pectinura Opisthoptera ... 126 gorgonia ... 86 Oreoica Pectunculus cristata ... 107, 108 dunheri ... 54 Oriostoma 64 Pedionomus ...205, 206, 208, discors 65 209 210, 211 northi 64, 65 iorquatus ... 107, 205 sculptum ... 65 Pelecanoides ... ... 120 Ornithocercus herardi 120, 121 magnifims . . 185 garnotii 120, 121 Orthonyx urinatrix ... 120, 121 spaldingi 30, 31, 37, 38 Pelecypoda ... 126 spinicauda ... 38 Pelicaria Otis 208 scutulata ... 85 Owl Perameles Winking Ill sp.? ... 31 Peridinia ...145, 146, 147, 182 Pachycephala Peridinia ... 182 gidturalis ... 30 divergens ... ... 182 rufiventris ... 30 pnlyedricum ... 182 Pachypoi-a 62 Peridinida ... 185 Palseaster ... 199, 200 Peridiniidfe 179, 182 antiqiiatus ... 200 Peridiniuui ...142, 145 147, cararterl 200 179, 182 , 185, 187 dyeri 200 divergens ... ... 185 Peridinium globulus ... 185 michaelis ... ... 185 Perigona ? sp.? ... 102 Peripatns ... 16 Petaui-ides cine reus ... 77 volans, var. minor... ... 78 Petaurus cine re us ... 30 Petraster ... 199 smijthii ... 199 Petrel Diving ... 120 Phalacroma rapa ... 184 Phallus ... 26 Phanerotrema 128, 129 australis ... 128 labrosa ... 129 Pliaps histrionica ... 107, 108 Phascolomys mitchelli ... 23 Phascolosoma australis ... 86 Pherusa ccerulea ... 150 Philine angasi ... 86 Pbcenicopterus ... -208 Phreatoieida) ... 151, 170 Pbreatoicus, 149, 151, 160 163, 165, 166, 167, 168, 169 , 170, 171 australis ...152, 163, 164,166, typicus ... 151, 152, 166 Phyllophorus yerspicillxim ... 87 Phyllorhina diadema ... 3 Phymosoma japonica 86, 180 Pbysa clliata ... 26 Physignathixs lesueuri ... 31 Phytolacca ... 118 Pigeon Large-tailed ... 117 Tophnot ... 117 Piezorhynchns gouldi 30, 36 leucotis ... 35 nitidus ... 30 Pihimnus rufopunctatus ... 86 PAGE Piraelia ... ... ... ... 15 Pinna menkei ... ... ... 54 Pitta strepitans ... ... ... 30 Placostylus, 131, 132, 134, 135, 140 alexander ... ... ... 132 hivaricosus ...131, 132, 131, 137, 140 var. cuniculinsul.v, 130, 141 „ etheridgei... 130, 141 ,, solidus, 131, 133, 141 bovinus .. 132, 141 caledonlcus... .. 132, 133 edwardsianus 133 Jibratus 132 porphyrosiomus . 132, 140 scarahus 140 senilis .. 133, 134 var. 134 shongii 132 souvillei 132 subsenilis ... 133 Planarian worius 16 Platycercus exi-iiiius 24 nigrescens ... 31 Platynus pupuensis ... .. 102 103 Platyscelidie ... 166 Pleurotomaria . . 129 baJteata 129 Pleurotomariida^ 128 Plotosus canius 101 sp. ?... 101 Plotus novce-hollandiw 147 Podargiis 2Mpuensis ... 30 phahenoides 30 Podiceps 208 Pcecilodryas s}:).?... 30 Polycarpa tinctor 86 viridis 86 Polydora ciliata .. 41, 43, .53 Polygonum . 118, 119 Polykrikos 145 Pom area castaneiventris 4,5 Icucophthalmus 4 Pomatia 2(J Porella inversa 86 PAGE PAGE Poropterus Pycnoptilus eUipticus ... 25 floccosi'.s 35, 36 Prionodura Pyrocystis newtoniana ... 28,20,31 fii.siformis ... ... 189 Procellaria 120 pseudonoctihi.ca ... 189 urinatrix ... 120 Procellariida; . . . 122 Ralli ... 210 Promethis Eallus angulato. 25 pectoralis ... ... 37 sp.? 25 Rana Prorocentrina ... 183 guppii 7 Prorocentrum ... 145 opisthodon ... ... ... 7 micatis 184 Easores, 206, 207, 208, 209 ,210,211 Prosopogmu.s Easores s. Gallinas ... 206 boisdv.vali ... 25 EatitcB ... ... 209 sp.? 25 Eealia Protaster exquisita ... 143 brisingoides 199 Ehizophylltim ... 201, 202, 204 Protozoa 1413, 183, 190 australe ...201, 202 204, 205 Psalidura elongatum ... ... 203 ahnormis ... 25 gervillei ... 205 Psammobia gotlandicum 204, 205 modesta 8G interpunctatum, 201, 202, Pseudaphritis ... G7, 68 204, 205 bassi G7, 68 tennesseense ... 204 Pseudochirus Ehynchoflagellata ... 188 archeri 27, 28, 30, 31 Ehytida... 26, 139 herbertcnsis... 27. 28, 30, 31 sinclairi ... 139 lenmroides ... 27, 30 Ehytiphora Pseudophryne rosea ... 72 bibroni 24 Eingiciila Pseiidozaena doliaris ... ' 85 tenebrosa ... 102 Eiopa 6 Psophodes Eissoina crepitans 24, 30 smithi ... 85 Ptarietia S2>.?... ... 85 argyrodendron 113 Eoek Parrakeet ... 115 Pteropus Eock Shelters ... 171 edulis 105 Eotifera ... 190 grandis 105 rufus 105 Salarias Ptilinopus sp. ?... ... 101 swaAnsoni ... 31 Salmacis Ptilonorhynchus alexand,ri ... ... 87 violaceus 24 Sarcophyllum Ptilorhis grande ... 87 victoricc 31 Sassafras Tree 20, 26 Ptilotis Satin Bird ... 24 chrysops 31 Sauloprocta fla/vicollis ... 114 motacilloides ... 4 /reimta 31 tricolor ... 4 macleayana 31 Saxicava notata, 31 arctica. ... 86 Puffin 120 Scalsetrochus 6ii, 67 Puffinure de Garnot 120 Scalaria Pupina 135 jukesiana ... ... 85 Pyenompbalvis ... 6Q oculeata ... 85 PAGE Scenopoeus dentirostris ... 30 Schizoporella divisopora ... ... 86 Sclerorrhinus interruptus... ... 25 Selenaria concinna 86, 87 punctata 86, 87 Sericornis citreogularis ... 30 gutturalis ... ... 30 Serpentarius ... 208 She-Oak ... 26 Simpiilosis '^ mastcrsi ... ... 141 Sittella clirysoptera .. ... 178 striata ... 31 Smittia jinfstans ... 86 signata ... 86 Snake-Bird New Holland ... 117 Solon sloani ... 86 Spai-us palpebratus... ... 70 Splueromidte ... 170 Spbecotheres maxillaris ... 31,113 Southern ... 113 SpiriferidcB ... 126 Spongodes Jiorida ... 87 Stenetrium ... 167 Stenothoc ... 168 Sternula chinensis ... 39 placens ... 39 Sticliaster polyplax ... 87 Stigmatium mastersi ... 2.3 Stomatopoda ... 152 Strepera graculina ... ... 30 S wamp Tea-tree ... 113 Synapta dolabri/era ... ... 87 Syngnathus altirosti-is ... ... 55 sji. 'f ... ... 101 spicifcr 55, 101 Synoicus attstralis ... 107 Tteniastei^ australis TanaidiB Tanais ... Tapes injiata turgida Tee-tee ... Tellina sp.^ Terebra hicolor Tetraonida.' Tetrodon altijiinnis .. iinrantiiis .. Thalassina maxima Therates basalis Thinocorus Threskiornis strictipennis Thrush Brown Scrub Tintinnoda- Tintinnopsis mrvicauda . ajathus vcntricosa . Tornatellina inconspicua Tornatina fusiformis . hofmani Toxeutes roysilis Toxicum sp. nov. Tree-fern Trichodesmium Trichosurus johnsto7iii ., Tricondyla aptera Tridacophyllia lactiica. rectifoUa Triforis nigrofuscus. Trigonia strange i Triton jusiformis . Trivia globosa PAGE ... 199 166, 167, 168 153, 167 ...• 86 ... 86 ... 120 ... 86 85 ... 206 ... 110 ... 81 ... 102 ... 206 118, 119 24 24 189 189 189 189 142 85 85 118 179 28, 30 ... 102 124 124 85 86 85 85 PAGB PAGE Trochita Urasterella ... 199 calypiaformis ... 85 selwynii ... 199 Trochus decoratus . . . ... 85 Vanikoro lindstri'tmi ... 66, 67 gaimardi ... ... 85 niloticus ... 66 Varanus Truncatella ... 134 acantlmrus . . . ... 31 Tugalia indiciis 5 2Jarmo})hoidea ... 85 Venus Tula 28, 30 laqueata ... 54 Turbo 125, 128 Vermicella undulat hs . . . ... 125 bertholdi ... ... SO Turbonella Vetotuba 62, 63 nitida ... 85 Vinous-tinted Ulackbird ... 36 Turnices, 206,207, 20S^ 209, 210, 211 Vitrina Turnices S. Heuiipodii ... 206 etheridgei ... ... 78 Turnicidse ... 206 Volverina Turnicina; ... 206 mustellina ... ... 85 Turnix ...206,208, 209, 211 Vorticella ? ... 165 nielanotus ... ... 195 pyrrhothorax ... 195 Wiudan ... 37 Small Black-sp utted ... 195 Wonga-Wonga ... 24 sykesii ... 206 Wood-hen ... 37 velox 107, 195 Wood-swallow 5 Turritella sinuata ... 85 Yappi 27. 30 Typhis arcuakis ... ... 85 Zennia ... 85 EXPLANATION OF PLATE I. Fig. 1. Sternula sinensis, Gmelin. „ 2. Orthonyz spaldingi, Ramsay. „ 3. Ocydronius sylvestris, Sclater. „ 4. Heteromyias cinereifrons, Eamsay, „ 5. Merula vinitincta, Gould. The figures are all of the natural size. The rapid increase in the Collections of the Australian Museum, and the gradual acquisition of extensive aeries of new, or little known forms from Australia, New Guinea, and the Pacific Islands, have forcibly brought under the notice of the Trustees the necessity of officially publishing the investigations of their Scientihc Statf. Hitherto this has been accomplished to a considerable extent through the medium of the local Scientific Societies, but the Trustees now propose to publish under the title of the RECORDS OF THE AUSTRALIAN MUSEUM, an occasional periodical, to contain the Results of Original Researches by the Staff, Reports of Collecting Expeditions, and other matter relating to the work of the Museum. E. P. RAMSAY, Curator. REPORT OX A ZOOLOGICAL COLLECTION EROM THE BOLOxMON ISLANDS. Part I. By E. p. Ramsay. During the moiath of November, 1889, the Museum acquired by purchase a mixed Zoological Collection from the Solomon Islands, in which the species mentioned below are represented. Howla Island, on which the collection was made, belongs to the Shortland Croup, and therefore to the western section of the Archipelago, to the fauna of which, as was to be expected, we find that with few exceptions the terrestrial vertebrates belong.* The exceptions referred to are Eaygrus bibroni, Dendrophis calligaster, and Hyla macrops. The following list conveys a general idea of the Collection : — Mammalia. Cynonycteri.s braciiyotis, Dobson. Two adult specimens. Cepiialotes peroni, Geoffr. Four specimens. PiiYLLORiilNA niADEMA, frP.offr. Seven specimens. Aves. The specimens received are represented by seven species, which, although only one is new to science, may be enumerated to show the range of the species throughout the group. All were obtained from the Island of Howla. Halcyon leucopygialis, Vtrr. This exceedingly beautiful and rai'e species has been hitherto, so far as I am aware, only recoixled from the Island of Gaudalcanar (see Notes on the Zoology of the Solomon Islands, in the P.L.S., N.S.W., (1) iv. p! G7 (1879), where it was re-discovered by Mr. James Cockerell, Junr., in 1878. *This conclusion is principally based on the excellent papers of Messrs. Thomas and Boulenger (P.Z.S., 1887-8). Halcyon alricilla, Cicv. This remarkable species has a wide range all over the Solomon Group, South-East of New Guinea, New Britain, New Ireland, and the Duke of York Islands. Edoliisoma salomonensis, Ramsay. Graucalus salomo7iensis, Ramsay, P.L.S., N.S.W., (1) iv p. 314 ; id. (1) vii. p. 22 (1882), sp. 20. Gra^icahis pttsillus, Ramsay, P.L.S., N.8.W., (1) iv. p. 71. (1879). An interesting species allied to Grnucalits sivainsoni, var. lineatus. Sauloprocta tricolor, Yieill. ■ Ramsay, P. L. S., N.S.W., (1) iv. p. 82 (1879). This is a large form of the well known Australian species, S. motaciUoides ; the young just from the nest resemble the adults, but have the featliers of the shoulders, upper wing-coverts and scapulars tipped with dull brown. POMAUEA LEUCOPIITIIALMUS, S;J. nOV. The present species of Fomarea I Ijelieve to be undescribed, as I have not been able to lind any description with which it agrees. It comes near Fomarea castaneiveniris (Verr.), but is a slightly 1 irger bird. Head, neck, tliroat, chest, and all the upper surface shiny black, the featliers of the throat in tlie female (?) elongated, under surface of the wings and tail feathers dark brown, the inner margins of the primaries below dull ashy-white, al)domen, under wing- and tail-coverts dark chestnut, a conspicuous crescent- shaped spot of white in front of the eye of the female ( ? ?) ; in the male (?) this spot is light rufous, but may have been stained by the spirits in which the specimens were preserved ; bill l)lack, margins of the mandibles horn-wliite, legs and feet black. Total leng^th G-6 - 6-8 inches, wings .5-25 -5-5 inches, tail 3 inches, tarsus 0-7 - 0-81 inch, bill from forehead Ow - 075 inch, fron nostril 0-5 inch, height at nostril 025 -0-3 inch, widtli at nostri. 0-25 - 0-3 inch. This species diiiers from Fomarea castaneiveniris (Verr.) in having a crescent-shaped white mark on the lores in front of the eye, the tail and wings above shining blue-black, the under sui'face blackish-bfown, witli the margins of the quills shading into ashy wliitc^ on their inner webs, there is also a greater extent of black on the sides of tiie chest. In one specimen ? there is just the slightest tip of white on .some of the outer tail feathers, and the chestnut or chocolate tint of the under surface is darker and of a more coppery hue than in those figured in the British Museum Catalogue, Vol. iv., pi. xi., representing P. castaneiventris (Verr.). DiccEUM iEXEUM, Fuchev. et Jacq. This handsome species was first described froin a female by Hombron ^ Jacquinot, in Voy. au Pole Sud., pi. ii2, fig. 4, 1845, under tlie name of Dicce bronze, and afterwards by Pucheran and Jacquinot, Voy. au Pole Sud. Zool. p. 97 (1S53), as D. mneum. Dendrociielidon mystacea, Less. A peculiar and interesting form which seems to be dispersed over the whole of the Solomon Islands, the Louisiades, Soutli- eastern New Guinea, the New Britain Group, and also in the Malay Arcliipelago. It nests in trees, much after the haljit of the Wood-Swallows (Artaiims), and the nest is made of sticks and twigs ; the eggs, 3 or 4 in number, are oblong, and white without any markings. Part II. By J. Douglas Ogilby. Reptilia. Crocodilus porosus, Helm. Unc immature example. Geiiyra OCEAXICA, Lgss. One specimen. tilECKO viTTATUS, llovM. Seven specimens. Varanus indicus, Baud. Two specimens. Corucia zebrata, Graij. One specimen. Lygosoma smaragdinum. Less. Six specimens. CYANURUM, Less. Two specimens. cyanogaster. Less. Two specimens. Lygosoma striato-fasciatum, s}). nov. Habit stout ; the distance between the end of the snout and the fore limb is contained once and two-fifths in the distance between the axilla and groin. Snout short, obtusely rounded. Loreal re-ion vertical. Lower eyelid scaly. Nostril pierced between a nalal and a supra-nasal the latter being the smaller. Fronto- nasal one-fourth In-oader than long, forming an equally broad suture with the rostral and tlie frontal ; prefrontals small ; frontal heptagonal, the two posterior sides forming a right angle, in contact with the two anterior supraoculars, and rather shorter than the frontoparietals and parietals together ; four supraoculars, the second slightly larger than the third ; eight supraciliaries, the first the largest ; frontoparietals distinct, equal m length to the interparietal ; parietals forming a suture behind the inter- parietal ; a pair of nuchals and a pair of temporals bordering the parietals ; sixth upper labial beneath the middle of the eye, and not larger than the othei's ; upper labials completely separated from the lower eyelid by a row of scales equal in size to the supraciliaries. Ear-opening oval, vertical, about one half of the size of the eye-opening, with five small lobules anteriorly. Thirty- three smootli scales round the middle of the body ; dorsal scales much larger than the laterals and ventrals, which are of equal size ; preanals not enlai-ged. Tlie adpressed hind-limb overlaps the wrist ; digits moderate, compressed ; sub-digital lamelhe twenty-three under the fonrth toe. Tail rather short and stout, not much longer than the head and body. Colours — Above yellowish-brown, below creamy-white ; a series of vertical violet bars on the labials ; a violet band from the angle of the mouth, inclining inwards along the throat, and not reaching quite so far backward as the fore limb ; a similar, but shorter and more indistinct, parallel band from the sixth upper labial ; upper surface with .seven narrow dark-blue longitudinal bands, which cease about half way along the tail, and correspond to the intersection of the series of scales ; a few similar, but less conspicuous bands between the limljs ; fifteen rather irregular broad dark brown transverse bands on tlie body continued for some distance down the sides ; onUiv surfaces of linilis with narrow dark blue longi- tudinal lines. Inches. Millim. Total length U'GG ... 