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The
Victorian Naturalist

The Magazine of the
FIELD NATURALISTS CLUB OF VICTORIA

in which is incorporated

THE MICROSCOPICAL SOCIETY OF VICTORIA

Vol. 90

January — December, 1973

Editor: G. M. WARD
Assistant Editor: G. DOUGLAS

JENKIN, BUXTON & CO., PTY. LTD.
1-13 Abbotsford Street, West Melbourne, 3003

Fr et

)

INDEX

ABORIGINES

Aboriginal Trade Route, An Avoca
River-Wirrengren Plain (with map),
126

Phillip Island, Victoria, Traces left by
the Aborigines on (illus.), 256

Shelter, The “Matterhorn” Aboriginal,
and its Possible Mythological Signifi-
cance, 326

Shelters, Older Aboriginal Painted, in
the Victoria Range, Grampians, Re-
port of New Discoveries and Notes on
(illus.), 280

AMPHIBIANS

Frog, Marsh, Spotted (Limnodynastes
tasmaniensis), (photo), 177

AUTHORS

Ashton, David H. (with G. Williams),
90, (with T. P. Farrell), 286

Baines, James A., 72, 122, 170, 186, 227,
248, 279, 321, 349

Beadnell, L. Myfanwy, 141

Beasley, A. W., 135, 154

Beste, Hans, 10, 232, 308

Blackburn, G., 172, 188

Brewster, Eulalie, 310

Burns, Alex. N., 26, 39, 71, 94, 124, 230,
306

Coman, Brian J. (et al.), 42

Cooper, Barry J., 192

Corrick, Margaret G., 325

Coventry, A. J. (with C. Tanner), 351

Crichton, G., 132

Cullen, Peter W. (et. al.), 240

Dietrich, Amalie (translation of 1864
letter), 148

Doery, Mary K., 99

Elmore, L. K. M. (with E. D. Gill), 304

Farrell, T. P. (with D. H. Ashton), 286

Galbraith, Jean, 189

Gill, Edmund D. (with N. 'McNeill), 12,
41, 93, 134, 195, (with K. W. Gill),
251, (with L. K. M. Elmore, 304, 347

Gill, Kathleen W. (with E. D. Gill), 251

Howard, Truda M., 343

Jacobs, Victor, 66, 212

Jones, David L., 96

Joyce, E. B. (with M. J. Knight), 272

Kirkpatrick, J. B., 312

Knight, M. J. (with E. B. Joyce), 272

Le Souéf, W. H. Dudley (reprint), 332

Lyndon, Ellen, 59

McCulloch, Ellen 'M., 84

McNeill, Nancy (with E. D. Gill), 12
Massola, Aldo, 126, 280, 326
Monahan, Joan, 166, 180

Nielsen, Barbara J., 197

O’Donoghue, J. G. (reprint), 32, 52
Piper, Gwen., 346

Plant, Rhyllis J. (with B. J. Smith), 259
Ralph, Cedric and Clare, 132
Riordan, Roger, 106, 354

Rosengren, N. J. (et al.), 240

Smith, Brian J. (with R. J. Plant), 259
Spillane, A. E., 256

Stark, R. W. (et. al.), 42

Stephens, P. L. (et al.), 42

Tanner, C. (with A. J. Coventry), 351
Timms, Brian and Beverley, 17
Turner, Elizabeth K., 116

Watson, Jeanette E., 60

White, Laura M., 138

Williams, G. (with D. H. Ashton), 90
Willis, James H., 103, 137, 151
Winsor, Leigh, 101, 264

Young, Lynette, 133

BIRDS

Albatross, Wandering (Diomedea exu-
lans) (photo), 1

Budgerigars (at waterhole north of Alice
Springs) (photo), 301

Frogmouth, Tawny (Podargus
goides) (photo), 209

Kookaburra (A Note on Dacelo gigas),
132

Kookaburras in Literature and Design
(illus.), 84

Owl, Sooty (Tyto tenebricosa) (photo),
81

Rudd’s Rocks (Wyperfeld), The Search
for (illus. and with map and bird
lists), 212

Varied Menus (of birds
garden), 189

stri-

in a Tyers

EXCURSIONS

Geology of Melbourne and Environs
(led by D. McInnes) (letter of appre-
ciation), 141

Grampians Excursion, The (27 August-
2 September 1972), 99

New Zealand, F.N.C.V. Excursion to,
1973 (Part 1), 166, (Part 2), 180

FIELD NATURALISTS’ CLUB OF VICTORIA

Accounts, 77
Annual Report, 106

Addresses of Secretaries of all F.N.C.
Affiliated Clubs—

Clubs in Victoria (list), 142
Ararat, 358
Bendigo, 358
Black Rock Junior, 105
Colac, 358
Creswick, 358
Hawthorn Junior, 45
Latrobe Valley, 174

Council Report, 75

General Meeting Reports, 43, 44, 74,
206, 234, 266, 355

Group Reports—

Botany Group, 44, 74, 107, 140, 174,
206, 234, 266, 299, 355

Day Group, 74, 108, 205, 235, 267, 356

Field Survey Group, 46, 108, 205, 235,
267, 299

Geology Group, 108

Mammal Survey Group, 141, 356

Marine Biology and Entomology
Group, 140

Microscopical Group, —

GEOLOGY AND PALAEONTOLOGY,
AND PHYSIOGRAPHY

Ayers Rock, Northern Territory, Austra-
lia (illus.), 154

Block Rock Point, Conservation Prob-
lems at (illus.), 240

Geology excursion, F.N.C.V. (letter
praising leader, D. McInnes), 141

Minerals, The Names of, 135

Mount Napier Eruption, Western Vic-
toria, Australia, Radiocarbon Dating
of (with map), 304

Mud Islands, Port Phillip Bay, Physio-
graphic Changes at (illus. and with
maps), 157

Murrindal Caves, 116

Nature at Quarryman, 41

Otway Coast of Victoria, Australia, The
(illus.), 12, (colour of rocks), 134

Port Fairy, Western Victoria, Australia,
The Geology of (illus.), 251

Prehistoric Cracks in Alluvial Deposits,
195

Prehistoric Wildfires
Australia, 347

Pyramids, The
jis}

Tentaculities in the Limestone at Tyres,
Gippsland, Discovery of (illus.), 192

Terang, Western Victoria, A Buried Soil
with Fossil Gilgai within the Volanic
Deposits at (illus., and with map, dia-
grams and tables), 272

in South-Eastern

(Murrindal) (photo),

INSECTS

Gold Coast (insect life), 26, 39, 71, 94,
124, 230, 306

MAMMALS

Foxes, Red (Vulpes vulpes), An Un-
usual Food Item in the Diet of, 42
Glider, Sugar (Petaurus breviceps)
(photo), 329

Marsupial Mouse, Dusky (Antechinus
swainsoni) (photo), 237

Phascogales Galore, 346

Spiny Anteater (Tachyglossus aculeatus)
(photo), 145

MARINE BIOLOGY AND INVERTEBRATES

Earthworm, Notoscolex
Chaetal Striations
(illus.), 188

Flatworm, Geoplana atrata —A New
Planarian Record for Victoria (illus.),
101

Flatworm, Geoplana varigata— A New
Land Planarian Record for Victoria
(illus.), 264

French Island, The Marine and Estuarine
Molluscs of (illus.), 197

Mollusc Census, Non-Marine, Prelimi-
nary Results of (with 6 species distri-
bution maps), 259

Molluscs (list of
French Island), 203

Port Phillip Bay, Victoria, The Impact
of the Ethane Pipeline on the Marine
Ecosystem of (with map and tables),
60

she phardi,
in Burrows of

species. collected,

MISCELLANEOUS

Camping in the Caves Country (Mur-
rindal) (illus. and with map), 117

Conservation, Four Principles of, 93

Conservation Problems at Black Rock

Point (illus.), 240

Gold Coast, Nature Notes from the, 26,
39, 71, 94, 124, 230, 306

Kangaroo Island, South Australia, Win-
ter Day at, 310

Letter from Rockhampton (reprint from
German, of 1864) (Early Naturalists’
Writings — 3), 148

Mallacoota Inlet, etc. (Early Naturalists’
Writing — 4) (reprint), 332 i

Natural Conservation Study Conference,
Report on First (Canberra), 354

Port Phillip Bay, Victoria, The Impact
of the Ethane Pipeline on the Marine
Ecostystem of, 60

Raak, Rambles in (Early Naturalists’
Writings — 2), 32, 52

Rudd’s Rocks (Wyperfeld), The Search
for (illus.), 212

Seaford, Coastal Conservation Problems
at (illus.), 4

PERSONAL

Hanks, Ernest
tribute), 133
Howitt, William, and Australian Natural

History, 172
Wakefield, Norman Arthur (Vale), 103

Silverton (obituary

PLANTS

‘A Handbook to Plants in Victoria’, Vol.
2 (book review), 138

‘Aquatic Plants of Australia’ (book re-
view), 325

Back o’ Bunyip (nature trail, with map),

Bennison High Plains, Ecological Studies
on the (illus., and with species list),
286

Flat Rock Area, Northern Grampians,
The Wildflowers of the (with species
list), 17

‘Flora of the Sydney Region’ (book re-

view), 151
‘Forest Trees of Australia’ (book re-
view), 137

Fungus, Stone-making (Polyporus basi-
lapiloides) (note), 133

Japan, A Botanical Meal in (report of
Rex Filson’s talk), 234

Lichens in Europe (report of Rex Fil-
son’s talk), 44

Murrindal Caves Country (botanical ob-
servations), 119

Myrtle Beech, Nothofagus cunninghamii,
Accelerated Tree Death in Mature
Forests in Tasmania, 343

Orchid, Helmet (Corybas hispidus), A
New Species from Victoria and
N.S.W. (illus.), 96

Origin of Generic Names of the Vic-
torian Flora, The: Part 1 — The Per-
son behind the Name, 72, 122, 170,
1865227. 248,279, 321
Ditto, Part 2 — Latin, Greek and Mis-
cellaneous, 349

eee

Puffball, Leathery (Mycenastrum corum)
(from Warrnambool district), 59,
(note), 132

Raak, The (N.W. Mallee) (photo), 29

Seaford Foreshore, Vegetation List of, 9

Sloping Island (S.E. Tasmania), The
Vegetation of (with species list), 312

Stringybarks, Gum-topped, The Occur-

rence of, in the Trentham Forest
(illus.), 90

REPTILES

Gecko, Thick-tailed (Phyllurus milii)

(illus.), 10

Gippsland Water Dragon (Physignathus
leseurii howitti) (illus.), 308

Goanna (doubtfully identified as
Gould’s Monitor, Varanus gouldi), 335

Lizard, Shingleback or Stumpytail (Tili-
qua rugosus) (illus.), 308

Skink, Bougainville’s (Lerista bougain-
villii) (illus.), 232

Skink, Garden (Morethia lineo-ocellatus)
(illus.), 10

Skink, Three-lined (Leiolopisma
neatum) (illus.), 232

Snake, Carpet (photo), 49

Thorny Devil or Moloch Lizard (Mo-
loch horridus (photo), 269

Tortoises, Short-neck, Emydura australis,
and Elseya dentata, in the Victoria
River system, Northern’ Territory,
Notes on the (illus.), 351

trili-

REVIEWS

‘A Handbook to Plants
Vol. 2— Dicotyledons,
Willis, 138

‘Aquatic Plants of Australia’, by Helen
I. Aston, 325

‘Flora of the Sydney Region’, by N. C.
W. Beadle, O. D. Evans, R. C. Caro-
lin and Mary D. Tindale, 151

‘Forest Trees of Australia’, by Norman
Hall, R. D. Johnston and G. M. Chip-
pendale, 137

in Victoria’,
by J..2H:

SPIDERS

Spider, Death’s Head, Orchard, or Bird-
dropping (Celaenia excavata), 332

ADDENDUM,..CORREGENDA AND ERRATUM

Vol. 90

Facing p. 14 — “Reptiles of Victoria”
(Addendum).

P. 174 — Obituary to E. S. Hanks (Erra-
tum).

P. 265 — “In Search of Rudd’s Rocks”
(Corregenda).

505,945
5645

JANUARY, 1973

Published by the
FIELD NATURALISTS CLUB OF VICTORIA

in which is incorporated the Microscopical Society of Victoria

45c

Registered in Australia for transmission by post as a periodical.
Category “A”

F.N.C.V. DIARY OF COMING EVENTS

GENERAL MEETINGS

Monday, 8 January — At National Herbarium, The Domain, South Yarra, com-
mencing 8 p.m.

Subject for evening — Members Night.

GROUP MEETINGS

(8 p.m. at National Herbarium unless otherwise stated.)
Wednesday, 17 January—Microscopical Group.

Thursday, 25 January — Field Survey Group meeting in Conference Room, National
Museum at 8 p.m. (Member’s Night).

Note — F.S.G. Camp will be held AFTER the January Meeting; for details contact
Group Secretary.

Thursday, 22 February — At above venue (Taxonomy).

Monday, 5 February—Marine Biology and Entomology Group. 8 p.m., at National
Museum, Library Conference Room.

Wednesday, 7 February—Geology Group.

Thursday, 8 February—Botany Group.

F.N.C.V. Excursions

Saturday, 10 March-Monday, 12 March—Labour Day Week-end. There will be a
combined excursion to Shepparton with other clubs. A bus has been chartered
and accommodation booked for the week-end. The cost for the coach and bed
and breakfast at the motel will be $24.00 per person. Further details next month.

Notice to Contributors

It is important that material submitted for publication should preferably be
typewritten on foolscap or quarto sheets at double spacing, and with a 2.5-3 cm
(1”) margin on the left. No underlining of words should appear unless abso-
lutely necessary.

Where dates occur, the day should precede the month, e.g. 15 May 1972 not
May 15 1972.

2 Vict. Nat. Vol. 90

The
Victorian Naturalist

Editor: G. M. Ward

Assistant Editor: G. Douglas

Vol. 90, No. 1 8 January, 1973
CONTENTS
Articles:
Coastal Conservation Problems at Seaford. By Peter Cullen .. S 4
The Otway Coast of Victoria. By Edmund D. Gill and Nancy McNeill .. 12
The Wildflowers of the Flat Rock Area, Northern Grampians. By Brian
and Beverley Timms .. ays as wat ne ake ie a iby
Features:
Reptiles of Victoria — No. 8. By Hans Beste .. od a 7 7 fe 10
Nature Notes from the Gold Coast. By Alex N. Burns .. ee 7 e126

Field Naturalists Club of Victoria:

No

Diary of Coming Events

Front Cover:

Female Wandering Albatross (Diomedea exulans) incubating at Half Moon Bay,

Macquarie Island.
ANARE photo — Ken G. Simpson.

January, 1973 3

Coastal Conservation Problems at Seaford

by PETER CULLEN*

One of the few extensive areas of
Tea-tree vegetation remaining on the
eastern shore line of Port Phillip is
found at Seaford. This strip 1s some
5.6 kilometres long, about 100 metres
wide, and is designated as permanent
Crown Reserve for public purposes.

Landward of the sandy beach are
low sand dunes forming the first of
a series of parallel sand ridges in the
area. These ridges are composed of
wind-blown sand resting on beach
deposits (Whincup, 1944). Kananook
Creek flows between two such ridges,
and the Melbourne-Frankston railway
line is built upon one of them.

A wide variety of vegetation is
found on the area, as shown by the
vegetation list compiled by Mr. J.
Kirkpatrick and Dr. E. C. F. Bird of
the Geography Department at the Uni-
versity of Melbourne which is ap-
pended to this report.

In 1927, a report on the condition
of Tea-tree around Port Phillip by
Pescott, noted that the Tea-tree in this
area was abundant. A field excursion
to the area also in 1927 (C.D., 1927)
reports that the vegetation was healthy,
and described the track through the
area which is still in use. A_ similar
excursion in 1947 (French and Lee)
noted that borer species were doing
great damage to the Banksia trees,
many of which were dying and falling
over.

At present the Banksias on the re-
serve are in a very poor state due to
the actions of the borers. The Tea-
tree is also now over-mature in some
areas, and since there is little natural

4

revegetation, is dying out. Due to car
parking and the foot traffic to and
from the beach, young Tea-trees and
Banksias in the reserve have little
chance of developing.

The Seaford Reserve, including its
beach area, is intensively used during
the summer months. The Beach
Usage Survey of the Port Phillip
Authority (1970) showed that 65% of
those using this beach had travelled
over 10 miles, a greater proportion
than for any other beach on the
eastern shoreline. There are several
reasons for this popularity, but one
significant one is the shade provided
by the trees.

However, this popularity itself has
led to considerable destruction of the
coastal vegetation, especially on the
seaward, or primary dune. This vege-
tation is not able to withstand the
trampling of the thousands of people
who use the area, and consequently
areas of bare sand have been eroded
by the wind. Blow-outs have been
created in the dune, and the sand
blown further inland, where it has
killed other vegetation by either dir-
ectly sand blasting it, or by burial.

Another significant cause of dam-
age to vegetation behind the primary
dune has been the random and hap-
hazard parking of cars. Branches,
and indeed trees, have been removed
to allow cars into spots, or to assist
in freeing vehicles bogged in the
sand.

*Research Officer, Port Phillip Authority.

Vict. Nat. Vol. 90

The deterioration of the vegetation
on the Seaford Reserve has been go-
ing on for some time, and there have
been several reasons for this:

(a) Car parking on the Reserve.

(b) Trafficking of people across
dunes, leading to wind erosion.

(c) Direct sand and salt blast on
vegetation following erosion of
the foredune.

(d) Natural ageing of Tea-tree with
conditions being unsuitable for
regeneration.

(e) Activities of boring organisms
in Banksias.

An examination of aerial photo-
graphs of the area taken in 1931, 1946
and 1972 show the steady rate of de-
terioration. In 1931 the foredune was
dissected, but there were few large
blow-throughs of sand. By 1946 vege-
tation on the landward side of the
foredune had begun to deteriorate,
and the vegetation had become notice-
ably thinner in some areas, but there
were still few bare expanses of sand.
By 1972 the vegetation on the land-
ward side of the foredune had de-
teriorated still further, and there were
some substantial blow-throughs of the
dune. There are now some large ex-

Pilate 1. Traffick-
ing of people
removes vegeta-
tion, allowing
wind to erode
the dune.

photo: Author

January, 1973

panses of bare sand, some of which
reach through almost to the Nepean
Highway.

RESTORATION
The Alternatives —

If the existing character of the area
is to be retained, it is essential to re-
establish vegetation on the eroded pri-
mary dune, to prevent further erosion.

To achieve this, people will have to
be kept off the new vegetation, at
least while it is establishing.

The question at Seaford was whether
the existing irregular topography of
the dune could be stabilized by re-
vegetation or whether it would be
necessary first to fill the blow-throughs
with sand to prevent the eddying of
wind from killing any new vegetation.

On an ocean beach at Kilcunda,
Sluiter (1966) found that it was not
sufficient just to plant marram grass
in the blow-throughs. The grass did
not establish and Sluiter considered
the reason for this was the exposure to
wind. He found it was necessary to
plug the blow-through with sand,

caught by slat fencing, before grass
could be established.

Mitchell (1971) suggests that as a
general principle it is necessary first to
seal a breach, and recreate the pri-
mary dune. This can be done by sand-
trap fencing, or by earthmoving equip-

4 Shoreline

§ Nepean Hwy.

Plate 2.

GNI. Bag oS

by RS <

Aerial
Photographs of
part of Seaford
Reserve —

Upper, 1931

Cwth. Archives

Middle, 1946

Crown Lands
& Survey, Vic.

Lower, 1972

Crown Lands
& Survey, Vic.

6 Vict. Nat. Vol. 90

Plate 3. Marram
grass planted to
stabilize incised
dune.

photo: Author

ment. However, this conclusion was
based on experience in dune stabiliza-
tion on Victoria’s ocean coasts, which
are exposed to stronger wind and wave
energy than the shores of Port Phillip
or Westernport Bays. In these more
sheltered situations vegetation may
well be sufficient to stabilize an erod-
ing foredune.

At Seaford, it was decided to at-
tempt the more sensitive approach and
to stabilize the existing incised fore-
dune. Other reasons for this were —

(1) There is considerable van-
dalism in the area, and it was

Plate 4. Sand
blown through
the breaches of
the dune buries
vegetation and
facilities.

photo: Author

January, 1973

considered that sand _ trap
fencing would be damaged or
stolen.

(ii) Mechanically reforming the

dune would inevitably cause
excessive damage to the exist-
ing vegetation, since sand
would have to be pushed back
from the ‘rear of the, dune.
There is insufficient sand on
the beach to plug the breaches.

(iii) There is no geological evidence

that there was ever a smooth,
unbroken dune along the coast
in this area.

(iv) If this approach should fail, it
would still not be too late to
bring in earth-moving equip-
ment to push the sand back to
the dune.

THE RESTORATION PROGRAMME

The Port Phillip Authority, with
the co-operation of the Seaford Fore-
shore Committee of Management, has
undertaken a restoration project on
part of the Seaford Reserve, imme-
diately south of the Seaford Pier.

Surfaced tracks have been provided
across the foredune at regular in-
tervals. The area between these tracks
has been temporarily fenced, and
planted to marram grass. Banksia
trees have also been planted in some
sections.

The co-operation of visitors to the
Seaford Reserve is vital to the success
of this project, and to the long-term
conservation of this coastal area.

Such conservation is worthwhile,

since this is a small surviving remnant
of the type of coastal vegetation that
used to be extensive around the low
sandy sectors of the Bay.

There are many plants and animals,

including a wide variety of birds that
occupy such a coastal habitat. It is
important to preserve this habitat close
to the City of Melbourne, since it is
of value scientifically, and is important
as an area for the teaching of ecology
and botany.

It is popular as a recreational area,
for walking, picnicking and nature
study as well as providing shade on
hot days.

REFERENCES
“C.D.” (1927). Tea-tree Notes. Victorian
Nat. XLIV, 166-7.

French, C., and Lee, R. (1947). Notes on
Excursion to Seaford. Victorian Nat.
63: 207.

Mitchell, A. (1971). Conservation of
Coastal Dunes. Vic. Resources 13:
No. 3, 15-20.

Pescott, E. E. (1927). The Doomed Tea-
tree. Victorian Nat. XLIV, 122-126.

Port Phillip Authority (1970). Beach
Usage Survey.

Sluiter, G. B. (1966). Restoring a Coastal
Dune. Vic. Resources 8: No. 3, 71-72.

Whincup, S. (1944). Superficial Sand De-
posits between Brighton and Frankston,
Victoria. Proc. Roy. Soc. Victoria 56:
(N.S.)(Pt. 1,°53-76:

Plate 5. Fenced

walkways pro-
vide access to
the beach.

photo: Author

Vict. Nat. Vol. 90

APPENDIX

Vegetation List of Seaford Foreshore (1971) compiled by Mr. J. Kirkpatrick and

Species

GRAMINEAE

Spinifex hirsutus
Ehrharta longifolia
Ehrharta erecta*
Sporolobus capensis*
Ammophilia arenaria*
Lagurus ovatus*
Danthonia geniculata
Briza maxima*

LILIACEAE

Asparagus asparagoides*
PROTEACEAE

Banksia integrifolia

POLYGONACEAE
Muehlenbeckia adpressa

(CHENOPODIACEAE
Rhagodia baccata

AIZOACEAE
Carpobrotus rossii
Tetragonia implexicoma

RANUNCULACEAE
Clematis microphylla

CRASSULACEAE
Crassula sieberana

LEGUMINOSAE
Acacia longifolia

RUTACEAE
Correa alba

POLYGALACEAE
Polygala myrtifolia*

MYRTACEAE

Leptospermum laevigatum

EPACRIDACEAE

Dr. E. C: F, Bird.

Seaward
Foredune

Sty phelia (Leucopogon) parviflorus x

APOCYNACEAE
Alyxia buxifolia

RUBIACEAE
Coprosma repens*

COMPOSITAE
Olearia axillaris

Crysanthemoides monilifera*

Helichrysum paralium

*Introduced species

January, 1973

Lee
Foredune

Foredune
to Road

reptiles of victoria-8

by Hans BESTE
Plate 15
Morethia lineoocelatus — Garden Skink.
A small brownish skink of variable markings.
Length: to 43 inches.

Short, tapering head. Eyelids not movable. Ear-opening distinct. Five
fingers and five toes. Two distinct colour variations exist. Upper olive-brown.
A dark brown dorso lateral stripe is underlined by a pale cream stripe, extending
from snout to hindlegs. One form has distinct rows of small white spots, edged
with black, along the back. These are absent from the other form. The dorso
lateral stripe of this form is usually darker. Under pale cream.

Habitat: among debris, low vegetation.

Best distinguishing features
stripe.

non-movable eyelids, spots or dorso lateral

Plate 16
Phyllurus milii— Thick Tailed Gecko.
A colourful gecko with an unusually shaped tail.
Length: to almost 6 inches.

Head very large, distinct from body. Mouth large and rounded. Eyes large,
silvery — like molten lead. Yellow upper eyelid. Tail greatly enlarged — carrot
shaped. Basic colour chocolate-brown with enlarged yellow or white tubercles,
aften in bands across body and tail. Under pale pink.

Habitat: under bark and rocks in lightly timbered country. At times in
rabbit warrens.

Best distinguishing features — chocolate colour, shape, carrot-like tail.

10 Vict. Nat. Vol. 90

PLATE 16

January, 1973 11

The Otway Coast of Victoria,

Australia

by EDMUND D. GILL* AND Nancy MCNEILLT

The Otways have a rocky coast which consists of Lower Cretaceous felspathic
sandstones (arkoses) and siltstones laid down in freshwater lakes and swamps. The
vegetation was rich, so that coal was formed. The climate was cold, and so the
vertebrate animal life was limited. In the northern part of Australia, rocks of the
same age and ecology preserve the remains of large dinosaurs and other animals.
Although so well exposed in coastal and valley sections and road cuts, rocks of this
age in Victoria have yielded of terrestrial vertebrates only one claw of a small
dinosaur and one small reptilian humerus. However, fossil fish are known from a
number of places, especially at Koonwarra (Waldman 1971) in South Gippsland,
where a King Crab (Riek and Gill 1971), insects, conchostracans (Talent 1965) and

other arthropods were also found.

ORIGIN OF THE OTWAYS

The Lower Cretaceous rocks of the
Otways are structurally a block of
country uplifted above the. adjacent
sectors (a horst), so that they are
mountainous and scenic. The Ocean
Road was built to give people ready
access to the seascapes and_ holiday
environments of this attractive coast
as well as for the needs of residents.
How this coast was formed has also
exercised the observational and inter-
pretative skills of a number of noted
workers. Papers by Jutson (1949,
1954), Edwards (1962), and Hills
(1971), for example, are widely known
around the world.

One widely debated problem is to
what extent rocky shore platforms are
due to the sea cutting into the land,
and to what extent the result of the
air and the rain rotting the rocks.
On the latter view, the sea is chiefly a
transport mechanism removing the
results of subaerial decomposition.
The former view stresses the power
of the sea to abrade the rocks.

*Deputy Director, National»Museum of Victoria.

12

HoRIZONTAL SEACUTS INTO STEEP
HILLSIDES

We think it is significant that on this
steep coast the work of the sea results
in more or less flat platforms. They
are thus related in their geometry to
the horizontal action of the sea, rather
than to the action of weathering
which follows the steep hillslopes. The
terrain inland is steep, with deep
valleys and high hills. At the coast
the land often descends very precipi-
tously to the shore, but however steep
the land, the shore platforms are al-
ways more or less flat. The surf is
one of Nature’s power tools, that
chisels out the land to form a bevel
more or less at the level of the sea.
It is true that the soil and weathered
rocks are easier to erode than the
fresh rock, but none the less the sea
cuts through the zone of decomposi-
tion into the hard fresh rock below.
The sea performs an enormous amount
of work, both in eroding the rocks
and in removing the resultant debris.

tDorman Street, Lorne, Victoria.

Vict. Nat. Vol. 90

CHEMICAL AND PHYSICAL FACTORS

Then why is it that some students
of rocky shores have made so much
of the factor of subaerial weather-
ing, and thought of the sea as no
more than an endless belt to carry
away the results of rock weathering?
Why do they think that the cutting of
the coast is a chemical rather than a
physical process? The answer is to be
found in the tropical countries. In
hot, humid climates like Singapore,
Puerto Rico, Morocco and Hawaii (in
all of which important studies have
been carried out), the chemical effects
are dominant. The rocks rot with re-
markable rapidity, and the sea sweeps
away the debris. Thus high cliffy
coasts are less frequent in tropical
countries, and sandy beaches are a
characteristic coastal form. The steep
coasts of Hawaii are due to volcanic
activity; on both the general terrain
and along the shore the rocks are
shaped by the intense tropical weather-
ing such as we never see in Victoria.
The steepness of New Guinea is due to
exceptionally strong earth movements.

So it seems to us that the domin-
ance of chemical weathering, or of
the physical action of the sea, is a
matter of ecology. In the hot wet
tropics the former dominates, while in
the Mediterranean type of climate as
in Victoria, and in colder places, the
latter dominates. They are not alter-
native explanations. Both are present
everywhere, but their proportion
changes with climate. Chemical wea-
thering is certainly present on the
coasts of Victoria, but it is_ slight
compared with what happens in places
like Hawaii.

CHEMICAL DECOMPOSITION
The rocks outcropping on the Ot-
way Coast are arkose (felspathic
sandstone) and siltstone. The former

is greenish-grey when unweathered,
with chlorite, calcite, iron oxide or

January, 1973

zeolite cement, and rarely a few other
minerals. The siltstone is bluish-grey
or grey when unweathered. These
rocks turn brown on weathering, due
to the chlorite changing to limonite
(Edwards and Baker 1943). Where
the horizontal shore platforms are cut
into the steep hills, the rocks are un-
weathered as far as can be deter-
mined in hand specimens. However,
elevated parts of the supratidal plat-
form that are comparatively free of
erosion are darker on the surface, and
possess some mobilization of secon-
dary calcite and limonite. Only slight
chemical weathering is evident on the
shore platforms, thus contrasting with
the rapid breakdown of rocks to be
seen in the tropics.

PHYSICAL EROSION

Where the rocks are homogeneous
and massive, broad areas of smooth
platform result (Gill 1972a). How-
ever, horizons of concretions are de-
veloped in places, and other variables
that result in differential erosion (Gill
1972b). Plate 1 was taken to illus-
trate in summary the processes of this
kind commonly encountered on the
Otway Coast. This photograph shows
part of the wide platform at Point
Grey, Lorne, south of the pier and
near Hird Street. Five kinds of dif-
ferential erosion are represented in
this one small area:

1. Excavated joint plane. Diagon-
ally across the photograph is a gutter
or rill of V-shaped cross-section but
with very well rounded edges. It is
spanned by the 3 ft. ruler folded to
half that length. This structure is due
to the excavation of a joint. When the
sediments that form these rocks were
folded and _ uplifted, the stresses
generated frequently found relief in
joints (Beasley 1971) which are frac-
ture planes without displacement
(faults are such with displacement).
In some places joints have no effect on

13

the flat surface of a shore platform.
In others they are lines of weakness
along which erosion occurs as in the
site illustrated. In yet others, secon-
dary minerals have strengthened the
joints so that they stand out above
the rest of the platform. A _ small
amount of the secondary decomposi-
tion can be seen in the right-hand
end of the joint as shown in Plate 1.
Not far from the site of the photo-
graph is an area of ferruginized joints
that form a system more or less at
right angles, so that this piece of plat-
form looks like a giant waffle iron.
The ironstone is apparently from the
oxidation of pyrite.

2. “Cannon-ball” Concretions. The
two most prominent features in Plate 1
look like miniature volcanoes with
deep craters. They are sites whence
spherical concretions (locally called
“cannon-balls”) have been removed by
wave action. The cavity on the left is
7 cm wide and 2.5 cm deep, while that
on the right has a diameter of 15.2 cm
and a depth of 12.7 cm. The concre-
tions are formed by crystallisation of
calcium carbonate (Edwards and
Baker 1943). Where this occurs
evenly, a spherical concretion results.
Such may have concentric layers that
only show up during weathering. Plate
2 illustrates the concentric layers in
an exceptionally large concretion ob-
served on the coast south-west of Von
Mueller Creek on 12th. June 1971.
Two outer layers about 8 cm thick
have been oxidized and partly broken
away. The surface of the core was
oxidized too, but was still quite solid.
Onion weathering is seen sometimes on
this coast, but the layers are very
thin, and not as thick as shown in
Plate: 2.

That the removal of the concretions
at Point Grey (Plate 1) leaves evenly-
shaped craters suggests some discon-
tinuity existed between the concretion

14

and the matrix. The masses of rock
shaped like volcanoes that carry the
craters are not necessarily mineralized
also, but are areas that were protected
from erosion by the concretion above,
when it was there. They are asym-
metric, and this orientation matches
that of the other concretions, which
seems to be due to the dip of the
Strata.

3. “Sausage” Concretions. In the
lower left of the photograph forming
Plate 1 are elongate concretions, some
of which are in contact end to end.
Locally these are called “sausages”,
because they remind people of strings
of sausages. It is true that some are
similar to sausages in size and shape,
but others belonging to this category
may be as much as 20 cm in diameter,
which is a rather large sausage!

The area of the photograph is un-
usual in having a number of different
types of concretions close together.
More often a particular type is char-
acteristic of a given area, one place
having all “cannon balls” and another
all “sausages”. Concretions are not
found everywhere, but occur in hori-
zons which must be zones that pos-
sessed special conditions allowing
their formation. It will be interesting
to discover if some of these zones are
continuations of the same _ layer
through the folds of the country rock,
or whether each zone is an isolated
occurrence. The zones follow the
bedding, so probably were formed be-
fore the beds were folded.

Near Von Mueller Creek, concre-
tions proved to be a useful clue to
distinguish between boulders on the
shore platform that had tumbled from
road works, those which were derived
from the cliff, and those which had
been quarried from the shore plat-
form (or below it) by the swirling sea-
waters. The road rocks were oxidized
to a light brown colour, while the rest

Vict. Nat. Vol. 90

Subscriptions Now Due

The Field Naturalists Club of Victoria is administered by a relatively
small number of honorary office-bearers.

The growth of the club and the expansion of its activities, particularly
in connection with the production of the Victorian Naturalist, are con-
tinually adding to the burden of work.

It is therefore requested that fees and subscriptions be paid as promptly
as possible, in order to help lighten some of this burden. The financial year
commences on | January, 1973.

If you will not be paying your fees at one of the forthcoming general
meetings, please remit them by post, using the form provided on the reverse
side of this leaf.

This procedure will save office-bearers’ time, and expense, in sending
out reminder notices.

PLEASE ATTEND TO THIS MATTER NOW

You may help further by passing the following leaf on to an acquaintance
who is not a member of the F.N.C.V. or a subscriber to the Victorian
Naturalist but who might be interested in either.

NOTES:

1. Membership fees for the year 1973 are as follows:
@OnrciManyeNeemMmOe4ns. Ve a eS ey alle a ean a ane $7.00
CG olmciyeNICMADETSH iia Zioo seek! goslibe Petey be Yoda les le eater placolen mules $5.00
MOIGIEIVICIMIDERS cto SG Ca nee de hho leas ig Oko Weg rats ee ges, $2.00
MTN OTe IVICTINDETS i sy yee ky ede Wan Miah aga LNW tone ee a | ma! | ome eh $2.00
Junior Members receiving The Victorian Naturalist .. .. .. .. .. $4.00
Subscribers ‘to Phe Victorian Naturalist’ 0.000. ee ee ee $5.00
AMMIMTACER SOCICIES yi Be haisse Wants oh “tel ae Lay Paws koe ee eS ie ae $7.00
Life Membership (reduction after 20 years’ membership) .. .. .. $140.00

(Ordinary, and country members receive the Victorian Naturalist free of any
further charge.)

2. The scheme of supporting membership was introduced so that those who are able
and willing to do so might help club finances. You are invited to become a
supporting member by making a voluntary addition to the normal annual fee of
any sum you choose, from $1 upward. Details relating to supporting members
and their payments are regarded by the treasurer as confidential, and no distinc-
tion or extra privilege is bestowed on the members concerned.

(To be removed)

POOP OMe HHH EH Eee HED HEHEHE HEE EE EE EE EEE OEEEHHETHTE EOE HEHEHE RESET TOE E OEE EE HEE OS STTOEE ED SODF HESS DEEDES DDE ESSE SOSH OTST SOOO TESST E EEF ERED ED DOE EES EOE EEE ED

ADDENDUM
Vol. 89: No .7, p. 186.

A space to the right of the text under Frasers
Legless Lizard should contain this illustration.

Field Naturalists Club of Victoria

FORM FOR RENEWAL OF MEMBERSHIP OR OF
SUBSCRIPTION TO THE “VICTORIAN NATURALIST”

(To be used by existing members or subscribers for payment of fees)

(Please indicate if there is a joint member)

Mr. D. E. McINNES
Hon. Treasurer, F.N.C.V.

129 Waverley Road, East Malvern, 3145
Dear Sir,

Please find enclosed the sum of $ , to cover annual

membership fees
subscription to the Victorian Naturalist

enter this sum as follows:

for the year 1973. Please

Membership fees
Supporting membership

Subscription to Victorian Naturalist .. .. §

Yours faithfully,

Field Naturalists Club of Victoria

APPLICATION FORM

To be used by new members or subscribers.
(Cross out parts which are not applicable)

I wish to subscribe to the Victorian Naturalist for 1973. Please post it
monthly to the address below.

Ordinary
I wish to apply for Country membership of the Field Naturalists Club
Junior
of Victoria.

My full name and address is:
Mr.

I enclose the sum of $ in payment of the year’s fee.

Date / /1973.

(Cut along this line)

The Field Naturalists Club of Victoria
ELECTION OF OFFICE-BEARERS

Under the terms of the Articles of Association, nominations for elections to
Council at the Annual General Meeting must be received by the Secretary two
calendar months before the Annual General Meeting, i.e., by the January General
Meeting. I therefore call for nominations for the following positions:—

President Vice-Presidents (2)
Secretary Treasurer

Assistant Secretary Assistant Treasurer
Editor Librarian

Assistant Editor Assistant Librarian
Excursion Secretary Residual Councillors (5)

_ Any financial member may nominate for any of the above positions. Nomina-
tions must be proposed and seconded by financial members, and nomination forms
must be signed by the nominee, the proposer and the seconder.

It is most important that nominations be received for all positions as the Club
cannot function effectively without a complete, enthusiastic and effective Council.
R. H. RIORDAN,

Honorary Secretary.
(See over)

The Field Naturalists Club of Victoria
AN INVITATION TO PERSONS INTERESTED IN AUSTRALIAN
FAUNA, FLORA AND COUNTRYSIDE

If you have not already an affiliation with the F.N.C.V., you may apply to the
club either for membership or for regular subscription to the Victorian Naturalist.
These are some of the club’s activities:

@ General meetings each month, with informative, illustrated talks by prominent
naturalists. These are held on the second Monday of each month, at the National
Herbarium, South Yarra.

@ Meetings of study groups comprising those with specialized interests such as
geology, botany, microscopy, entomology, native fauna, etc.

@ Organized excursions led by nature experts, to places of interest, both near and
far.

@ The maintenance of a large lending library of nature books and magazines.

@ The publication monthly of the Victorian Naturalist, a well-illustrated nature
magazine produced for the general reader as well as the expert. This is issued
free to all members.

Membership is available to any person interested in nature; it is not necessary to
have any specialized knowledge.

Membership Fees for the year 1973 are:
Ordinary members (living within 20 miles of G.P.O. Melbourne) ... $7.00
Country members (living over 20 miles from G.P.O., Melbourne) .. $5.00
Junior members Gunder 18 years of age)“, 6 seen. eo ee ee $2.00

Non-members may subscribe: to the “Victorian Naturalist” for $5.00.

If you are interested in either membership of the club or subscription to the
Victorian Naturalist, please complete the appropriate parts of the form on the
reverse side of this leaf and post it to:

Honorary Secretary, F.N.C.V.,
National Herbarium, South Yarra, Victoria 3141.

(Cut along this line)

The Field Naturalists Club of Victoria
ELECTION OF OFFICE-BEARERS

Nomination Form

forthe position of.202:0000 a

Secon@edabiy. 24. Sars Sikh. err, NN eee ee of.

(To be removed)

SS
SS
WS
SEMA

Plate 1:
Surface structures on the arkose shore platform at Point Grey, Lorne, Victoria,
showing various kinds of concretions, joint erosion and honeycomb weathering.

Plate 2:
Large concretion with thick exfoliation layers on shore platform S.W. of Von

Mueller Creek, Otway Coast, Victoria.
Photos E. D. Gill.

January, 1973 15

were grey and those from the cliff
commonly contained concretions. So
a brown boulder on the shore was
from the road works above, especially
if it had a drill hole through it!

4. Irregular Concretions. In the
top right-hand area of the photograph
(Plate 1) are numerous irregular con-
cretions. Having no well-defined
shape, they have earned no local name.
A number of these concretions dip
into the matrix in the direction of the
lower right of the photo, following the
bedding. The supports for the spheri-
cal concretions extend in that direc-
tion. The sausage-like concretions
have a similar dip because at one end
they stand above the general platform
surface, while at the other they are
disappearing into it. In all the con-
cretions, a definite orientation is
therefore discernible, which must be
connected with the conditions of de-
position of the lithifying calcite.

5. Honeycomb Weathering. In the
top left-hand corner of the photo-
graph (Plate 1) is an area of alveolar
or honeycomb weathering, sometimes
called tafoni (Jennings 1968). Such is
characteristic of the supratidal arkose
platforms on this coast. The develop-
ment of honeycomb on sea walls of
known date of construction (e.g. 1943)
shows that the process is more rapid
than originally thought. Thus honey-
comb formation is a significant pro-
cess in the complex weathering of the
arkose outcropping on the coast. It
reduces the higher areas on supra-
tidal platforms that otherwise would
not be so rapidly eroded.

REFERENCES

Beasley, A. W. (1971). Rock fractures
called joints. Vict. Naturalist, 88: 347-
349.

Edwards, A. B. (1962). Notes on the
geology of the Lorne district, Victoria.
Proc. R. Soc. Vict., 75: 101-119.

Edwards, A. B., and Baker, G. (1943).
Jurassic arkose in Victoria. Proc. R.
Soc. Vict., 55: 195-228.

Gill, E. D. (1972a). The relationship of
present shore platforms to past sea
levels. Boreas I (1): 1-25.

Gill, E. D. (1972b). Ramparts on shore
platforms. Pacific Geol., 4: 121-133.

Hills, E. S. (1971). A study of cliffy
coastal profiles based on examples in
Victoria, Australia. Zeit Geomorph.,
15 (2): 137-180.

Jennings, J. N. (1968). Tafoni. In Encl.
Geomorphology. (Ed. R. W.. Fair-
bridge), pp. 1103-4.

Jutson, J. T. (1949). The shore platforms
of Lorne, Victoria. Proc. R. Soc. Vict.,
61: 43-59.

Jutson, J. T. (1954). The shore platforms
of Lorne, Victoria, and the processes
of erosion operating thereon. Proc. R.
Soc. Vict., 65: 125-134.

Riek, E. F., and Gill, E. D. (1971). A
new Xiphosuran genus from Lower
Cretaceous freshwater sediments at
Koonwarra, Victoria, Australia.
Palaeontology, 14 (2): 206-210.

Talent, J. A. (1965). A new species of
conchostracan from the Lower Cre-
taceous of Victoria. Proc. R. Soc. Vict.,
79: 197-203.

Waldman, M. (1971). Fish from the
freshwater Lower Cretaceous of Vic-
toria, Australia. Spec. Pap. Palaeont.,
No. 9.

Nominations for Council: 1973.

In accordance with the provisions of the Articles of Association, nominations for
election to Council at the Annual General Meeting must reach me by 30th January,
1973. Nominations must be signed by the Nominee, and must be proposed and
seconded by Club members. Any member may be nominated for any position on

Council.

16

Vict. Nat. Vol. 90

The Wildflowers of the Flat Rock Area
Northern Grampians

by

BRIAN AND BEVERLEY TIMMS*

ABSTRACT

121 species of wildflowers are recorded from a 30 hectare area at Flat Rock. Four distinct habitats

are recognised:

the rock gardens of Flat Rock, a dense shrubby zone at the base of the rocks, a

Micromyrtis swamp and a woodland dominated by Brown Stringybark and divisible into two areas by

topography and different dominate shrubs.
flower calendar constructed.

Introduction

The Grampians are well known for
their wildflowers and the springtime
spectacle must be the best in eastern
Australia. In previous years we had
wandered over wide areas looking at
flowers, but in 1971-72 we tried a dif-
ferent approach. We visited the same
area regularly over a year not only to
see Other than spring flowering species,
but also in order to collect data to
construct a wildflower calendar. The
site chosen was Flat Rock, initially
because of the attractive rock gardens
there, but the variety of vegetation
types proved it to be an interesting
site.

The Area

The study area (Fig. 1) is small,
being about 30 hectares in size and
lies on the low saddle between Mounts
Stapleton and Zero in the north of the
Grampians. The saddle is bound on
the north and south by inwardly
sloping quartzose sandstone. It is com-
posed of siliceous sand, the soils are
skeletal and the slopes gentle. There
is a slight gradient away from the
mountain edges (marked by the edge
of the outcropping sandstone) and to
the east and west from the watershed.

Basically the area is covered with
low open forest but the height and
density of the shrub layer is variable.
Around the bases of the rocks and

January, 1973

The flowering period for each species is given and a wild-

near the watercourses (Zone B on Fig.
1) it is 1-3m high and dense. The
characteristic shrub is Thryptomene
calycina. The watershed is marked by
a change in vegetation; to the west
(Zone D) the average shrub height is
near 1m while on the eastern side (Zone
E) shrubs are even lower and more
spaced. Zone C is swampy and is
dominated by low bushes of Micro-
myrtis ciliatus. There is an interesting
ecotonal area around the swamp. The
area around the dam still bears the
damage done during its construction
for there are bare areas and vigorous
recolonization by wattles.

Flat Rock (Zone A) is a bare area
of dipping strata, flattish at the top and
sloping uniformly to the NE and dis-
appearing under the sands of the
saddle. Between the dipping rock beds
there are long clefts running in a SW-
NE direction and it is parts of these
that plants have managed to gain a
foothold and “rock gardens” have
resulted.

Climate

The northern Grampians experience
warm, mainly dry summers, and cool-
mild, wet winters. Stawell is probably
the most representative weather station
for Flat Rock and there the annual
range in mean monthly temperature is
from 8.1°C to 20.8°C (Table 1). The

*3 Fairland Ave., North Clayton, 3168.

17

average rainfall is 20.6” with a winter
maximum (Table 1). Because of its
topography, temperatures at Flat Rock
are probably a little milder than at
Stawell and rainfall higher. During the
study period conditions were not
average: the winter-spring was cooler
and much wetter than normal, the
summer wetter, and the autumn
warmer. Hence it is not surprising
that on all the trips save the autumn
one, the weather was overcast and
usually wet!

Methods

The study area was visited on ten
occasions in 1971-72 — 3 July, 7
August,:5; September, 1 October, 23
October, 20 November, 1 January, 27
February, 22 April and 3 June —
spaced so that observations were more
frequent in spring and further apart
in Ssummer-autumn. On each visit the
procedure was to move through the
area in a fixed pattern, so that the
same path was followed each time.
The route was positioned so that at

least all the showy shrubs of the area
were seen but rare small ones or
orchids could have been missed. The
abundance of each species was scored
on a five point scale. The extent of
flowering, that is whether the species
was in full flower, or only a proportion
of the flowers were open, was noted
and also scored on a five point scale.
Hence the observations were subjec-
tive, but comparable from one trip to
the next.

Species that could not be readily
identified in the field were identified by
the National Herbarium, from fresh
or pressed samples. Only wildflowers
in the common usage of the term were
studied; thus grasses, sedges and the
like, and trees were excluded, except
for the main species on Flat Rock.

The Flora

There are at least 800 species of
vascular plants native to the Gram-
pians (Cochrane et al, 1968) and of
these about 350 (260 “wildflowers’”’)
are known in the vicinity of the Flat

Figure 1. The Flat Rock-Mt. Zero saddle. The study area is bounded by the hatched

line.

The zones (see text) are indicated by “A”, “B”, “C”, “D”, and “E”. Drawing not to

scale.

18

Vict. Nat. Vol. 90

Rock area (Beauglehole, personal com-

munication). The present work records

120 species of “wildflowers” in the 30

ha study area, which comprises only

a small part of Beauglehole’s census

area. Had the area been enlarged many

further species would have been added
to the list.

Table 2 lists the species by family
and records their relative abundance
and distribution in the study area. No
one family dominates the flora. Except
for the Orchidaceae (17 species) the
most common families have about the
same number of species in each: Epa-
cridaceae (12 species), Papilionaceae
(11), Proteaceae, Mimosaceae, Myrta-
ceae and Compositae (9 each) and
Liliaceae (7).

No one of the 121 species grow in
all five zones. In fact many (47) are
restricted to one, and of these, the
most interesting are those on Flat
Rock; this is discussed later. Zone D
with 83 species is floristically the most
diverse and Zone C (13 species) the
least diverse.

The most obvious species in each
zone are:

A. Thryptomene calycina, Leptosper-
num nitidum, Acacia stricta, and
Micromyrtis ciliatus.

B. Thryptomene_ calycina, Banksia
marginata and Styphelia pinifolia.

C. Micromyrtis ciliatus.

D. & E. Styphelia behrii (mainly D),
Brachyloma_ daphnoides (mainly
D), Hibbertia spp, Ixodia achil-

lioides (mainly E), Tetratheca
ciliata and Xanthorrhoea australis
(mainly E).

The tree cover in zones D & E is
provided by the Brown Stringybark,
Eucalyptus baxteri and the Long-leaf
Box E. goniocalyx. The Oyster Bay
Pine, Callitris rhomboidea and the
Dwarf She-oak, Casuarina pusilla are
also present. In Zone B the eucalypts
are accompanied by the Mountain
Grey Gum E. cypellocarpa. At the top

January, 1973

of Flat Rock there are a few stunted
specimens of the latter and the Oyster
Bay Pine.

The “Gardens” of Flat Rock

These are of two basic types and
are probably edaphic climaxes rather
than one being a seral stage of the
other. The first grows in the sloping
clefts between the dipping strata.
Characteristic plants include Thrypto-
mene calycina, Leptospernum nitidum,
Acacia stricta, Eriostemon difformus,
Dodonaea cuneata, Meleleuca decus-
sata, Stypandra glauca and Drosera
planchonii.

The second is confined to less steep-
ly sloping parts of the rock, is not
necessarily associated with a crevice,
has more moss-bound soil and is domi-
nated by Micromyrtis ciliatus. Other
plants include Burchardia umbellata,
Dichopogon strictus, Haloragis mexi-
ana, Briza maxima and a variety of
orchids; although these sometimes
grow in the first type of garden as
well.

A few species tend to grow isolated
from the gardens, usually from small
crevices containing a minimum of soil.
Most obvious are Epacris impressa var
grandiflora and Helichrysum obcorda-
tum.

At the top and bottom of Flat Rock
the two garden types are not so
apparent. This is associated with the
flatness and soil accumulation and by
the intrusion of typical Zone B species.
The main intruders are Brachyloma
ericoides, Hibbertia spp, Calythrix
alpestris, Styphelia pinifolia and Pul-
tenea scabra.

In addition to the showy species on
the rock there are a number of smaller,
less obvious forms. Data on these is
incomplete but the commoner species
are Carpobrotos modestes, Calandrinia
calytrata, Centrolepis strigosus, Leven-
hookia dubia and Rutidosus multiflora.

19

20

Flowering Period
D J

Vict. Nat. Vol. 90

Flowering Period

1972

| 1971
or OAS ES
69 |

=|=9O OON MNS Who

ee ee ee oe
NMA eAe es oe oS

Figure 2. Flowering period and intensity of flowering for the 121 species of wild-
flowers growing in the study area. The key to species is given in Table 2. The
diamonds on the top row indicate the dates when data collected.

January, 1973 21

Flowering Times

The flowering period and intensity
of flowering for each species is shown
in Figure 2. It is probably inadvisable
to apply, in detail, this calendar to
areas much beyond Flat Rock, for
from random observations it was noted
that most species flower earlier there
than at sites further south and more
elevated in the Grampians. Further
the wet, overcast conditions during
much of the study period probably
affected timing and intensity of flower-
ing (e.g. for sundews and sunorchids
to cite obvious examples), so that
events could be different in other
years. For instance, limited observa-
tions in the dry spring of 1972 sug-
gested some differences (e.g. very few
orchids) to that observed in 1971
spring. But this is Nature and material
for further fascinating studies.

While the wildflowers at Flat Rock
are most spectacular, in both variety
and abundance in September-October,
the commonly acknowledged _ best
months for the Grampians; there are
significant numbers of species bloom-
ing at other times of the year, and
even in the hot dry months of Feb-
ruary, March and April some species
flower. A convenient starting point in
the cycle is in June when a number
of showy species, e.g. Juniper Wattle,
Desert Baeckea, Grampians Thrypto-
mene, Grampians Heath and all three
species of Styphelia begin to flower, or
flower more intensely. There are no
significant additions to this list in July,
but in August many others, e.g. Sallow
Wattle, Greenhoods, Mountain Grevil-
lea, Silky Grevillea, Leafless Bitter Pea,
the Hibbertias and other heaths, be-
come obvious. September is wattle
month and in October (and to a cer-
tain extent in September) the most
obvious species are Waxlip Orchids,
the two Grevilleas, the two Hakeas,
Black-eyed Susan, the Hibbertias, the
Fringe-wattles, Flame Heath and

22

Creamy Stackhousia. Most heaths
finish flowering by November and
from then till January various peas
and daisies dominate the scene. Other
showy species in this period include
the Daphne Heath, Slender Conosper-
num, Erect Guinea-flower and Totem-
poles. Of the few species which flower
in February-March-April, the two
Banksias and Common Correa are the
most obvious.

Only one species, the Erect Guinea-
flower blooms all the year, but a num-
ber including Thyme Spurge, Bundled
Guinea-flower, Grampians Thrypto-
meme, Common Beard-heath and Pine
Heath flower for long periods. Four
species —- Fringed Hare-orchid, Mit-
chell Wattle, Wirilda, Prickly Tea-tree
— flower twice a year, or at least did
so in 1971-72.

Impact of Manon the Flat Rock Area

Flat Rock has been a picnic area
for many years and in good weather
is visited by scores of people each
weekend. Taken over a year however,
there are relatively few visitors and
most confine their activities to the pic-
nic area and to Flat Rock. Hence
most of the Flat Rock-Mt. Zero area
is in apparent pristine condition, the
exceptions being in the immediate
vicinity of the parking area, on parts
of Flat Rock where some of the in-
teresting weathering patterns have
been damaged, and near the swamp
and dam. The latter damage must have
been inflicted some years ago during
construction work, but it is slowly
healing.

Towards the end of 1971 the Forests
Commission improved the picnic and
parking area and cut a walking track
to Mt. Zero. This is a worthwhile con-
tribution to forest recreation facilities,
but the siting of the track through the
swamp, also through the best orchid
area in the vicinity and its poor con-
struction in steep areas is ill-advised.

Vict. Nat. Vol. 90

Still, with thoughtful and educated tions, the Bureau of Meteorology for
visitors, and hopefully the percentage supplying weather data and Kevin
of these is increasing, there is a good Taylor for field assistance.

chance of the area retaining its

original glory, despite lacking the legal

protection associated with National

Park status, a status which surely

some of the Grampians deserve. REFERENCE

Acknowledgements Cochrane,. Gi R:3B.. A, Buhtere ak.
Caer Rotherham and J. H. Willis (1968) —

We wish to thank the staff at the “Flowers and. Plants. of 1 Victoria’:
National Herbarium for identifica- Reed : Sydney 216 pp.
TABLE I

Mean Monthly Air Temperature and Rainfall at Stawell
Fe AS SO OMEN De et PoE AS OND Sle

Air ie Long-term | g.1 | 9.4/11.6|14.0]16.6|19.2|20.4]20.8| 18.6] 14.6|11.4| 8.9
a 1971-72 | 8.8] 9.2] 11.4]13.8] 16.3] 18.9|20.0]21.0] 19.2] 15.7]12.2| 8.0

Ebay Long-term | 242 | 238 | 227/168 | 142 | 146] 79 | 137 147 | 201 | 237
parts 1971-72 270 | 218 | 306 | 235 | 339 | 184] 118] 226] 55] 184] 131} 149
TABLE 2

The species of wildflowers, their abundance and distribution in the Flat Rock area of
the northern Grampians.

anes Relative Dist-
Latin name Common name ae Abund- ribu-
CE ance* tiont
LILIACEAE
Anguillaria dioica Early Nancy l 0,8 ACD
Burchardia umbellata Milkmaids 2 XX A
Chamaescilla corymbosa Blue Squill 3 70,86 C
Dianella revoluta Spreading Flax Lily 4 xx AD
Dichopogon strictus Chocolate Lily 5 XX AD
Stypandra glauca Nodding Blue Lily 6 ex AD
Xanthorrhoea australis Austral Grasstree i 0.0.0.4 DE
HY POXIDACEAE
Hy poxis glabella Yellow Star 8 X c
ORCHIDACEAE
Acianthus reniformis Gnat Orchid 9 xix ABD
Caladenia carnea Pink Fingers 10 x ABD
C. cucullata Hooded Caladenia 11 u D
C. dilatata Fringed Spider O. 12 x nCDE
Corybas diemenicus Purple Helmit O. 13 x nC
Diuris maculata Leopard O. 14 x ABDE
Glossidea major Waxlip O. 15 XXX nCDE
Leptoceras fimbriatum Fringed Hare O. 16 XXX DE
Pterostylus longifolia Long-leaf Greenhood ibe! XX ABD
P. nana Dwarf G. 18 xi AD
P. parviflora Tiny G. 2 u 1)
*Key to symbols u — uncommon X — present xx — fairly common
xxx —= common XXXX —= very common
+See text for meaning of symbols ‘‘A’’, ‘‘B’’, “‘C’’, “‘D’’ and “E’’. “‘nC’’ indicates the species occurs

in the ecotone surrounding the swamp. ‘‘R”’ ‘indicates ee it grows. conspicuously on the roadside.

January, 1973 23

P. vittata

Thelymitra antennifera
T. aristata

T. chasmagama

T. ixoides

PROTEACEAE
Banksia marginata
B. ornata
Conospernum patens
Grevillea alpina
G. aquifolium
Hakea rostrata
H. sericea
Isopogon ceratophyllus
Persoonia juniperina

SANTALACEAE
Leptomeria aphylla

FICOIDACEAE
Carpobrotus modestus

PORTULACEAE
Calandrinia caly ptrata

RANUNCULACEAE
Clematis microphylla

LAURACEAE
Cassytha glabella

DROSERACEAE
Drosera peltate
D. planchonii
D. spathulata
D. whittakeri

PITTOSPORACEAE

Bursaria spinosa

MIMOSACEAE
Acacia brownii

. QUAN

. longifolia

. mitchelli

. myrtifolia

. pycnantha

. retinoides

. stricta

. ulicifolia

PAPILIONACEAE
Davesia brevifolia
Dillwynia glaberrima
D. sericea

mm RR A A a

Gompholobium huegelii

Hovea heterophylla
Indigofera australis
Phyllota pleurandroides

Platylobium obtusangulatum

Pultenea hispidula
P. laxiflora
P. scabra

RUTACEAE
Correa aemula
C. reflexa
Eriostemon difformis

24

Banded G.
Rabbit’s Ears
Scented Sun-orchid
Globe-hood S-o.
Dotted S-o.

Silver Banksia

Desert B.

Slender Conospernum
Mountain Grevillea
Holly Grevillea
Beaked Hakea

Silky H.

Horny Cone-bush
Prickly Geebung

Leafless Current Bush
Inland Pigface
Pink Purslane
Small-leaved Clematis
Tangled Dodder-laurel

Pale Sundew
Climbing S.
Spoon-leaf S.
Scented S.

Sweet Bursaria

Heath Wattle
Ploughshare W.
Sallow W.
Mitchell W.
Myrtle W.
Golden W.
Wirilda

Hop W.
Juniper W.

Leafless Bitter-pea
Heathy Parrot-pea
Showy P-p.

Pale Wedge-pea
Hovea

Austral Indigo
Heathy Phyllota
Common Flat-pea
Hairy Bush-pea
Loose-leaf B-p.
Rough B-p.

Hairy Correa
Common C.
Small leaf Waxflower

u AD
u C
x D
u D
u D
xxx ABDE
xx DE
Xx DE
XxX DE
XX D
0.4 D
XXX DE
xXx DE
x E
xX BD

x

X
u D
xx BDE
Xe CD
XX AB
x C
xxx ACDE
u nC
u ER
D,€ BD
XOX B
u D
x D
xxx BDR
x D
xx A
xx DE
Xx DE
XXX DE
xx BDE
x E
KX E
u D
x DE
xx BDE
KKK DE
Kx DE
xxx BDE
».0.4 B
xx DE
eX A

Vict. Nat. Vol. 90

TREMANDRACEAE
Tetratheca ciliata

POLYGALACEAE
Comesperma calymiga

EUPHORBIACEAE
Phyllanthus hirtellus

STACKHOUSIACEAE
Stackhousia monogyna

SAPINDACEAE
Dodonaea cuneata

DILLENIACEAE
Hibbertia fasciculata
H. sericea
H. stricta
H. virgata

VIOLACEAE
Hyabanthus floribundis

THY MELAECEAE
Pimelea linifolia

LOBELIACEAE
Lobelia gibbosa

MYRTACEAE
Baeckea crassifolia
Calytrix alpestris
C. tetragonia
Kunzea parvifolia

Leptospernum juniperinum

L. nitidum

Melaleuca decussata
Micromyrtus ciliatus
Thry ptomene calycina

ARALIACEAE
Astrotricha asperifolia

HALORAGACEAE
Haloragis meziana

EPACRIDACEAE
Astroloma humifusum
Brachyloma daphnoides
B. ericoides
Epacris impressa “red”
E. impressa “white”

E. impressa var grandiflora

Leucopogon ericoides

L. glacialis

L. rufus

L. virgatus

Monotoca scoparia

Styphelia adscendens

S. behrii

S. pinifolia
LABIATAE

Prostanthera denticulata

P. rotundifolia

SOLANACEAE
Anthocercis frondosa

LENTIBULARIACEAE
Polypompholyx tenella

January, 1973

Black-eyed Susan
Blue-spike Milkwort
Thyme Spurge
Creamy Stackhousia
Hop bush

Bundled Guinea-flower
Silky G-f.

Erect G-f.

Twigy G-f.

Shrub Violet
Slender Rice-flower
Tall Lobelia

Desert Baeckea

Snow Myrtle

Common Fringe-myrtle
Violet Kunaea

Prickly Tea-tree

Shiny Tea-tree
Totem-poles

Fringed Heath-myrtle
Grampians Thryptomene

Star-hair
Raspwort

Canberry Heath
Daphne H.
Brush H.
Common H.
Common H.
Grampians H.
Pink Beard-heath
Twisted B-h.
Ruddy B-h.
Common B-h.
Prickly Broom-heath
Golden Heath
Flame Heath
Pine Heath

Rough Mint-bush
Round-leaf M-b.

Large-leaf Ray-flower

Pink Bladderwort

67

68

XXX

RUBIACEAE

Galium gaudichaudii Rough Bedstraw 106 x D
CAM PANULACEAE

Wahlenbergia stricta Bluebell 107 xx E

Wahlenbergia sp. Bluebell 108 x DE
GOODENIACEAE

Goodenia geniculata Goodenia 109 XX DE
BRUNONIACEAE

Brunonia australis Blue Pincushion 110 u D
STYLIDACEAE

Levenhookia dubia Levenhookia 111 x A

Stylidium graminifolium Grass Trigger-plant 12 x DE
COMPOSITAE

Brachycome uliginosa Daisy 113 X DE

Craspedia glauca Billy Buttons 114 x DE

Helichrysum blandowskianum Woolly Everlasting 115 x E

H. obcordatum Grey E. 116 x A

H. semipapposum Clustered E. 7 x E

Ixodia achillioides Ixodia 118 XXX DE

Microseris scapigera Yam-daisy 119 X DE

Olearia ramulosa Twiggy Daisy-bush 120 x AB

Rutidosus multiflora Small Wrinklewort 121 x A

Nature Notes from the Gold Coast

ALEX. N. BURNS.

The following notes are mainly en-
tomological. Since the heavy rains of
late October and early November,
insect life in particular, has increased
tremendously and some _ interesting
species have been noted. Several speci-
mens of the Praying Mantis type of
Neuropteron(Mantispidae-Neuroptera)
have come to light just after dusk.
These pretty little insects are parasites
in the egg capsules of spiders, which,
at the present time are in evidence
almost everywhere. Mantispid eggs are
laid in groups or masses, and are each
borne on a very fine stalk. The result-
ing larvae will perish unless they are
able to find an egg capsule of a spider.
If successful, the tiny larva enters the

26

capsule and rapidly develops into a
maggot-like creature, which, when
fully grown spins a cocoon within the
spider’s egg capsule. In due course the
adult winged Mantispid emerges.
Numerous species of butterflies are
now on the wing; amongst these,
several species of Skippers (Fam. Hes-
peridae) which are fond of visiting
flowers of Buddleyia and the creamy-
white inflorescence of the introduced
white Cotton weed Swan plant (As-
clepias fruticosa), are being caught
by spiders which lie in wait amongst
the flowers. Wonderfully camouflaged,
a creamy-white species is common on
the Cotton-weed flowers, which are
greatly attractive to skipper butterflies.

Vict. Nat. Vol. 90

Three species fall easy prey to the
spiders — the Dingy Skipper [Toxidia
peroni (Latr.)], the White Brand Skip-
per [Toxidia rietmenni rietmanni
(Semp.)], and the little Yellow Banded
Dart [Ocybadistes walkeri sothis
(Whs.)]. In the course of one day one
can find a dozen or more of these in
perfect condition as if resting on a
flower, but dead. Two small Lycaenid
butterflies, namely the Small Purple
Lineblue [Nacaduba dubiosa dubiosa
(Semp.)], and the Felder’s Lineblue
[Prosotas felderi (Murr.)] are also fond
of the Cotton-weed and Buddleyia
flowers, and many specimens meet the
same fate as the Skippers.

Bugs (Order Hemiptera) of many
species are active both as nymphs and
adults in the garden and bushland. A
few days ago a specimen (adult) of
the large predatory Reduviid bug
[Pristhesancus papuensis (Stal.)] was
observed being itself attacked by a day
flying Longicorn beetle (Cerambyci-
dae-Coleoptera). The beetle, an orange
coloured species with two black trans-
verse elytral bands, was on the back
of the bug and biting its thorax with
its mandibles. Both insects were on
Cotton-weed flowers; the bug was
seeking refuge amongst the flowers,
but the beetle held on for several
minutes. Finally the beetle gave up
and flew off leaving the bug apparently
little the worse for the attack.

A rather worn female specimen of
the large cream and black Tailed Em-
peror butterfly [Polyura pyrrhus sem-

pronius (Fab.)] was observed chasing
a male Orchard Swallow Tail butterfly
[Papilio aegeus aegeus (Don.)] around
the garden for a minute or so. The
Tailed Emperor then flew high into
the bush across the road and dis-
appeared. This “fraternising” of dif-
ferent species of butterflies is not un-
sommon with very similar types such
as the Meadow Argus and Blue
Spotted Painted Lady (both Nymph-
alidae); but is apparently rare between
such dissimilar species belonging to
different families.

The red Bottle Brush (Callistemon
viminalis) is still in full flower and is
attractive to many species of insects
and birds. Honeyeaters of several
species, and Silver-eyes are constant
visitors to the trees bordering the
garden; and at Currumbin where there
are avenues of these trees in full
flower, Rainbow Lorikeets and others
add colour and interest to these flower-
ing trees.

Three young Blue-tongued Lizards
of the long tailed species have
appeared in the garden; they camp
under the house and enter through a
ventilator grid in the brick wall at
ground level. At the Sanctuary (Cur-
rumbin) this week, no less than 16
fairly large oval shaped eggs were un-
earthed, and have been placed in a
spot where they can be observed: It
will be interesting to see what they
will produce. My next notes may
answer this.

NORMAN WAKEFIELD MEMORIAL FUND

The Club owes a great debt to Norman Wakefield, whose recent untimely death
was a sad blow to us all, and Council has decided to establish a fund to provide a
fitting memorial to him. It has been suggested that this may take the form of an
annual scholarship, a grant to assist in original scientific research, or perhaps a
Junior Natural History Medallion, but Council would be happy to consider other

proposals.

We hope that members will contribute generously to this fund, so that a really
worthwhile memorial can be established. All donations should be sent to the

Treasurer.

January, 1973

27

Field Naturalists Club of Victoria

Established 1880

OBJECTS: To stimulate interest in natural history and to preserve
and protect Australian fauna and flora.

Patron:
His Excellency Major-General Sir ROHAN DELACOMBE. K.B.E.. C.B.. D.S.O.

Key Office-Bearers, 1972-1973.
President:
Mr~. SAULT

Hon. Secretary: Mr. R. H. RIORDAN, 15 Regent St., East Brighton, 3187. 92 8579
Treasurer: H. BISHOP. Address Correspondence to National Herbarium, The
Domain, South Yarra.

Subscription Secretary: Mr. D. E. McINNES, 129 Waverley Road, East Mal-
verme- 3145

Hon. Editor: Mr. G. M. WARD, 54 St. James Road, Heidelberg 3084.

Hon. Librarian: Mr. P. KELLY, c/o National Herbarium. The Domain. South
Wearia 314.

Hon. Excursion Secretary: Miss M. ALLENDER. 19 Hawthorn Avenue. Caulfield
Shel: (52 2749).

Magazine Sales Officer: Mr. B. FUHRER, 25 Sunhill Av., North Ringwood, 3134.

Group Sccretarics:
Botany: Mrs. H. CORRICK
Day Group: Mrs. J. STRONG, 1160 Dandenong Rd., Murrumbeena (56 2271).

Entomology and Marine Biology: Mr. J. W. H. STRONG. Flat 11, “Palm Court”.
1160 Dandenong Rd., Murrumbeena 3163 (56 2271).

Field Survey: Mr. D. BARHAM, 14 Finnigans Rd., Research 3095. (437 1791).
Geology: Mr. T. SAULT.

Mammal Survey: Mr. G. F. DOUGLAS, ‘“Knotanoll’, Riddell’s Creek 3431
(054-285191)

Microscopical: Mr. M. H. MEYER, 36 Milroy Street, East Brighton (96 3268)

MEMBERSHIP
Membership of the F.N.C.V. is open to any person interested in natural
history. The Victorian Naturalist is distributed free to all members, the club’s
reference and lending library is available. and other activities are indicated in
reports set out in the several preceding pages of this magazine.

Rates of Subscriptions for 1973.