372 Length ohiead 1-22 ... 31 WidUi of head 0-88 ... 22 Length of body 5-59 ... 142 Length of fore limb 1-75 ... 44 Length of hind limb ... 2-35 ... 60 Length of tail 7-85 ... 199 Tins Lizard belongs to the sub-genus liio]>a, and though undeniably clos(!ly allied to Dr. Gunther's Ewneces alho/asciulatits, hitherto record(>.d from Northern Australia, New Ireland, and the Duke of York and Solomon groups, still, putting aside the very distinct pattern of coloration, I consider that the dilierences cited sufficiently justify me in describing the species as new. These dilierences are as follows : — (1) The greater com- parative length between the tip of the snout and the fore lindj ; (2) the reduced number of supraoculars ; (i3) the equality in size b(itween the interparietal and either frontopjirietal ;* (4) tlie non-enlargment of the sixtii upper labial ; and (5) the distinct ©verlapping of the adpressed limbs. * This character is not prominently brought out in the figure of the kead shields in tlie latest Hrrtish Museum Catalogue. Enygrus carinatus, Schn. One specimen. BiBRONi, //. (fc J. Two specimens. Dendrophis calligaster, Gnth. One immature example. DiPSAS IRREGULARIS, Merr. Six specimens. HoPLOCEPliALUS PAR, BIrjr. Three specimens. Batrachia. Rana guppii, Blyr. One specimen. OPiSTHODON, Blgr. Four specimens. The very interesting account given by Mr. Boulenger of the curious breeding habits of this Frog will well repay perusal. (See Trans. Zool. Soc. xii. p. 51.) Ceratobatraciius guentiieri, Bl'jr. Three specimens. Hyla macrops, Bl(/r. One specimen. Pisces. Ch^todon vittatus, Bl. One specimen. GoBiODON RivuLATUS, Bajjp. One specimen. Amphisile strigata. Gnth. Nineteen specimens. Heliastes lepidurus, C. V. One specimen. Fierasfer iiomii, Bich. One specimen. Opiiiciitiiys COLUBRINUS, Bodd. One specimen. Crustacea. Mr. Whitelegge has determined the members of this Class as follows : — Gelasimus vocans, Fabr. Seventy-five specimens. Matuta victrix, Fabr. Thirteen specimens. Calappa hepatica, Linn. Three specimens. Thalassina maxima, Hess. One specimen. BiRGUS LATRO, Herbst. One specimen. Inseota. Mr Olliff reports as follows :— "The Collection contains a few interesting Longicorns, chiefly belonging to the genus Batocera, and one or two Dynastidoi which are new to the Collection, but the majority are well-known forms." Echinodermata. The only species represented is — Archaster typicus, J/, (t T. Four specimens. RE-DESCRTPTION OF AN AUSTRALIAN SKINK. By E. p. Ramsay efe J. Douglas Ogilby. Lygosoma MACCOOEYI, sp. nov* Habit lacertiform ; tlie distance between the end of the snout and the fore limb is contain(^d once and two-tifths in the distance Vietween the axiUa and groin. Snout short, obtusely rounded. Lower eyelid with an undivided transparent disc. Nostril pierced in the nasal ; no supi-a-nasals ;j fronto-nasal much broader than long, forming a liroad suture with the rosti-al, and a narrow one witJi the frontal ; prefrontals large, much bent down on the sides ;:|: frontal pentagonal, forming a rounded angle posteriorly, equal in length to or but little shorter than the frontoparietal, and in contact with the two anterior supraoculars ; four supra- oculars, the second the largest ; seven supraciliaries ; fronto- parietal single, followed by a small interparietal ; parietals forming a median suture behind the interparietal ; a pair of nuchals and a pair of temporals bordering the parietals ; fifth upper labial much the largest, entering the eye. Ear-opening oval, slightly smaller than the transparent palpebral disc, with a single obtuse lobule anteriorly. Thirty-two scales round the middle of the body, the dorsals \ery indistinctly bi- or tricarinate, the laterals a little smaller than the dorsals or ventrals ; preanal .scales slightly enlarged. The hind limb when stretched forward reaches the elbow ; fingers four, toes five ; sub-digital lamella? twenty to twenty three under the fourth toe. Tail one-third longer than the head and body. Colors — Above rich olive-brown, most of the scales from the shoulders to nearly the end of the tail with two or th)-ee light-blue longitudinal pencillings which are generally edged with black ; these are absent on the sides of the body, but present on those of the tnil ; in some specimens there are two Ijroad orange lateral bands between the limbs, separated by a blue l)and ; in others a single orange band bordered abo%e and below by blue, while in a third section the orange is *Since publishing the description of the original specimen in the Proc. Linn. Soc, N.S. Wales, Dec, 1889, several fine specimens have been received, the examination of which necessitates the amplification of that description as here given. fin one specimen there is a lar^e supra-nasal on one side, which is ■wanting on the other. Jin one spfci«nt^ these shields are in contact with the second upper laWal. 9 entirely wanting, leaving the sides blue ; sides of head bluish- brown ; labials and chin greyish-white ; throat, abdomen, and under surface of tail light greenish-blue, each scale of the hinder two-thirds of the latter with a distinct posterior Ijrown margin, which becomes more accentuated towards the tip ; lindjs blue, the outer scales broadly brown-edged, and with an occasional orange spot. Inches. Millini. Totallength 5-65 ... 143 Length of head 0-52 ... 13 Width of head 041 ... 0 Body 1-88 ... 48 Fore limb 0-67 ... 17 Hind limb 0-91 ... 23 Tail 3-25 ... 82 The Lizard above de.scribed was obtained by Mr. H. J. McCooey at l>rawlin near Cootamundra, where it does not appear to be scarce ; the Mu.seum is indebted to this gentleman for many interesting and valuable specimens both zoological and ethno- logical, and we have therefore much pleasure in dedicating this well marked and interesting species to its discoverer. The species belongs to the small section of Dumeril and Bibron's genus Liolepisma, which is characterized by the absence of a fifth finger and the conjunction of the fronto-parietals, its nearest ally being apparently Mocoa tetradactyla, O'Shaughn. ; the most obvious distinctions between the two forms, as taken from Mr. Boulenger's description of O'Shaughnessy's species and from that given above are as follows : — In L. tetraAactylum (1) the head is much larger, both as to length and breadth, in comparison with the body (14 and 10 to 41 against 13 and 9 to 44 mm.) ; (2) the prefrontals ai'e in contact ; (3) the frontal is much shorter than the fronto-parietal ; (4) the scales have no trace of carination ; (5) the non-enlargement of the preanals ; (6) the shorter tail ; and (7) the ditl'erent pattern of coloration. Even, howevei", should future investigation prove Lyyosoma maccooeyi to be a handsome vai'iety of L. tetradactylum^ much will have been gained by fixing indisputably the h.ibitat of that species ; and should this conclu.sion be arrived at we have little doubt that L. pectorale {Ileteropus pectorali)>, De Vis) will also have to become a .synonym of L. tetradactylum, but the description is unfortunately so inadequate that it is quite impossible to determine this question without an examination of the original type. 10 RE-DESORIPTION OF AN ABLEPIIARUS FROM AUSTRALIA. By J. Douglas Ogilby. AbLEPIIARUS BOULENGERI, sp. 710V* Habit lacertiform ; the distance between the end of the snout and the fore limb is rather less than one-half the distance between the axilla and groin. Head small ; snout moderate, obtuse ; rostral not projecting. Eye incompletely surrounded by granules. No.stril pierced in a nasal ; supra-nasals present. Frontonasal large, forming a narrow suture with the rostral and a .slightly broader one with the frontal ; pre-frontals small ; frontal penta- gonal, forming a rounded angle posteriorly, not so long as the fronto-parietal and inter-parietal together, nuich larger than the prefrontals, and in contact with the two anterior supra-oculars ; four supra-oculars, the second much the largest ; six supra-ciliaries, the first large the last minute ; fronto-parietal single, cordiforiii, followed by a moderate inter-parietal ; parietals forming a median suture behind the inter-parietal ; a pair of enlarged nuchals on either side ; lifth upper labial beneatli the eye, much larger than the others. Ear-opening large, oval, oblique, with no distinct anterior lol)ules. Thirty smooth scales round the middle of the body. Limbs moderately developed, pentadactyle ; the adpressed limbs do not meet ; subdigital lamelhe sixteen beneath the fourth toe. Tail not quite so long as head and body. Colours — Bronzy above, each of the scales of the back with a dull blackish spot, which on either side of the vertebral colunni form an indistinct darker band ; tail without spots ; a pale salmon-colored lateral band extending from the angle of the mouth, through the ear- opening, and passing above the fore limb to the groin, bordered above by n broader, below by a narrower black band ; lips and cheeks freckled with black ; upper surface of the limbs bronzy, with lighter and darker spots ; lower sides of head and body white tinted with green, of tail salmon color, the last fifth silvery, spotted with black. Inches. Millini. Total length 3-57 ... 90 Length of head ... ... 0'33 ... 8 Width of head 0-24 ... 6 Length of body ... ... 1-52 ... 38 Length of fore limb 0-40 ... 9 Length of hind limb ... 0-65 ... IG Length of tail 172 ... 44 The beautiful Lizard described abo\ e is another of Mr. McCooey's discoveries at Brawlin. I have taken the liberty of dedicating *See foot-note * p. 8. 11 the species to Mr. Boulenger, as a slight recognition of the impetus which he has given to herpctological science by formu- lating a definite method for tlie description of the species belon£i;inac, better known as the Threadbow River, is crossed, not far from its junction with the former. Here at Mr. Spencer's old station " Westpoint," mentioned in Dr. Lendenfeld's Report, a rest was made, and from thence for a considerable time we followed his route. For some seven miles there is a splendid track, formerly used by bullock drays, and this part of the journey must have been in Dr. Lendenfeld's mind when he made the assertion that he could drive a carriage to Mt. Kosciusko. At a place called Wilson's Valley this fine track ceases, and from thence it is utterly impossible to proceed except on foot or horseback. The rises, hitherto with but few exceptions having been gradual, occasionally now got very abrupt for short distances, while intervening bogs and thick scrub made it rather ditlicult to bring a pack on safely. We got on pretty well however, as the guide was a very careful man and the horse very docile. Just l)efore sundown we reached Tom's Flat, and camped for the night. During the day I dismounted many times and obtained a few good insects, and at night I got several specimens of Galaxias in the creek near the camp by the aid of a lantern. Next morning an early start was made, and we reached a camping place at nn altitude of about 6, GOO feet, and the next day reached the highest peaks. The place we camped at was on the margin of the scantily timbered part of the country, opposite the eastern " butt " of the " Perisher," a desolate rugged mountain range nearly surrounded by water, two different branches of the Snowy River closely flanking it. In ascending to Mts. Townsend and Kosciusko the scrub gets more 13 and more stunted, and the open is covered with a thick sward of tussock grass, at times quite dense and from six to eight inches in height. Where the ground is not swampy and sour, it yields splendid pasturage, particularly for cattle. Only now and again some of the pretty alpine Mowers are met with, mostly Gentians (G. montana) and Heliochrysums. The Celmisias, of which large patches are found, like many other alpine plants were past flowering, and had already shed their seeds. I managed to collect the seeds of about a dozen kinds, mostly Coinpositic. On the whole with such a bleak day as we had, and at the time of the year, the higher parts of the ranges did not look very attractive. Much of the almost desert-like look was undoubtedly caused through the flring which had been cari'ied on to an unusual extent during the long dry summei'. On every peak half burned and dead scrub stared us in the face. We reached Mt. Townsend about half-past eleven, and Mt. Kosciusko an hour later. Mt. Townsend is easily accessible, and in a northerly direction is connected with Mt. Clarke by a saddle. By turning to the left from Mt. Clarke over another saddle ]Mt. Kosciusko, or, as called by Pr. Lendenfeld, " Mueller's Peak," is reached. This peak, surmounted by a large cairn, affords a tine view and is the most frequently visited. It is somewhat surprising there- fore that the error in Townsend's map of this interesting part has not been rectifled (unless it has been done quite recently). I regretted very much that I had left Dr. Lendenfeld's Report at the camp, and tlierefore could not compare the map on the spot and correct it, which I would not care to do from memory. The error is that the Snowy River is made to flow from the saddle connecting Mt. Clarke with Mt. Kosciusko, whilst in reality it is plainly seen to flow into the Murray from the peak. Mt. Clarke on the contrary coiniects in a northei'ly direction by various lower peaks and saddles with the " Big Boogong," a very prominent mountain di\'iding the Snowy and Murray waters. I was very desirous to obtain specimens of Natural History from these high elevations, but owing no doubt to the cold weather nothing was visible. Over the liighest waterhole of Australia (7,000 feet altitude), at the foot of Mt. Kosciusko, a few dipterous insects were hovering, of which I secured about half-a-dozen, and in a pool a little lower in Wilkinson's Valley 1 found two species of frogs in a young state. Besides these only several kinds of seeds were collected here. The absence of Galaxias at this elevation struck me as peculiar. It is, however, remarkable that on the Snowy River side these tishes are met with almost everywhere. From Mt. Kosciusko we somewhat retraced our steps through Wilkinson's Valley, and leaving Mt. Townsend on our right 14 crossed one of tlu* pennanent snowfields which are hanging everywhere on the south-east side of the; liigheat ranges. Crossing a saddle that again divides the >Snowy and Murray waters, by turning slightly to the left we reached the liighest peak of the Rauishead Range, which from our position extends almost in a true easterly direction, and divides the Snowy and Crackenbac Rivers. My aim was to obtain some " Boogongs," the native name for the moths which so abundantly occur- on this range, and no doubt have given it its name. From descriptions I expected to find a large Sphinx, and was puzzled how such an insect could exist in such masses at this altitude and in a comparatively barren country. What I found was a Noctuid moth, an Agrotis* probably the same as is found in New Zealand, and likely to be a cosmopolitan species. The first I disco\-ered was sitting in a crevice, and as soon as I saw it I knew where to look for more. On lifting some of the stone slabs, split from the rock by frost, dozens .scrambled away in all directions. I secured some fifty specimens, and but for the high wind might perhaps have caught many more. Why, at such an elevation (from 0,000 to 7,000 feet), millions of these insects should be found, is perhaps one of the most remarkable problems in the insect world. The conditions are by no means favoral)le, because sometinies during nearly .seven months of the year the country is covered with snow, and when the summer conies immense numbers of birds pursue them, particularly the crows which may always be found by thou.sands aliout the rocks where tlie " Boogongs " con- gregate. In former years before rum and disease had diminished the aborigines, hundi'eds of them went regularly to the ranges " Boogonging," and lived for montlis on almost nothing Ijut these insects, returning fat and with a polished skin. An informant, who has lived in Monaro for over forty-live years, told me as follows : — In October, as soon as the snow had melted on the lower ranges, small parties of blackfellows would in fine weather start for the rocks on the sunnnit to get " Boogongs " (most likely hybernated examples), and perhaps return if the weather changed ; but a great gathering usually took place about Christmas on tlie highest ranges, and for about two months a great feast of roasted moths would be held. He assured me he has seen corroborees of 500 to 700 aboriginals on the mountains, in which the various tribes that took part were friendly, some of them coming from a great distance. Their method of catching these insects was both simple and effective. With a burning or smoldering bush they entered as far as possible the rents in the rock.s, and by the heat and smoke stifie the thickly congregated insects sitting in the upper parts of the *This species has be'in identified by Mr. OUiff as Agrotis spina, Gn., immense swarms of which appeared on the sea-board of Victoria and New Soi\th Wales in the early part of the present siunmer. — Ed. 15 cracks. The stupified and half singed insects were gathered on outstretched kangaroo skins, or on fine nets made of the fibre of tlie "Currajong" tree or the bark of a Pimelia, prepared with great care, expanded on two poles, and then conveyed to hot ashes wherein they were well stirred till done. The bodies would then be shrivelled to the size of a grain of wheat, and the number con- sumed by such an assemblage must have been consideraljle. The larva?, from what I can see, must principally live upon the tussock grass, since that is the only plant in these regions which could pos- sibly outlive the attack of such numbers of these voracious insects. Towards evening we reached a place just below Pretty Point, which I had selected on my up journey, and in the choice of which I was not disappointed. On my way when crossing Tom's Flat I gave the glacier marked rock, spoken of in Dr. Lendenfeld's Report, a rapid but still careful examination, and cannot say that I discovered any distinct stria?, such, for instance, as I had seen in New Zealand, nor had I seen any previously on the rocks in Wilkinson's Valley. There are certainly patches of polished surface to be found, but these in my opinion may easily be produced by less heavy friction than glacier action. I have found polished patches on several rocks, though not so large as those on the rock on Tom's Flat, and almost feel inclined to attribute them to cleavage in the granite where some quartz or quartzose veins or perhaps micacious veins occur. The absence, so far as I can see, of any old moraines leaves the glacier question very doubtful. If any remnants of a moraine were found at the base of Wilkinson's Valley, the matter might fairly be considered settled, but unless this be the case there seems to me not much ground for it. The aspect of Wilkinson's Valley undoubtedly favors a glacial formation, but then in my opinion the moraine should also be there. It was not within the scope of my researches to spend any time over this interesting question, but a few days' careful examination and search in the right places would, I believe, settle the matter beyond dispute. J\ly first night camping near Pretty Point was again very unpleasant, the strong wind lilowing the tent down and breaking the ridge-pole. After a perishing night the sun rose bright, and the wind abated considerably, I therefore selected a better sheltered place, and impro\ed it by a breakwind made of felled trees. This precaution made me fairly comfortable for the remainder of my stay at this camp, from the 7th to the 23rd March. As anticipated this place proved a fine collecting ground, and it is not likely a better locality could be found in the ranges. Forest scrub, swamp, plains, and small watercourses are more or less approximate, and only for the lateness of the season I should have done still better. Here I obtained the greater number of my Alpine Lepidoptera, and also many interesting Cohoptera, besides many specimens of other orders of insects. The only species 16 of Mus obtained hy lue was caught here in my tent. But perhaps the most intor'esting contribution to my Collection was made on Sunday, lOtli Marcli, in the shape of a specimen of Peripatus. This intei'esting lind was later on augmented by two others, and one specimen was obtained on the 19th at an elevation of at least 5,700 feet. This is the highest altitude at which I obtained this interesting Myriapod, and as far as I am aware none have been previously found at such an elevation. It must be remem- bei'ed that this locality for at least from four to five months is frequently covered with several feet of snow. During my stay there I experienced several frosty nights. After a few rough and cold nights, which made insects very scarce, I shifted on the 2.jrd of jVLarcli to a well sheltered place called Wilson's Valley, at an altitude of about 5,000 feet, and stayed there for the remainder of my time. Being favored with exceptionally fine weather for the time of the year, I was lucky enough to obtain in this locality many fine insects, particularly some interesting CoJpoptera^ Diptera, etc., and the greater number of the Peripati(.s was also obtained here, but only one variety which I did not get amongst the four specimens from the higiiei' altitude. There are in my opinion three distinct species in the collection brought l)y me, and one doubtful species or variety. In this place were also obtained a good number of Planarian worms, and some Mollusks, including an interesting (most likely new) naked species. The comparatively short stay amongst the mountains scarcely enabled me to thoroughly explore even those parts of the imme- diate neighbourhood of my camping places, and still less the whole of the mountain ranges. If with this is taken into consideration that my collections are made from the autumnal fauna, and that I secured none of those animals that make their appearance in spring or early summer, it stands to reason that the result of my captures cannot give anything like a fair representation of the extremely interesting mountain faimia. Considering tliat the Kosciusko plateau alone is estimated to contain upwards of 160 square miles, there is an innnense tract of country still waiting for a thorough zoological examination. Already xnHt stretches of country are annually burnt off to improvi^ the pasturage, and during summer, when through the devastation of forests, the water gets scarcer in the low lying- parts, and consequently the pasturage parched up, the mountains will be more resorted to. The finish of my trip, like the beginning, was a wet one. Rain just started the morning of the day I had appointed to break up camp, and lasted for several days, giving me .some trouble to get things dry again. It is, however, very satisfactory to me to be able to report that in spite of this and of rough coaching over some 75 miles, I have l)rought all my collections without mishap to Sydney. 17 GENERAL NOTES MADE DURING A VISIT TO MOUNT SASSAFRAS, SHOALHAVEN DISTRICT, BY MESSRS. R. ETHERIDGE Junk., AND J. A. THORPE. By R. Etiieridge, Junk., Palaeontologist to the Australian Museum and Geological Survey of N. S. Wales. The following "Notes" were collected during a ten days' trip from Tarago, on the Cooma Branch of the Southern Railway to IMayfield, the residence of Mr. C. H. Roberts, J. P., on Boro Creek, a tributary of the Siioalhaven Rivei', and thence to Mount Sassafras, in the Parish of Sassafras, County St. Vincent. The rapid movements of the party render the " Notes " but imperfect and tentative at the best, but as such, it is hoped they may be found of some service to future travellers in that district. Geology. — Between Tarago and Mayfield the country is gently undulating, speaking generally, and but little rock is visible in place, the aspect of the ground, however, is that generally assumed by rocks of Silurian age, hidden by a surfacing of local drift or wash. At Mayfield the configuration of the ground is more rugged, grits, greywackes, and altered nrudstones Ijeing exposed along the flanks and summits of the ranges, and these I take to be without doubt of Silurian age. The average height of these ranges, taking the Mayfield Trignometrical Station as an example, is aljout 500 feet above the flat, although of course some of the hills ascend to a much greater altitude. Immediately opposite Mayfield Homestead pinkish ternary granite occurs in the creek bed, and is traceable along the alluvial flat for some little distance down the creek. In the home paddock to the west of the homestead occurs a low hillock of ironstone. An opportunity did not permit of my ascertaining the precise relations of this deposit to the surrounding Silurian rocks. It may V)e a reef in them, or form a capping of Tertiary ironstone, unconformable to the former, and I am rather inclined to favour this view. In the Boro Creek, in a direct north- easterly line from this point occurs a highly altered white siliceous grit of a very remarkable character. The soil on the western side of the Boro Creek is of a very sandy nature, of that peculiar appearance assumed by drift derived from gi'anite disintegration, and it is possible that a considerable area of that rock may be concealed here. The track from Mayfield towards the Sassafras passes over much of this sandy country, extending as far as the crossing over the Boro Creek at Virginia Water, the residence of Mr. Peter Roberts. Here a fine alluvial flat has been formed. From this point onwards rough Silurian country is traversed as far as 18 Tomboye, the station of Mr. P. A. Stuart, although the homestead stands on a patch of basalt, but whether an outlier or portion of a large flow, time did not permit me to ascertain. Descending gradually again over Silurian ground the track joins the main Braidwood coach road, and continues onward until immediately before crossing the Ningie Nimble Creek another outcrop of basalt occurs, near the local post-receiving othce. Onwards from this point Silurian rocks seem to predominate in the valley of the Coorong River, which is crossed, until east of the ISTerriga Hotel, near the village of Nerriga, a third patch of basalt is observable in the road cutting. After leaving Nerriga the country becomes mucli more rugged, and a few miles further a rapid descent takes place to the bed of the Endrick or Bulee E.iver, a rocky, well-watered stream, also like the preceding watercourses a tributary of the Slioalhaven River. Overlooking it, on the west side, is again a basaltic escarpment. The road, a main one by-the-bye, immediately after crossing the river leads up the latter on the east side, partially in the bed, and a more disgraceful piece of road planning could not have been devised. The four bivsaltic outliers I ha^-e here recorded do not appear to be shown on the " Geological Sketch Map of N. S. Wales." Throughout the whole of the district so far passed over, the strongest evidence exists of its probably auriferous character, especially from Boro Creek at Virginia Water onwards. Large quantities of scattered quartx are observable, and a few defined reefs were seen. As early as 1851 this district was reported l)y the Rev. W, B. Clarke* as an auriferous area. He says, "it" (i.e. gold) " also occurs . . . .in all the creeks falling to the Shoalhaven from the Nerriga district." Mr. Clarke also states that gold was found at Boro Flat. Nerriga now seems to be the centre of a promising little goldfield, as several large claims are being worked for alluvial gold along the Shoalhaven River and some of its tributaries. Encouraging reports of these are given in the " Annual Reports of the Department of Mines " for 188G and 18871 l)y Mr. James Gal way, Mining Registrar. He there describes the opei'ations of the Cooi'ong Sluicing Company, who have probal)ly " made the most complete and extensive race in the Colony." This race, a portion of which came under our notice, takes its supply from the Coorong River, and is some twenty-four miles in length. From the Endrick or Bulee River a vei-y i-apid ascent takes place up the steep short spurs of Mount Bulee, as the western portion of the Sassafras plateau is called, the road ultimately * Votes & Proc. Leg. Council N. S. Wales, 1851, 121-ft (Geol. Surveys), p. 8G ; also Researches in the Southern Goldfields of N. S. Wales, 18G0, p. 20. tAnn. Eeport Dept. Miaes N.S.Wales for 188G (1887), p. 73, and Ibid for 1877 (1888), p. 70. 