@rdinary Members .. .. 2.6 ss 0s 2s 6s 72s 9 oe cs geal) Sieg nr $7.00
Country Members ze - - a - bee LA ess > an nt es B bas oe $5.00
Joint Members .. -, - - as A a ce ry et a em ant” ag $2.00
Junior Members (under I8 years) .. - = Pe: a ie fe es BF oe - ae ip $2.00
Junior Members receiving Vict. Nat. me Ae ot tf, eae sie ‘ Pk ae 2 PS is $4.00
Subscribers. to Vict. Nat. (Aust. only) .. «. .. «= 2) J. cs S29 952) See $5.00
Overseas Subscribers rr rr eu On Sm ay ge $6.00
Affiliated. Societies... 3. -«: ws .2 “ss Ge 'se Re 9 Un ae 2 ee $7.00
Supporting Members . tebe bee kee ee wee eo ye
Life Membership (reducing after 20. years) is : . een, ee) lence eS ES ca

The cost of individual copies of the Vict. Nat. will be 45 cents _ cents — overseas requests).
Full-time Students between I8 and 21 years pay at Junior Member rates.

All subscriptions should be made payable to the Field Naturalists Club of Victoria, and posted
to the Subscription Secretary.

) JENKIN, BUXTON & CO. PTY. LTD., PRINTERS, WEST MELBOURNE

‘ALlsTS CLUB OF VieTORIA |

opical Society of Victoria a

i

fo) asc!

lia for 3 ansmission by post as a periodical.
; Category ae i . bh )

hy
fd
iy

yo ene Y 4 } ) I

F.N.C.V. DIARY OF COMING EVENTS
GENERAL MEETINGS

Monday, 12 February — At National Herbarium, The Domain, South Yarra, com-
mencing 8 p.m.

Subject for evening — “Simple background to the geology of Melbourne”:
Mr. Dan McInnes.
New Members:

Ordinary:
Mr. N. Cockhill, Lot 52, Lynnbrae Ave., Hurstbridge 3099.
Miss J. M. Kidston, 78 Justin Ave., Glenroy 3046.
Miss A. McAuley, 17 Tower Hill Dve., Ringwood 3134.
Mr. F. Noelker, 10 Kathleen St., Blackburn 3130.
Miss J. Burt, P.O. Box 22, Glen Iris 3146.

Joint:
Mr. and Mrs. R. C. Lipson, Flat 5, 22 Murrumbeena Rd., Murrumbeena 3163.
Mr. and Mrs. D. Lush, Houghton Rd., Warrandyte 3113.
Mr. T. T. Hay and Mrs. J. M. Hay, 34 Nell St., Greensborough 3088.

Country:
Mr. K. W. Black, 37 Nicol St., Yarram, Victoria 3971.
Mr. A. J. Frazer, 35 Kiwong Pl., Yowie Bay, Sydney 2228.
Miss G. N. Schlapp, c/- Gapstead P.O., Victoria 3737.

Junior:
Miss J. Tubb, 10 Clarence St., Elsternwick 3185.
Mr. J. Woinarski, House 25, Bogong, Victoria 3699.

GROUP MEETINGS
(8 p.m. at National Herbarium unless otherwise stated.)

Wednesday, 14 February — Microscopical Group meeting.

Thursday, 15 February — Day Group meeting will take place at the Fitzroy Gardens
Kiosk at 11.30a.m. A visit will be made to Parliament House at 2.15 p.m.

Thursday, 22 February — F.S.G. Meeting in Conference Room, National Museum,
at 8.00 p.m. Subject: “Taxonomy and its Use” — Group Members.

Thursday, 22 February — At above venue (Taxonomy).

Monday, 5 March— Marine Biology and Entomology Group, 8 p.m. at National
Museum, Library Conference Room.

Wednesday, 7 March — Geology Group meeting.
Thursday, 8 March — Botany Group meeting.

Thursday, 22 March — F.S.G. Annual General Meeting. Chairman’s Address: “Land
Planarians’ — Leigh Winsor.

JUNIOR F.N.C. MEETINGS

Friday, 23 February — Hawthorn Town Hall at 8 p.m.
Friday, 2 March — Rechabite Hall, 281 High St., Preston, at 8 p.m.
Friday, 9 March — Montmorency and District, in Scout Hall, Petrie Park at 8 p.m.

F.N.C.V. Excursions

Sunday, 18 February — General excursion. Due to seasonal conditions the destination
for this excursion will be announced at the General Meeting, but the coach will
leave from Batman Avenue at 9.30 a.m.

Saturday, 10 March-Monday, 12 March—Labour Day Week-end. There will be a
combined excursion to Shepparton with other clubs. A bus has been chartered
and accommodation booked for the week-end. The cost for the coach and bed
and breakfast at the motel will be $24.00 per person. Further details next month.

30 Vict. Nat. Vol. 90

The
Victorian Naturalist

Editor: G. M. Ward

Assistant Editor: G. Douglas

Vol. 90, No. 2 7 February, 1973
CONTENTS
Articles:
Nature as Quarryman. By Edmund D. Gill .. ch at vee x8 mereree |

An Unusual Food Item in the Diet of Red Foxes.
By B. J. Coman, P. L. Stephens, and R. W. Stark 42

Features:
Early Naturalists’ Writings —2 .. ee a a we aes a sine Moe
Nature Notes from the Gold Coast. By Alex N. Burns .. bat a PDO

Field Naturalists’ Club of Victoria:

General and Group Meeting Reports... a a - Se re ol aS
Hawthorn Junior F.N.C. Annual Report ee he a be be oo) 2 AS
Diary of Coming Events ay: i Ee ee ee Fe as bee Ui 80,
M.S.G. and F.S.G. Camp Lists... fe — a in BY. .. 46

Front Cover:

This photograph, taken by the Editor in 1967, is typical of the country about
The Raak, the subject of the article on p. 32 in this issue.

February, 1973 31

Early Naturalist’s Writings — 2

The second of this series deals with an account of a trip by J. G. O'Donoghue to
that part of Victoria generally regarded as being devoid of interest.

The writer died two and a half years after this particular excursion, but fortunately
has left this and other writings of the past, which show his keen power of observation.

He joined the F.N.C.V. on November 1908, and became Hon. Secretary in June of
1914, having also held the offices of Assistant Hon. Secretary and Librarian.

He was an invaluable member on the excursion to Wilson’s Promontory, the

subject of the first in this series.

Rambles in Raak

During our visit to the Mallee in
September, 1914, some of the inci-
dents of which were chronicled in the
Naturalist under the title “Wanderings
on the Murray Flood-Plain” (vol.
Xxxi:, p. 26); we heard much ofa
locality called Raak, situated 30 miles,
or thereabouts, west of the camp we
had formed on Lake Mournpoul. Re-
mote, as it was said to be, from any
human habitation, offering no great
inducement to the trapper and less to
the sportsman, and lying well to the
north of the bridle track leading down
from the Darling to Ouyen, we had
reason to believe it would prove a good
field for ornithological investigation.
Actuated by what we had heard, and
by the peculiarly favourable situation
of the district, a visit thereto the fol-
lowing spring was decided upon, pro-
vided the season was more propitious
than that then prevailing.

The long-expected break in the
lengthy sequence of arid months oc-
curred in due course, and the Mallee
was visited by a generous rainfall that
gave assurance of a favourable spring-
tide. Arrangements for our projected
excursion were consequently begun
early in September, and on Tuesday
morning, the Sth October, Mr. A. W.
Milligan and I left the city by the 6.30
train for Nowingi, a railway station
3214 miles from Melbourne, 30 miles
south of Mildura, and 10 miles east of
our contemplated base of operations.

32

The express by which we _ had
travelled on the previous trip had been
discontinued by the Railways Commis-
sioners for economical reasons, and we
were perforce obliged to journey by a
mixed train that seldom averaged 1234
miles per hour, and that tarried at
many of the Mallee stations to such an
extent as to permit of passengers, if
they felt so disposed, making extended
excursions along the surrounding
thoroughfares, or into the country, as
the case might be. This innovation was
hailed with delight by many train-
weary travellers during the daylight
hours, but occasioned quite contrary
feelings during the hours of darkness,
when the mercury barely climbed to a
higher altitude than 40 degrees, and
one’s nerves were frazzled by the loud
and persistent bacchanalian songs of
parties of uniformed roysterers.

We had not long quitted the en-
virons of the city when we realized
that the published reports respecting
the bounteous season by which the
State had been visited were by no
means exaggerated. Wherever the eye
elected to range over the more or less
level basaltic plain traversed by the
line, acres of rank cereal crops, or of
native and exotic grasses, were to be
discerned. Later on the Silurian, with
its swelling contours, ushered in the
eucalypts with their tender green
sprays, the wild-flowers in variety and
profusion, and the birds busy with the

Vict. Nat. Vol. 90

cares pertaining to the nesting season.
Still later, the brushwood-overgrown
spoil-heaps of the abandoned alluvial
claims showed up prominently among
the dark, rugged boles and vivid green
foliage of the ironbarks, Eucalyptus
sideroxylon, and, as the train sped past
and through these imperishable me-
mentos of former men and manners,
the busy and varied scenes the now
silent and deserted areas had witnessed
came crowding fast on one’s fancy.
Gone is the gold-bearing wash the
palzozoic rocks had secreted, and
gone, too, are the men who sought it.

At Cope Cope and Swanwater the
aspect of the level Tertiary plans was
pleasing in the extreme, as mile after
mile of the tall, succulent, and billow-
ing crops they nourished stretched
away on either side of the railways to
the circling horizon, rendering, by
their vastness, the homesteads they
encompassed like miniature toys.
Where pasturages occurred, sleek-
skinned horses and cattle and dropsi-
cal-looking sheep and lambs viewed
the passing train with lazy contented-
ness. Introduced weeds rioted every-
where. Former cultivated fields blazed
with the pale yellow rays of the Cape
Dandelion, Cryptostemma_ calendu-
laceum, and among the crops the
Hoary Cress, Lepidium draba, the
Stonecrop, Lithospermum arvense, and
the Wild Mustard Sinapis arvensis,
showed prominently, and along the
headlands the Musk Erodium, Ero-
dium moschatum, Fumitory, Fumaria
officinalis, and Mallow, Malva
nicaeensis, dominated all other plants,
the last-named forming, with the
Small Nettle, Urtica wrens, inter-
spersed, immense growths, ofttimes
much taller than the fencing posts.

In the railway reserve areas of yel-
low, blue, and white succeeded each
other in varying succession, as the
Pointed Everlasting, Helichrysum api-
culatum, the Large Podolepis, Podo-

February, 1973

lepis acuminata, the Large Billy But-
tons, Craspedia Richea, and the Com-
mon Buttercup, Ranunculus lappaceus,
gave place to the Trailing Swainsona,
Swainsona procumbens, and the Aus-
tral Bluebell, Wahlenbergia gracilis,
and these, in turn, to the Dwarf Rice-
flower, Pimelea humilis, and the White
Sunray, Helipterum corymbifolium. In
many places this flowering composite
clothed the fields so densely as to be
suggestive, at a distance, of a wide
expanse of snow.

In their white or emerald setting,
sheets of water of varying extent and
outline glistened under the sun’s rays.
On these a variety of water-fowl dis-
ported, and from their margins the
Straw-necked Ibis, Carphibis spinicol-
lis, White Ibis, Zbis molucca, the Plain
Plover, Zonifer tricolor, the Pacific
Heron, Notophoyx pacifica, and the
Blue Crane, Notophoyx novaehollan-
diae, were often disturbed by the pass-
ing train. Flocks of Pink Cockatoos,
Cacatua leadbeateri, were noted wing-
ing their way from spot to spot, and
companies of the more sober-hued
Black-backed Magpie, Gymnorhina
tibicen, and Crow, Corvus coronoides,
enlivened the fields by their continuous
change of position, induced either by a
lack of amicability or quest of food.

What a different scene was presented
when we traversed the same localities
twelve months before! Then neither
bird nor beast was to be seen. No
gleam of water greeted the eye as the
train progressed hour after hour
through dreary, inhospitable, sun-
burnt wastes, that yielded their tribute
of dust to every vagrant wind. Day by
day the settlers beheld their stock sink
and die from thirst and starvation.
Some gave up the struggle and quitted
the Mallee for ever; others, by reason
of the possession of more determina-
tion, or possibly a lack of initiative,
stayed on, hoping for the break in
the drought. It came in due course,

33

and they now view, with mingled feel-
ings the waving, luscious grass with
which a beneficent Providence has so
lavishly carpeted their holdings after
depriving them of the animals and the
means to make use of its tardy bounty.

At 4.20 on Wednesday morning the
train pulled up in the Mallee, and we
were apprised that we had arrived at
Nowingi. Descending from our car-
riage in rather a gingerly fashion, for
the drop was fully five feet, we were
welcomed by Mr. F. T. Stone, from
Mildura, and Johnny Richmond—to
whom reference was made in our pre-
vious paper—from the Kulkyne Sta-
tion.

The morning was bitterly cold, the
ground in places being white with hoar
frost, and no second invitation was
needed from Johnny to repair to his
gunyah, some few hundred yards dis-
tant, and sample a billy of tea. The
camp was_ picturesquely _ situated
among the Giant Mallee, Eucalyptus
incrassata, and False Spinifex, Triodia
irritans, and as we reclined in various
negligent attitudes around the genial
fire waiting for the billy lid to chatter,
we could discern, within the radius of
light cast by the leaping flames, nu-
merous blooms of the Satin and
Golden Everlastings, Helichrysum
leucopsidium and Helichrysum brac-
teatum, and that the ground on which
we rested was thickly matted with the
Austral Stonecrop, Till@a Siberiana,
the Small-leaved Poranthera, Poran-
thera microphylla, the Bent Goodenia,
Goodenia geniculata, the Pink Purs-
lane, Calandrinia calyptrata, and tufts
of the Grass Cushion, Isetopsis grami-
nifolia.

Before five o’clock it was possible to
see our surroundings. Nowingi, we
found, consisted of two repairers’ resi-
dences and a small portable hut for
the ganger. There was no platform,
but three rusty iron tanks, a lamp, and
a red flag served to mark the stopping-

34

place. The view was limited, being
bound on all sides by a seeming im-
penetrable wall of sombre green. At
6.30, to the accompaniment of the
calls of the Singing Honeyeater,
Ptilotis sonora, and the ventriloquial
notes of the Crested Oreoica, Oreoica
cristata, we broke camp, Johnny driv-
ing the springcart laden with our
gocds and personal effects, we follow-
ing on foot, the course being due west.

The journey had not long begun
when a call from our guide, and his
extended arm, directed at some object
among the stunted eucalypts in front,
claimed our attention. Hurrying for-
ward, we discerned a pair of Plain
Plover, with two young ones, running
away as fast as possible. On our near
approach the young ones _ secreted
themselves on the sand, their immature
covering harmonizing perfectly with
their surroundings, and the old birds
flew off; but, on finding that we had
located their brood, they returned,
and, alighting at our feet, simulated
injury, that we might essay to capture
them, and in the effort withdraw a
distance sufficiently remote to enable
their young to steal away to a more
favourable situation. Ignoring these
tactics, we picked up the chicks, to
the accompaniment of many peeping
protests, and started them off towards
their distressed parents, who greeted
them with manifestations of delight,
and lost no time in conducting them
to a place of safety.

Shortly after leaving Nowingi the
mallee and spinifex, in which we had
sojourned for so brief a period, dis-
appeared, and was succeeded by open,
well-grassed country on which the
Sandalwood, Myoporum platycarpum,
the Needle Hakea, Hakea leucoptera,
Leafless Ballart, Exocarpus aphylla,
Berrigan, Heterodendron oleefolium,
Murray Pine, Callitris robusta, the
Umbrella Acacia, Acacia Osswaldi,
and the Furze Acacia, Acacia colleti-

Vict. Nat. Vol. 90

oides, flourished. These, in turn, were
succeeded by the Belar Casuarina lepi-
dophloia, and the Weeping Pittos-
porum Pittosporum phillyreoides, and
a variety of Chenopodiaceous plants,
as the first of the many score of dry
lake-beds we subsequently encountered
was met with.

The number and extent of these so-
called “salt-pans” or “lakes” are the
most striking physical feature of Raak.
They vary greatly in size, some being
of comparatively small dimensions,
and others of vast area. Their longer
axis is invariably north and south, and
they undoubtedly owe their origin to
long and continuous wind erosion on
the friable arenaceous soil. The occa-
sional isolated residuals, of no mean
height and extent, that occur within
them tend to support this view. Com-
posed of material of more than aver-
age resistance, these residuals have
successfully withstood the zolian de-
nudation that proved so destructive to
the areas by which they had been at
one time surrounded. The “salt-pans’’
seldom retain water for any lengthy
period, and are encircled by sand-
dunes, which attain a greater elevation
on the eastern aspect than elsewhere.
On two occasions during the course
of our wanderings we behild what ap-
peared to be the initial process in the
formation of a “pan”—sand-blows of
great extent. In these we found several
small and slightly scattered piles of
weathered ochre—possibly originally
a Venetian red, discoloured by fire—
that occurs in the locality, the pieces
being about the size of a tennis ball.
These, we were informed, were “cook-
ing stones” used by the blacks in one
of the several processes they adopted
in preparing their food. On the other
hand, the ochre may have been used
by the Aborigines in the adornment of
their persons in those weird cere-
monies they so dearly loved and con-
stantly practised, and lost with the

February, 1973

containing “dilly bag” by some care-
less gin.

As all the “pans” noted by us bore
the indubitable appearance of age, it
would seem that the agent by which
they were formed is not so potent
now as formerly, or, if so, is controlled
by some factor that holds its power
in check. Undoubtedly that factor is
the protective influence now exerted
on the friable soil by the pines, casu-
arinas, eucalypts, acacias, etc., the
Chenopodiaceous plants, grasses, and
composites, which, possibly, were
negligible elements, if they existed at
all, during the formation of the de-
pressions. The floors of most of the
“pans” are perfectly level, but prove
tiresome walking, owing to their yield-
ing surface, which gives like velvet pile
beneath one’s feet. The whole is of a
pinkish tint, glints like hoar frost
under the sun’s rays, and occasions
many deceptive mirages. Sinking to
the depth of six inches below the sur-
face, one comes upon a deposit of
varying thickness of arrow-shaped
crystals of sulphate of lime, or gyp-
sum. Beneath this moist, tenacious,
ferruginous sand is met with, but to
what depth it continues, or whether
other bands of crystals exist, the means
at our command did not permit of
determining. Chenopodiaceous plants
of many varieties margin the “pans”,
and overgrow some of the more ex-
tensive. The Sea Heath, Frankenia
pauciflora, the Dillon-bush, Nitraria
Schoberi, and the Angular Pigface,
Mesembryanthemum equilaterale, are
common, and the Murrnong Yam,
Microseris Forsteri, abounds in thou-
sands. On such areas the Tricoloured
and Orange-fronted Chats, Ephthia-
nura tricolor and Ephthianura auri-
frons, and the White-winged and Blue-
breasted Wren-Warblers, Malurus leu-
copterus and Malurus assimilis, find a
congenial home.

Pushing on after our guide, who,

35

with less interest in the surrounding
country than ourselves, left us hope-
lessly in the rear within the first half-
hour, we crossed, in succession, lake-
beds margined or overgrown with the
Sea Glasswort, Salicornia australis,
and the Dwarf Saltbush, Atriplex hali-
moides; open glades whereon the
Fibrous Spear-grass, Stipa semibar-
bata, with the Austral Bluebell inter-
mingled, grew almost waist-high; and
expanses of loose, dry sand, seemingly
incapable of affording nutriment to
any form of plant life, yet on which
occurred many luxuriant specimens
of the Flannel Cudweed, Gnaphalodes
uliginosum, the Narrow-leaved Podo-
theca, Podotheca angustifolia, the
Slender Podolepis, Podolepis Siems-
senii, and the Stiff Cup-flower, Angi-
anthus strictus.

Now the track winds among the
Tall Mallee, Eucalyptus incrassata,
wherein bewildered companies of
White-winged Choughs, Corcorax mel-
anorhamphus, shelter and __ noisily
herald our approach; over some flat
redolent of the perfume from _ the
Needle Hakea, Hakea leucoptera; up
a Berrigan (Heterodendron oleae-
folium) clad hill, and anon winding
through the serried ranks of the sym-
metrical pines. A wire fence that
stretches across the path, and the ruins
of an old hut, proclaim the fact that
our destination is near at hand. These
are, however, not needed to demon-
strate the neighbourhood of a human
habitation. The weeds, the usual con-
comitants of settlement, are sufficient
evidence. Among the Tall Thickheads,
Myriocephalus Stuartii, which so
thickly clothe the slopes and open
country as to make walking a task
rather than a pleasure, the Large
Quaking-grass, Briza maxima, the
Soft Brome, Bromus mollis, and the
Canary-grass, Phalaris canariensis, nod
heavily-weighted panicles, and _ the
Rough Poppy, Papaver hybridum,

36

flaunts its bright red petals. The Com-
mon Vetch, Vicia sativa, the Wild
Melon, Cucumis myriocarpus, the
French Catch-fly, Silene gallica, and
many others abound, and evidence is
not lacking to prove the instrumen-
tality of the recent drought in con-
tributing to the wide distribution of
the Ice Plant, Mesembryanthemum
crystallinum. In normal seasons stock
leave the plant untouched, but during
the recent drought they were com-
pelled to consume it to assuage their
hunger, and thus ensure the dispersal
of its seeds over grazing areas hitherto
free from this troublesome annual.

Ascending a slight eminence, an
extensive expanse of country unfolds
to our view. To the north and north-
west glimpses of distant lake-beds are
to be had, and beyond them a dense
background of pines and Belar. To the
west, and not very remote, a medley
of pines, Belar, Berrigan, and Needle
Hakea restrict the view; whilst to the
south and south-west an unbroken
succession of dry lake-beds of vast
dimensions extend to the distant hori-
zon. The eminence slopes gradually to
the plain country to the west, and the
lake-beds to the north, and ends some-
what abruptly to the south, the whole
being thickly clothed with the Tall
Thickheads. Nestling among a group
of pines a few hundred yards distant
was our Mecca—a hut. Hastening
towards it, we find it to be a one-
roomed structure, roofed with gal-
vanised iron and built of pine logs.
The next few hours were busy ones.
Provisions had to be unpacked, tent
and sleeping bunks to be erected, per-
sonal belongings arranged to satisfac-
tion, and the wants of the inner man
satisfied.

Shortly after midday we set out on
the first one of the many daily tours
of investigation undertaken during
our sojourn at Raak. Bearing due
north over a large lake-bed, we as-

Vict. Nat. Vol. 90

cended a slight elevation on which
many trees of Sandalwood, in profuse
bloom, and the Sweet Quandong,
Fusanus acuminatus, heavily laden
with bright red pericarps, grew, and
entered a dense forest of Belar, Casua-
rina lepidophloia, and Buloke, Casua-
rina Luehmanni, the former predo-
minating. This distinctive class of
vegetation, as we afterwards ascer-
tained, extended in an easterly and
westerly direction in the form of a
crescent for several miles, and was of
variable width, half a mile being
about its maximum. The ground be-
neath the trees was littered with fallen
cones and filaments, and did not ap-
pear, even in an exceptionally favour-
able season, to contribute to more than
a meagre growth of plant life. Of the
few met with, the Shrubby Twinleaf,
Zygophyllum fruticulosum, the Four-

leaved Allseed, Polycarpum _ tetra-
phyllum, and the New Zealand
Spinach, Tetragona implexicoma,

seemed to thrive best in such un-
congenial surroundings.

As we wandered through the cool
and shadowed vistas of Buloke and
Belar, that rang incessantly with the
loud, pleasing calls of Gilbert’s Thick-
head, Pachycephala gilberti, we saw,
among other birds, the Black-capped
Tree-runner, Sittella pileata, the
Brown Tree-creeper, Climacteris scan-
dens, and the Bronze-wing Pigeon,
Phaps_ chalcoptera, the last-named
being invariably flushed from beneath,
or in the vicinity of, a growth of the
Furze Acacia.

Beyond the northern extension of
the casuarinas a more arenaceous for-
mation occurred, on which flourished,
in more or less abundance, the Murray
Pine, the Leafless Ballart, the Furze
Acacia, the Tantoon, Leptospermum
flavescens, and the Small-leaved Wax-
flower, Eriostemon difformis. Some
fine specimens of the Australian bugle,
Ajuga australis, the Fleshy Senecio,

February, 1973

Senecio Gregorii, the Immortelle,
Waitzia acuminata, and Silver Tails,
Trichinium obovatum, were noted
growing among the spinifex and the
eucalyptus, which comprised the Oil
Mallee, Eucalyptus oleosa, the Tall
Mallee, Eucalyptus incrassata, the
variety angulosa, and a type inter-
mediate between it and the normal
form. The Golden Everlasting, and the
less sturdy Satin Everlasting, were
numerous. The former seemed to
favour the open situations, whilst the
latter was invariably found growing in,
or close beside, a tuft of spinifex. In
this respect it was not the only growth
that claimed the protection of, or de-
rived its sustenance from, the spini-
fex, for in many spots the nebulous-
like panicles of the Feather Spear-
grass, Stipa elegantissima, rising like
wraiths from out of the centre of in-
numerable masses of dry and pungent
leaves, lent quite a charm to the
scene.

Continuing westerly for some little
time through vegetation such as has
been described, we bore south, and,
after traversing the belt of Belar and
Buloke previously mentioned, emerged
on to open, park-like country. Here,
among the flowering Sandalwood and
Needle Hakea, we noted the Sordid
and the Masked Wood-Swallows,
Artamus sordidus and Artamus per-
sonatus, and the Spiny-cheeked
Honey-eater, Acanthochaera rufigu-
laris, and found the nest and eggs
of the Black-eared Miner, owing to
the bird’s pertinacious attacks on a
Bronze-Cuckoo, Chalcococcyx _ pla-
gosus.

A direct traverse was now made for
the hut through the Tall Thickheads,
the Crested Goosefoot, Chenopodium
cristatum, and the Variable Senecio,
Senecia lautus. As we reclined in the
shade of the pines after our journey,
and listened to the notes of the Black-
and-White Fantail, Rhipidura tricolor,

37

and the White-shouldered Caterpillar-
eater, Lalage tricolor, that were borne
to our ears on the gentle breeze, it
seemed hard to realise that within
comparatively recent times the coun-
try which we had just traversed with-
out beholding a wild or a domestic
animal was enlivened by thousands of
emus and kangaroos, numbers of
dusky aborigines, and vast herds of
wild horses and cattle. Raak, accord-
ing to documentary evidence, was
first traversed by a white man in 1848,
and stocked a year or two later. In
the ’70’s it was the stronghold of in-
numerable wild horses and cattle,
which rendered it difficult for the
stationholders on the areas fronting
the Murray to keep stock unless great
and unceasing vigilance was exercised.
Issuing from their native fastnesses
during the hours of darkness, these
warrigals descended in droves on the
home paddocks and inveigled the
station stock away to a life of liberty
in the remote recesses of the Mallee.
So numerous did they become that,
in the vicinity of the water-holes and
puddles to which they resorted after
nightfall, it is said, one could not
hold converse with a companion un-
less by shouting, by reason of the
angry and incessant bellowing of the
bulls. To reduce their numbers a
drive was determined upon, and re-
sulted in 500 head of cattle being
yarded and travelled to the Melbourne
market. This procedure, however, was
not persisted in, owing to the warrigals

realizing little more per head in the
city than it cost to yard them on their
native wild. Shooting was next re-
sorted to, and, with Aborigines to flay
the victims of his skill, one individual
is credited with slaying nearly 1,800
head in a very short period. The num-
ber slain in any one day was regulated
by the expertness of the flayers, and
the greatest number shot in any one
week, it is said, was 80, for which a
sum of 12s. 6d. per head was paid the
hunter, he surrendering to the owner
of the run the cured skins. The met-
hod invariably adopted in slaying the
cattle was to ride hard after the beast
selected, and to place the muzzle of a
shortened shot-gun, loaded with a
heavy spherical ball, close behind its
shoulder and fire, the animal in nearly
every instance being killed outright by
the discharge. The bleached and mas-
sive bones of these unfortunates are
still to be met with, and, when one
comes upon them in the midst of the
Mallee, the mind at once reverts to
the last headlong rush of the terror-
stricken beast through the eucalyptus
thickets, closely followed by _ the
wildly-excited horse and its reckless
and determined rider, to the loud re-
port that knelled its doom, to the
dusky beings who subsequently busied
themselves about its body, and to the
dingoes that, later on, fought over and
gorged themselves upon the reeking
flesh.
(To be continued.)

Set of “Victorian Naturalists”

Following the recent offer of a set of “Naturalists”, requests were received from
the Libraries of C.S.I.R.O. (Division of Wildlife Research), La Trobe University,
Native Plants Preservation Society, and the Gould League. Would any member who
has a set of ‘‘Naturalists’’ of some duration which they would be prepared to give to
one of these Libraries, please contact the Secretary.

38

Vict. Nat. Vol. 90

Nature Motes jrom the Gold Coast

by

ALEX. N. BURNS

Since the heavy rains of later Octo-
ber and early November, although the

weather since has been dry and hot,-

insects have been very plentiful. In
the butterfly world, specimens of the
Capaneus Swallow-tail [Papilio fuscus
capaneus (West)] have been observed
in the garden. Two females in good
condition were captured, and _ their
presence caused a search to be made
on young shoots of the Grapefruit and
Cumquat trees for presence of eggs.
A few were found and taken for breed-
ing though only two larvae reached
maturity and pupated, with one green
pupa, and the other fawn-grey. These
should produce adult butterflies in the
next week or ten days.

In the range of this fine butterfly
(Cape York to Ballina, N.S.W.) it is
usually a mid or late summer insect,
and is much rarer south of Mary-
borough than to the north.

Several specimens of the small
Dark Orange Dart Skipper [Ocyba-
distes ardea heterobathra (Low)] have
been seen at flowers of Lobelia in the
garden. This is another species which
ranges from Cape York to Burleigh
Heads; again much rarer in the south
than in the north. Until fairly recently
the southernmost range limit was
Noosa Heads, 116 miles north of
Brisbane; when the writer caught
specimens in the Burleigh National
Park, thus increasing its southern
range by 170 miles.

Particularly active throughout the
month have been the “White” spiders
frequenting flowers of the White Cot-
ton weed (Asclepias fruticosa) and
racemes of the garden purple Budd-
leyia. The following list of “captured”

February, 1973

insects by these spiders is most in-
teresting, especially as some of the
spiders’ victims were very much larger
than their captors. The following
specimens of Skipper butterflies were
captured whilst visiting flowers
amongst which the spiders were lurk-
ing. The Greenish Darter [Telicota
ancilla ancilla (H.Sch.)] three speci-
mens (this is a fairly large species);
the Large Dingy Skipper [Toxidia
peroni (Latr.)] five specimens (this too
is a medium sized skipper); the White
Brand Skipper [Toxidia rietmenni riet-
manni (Semp.)] at least a dozen speci-
mens (this is a slightly smaller species);
the Green Awl [Hasora discolor mas-
tusia (Fruhs.)] five specimens (this is a
large and strong flying species which
is on the wing mostly early and again
late in the day).

Even more interesting is the capture
of large and strong swallow-tail but-
terflies; with no less than three speci-
mens of the Pale Green Triangle
[Graphium eurypylus lycaon (West)]
and one of the Blue Triangle [Gra-
phium sarpedon choredon (Feld)].
These are strong flying butterflies,
which, when visiting flowers, keep
their wings in constant motion, and
spending a few seconds only at each
flower. The lurking spider seizes a
leg and rapidly spins a few threads to
assist in holding its prey; then in a
matter of seconds the spider pierces
the ventral portion of the butterfly’s
thorax with its mandibles rendering it
immobile almost instantly. The spider
then sets to work to feed on the body
juices of its prey.

For a long time after the spider
has “drunk” its fill, the dead butter-

39

fly adheres to the flower, being sup-
ported by a few threads entangling its
legs. Another fairly large and strong-
flying butterfly captured by these spi-
ders is the Common Albatross [A ppias
paulina ega (Boisd)]. One male and
one female have been observed and
caught at Buddleyia flowers.

Moths, too, do not escape from the
spiders which are apparently just as
active at night as during the day time.
Several species of Noctuids including
the Bogong Moth [Agrotis infusa
(Boisd)] have been noted; and also
one large Geometrid [Terpna sp.] as
well as numerous species of small
moths representing several families.

Perhaps more interesting still was
the capture of a large black and
orange-red male Psammocharid wasp
which was being held by the spider
when first observed. Other miscel-
laneous insects noted were, one large
Crane fly (Tipulidae-Diptera); two
species of March flies, one very large
(Tabanidae-Diptera) and several para-
sitic flies (Tachinidae-Diptera).

The last interesting observation was
a fairly large female Orb Web Spin-

ning Spider! One wonders if these
white predators might even be canni-
balistic.

One very interesting thing comes
from these observations; both flowers
of the Cotton weed and Buddleyia are
very frequently visited by several
species of butterflies belonging to the
Sub-family Danainae of the Nympha-
lidae, and to date not one example
has been seen to be attacked. The
butterflies noted were The Common
Crow [Euploea core corinna (Macl.)];
the Eastern Brown Crow [Euploea
tulliolus tulliolus (Fab.)]; the Lesser
Wanderer [Danaus chrysippus petilia
(Stoll.)]; and the Blue Tiger [Danaus
namata namata (Macl.)]. These but-
terflies remain for a long time at
flowers and are apparently not at-
tacked. Is it because they are dis-
tasteful to birds that they are also dis-
tasteful to spiders? The larvae of these
four species of butterfly feed on plants
which exude a bitter milky sap when
broken. It is this type of food that
is thought to be the cause of rendering
them immune to bird attack.

F.N.C.V. PUBLICATIONS AVAILABLE FOR PURCHASE
THE WILD FLOWERS OF THE WILSON’S PROMONTORY NATIONAL PARK,

by J. Ros Garnet.

Price $5.25, (discount to members); postage 20c.

VICTORIAN TOADSTOOLS AND MUSHROOMS, by J. H. Willis.

This describes 120 toadstool species and many other fungi. There are four
coloured plates and 31 other illustrations. Price 90c. Postage 1Ic.

THE VEGETATION OF WYPERFELD NATIONAL PARK, by J. R. Garnet.
Coloured frontispiece, 23 half-tone, 100 line drawings of plants and a map.

Price $1.50.

Address orders and inquiries to Sales Officer, F.N.C.V., National Herbarium,

South Yarra, Victoria.

Payments should include postage (15c on single copy).

40

Vict. Nat. Vol. 90

Nature as Quarryman

by EDMUND D. GILL*

Erosion is a universal process of the
land masses. Tectonic forces uplift the
land and erosive processes pull it
down. Where these processes are
dramatic, we say the scenery is good.
However, there is still a great deal to
be learnt about how erosion takes
place, and quantitative studies are only
in their infancy. At present we do not
even know for sure how a shore plat-
form is made. In observing erosion
along the coast and in the valleys I
have been impressed with Nature as a

Quarryman.
Australia is remarkable for its great
length of lime-sand (calcarenite)

coasts, as for example at Point Nepean
and at Warrnambool in Western Vic-
toria. Constant wetting and drying
results in the lithification of this rock
to aeolianite, which the sea erodes
slowly. However, such a coast at
times erodes quickly, and I have
noticed through observing the detail of
erosion at Thunder Point, Warrnam-
bool, for over 30 years that the rapid
progress is due commonly to the sea
quarrying along fossil soils. Big blocks
of rock then collapse on to the shore
platform, where they are more readily
broken up by grinding and _ other
movements in the wave zone.

An example from the valleys of
natural quarrying is the way weather-
ing and erosion penetrate along joint
planes to quarry out masses of rock,
thus considerably speeding up the re-
duction of the terrain. Conversely, the
resistance of massive rocks to erosion
is very impressive. Yosemite National
Park in California has walls of granite

February, 1973

2,000 to 5,000 feet high which have
stood since the Ice Age because it is
massive and joints are rare. There are
no chinks in its armour, so to speak.
If the granite had been criss-crossed
with joint planes, those walls would
long ago have collapsed into rubble
slopes. The scenic quality of Yosemite
is a function of the massive nature of
its bedrock. Similarly in Victoria
where there is a solid basalt flow (as
at Geelong) or a massive sandstone
band (as in the Grampians), it will
control the development of the ter-
rain and the rate of erosion. Thus
the hardest of rocks can be fairly
readily reduced if there are weak-
nesses in structure, such as joint
planes, so placed that Nature can
work along them as quarryman. It is
a matter of “divide to conquer”.

This process operates in small scale
as well as in large. At some places
(like the Lower Devonian siltstones at
Lilydale) there are rocks that readily
decrepitate, breaking into tiny cubes.
In such areas the soil is full of these
cubes, and the sides of the valleys are
smooth and of relatively low angle.
Cuttings in roads soon break down,
and the angle of the cutting reduced,
with much work to keep the gutters
clear. It would be reasonable to cut
batters in the first place at the resting
angle of the breakdown material.

Most of the dramatic elements in
our landscape are due to massive
rocks, for they are the ones (and not
necessarily the hard rocks) that defy
Nature the Quarryman.

*Deputy Director, National Museum of Victoria

A]

An Unusual Food Item in the Diet of Red Foxes
(Vulpes vulpes L.)

by BRIAN J. COMAN*, P. L. STEPHENS*, R. W. STARKT

Studies on the diet of the fox
(Vulpes vulpes L.) in Australia indi-
cate that this animal is an opportunist
predator and scavenger, with a wide
dietary range (Mackintosh, C.S.I.R.O.
Wildl. Res., 8 : 1-20, 1963 and Mar-
tensz, C.S.I.R.O. Wildl. Res., 16 : 73-
75, 1971). The opportunistic nature of
the fox’s feeding was well demon-
strated in a recent investigation of cab-
bage losses at a commercial vegetable
farm near Frankston, Victoria.

During the latter part of June 1972,
a vegetable grower reported severe
and unexplained losses amongst part
of his cabbage crop. An examination
revealed that the damage was being
caused by foxes eating parts of mature
cabbages. Numerous fox tracks and
scats containing poorly digested cab-
bage fragments were found between
the wind-rows.

Although five cabbage varieties were
present on the property, only one was
eaten by the foxes (Greengold hybrid).
Damage was confined to the hearts of
mature plants. Large quantities of
shredded leaves at the base of plants
suggested that feeding was very selec-
tive, with only a small part of each
cabbage actually ingested. Total losses
exceeded 1,000 plants. In two patches
of Green Gold Hybrid examined
(approx. 5,500 plants each), 852 plants
were damaged or destroyed by foxes.
This represented a loss of 7.7% over
both patches.

Night observation, with the aid of a
spotlight, revealed heavy fox activity
in and around the cabbage lands. A
total of 14 fox sightings was recorded,

42

at least 9 of these being different in-
dividuals. Three foxes were shot
amongst the cabbages and a further
two within 300 metres of the lands.
An analysis of stomach contents for
these animals was carried out and the
results are shown in the Table.

Although only two of the stomachs
contained cabbage material, it should
be pointed out that the other foxes
were killed early in the night and
might have had little opportunity to
feed from the cabbages. A freshly
ploughed section of the property con-
tained remnants of an earlier carrot
crop, and this would undoubtedly ex-
plain the origin of carrot material
found in one stomach. On the night
prior to the shooting of these foxes a
large goose was killed (presumably by
predators) adjacent to the vegetable
paddock. A comparison of feathers
from the carcass and those found in
one fox stomach suggested that this
fox was responsible for the death of
the goose. No other predators were
known to be in the area.

In addition to the stomach analyses,
a number of scats from the immediate
vicinity of the cabbage lands were col-
lected and examined. The majority of
these were composed of poorly
digested cabbage material. Other items
were the fur of a rabbit (Oryctolagus
cuniculus ) , insect remains (Coleoptera,
Orthoptera) and grass.

*C/- Keith Turnbull Research Station,
Private Bag, Post Office,
Frankston, Victoria 3199, Australia.

tDept. of Agriculture,

Vegetable Research Station,
Frankston, Victoria, 3199, Australia.

Vict. Nat. Vol. 90

It seems unlikely that foxes were
eating cabbages because of a severe
shortage of more conventional food
items. Rabbits were reasonably com-
mon in the area, and some hares
(Lepus europeaus) were seen. A pig

carcass, situated close to the cabbage
lands, showed no signs of mutilation
or feeding by foxes. According to the
owner of the property, mice (Mus
musculus) were prevalent in the area.

Table

Food Items from the Stomachs of 5 Foxes (Vulpes vulpes L.)
Killed Near Frankston, Victoria.

Food Items

Grass

Cabbage

Larvae (Lepidoptera)
Mouse (Mus musculus )
Carrot

Goose feathers

Number of Occurrences

3

mB eNN LY

Field Naturalists Club of Victoria

General Meeting — //] December

The President, Mr. Tom Sault, took
the chair at the final meeting for the year
with a good attendance of members and
friends.

The death of Mrs. Samuel was an-
nounced and a moments silence observed.
Mr. Cameron spoke briefly about her
life and interests; they both having been
one-time residents of King Island.

The evening’s programme was _ pre-
sented by Mr. Bill Davis of the Save
Westernport Coalition, who showed two
films, “The Shame of Westernport”
which he made himself, and ‘‘Warning
Warning’, telling the story of pollution
in San Francisco Bay.

The full list of correspondence was on
display with copies of some letters. The
Secretary again urged members to look
through these and said that he would
welcome enquiries from members wish-
ing to read any letters not on display.
He mentioned in particular ‘Streams
of the Dandenongs’’, received from the
Environment Protection Authority, which
is a draft policy for the area, and in-

February, 1973

cludes proposals affecting the Edithvale
Swamp.

The President announced the resigna-
tion from Council of Mr. David Reeves
and the appointment of Mr. Damien
Kelly, who also became Assistant Trea-
surer. Mr. Sault said he hoped that all
Council vacancies would be filled at the
Annual Meeting in March.

Mr. Ros Garnet reminded members
of the need to pursue the Lake Pedder
issue since the election of a new Govern-
ment, and urged members to write to the
Prime Minister and to their own mem-
bers in the House of Representatives.

Mrs. Z. Lee raised the matter of re-
ports of damage to Mallee sandhill areas
by motor-bike “scramble races’. It was
agreed that Council could discuss the
matter. The Secretary said that Council
welcomed the raising of matters of con-
cern, but impressed on members the
necessity for supplying full and accurate
information. It was impossible, in most
cases, for Council to make on-the-spot
investigations, but if the Club’s protests
were to be taken seriously by the autho-

43

rities concerned they must be backed by
reliable facts, for which Council de-
pended largely on members.

Among the exhibits on display was a
fruiting specimen of the fungus, Poly-
porus mylittae, “Blackfellows’ Bread”.

General Meeting — 8 January

The President, Mr. Tom Sault, took
the chair at the January meeting with a
smaller than usual attendance, due no
doubt to the holiday season.

As is usual in January the evening’s
entertainment was a Member’s Night
organised by Mr. Ian Cameron. The five
speakers all used slides to illustrate their
talks.

Mr. Alan Morrison spoke on “Insects
and Plants from various parts of Aus-
tralia”; Miss Carolan — “Summer in
Central Australia” — dealt with station
life in the outback. Mrs. Bennett showed
slides which had been taken on Club
excursions. Mr. Griffiths discussed the
significance of an Aboriginal relic in the
bed of Lake Moore, now dry, on Mt.
Gibson Station in Western Australia.
Mr. Peter Kelly showed the life history
of a species of leaf-eating beetle. and
Miss Wollard discussed some aspects of
conservation with particular reference to
roadside plants and landscape.

Included in correspondence was a
letter from a visiting botanist, Mr. R. J.
Chinnock, who is working in the South
Australian Herbarium on the genera
Hypolepis and Tmesipteris. Mr. Chin-
nock is anxious to contact any amateur
naturalists who have knowledge of these
plants. Further details may be obtained
from the Club Secretary.

Mr. Riordan announced that a success-
ful Christmas barbecue held at his home
had resulted in a profit of $16 going to
the Wakefield Memorial Fund.

Mr. Sault reported briefly on a com-
bined camp held by several Club Groups
at Licola over the holiday period and
several exhibits from the area were on
display.

The exhibit table was well stocked and
additional interest was provided by the
brief remarks of most exhibitors. Col-
lections from the Licola camp included
a wasp’s nest and geological specimens
from Wellington and Dolodrook rivers
and from near Bennison Plain.

Mr. Ken Strong showed a series of
photographs taken through a microscope
using a cheap old-style box camera. One
Club microscope was in use and there
was also a display of garden grown

44

native plants; a pressed specimen of the
Queensland stinging tree, Laporta
moroides; a tray of shells showing various
blister formations and some specimens of
ochreous rocks from Phillip Island.

Botany Group — 14 December

Mr. Rex Filson, lichenologist at Mel-
bourne’s National Herbarium, and
author of “Lichens and Mosses of Mac-
Robertson Land’, gave a most interesting
talk on his overseas visits to herbaria in
a number of countries (as a Churchill
Scholarship winner). His aims were to
examine type specimens of Australian
species, to go on field trips to collect
named species of genera represented in
Australia, and to make personal contact
with the leading lichenologists in those
countries to facilitate later mutual cor-
respondence in this specialist field of
botany.

Rex and his wife Sue (who as a keen
bushwalker took active part in the field
trips) were able to stay close to the her-
baria or in the homes of lichenologists in
Austria, Germany, Switzerland, Swe-
den, Norway, United States and Japan.
Colour slides were shown of herbarium
buildings, botanical gardens features,
special displays of flora, and lichens in
a number of habitats (including ancient
tombstones!) in such places as Munich,
Geneva, Uppsala (we were shown the
original cottage and garden of Carl von
Linne, usually known as Linnaeus, where
the plants are in most cases lineal des-
cendants of those he used in his naming
of species), Oslo and Bergen. An alti-
tudinal rail journey across Norway
provided many picturesque slides, many
successful ones being taken from the
moving carriage. They arrived in Lon-
don in June (and Kew Gardens).

The speaker has promised to give a
talk on “A Botanical Meal in Japan”
at the Botany Group meeting in July
next year — a unique experience, it
seems! The Japanese and American sec-
tions of his trip were not dealt with at
the meeting. A varied array of questions
was competently answered by Mr. Filson.

Election of office-bearers for the en-
suing year resulted in Mr. Ian Cameron
becoming the new chairman, and Mrs.
Margaret Corrick the new secretary, in
succession to Mr. Karl Kleinecke, and
Mr. Jim Baines, respectively, both of
whom, after a two-year tenure of office,
did not seek re-selection.

The meeting concluded with supper
and conversazione.

Vict. Nat. Vol. 90

Hawthorn Junior Field Naturalist Club

ANNUAL REPORT, 1972

Key Office-bearers, 1 January 1973
President — Michael Coulthard.
Treasurer — Wendy Clark.

Excursion Secretary —Caroline Durreé.
Secretary — Robin Sandell.

Editor — Alan Burns.

Programme Secretary — Noel Disken.

Administration of Club activities
faced some difficulty in 1972, with
three of the key office-bearers attempt-
ing their Higher School Certificate
Exams during the year. Despite this,
management ran smoothly, and mem-
bership increased slightly to about 160.

Early in September, the stalwart of
Club organisation over the past ten
years, Barry Cooper, left Australia to
further his tertiary education at Ohio
University, U.S.A. He was a fine and
enthusiastic worker in almost all areas

of the Club, having held the offices of
Excursion Secretary, Editor and Club
Recorder. Barry has been an honorary
member since 1970.

Two resignations earlier in the year
were those of Carl Meyer, as Trea-
surer, and Joan Hindle as Secretary.
Wendy Clark took over the position
of Treasurer and, with the aid of
Michael Coulthard, a thorough revi-
sion of the financial system of the
Club was made.

Rather than re-appoint a Club Re-
corder to replace Barry Cooper, the
duties of the Secretary were extended
and an Assistant Secretary appointed.
The two positions are now held by
Robin Sandell and David Saunders,
respectively.

Meetings for 1972

28 January — Members’ Night.

25 February — “Phalanyers and Phascogales”, by John Seebeek.

24 March

“The Snowy River District”, by Mr. Norman Wakefield.

28 April —“Galls”, by Messrs. P. Kelly and K. Strong.

30 June — “Lyrebirds”, by Messrs. Ralph Kenyon and Tim Hunt.
26 May — “Volcanoes”, by Mr. Tom Sault.

28 July — “Parasites”, by Mr. Leigh Winsor.

25 August — Celebration of 29th Birthday.

29 September

“Geology of the Melbourne Area’, by Mr. Gary Wallis.

27 October — “Water Birds”, by Miss Joan Forster.
24 November — “Nature in the Dry Country”, by Mr. Jack Hyett.

Excursions:

Caroline Durré continued office as Excursion Secretary. Day trips held during

the year:

12 February — Point Lonsdale — Marine Life.
27 February — Cape Schank — Walking Trip.
30 April — Botanic Gardens — Pondlife.
2 July — Sherbrooke Forest — Lyrebirds.

20 August — Lilydale Area — Fossils.
17 September — You Yangs — General.

28 October — Royal Botanic Gardens — Water Birds.

February, 1973

45

Easter Camp:

The 1972 camp was held in the
Suggan Buggan area of East Gipps-
land. A record number of 96 people
attended, both in the hired bus and in
private cars. Day trips from the camp-
site included visits to the spectacular
Little River Gorge, the Snowy River
Valley at the N.S.W. border, and Bal-
lantyne’s Hills.

A special meeting was held on 17
June, for the display of slides and
photographs taken on the camp. This
was attended by 53 members and
friends.

Publications

“The Junior Naturalist’ has completed
Vol. 8. Articles of special interest in-
cluded a Reptile survey conducted by
three members in the Hattah Lakes
National Park and a report on the Easter
Camp over two issues. With the Editor,
Alan Burns, heavily committed to school
work, and the Assistant Editor having to
retire early in the year, some issues were
reduced in size. It is hoped that Alan
will have an assistant in 1973.

One new club publication printed this
year was “Pondlife”’, by Alan Burns.
Native Flower and Nature Show

The five exhibits organised by the Club
at the S.G.A.P. Show in September were
Spiders, Marine Life, Tektites, Fossils
of Koonwarra and Reptiles.

Prior to the display, a three-day camp
to the Cumberland River, near Lorne,
was held, where collections were made
for the Spider and Marine exhibits.
Subscriptions

With spiralling costs in the production
of the magazine, there is a likelihood of
an increase in the membership fee in
1973. The last re-appraisal of fees was
in 1967.

Present rates are: Junior Membership,
80 cents per annum; Adult Membership,
$1.20 per annum.

Constitution

Early in 1972, a sub-committee was
formed to make some minor alterations
to the Club’s four-year-old constitution,
and to investigate the possibility of
altering the present system of electing
council members. Most of the altera-
tions were accepted by Council and sub-
sequently at a General Meeting of the
Club; but those changes relating to the
admittance of Members to Council did
not meet with agreement.

Field Survey Group, F.N.C.V. Survey Camps, 1973

27, 28, 29 January — Mt. Erica.

10, 11 February — Boola Boola Forest, Traralgon.

10, 11, 12 March — Avoca.

14, 15 April — Korumburra District (North).

20-25 April (Easter) — Sunset Country.
12, 13 May — Bellarine Peninsula.
9. 10, 11 June — S.E. Gippsland.

14, 15 July — Acheron Way, Donna Buang.

11, 12 August — Strathbogie Ranges.
8, 9 September — Maryborough

13, 14 October — Korumburra District (South).

10, 11 November — Upper Yarra Area.
8, 9 December — Blackwood-Trentham.

Notice to Contributors

It is important that material submitted for publication should preferably be
typewritten on foolscap or quarto sheets at double spacing, and with a 2.5-3 cm
(1”) margin on the left. No underlining of words should appear unless abso-

lutely necessary.

Where dates occur, the day should precede the month, e.g. 15 May 1972 not

May 15 1972.

46

Vict. Nat. Vol. 90

1972...
2000. ..
2100...
2200...

For today... and the
centuries ahead

THE 5—POINT
FORESTS MULTIPLE USE PLAN

A plan based on scientific forests management...
ensuring that our forests continue to

contribute towards man’s overall survival

and to his individual zest for living.

The multiple use plan

protects the five critical forest values:

WATER WOOD WILDLIFE RECREATION FORAGE

Our State Forests provide abundant leisure enjoyment...
only one of the five big values.

Please help us by cherishing all five values

when you are enjoying the forests

FORESTS COMMISSION, VICTORIA

February, 1973 47

Field Naturalists Club of Victoria

Established 1880

OBJECTS: To stimulate interest in natural history and to preserve
and protect Australian fauna and flora.

Patron:
His Excellency Major-General Sir ROHAN DELACOMBE, K.B.E., C.B., D.S.O.

Key Office-Bearers, 1972-1973.

President:
Mr. T. SAULT

Hon. Secretary: Mr. R. H. RIORDAN, 15 Regent St., East Brighton, 3187. 92 8579
Treasurer: H. BISHOP. Address Correspondence to National Herbarium, The
Domain, South Yarra.

Subscription Secretary: Mr. D. E. McINNES, 129 Waverley Road, East Mal-
vern, 3145

Hon. Editor: Mr. G. M. WARD, 54 St. James Road, Heidelberg 3084.

Hon. Librarian: Mr. P. KELLY, c/o National Herbarium. The Domain, South
Yarra 3141.

Hon. Excursion Secretary: Miss M. ALLENDER, 19 Hawthorn Avenue, Caulfield
3161... 2.2749).

Magazine Sales Officer: Mr. B. FUHRER, 25 Sunhill Av., North Ringwood, 3134.

Group Secretaries:
Botany: Mrs. M. CORRICK
Day Group: Mrs. J. STRONG, 1160 Dandenong Rd., Murrumbeena (56 2271).

Entomology and Marine Biology: Mr. J. W. H. STRONG, Flat 11, “Palm Court’,
1160 Dandenong Rd., Murrumbeena 3163 (56 2271).

Field Survey: Mr. D. BARHAM, 14 Finnigans Rd., Research 3095. (437 1791).
Geology: Mr. T. SAULT.

Mammal Survey: Mr. D. KELLY, 107 St. Elmo Road, Ivanhoe, Vic. 3079 (49 4583).
Microscopical: Mr. M. H. MEYER, 36 Milroy Street, East Brighton (96 3268).

MEMBERSHIP

Membership of the F.N.C.V. is open to any person interested in natural
history. The Victorian Naturalist is distributed free to all members, the club’s
reference and lending library is available, and other activities are indicated in
reports set out in the several preceding pages of this magazine.

Rates of Subscriptions for 1973.

Ordinary. Members, o-oo de ee Ee Ce $7.00
Country “Members <0) 02) bei cc) Ste a eg ee) $5.00
Joint Members .. Pr eA ee CRETE $2.00
Junior Members (under Ig years) wit oe wie ota cate RAIN Eis NS RMON TEN iia eg ae $2.00
Junior Members. receiving Vict. Nat. “25 06.0 0 ue $4.00
Subscribers to. Vict. Nat. (Aust. only)... 2. i >jeh ated: vine =e 0 Ge ee $5.00
Overseas Subscribers Be aie eS ee IE aE a a $6.00
Attiliiated, Societies (2. > S085 a i ee cate) yen ate Sin icra oe pee $7.00
Supporting Members . eee ERE URDU bea SR eRe ee
Life Membership (reducing after 20 years) Se aie Pee ee Re AN

The cost of individual copies of the Vict. Naf. will be 45 cents (82 cents — overseas requests).
Full-time Students between 18 and 21 years pay at Junior Member rates.

All subscriptions should be made payable to the Field Naturalists Club of Victoria, and posted
to the Subscription Secretary.

) JENKIN, BUXTON & CO. PTY. LTD., PRINTERS, WEST MELBOURNE

MARCH, 1973

Yee
By

Hp

Vitis

Published by the
FIELD NATURALISTS CLUB OF VICTORIA

in which is incorporated the Microscopical Society of Victoria

Registered in Australia for transmission by post as a periodical.
Category “A”

F.N.C.V. DIARY OF COMING EVENTS
GENERAL MEETINGS

Wednesday, 14 March — At National Herbarium, The Domain, South Yarra, com-
mencing 8 p.m. Annual General Meeting with Presidential Address.

New Members:
Ordinary:

Miss Pamela D. Chatfield, 12/8 Pasley St., South Yarra 3141.

Mr. Geoff. Deason, 16 Olive Ave., Mt. Waverley. Ornithology.

Mrs. Jenny Dewhurst, 17 Legon Rd., South Oakleigh 3167. Geology and Marine Biology.

Mr. W. A. Dey, 3 Dorothy St., Pascoe Vale North 3044.

Mr. Robert Finlay, 304 High St. Road, Mt. Waverley 3149. General.

Miss Barbara A. Hadkinson, 19 Milverton St., Burwood 3125. Ecology.

Mrs. Coral Hayward, 14 Greenglade Court, Blackburn North 3130. Botany.

Mr. Robert L. Lukey, 30 Canterbury St., Flemington 3031. Microscopy.

Mrs. B. D. McCallum, 12 Bonfield Ave., Hawthorn 3123. Mammals.

Miss Gael Shannon, 247 Pigdon St., Nth. Carlton 3054. General.

Mr. John W. Zimmer, 38 Drummond St., South Blackburn 3130. Marine Biology and
Entomology.

Joint:
Timothy Armstrong, 39 Anthony Drive, Mt. Waverley 3149.
Mrs. S. A. Riordan, 15 Regent St., East Brighton 3187.

Monday, 9 April — “Aboriginal Antiquities of Victoria”: Mr. Aldo Massola.

GROUP MEETINGS
(8 p.m. at National Herbarium unless otherwise stated.)

Wednesday, 7 March— Geology Group. Speaker, Mr. Doug Myers. Subject,
Kangaroo Island, illustrated with slides.

Thursday, 8 March — Botany Group.

Thursday, 15 March— Day Group will meet 11.30 a.m. at Park St. entrance to
Botanic Gardens. At 1.15 an inspection of R.B.G. led by the Superintendent.

Wednesday, 21 March — Microscopical Group meeting. Mr. J. Dawes will speak
on “The Medal and the Man behind it”; a story of scientists who have been
presented with medals to commemorate their research achievements.

Monday, 2 April— Marine Biology and Entomology Group meeting at Library
Conference Room, National Museum.

Wednesday, 4 April — Geology Group.

F.N.C.V. EXCURSIONS

Saturday, 10 March - Monday, 12 March — Shepparton. The coach will leave Flinders
St. by Gas and Fuel Building at 9 a.m. Bring a picnic lunch and lunches will also
be needed for Sunday and Monday.

Sunday, 18 March — Zoological Gardens. Meet outside Royal Park railway station
at 11.15 a.m. and bring a picnic lunch.

Easter, Friday, 20 April-Wednesday, 25 April — Harrietville. Accommodation, dinner,
bed and breakfast has been booked at Bon Accord. Hospice and lunches will
be supplied if required. The cost of this excursion is $45 and this amount should
be paid to the excursion secretary by 9 April.

JUNIOR F.N.C. MEETINGS
Friday, 30 March — Hawthorn Juniors in Town Hall at 8 p.m.

Friday, 6 April— Preston Juniors at 281 High St., Preston (Rechabite Hall), at
8 p.m.

Friday, 13 April — Montmorency and District in Scout Hall, Petrie Park, at 8 p.m.

50 Vict. Nat. Vol. 90

The
Victorian Naturalist

Editor: G. M. Ward

Assistant Editor: G. Douglas

Vol. 90, No. 3 7 March, 1973
CONTENTS
Articles:
The Leathery Puff Ball. By Ellen Lyndon .. wa ae na ie i oo
The Impact of the Ethane Pipeline on the Marine Ecosystem of Port
Phillip Bay. By Jeanette E. Watson a ays ae nie fe ame 0)
Back o’ Bunyip. By Victor Jacobs .. sit Bet ae at e es ou! 06

The Origin of Generic Names of the Victorian Flora — Part 1.
By James A. Baines 72

Features:
Early Naturalists’ Writings — Part 2 (cont.) .. a ae os sa res 8)?
Nature Notes from the Gold Coast. By Alex N. Burns .. ee ne ee |

Field Naturalists’ Club of Victoria:

General and Group Meeting Reports .. ne ae me is be var I4
Diary of Coming Events we TPG SA tw TS ane, te iy se a ats 0 acelin OO

Front Cover:

This photograph of a Carpet Snake provides a link with the second part of Rambles
in Raak, on page 52 of this issue.

John Wallis was the photographer,

March, 1973 51

Early Naturalist's Writings — 2

Rambles in Raak

(Continued)

The following morning we were up
at 5.30, and after breakfast headed
due south through the Tall Thickheads
to the first one of the series of large
“lake-beds” previously mentioned.
Birdlife was fairly numerous, owing to
the presence, probably, of a water
trough fed from three iron tanks sunk
in a small catchment on the northern
slope of the depression. Here the
drought resistant properties of the
Native Tobacco, Nicotiana suareolens,
and the introduced Sea-green Tobacco,
Nicotiana glauca, were demonstrated
in an unmistakable manner. Prior to
the recent drought the latter had taken
complete possession of vast areas of
the country, but at the termination of
the aridity few, if any, of the trees
remained alive, whilst in and among
their dead boles and branches the
native plant grew luxuriantly, and
paraded its racemes of flowers trium-
phantly. It was not long before the
monotonous sameness of the “lake-
beds” induced us to change our course.
Bearing west and then north, we came
upon some interesting timbered coun-
try, wherein the Needle Hakea, the
Sandalwood, the Bignonia Emu-bush,
Eremophila bignoniflora, and the Wil-
low Acacia, Acacia salicina, abound-
ed. The Hakea was frequented by the
Black-eared Miner and the White-
browed Babbler, Pomatorhinus super-
ciliosus, and the Emu-bush by the
Spiny-cheeked and Singing Honey-
eaters. Among the more lowly forms
of vegetation observed were the Club
Moss Aster, Olearia lepidophylla, the
Spreading Scurf-Pea, Psoralea patens,
var. cinerea, the Stiff Westringia, Wes-
tringia rigida, the hairy Blennodia,

a2

Blennodia lasiocarpa, and the Sand
Brome and Scaly Meadow-grass,
Bromus arenarius and Poa lepida. The
Burr Forget-me-not, Lappula concava,
and the Narrow Thread Petal, Steno-
petalum lineare, grew profusely, the
former occasioning us much incon-
venience owing to the tenacity with
which its fruitlets adhered by their
spinular asperities to our clothing.

A nest of the Wedge-tailed Eagle,
Uroaétus audax, was found in a large
tree of the Tall Mallee, associated with
several Crows’ nests. The food on
which the eaglets had been nurtured
was evidenced by scores of skulls and
other skeletal parts of the rabbit that
strewed the ground at the base of the
tree. The reason of the association of
the nests of the two birds might be
surmised from the presence of these
bones; the wily Crow, no doubt, hav-
ing realized that, in the vicinity of the
Eagles’ eyrie, an abundant supply of
food for itself and nestlings could be
obtained with little exertion owing to
the prodigal habits of the bird of prey.
The Eagle’s nest was a bulky one, and
Johnny was induced to ascend the tree
and pose therein whilst a series of
photographs were taken. During this
outing the number of pits of the ant
lion that fretted the sandy soil occa-
sioned surprise. So closely were they
set that at every step at least a dozen
of them were destroyed, and _ their
concealed occupant perturbed.

On this ramble, and during our sub-
sequent ones, we noticed particularly
in the early morning and late in the
evening, fresh moist soil on the lip
of numerous narrow, elongated open-
ings leading at an angle of 45° or

Vict. Nat. Vol. 90

thereabouts into the ground. To our
query relative to the identity of the
creatures responsible for such excava-
tions, Johnny replied, “Lizards, and
when questioned as to the cause actu-
ating them to burrow, he intimated
that the lizards preyed on the trap-
door spiders, and consequently had to
dig to satisfy their desires. As the
lidded domiciles of these spiders were
extremely numerous in the friable soil,
and ranged from the size of a pin’s
head to the diameter of a shilling, we
assumed that the explanation given
was correct, but with innate scepticism
kept a watch to detect the lizard at its
task. One evening, whilst returning in
the gloaming to our hut after an exten-
sive ramble, we chanced upon a pile
of loose sand beside an excavation
that undoubtedly proved, by its fresh
appearance, to have been recently
brought from below. Mining opera-
tions for the miner were at once insti-
tuted, and after attaining a depth of
eight inches, the gentle insertion of the
blade of a pocket-knife into the hole
resulted in the prompt appearance of
a dirty, moist, and aggressive specimen
of the so-called Bloodsucker, Amphi-
bolurus muricatus. Henceforth we
readily recognized the tunnels made
by this lizard, and made several futile
efforts to establish the identity of the
species, aS we thought, that made a
larger, though not so elongated, open-
ing. At length we encountered one
whose soil-heap was of more than the
usual dimensions, and after a consider-
able amount of scratching dead-ended
our quarry at a depth of eighteen
inches—a large desert cockroach,
which, on being submitted with other
insects collected during the trip to
Mr. J. A. Kershaw, Curator of the
National Museum, proved to be Geo-
scapheus robustus.

Stranger than either of the two ex-
cavations mentioned was the circular
hole, about the diameter of a half-

March, 1973

penny, that went down vertically, and
had six or eight plugs of sand, from
two to three inches in length, neatly
piled at its orifice. How these had been
piled upon one another; by what
means were they formed; by what
creature; and how had they been
raised from below, were questions
more easily asked than answered. With
our fingers and a piece of wood we
tried repeatedly, but unavailingly, to
solve the miner’s identity. Early one
morning, having set out on an excur-
sion of more than the usual radius, we
chanced upon one of these circular
holes with an accompanying pile of
fresh sand-plugs. With a pannikin we
sank a hole to the depth of three feet
in the sandy loam before we brought
to light the object of our quest —a
large brown beetle, with a long, stout
horn set in the middle of its head, and
flanked by two smaller ones. It proved
to be one of the Digger Beetles, Bolbo-
ceras Sloanei. It would appear that, as
the beetle delves vertically with its
powerful foreclaws, it forces the ex-
cavated materials upwards between its
abdomen and the wall of the shaft.
When the burden above begins to in-
commode its operations, it backs up
the shaft, forcing the plug upwards
till it eventually topples over at the
margin of the hole. However plausible
this explanation may appear, there is
one fact that seems to militate against
its acceptance, and that is how each
successive plug raised from below falls
directly upon the previous one rather
than elsewhere. The cohesion of the
sand appeared to be ensured by means
of a mycelium, for some of the fresh
plugs examined were invested with
a minute mesh, which might possibly
have been derived from the spinnerets
of some species of the spider tribe.
The object, hereabouts, of the habit
of making excavations by the beetles
and lizards, if not for the purpose of
depositing eggs, must be to make pro-

53

vision to withstand, like the dingo, the
dry season, by attaining the moisture
that exists-some little distance below
the surface. Confirmatory evidence of
such an acquired habit was recently
published in the Agricultural Journal
of the Union of South Africa, Feb-
ruary, 1914, by Eugene N. Marais,
in an article entitled “Notes on Some
Effects of Extreme Drought in Water-
berg, South Africa’.

Along the lee side of the high water
mark of some downpour that had tem-
porarily covered the lowest part of the
area of a “salt-pan” with a shallow
sheet of turbid liquid, the remains of
the cockroach Geoscapheus robustus
could be collected in scores, having
been surprised, possibly, in their un-
derground retreats by the storm water,
and on coming to the surface perished
after protracted and unavailing
struggles, and were then cast by the
ripples on the shore, there to be en-
tombed by the shifting sand, or eaten
by the foraging fox or Lace Lizard.
One of the latter, Varanus gouldi, was
surprised by us whilst it was foraging
for these insects on a “lake-bed”, and
in turn surprised us by the rapidity of
its progress over the partially-wet sand
and through the Pigface and Prickly
Saltwort, Salsola kali.

Whilst dealing with insects, it might
be here mentioned that it was notice-
able, when fire was applied to a large
clump of spinifex, the greater number
of insects sheltering therein seemed
loth to leave their domicile, and were
either incinerated by the flames or
over-powered by the heat when mak-
ing a belated break for a safer haven.
On the other hand, the moment the
flames began to manifest their power,
a general exodus of panic-stricken
small snakes, lizards, beetles, spiders,
grasshoppers, cockroaches, &c., en-
sued from clumps of spinifex some
yards distant from the scene of the
conflagration. It was noticeable also

54

that shortly after the smoke occasioned
by the combustion of these large
growths of tangled and pungent leaves
had attained some little height in the
heavens, Crows were to be discerned
converging towards it from all points
of the compass. From experience they
appear to comprehend that where
there is fire in the Mallee there will be
found food in abundance. This peculi-
arity on the part of the Crow was
repeatedly tested by Mr. A. W. Milli-
gan during the course of his extensive
ornithological excursions in Western
Australia.

Whilst standing watching the play
of the flames in a large growth of
spinifex, we were surprised to notice
an oyster-shell-shaped piece of loam,
at the base of the clump, suddenly
lift above the level of the surrounding
soil, and a dark, hairy form peer forth
from beneath the elevated lid with
evident trepidation and then disappear.
When the fire had exhausted itself we
hastened forward to investigate the
matter, and found two small oyster-
shell-shaped lids leading to a circular
shaft lined with a closely-woven, deli-
cate web. Carefully applying tension
to the lids, a silken bag, about eighteen
inches in length and one and a half
inches in diameter, was withdrawn
from the hole, which it fitted perfectly.
Slitting up the bag with a knife, we
found that its recent occupant had
remained in the hole, and that four
inches of the end of the bag was wet
and discoloured. Having no suitable
article with us for excavation purposes
we were left to speculate on the iden-
tity of the spider that constructed and
occupied such a unique habitation.

During the burning of one very dry
clump of spinifex, a large brown cock-
roach, that was fully two and a half
inches in length and one and a half
inches in breadth, issued from the
grass and hurried towards us. The
gigantic insect’s approach was watched

Vict. Nat. Vol. 90

with close attention and ready collect-
ing bottles, but before it could cross
the danger zone the flames spread out
wide and low above it, and in an
instant converted it into a scorched
and shrivelled semblance of its former
self. In all probability it was Geo-
scapheus giganteus.

Later in the day we bore east
through the pines in the direction of
Nowingi. In the area over which the
pines exercised dominion the entire
absence of young plants or trees did
not fail to excite our attention. Dur-
ing all our extensive wanderings in
Raak, as in the neighbourhood of Lake
Mournpoul, not a single young plant,
if we omit the Weeping Pittosporum,
of any of the trees or shrubs met with
was noticed. Fire seldom or never
ravages the district, and the depreda-
tions of stock are unimportant or
negligible. One is prompted to ask,
Why is this so? What favourable con-
ditions induced the contemporaneous
growth of the pines and associated
vegetation in the past, and, now that
they have adapted themselves to their
environment, how does it arise that
they seem incapable of perpetuating
their species? Among the pines we
noted the Red-browed Tree-creeper,
Climacteris erythrops, but not else-
where. The bird is shy, and seems to
have acquired the silence of the shady
vistas it frequents.