19 passing thi'ough the " Gap," a break in the precipitous and rugged escarpment of Hawkesbury Sandstone, which here unconformably overlies the untilted Silurian rocks. The latter can be seen almost vertical along the river-bed road previously mentioned, with a general north and south strike, the junction of the Silurian and Hawkesbury rocks taking place a little below the escarpment. The plateau now reached, and of which Mounts Bulee and Sassafras only form portions, consists of a high tableland of Hawkesbury Sandstone, and possesses many features in common with the physical aspect of the district north of Port Jackson. The Bulee escai'pment exhibits some grand examples of rock weathering, the particular form here taken being the castellated, producing large detached buttresses gradually decreasing upwards, and disintegrating in thin layers or laminaj, like so many pancakes piled one on the other. From above Bulee Gap the road proceeds over the tableland, now rising, now descending, but never to any great extent, until the summit of Mt. Sassafras is insensibly reached. A short distance before Mr. Greg's accommodation house comes into view, a marked change takes place in the appearance of the ground, which suddenly passes from the glistening sandy soil of the Hawkes- bury Sandstone to a rich red and brown loam, resulting from the decomposition of the basaltic rock of which the summit of the mount is composed, but when first struck the latter rock appears only as cappings to the low spurs of sandstone. The basalt is described by Mr. C. S. Wilkinson as intrusive,* and I have been favoured by my colleague, Mr. W. Anderson, of the Geological Survey, with the following notes on^ this rock from specimens collected by us. " It is a dolerite consisting of tricliiuc felspar, augite, olivine, and magnetite, but none of the minerals showing much decom- position. The olivine contains many included crystals of magnetite, and neither it nor the augite show distinctly crystalline outlines, the latter occurring as large irregular sliaped pieces, in which are embedded both felspar and olivine, showing that it was one of the latest minerals to crystallize out," At the Gap our attention was called by Mr. C. H. Roberts to a large branch of fossil wood, which had been obtained in situ in the Hawkesbury Sandstone. It is silicified, microscopic sections failing to yield more definite details than the feet that the wood is probably coniferous. Mt. Sassafras is the highest point on the watershed between the heads of the Clyde River on the south, and the Ettrema and Danjera CreelvS, Ijranches of the Yalwal Creek, a tributary of the Shoalhaven River, on the north. It is stated to be 3,125 feet above sea level, and rises considerably higher than the tableland around it. * Ann. Report Dept. Mines^ N. S. Wales, for 1885 (1886) p. 132. 20 The general physical features of the Sassafras Tableland, on either side the watershed are simple but marked, shallow, open, basin-like gullies, and wide fiats, surrounded by low steep scarps of weathered rock, the dividing ridges covered with stunted timber, or forming open heaths and scrubby spaces, and the flats usually swampy and clothed with coarse grass. Tliese spots are in fact swamps and feeders for the headwaters of the creeks previously named. On the south, in addition to the Clyde River, the Endrick brancli known as the Bulee Creek, takes its rise in olishoots from Mt. Sassafras, a long narrow nortli and south ridge separating the former from the two latter. The Clyde River, two or three miles from its source forms a precipitous ravine, or goi'ge, 600 feet deep. The V)asaltic spurs and summit of Mt. Sassafras support a vigorous growth of Messmate, the change to a more stunted form of Eucalypt, the moment the Hawkesbury Sandstone is reached, being a most marked one. The gullies on the north and north-easterly aspect of the Sassafras present quite a different character, being very deep, with steep sides, clothed by a dense subtropical vegetation of vines, creepers, tree ferns, various large Eucalypts. and the handsome Sassafras tree ( Dorypliora sasmfrai^), fiom which the general plateau takes its name. This beautiful tree occurs throughout T.he Illawarra country, following the coast region, but it is particularly abundant hereabouts. A magnificent view is obtained from the higher parts of Mt. Sas.safras where the ground has been cleared, over the Shoalhav^en Valley and Jervis Bay, with Mount Cooloomgatta in the distance, frequently seen above the floating clouds of the low ground. The course of the creeks previously mentioned, flowing to the northward, is particularly well marked, from the scarp-like outline assumed by the Hawkes- bury rocks at the margin of the deep gorges whicli they have cut. The Clyde River,* about three niilee from its source in the Sassafras swamps, in a fine deep ravine, witli similar branch gullies presenting high perpendicular precipices of sandstone, producing scenery closely resembling that of the Blue Mountains, supporting a subtropical growth, which renders progression very difficult. Deep waterholes and falls are numerous, and the bed of the river is generally rocky and encumbered with huge boulders and fallen blocks. A few years ago the Coal Measures were discovered in this river underlying the Hawkesbury Sand- stone, and the seams of coal were reportedf on by Mr. N. Taylor, of the Victorian Geological Survey. We visited the seams in question, situated in the Parish of Endrick, three 640 acre blocks *A short shetch of the Geology of the Clyde River was yiven many years ago by Mr. Alexander Berry, in a jaaper entitled " On the Geology of part of the Coast of New South Wales." [13arron Field's Geographical Memoirs of N.S. Wales, pp. 246-248 (8vo, London, 1825).] fHis lleport appeared m the Milton and Ulladullu Times. 21 having been taken up for the purpose of prospecting the measures. A full report was subsequently made by the Government fxeologist, Mr. C. S. Wilkinson,* in which he gives the following general section : — Hawkesbury Sandstone and conglomerates ... 300ft. Marine beds, conglomerate, sandstone and shales.. 200ft. Coal Measures, bituminous shales, sandstones, coals, and kerosene shale ... ... ... 120ft. 620ft. He mentions three coal seams, two of which only came under our notice. The lowest, including its bituminous and shaly partings, is sixteen feet thick ; fifty feet above this are Nos. 2 and 3, which we saw. The immediate coal-bearing measures seemed to me to be about lifty feet thick above these seams at the point where we struck them, the uppermost or No. 3 being three feet, and the lower or No. 2 about two feet in thickness, separated by a few feet of strata. The fifty foet of measures above are generally seamed with thin irregular bands of coal of no workable value. The kerosene shale is poor in quality. The measures are very flat, not dipping at a greater angle than 4" to 6° in a south-westerly direction. Mr. Wilkinson remarks that the upper part of No. 1, or the lowest seam, which contains four feet nine inches of workable coal, will yield after due allowance for loss and waste in getting, at the rate of 3,778 tons of large coal, and 1,259 tons of small coal per acre. In the present condition of the country the working of these seams is hopeless, the simplest method would probably be by sinking from a convenient spot on the Hawkesbury plateau above. Mr. Wilkinson states that to the westward the Coal Measures do not extend beyond Narriga, where the Siluro-Devonian gold- bearing formation rises to the surface. So far as our rajiid movements would allow me to judge, the area to the westward of the Clyde River occupied by this formation must be much curtailed. So far no indications presented themselves of an outcrop of Coal Measures during the ascent of Mt. Bulee, and the probability is that in this direction they have thinned out. The presence of the kerosene shale enables the position of these beds to be ascertained with tolerable accuracy. The r'esearches of the Geological Survey Oificers appear now to have placed it beyond a doubt, that the Lower Coal Measures at Greta, Port Stephens, Hartley, Joadja Creek, and other places, are always accompanied by bands of this mineral. The presence of the latter in the Clyde section will therefore support the reference of the coal-bearing beds exposed there to the Lower Coal Measures likewise, in * Auu. Report Dep. Mines, N.S. Wales^ for 1885 (1886), pp. 131-3. 22 which case the fossiliferous marine beds above will fall into the Upper Marine Group of our Permo-Carboniferous System. Ethnology. — Mr. C. H. Roberts informs me that the neigh- bourliood of the Sassafras was at one time a great refuge ground for those aborigines who had offended against their own unwritten laws, especially those referring to the connubial state. The main offence was that of lubra stealing, great enmity then existing between the Braidwood blacks and their neighbours the Maneroo tribe.* One of their customs appears to have been this : — Should the offending party be caught by the pursuing tribe, when travelling in company with the kidnapped gin, the guilty pair were simply brought back to their place of departure, and the male was then forced to undergo the ordeal of spear-throwing, f This consisted in having one hundred spears cast at him when stationary, by five men as fast as possible, when the dexterity displayed by the culprit in avoiding them is said to have been marvellous. Should the man succeed in escaping without fatal injury, the matter was considered as settled, honour satisfied, and the woman was allowed to remain with him as his wife. On the other hand, should the runaways be found cohabiting at the haven of i-efuge, dire vengeance was at once administered, the man killed, and his body disposed of in tlie manner we found the object of our search at the Sassafras. Mr. Roberts states that from some superstitious custom the legs were severed at the knee, but in this particular case it had not been done. Instead, the femora had been cleanly divided high up on the body of the bones, and then the legs doubled up on the trunk, following a jyost mortem method of preparation customary with several ti'ibes of the aborigines. The right femur, however, had been divided by a direct oblique clean cut about the commencement of the body, and the left tibia had been smashed by a direct heavy blow with a blunt instrument just above the lower end of the body of the bone, and the injury presents the appearance of having been done previous to death. We hoped to have found these remains in the mummified state, the condition in which they were seen by Mr. Roberts some years ago, but the lapse of time, notwithstanding protection from the elements, had almost completely destroyed the dried sinews. Nevertheless, the whole of the upper part of the trunk is osteo- logically entire, held together by portions of the soft tissues. The body was deposited in a small recess in the Hawkesbury Sandstone escarpment at the Round Hill, about six miles north *The sea-board of this part of N. S. Wales was occupied, according to Dr. J. Fraser, B.A., by the Murring tribe. {Journ. R. Soc. N. S. Wales, 18S2, xvi., p. 206, note.) fA siiniliir custom appears to exist in a more or less modified form in several tribes, Mr. Froggatt mentions it as practised by the Kimberley blacks. {Proc. Linn. Soc. N. S. Wales, 1888, iii. (2), p. G53.) 