Maintaining an easterly course, we
at length reached our destination — a
large lake-bed containing a small area
of shallow water. One of the party,
discarding his boots and socks, ven-
tured out into the water with a collect-
ing net and bottle, with the view of
securing some of its fauna. At no spot
was the water of greater depth than
two inches, but at every step the pond-
life hunter sank knee-deep into the
tenacious mud beneath. Subsequently
he was obliged to make a _ lengthy
barefooted pilgrimage along a path

March, 1973

thickly strewn with the fruit calyces
of the Prickly-fruited Salt-bush, Bassia
echinopsila, to a small puddle to
cleanse his feet and legs. At this small
puddle, evidently formed by a recent
passing shower, we noted a greater
number and variety of the feathered
tribe than elsewhere. Among the more
numerous species were the Bee-eater,
Merops ornatus, and the Masked
Wood-Swallow, Artamus personatus,
both of which had just reached the
Raak district on their annual migra-
tion. In a drooping Moonah, Mela-
leuca parviflora, growing beside the
margin of a lake bed, we discovered
the nest and eggs of the Striped
Honey-eater, Plectorhynchus lanceo-
latus, and, in a pine tree, the nest and
young of the Tawny Frogmouth,
Podargus strigoides. The young birds
appeared very grotesque in their soft
white investure and seemed not more
than three weeks old, and incapable of
much exertion; yet, on repairing to
the tree the following morning to
secure a photograph of the mother
bird and her brood, we found the nest
deserted. Returning homewards at
nightfall, we encountered several
Black-faced Kangaroo Macropus mel-
anops, and collected the Desert Cassia,
Cassia eremophila, var. platypoda. At
one time this plant was very plentiful
hereabouts, but now, owing to the par-
tiality shown by the rabbits for its
leaves and tender twigs, it is seldom
met with. Fortunately for the few
plants that still survive, the recent
drought dealt as effectively with the
rabbits in the Raak district as it did
with the introduced Tree Tobacco.

In company with Mr. Charles
Thompson, of Kulkyne station, we set
out one morning at 7.45 for the pur-
pose of searching the mallee about
eight miles to the north of the hut for
the nesting-mounds of the Mallee
Fowl, Leipoa ocellata. Bearing north
by east, we crossed a large lake-bed,

55

and forced our way through a be-
wildering interlacement of dead and
prostrate trees of the Sea-green To-
bacco, interspersed with — sturdy
growths of the Silky Blue-bush, Kochia
villosa, and the Native Tobacco. Be-
yond this the Berrigan, the flowering
Sandalwood, and the fruit-bearing
Sweet Quandong prevailed in more or
less abundance till the belt of Belar
and Buloke already described was
reached. On its northern margin a
narrow-leaved form of the Giant Hop-
bush, Dodonea viscosa, var. angusti-
folia, was met with, and occasional
mounds of copi. The Oil and the Tall
Mallee succeeded, and, with pines
and spinifex interspersed, stretched
away northwards as far as the eye
could reach.

As we continued in the direction
mentioned at a leisurely pace, keeping
a keen look-out for the objects of
our quest, we noted many flowering
plants and shrubs. The most promi-
nent of these were the Green Prostan-
thera, Prostanthera_ chlorantha, the
Spreading Flax-Lily, Dianella revoluta,
the Holly Grevillea, Grevillea ilicifolia,
var. lobata, the Lambs’ Tails, Trichi-
nium exaltatum, and the Sand Twin-
leaf, Zygophyllum ammophilum. Sev-
eral specimens of the Rusty-hood
Orchid, Pterostylus rufa, the Desert
Boronia, Boronia clavellifolia, and the
Golden Pennants, Loudonia_ Behrii,
were met with, but in every instance
these were long past the prime of
flowering splendour. The Sweet Apple-
berry, Billardiera cymosa, and the
been accidentally broken by the bird
in the course of one of its periodic
inspections, and then discarded. Open-
ing up the mound, we found it to
contain but one egg. Later on another
Large Dodder Laurel, Cassytha melan-
tha, were much in evidence, the for-
mer twining about the base of the
eucalypti and the latter sprawling over
their tops.

56

Making a short traverse to the west,
we encountered a mound of the
Mallee-Fowl, and beside it an egg,
much scratched, and having a small
hole in the side. As the mound showed
no signs of being disturbed by other
than its maker, the egg may have
mound was investigated, with similar
result.

Wandering haphazard through the
mallee and spinifex, we were fortunate
in obtaining a glimpse of a Leipoa.
The bird was standing erect and mo-
tionless, listening attentively to the
noise we occasioned in our progress
through the investing vegetation. The
moment it detected us, however, it
wheeled about, and, with lowered
head, disappeared at a rapid run
among the spinifex and low mallee.
Hastening forward, we discovered its
mound, and on opening it up found
that it contained four eggs. These
were arranged in the form of a circle,
the larger end being upward, and pro-
jected slightly towards the centre of
the small circular excavation around
and over which the sand, bark, leaves,
and twigs gathered by the bird were
heaped. So far as we could see from
an inspection of these mounds, and
others subsequently met with, the bird
was not actuated, as has been alleged,
by any motive in the selection of a site
other than expediency. Some were
closely invested with Eucalyptus in-
crassata, var. angulosa, and others
were practically destitute of cover.

In the selection of the sites for the
mounds examined by us, the birds
certainly gave no heed whether an
opening occurred or not in the sur-
rounding vegetation to the north and
east to permit of the unimpeded rays
of the sun falling on the mound. Pos-
sibly they realized, as we did, that the
impediment offered to the sun’s rays by
the foliage of the mallee, particularly
during the spring and summer months,
is More imaginary than real. In every

Vict. Nat. Vol. 90

instance the immediate vicinity of the
mounds presented a clean appearance
by reason of the removal by the bird
of all leaves, twigs, and bark within
a radius of twenty feet or thereabouts.
From the number of holes observed
in the sand at the base of the pines
we assumed the birds spend much of
their leisure in sun-bathing. By this
time the heat and flies had become
almost unbearable, and, to accentuate
the unpleasantness, a dust-laden north
wind sprang up and gradually in-
creased in temperature and intensity.
Hastening south, we at length arrived,
heated and uncomfortable, at Brigh-
ton’s Tank, which comprised two
small, shallow, oblong, artificial ex-
cavations, in a natural depression, con-
taining a few thousand gallons of tur-
bid water. Here we refreshed, and
rested in the shade of the pines.
In order to ascertain the extent to
which this tank was frequented by
the birds and marsupials of the
locality, we repaired to it later, and,
ensconcing in_ selected positions,
awaited the coming of dusk. As the
gloom deepened the flies that had
plagued us exceedingly all day with-
drew, and small but energetic mos-
quitoes began to dispense their favours
without fear or impartiality; the stridu-
lations of the mole crickets, Gryllot-
alpa coarctata, gradually decreased in
volume and intensity; the belated calls
of the Crested Oreoica, the Pallid
Cuckoo, Cuculus pallidus, and the
White-winged Chough finally ceased,
and the prevailing quiet was broken
only by the grating of the large wind-
mill near at hand, the plaintive calls
of the Curlews, and the low “Peep,
peep” of a pair of tiny Black-breasted
Plover as they paraded the muddy
margin of the tank. A Large-tailed
Nightjar, Caprimulgus macrurus, flits
into our rapidly-lessening range of
view, circles noiselessly above our
heads, and then alights on the ground

March, 1973

a few yards distant from us to seize
a mole cricket its keen eyes had
detected. A period of quietude ensues;
then, with whistling pinions, a pair
of Bronze-wings alight on the ground
near at hand, and, after a careful sur-
vey of their surroundings, run to the
water’s edge and drink long and
deeply. They depart in due course,
and we wait patiently but unavail-
ingly for the next visitant, and then
stroll homewards, our route illumi-
nated by repeated vivid flashes of light-
ning —the precursors of the rain
clouds that shed some of their con-
tents on Raak during the night. The
outcome of our visit was disappoint-
ing; but had it been undertaken later
in the season, when the heat had
wilted the succulent plants that car-
peted the ground, better results would
have undoubtedly attended it. In sup-
port of this contention, we might men-
tion that the cattle and horses depas-
turing on Raak had not been near
water for over four months prior to
our arrival, owing to the Common
Sow-thistle, Sonchus oleraceus, on
which they practically lived, contain-
ing sufficient moisture to satisfy their
thirst.

Shortly after 9 o’clock one morning,
when some miles south-east of the hut,
we came upon a tree possessed of
several trunks, all of which were
piped, and, as we considered, emi-
nently suitable for affording shelter to
an Owl-Swallow, Agotheles nove-
hollandie. Each in turn was subjected
to a careful investigation, and so occu-
pied were we in this task that we failed
to notice a bulky Carpet Snake,
Morelia variegata, slightly over seven
feet in length, that was indulging in
an early sun-bath on one of the
trunks, in close proximity to an en-
thusiastic ornithologist’s hand. At the
alarm signal the whereabouts of a
suitable waddy was as vital as the
snake’s. On divining the identity of

57

the disturbing factor, however, cam-
eras were hastily dragged from their
cases and as hastily screwed to tripods.
Becoming alarmed at the unusual dis-
turbance in proximity to its domicile,
the snake decided to retire into a hol-
low spout. Johnny, however, frustrated
this design by plugging the hole with
his soft felt hat. As the baffled reptile
coiled about the entrance a bat issued
from out, ‘of - a:.smaller. exit,’ and;
struggling frantically over several of
the ophidian’s folds, fell to the ground
and simulated death. The snake now
resolved to go aloft, and in a few
moments lay extended along a small
limb some fifteen feet from _ the
ground. This situation not being
deemed sufficiently elevated above the
danger zone, an effort was immedi-
ately made to reach. the: shelter of
the dense foliage above. Slowly the
snake erected itself till over six feet
of its length was poised rigidly and
vertically above the limb on which it
rested. The feat was a surprising one
to us, and served to demonstrate the
great muscular power possessed by
these constrictors. The moment the
reptile’s head reached the upper limb
it released its hold of the lower one,
and quickly drew its body into the
supposed haven of safety and conceal-
ment. Johnny now ascended the tree,
and summarily shook the snake to
earth, where it was measured and
examined, and then carried without
protest to a neighbouring small bush
and photographed, after which, being
unfortunately unprovided with a bag
or spirit bottle of sufficient size, we
left it to glide away to its shelter tree
unharmed.

From various causes a visit to the
Double Tanks, distant about six miles
due west of the hut was deferred
almost to the day of our departure
from Raak. The route thither lay for
the first mile or so over open country,
and then through a forest comprising

58

mostly pine and Belar. Amongst the
most conspicuous of the flowering
composites noted were the May Weed
Sunray, Helipterum cotula, the Fringe
Daisy, Brachycome ciliaris, the Pointed
Everlasting, Helichrysum apiculatum,
and the Soft Miullotia, Millotia tenui-
folia. On issuing from the timber we
ascended a sand-ridge and beheld an
extensive lake-bed, comprising some
thousands of acres, extending for miles
to the south and the west. Far off,
across this monotonous level depres-
sion, which was thickly invested with
the Dwarf Salt-bush, a light-coloured
patch marked the site of Warrick’s
Tank. Thither we directed our steps,
and on reaching the tank found it
overgrown with the Sea Heath and
Sea Glasswort. Continuing onwards,

we at length reached the Double
Tanks — two oblong, shallow, arti-
ficial excavations. The water im-

pounded was fresh, though slightly
discoloured, and its muddy margins
were fretted with the tracks of many
varieties of the feathered tribe. As at
Brighton’s Tank, no indications were
noted of either stock or marsupials
having resorted to water for a lengthy
period. In and about the shallows the
Spoon Mudwort, Limosella Curdiana,
the Dwarf Arrow-grass, Triglochin
centrocarpa, and the Trefoil Penny-
wort, Hydrocotyle medicaginoides,
grew luxuriantly. On the return jour-
ney a fine specimen of the lizard
Varanus gouldi was captured far out
on the lake-bed, and the White-
winged Wren-Warbler, Malurus leuco-
pierus, noted among the Dillon bushes.

On Saturday evening Mr. Stone left
for Nowingi to catch the 4.20 train
on Sunday morning to Mildura. The
following afternoon Mr. A. W. Milli-
gan and I bade adieu to the pictur-
esque spot where we had spent so
many pleasant hours, and, journeying
east, reached Nowingi in time to erect
our tent, partake of tea, and make our-

Vict. Nat. Vol. 90

selves comfortable before nightfall.
Early Monday morning the crowded
train from Mildura pulled up at No-
wingi, and we clambered aboard, to
stand the greater part of the journey
to the city, where we arrived shortly
before midnight, with barely sufficient
time available to catch the last train
to our respective suburbs.

In conclusion, we wish to express
our thanks to Mr. J. A. Kershaw,
F.E.S., for his kindness in furnishing
us with several specimen jars, and
subsequently identifying the insects,
&c., submitted to him; and to Mr.
J. R. Tovey, of the National Her-
barium, for identifying and supplying
us with the vernacular names of the
plants collected. All the ornithological
and entomological specimens have
been presented to the National Mu-
seum, Melbourne.

Among the insects handed to Mr.
Kershaw for the Museum he has iden-
tified the following:—Coleoptera: Bol-
boceras_ sloanei, Blbk.; Cubicorrhyn-
chus calcaratus, Macl. (rare for Vic-
toria). Hymenoptera: Ephutermorpha
formicaria, Fabr. (female). Orthop-
tera: Tinzeda_ albosignata, Brun.
(male); Euzosteria subverrucosa,?
White (a cockroach, immature, a rare
species); Plana (Geoscapheus) robus-
tus, Tepp. (a cockroach). Neurop-
tera: Glenurus? (young larva). Hem-
iptera: Cheroceris paganus? (imma-
ture). Spider — Argiope, sp.?

In some material handed to Mr. J.
Searle from the salt-pans he identified
the Crustaceans Paratemia zietziana
and Estheria packardi. Some material
from a freshwater dam yielded Daph-
nia carinata and a copepod which will
probably prove to be new.

The Leathery Puff Ball

In the Victorian Naturalist for
August, 1972, Marginson and Murray-
Smith recorded the collection, in the
summer of 1970-71, of the Leathery

Puffball, Mycenastrum corium, on
Erith Island in Bass Strait (picture,
Page 221).

It is of interest that in the same
summer this fungus was found on sand
dunes by Mr. Mathieson of the Warr-
nambool Field Naturalists Club, pre-
sumably in his home district of Nulla-
watre. Knowing of my interest he very
kindly sent me a couple of dried speci-
mens. The largest one measured 37 cm
(143 ins) in circumference and was
10 cm in depth. Identification was later
confirmed by Mr Willis.

This imposing puffball is usually
considered to be a plant of the dry

March, 1973

mallee country. A search of mycologi-
cal literature at hand yielded only one
reference to Mycenastrum, in Bland-
ford’s Handbook. This suggested that
it should be looked for among grass in
parks. The fungus lacks a sterile base
and when ripe the leathery peridium
splits back from the top centre, releas-
ing the dense mass of spores. If gath-
ered before this stage the skin as it
dries merely cracks into a mosaic pat-
tern, keeping the fruit body intact.
As all puffballs are reputedly edible
if taken in the firm white stage, one
can imagine the succulent cutlets that
could be sliced from a specimen as
large as this.
Ellen Lyndon,
Leongatha.

9

The Impact of the Ethane Pipeline on the Marine

Ecosystem of Port Phillip Bay, Victoria

by JEANETTE E. WATSON*

SUMMARY

This paper is a resume of a report
on the impact of the ethane pipeline
on the marine ecosystem of Port Phil-
lip Bay, Victoria. The 29km of pipe-
line, buried beneath the seafloor, passes
through the sandy and muddy regions
of northern Port Phillip Bay. The
Marine communities were little
effected by the laying of the pipeline;
regeneration of invertebrates was well
advanced within weeks of completion
of the operation. Species most sensitive
to environmental disturbance showed
the most rapid regeneration rates.

INTRODUCTION

Prior to the commencement of work
on the ethane pipeline, permission was
sought from Esso Australia Ltd. to
undertake a study of the impact of
the operation on the marine environ-
ment of Port Phillip Bay.

Permission to carry out the study
was readily granted, and this paper is
the result of information gained from
observations carried out during the
construction of the pipeline.

In view of the claims of potential
threat to the marine ecosystem of Port
Phillip Bay put forward by those op-
posed to the construction of the pipe-
line, and more importantly, the fact
that no similar study has been made
in Australian waters, it was considered
an excellent opportunity to investigate
the effects of the operation on the
marine biota of the bay.

PHYSIOGRAPHY OF PoRT PHILLIP BAY

Port Phillip Bay is a drowned
graben downthrown between the Bel-
larine and Rowsley Faults to the west
and Selwyns Fault to the east.

60

The sunkland to the north of Port
Phillip is drained by the Yarra and
Werribee Rivers. The ancestral river
system, of which these streams are
merely betrunked tributaries, passes
down what is now the central bay
region into Bass Strait, via Port Phillip
Heads.

The channels of this drowned river
system have now been infilled by a
thick layer of mud and clay in the
central region, with a sedimentational
gradient towards coarser sands in the
peripheral inshore regions. (Fig. 1.)

THE MARINE COMMUNITIES

The benthic communities of Port
Phillip have been briefly described in
the “Port Phillip Survey, 1957-1963”,
Memoirs 27 and 32 of the National
Museum of Victoria.

Species distribution of the soft bot-
tom communities of Port Phillip Bay
is closely related to the sedimentary
pattern of the seafloor. In the inshore
region, where there is relatively firm
substrate, epibenthic species are domi-
nant. In the muddy offshore region,
the benthos comprises mainly burrow-
ing infaunal organisms, and the few
epifaunal species present are adapted
to survival at the seafloor surface in
highly depositional conditions.

In the area of Port Phillip Bay con-
cerned in this study, algae are a minor
constituent of the benthic community.
This is mainly due to the absence of
reef, as well as to sediment in sus-
pension reducing light transmission to
the seafloor below a critical level for
photosynthesis.

* Honorary Associate, Invertebrates, National

Museum of Victoria.

Vict. Nat. Vol. 90

CONSTRUCTION OF THE ETHANE
PIPELINE

from Mordialloc beach on 16 June,
1972. The 29km (approx.) of pipeline
was laid in the following 4 months,
and was completed at Altona refinery
early in November, 1972.

A bucket dredge moved ahead of
the pipe-laying barge, opening a
trench 5m wide and 3m deep in the
seafloor. Pipelaying was a continuous

operation, each 12m length of pipe
being welded and inspected before be-
ing laid in the trench.

After laying the pipe, the trench
remained open for at least 2 weeks,
and was then filled by dumping
dredged material from hopper barges
positioned above the trench. If neces-
sary, backfill was later raked into the
trench by a special barge, to produce
a surface almost flush with the pre-
existing seafloor. Where backfilling has

N ~F Yarra k
Altona
re "| m+ «© « -«
ehates if .
at Lee r enetenees ts eo}
Werrrhee R. rene AO r y Rana of. Ceres ver
a: V VVVV 6. “eee e
OO Ee VAY, yVVV\ tetenetete q
oem eV VIVVVY UVa eet
Pent iV V VY VIVII NS ote tste
Lanner VAAN VAG VU INS VVV\% 6% %*
i “VVVVVVVVVVVY Ve 3%e°
FR Nally SOO
J VIY VOgVVVVSL < ,
VAVIVAY, AVA Wa VV Ricketts Point
VN ees Mas ZUM VV SIS | 14 RIN
REEVEVIVIVIV VEVEVIVIVAVIVIVA VV one %e
AVIVAVANAV AV] VVAVAVAVAN AVA VVVV VV
UA VA VAN, VVVVVVV YUN UN Tornoe
“VVVVV AANAM ARRAN iM
wand CAVAVAVAV AV AAA VAVALAVAVAYAVAV VAVAVAVAVAVAY,
MMVV VV VM OA
s Bh ensyy VV
2) 22
eve
e@et . ° °
se2e% §=Sand Inshore Region. Pipeline Route
as E eum © que ® eau 2 aT
sitet Silty Sand
heel offshore Region.
Vv
vvvy Mud and Clay

Fig. 1. Norther

n Port Phillip Bay.

Map shows Grid References and seafloor sedimentology, from Memoir 27,
National Museum of Victoria.

March, 1973

61

been completely successful, the pipe-
line is now buried beneath 2m of
sediment.

METHODS

After dredging, and during the pipe-
laying operation, the trench was in-
spected at regular intervals by the
author, in a total of 8 hours under-
water.

Sectors of the trench left open for
some time before backfilling, and sites
already backfilled were also investi-
gated.

During the first inspection, where
underwater visibility permitted, the
seafloor adjacent to the trench was also
examined to establish a comparative
basis for estimating the impact of the
operation on the marine ecosystem.

ECOLOGY

Only sessile and sedentary inverte-
brates are considered in this study.
Since fish are able to move away from
the centre of a disturbance, the opera-
tion has had no effect on fish life.
(Opening the trench, however, with
exposure of food organisms, encour-
aged a temporary influx of fish, mainly
flathead, into the area.)

1. The Inshore Communities

The communities of the inshore
region are adapted to mild water
movement due to wave action in
shallow (0-10m) water, to coarser,
well compacted sediments, and to
reasonable light transmission to the
seafloor.

Sessile epibenthic species are im-
portant in the inshore community.
As there is very little hard sub-
strate, reef dwelling species, as well
as algae, are rare.

The epifaunal community is
dominated by the large solitary
ascidian Pyura stolonifera praeputi-
alis which grows singly, or in clus-
ters of several individuals, attaining
a density of 8/m2. It is firmly an-

62

chored in the substrate by long
stolonic roots.

P. stolonifera supports a second-
ary epifauna comprising mainly
crabs and gastropods, which live
among the growths of the red alga
Neomonospora_ elongata common
on the leathery test.

Other important epibenthic species
are small red and yellow sponges
living on old shell, and the bivalves
Ostrea angasi (oysters) and Pecten
alba (scallops).

The infaunal community is domi-
nated by the bivalves Tawera galli-
nula and Fulvia tenuicostata, with
occasional Callanaites disjecta, and
where the sediments are finer,
Notospisula trigonella.

The Offshore Communities

The communities of this region are
adapted to soft unconsolidated sedi-
ments in deeper (10-18m)_per-
manently turbid water, through
which light transmission is ex-
tremely poor.

The communities are dominated
by burrowing infaunal organisms,
with a few epifaunal filter feeders
adapted to highly depositional con-
ditions, living at the seafloor sur-
face. The dominant member of the
infaunal community is the small
burrowing echinoid Echinocardium
cordatum which ranges in density to
50/m2. Other common organisms
are polychaete worms and_ the
brittle stars Amphiura_ constricta
and A. elandiformis.

The epibenthic community com-
prises clusters of the sabellid worm
Myxicola infundibulum, occasional
scallops, Pecten alba, and mussels,
Mytilus planulatus, attached to old
oyster shell. Both scallops and mus-
sels support a sparse secondary
epifauna of the bryozoan Amathia
tortuosa, and the hydroid, Obelia
australis.

Vict. Nat. Vol. 90

IMPACT OF THE OPERATIONS ON THE
EcosySTEM

Generally, the dredging was very
clean, and apart from the removal of
the benthos directly in the path of the
dredge, there was minimal disturbance
to the ecosystem.

In some areas, however, particularly
in the muddy offshore region, fine
sediments up to 10cm thick were de-
posited for distances up to several
metres alongside the trench. The
effects of this sedimentation were
minor, as in most cases, the motile
fauna, such as Echinocardium, crabs
and scallops, simply moved _ back
through the layers of sediment to the
seafloor surface.

The mortality rate due to sedimen-
tation from dredging was_ highest
among the epifaunal community of
the inshore region, where filter feeders
such as sponges and Pyura stolonifera
succumbed.

Several sections of the trench left
open for some weeks after dredging
were examined at regular intervals.
These open sections acted as traps for
dead and dying organisms, mainly the
red alga Neomonospora elongata, and
the pelagic jellyfish Cyanea annaskala,
which are washed in great numbers
along the seafloor by wave and mild
current action.

One sector of the trench left open
off Ricketts Point showed a dense
primary settlement of colonies of the
hydroid Campanularia angulosa which
reached maturity within 4 weeks of
dredging. Several juvenile echinoids,
Heliocidaris erythrogramma, had also
taken up residence beneath broken
rock in the walls of the trench shortly
after dredging.

Backfilling by dumping was reason-
ably successful, but in some areas,
fines spread out for several metres

March, 1973

from the trench, covering the seafloor
in a layer of fine mud to depths of
15cm. This was particularly noticeable
in the offshore region, where very fine
sediment was dumped through depths
of 15m; however, as the fauna of this
region is adapted to heavy sedimenta-
tion, little disturbance was evident.

Raking proved to be the most de-
structive part of the operation, ac-
counting for a mortality of up to 70%
of the fauna by dislodgement and
smothering in certain localised areas.

In places where backfilling has not
been entirely successful, the site of
the trench is marked by a shallow de-
pression in the seafloor. This hollow
provides shelter for a few species of
worms and fish.

Sections of the closed trench which
have been inspected show that regener-
ation by migration of vagile species
and settlement of larvae has been
remarkably rapid.

Hydroid colonies, Obelia australis
and Campanularia angulosa, appear
within 1-2 weeks, growing to sexual
maturity within 2-4 weeks. Other pri-
mary settlers which have colonised
the pipeline within 4-5 weeks of back-
filling are the solitary ascidian Ascidia
gemmata and the compound species,
Sycozoa tenuicaulis, both of which
settle on old shell.

The polychaete worm Chaetopterus
species, which prefers quiet water con-
ditions and soft sediments, has settled
prolifically where these conditions pre-
vail.

The burrowing infauna has returned
into the sediments above the pipeline
within a few weeks of backfilling.

Observations of the effect of the
operations on the ecologically import-
ant macrobenthos is summarised in
the following tables:

63

INFAUNAL COMMUNITY

EPIFAUNAL COMMUNITY

INFAUNAL COMMUNITY

64

Dominant species

Bivalves

Polychaete worms

Chaetopterus sp.

Mytilus planulatus

Pecten alba

Pyura stolonifera
Ascidia gemmata
Sycozoa

tenuicaulis

Sponges

Dominant species

Echinocardium
cordatum
Polychaete worms

Amphiura spp.

Bivalves

INSHORE REGION

Abundance

mod. common

mod. common

mod. common

TABLE 1.

Survival
rate

Regeneration
over pipeline

1-2 years
(est.)

Mode of
regeneration

migration of
adults, larval
settlement

migration of
adults

larval
settlement

mod. common

mod. common

common

occasional

occasional

mod. common

TABLE 2.

2 years

rapid

unknown
rapid
4-5 weeks

rapid
5-6 weeks

several
months

OFFSHORE REGION

Abundance

very common

common

common

common

Survival rate

high

moderate

Regeneration
over pipeline

unknown

larval
settlement

migration of
adults, larval
settlement

larval
settlement

larval
settlement

larval
settlement

larval
settlement

Mode of
regeneration

migration of
adults

migration of
adults

migration of
adults

migration of
adults, larval
settlement

Vict. Nat. Vol. 90

TABLE 2 (continued)

OFFSHORE REGION

: : . Regeneration Mode of
Dominant species Abundance [Survival rate over pipeline regen eration
Myxicola common poor unknown larval
SS infundibulum settlement
i :
Z Mytilus planulatus | verycommon | good 2 years larval
5 to adult (est.)| settlement
2 Pecten alba mod. common | good rapid migration of
e adults, larval
O settlement
2, Campanularia occasional poor 2-4 weeks larval
7. angulosa rapid settlement
2 Obelia australis common poor rapid larval
ke 2-4 weeks settlement
a Amathia tortuosa very common poor several larval
months settlement
Brachyura common good rapid migration of
adults
CONCLUSION communities of this region comprise

The operations associated with the
laying of the ethane pipeline across
Port Phillip Bay have had an almost
negligible effect upon the marine ben-
thos along the pipeline route.

Only those organisms uprooted by
the dredge, or smothered by sediment
in later operations were effected, and
mortality was largely confined to the
filter feeding epifauna of the inshore
regions which were unable to adjust
to sudden excesses of sediment. Back-
filling produced isolated instances of
considerable stress, the inshore com-
munity again being the worst effected,
with mortality rates rising locally to
70%.

However, in the muddy offshore
region (approximately 20km, almost
70% of the total pipeline route)
dredging and filling caused little dis-
turbance to the biota, as the benthic

March, 1973

species well adapted to depositional
conditions.

The operation had no effect on the
fish population, as fish are able to
avoid centres of disturbance. However,
a considerable temporary increase in
juvenile flathead occurred during
dredging.

Primary settlement by larvae of
common invertebrate species was ex-
tremely rapid. Those species which
most readily succumbed to environ-
mental stress, conversely, showed the
most rapid regeneration rates.

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

I wish to thank Esso Australia
Limited for permission to carry out
this study; Australian Pipeline Con-
struction for provision of workboats,
and Mr. Henri Bource for advice and
assistance with the underwater work.

65

Back o Bunyip

by VICTOR JACOBS

In the Victorian Naturalist 85 (8), an article titled “Whipstick Nature-trail” was
published. It was hoped then that similar articles would follow; and so here is

the second nature-trail.

This 30-mile tour covers a wide
variety of scenery and habitats in both
agricultural and natural areas. It is not
intended to be a botanical survey, and
the plants dealt with are especially
those that present themselves easily to
the car driver who has only one eye
on the road. If you make your run
in the spring, you will most likely see
those which the writer saw; but if you
go in some other season you may dis-
cover some other delights.

The map is not to scale. The route
starts just past the 49-mile post from
Melbourne, at the Golden Fleece Ser-
vice Station, and heads north. The
figures at the junctions, or intersec-
tions indicate distances from the start-
ing point. The text, too, contains
figures to indicate points of interest
or positions of species; and these dis-
tances are also recorded from the start.

Thirty miles may not sound too far;
yet a very full day can be had if one
explores all. the little. corners. ‘There
are some delightful picnic spots, so
take your billy and some “tucker”. If
time or interest becomes short, and
you wish to curtail the route and head
for home, you may reduce the route
by about 12 miles and _ continue
straight ahead at Link Road and travel
home through Gembrook.

1.0 MITCHELL ROAD ON THE LEFT.
The little creek has Long Purple
Flags (Patersonia longiscapa) and a
good stand of Woolly Tea Tree
(Leptospermum lanigerum syn. L.
pubescens). Just past the corner, on

66

the left, a bright patch of yellow
may catch your eye. It is the intro-
duced Flax-leaf Broom (Genista
linifolia syn. Cytisus linifolius) .

1.5 Good stands of Spreading Acacia
(Acacia diffusa), Scented Paper-
bark (Melaleuca squarrosa), Yellow
Hakea (Hakea nodosa) and Golden
Bush-pea (Pultenaea gunnii).

1.8 Hairpin Banksia (Banksia spinu-
losa).

2.2 TURN RIGHT INTO STEEDMAN’S
ROAD.

2.4 Here the patches of blue and yel-
low are Blue Dampiera (Dampiera
stricta) and Spike Acacia (Acacia
oxycedrus). There is also much
Coral Heath (Epacris microphylla)
and two more peas; Showy Parror-
pea (Dillwynia sericea -D. flori-
bunda of Ewart’s Flora) and
Swamp Bush-pea (Pultenaea wei-
dorferii). The Pultenaea is deep
orange and the Dillwynia of a paler
yellow; and if the leaves are exam-
ined the former will be seen to have
stipules while the latter has none.

2.7 Wiry Baurea (Bauera rubiodes).

4.0 Myrtle Wattle (Acacia myrti-
folia), Burgan (Leptospermum
phylicoides syn. L. ericoides and
also Kunzea_ peduncularis) and
Sweet Bursaria (Bursaria spinosa).

4.8 A colony of bellbirds.

5.2 Here, a culvert. Furze Hakea
(Hakea ulicina) and Trailing Good-
enia (Goodenia lanata) with rather
smaller leaves than regularly.

Vict. Nat. Vol. 90

ao,

5.8 Diamond Creek. Woolly Tea Tree,
pink and white Wiry Bauera and a
yellow pea. You may care to choose
between the Swamp and Golden
Bush peas and the Showy Parrot
pea. The genera are separated by
the stipules or lack of them and the
Swamp Bush-pea separated from
the Golden Bush pea by the former
having glabrous sepals and the lat-
ter hairy ones.

6.0 Coral Heath and Common Heath
(Epacris impressa) as well as Wiry
Bauera and Spike Acacia.

6.2 WiTH JOLLEY ROAD ON YOUR
LEFT PROCEED AHEAD THROUGH
THE SWAMP, AND PARK IN THE
FIREBREAK AMONGST THE TIMBER.
This littke swamp is a_botanist’s
paradise, and is frequented by many
snakes. Remember that you are the
visitors, and that they belong to this
environment — therefore discretion
should be used towards the killing
of them.

In and around the swamp you
should be able to find Yellow and

Furze Hakeas, Dagger Hakea
(Hakea teretifolia) with slender
fruits, and Silky Hakea (Hakea

sericea). Also Scented Paperbark,
Showy Parrot-pea, Pink Dampieras
(amongst the predominating blue
ones), Tall Sundew (Drosera auric-
ulata), Fairies’ Aprons (Utricularia
dichotoma) (you may care to search
for the tiny bladders used for trap-
ping nitronegous food), Hairpin
Banksia, many forms of Variable
Sallow Wattle (Acacia mucronata),
our two Bush Peas, Rough Daisy
-bush (Olearia asterotricha), and
Slender Rice-flower (Pimelea lini-
folia).

The Rufous Whistler’s glorious song
may be heard here, as well as the
sighting of Crimson Rosellas.

RETRACE ROUTE TO SIGN ON CORNER.

March, 1973

6.5 TURN RIGHT INTO JOLLEY ROAD.

7.4 TURN RIGHT INTO TOwT’s
TRACK.

7.7 The hill levels a little here. Dusty
Miller (Spyridium parvifolium),
Holly Lomatia (Lomatia_ilicifoli-
um), Bundled Guinea-flower (Hib-
bertia fasciculata), Correa sp., Pink-
eye (Tetratheca ciliata), Silver
Banksia (Banksia marginata) ,
Showy Daisy-bush (Olearia lirata),
Austral Pincushion (Brunonia aus-
tralis), Nodding Blue-lily (Stypan-
dra glauca), and Low-growing
Green Groundberry (Acrotriche
seratula), may all be seen.

7.9 Amidst an almost pure stand of
Myrtle Wattle there occurs some
tall Golden Tip (Goodia lotifolia),
the lovely lLarge-leaf Bush Pea
(Pultenaea daphnoides), Common
Maidenhair Fern (Andiantum aethi-
opicum) and Hop Goodenia (Goo-
denia ovata).

8.0 If you have been working hard
enough to deserve a meal, there is
a good open space to the right of
a sharp left-hand bend.

8.5 A large stand of Large-leaf
Bush-pea.
9.1 Running Postman (Kennedia

prostrata) beside the road; and off
the track is an area worth searching
for orchids.

9.3 Pass THE BURGESS ROAD ON
LEFT.

9.9 A rocky hillside on the left with a
gully and a patch of Handsome
Flat-pea (Platylobium fotmosum).

10.1 Rough Bush-pea_ (Pultenaea
scabra).

10. A SHARP LEFT TURN PUTS THE
PROHIBITED AREA TRACK IMMEDI-
ATELY TO THE REAR.

Prickly Bush-pea (Pultenaea junip-
erina) is here, and there are more
orchids on the slopes to either side.

10.5 A bridge crosses a small creek,

67

where many bellbirds call; the fol- um), Spreading Acacia, Common

lowing plants are numerous — Heath, Silver and Hairpin Banksias
Prickly Moses (Acacia verticillata) , occur here.
Rough Bush-pea, Golden Tip, It was at this point that we reached

Handsome Flat-pea, Christmas Bush _ one of the delights of the journey. This
(Prostanthera lasianthos), Cherry was a series of low banks usually on
Ballart (Exocarpus cuppressifor- the left of the road and formed by
mis), Pink-eye, and Coral Fern the contouring of the road in this
(Gleichenia circinata) . gradually undulating countryside. Stop
11.0 Heath’ Rice-flower (Pimelea_ every so often and take a step up into
phyllicoides), Blue Dampiera, Trig- a different world of knee-deep grasses
ger Plant (Stylidium graminifoli- and herbs, scattered trees, and here

<
Ge A183. T=) 0K

BACK O BUNYVIP
ROUTE

17-9
N
Za

NOT TO SCALE

Princes

Highway

Figure 1 — Nature-trail route (not to scale).

68 Vict. Nat. Vol. 90

and there dense shrubs. The wealth of
herbs is sure to include Heath Milk-
wort (Polygala ericinum) and Milk-
maids (Burchardia umbellata). Some
of the dense patches are of Silky Tea-
tree (Leptospermum myrsinoides).

11.2 This low bank continues to 11.9.

12.9 Another low heathy bank as just
described.

13.2 We are now running parallel to
the new (1971) S.E.C. power lines.
The area cleared for them even then
showed promise in its initial regen-
eration and is worthy of investiga-
tion.

14.3 Starting to climb a range of hills.

15.3 Picnic Area before a bridge.

15.4 Heathy bank on left. Narrow-
leaf Bitter-pea (Daviesia corym-
bosa), Heath Milkwort, Small
Grass-tree (Xanthorrhoea minor).

15.9 A patch of blue was resolved to
be a group of Scented Sun Orchids
hiding amidst the roadside vegeta-
tion. I wonder how much earlier the
keener eyed would have seen one.
On the bank, an almost prostrate
form of Spreading Wattle with slen-
der phyllodes occurs.

17.8 The novel well-named Curly Wig
(Caustis flexuosa) is scattered here
as well as Gorse Bitter-pea, Narrow-
leaved Bitter-pea, and many more
Scented Sun-orchids (one with six
stems and thirty flowers).

17.9 TURN LEFT INTO LINK ROAD oR
CONTINUE ON TO GEMBROOK AS
EARLIER SUGGESTED TO SHORTEN
THE CIRCUIT.

(In 1971 the first dip lacked a cul-
vert and posed a hazard, being
rather boggy underwheel. If you can
get through this semi-bog or the
road has been improved, the rest of
the circuit back to the highway
holds no other hidden dangers.)
18.1 The habitat is quite different

with its deep gullies, heavy loam.

March, 1973

soil, dense cover and higher rain-
fall. Common species are Hazel
Pomaderris (Pomaderris apetala),
Stinkwood or Forest Ziena (Ziena
arborescens), which was formely
confused with Z. smithii, confined in
Victoria to far East Gippsland,
Blanket Leaf (Bedfordia salicina),
Silver Wattle (Acacia dealbata),
Prickly Moses, Hop Goodenia and
Tough Rice-flower (Pimelea axi-
flora).

19.1 Culvert over ferny creek. Snowy
Daisy-bush, Pink and White Pink-

eye, Wiry Bauera, Rough and
Prickly Bush-peas.
19.3. Rough Star-hair (Astrotricha

asperifolia), Creamy Stackhousia
(Stackhousia monogyna), Bundled
Guinea-flower, Rough Bush-pea.

19.8 Elderberry Panax (Tieghemo-
panax sambucifolius).

20.0 Pass BURGESS ROAD ON LEFT.

20.9 Wonga vine (Tecoma australis)
and tall tree ferns. If you are carry-
ing Wakefield’s Ferns of Victoria
and Australia you may care to iden-
tify some.

21.2 REACH TRIANGLE ROAD. TURN
LEFT.

21.9 Hairpin Banksia, Common Ap-
pleberry (Billardiera scandens).

22.6 T. JUNCTION.
ROAD. RIGHT TURN.

TAKE BUNYIP

23.5 TURN LEFT ALONG ‘TYNONG
ROAD.

From 24.1 to 24.2 Though now run-
ning through farming land and in-
habited areas, it is pleasant to see
an abundance of Rosy Heath-myrtle
(Baekea ramosissima) with a good
representation of Leafless Globe-
pea, Silky Tea-tree and a Trailing
Goodenia with very large leaves
compared to the earlier specimens.

69

24.6 T JUNCTION. TURN RIGHT TO-
WARDS TYNONG.
At this corner a few patches of
Blunt-leaf Heath.

25.8 At the right-hand side of the
road a culvert is extended to become
a rivulet, and leads to a_ small
swamp —at least it could be a
swamp in a wet season, and is worth
a few minutes of study.

27.0 Mill Valley Ranch.

27.4 Cornucopia.

30.1 Princes Highway and End of
Circuit.

Appreciations

My thanks to Mr. R. V. Smith of
the National Herbarium for the
identification of plants. Special thanks
are given to Mr. and Mrs. B. Naylor
who introduced me to the area, trav-
elled around the circuit with me, and
were greatly encouraging in all aspects
of the work.

Information Wanted

If any reader has knowledge of the use of native plants by Aboriginals for
medicinal purposes, would they contact Mrs. J. McCarthy, — 12 Sheffield St.,

South Caulfield 3162.

F.N.C.V. PUBLICATIONS AVAILABLE FOR PURCHASE

THE WILD FLOWERS OF THE WILSON’S PROMONTORY NATIONAL PARK,

by J. Ros Garnet.

Price $5.25, (discount to members); postage 20c.

VICTORIAN TOADSTOOLS AND MUSHROOMS, by J. H. Willis.

This describes 120 toadstool species and many other fungi. There are four
coloured plates and 31 other illustrations. Price 90c. Postage 1Ic.

THE VEGETATION OF WYPERFELD NATIONAL PARK, by J. R. Garnet.
Coloured frontispiece, 23 half-tone, 100 line drawings of plants and a map.

Price $1.50.

Address orders and inquiries to Sales Officer, F.N.C.V., National Herbarium,

South Yarra, Victoria.

Payments should include postage (15c on single copy).

70

Vict. Nat. Vol. 90

Nature Motes jrom the Sole Coast

by ALEx. N. BURNS

During the past month the weather
has been very hot; actually the hottest
recorded on the coast since about
1883. Christmas Day recorded the
highest temperature ever for the 25
December—37.2°C (99.1°F). Insect
life has been fairly plentiful; butter-
flies, however, not in such abundance
as is usually so at this time of year.
Dragon flies (Odonata) are, and have
been plentiful; with mainly species be-
longing to the Sub-order Anisoptera
(true dragon flies). The pale blue-
bodied species, Orthetrum caledoni-
cum Br. is very abundant; also some
of showy species of the sub-family
Trameinae. Of these the yellow and
black banded winged Rhyothemis
graphiptera Sel. and the beautiful R.
chloe Kby., a species with a large
black and orange patch on each hind-
wing, have not been uncommon. The
flight of these insects is a_ graceful
soaring, with occasional flapping wing
movements.

Several fine species of Ant Lion
Lacewings are at present on the wing,
and most noteworthy is the large
Nymphes myrmeleonides Leach.; an
insect measuring three inches across
the expanded wings which are trans-
parent, with a narrow whitish centred
brown oblong apical patch to each of
the four wings.

The Common Orchard Swallow-tail
butterfly (Papilio aegeus aegeus Don.)
has been observed on various kinds of
Citrus trees, the normal foodplant;
together with several native trees and
shrubs belonging to the Order Ruta-
ceae. In addition to these the larvae
have been recorded feeding on the
garden shrub Choisya ternata (Mexi-

March, 1973

can orange). In the garden at Burleigh
are some beds of giant African mari-
golds. Some of these were obviously
showing foliage having been eaten,
and this was soon tracked down to the
presence of a number of almost fully
grown larvae of this fine large butter-
fly. This record may constitute a new
type of foodplant, and the marigold in
question was “Sunset Giant”.

The Swan plants and Buddleyias are
nearing the close of their flowering
season, and as a result the white
spiders frequenting their infloresences
are becoming scarcer; then, too, some
of the species of butterflies eaten by
these spiders have gone until another
brood appears. A few examples of the
introduced Small Cabbage White
(Pieris rapae L.) have fallen victims.
At present the Common Crow (Eup-
loea core corinna Macl.) is very plen-
tiful, and specimens are very frequent
visitors to the “spider” flowers. To
date not one specimen has been at-
tacked, perhaps due to the fact that
these butterflies, being distasteful to
birds, may also be so to the spiders.

Cicadas are extremely noisy and
plentiful everywhere, the commonest
species being the large Mottled Brown
cicada (Henicopsaltria eydouxi
Guer.). In the very early mornings
the pre-adult nymphs may be seen
emerging from the ground and crawl-
ing on to various objects to break
open and allow the adults to emerge.
Another very common species is the
light brown medium sized Tamasa
tristigma Germ. This cicada is very
common from northern coastal N.S.W.
right up to North Queensland.

At the Currumbin Bird Sanctuary

71

many of the Peahens have chicks;
eggs are laid rather indiscriminately
and in such places that they could not
be incubated. Such eggs are collected
and placed under Bantam hens and
Muscovy ducks, both of which act
as excellent foster mothers. The big
lagoon is again well stocked with
several species of wild duck, the daily
maximum being about 400 specimens.
The Ibis population is now between
40 and 50, and the Spoonbills, Herons,
and other water birds are back in
force.

The reptilian eggs mentioned in one

of my earlier notes have failed to
hatch, probably due to having been
disturbed. Although they were care-
fully replaced and the soil kept damp
but not wet, all eggs shrivelled. From
their size it would seem that they were
laid by one of the larger Jew or
Dragon type Lizards, several species
of which are common in the area.
Many examples of young’ Blue
Tongued Lizards have appeared in the
garden during the past couple of
weeks; as many as five or six of these
pretty little creatures being seen in a
single morning or afternoon.

The Origin of Generic Names of the Victorian Flora
Part 1 — The Person behind the Name

by JAMES A. BAINES

With the publication last year of The Distribution of Victorian Plants, by Dr.
D. M. Churchill and Mrs. A. de Corona, and this year of the second volume of
‘Handbook to Plants in Victoria’, by J. H. Willis, botanists and field naturalists in
this State now have reliable and comprehensive references to up-to-date botanical
nomenclature. This seems a good time to bring together from a number of sources
the origins of these names, which are being increasingly used, to avoid confusion
and ambiguity, in preference to the common or popular names.

Genera named after people will be dealt with in Part 1, and the remainder of
the generic names represented in the flora of Victoria will be explained in Part 2.
For convenience of reference they will be listed alphabetically, with an asterisk
preceding introduced genera. If an asterisk does not appear before a genus with
well-known introduced species, it indicates that there is at least one species native
to Australia, sometimes a cosmopolitan species. Although a full bibliography of
references used will be given at the end of the series, it should be stated that of
special use have been Black’s Flora of South Australia, Britten and Boulger’s
British and Irish Botanists, and the 1972 edition of A Gardener’s Dictionary of Plant
Names, by A. W. Smith and Dr. W. T. Stearn.

* Achillea. Named by Linnaeus after
the great Greek hero of the Trojan
war, whose deeds were told by
Homer in the Jliad.

* Adonis. Named by L. after the legen-
dary “beautiful youth”, beloved of
Aphrodite. The flower anemone was
said to have sprung up on the spot
where his blood fell. A special fea-
ture of later Adonis worship was the
“Adonis garden”, or bowers of
plants in flower surrounding his

72

image to show the revival of plant
life:

Adriana. Named by Gaudichaud,
French botanist with Freycinet,
after Adrien de Jussieu (1797-
1853), member of the famous
family from Lyons that produced
five noted botanists: the brothers
Antoine, Bernard and Joseph, their
nephew Antoine-Laurent, and
Adrien, son of the lastnamed.

Vict. Nat. Vol. 90

shea

* Albizia. After Filippo del Albizzi, a
Florentine nobleman who in 1749
introduced A. julibrissin into culti-
vation.

Amperea. Named by A. de Jussieu
after Jean-Jacques-Antoine Ampere
(1800-1864), a French historian
after whose father, André-Marie,
the ampere electrical unit of inten-
sity of current is named.

* Amsinckia. After Wilhelm Amsinck
(1752-1831), burgomaster of Ham-
burg, who developed that city’s bo-
tanical garden.

Anredera. Named by A. L. de Jussieu
after Anreder.

*Avellinia. After Giulio Avellino, a
Neapolitan botanist.

Avicennia. Named by L. after Avi-
cenna (the Latin form of Ibn Sina)
(980-1037), a Perso-Arabian phys-
ician whose medical writings had
much influence during and after the
Middle Ages.

Babbagia. Named by F. Mueller after
Benjamin Herschel Babbage (c.
1815-1878), son of Charles Bab-
bage (inventor of calculating ma-
chine); president of Adelaide Philo-
sophical Society. He led two explor-
ing expeditions, collecting plants for
Baron von Mueller.

Baeckea. Named by L. after Dr. Abra-
ham Baeck (1713-1795), a Swedish
naturalist and physician.

Banksia. Named by L.f. (Carl von
Linné Jun.) after Sir Joseph Banks
(1743-1820), with Cook on “En-
deavour” voyage, President of the
Royal Society, and great patron of
science with a special interest in
Australia.

Bartlingia. After F. G. Bartling (1798-

1875), German botanist. (Now
Laxmannia. )
*Bartsia. After J. Bartsch (1709-

1738). (Now Parentucellia and Bel-
lardia.)

March, 1973

Bassia. Named by Allioni after Fer-
dinando Bassi (1710-1774), an
Italian naturalist born in Bologna.

Bedfordia. Named by Augustin-
Pyrame de Candolle after the Duke
of Bedford.

*Bellardia. After C. A. C. Bellardi,
professor of botany, Turin Univer-
sity.

Bergia. Named by L. after Dr. Petter
Jonas Bergius (1730-1790), Swed-
ish physician and botanist, pupil of
Linnaeus, professor of natural his-
tory and pharmacy at Stockholm
Medical College. He established a
botanical garden and herbarium, set
up the Bergius Foundation, and
published a flora of the Cape of
Good Hope.

*Berkheya. After Jan Le Francq van

Berkhey (1729-1812), a Dutch
botanist.
Bertya. Named by Planchon after

Count Léonce de Lambertye, 19th
century French botanist and _ horti-
culturalist, author of catalogue of
Marne plants, 1847.

Beyeria. Named by Miquel after a
Dutch cryptogamist named Beyer.

Bignonia. After Abbé Jean Paul Big-
non (1662-1743), librarian to King
Louis XIV. (Pandorea pandorana
was formerly considered to be in
Bignonia, then Tecoma.)

Billardiera. Named by Sir J. E. Smith
after Jacques-Julien Houtton de La
Billardiére (1755-1834), French
botanist, member of the d’Entrecas-
teaux exploring expedition — on his
return to France in 1795 he had col-
lected more than 4,000 plants.
Those from Australia were de-
scribed in his Novae Holliandiae
Plantarum Specimen, published in
1804-1806. He travelled widely else-
where.

(To be continued.)

73

Field Naturalists Club of Victoria

General Meeting — 12 February

Club President, Mr. Tom Sault, took
the chair at the February meeting, which
was well attended, particularly by
younger members.

Miss Young reported the recent death
of club member Mrs. Eta Betheras, as
the result of a road accident, and a
moment’s silence was observed in her
memory. The President congratulated
Vice-President Mr. Leigh Winsor and
Mrs. Winsor on the birth of their first
child, a daughter.

The speaker for the evening was Mr.
Dan McInnes, who gave “An Introduc-
tion to the Geology of Melbourne”.
Miss Madge Lester, organizer of the in-
troductory talks series introduced the
speaker. Mr. McInnes used a few well
chosen slides and some charts and a map
to illustrate a most carefully prepared
and lucid explanation of the basic ele-
ments of Melbourne’s geology.

The Secretary tabled a very long list
of correspondence and drew attention to
the most recent Land Conservation
Council study area reports on the South
East Region and North East Region,
and the opportunity given for individuals
and organizations to make recommenda-
tions to the L.C.C. for land use in the
areas concerned.

It was also announced that the first
General Meeting of the newly formed
Victorian Field Naturalists’ Clubs Asso-
ciation would be held in Shepparton
over the March Labour Day week-end.
A Club excursion has been arranged for
the week-end and Miss Marie Allender
is taking bookings for both the chartered
bus and motel accommodation.

Mr. Roger Riordan reported that he
had represented the Club at a second
deputation to press for the preservation
of the Terrible Hollow area near Mt.
Howitt. The deputation to the Premier
was organized by the “Save Our Bush-
lands Committee” and members felt that
they had been sympathetically received.
The main concern is that the wilderness
nature of the area should be preserved
by carefully controlled logging and
closure of access tracks after this is
finished.

The number of exhibits on display was
smaller than usual and the President
urged members to contribute whenever
possible, as a good display table adds
to the interest of the meeting.

74

Botany Group — 8 February

The first Botany Group meeting for
the year was a Members’ Night, and the
first speaker, Mr. Alan Morrison, showed
slides of some plants of the southern
Australian coast, mostly taken at Bremer
Bay and the Barren Ranges in Western
Australia, and including several species
indigenous to the Barren Ranges, some
of which are still undescribed.

Mr. Ian Morrison showed a series of
slides of flowers of the Victorian Little
Desert. All of these had been seen in
the field by club members during the
camp in the spring of 1970.

Mr. Jim Baines gave reviews of three
books about South Australian wild-
flowers:—‘‘Kangaroo Island Wildflowers”
by I. Jackson, published by Islander
Newspaper, Kingscote; ‘““Native Trees of
South Australia”, published by Woods
and Forests Department, Adelaide; and
“Wildflowers of South Australia’, by
Marion Beek with photographs by
Dorothy Foster, published by Rigby.

Mr. lan Cameron showed some slides
of the Golden Plateau Mine and the
country around it at Cracow on the edge
of the Dawson River valley in Queens-
land.

After some discussion it was decided
not to hold a group excursion in Feb-
ruary. An excursion committee was
formed to consider a programme for the
remainder of the year, and it was agreed
that the excursion day be changed to the
last Sunday in the month. A report of
the last excursion to Murindindi was
given by Mr. Cameron, and a vote of
thanks was passed to Mrs. Webb-Ware
and her son who organized and guided
the excursion.

At the next group meeting on Thurs-
day, 8 March, Mr. Alan Morrison will
speak on “Flowers of the Gulf Coun-
tiny:

The Day Group — 15 February

Twenty-five members met at the Kiosk
in the Fitzroy Gardens for this, our first,
outing for 1973, and all were pleased to
find these gardens little affected by the
drought and current water restrictions.

Members soon found interest in the
“Fairy Tree’, the fanciful work of sculp-
tress Ola Kohn, and in the model Tudor
Village presented by the citizens of Lam-
beth, England, in grateful recognition
of the many food parcels sent from

Vict. Nat. Vol. 90

Australia to England during the post-
war food shortage. Next to be inspected
were the children’s adventure playground
and the well-kept herbaceous borders of
this area.

The monthly meeting followed, then
lunch. The chairman reminded members
of the recent threat to the eastern side
of these gardens from a proposed free-
way.

We next moved to the Conservatory
via Captain Cook’s Cottage. The pond
beneath the statue of Diana attracted us
with its aquatic plants, red, white and
pink water lilies, Nardoo, Azolla, Myrio-
phyllum and Nymphoides geminatum.
Indoors the newly set up display of
Tuberous Begonias held all with its great
diversity and delicacy of colour.

The Fitzroy Gardens are mainly
planted with exotics, but well-grown
trees of Kauri, Bunya Bunya, Hoop Pine
and Eucalyptus citriodora were noted
and Scleranthus biflorus was found
among the ground covers.

At 2.15 we began a guided inspection
of Parliament House. The many ques-
tions asked proved that for most of us
this was the highlight of the day’s
outing.

Panelling of Australian Red Cedar was
admired and in the enclosed garden a
fine specimen of Grevillea hilliana.

The following nominations have been
received for election to Council:—
President
Mr. P. Kelly
Vice-Presidents (2)

Mr. L. Winsor
Mr. J. H. Willis
Secretary

Mr. R. H. Riordan
Asst. Secretary
Mrs. M. Corrick
Editor

Mr. G. Ward
Asst. Editor

Mr. G. Douglas
Librarian

Mr. J. Martindale
Asst. Librarian
Miss G. Piper
Excursion Secretary
Miss M. Allender
Residual (5)

Mr. M. Coulthard
Mr. D. M. Barham
Dr. B. Smith

Mr. I. Cameron
Mr. R. Gibson

REPORT BY COUNCIL

The members of the Council submit
herewith balance sheet as at 31 Decem-
ber, 1972, and income and expenditure
account for the year ended on that date,
and report as follows —

1. The Net Surplus of the Club for the
year ended 31 December, 1972, was
$5, which added to the Surplus
brought forward at 1 January, 1972,
of $7,918, together with a transfer of
$367 from Club Improvement Ac-
count, results in a surplus to be car-
ried forward to next year amount-
ing to $8,290.

2. The members of the Council took
reasonable steps to ascertain before
the profit and loss account and bal-
ance sheet were made out, that all
known bad debts were written off
and adequate provision was made
for doubtful debts.

3. The members of the Council took
reasonable steps, before the profit
and loss account and balance sheet
were made out, to ascertain that the
current assets, other than debtors,
were shown in the _ accounting
records of the company at a value
equal to or below the value that

March, 1973

would be expected to be realised in
the ordinary course of business.

4. At the date of this report, the mem-
bers of the Council are not aware
of any circumstances which would
render the values attributable to the
current assets in the accounts mis-
leading.

5. No charge on the assets has arisen,
since the end of the financial year
to the date of this report, to secure
the liabilities of another person. No
contingent liability has arisen since
the end of the financial year to the
date of this report.

6. No contingent or other liability has
become enforceable or is likely to
become enforceable within the
period of twelve months after the
end of the financial year which in
the opinion of the members of the
Council will or may affect the ability
of the club to meet its obligations
as and when they fall due.

7. At the date of this report the mem-
bers of the Council are not aware of
any circumstances not otherwise
dealt with in the report or accounts
which would render any amount
stated in the accounts misleading.

79

8. The results of the club’s operations 11. The names of the members of the

during the financial year, in the Council in office at the date of this
opinion of the members of the report are as follows —
Council, were not affected by any President—T. Sault.
item transaction or event of a ma- Vice-Presidents—L. Winsor.
terial and unusual nature. J. H. Willis.
9. Since 31 December, 1972, and to the Secretary—R. H. Riordan.

Asst. Secretary—Mrs. M. Corrick.

Treasurer—H. Bishop.

Asst. Treasurer—D. Kelly.

Excursion Secretary—Miss M.
Allender.

Editor—G. Ward.

Asst. Editor—G. Douglas.

Librarian—J. ‘Martindale.

date of this report, in the opinion of
the members of the Council, no item
transaction or event of a material
and unusual nature, which would
affect substantially the results of the
club’s operations for the next suc-
ceeding financial year, has occurred.

10. No member of the Council, since Asst. Librarian—Miss G. Piper.
the end of the previous financial Residual—M. Coulthard.
year, has received or became entitled D. 'M. Barham.
to receive a benefit by reason of a Dr. B. Smith.
contract made by the club with the I. Cameron.
member or with a firm of which he On behalf of the Council—
is a member or with a company in R. H. RIORDAN.
which he has a substantial financial H. BISHOP.
interest. Date: 27/2/73.

Field Naturalists Club of Victoria
STATEMENT BY MEMBERS OF COUNCIL

We, ROGER H. S. RIORDAN and HENRY H. BISHOP, being two members
of Council of the Field Naturalists Club of Victoria, do hereby state that in our
opinion —

(a) the accompanying Income and Expenditure account is drawn up so as to

give a true and fair view of the profit of the company for the year ended
31 December, 1972, and
(b) the accompanying balance sheet is drawn up so as to give a true and fair
view of the state of affairs of the company as at 31 December, 1972.
Signed at South Yarra this 27th day of February, 1973.
By Resolution of Council—
R. H. RIORDAN,
H. BISHOP,
Members of Council.

STATEMENT BY THE PRINCIPAL ACCOUNTING OFFICER

I, HENRY H. BISHOP, being the officer in charge of the preparation of the
accompanying accounts of the Field Naturalists Club of Victoria for the year ended
31 December, 1972, state that, to the best of my knowledge and belief, such accounts
give a true and fair view of the matters required by Section 162 of the Companies
Act, 1961, as amended, to be dealt with in the accounts.

Signed at South Yarra this 27th day of February, 1973.
H. H. BISHOP, Treasurer.

NOMINATION OF AUDITOR
The Secretary,
Field Naturalists Club of Victoria,
MELBOURNE.
Dear Sir,

Pursuant to Section 166A (1) of the Companies Act 1961 as amended of
Victoria, I HENRY HAYDN BISHOP, being a member of The Field Naturalists
Club of Victoria, hereby nominate the firm of Danby, Bland & Co., for appointment
as auditors of that Company at the next annual general meeting.

Dated this 27th day of February, 1973.

H. H. BISHOP, Member of Council.

76 Vict. Nat. Vol. 90

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FIELD NATURALISTS CLUB OF VICTORIA

BUILDING FUND

Amount of Fund at 31st December, 1971 .. ne Eo oN "a jo poe Od
Interest on Investment and Bank Account dys Ash Ne a ay: Led!
Amount of Fund at 31st December, 1972 .. ts ie i. a obo DOROUS

PUBLICATIONS FUND

Amount of Fund at 31st December, 1972 .. Bi a ae ae Re en lye
Interest on Investment and Bank Account . hei - vA ae sid 128
Transfer of R. A. Lewis Legacy .. cea ae a bs ve te 418

Surplus for the year from —-
Ferns of Victoria .. e ne me as ae —

Victorian Toadstools and Mushrooms .. bes iF ee a 35
Vegetation of Wyperfeld National Park : a a 42
Wild Flowers of Wilson’s Wye National Park i ae 50
Birds of the Dandenongs .. We are af ae 51
— 178
Amount of Fund at 31st December, 1972 .. bs a a, oe .. $6,036
CLUB IMPROVEMENT ACCOUNT
Amount of Account at 31st December, 1971 ite is ee rh Me, OLS
Sale of Old Library Books and Cupboard . a he ee a ae 15
Booksales Account Profit .. : : oA Ke i uv. a 2
$940
Less — Purchase of Library Books, Furniture and Equipment, transferred to
Surplus Account .. bts &, on ia ee So i 2 SO6E
Amount of Fund at 31st December, 1972 . ie ne a nf pee, DS

ENTOMOLOGICAL
EQUIPMENT

Butterfly nets, pins, store-boxes, etc.

We are direct importers and manufacturers
and specialise in Mail Orders

(write for free price list)
Australian Entomological Supplies

35 Kiwong St., Yowie Bay, Sydney, 2228
Phone: 524 4614

March, 1973 79

Field Naturalists Club of Victoria

Established 1880

OBJECTS: To stimulate interest in natural history and to preserve
and protect Australian fauna and flora.

Patron:
His Excellency Major-General Sir ROHAN DELACOMBE, K.B.E., C.B., D.S.O.

Key Office-Bearers, 1972-1973.

President:
Mr. T. SAULT

Hon. Secretary: Mr. R. H. RIORDAN, 15 Regent St., East Brighton, 3187. 92 8579
Treasurer: H. BISHOP. Address Correspondence to National Herbarium, The
Domain, South Yarra.

Subscription Secretary: Mr. D. E. McINNES, 129 Waverley Road, East Mal-
vern, 3145

Hon. Editor: Mr. G. M. WARD, 54 St. James Road, Heidelberg 3084.

Hon. Librarian: Mr. P. KELLY, c/o National Herbarium. The Domain, South
Yarra 3141.

Hon. Excursion Secretary: Miss M. ALLENDER, 19 Te Avenue, Caulfield
3161. (522749).

Magazine Sales Officer: Mr. B. FUHRER, 25 Sunhill Av., North Ringwood, 3134.

Group Secretaries:
Botany: Mrs. M. G. CORRICK, 7 Glenluss St., Balwyn 3103. Tel. 857 9937.
Day Group: Mrs. J. STRONG, 1160 Dandenong Rd., Murrumbeena (56 2271).

Entomology and Marine Biology: Mr. J. W. H. STRONG, Flat 11, “Palm Court”,
1160 Dandenong Rd., Murrumbeena 3163 (56 2271).

Field Survey: Mr. D. BARHAM, 14 Finnigans Rd., Research 3095. (437 1791).

Geology: Mr. T. SAULT.
Mammal Survey: Mr. D. KELLY, 107 St. Elmo Road, Ivanhoe, Vic. 3079 (49 4583).
Microscopical: Mr. M. H. MEYER, 36 Milroy Street, East Brighton (96 3268).

MEMBERSHIP

Membership of the F.N.C.V. is open to any person interested in natural
history. The Victorian Naturalist is distributed free to all members, the club’s
reference and lending library is available, and other activities are indicated in
reports set out in the several preceding pages of this magazine.

Rates of Subscriptions for 1973.

Ordinary, Members’ 2. © -so052:0% tee Eo dA ae ee $7.00
Gountry. -Members” 25 “oysc oe ue) Da ke Ee PL Oe $5.00
Joint Members .. i ee nh cro ep nmn MMA ia oo 3 5g $2.00
Junior Members (under Ig years) wie a ea SIE Sa ATG SEE ine > A a $2.00
Juntor Members receiving: Vict...Nat, 96.0000 62 8 44 Se a, ee $4.00
Subseribers. to. Vict.Nat: (Aust.-only) 0.0 use sh es $5.00
Overseas Subscribers bP ehcy the Sa ee SE i ee) ee $6.00
Atiiliated. Societies kee ee i ee ee ONY Ge, ee $7.00
Supporting Members . wa ee wat EE NS. halle Sees ee Ce
Life Membership (reducing after 20 years) Pek sc Psa ni es 3) 94,9) 0)

The cost of individual copies of the Vict. Nat. will be 45 cents (62 cents — overseas requests).
Full-time Students between 18 and 21 years pay at Junior Member rates.

All subscriptions should be made payable to the Field Naturalists Club of Victoria, and posted
to the Subscription Secretary.

) JENKIN, BUXTON & CO. PTY. LTD., PRINTERS, WEST MELBOURNE

APRIL, 1973

Published by the
FIELD NATURALISTS CLUB OF VICTORIA

in which is incorporated the Microscopical Society of Victoria

Registered in Australia for transmission by post as a periodical.
Category “A”

F.N.C.V. DIARY OF COMING EVENTS
GENERAL MEETING
Monday, 9 April — At National Herbarium, The Domain, South Yarra, commencing
8 p.m.
Subject for Evening — “Aboriginal Antiquities of Victoria”: Mr. Aldo Massola.

New Members:
Ordinary:
Miss Laurette Hall, Flat 2, 12 Stanley St., Brighton 3186.
Miss Noni Holmes, 12 Victoria St., Canterbury 3126. Mammals.
Miss Chris Hartshorne, 31 Bishop St., Box Hill 3128. Botany.
Mr. Andrew Mitchell, 8 Burwood Ave., Ringwood 3134. Botany, Geology, Marine.
Mr. Stephen Morton, Dept. of Zoology, University of Melbourne, Parkville 3052.
Mrs. Marian Rubio, Dept. of Zoology, University of Melbourne, Parkville 3052.
Miss Elizabeth Turnbull, 3/5894 Toorak Rd., Toorak 3142. Flora and Fauna.
Mr. Barry J. Fitt, 1/1 Yarmouth St., Ringwood, 3134. Mammals.

Joint:
Mr. John Rutherford, Mrs. Angela Rutherford, Zoology Dept., University of Melbourne,
Parkville 3052.
Mr. John Murphy, Mrs. Margaret Murphy, 585 Rathdowne St., North Carlton 3054.

Monday, 14 May — To be announced.

GROUP MEETINGS
(8 p.m. at National Herbarium unless stated otherwise.)

Thursday, 12 April — Botany Group Meeting. “Some Impressions of New Zealand
Flora’: Miss L. White and Mr. I. F. Morrison.

Day Group — No meeting will be held in April.

Wednesday, 18 April — Microscopical Group meeting.

Thursday, 26 April— F.S.G. General Meeting at 8.00 p.m. in Conference Room,
National Museum.

Wednesday, 2 May — Geology Group meeting.

Monday, 7 May — Marine Biology and Entomology Group meeting at 8.00 p.m. in
Conference Room, National Museum.

Thursday, 10 May — Botany Group meeting.

CAMPS
Easter: 20-25 April — Sunset Country.

JUNIOR F.N.C. MEETINGS

Friday, 13 April — Inaugural meeting of Black Rock Junior F.N.C. at 8.00 p.m. in
Congregational Church Hall, cnr. Arkaringa Crescent and Bent Parade.

Friday 27 April — Hawthorn Juniors in Town Hall at 8.00 p.m.

Friday, 4 May — Preston Juniors at 281 High Street, Preston (Rechabite Hall), at
8.00 p.m.

Friday, 11 May — Montmorency and District in Scout Hall, Petrie Park at 8.00 p.m.

F.N.C.V. EXCURSIONS

Sunday, 15 April — This excursion follows the talk on “The Geology of Melbourne”
by Mr. D. McInnes at the February general meeting and will be led by
Mr. McInnes. The coach will leave Batman Avenue at 9.30a.m., fare $1.50.
Bring a picnic lunch.

Easter: Friday, 20 April- Anzac Day, Wednesday, 25 April. _Harrietville with day
excursions to nearby areas. Accommodation on a dinner, bed and breakfast basis
has been booked at Bon Accord Hospice. Cost for accommodation and coach
is $48.00 and this should be paid to the excursion secretary by the April
meeting. The coach will leave from Flinders Street, near Gas and Fuel Corpora-
tion at 8.45 a.m. on Good Friday — bring a picnic lunch. Lunches for other day
trips may be obtained from the Hospice if required.

Sunday, 29 April — Excursion to Kinglake, ,transport by private car, final arrange-
ments at April meeting or telephone Secretary.

82 Vict. Nat. Vol. 90

The
Victorian Naturalist

Editor: G. M. Ward

Assistant Editor: G. Douglas

Vol. 90, No. 4 4 April,

CONTENTS

Articles:

Kookaburras in Literature and Design. By Ellen M. McCulloch

The Occurrence of Gum-topped Stringybarks in the Trentham Forest.
By D. H. Ashton and G. Williams

Four Principles of Conservation. By Edmund D. Gill
A New Corybas species from Victoria and N.S.W. By David L. Jones
The Grampians Excursion — 1972

Geoplana atrata, a new Planarian record for Victoria. By Leigh Winsor

Feature:

Nature Notes from the Gold Coast. By Alex N. Burns

Personal:
Vale, Norman Arthur Wakefield. By J. H. Willis

Field Naturalists’ Club of Victoria:

Annual Report, General Meeting Report; Group Annual Reports and
general report; F.S.G. Camp report

Diary of Coming Events

Front Cover:

The Sooty Owl (Tyto tenebricosa) was taken as a nestling and kept in
captivity. It was photographed by Graham Pizzey near the Atherton
tablelands, northeast Queensland.

April, 1973

1973

84

90
93
96
99
101

94

103

106

83

Kookaburras in Literature and Design

by

ELLEN M. McCCULLOCH*

In many ways not immediately ap-
parent our Australian animals and
flowers have become part of our ac-
cepted cultural background, whether
we realize it or not. Scientific interest
and curiosity were aroused as soon as
the first Australian botanical and zoo-
logical specimens were collected and
examined. It may not always be
realized how long ago there was also
some degree of popular appreciation
of the wonderful forms and colours
found in the Australian countryside.