23 of the Sassafras, at one of the head gullies of a tributary of the Yalwal Creek, proliably the Bundundah Creek. It would appear to have been placed on its back, a rather uncommon position amongst the aborigines of N. S. Wales, lying on the 'possum cloak, the pattern of which Mr. Roberts says was at one time plainly visible. The corpse was disembowelled, and the abdominal cavity filled with Eucalyptus leaves, a constant custom with the Braidwood blacks. The recess containing the remains was some five to six feet from the ground, and of small dimensions, and the bones of the limbs had to some extent been disturbed, but con- sidering the long number of years since the body was placed in its then position, it was surprisingly perfect, all the bones being present except the left fibula, part of the sternum, and most of the hand and foot bones. The skull is in excellent preservation, and the teeth very sound. In addition to the severance above the knee of the right femvir, the left ramus of the lower jaw, under the last molar, and in advance of the angle, is fractured. The fracture seems too clear to be the result of a blow, still it may have been. The right zygomatic arch has unquestionably been smashed in by a blow, as tJie malar bone is caved-in longitudinally in its widest part, just posterior to the orl)it. No implements or weapons were found with the skeleton. Two excellent tomahawks found in the district were presented ; one from the Endrick River, by Mr. Mark Piercy ; the other from the Sassafras itself by Mr. F. West. The former is a narrow o1)long weapon of a dioritic rock, ground to a cutting edge on both faces. The latter is much heavier and larger, of the same material, similarly ground, and oval and smooth on one face, fashioned on the other. Both were pebbles. Zoology. — The neighbourhood of Mayfiekl, hitherto so prolific in 3Iarsupial life, was found to be practically deserted. We saw individuals of Macrojnhs major, Shaw, and Ilcdmaturus ruficollis, Desm. We obtained the black variety of Dasyurus viverinus, Shaw, a female with five young in the pouch in an early stage of development. The Wombat {Phascoloniys Mitc/ielli, Owen) was at one time an inhabitant of the Saassafras Tableland, a few burrows being observed here and there, but it is reported not to exist now. In the dense scrub a Paddymelon (Halmaturus thetidis, F. Cuv.) was secured, and its young with it. These small graceful Wallabies appear to keep closely within the thick vine scrub, and are difiicult to obtain. This specimen is of great interest as illustrating the large size, as compared with that of the mother, to which the young grows before quitting the pouch, in this case twenty inches from the snout to the tip of the tail. Throughout the journey Birds were not found to be by any means plentiful. At Mayfiekl the Cuckoo (Cnculus inornatus, Gould) was observed, and this would appear to be rather early for this bird, as frosty nights still prevailed, and even snow fell 24 at least fourteen days after its arrival. One of the Black Cockatoos {Calyjdorhynchus funereus Shaw) was seen, and from tlie general behaviour and noise made by the flock, preparations were clearly being made for breeding. The Rosehill Paroquet (Flafi/rerciis exiruuts, Shaw) was very plentiful and in fine feather. The Sassafras Tableland, and more particularly the immediate neighbourhood of the Mount itself, is a well known locality for certain birds. For instance, tiie Gang-Gang (CaUocephalon galeatnm, Latham) in small flocks of five to seven individuals was seen on several occasions, and specimens obtained ; the King Parrot {Ajyrosmictus scapulatus, Bechst.) seen but not captured, and evidently now rare there. The Laughing Jackass (Dacelo gigas, Bodd.) was found to be very plentiful, and in good feather. The specimens shot appear to be finer and of larger size than those usually met with in moi-e open forest country. The Wonga-Wonga (^Leucosarcia picata, Latham) was well known here, but this tine pigeon has been almost exterminated. One example of the rarer Scrub-Thrush (GeocicJiIa lumdata, Latham) was shot in the vine scrub by Mr. Alfred Stuart. The White-winged Corcorax [Corcorax melatioj'hamphiis, Vieillot) was common in large flocks, and very tame. Tlie pleasant note of the Brown Thrush [Collyriocinda harmonica, Latham) betrayed its presence throughout the moi'e open ground near the summit of the Mount ; and the Coach-Whip [Psophodes crepitans, V. & H.) was equally noticeable by its peculiar and characteristic note. The Satin Bird (Ptilonorhynchus violaceus, Vieillot) frequents this locality in lar-ge flocks, feeding on the berries of the wild raspberiy, and always accompanied by a few old full plumaged males. Lastly, the rocky gullies and escarpments afford excellent co\'er for the Lyre Bird (^Menura stiperba, Davies), which undoubtedly exists here in certain spots in large numl^ers, and I would more particularly point out the neiglibourhood of the Bulee Gap. We heard them in great force here when passing through on our way up from Nerriga. Little need be said of the Reptilia. Our specimens have been named by Mr. J. Douglas Ogilijy, who has determined amongst the frogs LyDiodynastes dorsalis, Gray, from Mayfield, and L. tasmanie lists, Keferst., from the Sassafras. Numerous examples of Pseudophryne hihronii, D. & B., from both localities, and a few individuals of the rarer frog Crinia signifera, Girard, also from Mayfield, and the Sassafras. The Lacertilia are numerously represented by Lygosoma musielvituin, O'Shaun., a numljer of other forms of the same genus, at present uiuiamed, and an example of Egernia kiagi, Gray. Insecta. — Throughout the whole Silurian area between Tarago, Mayfield, and the Bulee River, the prevalence of white-ant hills is a very marked feature, some reaching as much as seven feet high. They are conical in shape, spreading at the base, and usually of a light yellow colour. On the Sassafras Tableland the "hills" become 25 . .Sassafras & Maytield much less frequent, and only occur in sheltered situations. Tliis is probably due to the more exposed situation, and possibly also to the less favourable medium, in the gritty tableland soil, for constructing their nests. The following Coleoptera have been determined by Mr. A. Sidney Olliff", Entomologist to the Australian INIuseum, from our gatherings : — Carabidce — Notonomus variicollis, Chaud. ...Sassafras Prosopogmus Boisduvali, Cast. ... ,, ,. sp. (probably new) ... ,, Nov. gen. et sp. (Broscime) ... ,, Cleridce — - Stigmatium Mastersi, Mad. ...Sassafras Tenebrionidfe — Cardiothorax Castelnaudi, Pasc. ...Sassafras sp. ... Promethis angulata, Erich. sp. Meneristes laticollis, JJois Toxicum, sp. nov. '!... Meniphilus nigerrimu.s, Boisd. Da'drosis aml)igua, Bates ... Adelium calosomoides, Kirby ,, porcatum, Fab. ... Curculionida' — Psalidura abnormis, Jfacl Sclerorrhinus inter ruptus. Mad. Acantholophus echinatus, Giicr. Apertus tuberculatus, OyU. Poropterus ellipticus, Pasc. Lucaiiida; — Passalus, sp . . . ... ... ... Sassafras Cerambycidce — Coptocereus rubripes, Bois. ...Sassafras E later idee — Monocropidius, sp. nov. ? ... ...Sassafras sp. ... ^ Lacon caliginosus, Guer. ... ... ,, The new genus of Carabidfe is a very interesting form only previously known from the Australian Alps. Stigmatium Mastersi, Macl., is common at the Sassafras. Amongst Orthoptera two species of Blatta, and Anatostoma anstralasia', Serv., were obtained at Maytield. The Mollusca, named by Mr. J. Brazier, C.M.Z.S., consist of Helices and a few shells from Boro Creek. Although there Sassafras & Mayfield 26 was abundance of water and weed in the latter we only obtained an Ancylus, perhaps a narrow variety of A. australica, Tate, and Physa ciliata, Ten. Woods. On the flat below Mayfield here and there we found Helix ( Charopra ) funerea, Cox, plentiful under logs and split wood. On the Sassafras Tableland three species were met with, either under old logs or bark, or in old stumps between the bark and the wood. They are Helix (Fomatia) yulosa, Gld., //. (Dorcasia) brevipila, Pf., and H. (Rliytida) capillacea, Fer. Botany. — Time did not permit of much attention being paid to matters botanical. Scattered over the open low scrubby portions of the Sassafi-as Taljleland we found a most beautiful re*iculate lichen, which Mr. T. Whitelegge provisionally referred to Clndonia retipora, Sprengel, a reference subsequently obligingly confirmed by the Rev. Dr. W. Woolls, F.L.S. The latter, in his "Contribution to the Flora of Australia," refers to it as follows : — " The most interesting lichen that I have seen in Australia is C. retipiora, .... from the vicinity of Berrima, .... but as the species was described by Sprengel many years since, I think that it must occur somewhere nearer the coast. It grows to the height of several inches. As it becomes old, it assumes somewhat a coralline appearance, beconaing nearly white. My learned friend. Dr. F. Mueller, informs me that C. retipora is common in the glacial regions of Tasmania and New Zealand." It forms one of the most attractive plants growing on the more open and usually dry flat spaces on the tableland, usually sheltered by a few low bushes. It is locally called 'Coral,' l)ut botanically is evidently little known, and it is, therefore, witli much pleasure that we are able to flx a well marked habitat. It grows at heights between 2,000ft. and 3,000ft., and in masses from nine inches to one foot in length, On the heights near Mayfield Trignometrical Station, we found a very peculiar fungus protruding from the ground only within the shade of the She-oaks (Casuarina). It is to be regretted that it was met with only in the dead state, and in consequence Baron von Mueller, who was kind enough to examine specimens, would not venture to nan:ie it. It was, howen-er, pointed out to the writer by the Rev. Dr. Woolls, F.L.S. , that the fungus in question has many points in conunon with the genus rhallns. The stipe is elongated, simple or bifurcate, each portion Ijearing at its apex a capsule. The Sassafras (Boryphora sassafras) is remarkable for the pleasant aromatic odour emanating from the leaves when bruised, and a bitter principle, which can be extracted from the bark by infusion and used as a tonic. The tree grows to a lieight of one hundred and twenty feet, with a diameter at the butt of about three feet. 27 REPORT OF A COLLECTING TRIP TO NORTH-EASTERN QUEENSLAND DURING APRIL TO SEPTEMBER, 1889. By Messrs. E. J. Cairn & R. Graxt. ( Abridged from their Report to the Ciirator.) Dr. Ramsay's instructions to us on leaving Sydney were to make our way if possible to the higher peaks of the Bellenden-Ker range and Mt. Bartle-Frere on the eastern fall, and to endeavour to obtain specimens of all Mammals, especially Dendrolagus, and to collect Birds, Insects, &c. We left Sydney on the 12th April, and arrived at Cairns on the 20th inst. The rain was exceptionally late this season, for instead of commencing as usual in December, it had only really set in a fortnight or so before our arrival, so that to have gone into the ranges would have been useless. We therefore collected in the neighbourhood of Cairns for some weeks when the weather would permit, and made a camp about sixteen miles north of Cairns (Double Island) for a fortnight, hoping to get a new Lyre- Bird that was reported to have been shot there. We obtained a fair number of Birds and Insects, several amongst the latter we understand will prove new. The P. archeri however was the only Mammal shot or seen. On the 30th June we returned to Cairns, where we shipped all our gear and started for Boar Pocket on the Cairns-Herberton Road. We fixed on this place for a camp, as provisions are obtainable near, and the rivers Russell, Mulgrave, Johnson, and Barron head at no great distance. It is a patch of forest country about a square mile in extent surrounded by a dense vine scrub. On making enquiries we found that the natives had been brought in by the police at Atherton, a township on the other side of the Barwon River, ten miles from our camp, and they were also in on the Russell River diggings. We obtained the assistance of two or three with their gins, and had them attached to the camp until the murders on the Russell were committed. They proved exceedingly useful, and without their help we could not have collected so large a number and variety of animals. We never saw Pseudochirus leimiroides and P. herhertensis until they hunted them out, these species being apparently strictly nocturnal. We found Pseudochirus lenniroides (native name " Yappi) in holes high up, visually on good sized trees. They are exceedingly active when disturbed, running and jumping along the tree tops, at times taking prodigious leaps from tree to tree. In this they resemble a flying squirrel but do not make such an easy slope, 28 and falling down much more quickly. They appear to liatton themsolves out, and when skinning them we found a small flap or fold of skin from the thigh to the ribs, and the same Ijehind the foi-elegs, but not so noticeable. This fold or parachute does not extend along the body, but no doubt it is of assistance in their movements from tree to tree. The eyes of this species protrude in a very remaikable maniier, and both sexes have a sti'ong disagreeable odor, which, even in a young one that we attempted to rear, was very pronounced ; it appears to proceed from the sexual organs. The habitat of P. herberteusiti (native name " Outa ") is similar to that of F. leinni'oides, but it is hardly so numerous. The white markings on this species vary \(>ry much, two specimens being obtained with one foreleg completely white. The two species were occasionally fovind sleeping in the stag-horn ferns, but generally in holes in trees. P. archeri (native name " Tula "). These animals are occa- sionally seen moving al)Out in tlie daytime, or seated in a branch or fork. They dilfei" from the rest of the Pseudochirus in having the pupil of the eye elongated like that of a cat. Tricliosurtis jolmstonii (native name "Bong-a") is also found in the scrubs on the tableland, frequently amongst the masses of staghorn ferns growing high up, but th(iy have the peculiarity of coming out at night into the forest to feed on the gum leaves, and we obtained our specimens by moonlight on the tall gums at the edge of the scrub, but never any distance away. None of the other varieties were seen on these occasions. All the mammals collected, with the exception of the Tree Kangaroos, were obtained on the tableland at lioar Pocket, with the aid of the natives, they simply walk up saplings with hands and feet, but for the larger trees they use a cane, known as the " lawyer's " (a species of CUdaiiLnti) about ten or twelve feet in length ; they tie a knot on one end and swing it round the tree, get a grip with the other hand, then leaning well l)ack walk up, lifting the cane about two feet every step. Unfortunately they are not to be trusted, and after the Russell River murders we got very little help from tluun. DnndroIaf/'Ufi lainhol/zi (native nann; " Map-pi "). The speci- mens Itrought down were obtained on a special tiip, by Mr. Cairn in August, to the Dividing Range about eight miles eastward of Herberton. Through the kindne.ss of Inspector Stewart, Mr. Hanson and the native police accompaiiied him. It rained the whole time they were out, or they would possibly have obtained something new in the way of Birds. Mr. Cairn saw the bower of P. 'lUiwUndd'na but none of the birds. The party, however, was fortunate in getting fine perfect specimens of D. hiviholf.zi, and had an opportunity of seeing the aboriginal style of Imnting 29 them. Their method is on finding one in a tree, to build a sort of brush yard round it a few feet from the roots ; one of the natives then climbs up until he is above the animal, which he compels by pelting it with sticks to descend to the ground, where being unable to jump any height it is easily killed with waddies. The natives say they will bite, but we are inclined to think the fence is rather to prevent their getting away, or as a protection against their fore paws, of which the claws are very strong and sharp. The habits and movements of this animal appear to be like those of the native bear ; so far as we saw they did not show any great activity amongst the branches, and they come down a tree backwards making no use of their very long tail. Their tracks were generally seen on leaning trees, but one animal was shot from a tree that was practically perpendicular. We had no means of ascertaining the altitude of the ranges where the specimens were obtained, but should say not less than 4,000 feet, and they appear to frequent very rough country. There was nothing in the paunch of any of the specimens but leaves. D. lumholtzi and the various I'seudochirus were in splendid condition up to August, after which the fur on the latter began to get ragged and worn. On the 25th Augu.st Mr. Cairn left the camp for the Upper Russell River diggings, situated 28 miles S.E. of Boar Pocket, and being joined there by Mr. Hanson with his native troopers and four " myalls,"* started all heavily packed for a trip to the top of Mount Bartle-Frere. The country is exceedingly rough, and being all scrub a track had to be cut, but they made a camp within a few hundred feet of the top of the mountains on the 28th, but not without difficulty as two of the natives gave in. They were again unfortunate in the weather, being enveloped in mist nearly all the time. They obtained seven of the new Bower Bird Frionodura newtoniana, and saw several of their bowers. The sides of the bowers are built round two saplings chosen about two feet apart, and are constructed of small twigs laid horizontally and loosely built together ; the walls are raised to a height of from three to seven feet, and are semi-oval in shape. In two of the bowers at a height of about nine inches from the ground, was a sort of hedge from wall to wall. The flat inner sides of the walls of the bower were decorated in each instance with white oi'chid blossoms. In two cases one of the walls was raised con- siderably higher than the other. xlccompanying is a rough sketch of one of the bowers, which will give a fair idea of the construction. The rainfall is very heavy on Mts. Bartle-Frere and Bellenden- Ker. * Wild aborigines. 30 Dendrolagus is said by the natives to be on the ranges, and no doubt occurs there, but none were obtained by us. The ground birds started nesting in August, and we obtained nests and eggs of lleteromyias cinereifrons and Ortlionyx i^paldingi. The former hiys two eggs and builds a nest on the " lawyer " vines about four ffjet from the ground. Ortlioiiyx spaldin(/i lays but one egg for a sitting, and usually builds at the root of a tree or vine, but we found some nests as high from the ground as twelve feet on staghorn ferns. The majority of birds on the tableland and ranges do not nest until towards the end of the year. We obtained a mummy and some native implements, &c., from camps at the heads of the Johnson and Mulgr-ave Rivers. The dilly bags and water buckets are made by the old men. List of Specimens Collected. Mammals [.Skins] 98 Specimens :- Fseudocliirus lemuroides "Yappi" „ herberiensis " Oota " „ arclieri "Tula" Petaurua cinereus Birds, 233 Specimens, 64 Species Astur cinereus Podargiis pajntensis ,, phalcenoides Caprimnlgus macrourus Dacelo gigas , , leachi Halcyon macleayi Alcyone j^fdchra , , pusilla Pardalotus melanocephalus „ punctatus Slrepera graculina Cracticus quoyi ,, rufescens Grauccdus lineatus Ltdage leucomeltena ,, tricolor Pachycephida guliuralin ,, rufiventris Trichosurus johnstotd " Longa " IIahnatu7'us stigmatic^is ,, nalabatus var. apncidis Dendrolaqus luvihoUzi CoUyriocincla howeri Chibia bracteata Ophryzone kaupi Machairirrliyi ichusjlavive') iter PiezorhyncJms gouldi „ n^tid^ls Gerygone culicivora Poicilodryas, sjy. lleteromyias cinereifrons Eopsaltria chrysorrlious ,, nana Psophodes crepitans Malurus cruentatus Sericornis gutttiralis ,, citreogularis Acanthiza sp. (?) Pitta st7-epitans Geocichla lunulata, var. Scenooipus dentirostris 31 Birds, Continued : — Aihcrcedus macidosus FtilorJiis victorice Frionodura newtoniana Mimeta qffinis S/diecotheres m axillaris rtilotis chrysops „ notata „ macleayana Ptilotis frenata Acantliorliynchus tenuirostris J/yzomela obscura Climacteris leucoph(£a, var. Orthonyx spaldingi Sittella striata ChrysocoGcyx minutilla Centrcpus pJiasianus Aprosmictios scajndatus Platycercus var. nigrescens Cydopsitta macleayana Ptilinopiis swainsoni Chalcophajys chrysoddora Macropyyia jdiasiaitella Geopelia placida Synoicus australis Casuarius australis (juv.) Nycticorax caledonicus Insecta : — 160 Specimens of Lepidoptera, including iVynes geojfroyi, Aiella jjropinqua, Ilypodtrysops epioletus, Agavista, Hypsa, Ophideres, &c. 35 Specimens Coleoptera, «tc. Ethnology : — 1 Mummy Child 6 Water Buckets 3 Bundles Needles 1 Shield 5 Dilly Bags Net Ochre, &c. Spirit Specimens. Mammals, 39, including the following : — Perameles, sp. Pseudoddrus ardoeri, juv Perameles, sp., from pouch Dactylopsila triviryata Dactylopsila, from pouch Pseudodiirusherberteusis,j\xv Antedtinus, sp. Mus, sp. ,, caudimaculata Pseudoddrus, d'c, Skeletons Reptiles, 26 Specimens : — G ymnodactylus platurus Northern form Gehyra variegata Gonyodactylus hoydi Batrachia, 7 Specimens : — Myxojjides fasciolatios and Physignathus lesueuri Varanus acanthurus Lygosoma quoyi rhomboidale Hyla, sp. S2 ON A SPECIES OF MOTH (EPIC ROC IS TEREBRANS) DESTRUCTIVE TO RED CEDAR AND OTHER TIMBER TREES IN NEW SOUTH WALES. By a. Sidney Olliff. Early in March, 1889, the young Red Cedar trees (Cedrela toona, Roxb.) in the State Forest Nursery, at Gosford, were found to be suffering from the attack of some insect, which seriously interfered with their growth, and as tlie evil appeared to be upon the increase, the matter was Ijrought Ijofore the notice of the Colonial Secretary's Office, to which Department the Forest Nursery is attached, with a view to obtaining accurate informa- tion as to the nature of the pest, and the best means of checking its ravages. For this purpose the Principal Under-Secretary, Mr. Critchctt Walker, communicated with Dr. E. P. Ramsay, the Curator of the Australian Museum, forwarding specimens of a moth, and portions of the trees containing a number of larvae or caterpillars, presumed to be the early stage of the accompanying moths, and the real cause of the injuries. Unfortunately these specimens could not l)e identified owing to their poor condition, but Dr. Ramsay recommended that the trees should be carefully examined, and all the infected parts cut off and burnt, and subsequently he handed the larv;e to me for investigation, with the request that I should endeavour to breed the moth. This I failed to do although I had more than one consignment of larvae from the Nursery, owing to the dry condition in which the cedar twigs were received, so it was determined that I should visit Gosford, and if possible o])tain a better supply of material. Accordingly on '2'lnA August I made a careful examination of the plantations, and with the assistance of Mr. J. McCoig, the Overseer of the Nursery, succeeded in obtaining a number of larvae in various stages of growth. I found that the injury is caused by the larv:e burrowing into the main stems or " leaders " of the trees for the purpose of eating the pith and soft tissues, which has the effect of arresting the natural growth of the tree, and thus seriously affecting its value for forestry purposes. At the time of my visit to Gosford a large number of the infected trees had been freed from tlie pest by the energy of the Overseer, who had used the pruning-knife with excellent results, but a few of the larva? were still to be found by careful searching in an outlying plantation at some distance from the Nursery. A number of the " leaders " containing the burrows of these larva? were cut and afterwards placed in a jar, partly filled with eartli and sand which was kept moist to prevent the wood from 33 shrinking. By this means a number of the moths were reared during d'ctober, and they proved to belong to the Phycitidaj, a family of Lepidoptera containing a large number of species which in their larval state are internal feeders, and nearly related to certain species included in Zeller's genus Epicrocis. In general form, and in its habits, the Gosford moth also greatly resembles a species {Magiria robrista, Mre.*) from Ceylon, observed by Dr. Thwaites feeding within " branchlets of mahogany," but as it appears to differ in certain points from this species and from Epicrocis patulalis, Wlk., the form which it most nearly approaches, I have ventured to characterize it under the name Epicrocis terebrans. From the latest account (13th January) it appears that the pest is gradually disappearing from the Nursery. Mr. McCoig reports that it is now very scarce, and that no opportunity of destroying the larva? is neglected. Epicrocis, Zell. The species here characterized as Epicrocis terebrans is in my opinion congeneric with E. sublignalis, Wlk. {E. strigiferella Meyr.), and E . mesembrina, Meyr., as it agrees in every particular with specimens of those species kindly identified by Mr. E. Meyrick. In one important point, however, none of these species a-n-ee with Mr. Meyrick's descriptions! of Epicrocis or the allied genera, inasmuch as the hindwings are provided with 7nne (see pi ii , fig. 3) instead of eight veins, a condition which appears to be unusual in the Phycitida?. There is no doubt of the accuracy of the observation, as I have made a microscopical examination of the wings of the three species mounted m oil ot cloves, a proceeding I venture to think which might be followed by lepidopterists with advantage in cases where the venation is difficult to follow. Fam. PHYCITIDiE. Epicrocis terebrans, sp. n. ^ ? . Head dull reddish-ochreous ; thorax and abdomen "reyish-ochreous, the former paler in front. Labial palpi whitish, fnclining to fuscous externally, not reaching above upper margin of eye Antennas brownish-ochreous, very finely ciliated, basal joint large, thickly clothed with scales. Forewing elongate moderately broad, dilated, greyish-ochreous, suffused on disc and on inner margin with brownish-fuscous, thickly clothed with white scales near anterior margin and towards apex from basal two-thirds, and dusted with fuscous and dull carmine scales ; an * Moor^epidoptera of Ceylon, iii., p. 365, pi. 184, fig. 4 y being situated in the inflowing current, which is a means of sup- plying them with food ; and those fixing on the posterior margin will also be similarly benefited, only in a lessi^r degree. From what I have seen of the habits of the young worm in its free swimming state, and also of those already men- tioned as having just settled down, I am of opinion that the young worm simply swims into the open oyster, and fixes itself by its head on the margin of the shell. If the position is suitable it immediately begins to construct a tube and collect a large quantity of mud. It may possibly be guided to the 45 most favourable spot by the current of water drawn in by the oyster. If so, then we have the expLiuation why it is that the anterior margin is more often infested than any otlier part of the sheU. The worms appear to have the power of collecting a large quantity of mud in a very short time. Some which I kept in contiuement in moderately clear water added fully one-quarter of an inch to the lengtli of their tubes in about an hour, and I have frequently removed the projecting tubes at night, and in the morning they had been repaired and projected beyond the edges of the shell fully half an inch ; so that a vigorous young worm on entering an oyster can soon accumulate a large quantity of mud, which is immediately covered over by the oyster with a thin layer of shelly matter, and if the oyster is healthy, the deposit is laid down quickly, contining the worm with its patch of mud to a very small space. On the other hand, if the oyster is unhealthy and already infested, the shelly deposition is slower and the worm collects a large patch of mud before the layer is solidihed. Hence it is that the size of these accumulations of mud get larger as the worms increase and the oyster gets weaker. In some very severe cases the whole of the lower valves were covered with freshly collected mud, and the oysters were reduced to a mere skin, and utterly incapable of secreting any shelly matter. The etfect of these blister-like structures, which increase in number and size as the disease progresses, is to practically hll up the whole of the lower valve and to bulge out the upper, so that there is no room left for the oyster. In all cases the recently collected mud is of a light brown colour, and was found to be the work of young worms vai-ying in length from one-eighth to half an inch, the patches of mud on the larger examples varying from one to one and a half inch in length, by one-half to three-quarters of an inch wide. In most of the examples mentioned the surface of the mud was covered by a thin pliable membrane. The mud surrounding the adult worm is usually