Professor R. M. Crawford in “Aus-
tralia” (Hutchinson’s University Lib-
rary 1952) commenting on pastoral
society about the middle of the nine-
teenth century writes —

“The useful that he had studied
hitherto had been a native Australian
product; the ornamental was imported
European tradition. The result of
their blending was something not
quite European. There were nostalgic
importations of all sorts, English or
Scottish styles of domestic architec-
ture, English trees and flowers, the
rabbit and the fox for the huntsman
. . . Nevertheless, the life of the sta-
tion, even when the pioneering days
were over, had taken on a recogniz-
ably Australian Character. The Euro-
pean house was surrounded by wide
Australian verandahs. Its approach
was as likely to be through an avenue
of gum-trees as through an avenue of
imported pines or poplars.”

As early as 1842 the fashionable
and ornate Sir Joseph Banks Hotel at
Botany used an Australian theme.
“The stained glass throughout the
house has Australian birds and butter-
flies to recall the devotion of Sir
Joseph Banks” — Sir Paul McGuire
1952 “Inns of Australia” (Wm. Heine-

84

mann Ltd.). Early hotel names in-
cluded The Kangaroo in 1831, The
Emu in 1838 and The Black Swan in
1844.

I do not presume to be knowledge-
able enough about Australian Abori-
ginal myths and legends to include
more than a passing reference to their
diverse imagery embodying so many
birds and animals. It would be of
great interest to see a comprehensive
collection of such legends gathered to-
gether, so that comparison could be
made with bird folklore from other
parts of the world. Edward Arm-
strong in “The Folklore of Birds”
(Collins 1958) includes only one or
two of these references to Australian
bird species.

Apart from the foretelling of bad
weather by the appearance of Swifts
(A pus sp.) or Black Cockatoos (Calyp-
torhynchus sp.), we seem to have
few examples of accepted home-grown
folklore about Australian birds. One
given on p. 103 of P. A. Bourke’s “Ele-
mentary Bird Study” (Paterson Bro-
kensha Pty. Ltd. 1955) states that if a
Kookaburra perches on a tree in the
yard and laughs the only way to break
the spell of accompanying bad luck
is to smash a bottle. (At times one
cannot help wondering just how many
Australians have heard of and taken
advantage of this one.)

The rhyme for counting birds still
chanted by schoolchildren which be-
gins “One for sorrow, two for joy’, is
not peculiarly Australian, but is found

*6 Bullen Avenue
Mitcham, Victoria 3132

Vict. Nat. Vol. 90

~ [weg

with variations in many countries. It
is usually applied here to magpies.

One bird well-known and thought
of as typically Australian is the Laugh-
ing Kookaburra, Dacelo gigas. It is
today amiably regarded by even those
members of the public who are not
particularly aware of birds. In “An
Index of Australian Bird Names” pub-
lished by the C.S.I.R.O. in 1969 there
are 25 common names listed from past
and present literature, in addition to
the accepted vernacular Laughing
Kookaburra, and this is a good indica-
tion of the widespread popularity of
the species.

Additionally, in “Bird Wonders in

Plate 1

Crest of No. 1 Bomber Squadron,
R.A.A.F.

April, 1973

Australia” (Angus & Robertson 1958)
A. H. Chisholm lists on p. 226, 44
terms used by tribes of Aborigines,
most of the names beginning with the
guttural K or G. Yet another alter-
native, Goburra, is included in the
1889 publication “Australian Furs and
Feathers” by Mary Anne Fitz-gerald
(Edwards Dunlop & Co. Ltd.). In this
latter book we also have the early
white settlers’ term “Settlers’ Clock”,
referring to the rousing early morn-
ing chorus, calculated to waken any-
one within earshot.

It is interesting to compare this with
the charming Aboriginal legend re-
ferred to by various writers including

Crest of City of Bowral, N.S.W.

Stained-glass window.
Photo — J. Hyett.

85

A. W. Reed in “Aboriginal Fables and
Legendary Tales” (A. H. & A. W.
Reed 1965). This tells us that the sky
spirits, after renewing light and
warmth every day on earth with their
fires, were disappointed to find the
animals continuing to sleep after light
flooded the world. They hung the
bright morning star as a sign that fire
would soon be kindled, but still the
lazy animals slept on. So they came
down to find the Laughing Jackass
calling, and bargained with him that
they would light the fires every morn-
ing for the new day if he would laugh
loudly enough every morning to wake
the sleeping workers.

We read of some of the early Euro-
peans referring to the Kookaburra’s
song as “a hideous chorus of fiendish
laughter”, but it was evidently not
long before colonists became used to
this unique and conspicuous sound.

By 1880 cast-iron designs incor-
porated various Australian wildflowers
and birds, and in his book “Sydney

Lace” (Georgian House 1962) E.
Graeme Robertson illustrates one
rather improbable cast-iron kooka-

burra with spread wings, as well as
many other charming designs.

I have seen several leadlight win-
dows of a later date with a kooka-
burra set in the centre of a small cir-
cular design, and there are probably
more elaborate examples in existence.
One cannot help wondering if there is
an Australian counterpart to the Euro-
pean and South Africa cathedral win-
dows portraying the theme of St.
Francis of Assisi. I have been unable
to trace anything much about stained
glass windows in Australia.

The decorative carving on Emu
(Dromaius _novaehollandiae) eggs
varies from very sophisticated cameos
to rough but effective heavy shapes,
and kookaburras feature in some of
these. Some have a delicate appear-
ance, resulting from partial removal

86

of various layers of shell to provide
pale tones, and one such cameo I have
seen portrays a detailed scene of an
emu walking about below a branch on
which a kookaburra is sitting.

The illustrations in Kurt Albrecht’s
“Nineteenth Century Australian Gold
and Silversmiths” (Hutchinson Group
(Aust.) Pty. Ltd. 1969) show the
variety of styles of silver-mounted emu
eggs prevalent in the late nineteenth
century. Kookaburras are included
in the natural history motifs in similar
elaborate presentation pieces which
no doubt delighted their recipients.

Some of our stamps have _illus-
trated this species, and I have two
different 6d. browns and a 3d. blue. I
have slides of carved and painted
wooden models, and at the turn of the
century when it was the fashion to
paint nearly anything on black cloth
for cushion covers, kookaburras were
included. They are now stamped on
teatowels and suppercloths, and
painted with more gusto than taste on
countless tourist souvenirs.

About the turn of the century Aus-
tralian motifs were carved on furniture
by both professional and amateur
woodcarvers and the best of this work
was very well designed and executed.
Most items were fashioned realistically
and are identifiable down to species
level. Eucalypts, waratahs and acacias
were plants often used, and kangaroos,
emus, swans and kookaburras figured
frequently in the choice of animals.

I have found a number of churches
in Victoria graced with carved pew-
ends, and there are undoubtedly many
more here and in other States worth
exploring from this point of view.
The carvings on the end of the pews
in the Anglican Church of St. John
the Evangelist in Toorak, Victoria,
were executed by Mr. J. E. Lonegan
in 1933-34, and a kookaburra is in-
cluded. In the Methodist chapel at
the “Orana” Children’s Home at Bur-

Vict. Nat. Vol. 90

wood, Victoria, opened in 1958, the
kookaburra is included twice in the
carved pew-ends, executed by Mr. W.

Langcake.
Surrounds on some of the honour
boards commemorating 1914-1918

war memorial names include kooka-
burras, though the less elaborate ones
I have seen are mainly decorated with
entwined leaves of eucalypt and
wattle.

The official silver badge of the War
Widows’ Guild of Victoria is an at-
tractively designed kookaburra, set on
an oval shape.

In “A Roll of Australian Arms”
(Rigby 1971) Charles Low illustrates
many Australian birds included in
registered coats-of-arms, and kooka-
burras are supporters of the cor-
porate coat-of-arms of the City of
Bowral in New South Wales. (I must
add that my favourite in the book is
the Sydney Hospital’s Sea-Eagle
perched on a rum barrel.) Not in-
cluded in this book are the heraldic
crests of many sections of our armed
forces, some of which include birds.
The accompanying illustration shows
a kookaburra on the crest of the First
Bomber Squadron of the R.A.A.F.
Note also the encircling stylised wattle
blossom and leaves.

In addition to correctly registered
arms many schools, city halls, shire
offices and other bodies produce a
similar badge or symbolic emblem.
The 1960 crest of the City of Ring-
wood in Victoria, includes a kooka-
burra with a spray of wattle, and a
gum-tree.

Additionally, there are a number of
kookaburra trade-marks, and one I
have not yet seen is the early gas
stove named appropriately enough if
with rather laboured humour, a
“Kooka”. I understand that the cricket
balls used in Test matches are Kooka-
burra brand, but I have not been able
to obtain any information about them.

April, 1973

Perhaps someone will be able to sup-
ply details.

At one time 20th Century Fox
Films began all their Australian news-
reels with a quivering chorus of kooka-
burras, beaks open and tails shaking.

In the century-old “The Young Aus-
tralians’ Alphabet” published in Mel-
bourne in 1871 (La Trobe Library
copy) the kookaburra is featured under
J not K —

“J is for Jackass
A very strange bird,
Whose laugh in the forest
Is very absurd.”

Some of the moral verses have a
quaint ring today, for example, “N
for New Zealand I’m sorry to say,
The settlers are driving the Moaries
away’. Nevertheless, it was neither
the English countryside nor its nightin-
gales and robins that were employed to
encourage young readers: the white
cockatoo, emu, eastern rosella, kooka-
burra and wattle (and the Yarra) are
all uniquely Australian.

The name Jackass is still sometimes
used, although it is not clear how it
arose. The Grey Butcherbird, Crac-
ticus torquatus, was occasionally called
the Darling or Derwent Jackass and
is the bird referred to by the early
Australian poet, C. H. Souter, in “Irish
Lords”, his nostalgic poem which
lingers in the memory —

“The rime was on the barley grass

as we passed the homestead rails,
A Darling jackass piped us in with
his trills and turns and scales,”

The Laughing Kookaburra was in-
troduced into Western Australia about
1897, and a children’s book, “The
Story of Kurri Kurri the Kookaburra”,
by Leslie Rees (John Sands Pty. Ltd.
n.d. 1950) tells the story of this in-
troduction.

I have seen a seven-page paper,
“The Kookaburra — Dinkum Oil Edi-
tion’, published at the First Divi-
sional Base Depot at Tel-el-Kebir,

87

27/7/1916. In the circumstances the
roughly drawn Kookaburra on_ the
cover possibly roused more nostalgic
comment than criticism.

In 1918, Norman Lindsay’s, “The
Magic Pudding” (Angus & Robertson
Ltd.) appeared, and the “low larrikin
Kookaburra” with hands in pockets
and hat on head will always be affec-
tionately remembered. The natural
dark stripe through the eye of the bird
is cleverly used to emphasize a lower-
ing brow, and is accented by the large
beak. You may recall that it was a
rule of life for Bill Barnacle “never
to fight people with beaks”.

In 1931 a book, “Hail, the Kooka-
burra”, was printed by Pratten Bros.
Ltd. of Sydney. This contained two
stories, the first from which the book
was named by A. H. Chisholm, and
the other, “Laughing Jack”, by
Dorothea Drewett. Plates of paint-
ings by several artists, including
Neville Cayley, illustrated this.

In 1933 Brooke Nicholls wrote
“Jacko the Broadcasting Kookaburra”
(Angus & Robertson Ltd., Sydney) and
no doubt Jacko’s personality and abi-
lity to laugh on request made him a
most popular figure. It was in 1934
that the “Tales of Snugglepot and
Cuddlepie” by May Gibbs (Angus &
Robertson Ltd.) began to delight small
children, and it was wise old Mr.
Kookaburra who warned the Nuts
against Humans “. . . as bad as bad,
but there must be bad things in this
world as well as good.”

It was also in the early 1930s that
a children’s session on the Australian
Broadcasting Commission was opened
by a Miss Kookaburra, possibly a
Mrs. Hatherly who very successfully
imitated a kookaburra’s laugh at the
beginning and ending of the pro-
gramme. Another personality in the
same programme was Bobbie Blue-
gum (Mr. Frank Hatherley). These
broadcasts possibly pre-dated the

88

A.B.C., for there are no records of
them there, and any more information
would be welcome.

Strangely enough, considering the
way early popular writing so often
represented kookaburras killing snakes
and thereby being “good”, snakes
were seldom included with kooka-
burras in representations. Perhaps the
problem of artistically arranging a
dangling snake was just too much to
organize.

I have vague childhood memories
of constructing a bird with snake from
pine-cones but (perhaps fortunately)
cannot remember the result.

Kookaburras and magpies are prob-
ably the species most frequently in-
cluded as typically Australian birds in
verse and song, and children at pri-
mary school are still taught the round
which begins “Kookaburra sits on the
old gum-tree, Merry merry king of
the bush is he”. In suburban schools
these days there are many children
who have never seen or heard a kooKa-
burra in the bush, and certainly there
are fewer in suburban areas.

Virginia Parry’s interesting book,
‘“Kookaburras” (Lansdowne Press Pty.
Ltd. 1970) is the first written about
aspects of the species’ breeding bio-
logy, though there are many relevant
references in popular articles and
scientific papers over the years.

I have not attempted an overall
coverage of the literature, but have
simply drawn attention to some of the
references I have found interesting.

Changing economic and _ political
conditions as well as isolated eccen-
tricities have been responsible over
the years for many individual designs
utilising Australian natural history
subjects.

Federation in 1900 and the -fluc-
tuating nationalistic fervour which for
years preceded it, plus participation in
two world wars are amongst events
which caused many Australians to

Vict. Nat. Vol. 90

realize the worth of things Australian,
including its plants, flowers, birds and
other animals. It is quite clear that the
recent quickening of interest in all
aspects of our wildlife has its roots set
down well over a century ago, which
is a comforting thought to one irri-
tated by the repeated remark that
“conservation” will soon feel the swing
of the pendulum against it, as en-
thusiasm wanes.

Thankfully, it is no longer com-
pulsory for our overseas trade fair
representatives to wear “digger” hats,
kangaroo-skin skirts and wreaths of
artificial wattle blossom to prove that
they are Australian. Inevitably con-
cepts have changed with the times, and
the best modern designs incorporating
animals and flowers have an authority
which satisfies the eye as does any
article well-designed and _ executed.
Examples can be found in many fields,
including tapestry, pottery, glass,
jewellery, trade-marks, cards, embroi-
dery and wall-hangings; they may be
large or small, a unique piece such as
the Mategot tapestry in the National
Library at Canberra, or the millions
of decimal coins in common usage.

I have given examples of the popu-
lar acceptance of the Kookaburra sim-
ply to show how long ago this kind
of interest was aroused. Another

animal, or flower could just as easily
have been chosen and many spring to
mind.

I realize that I have barely touched
the surface of what is in existence, and
I would be most grateful if readers
would contact me regarding examples
of designs known to them. Many
items will be known only to their
owners, and descriptions, sketches or
photographs would be invaluable.
Some early destructible items such as
plaster cornices on buildings, china,
carved emu eggs, screens and glass
have already disappeared without
trace. Tracing this aspect of our his-
tory produces all kinds of fascinating
sidelights, and is time well spent.

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

Authority to reproduce the crest of
the No. 1 Squadron was given by the
Secretary of the Department of Air,
Commonwealth of Australia. “The
Young Australian’s Alphabet” was
viewed at the La Trobe Library, State
Library of Victoria.

I would like to thank Mrs. Nancye
Kent Perry for bringing several books
quoted to my notice, and Mr. A. R.
McEvey and Mrs. Lea for providing
information about early broadcast pro-
grammes. My thanks go to Mr. Jack
Hyett for patiently photographing
many items on my behalf.

F.N.C.V. PUBLICATIONS AVAILABLE FOR PURCHASE
THE WILD FLOWERS OF THE WILSON’S PROMONTORY NATIONAL PARK,

by J. Ros Garnet.

Price $5.25, (discount to members); postage 20c.
VICTORIAN TOADSTOOLS AND MUSHROOMS, by J. H. Willis.

This describes 120 toadstool species and many other fungi. There are four
coloured plates and 31 other illustrations. Price 90c. Postage 1Ic.

THE VEGETATION OF WYPERFELD NATIONAL PARK, by J. R. Garnet.
Coloured frontispiece, 23 half-tone, 100 line drawings of plants and a map.

Price $1.50.

Address orders and inquiries to Sales Officer, F.N.C.V., National Herbarium,

South Yarra, Victoria.

Payments should include postage (15c on single copy).

April, 1973

89

The Occurrence of Gum-topped Stringybarks

in the Trentham Forest

by

D. H. ASHTON* AND G. WILLIAMS

Within the last four years two in-
teresting gum-topped trees have been
discovered in the Messmate-Pepper-
mint-Grey gum forests of the Tren-
tham district.

The first tree was found in 1968 not
far from a tributory of Coopers Creek
(grid ref. 281817 on the Daylesford
map 827) by Mr. I. T. Sartori. It is
105 feet high, 26 inches diameter at
breast height (d.b.h.) and occurs in an
even aged, wet, tall open-forest of the
dry sclerophyll type. The associated
trees are E. obliqua, E. radiata and
E. cypellocarpa and the undergrowth
consists chiefly of open shrubs of
Acacia mucronata and Goodenia ovata
with a floor of Tetrarrhena juncea and
Bracken. The creek 100 yards away,
is vegetated by E. viminalis and a
dense understorey of Musk (Olearia
argophylla) tree ferns and ground
ferns. The gully vegetation is thus
typical wet sclerophyll forest. The
gum-topped specimen was clothed with
typical stringy-bark up to the main
branches at about 70-80 ft. The fruits
were intermediate in size between E.
obliqua and E. regnans, and possessed
a slightly more open “wine-glass”
shape than the former and the de-
cidedly flattened rim of the latter
(Fig. 1). The shape and venation of
the leaves were similar to E. regnans
but the odour of the leaf oils was
strong and similar to that of E. obliqua.

The second tree was found in 1971
on Babbingtons Hill (grid. ref. 304.888
on the Daylesford map 827) 43 miles
north of the first tree, by Mr. I. T. Sar-
tori and Mr. N. J. Evans. It is 124 feet

* Botany School, University of Melbourne.

90

high and 24 inches d.b.h. and occurs
in a similar type of forest to the first
tree. It has a rather sub-fibrous per-
sistent bark below the main crown.
Its leaves are broader than those of
tree 1 and they have both the shape
and oil odour of those of E. obliqua.
Its fruits are wine-glass shaped with
descending rims and sunken valves
and are thus identical with typical
fruits of E. obliqua (Fig. 1). The char-
acters of the two gum-barked trees
therefore suggest that they are of
hybrid origin. The putative parent
species appear to be E. obliqua and
either E. regnans or perhaps E.
radiata.

Hybrids between E. obliqua and E.
regnans are relatively common in Vic-
toria and Tasmania (Ashton 1958) but
hybrids between E. obliqua and E.
radiata are very rare and appear to
occur only in areas where E. obliqua
is already hybridizing with other
stringy-barks (Gill and Ashton, in
press).

About ten progeny of each of the
two Trentham trees were raised in the
glasshouse and leaves of the fifth node
were examined for their oil gland size
and density. In Figure 2 these results
were superimposed on the background
of previous work (Fig. 2) (Ashton
1958). It can be seen that the recom-
bination of these characteristics en-
compasses the whole range between
the progeny of typical trees of the
putative parent species. In addition,
the progeny of both the Trentham
trees possessed oil odours ranging

+ Forests Commission of Victoria.

Vict. Nat. Vol. 90

from that of E. obliqua to that of
E. regnans. Likewise lignotuber de-
velopment ranged from large to none
at all. None of the seedlings showed
any trace of E. radiata characteristics
—in either leaf shape, colour, arrange-
ment or oil odour. In addition E.
radiata seedlings readily produce large
lignotubers, hence any hybrids between
this species and FE. obliqua would not
be free: of this organ.

These studies therefore strengthen
the conviction that the two isolated
trees at Trentham are hybrids between
E. obliqua and E. regnans. Hybrids
between these two species are com- NS
monly found where they occur in Lom
mixed stands (or where their forest oes
types meet) and resemble the two
Trentham trees.

The Trentham area has been well
searched and no known records of
E. regnans occurrence exist. It is pos-

\
Is

Figure 1

Mature Fruits

: ‘ : E. regnans E. obliqua
sible that this species could have been Kinglake Daylesford
present last century and failed to re- ay brd
generate following decimation of the Trentham

forest by the early mining industry
and by repetitive fires.

re) E. regnans

D E. oblique
@M Trentham Hybrids | anda.
Other Hybrids

Ne. Of glands per cm*

bo 7° Bo go 100 no 120 130 10 150 Te) 17°

oul gland, Diameter in B&

Figure 2
April, 1973 91

If E. regnans has not occurred in
the district in the historical past then
the presence of the two hybrid trees
is interesting. The nearest occurrence
of E. regnans to the Trentham hybrids
is a limited stand at Stony Creek, Mt.
Macedon, 16-18 miles to the east. The
nearest major occurrence of FE. regnans
is at Mt. Disappointment, a further
30 miles to the east. The problem of
the hybrid distribution so far from one
of the putative parent species could
be explained by chance pollination by
birds such as honeyeaters in a year
when both species were flowering
simultaneously, or by chance dispersal
of hybrid seed. However, another pos-
sibility is that E. regnans genes may
be present in the E. obliqua popula-
tion in the Trentham district, but
rarely recombined to produce a visible
phenotype. If such were the case it
could indicate that E. regnans had
occurred in the area in some past
wetter period. At the present time,
the rainfall is 43 inches per annum,
a value decidedly marginal for the
natural occurrence of E. regnans in
Central Victoria. It is thus probably

Footnote:

too dry for E. regnans, but wet enough
to enable some of the hybrid swarm
to persist. Pryor (1952, 1962) has
pointed out that if one parent species
of a hybrid swarm is eliminated its
prior occurrence can sometimes be
inferred by the greater variability of
the population or the existence of
“phantom” characteristics within it.
As yet we do not know the relative
state of variability of the E. obliqua
population at Trentham. The problem
perhaps highlights the need for con-
servation of eucalypt forests in as
many areas and habitats as possible so
that the biology and history of these
complex species can be fully under-
stood.

REFERENCES

Ashton, D. H. (1958). The ecology of
Eucalyptus regnans, the species and its
forest resistance. Aust. J. Bot., 6: 154-
176.

Pryor, L. D. (1953). A compound Euca-
lyptus hybrid. Proc. Linn. Soc. N.S.W.,
IXXVII: 361-363.

Pryor, L. D. (1962). The validity of Taxo-
nomic categories in the assessment of
evolutionary trends within the genus
Eucalyptus, p. 466-456, in The Evolu-
tion of Living Organisms, Ed. G. W.
Leeper, M.U.P.

Since the submission of this paper, Mr. Sartori has found a third gum-topped stringybark, 99 feet

high and 20 inches D.B.H.,
but larger tree some two miles away.

east of Mt. Wilson (Daylesford map grid ref. 3120805), and a fourth similar
Specimens of the third tree have been examined and show

‘E. regnans-type’ leaves, a mild E. obliqua oil odour and typical E. obliqua butt bark. The fruits are like

E. obliqua, but many taper to the pedicel.
raised.

It is a presumed hybrid although no progeny have yet been

The occurrence of at least four probable hybrids trees scattered across the Trentham district suggests

that they are indicative of either a phantom distribution of E. regnans in the past or a prelude to its
appearance in the future. Such hybrid trees could in fact be a genetical invasion of E. regnans into
E. obliqua by means of long distance bird pollination. Regardless of their origin there is an intriguing
possibility that E. regnans may.eventually ‘materialize from the gene-pool’ by a progressive selection in
the event of a wetter climatic regime.

Set of “Victorian Naturalists”

Following the recent offer of a set of “Naturalists”, requests were received from
the Libraries of C.S.I.R.O. (Division of Wildlife Research), La Trobe University,
Native Plants Preservation Society, and the Gould League. Would any member who
has a set of “Naturalists” of some duration which they would be prepared to give to
one of these Libraries, please contact the Secretary.

92 Vict. Nat. Vol. 90

Four Principles of Conservation

by

EDMUND D. GILL*

The Premier of an Australian State
received numerous ietters concerning
conservation. Being willing to do
something about it, he sent the letters
to the Secretary of the Crown Law
Department, asking him to sort out
the issues. The Secretary carefully
studied the letters, then had to report
that the letters more or less cancelled
each other out! Those interested in
conservation speak with many voices,
so that sometimes the result is Babel.
The reason is that public enthusiasm
has rushed ahead of scientific study.
The blunt fact is that we do not know
enough about conservation. It involves
the delicate interdigitation of the ani-
mals, plants and environment that
make up an ecosystem. They all de-
pend on one another. No animal or
plant can be treated in isolation. We
need to know more about natural
history.

Too often conservation is identified
with some single local issue, whereas
we need rather to have clear principles
which we can apply to any conserva-
tion problem. Such have not yet been
adequately defined. They urgently de-
mand our attention. From my own
reading and thinking I have set down
four principles that seem to me to be
important. At least they can serve as
a stimulus to thought.

1. Conservation is “a principle of
civilization”. Science has _ provided
man with such powerful tools that he
could destroy himself and/or his en-
vironment in a very short space of
time. Civilization is learning to exer-
cise understanding and purpose so as
to conserve “the greatest good for the

April, 1973

greatest number for the longest time’.
There is an economic aspect of con-
servation that is very obvious. Unless
we conserve enough water we will
desiccate; unless we conserve the soil,
the dry land will become a rock mass
incapable of supporting the millions
of men. But there are even more im-
portant aspects of conservation, e.g.

(a) To conserve the life of the
earth. Once a species becomes extinct
it can never be brought back. Man
has been wholly or partially respon-
sible for the loss of hundreds of
species of living things.

This impoverishment of the fauna
and flora is both a scientific and cul-
tural loss. Even races of men, such as
the Tasmanians, have been lost for
ever. Given long enough, bare rocks
will break down to soil, but lost
species can never be regenerated.

(b) To conserve the natural beauty
of the earth. So much of the earth’s
surface has been cleared for cultiva-
tion or housing or other purposes that
the natural areas are rapidly shrinking.
Under the pressures of the population
explosion, we are in danger of losing
the natural world.

2. Conservation is an ecologic con-
cept. The present ecosystems are com-
plexes that have resulted from a long
evolution. They vary in their stability.
Conservation is the process by which
we maintain the present stability, or
pass from one stability to another.
Thus to seek to conserve one factor
in the environment (such as the soil)
or one form of life (such as the kan-
garoo) is unwise and can be disas-

*Deputy Director, National Museum of Victoria.

93

trous. All the factors of the balanced
ecology must be considered. Conser-
vation is the science and art of living
successfully in one’s environment.

3. Conservation has universal ap-
plication therefore. Whether the
ecology be natural bush, the national
park, the farm, the suburban reserve,
or the backyard garden, the principles
of conservation apply. Environmental
continuity ensures human continuity,
and makes progress possible.

4. Conservation is a prerequisite of
utilization. The maintenance of the
natural world in a physical and bio-
logic balance does not exclude utiliza-
tion. Harvest is the excess of plant
and animal populations. Conservation
not only provides for present needs

but also for those of future genera-
tions. It should therefore be the con-
cern of everyone. Good conservation
is not just conservation for survival
but the achievement of a better en-
vironment through wise management
based on scientific understanding.

Knowledge of ecology makes con-
servation in the natural world possible.
It is a new science and we have much
to learn. But as this subject is so cen-
tral to the necessities of conservation,
should it not be taught more widely
(Gill 1972)?

REFERENCE

Gill, E. D., 1972. The facts of life.
Palaeogeogr. Palaeoclimatol., palaeoe-
col. 182. 235-236

Nature Notes jrom the Gold Coast

by ALEX

Over the past month much further
activity has been observed on _ the
butterfly-catching spiders. These pre-
dators appear to occupy any type of
flower which is likely to attract insects.
A pink flowering Spathoglottis orchid
has been flowering progressively for
several weeks, and on one particular
morning a fairly large Hover fly
(Diptera-syrphidae) was observed ap-
parently settled on one flower in the
raceme. At the moment this did not
seem unusual, but an hour later the
fly was still in the same position on
the flower, and closer examination re-
vealed the presence of a rather small
example of the “white” spider which
had caught and killed the fly. Nor-
mally these orchids do not attract
insects, much less so, spiders.

The Buddleyia bushes have been
favouring the garden with a second
flowering, probably brought about by
the rain storms of a few weeks ago.

94

. N. BURNS

As usual, many butterflies visit these
flowers and the activities of the
‘white’ spiders have been renewed in
earnest, and added to the earlier list
is a specimen of the Australian Leaf-
wing butterfly (Doleschallia bisaltide
australis Feld.). This is a large strong
flying Nymphalid with a wing expanse
of approximately two and three-quarter
inches. The spider that captured this
specimen had a body the size of a pea.
Each day several observations have
been carried out, and repeats of the
captured butterflies listed in the
February Naturalist, have been fre-
quent.

Very consistent species visiting the
flowers, and remaining on them whilst
imbibing nectar for long periods, are
the Common Crow (Euploea core
corinna’ Macl.), Lesser Wanderer
(Danaus chrysippus petilia Stoll.),
Blue Tiger (Danaus hamata hamata
Macl.), and the Glasswing (Acraea

Vict. Nat. Vol. 90

andromacha andromacha Fab.). All
these butterflies are recorded as being
distasteful to birds, so a close watch
was kept to see if any specimen was
attacked by the spiders. Normally a
spider will lurk for some days in the
same flower raceme. Several of these
were noted, and from time to time
specimens of the so-called distasteful
butterflies visited them. Not on any
occasion was an attack made by a
spider; in fact the hiding spider hardly
moved. This again seems to indicate
that these butterflies are free from at-
tack for the reason indicated in the
February Naturalist notes. The writer
would be much interested to hear from
any observer having seen any of the
above species of butterflies being at-
tacked by spiders.

A very large Orb Web Spider was
seen in its web, and in which was
caught a specimen of the Blue Tiger.
A watch was kept for about an hour,
and the spider although moving about
in its web, did not attempt to attack
the struggling butterfly. Apparently
the spider was not interested, and after
an hour the butterfly was released
unharmed. Later the same _ day
several small moths were caught in the
web and these were very soon dealt
with.

Recently, in the evenings and early
mornings, odd specimens of Glome-
ridae (Myriapoda-Glomeridae) have
been observed on paths and walls.
These peculiar creatures are shining

black and hard, and if disturbed or
touched, immediately curl up into a
ball and remain so often for long
periods of time. Normally they occur
under rotting logs and amongst stones,
and excepting at night, are seldom seen
running about. I have not much in-
formation relative to these creatures,
so it is quite possible that their classi-
fication may now be altered.

The big lagoon at Currumbin Bird
Sanctuary is again teeming with bird
life, the wild duck population would
be over 400; the Ibis between 40 and
50 (varying from day to day); and
other miscellaneous birds in the region
of 100. From time to time accidents
and fatalities unfortunately occur to
young birds, mainly ducks, whilst
swimming on the lagoon which is in-
habited by a number of large black
and voracious eels. One of the three-
quarter grown black cygnets had a
foot badly and permanently injured by
one of these creatures. They appear
quite unafraid and will come to the
water’s edge and take full slices of
bread from human hands. Some of
the eels are three feet in length and
correspondingly thick.

As I write, and for the past 24
hours, heavy rain is the picture, and
some seven inches have so far been
recorded. This may mean the com-
mencement of the real “wet season’,
and in any case will cause a big in-
crease in insect life in the very near
future.

F.N.C.V. CAR STICKERS
F.N.C.V. Car Stickers are now available from Mrs. Strong, Book Sales

Officer, at a cost of 25c each.

Car owners travelling in the country or interstate can identify other members

quickly in this way.
It also helps to advertise the Club.

April, 1973

95

A New Corybas Species from Victoria and N.S.W.

by Davin L. JONES

CORYBAS HISPIDUS D. L. Jones spec. nov.

ex affinitate C. fimbriati (R.Br.)
Reichenb. f. a quo praecipue differt:
sepalo dorsali quam labello longiore
atque angustiore; labello manifeste
hispido, eius marginibus incurvatis;
umbone labelli emarginato; petalis
lateralibus ad_ basin late alatis;
columna alata, in parte antica
dimidia contracta; anthera obtusa.

HOLoTyPE: Mt. Hamilton, N.E. Vic-
toria, + 54 miles north-north-east
from Wulgulmerang Post Office—
D. L. Jones & K. C. Rogers, 20
March 1972 (Mel). IsoTyYpPEs at
Mel, NSW, K.

PARATYPE: MacPharlanes Flat Track
near junction with Ingeegoodbee
Track—D. L. Jones & K. C. Rogers,
1 April 1972 (Mel, NSW, K).

ALSO EXAMINED:—

1. Near Ingeegoodbee River at
MacPharlanes Flat Track cross-
ing—K. C. Rogers, 28 May
1969. Herb. K. C. Rogers:

2. Bridle Creek, north of the Bal-
lantyne Hills—A. C. Beaugle-
hole, 25 Aug. 1970 ACB n.
33318; and again 20 March
1971, A. C. Beauglehole, K. C.
Rogers and D. L. Jones.

3. Mount Hamilton, Snowy River
road, += 54 miles north-north-
east of Wulgulmerang Post
Office—B. E. Jones, D. L. Jones,
Ae. C.. Beaugichole,” K.-C.
Rogers, 20 March 1971; and
again 31 March 1972—D. L.
Jones and K. C. Rogers (HOLo-
TYPE).

96

4. The Bluff, Bonang-Gelantipy
Road — A. C. Beauglehole, K.
C. Rogers, E. R. Rotherham,
10 April 1971 ACB n. 37865.

5. Summit of Mt. Coricudgy, +
26 miles East of Rylstone,
N.S.W.—R. Lowe, 26 March
1967 Herb. C. K. Ingram.

6. Upper Botobolar, N.E. of Mud-
gee, N.S.W.—R. Lowe, 14 April
1969 Herb. C. K. Ingram.

7. Headwaters of Back Creek,
Carabost State Forest, N.S.W.
—A. E. Logan, 17 April 1971.
On a steep Granite slope under
Eucalyptus macrorrhyncha.

Leaf 15-35 mm. in diameter, cor-
date to orbicular, green on both sides.
Flower 18-25 mm. long, reddish-
purple, dominated by the lamina of
the labellum, sessile or almost so.
Ovary about 6 mm. long, narrow,
subtended by a small narrow bract.
Dorsal sepal 20-25 x 10-12 mm. when
flattened out, greenish-grey spotted
with dark purple, cucullate, concave,
broadly spathulate, obtuse, much con-
tracted in the proximal one _ third.
Petals about 6 x 0.5 mm. slightly fal-
cate, forming broad wings at the base
where they join the column, then
tapering to filiform points. Lateral
sepals about 6 x 0.8 mm., deflexed,
tapered from base to extremity; apex
+ bifid. Labellum longer than the
dorsal sepal; labellum-tube 5-7 mm.
long much shorter than the lamina,
erect for about 5 mm. then abruptly
decurved through about 180° and
greatly expanded into a broadly ovate
or deltoid lamina; lamina 16-22 mm.
long reddish-purple with a conspicu-

Vict. Nat. Vol. 90

ous white central boss, its margins
deeply fringed with purple fimbriae
up to 5 mm. long; boss dome-like,
conspicuously hispid, notched in the
upper 4, the minute teeth especially
obvious on the margins of the notch.
Auricles small, directed obliquely up-
ward, the opening 1.2-1.4 mm. in
diameter. Column about 3 mm. long,
dilated anteriorly in the proximal half,
prominently winged. Stigma = 2 mm.
in diameter, + reniform, concave.
Anther + 9 mm. long, entire. Pol-
linarium 1.4 x 1.0 mm. long, consist-
ing of 4 pollinia in two pairs attached
directly to a reniform viscidium 0.7
mm. long.

Flowering Period:—March-May.