more compact and darker in tint, often inclining to slate colour ; whilst the mud which the worms have left is frequently black. No doubt it is partly due to the decomposition of this black mud that so many oysters die. The parts of the oysters overlying these putrefying patches are always discoloured by yellowish spots. When the habits of the young worm are considered in con- nection with the evidence derived from the examination of oysters, in which the worm has just established itself, it points to the conclusion that the larv:e simply swim into the open shell ; and there is no evidence of any boring having taken place from without from the fact that the place occupied by the worm is quite smooth, and even in those cases in which the worm is full grown, the surface is often devoid of any grooves. It is only in 46 old-established cases that grooves and tubular openings are found, and there they only exist on the margins as a rule. The above remarks apply to the old or thick parts of the valves ; the newer thin deposit over the mud, as before mentioned, merely exhibits the irregularities of the surface over which it was laid whilst in a soft pliable condition, and is usually without any trace of grooves, except near the margin. Even these grooves, when examined with a lens, show a mould of what was beneath, without exhibiting any signs of having been bored. Another feature is the entire cavity occupied by the mud and worm, which cannot be accounted for by the boring theory. If the worm bores into the substance of the shell, how are the blister-like cavities formed ? It is not reasojiable to suppose that the worm has the power of raising a rigid layer of shelly matter and forming a blister. To do this the layer must be rendered pliable, otherwise there would be evidence of such raising in the shape of cracks, etc. If the blisters are formed by the disintegration of the shell, there ought to be some evidence on the inner surfaces ; but there is nothing to show that disintegration had taken place. One surface is comparatively smooth, and the other a perfect mould of the enclosed mud. Is it not more reasonaljle to suppose that the upper layer is deposited over the mud whilst in a soft state, simply covering the mud and worms, than to suppose that the worm bores into the shell and then forms the l)lister 1 If the blisters were formed by the disintegration of the shell, there ought to be some variation in the thickness of the layer, inasmuch as the disintegration would be unequal, and be most evident immediately over the worm. Such, however, is not the case ; the deposited layer is pretty uniform in thickness over each blister. From an examination of a large number of shells in sections, it appears to me that the cavities when once formed are never enlarged in any perceptible degree. Frequently, when viewed in section, cavities may be seen one above another in tiers, each one distinct, but regulated in form by the one below. These various cavities simply represent the entrance of so many worms into the open shell at dilFereut times, each worm in turn being covered over by a thin deposit. Mr. A. Oliver, in an article in the " Centennial Magazine " for September, 1889, suggests that the death of the oyster takes place from being unable to close the valves on account of the under- mining of the attachment of the abductor muscle. I may say that during the whole of my investigations I never met with such a case, a fact which militates against the boring view. I, how- ever, met with many instances in which the muscular spot was considerably lessened, not by its being undermined, but by the encroachment of the worm around the point of muscular attach- 47 ment and deposits of shelly matter all round, so that the spot, after the removal of the muscle, appeared to be in a deep hole owing to fresh deposits being laid down all around it. The death of the oyster is brought about chiefly by the decomposition of the nnid after the death of the worms ; but no doubt the imperfect closing of the valves has its effect. In all cases in which the worms are numerous, the edges of the valves are defective, from the fact that the worms occupy the edge and that the shelly deposits are used in lining the shell. Oysters that are infested with worms are much more sensitive than those which are free from them — at least those which I kept under observation were so. If the vessel containing them was dis- turbed, the diseased oysters were the first to close and the last to open. This sensitiveness will tend to deprive them of a large quantity of food. In addition there are the worms placed in the current which carries the food to the oyster, and which in bad cases may number from twenty to thirty, each feeding on the food drawn from the supply of the oyster. During my stay at Newcastle I was much surprised at the absence of the worms from the dead shells ; but after keeping some oysters under observation for about six weeks, I began to see the reason for this. The fact is the worm is a sort of com- mensal and partly parasitic on the oyster, in so far that it only appears to thrive when in the currents of water created by the oyster. If the oyster can succeed in forming sufficient shell to force the entrance of the worm-tube aw^ay from the edge, so that the opening is out of the current, the worm appears to leave the shell. I opened some badly infested shells, took out the oysters, and then replaced the valves in the water. In the course of a fevv days the worms deserted the valves, which to my mind tends to prove that unless they are in such a position as to partake of the food drawn in the current by the oyster, they leave their position and seek some other abode. During my observations I never saw the adult worms attempt to obtain an entrance into a fresh oyster. I selected a young oyster and placed it in a vessel by itself. With it I repeatedly placed a numljcr of adult worms, with a view to determine if they would attack the oyster ; but in all cases the worms appeared quite incapable of getting into the shell, and they invariably died within a very short time. They seemed to make no elibrt to gain an entry into the oyster, although placed near the edge of the shell and often on the surface. They rolled about in a very helpless sort of way, collecting small particles of floculent matter around them for concealment. Evidence as to Boring, from an examination of the Shell. One frequent appearance of the interior of the valves tells very forcibly against the boring theory. In many cases the worm 48 occupies an elzv .ted position in the shell, projecting above its surface as much as half an inch. The heap of mud surrounding such worms is covered by a thin layer of shelly matter, and both the entrance and the outlet to the worm-tube stand up at right angles to the oyster-shell valve, so that the worm lives within the shell completely, and the ends of the tube have no connection with the outer water, except when the oyster is open. (See Plate 6, fig. 5). Instances of this kind can only be explained by supposing that the worm and the mud have been enclosed by the slielly matter deposited by the oyster. There appear to be three well marked stages in the appearance of sections of the shell when viewed fi'om the outside and looking into the ends of the tubes. (See Plate 6. figs. 7, 8, 9.) In the first stage we have the fiattened solid part of the shell upon which the worm rests. Innnediately over this is the thin layer formed by the oyster, wliich forms a semicircular outline (fig. 7). In this stage there are no grooves where the worm is in contact with the shell. In the second stage the basal surface is slightly grooved and the upper layer less of a semicircle, and somewhat fiattened (-Hg. 8). In the third stage the grooves are so sunken in the basal surface that they appear somewhat like a kf^yhole, and consist of two openings, each forming three-fourths of a circle, with a space connecting them together. It is the appearance presented in the third stage that has led to the idea that the worm bores into the shell. At first sight such openings certainly look as if they had been bored ; but if the various stages are carefully examined, with due regard to the time the worm has been in the shell — which may be determined by the colour of the enclosed mud, the size of the worm, the thickness of the shelly de- posit, and the condition of the surface upon which the worm rests — the different phases presented may be traced easily, and the only way to get at the facts is to follow up what are evidently the early stages of the disease. In the first place the worm swims into the open shell, and settling down on the surface, near the n)argin, it at once collects a quantity of mud. The oyster, the moment it feels the presence of a foreign body, begins to deposit a layer of shelly matter, which detennines or limits the extent of the n.uddy patch, according to the rapidity with which it is laid down and solidified. At this stage the worm rests on a smooth surface, and is covered over by a thin layer of shell. The oyster still continues to deposit shelly matter, and the growth at the edge tends to force the opening occupied by the worm further out. The body of the worm, resting on the shell, has by reason of the constant movements in and out, a tendimcy to wear away the surface. Whether this is accomplished by strictly mechanical means, or by a corrosive acid, I am unable to say ; but the fact remains 49 that it is worn away. If the worm has been long in the shell, the grooves formed are deep, and the longer they remain the deeper they become. When measured from the outside inwards they are longer and more tubular'; but this is owing to tlie fact that the growth or increase in the size of the shell forces the entrances further outwards and upwards, or downwards, as the case may be, according to whether it is the upper or lower valve wjiich is affected. Ultimately the openings have the keyhole-like aspect which look as if they had been bored, but which, if carefully examined, will show that they have passed through the various phases before mentioned, becoming shaUotver inwards and ceasing to be grooved at all. With regard to the worm boring into limestone, shale, Ac, mentioned by Englisli writers, I think it is quite possible that a young worm may take possession of a small depression, and as it grows gradually enlarge it by its constant movements in and out, until it has formed its tube in the same Such tubes may serve for a succession of generations, being still increased in size by each occupant, as is the case with some of our sea-urchins which form holes in the sandstone of Port Jackson. But still there would be an absence of boring in the sense used with reference to this worm. Pro- fessor Mcintosh, in the Ann. and Mag. of Nat. Hist., vol. 24, ser. 1868, p. 278, speaks of its boring into any shell that is thick enough to be bored. The Remedy. There are several ways in which to deal with the worms, with a view to their destruction. Those which I am about to give are the result of direct experiment, and if carried out in a proper manner, will prove effectual. When I returned to Sydney, after my fortnight's sojourn at Newcastle, I brought Imck a large quantity of diseased oysters. These I experimented on in various ways during a period of two months, having them under obser- vation daily during the whole of that time. Some of the worst cases were placed in fresh water, which had the effect of killing the worms and some of the oysters ; the latter were no doubt killed by the putrescent germs developed in the mud after the death of the worms. Others which were kept without water for fourteen days, were afterwards placed in salt water for several days, and in all cases the worms were destroyed, whilst the oystei's appeared to be in a healthy condition. Some which were kept in an extempore aquarium for over two months, were cultivated until the whole of the worms had died out. This I attribute to the water supplied, not on account of its being bad, but from the fact that it was moderately clear and free from mud, which seems so essential to the life of the worm. From the above series of experiments we may conclude that placing the oysters in fresh water for a few days will destroy the 60 worms. But this method has its drawbacks from the difficulty of transporting them over long distances, and could only be used in favourable localities. The most effective as well as the quickest method would be the drying process. • The oysters should be removed from the beds, freed from mud by washing, and then placed under a shed or cover of some kind, to protect them from the sun's rays. The oysters should be spread out in thin layers, and occasionally turned over, so as to ensure the thorough drying of the shells externally. The process may be continued for ten days or longer — if the oysters would stand it. They might after wards be relaid on the beds, if suitable ground exists on which to lay them — that is to say ground having a stony or shelly bottom. If they are laid on a mud surface, they will very soon be infested again. Another method which might be useful would be to remove the oysters into prepared ponds, into which none but moderately clear water is allowed to enter, or place them on a sandy or pebbly beach in such a position that they would be exposed to the sun, and get partially dry between every rise and fall of the tide. No doubt if either course was adopted and continued for some months, the worms already in the oysters would be destroyed. The above mentioned remedies can only be applied to oysters that are loose or attached to small objects, such as shells, &,c. So long as oysters are cultivated on the bare surface of the mud, they will be liable to the attacks of the worm ; but if some solid substratum be provided for the spat to fix upon, and so remove tliem from direct contact with the mud, the oysters will have a chance of escaping the disease. It would be much to the advantage of men engaged in dredging and of the les.sees, if they made themselves familiar with the worm as it exists in the oyster in a living state. Tliis is com- paratively an easy matter. All that is required is a small magnifying glass and a vessel containing sea water. If a diseased oyster is put in a shallow basin, the worms may be easily seen projecting out of their tubes, and the pair of feelers playing to and fro in search of food. If a practical knowledge be obtained of the appearance of the diseased oyster and the living worm, then the shells can be examined during any process carried on for the destruction of the worms, and the observer will be able to judge as to the effects of the remedy. If after placing a diseased oyster in water, and after the lapse of some hours the worms are not to be seen protruding their tentacles, it may be safely concluded that they are dead ; but to make sure the oyster should be opened carefully, and some of the worms taken out and placed in a saucer of clean sea water, to see if there is any power of movement left in them. 51 The following is Dr. Johnston's description, as given in the British Museum Catalogue of the British Non-Parasitical Worms, page 205 : — Leucodore ciliatus. " Worm from 6 to 8 lines long, linear-elongate or slightly tapered to the tail, somewhat quadrangular, of a yellowish or flesh colour, with a dark red line down the middle. Head small, depressed, in the form of a short cylindrical proboscis, encircled with a raised hood or membrane. Mouth edentulous, eyes four, minute, placed in a square at the base of the antenna?, which are more than a fifth of the length of the body, tapered, wrinkled, and clothed along their inferior sides with short cilia. Segments numerous, narrow, distinct, the first four with an inferior papil- lary cirrus on each side, and a brush of retractile bristles ; the fifth with a series of bristles curved like an italic J\ obtuse, not capable apparently of being protruded like the others, and having rather a more ventral position ; the following segments have on each side an obtuse branchial cirrus, originating from the dorsal margin, as long as half of the diameter of the body, held either erect or reflected across the back to meet its fellow on the mesial line ; beneath it a small mammillary foot, armed with five or six sharp slightly curved bristles (crotchets ?) with a small conical cirrus with a still more ventral position. The branchial cirrus is clothed on its lower aspect with rather long moveable cilia ; it becomes very small or entirely disappears on the posterior seg- ments, in which the bristles, on the contrary, appear to be longer and more developed. Bristles simple, unjointed. Anal segment conformed into a circular cup or sucker, in the centre of which the anus opens by a small round aperture. In this worm the cilia, which cover the under side of the branchial processes, are remarkable for their size and length, for they can be seen with a common magnifier fanning the water with equal and rapid beats, and driving the current along their surface. Their analogy with the cilia of Zoophytes is obvious ; but here their motion is cer- tainly dependant on the will of the animal, for I have repeatedly seen it begin and stop, and be again renewed after an interval of repose, and again be checked in a manner that could leave no doubt but that the play of the organs was entirely voluntary. The cilia of the antenna?, notwithstanding the larger size of the organs, are less than half the length of those of the branchiae. Leucodore ciliatus lives between the seams of slaty rocks, near low-water mark, burrowing in the fine soft mud which lines the fissures. Its motions are slow. When placed in a saucer it keeps itself rolled up in aji imperfectly circular manner, lying on its side, and the painful efforts made to change its position, with little or no success, show too plainly that it is not organised to creep about like the Annelides errantes, but, on the contrary, that 52 its proper habitat must be a furrow similar to those of the Tubiculous worms, to which in structure it evidently approximates in several particulars." Dr. Johnston's description is wanting in detail in some respects, and Prof. Mcintosh, in the Annals and Magazine of Natural History, vol. 2, series 1868, p. 282, gives a very lengtliy descrip- tion of the tentacles, bristles, hooks and the anal segment, accompanied by a plate, which is reproduced and will be found at the end of this report. As far as I can ascertain, nothing has yet been published in refei^ence to the eggs of the worm, and the followi])g, if new, may be of interest : — -The ova appear to be matured in the body of the worm and commence on about the thirtieth segment. Each succeeding segment to about the fiftieth bears a pair of egg-sacs, each of which contains between fifty and sixty eggs. The egg-cases are deposited on the sides of the membranous tubes inhabited by the worm, and remain in this position until the young worms are hatched. (I^ig- 10, plate 3). It appears to me that the brood-pouches are formed within the body of the worm, and at the period of deposition the outer cuticle is I'uptured, and the egg-sacs fixed on the sides of the tube. Before the eggs are deposited, the body of the worm is plump and of a cream colour, with a central line varying in colour from bright red to a very dark brown. Afterwards the body appears tliin and of a chocolate colour, and appears almost like another species. In fact until I carefully examined those wliich had laid their eggs, I thought there was a second species inhabiting the oysters. The period during which the worms produce ova may be stated to be the months of October, November and December. How far the breeding extends beyond these months I am unable to say ; but it pi'obably is within the mark to say that it may extend for a month or six weeks on each side. The folloM'ing is a list of the principal writers who have written on the worm and its habits : — Leucodore ciliatun — Johnston, Magazine of Zoology and Botany, 1838, ii., p. GQ, pi. 3, f. 1-6. „ ,, Dr. T. Williams, Report of the British Asso- ciation, 1851, p. 208. „ „ Dr. Johnston, Catalogue of Non-Parasitical Worms in the British Museum, 1865, p. 205, pi. 18, f. 6. ,, „ Prof. E. Ray Lankester, Annals and Maga- zine of Natural History, 1868, vol. 1, ser. 4, p. 233, pi. xi. ,, ,, Prof. W. C. Mcintosh, Annals and Magazine of Natural History, vol. 2, ser. 4, 1868, p. 276, pis. xviii. and xix. 53 Leucodore ciliatus — Prof, T. H. Huxley, The English Illustrated Magazine, No. 1, Oct. 1883, pp. 46 to 55 ; No. 2, Nov. 1883, pp. 112 to 121. „ ,, Dr. W. A. Haswell, Centennial Magazine, Sept. 1889, p. 148. Polydora (Leucodore ) ciliata (Johnston) — Alexr. Agassiz, Annals and Magazine of Natural History, vol. xix, ser. 3, 1867, p, 242, pis. V. and vi. Pohjdora (Leucodore) ciliata — Dr. W. A. Haswell, Proceedings of the Linn^ean Society of New South Wales, vol. x, p. 273. There are very many other papers bearing on the habits of the worm, amongst which may be mentioned one Vjy Dr. Wright in the Edinburgh New Philosophical Journal, 1857, vol vi, p. 90 ; another by Mr. Alexander Oliver in the Centennial Magazine for September, 1889, pp. 134 to 148 ; and some details of the habits of the worm are given by Sir J. Dalyell in his work on the Powers of the Creator Displayed in Creation, 1851, vol. ii, p. 159. SUPPLEMENTARY NOTE. SiNCK the foregoing was written, I have received a number of oy.sters tlirough ti)e Department of Fisheries, from the Clarence lliver, which had been in fresh-water for 13 days, owing to the flood waters spreading over the l)eds. An examination of these oysters tends to conMrm the opinion already expressed in the body of this report. Out of 200 oysters, 50 were found to have been attacked by the worm, and 25 of these exhibited the early stages of the disease. Tiie area occupied by the worms was of variable extent, but mostly small ; the patches of mud being covered by deposits formed by the oysters ; 15 out of the 25 specimens were in the membranous stage, and in the rest the deposits were partially calcified. In the whole of the 50 specimens the position occupied by the worms was on the anterior margin of the shell, about mid- way between the hinge and tlie ventral edge. On clearing away the patches of mud, which were covered with membrane only, the surface on which the body of the worm rested was found to be perfectly smooth, and without any trace of erosion; whilst in those in which the deposited layers were thick and fully calcilicd, slight traces of grooves were visible near the margin. In every 54 case the worms were dead, having been killed by the fresh-water. The mud contained in the blister-like cavities had l)ecome putrid, and its colour of an inky Ijlackness, and the stench unbearable, In every instance where the mud was only covered by a thin deposit, the oysters were either dead or dying, from the attacks of the putrescent germs developed in the mud ; while those in which the deposit was thick appeared to be in a healthy condition. The worm does not seem to confine itself to the oyster ; I have seen it in Pinita Menkei and Pectuncuhis Dunkeri from Shoalhaven. It is common in Chione ccdophylla, Vemis Jaqneata, and other bi vales in Port Jack.son. Tlie distribution of the worm appears to be world-wide. It is found in Europe, North America, Australia, and the Philippine Islands. Thei-e is al.so a .species descriliod by Schmarda from the Chilian coast of South America, which may prove to be the same. DESCRIPTIONS OF TWO NEW SPECIES OF AUSTRALIAN LOPHOBRANCIIIATE FISHES. By J. Douglas Ogilby. Syngnathus altirostris, sp. nov. D. 28. A. 2. P. 16. C. 10? Osseous rings 17/40. Length of liead about one-seventh of the total length and one-third of the distance between the tip of the snout and the vent, which distance is two and two-fifths in the total length. Snout of moderate length, strongly compressed, much deeper than broad, curved upwards at the tip, and from five-ninths to one-half of the length of the head : postorbital space from two- thirds to three-fifths of the length of the snout. Body much deeper than broad, with the abdominal profile not dilated. A low,but well defined, ridge along the middle of the upper siirtace of the snout, sometimes ceasing on the middle of the inter- orbital space, sometimes bifurcated, and joining the supraciliary ridges, which arc moderately developed, and are continued backwards on to the nape : nuchal ridge present : a low straight ridge across the middle of the opercle, not reaching the posterior margin : all the body ridges well defined : lateral rido-es ceasing on the middle of the ventral ring : lower caudal ridge continuous with the ventral ridge : abdominal ridge prominent and acute. No lateral rostral groove. Ovisac extending over eighteen rings, one-half of the length of the tail without the short caudal fin. Dorsal fin not elevated above the level of the back, standing upon the seven anterior caudal rings. Col'S—-\Jnitorm brown, with a dark lateral stripe from the tip of the snout through the eye to the lower halt of the opercle, where it is broken up into blotches : dorsal hn speckled with brown. . . , Two specimens, a male and a femah>, measuring respectively five and three-quarters and five and one-third inches, are_ in the collection of the Australian Museum, the former having been received in exchange from the Queensland Museaim, and obtained in Moreton Bav, while the latter was sent from the Clarence River, N.S.W., by Mr. T. Temperley. _ _ In many respects this species resembles S. spicijer, Rupp., but the slighter prominence of the opercular ridge, the inter- ruption of the lateral line, and the increased number of rings on which the dorsal fin stands, separate it fi'om that species. 56 IciIXnYOCAMPUS TRYONI, Sp. HOV. D. 18. ? A.? p. 8. C. 8. Osseous rmgs 17/36. Length of head ten and one-sixth in the total length, and three and four-fit'ths in the distance between the tijj of the snout and the vent, which distance is two and four-fifths in the total length. Suout vei'y short, three-eights of the length of the head, and five-sixths of the postorbital space. Body compressed, much deeper than broad. Snout turned upwards at the tip ; its posterior half bearing a high sharp arcuate ridge bifurcated behind, the divergent branches meeting the supraciliary ridges, which are moderately developed : inter- orbital space traversed by a low median ridge, which is continuous with the rather indistinct nuchal ridge : a low curved opercular ridge : all the body ridges acute, those of the dorsal profile so much so as to cause a deep concavity along the whole length of the trunk and tail : lateral ridges straight, ceasing on the second or third caudal ring ; abdominal ridge well developed. Ovisac extending over sixteen rings, and rather more than tw^o-fifths of the length of the tail withovit the small caudal fin. The dorsal fin stands upon the five anterior caudal rings. Colors — Head, back, and sides brown, faintly mottled with lighter ; under surface pale yellowish-brown with the exception of the marsupial region which is black. The vmique example on which this species is founded was dredged in Moreton Bay, Queensland, in my presence early in May, 1886, and I embrace this opportunity of naming the species after my friend, Mr. Henry Tryon, in remembrance of the very pleasant collecting trip which we enjoyed together there. The specimen measures but two and three- fourths inches, but from the perfect development of the egg- pouch I believe it to be fully adult. The high rostral ridge separates this species at a glance from /. cincttis, while the interrupted lateral ridge equally distingiiishes it from /. carce, in which that ridge is curved downwards opposite to the vent so as to join the inferior caudal ridge. DESCRIPTION OF A NEW AUSTRALIAN TORTOISE. By J. Douglas Ogilby. Chelodina kugosa, sp. nov. (Plate vii.) Carapace ovate, somewhat pyriforra, narrower anteriorly, slightly emarginato behind, "without vertebral keel, deeply sculptured. Nuchal plate between two marginal plates : eighth 57 and nintli marginal plates laterally expnnded, twice as br