Distribution:—At present known
from north-eastern Victoria in high-
land areas and south-western and
central-western N.S.W., extending as
far north as Botobolar near Mudgee.
An extension of range is to be antici-
pated due to previous confusion with
C. fimbriatus (R.Br.) Reinchenb. f.

Discussion:—The distinctiveness of
this orchid was first recognized by the
author in 1971 following a field trip
to the Wulgulmerang area of North-
eastern Victoria. Further field trips
by the author and collections by
Beauglehole and Rogers have shown
that it is a fairly widespread and often
locally abundant species in the moun-
tains around Wulgulmerang. Speci-
mens from Carabost in southern
N.S.W. collected by Logan proved to
be identical with the Victorian ma-
terial. Subsequent checking by the
author of specimens in the Herbarium
of Ingram showed that the species
is also to be found in the Central West
of N.S.W. Further extensions of its
range are to be anticipated and it is
possible that the species will be
recorded in Tasmania. From records
so far checked it appears that C. his-
pidus is an inland species while C.
fimbriatus is coastal. Willis lists a

April, 1973

dubious inland record of Corybas fim-
briatus from the Ovens River in Vic-
toria. The author has examined these
specimens miscroscopically and found
them to be the widespread C. diemeni-
cus (Lindl) H. M. R. Rupp & W. H.
Nicholls ex H. M. R. Rupp.

It seems obvious that collectors
have confused C. hispidus and C. fim-
briatus, as superficially both have
many similarities. Comparative differ-
ences are listed in Table 1. The new
species can be readily recognized by
the markedly hispid labellum with the
mounded boss conspicuous, white and
notched. A further difference easy to
pick out is the peaked appearance
of the dorsal sepal. This organ in
C. fimbriatus is shorter than the label-
lum and as broad. Microscopically
the columns and lateral petals of both
species exhibit further differences.

Corybas hispidus is the first mem-
ber of the genus to flower in Victoria.
In seasons of good summer rains the

Plate 1
Corybas hispidus.

Photo — E. R. Rotherham.

97

(a) Flowering plant from side .. ..
(b) Flowering plant from front... ..

(c) Labellum from front .. ..
(d) Dorsal sepal from side .

(e) Dorsal sepal flattened out... ..
(f) Longitudinal section of flower ..

98

Figure 1

1X
1X
2X
2X
2X
3X

(g) Column, lateral sepals and lateral
petals from sidé .. .... 32.452 ees

(h) Base of labellum tube showing
auricles, lateral sepals and lateral

petals, from front’... 3.22pm
(i). Pollinarium .. .... 1.439. ears
(j) Column, lateral sepals and lateral

petals from front... .. .. .... 5X

Vict. Nat. Vol. 90

species is in full bloom by late March
and is usually well finished by May
when C. fimbriatus is just starting on
the coast.
Acknowledgements

The author wishes to acknowledge

the kind hospitality and cheerful help
given by K. C. Rogers of Wulgul-
merang. I am also indebted to J. H.
Willis for the Latin description and
E. R. Rotherham for the accompany-
ing photograph.

TABLE 1
(Contrasting Characters)

C. fimbriatus

Dorsal sepal as broad as but shorter
than labellum, not extending out be-
yond it.

Labellum smooth or shortly scabrous on
surface, the central mounded boss entire.
Lateral petals narrow at the base.
Column not winged, dilated laterally in
the distal half.

Anther pointed.

C. hispidus

Dorsal sepal long, much narrower than
labellum and extending out beyond it.
Labellum conspicuously hispid on _ sur-
face, the central mounded boss notched.
Lateral petals broadly winged at base.
Column winged, narrowed laterally in
the distal half.

Anther blunt.

The Grampians Excursion
27 August —2 September 1972

A party of 17 members left Mel-
bourne for Stawell at 9 a.m. on 27
August. A lunch break was spent on
a wayside stop east of Ararat, where
rambling plants of Hardenbergia were
most conspicuous. Later, on a walk
parallel with the Western Highway, in
heath-land type of vegetation, Correa
reflexa was found in varying shades
from crimson to pink. Grevillea al-
pina also showed variations in the
colour of its flowers. On the out-
skirts of Stawell we stopped to in-
vestigate the Native Plant Preservation
Society of Victoria Sanctuary, on
C.R.B. land beside the highway.

Acacia pycnantha in full blossom
scented the air, as it was the dominant
wattle. Flame MHeaths were con-
spicuous, and also colonies of Dro-
sera whittakeri, Pterostylis nana and
P. longifolia. It was most noticeable
that within the rabbit-proof fence, the

April, 1973

plants showed more prolific growth, as
compared with the stunted and sparse
growth outside the Sanctuary. For the
next six days we were to see many
species of wattles, and the beauty of
the bush at this time of the year was
lit up by their profusion of blossom.

The London Motel, Stawell, was
our headquarters for the six nights of
the week. The Stawell Field Naturalist
Club arranged our itinerary, and a
member of their club joined our party
as guide for each day.

Monday, 28 August. We should
like to thank Miss Jean Hughes for
being leader for the day. In the pad-
docks on the left-hand side of the
Stawell-Hall’s Gap Road we saw flocks
of emus sharing the pasture with
sheep. On the Bolte Highway, in the
foothills of the Mount Difficult Range,
we met Miss Jean Galbraith and her

99

party. In chosen places of heathland
our botanising was greatly helped by
Miss Galbraith imparting her know-
ledge.

Here it was interesting to find
growing side by side, three species of
Leucopogon — L. glacialis (twisted
leaves), L. ericaides (long sprays of
scented flowers), L. virgatus (com-
mon (near Melbourne); two species of
Spyridium, S. vexilliferum (twiggy),
S. parvifolium (a western form with
small woolly leaves), two Persoonia,
P. juniperina, and P. confertiflora;
four Hibbertias — A. virgata, H.
sericea, H. fasciculata, H. linearis;
several species of Epacris indigenous
to the area; two Hakea — H. sericea
(with lumpy fruits), H. rostrata (with
beaked fruits); two species of Bank-
sia — B. ornata, B. marginata; and
several species of Acacia. Thrypto-
mene was at its zenith of perfection,
and in massed growth along this road.

Some of our members walked to the
Freestone Quarry, famous for the
building blocks used in the 1880’s for
the front of Parliament House, the
G.P.O. and Harbor Trust Buildings
in Melbourne. Lunchtime was spent
on the Roses Gap Road, and in the
afternoon some of us climbed Mount
Zero.

At night we attended the Stawell
F.N.C. monthly meeting, when Mr.
Ian Morrison of the F.N.C.V., gave
an interesting narration on his excel-
lent Kodachrome record of a safari
around north-west Australia.

Tuesday, 29 August. We thank Mr.
Neil Bennett for his leadership on the
excursion to the foothills of the Pyre-
nees, via Bulgana, Joel, Concongella,
Salt Creek, Landsborough, Crow-
lands, and Warrewang. Our objective
was to see a Slate Mine, from which
roofing tiles were obtained for Parlia-
ment House, Melbourne. From low
grade slates, we found large crystals of

100

iron pyrites. There were stages show-
ing oxidation of iron pyrites to iron
oxide, and its subsequent dissolving
by rainwater making the slate porous.
Among the many birds recognised, the

Black-tailed Native Hens made a
special impression.
Wednesday, 30 August. Miss

Hughes drove four of us to the Iron-
bark Forest at 7a.m., especially to
hear and record on tape, the song of
the Crested Bell-bird. In the after-
noon Mrs. Neil Bennett and _ her
daughter, Margaret, joined us for a
visit to the Grampians, the Wonder-
land walk, Sundial Track area, and
Bellfield Lake. At night we attended
a lecture in Hall’s Gap, on the
“Natural History of the Grampians”,
given by Mr. Ian McCann, the presi-
dent of the Stawell F.N.C.

Thursday, 31 August. Mr. Neil
Bennett pointed out the important
landmarks of Stawell as we drove on
our way to the Three Jacks Reserve,
and the two-acre, fenced-in Sanctuary
for Native Plants. There were parti-
cularly fine specimens of the shrub,
Hybanthus floribundus. Diurus pedun-
culata| was numerous. Then we
roamed in the open forested area of
the Ironbark Ranges, and visited the
lonely grave of a boy with 1854 date
on the headstone. In the Glenorchy
district, at Deep Head, at the home of
Mrs. K. Bennett, a barbecue lunch
was prepared for us. We should like
to thank Mrs. Bennett for her kind
hospitality, and the members of the
Stawell F.N.C. who prepared _ this
meal, and afternoon tea. Mr. Neil
Bennett took us for an exploratory
walk over the nearby gold diggings,
where we found double-pointed hexa-
gonal crystals of Quartz. Both Cala-
denia caerulea, and Micromyrtus cilia-
tus were growing in abundance in the
gravelly soil.

Vict. Nat. Vol. 90

Friday, 1 September. Miss Hughes
guided us, via Fyan’s Lake Reserve,
Pomonal, Hall’s Gap, to Fyan’s Creek
and Stawell Water Reservoir. We
walked up the Barbican Rocks Road
and investigated the disused water
flume. After lunch at the Burrough
Huts site, we drove to Jimmy’s Creek
area. Here we found fine specimens
of Epacris impressa, Grevillea ole-
oides, and, nearby, Sprengelia in-
carnata. Before returning to Stawell,
we visited Mrs. Johnson’s Native
Plant Nursery at Hall’s Gap.

Saturday, 2 September. Members
of the Stawell F.N.C. came to fare-
well us at 8.45 a.m. We should like
to thank them for all they did to
make our visit a memorable one. A
stop at McDonald Park, west of
Ararat, was rewarding with very fine
specimens of Correa reflexa, and a
pink variety of Hakea sericea. Lake
Windermere, Ballarat, proved the next
pleasant respite for watching many in-
teresting waterbirds, and a fitting place
for our last stop on such a success-
ful Spring Excursion.

Mary K. DOERY.

Geoplana atrata Steel, 1897 —

A new Planarian record for Victoria

by LEIGH WINSOR*

Recent night surveying along the
Plenty River, Lower Plenty as part
of a study of Victorian land plana-
rians (Phylum-Platyhelminthes), re-
sulted in the collection of several
species of flatworm.

One of these species was later identi-
fied as Geoplana atrata Steel, pre-
viously only recorded in New South
Wales. This therefore constitutes a
new record of the species for Victoria.

Geoplana atrata Steel, 1897
Steel, T., 1897. Proc. Linn. Soc.
N.S.W. 22: 104-119.

The ground colour of the plana-
rian was an intense shiny black with-
out any dorsolateral markings. On the
ventral surface a dark grey median
line 0.3mm. wide bordered by pale
grey lines of the same width, extended

*Field Survey Group, F.N.C.V.
8/4 Rathmines Street, Fairfield 3078.

Figure 1.

Ventral surface of Geoplana atrata. Pa pharyngeal aperture. Ga genital aperture.

April, 1973

101

the length of the worm. The black
ground colour 0.3 mm. wide along the
margins of the ventral surface, was
continuous with the dorsolateral sur-
face. The ventral median line ap-
peared mottled under X20 magnifica-
tion. A single row of large eyes ex-
tended laterally along the entire
length of the animal. They were
difficult to distinguish from the black
ground colour along the sides, but
were readily observed at the anterior
end. The dimensions of the worm
when crawling were 20 mm. long and
1 mm. wide. The pharyngeal aperture
was 11mm. behind the anterior end.
The genital aperture was 2mm. be-
hind the pharyngeal aperture. Both
apertures were situated on the ventral
surface (see figure).

The above description agreed in
every respect with that of Steel, and
the position of the genital aperture
determined. This had not previously
been noted. Diagnostic features of
G. atrata are the jet black colour of
the dorsal surface (atrata — clothed in
black), and the ventral median dark
grey stripe as shown in the figure.
It is considered an uncommon species
of land planarian.

Two specimens of G. atrata were
collected from the banks of the
Plenty River by the bridge on the
Lower Plenty Road, Lower Plenty,
Victoria. One of those specimens was
lodged with the National Museum of
Victoria aS a voucher’ specimen
(N.M.V. Reg. No. G2111). Its dimen-

sions were 20 mm. long and 1 mm.
wide when crawling, and 17 mm. long,
1 mm. wide following fixation. Mor-
phology and colour were little changed
by the formalin based preservative,
and the diagnostic ventral stripes re-
mained distinct.

The animal was found on moist
clay under cover of grass and other
herbage bordering the river bank. It
preferred a sheltered habitat, in con-
trast to the other planarians with which
it was associated. When disturbed it
took cover in mudcracks or between
grass stems, moving with a rapid
leech-like motion. The animal was
extremely delicate, readily fragment-
ing when handled. Its mucus secretion
was very sticky and adhered to dry
surfaces. Associated with G. atrata
were G. munda which was very com-
mon, and G. ventrolineata seen less
commonly. Rhynchodemus simulans
which closely resembles G. atrata was
also found at one locality. Other
specimens of G. atrata were found
along the banks of the Yarra River,
Fitzsimmons Lane Templestowe, and
Deep Creek, Romsey. Its occurrence
was localized at each of the localities.

ACKNOWLEDGEMENT
I should like to thank Dr. Brian Smith,
Curator of Invertebrates, National
Museum of Victoria, for his advice.

REFERENCE
Steel, T., 1897. Australian Land Plana-
rians: Descriptions of new species and

notes on collecting and _ preserving.
Proc. Linn. Soc. N.S.W. 22: 104-119.

Notice to Country Clubs

It is proposed that the names and addresses of the Presidents and Secretaries of all
F.N.C.’s should appear in the Victorian Naturalist. It would therefore be appreciated
if these could be lodged with the F.N.C.V. Secretary when convenient.

102

Vict. Nat. Vol. 90

Vale,
Norman Arthur Wakefield

by

J. H. WILLIS

The stunning news of Norman
Wakefield’s sudden, untimely death,
through a fall at his Sherbrooke home
in the Dandenongs on 23 September,
1972, reached me in Amsterdam a few
days later. It seemed unreal that such
an active fellow naturalist and brilliant
research scientist was no longer with
us. Only recently he had been en-
thusiastically planning special accom-
modation on his newly acquired pro-
perty where naturalist friends could
come and enjoy the quiet silvan set-
ting, so close to Sherbrooke Forest
with its wealth of trees, ferns, fungi
and varied animal life.

Since returning to Australia, I have
been gratified to read the touching
tribute by our editor, Grif. Ward
(Vict. Nat. 89: 285, Oct. 1972), and
to note that the Council of the Field
Naturalists’ Club has decided to per-
petuate Wakefield’s memory by estab-
lishing a fund for some _ worthy
objective — one hopes that donations
will roll in, and also that an early
effort will be made to publish a biblio-
graphy of all his writings. After Wake-
field was awarded the Australian
Natural History Medallion for 1962,
I had the honour of contributing a
brief account of his exploits and acti-
vities for publication in the Victorian
Naturalist (see Vol. 81: 193-194, Nov.
1964). It is now appropriate to up-
date this record.

Throughout his long association
with this Club (from election to mem-
bership in May, 1938), N. A. Wake-
field published no less than 126 articles
and notes in its journal, many of them

April, 1973

well illustrated by his own good photo-
graphs or line drawings. His first
paper was botanical, “Further notes on
orchids of the Orbost District” (V.N.
55: 129, Nov. 1938) — an addendum
to the paper on Orbost orchid occur-
rences by Frank Robbins (Oct. 1938);
at that time Wakefield had tallied 66
species of Orchidaceae for Orbost and
its environs. His final paper, 334 years
later, was historical and ornithological,
about “Harmony Vale, Baron von
Hiigel and an early Victorian bird
collection” (V.N. 89: 156-164, June
1972). When perusing his numerous
writings one is impressed by the wide
versatility of interest and talent —
from the finer cranial measurements
of a rare marsupial to evidence for
pin-pointing the pioneer alpine journey
of John Lhotsky from the Monaro
almost to Mt. Kosciusko in March
1834. He crowded more into his
53 years than most of us would do if
granted several lifetimes.

Up to April 1957 he had published
the descriptions of 39 new species of
Australian plants, and about this time
he aided the writer very materially in
preparing draft-keys to several large
and difficult sections of the native
flora, to be embodied later in the
Handbook to Plants in Victoria, Vol.
I (1962) and Vol. II (1973). As
editor of the Club’s journal for 114
years from November 1952 (except
for one year, April 1957-May 1958,
when Mr. A. B. Court handled the
editorship), he brought the Victorian
Naturalist to a high standard of pre-
sentation, attractiveness and popularity.

103

In 1967 Longmans brought out the
book, Naturalist’s Diary, which was a
classified selection of Norman Wake-
field’s nature articles that had appeared
each week in the Melbourne Age be-
tween 1963 and 1965. There was a
splendid review of it by young school-
teacher Evan Rowlands (now, alas,
also deceased) in Vic. Nat. 85: 138-
139, May 1968. By far the majority
of subjects were presented in an East
Gippsland context, which reflected the
author’s particular knowledge and en-
thusiasm for this part of the State.
As a member of the Royal Society of
Victoria for about eight years, he con-
tributed a few well documented papers
to the Proceedings of that body, the
last one entitled “Palzoecology of
fossil mammal assemblages from some
Australian caves” (Vol. 85: pp. 1-26
with three plates, June 1972). The
Royal Society's symposium on East
Gippsland, published early in 1969, in-
cluded a significant historical paper by
Wakefield, complementing his “Gene-
sis Of Gippsland” that had appeared
in The Educational Magazine 8, Nos.
7 and 8 (August and September
OST)

In 1969 Monash University con-
ferred upon him the Master of Science
degree for his thesis, “An investiga-
tion of later Pleistocene and recent
cave deposits in south-eastern Aus-
tralia”. Probably the most exciting
and spectacular discovery of all was
made just a year before he died.
With F.N. club member Keith Rogers
(of Wulgulmerang) and Russell Bat-
hard (science student of Monash
Teachers’ College) he was botanizing
along a cliffy section of the Genoa
River near the N.S.W. border, when
he saw a trail of unmistakable fossil
footprints in the Devonian sandstone
(about 350 million years old)! There
were several tracks exposed on the ex-
tensive slab of rock, indicating a
Paleozoic amphibian between 2 and

104

3 ft. long. Wakefield lost no time in
sharing his find with Professor J. W.
Warren (Zoology Department, Mon-
ash University) who recognized its
world-wide interest — the footprints
may prove to be the oldest yet known
to science. The location of this dis-
covery was not made public until
specimens of the tracks had been re-
moved to safety by helicopter early
last August, when there were several
simultaneous announcements in the
press. A preliminary note has been
published in Nature, under the joint
authorship of Warren and Wakefield
who were also collaborating in a
major research programme on the
footprints.

Whatever N. A. Wakefield’s aca-
demic attainments, and these were cer-
tainly numerous, he will also be sadly
missed for his personal qualities —
gentle, cheerful, helpful, open-hearted,
honourable, meticulous and _ tidy,
courageous, tenacious of purpose, in-
spiring confidence, the loyal and stal-
wart companion of many. Perhaps I
may be forgiven for indulging in a
few personal reminiscences, since it is
my own privilege to look back upon
33 years of friendship with Norman.
When our children were young, he
would entertain them by the hour with
jokes, tricks and sleights-of-hand, and
his visits to the home were always
more than welcome.

During the 1940’s and early 50’s,
when he was teaching at Genoa and
Cann River schools, we enjoyed many
a camp-out in such remote parts of
Gippsland as Suggan Buggan, Mt.
Ellery, Bendoc Hills and the Howe
Ranges. On long week-ends, he would
meet my Friday bus, from the Bairns-
dale rail-head, at Orbost about 6 p.m.
with the cheery greeting: “All aboard;
we start straight away and do our
driving through the night, then we can
use every bit of tomorrow’s daylight
for exploring.” What hectic week-

Vict. Nat. Vol. 90

ends those were! — we'd both be dog-
tired by the Monday. But it was such
fun sharing in his latest botanical dis-
coveries, and together turning up an
occasional new record. One day, en
route for Suggan Buggan, he met me
in Orbost with a hoodless car and,
upon being quizzed, remarked laugh-
ingly, “Oh, I tore it off last week —
rammed into some logs that projected
too far behind a timber jinker.” While
we chugged up the long slope from
Buchan to W. Tree, the sky grew dark
and threatening, but Norman tried to
console my increasing apprehension
and sense of exposure to chilling
winds: “This pine country of the Up-
per Snowy is quite dry really; I’ve
never struck rain there at this time of
year.” It wasn’t long before the hea-
vens opened up, and we were sitting
soaked and miserable in pools of water
as we crept along through Gelantipy
and Wulgulmerang to a dismally wet
camp — however, we dried out next
morning in bright sunshine. By con-
trast, another trip in Genoa district
was made unpleasant by sweltering
mid-summer heat. The night was so
hot that we simply stretched out to
sleep on the flat granite rocks along
Genoa Creek, an idyllic spot where
boulders were festooned with streaked
Rock-orchids; we awoke in the early
dawn to find an enormous _ black
snake coiled up between us on the
same slab.

On the occasion (Dec. 1951) of our
joint excursion to Mt. Ellery, the ap-
proach along a narrow forest road was

effectively blocked by a huge dead
and recently fallen tree. My pessi-
mistic reaction was to abandon the car
and walk the remaining eight miles to
the foot of Ellery. “Not on your life,”
said Norman, “we aren’t going to do a
stretch of 16 miles when we can prob-
ably burn the jolly thing through in a
few hours.” So we sat up all night
stoking a mighty bonfire under the
centre of that log; by daylight, there
remained only a small unburnt arc on
the top and this was soon severed by
some axe-work, the hardest job being
to lever the two smouldering ends off
the track so that our car would pass
through. At length, reaching the vast
jumble of granite boulders (some as
big as houses) at 4,200 ft., we
climbed barefoot to the top of the
gigantic summit rock (Aborigines
knew Ellery as goonegerah or “egg
mountain”, after its crowning mono-
lith). There we paused to drink in
the absolutely magnificent panorama
unfolding in all directions, and photo-
graphed each other as a record — my
profile is discernible in the plate on
p.35 of Naturalists Diary.

So one could multiply the adven-
tures we shared along the track,
cherished the more in memory now
that he is gone. I have yet to meet
a stronger or more resourceful bush-
man than Wakefield in his prime, and
he was a “white” man to the core. I
warmly endorse the sympathy ex-
tended editorially by Mr. G. M. Ward
to his widow, Audrey, his elderly sur-
viving parents and other relatives.

BLACK ROCK JUNIOR F.N.C.

Members of the Hawthorn Junior
F.N.C. are helping to launch this new
club, on Friday, 13 April, at the Con-
gregational Church Hall on _ the
corner of Arkaringa Crescent and
Bent Parade.

April, 1973

The guest speaker for the evening
will be well-known naturalist, Mr.
Jack Hyett, who will give an “Tllus-
trated Nature Talk”.

Information from Mrs. Hampton,

98 7064.

105

The Field Naturalists Club of Victoria
ANNUAL REPORT 1972-73

Council feels that 1972 has seen a
significant improvement in the affairs of
the Club, though a number of serious
problems remain. On the bright side,
we have nominations for all positions on
Council, though one member has since
had to resign, and there is a much
greater public awareness of, and interest
in, the need to conserve our natural
resources. The Field Survey Group and
Day Group have had a successful first
year, and the preparation of the Cumu-
lative Index to the Victorian Naturalist
is progressing steadily. Volumes 1-88
have been indexed, giving 12,000 cards
which are now being checked in prepara-
tion for publication.

The Australian Natural History Medal-
lion for 1972 was awarded to Allan
Strom of Sydney, noted for his pro-
minent role in ecological education and
his active participation in many societies.

The proposals to form a Union of
Field Naturalists’ Clubs have culminated
in the formation of the Victorian Field
Naturalists’ Clubs Association which will
hold an Annual Convention of all Clubs.

On the other hand, the burden of run-
ning the Club still falls far too heavily
on a few willing workers, most of the
members remaining uninvolved, and our
membership figures do not reflect the up-
surge of interest in conservation. In
February, the Mammal Survey Group
split, most of the former Committee leav-
ing to form a new group. A number of
members elected to continue the F.N.C.V.
Group, but their work has been ham-
pered by a lack of records, the former
Committee having retained all field
records. The dispute over this issue had
seriously interfered with the work of
Council, taking up a large percentage of
its time during the year.

Sadly, a number of members have died
during the year, including Past-President
Hugh Stewart, and Norman Wakefield,
whose untimely death has been a parti-
cular blow to the Club. A Memorial
Fund has been opened, and some sug-
gestions have been considered, but this
can only be a success if some member,
or group of members, is prepared to
assume responsibility for its organisation.

Plans to revise the Articles and By-
Laws have been held up pending the

106

outcome of discussions with the Country
Clubs, but as the latter have decided not
to enter into a closer relationship with
the F.N.C.V., the revision by the Club
Improvement Committee will now go
ahead.

Hopefully the secretarial problems will
be eased in the New Year. The Secre-
tary is having a bungalow built which,
among other things, will provide a more
adequate home for the Club records, so
that a secretarial assistant will be able
to handle most of the routine work. The
records are in considerable disorder, and
if there is anyone with experience in
filing systems who would be prepared to
assist in sorting them out, their help
would be greatly appreciated. Help will
also be required with typing out the
Cumulative Index mentioned earlier.

In conclusion, we feel that 1972 has
been a better year for the Club, but that
we still have a long way to go before we
can again play our proper role in the
study and conservation of Natural
History.

ROGER RIORDAN,
Honorary Secretary.

Annual General Meeting — 14 March,
1973

Mr. Tom Sault, retiring President, took
the chair at the Annual Meeting with a
smaller than usual attendance of mem-
bers. The Secretary read the Annual
Report of Council which will be printed
separately. The financial statement was
presented by the Treasurer, Mr. Harry
Bishop. He reminded members that had
it not been for grants from the Ingram
Trust and the State Treasury we would
be showing a deficit of over $1,000. Mr.
Dan McInnes spoke about the sum of
over $2,000 which the Club received
from royalties and profit on sales of the
book, “Flowers and Plants of Victoria’,
by Cochrane, Fuhrer, Rotherham and
Willis, which is now sold out.

All nominees for Club offices and
Council, which were listed in the March
“Naturalist” were elected unopposed,
with the exception of Mr. D. Kelly, who
had to withdraw due to a transfer to
Ballarat. The retiring President also
automatically remains on Council so
that there is only one vacancy to be

Vict. Nat. Vol. 90

filled, for which Council would be
pleased to receive a nomination as soon
as possible.

For the first time for many years a
Presidential address was included in an
Annual Meeting. Mr. Sault reviewed
some of the changes which he had seen
in the Club and its activities during his
ten years of membership. He referred
particularly to the increasing number of
young people who were active and ac-
cepting positions of responsibility in the
Club, and said that this was no doubt
due to the influence of the various junior
clubs. He stressed the importance of
these groups and urged members to sup-
port them whenever possible. Mr. Sault
also spoke about the Club’s role in pro-
moting the conservation of the environ-
ment, and of the need to enlarge our
membership which has remained about
the same for many years, and has not
reflected the growing community interest
in the natural environment. He _ sug-
gested that we may need to consider
the desirability of advertising as a means
of increasing membership. A vote of
thanks to Mr. Sault for his fine work
with the Club was proposed by Mr.
D. McInnes, and endorsed warmly by
those present.

A report on the formation of the Vic-
torian Field Naturalists’ Clubs Associa-
tion was given by Mr. Roger Riordan,
who attended the inaugural meeting at
Shepparton as one of our delegates. It
is planned to hold an annual state-wide
convention during the Labor Day week-
end each year.

Exhibits at the meeting included gall
wasps under the microscope, some plant
specimens from the Baw Baw Plateau
and a number of garden grown native
plants. Several members also contri-
buted brief nature notes. At the conclu-
sion of the meeting the Club wished Mrs.
Woollard a happy eightieth birthday
anniversary.

Botany Group
Annual Report 1972

Botany Group held ten meetings dur-
ing the year, attendance by regular mem-
bers was very good and the average of
twenty-two per meeting was. slightly
higher than for the previous year.

Speakers at the meetings were Messrs.
A. Fairhall, “Propagation of Native
Plants”; K. Kleinecke, “Some Edible
Plants”; Ian Morrison, “Botany of the
Mt. Howitt Area”; Tom Sault, ‘“Sea-
weeds”; Ian Cameron, “Some Aspects of

April, 1973

New Zealand Flora”; John Robin, ‘‘Sher-
brooke”; Bruce Fuhrer, ‘Fungi’; Rex
Filson spoke on his recent study trip to
Europe and Dr. Gretna Weste, “The
Invasion of Victorian Forests by Phyto-
phthora cinnamomi’. There were also
two members’ nights during the year.

The excursion programme for the year
was somewhat curtailed due to transport
difficulties, but six outings were held.
Two trips were made to the Coranderrk
bushland, adjoining Healesville Sanc-
tuary, where members are assisting with
a plant survey and the planning of nature
trails. A small group joined the Field
Survey Group for a day at Cape Lip-
trap and we also visited the Beenak
area, Ferntree Gully National Park and
Murundindi.

The Group staged an exhibit at the
annual Nature Show on the theme
“Adaptation of Australian Plants to their
Environment”.

New members are always welcome at
Botany Group meetings and outings;
there are no formalities to joining, any
member of F.N.C.V. is eligible, just
come along to the Herbarium Hall on
the second Thursday of the month.
We would be particularly pleased to see
some of the new Club members who are
elected each month and give their in-
terest as Botany.

Botany Group — 8 March

The March meeting of Botany Group
was well attended and members en-
joyed a screening of excellent slides by
Mr. Alan Morrison on “Some Plants of
the Gulf Country”. The slides were
grouped according to families and Mr.
Morrison gave a most informative com-
mentary on the unfamiliar flora of this
sub-tropical area. The plants shown in-
cluded some uncommon and very color-
ful species as well as fungi and club
mosses.

The Club’s Assistant Librarian, Miss
Gwen Piper, reviewed several recent
periodicals from the Library containing
articles of interest to the Group. Fol-
lowing her suggestion Mr. Baines agreed
to keep members in touch with recent
additions to the Library by giving
regular reviews of periodicals and
journals.

The excursion sub-committee reported
having met, and presented a programme
up to September for the last Sunday in
each month. The next excursion will be
on Sunday, 29th April, to study fungi at
Kinglake.

107

The speakers for the April meeting
will be Mr. I. F. (Dick) Morrison and
Miss L. White, who will give “Some Im-
pressions of the New Zealand Flora”.

An informal discussion was held at the
close of the meeting concerning the best
way to assist new members and others
who want help with basic botany and
plant identification. It was agreed that
we would take some time at the end of
each meeting to discuss a “Flower of the
Month’, and to try to provide practice
for those interested in using a botanical
key, particularly “Plants in Victoria”,
Vol. 2 by J. H. Willis. It was also sug-
gested that some members may ap-
preciate explanation and discussion on
the relevant botanical terms. We would
be pleased to have questions and sug-
gestions from anyone interested in de-
veloping this part of the Group’s pro-
gramme.

Exhibits at the meeting included the
native Garland Lily, Calostemma_ pur-
pureum, growing and flowering in a pot;
also flowers of Crowea exalata and
Correa species for practice in identifica-
tion. An appeal was made for more ex-
hibits as a means of increasing interest
and promoting discussion at the con-
clusion of meetings.

Day Group
15 March

Thirty members met at the Park Street
entrance of the Botanic Gardens on a
fine, pleasant day.

After lunch and holding of our meet-
ing, members met Mr. Alan Gardiner,
superintendent of the Gardens, and were
conducted through several of the glass-
houses. These contain a wonderful col-
lection of exotic indoor plants, cacti, ferns
and mosses and orchids which are in
bloom practically every month of the
year.

At the conclusion of the inspection,
Mr. Gardiner was thanked by Mr. Fair-
hall, and members moved through the
gardens on their homeward way. De-
spite the drought there has been little
loss of trees and the lawns and flowers
are looking very green and healthy.

Everyone agreed it had been a most
interesting and enjoyable day. Members
left about 3 p.m.

Geology Group Annual Report
Chairman: R. Dodds.
Acting Secretary: T. Sault.
A monthly average of 17 members and
visitors attended throughout the year.
This was less than the previous year’s

108

average (19). There were 10 meetings
held, one less than normal, owing to a
power strike. All the speakers for the
year came from within the group. The
subjects and speakers were as follows:
March — Geological features seen on a
World Tour (R. Davidson). April —
Holiday reminiscences (Members). May
Geology of Halletts Cove, S.A. (D.
Myers). June — (Members’ Night).
July—Spar minerals (L. Angior). August
— Trees and Geology (Mrs. Costermans)
plus New Zealand thermal regions (Miss
L. Bennett). September — Graphite
Granite (Mrs. Salau) plus Werribee
Gorge (Miss R. Myers). October—New
Zealand Glaciers (Miss L. Bennett).
November — The shifting sands of Port
Philip (Mr. N. Wigmore). December —
(Members’ Night). Excursions were less
than in the previous year. Those held
included: Wonthaggi, Leader (Mr. Nim-
morvoll), Bacchus Marsh (Mr. S.
Rowe), Organ Pipes (Mr. R. Dodds),
Brighton to Beaumaris (Mr. D. McInnes).

The Group exhibited at the Nature
Show as usual; the exhibit being titled,
“Building Stones of Victoria’. Although
shown 10 years previously the exhibit
was in an entirely different format and
appeared to attract a reasonable amount
of interest.

Field Survey Group

Annual General Meeting — 22 March,
1973.

The Field Survey Group celebrated its
first year at the Annual General Meeting
of the Group. The committee elected for
1973-74 is: Chairman, L. Winsor; Sec-
retary, L. Barraclough; Minute Secre-
tary, R. St. Clair; Records Officer, A.
Brook; National Museum Representa-
tive, Dr. B. Smith; Residual, R. Sandell
and W. Clark.

The topic for the evening was the
Chairman’s address, “Land Planarians’’,
in which L. Winsor spoke of the eco-
logy and distribution of Victorian Land
Planarians which he is studying. The
meeting closed with supper.

F.S.G. Camp Reports
January — Mt. Erica Camp

Five members met at Erica and pro-
ceeded to Mt. Erica where they collected
specimens from the base and summit.
Walhalla and Aberfeldy were also sur-
veyed for invertebrates, frogs and botani-
cal specimens. The group joined the
Mammal Survey Group — F.N.C.V., on

Vict. Nat. Vol. 90

the Sunday evening. The Thomson River
and Jericho on the Jordan River were
visited. Many interesting specimens were
collected, including one of Victoria’s en-
demic frogs, Litoria maculata, in a new
locality. Peripatus sp. and four species of
land plananan were collected. Numerous
specimens of liverworts were collected by
L. Barraclough, and A. Burns and A.
Kelly added many arachnids and beetles
to their collection. Transport on this
camp was only one car, and as a result
much special equipment had to remain in
Melbourne, which in turn reduced the
efficiency of the group.
February — Boola-Boola Camp

This camp was held in the Boola-Boola
forest area north of Traralgon. Soon
after the arrival of six members in two
cars, fine rain made collecting work diffi-
cult. The forest area produced little of
interest, large areas having been ravaged
by A.P.M. for pulp milling. The group
camped at the “Boola-Boola Camp’, and
a night survey team set out for the south-
east of Traralgon. Night surveying
yielded some specimens of frogs, but little
else. On Sunday, the survey moved south
of Traralgon and some success was had
in collecting frogs, plants and inverte-
brates. Large areas cleared of timber
were Overgrown with blackberries, which
hampered the survey work. Late after-
noon, the group returned to Melbourne.

March Camp — Avoca Area
Four members of F.S.G. attended this
camp in the Avoca area. The predo-
minantly farming district yielded many
specimens of frogs, centipedes, molluscs
and planarians. Collecting was done in
the Pyrenees Ranges which produced

different species from those of the sur-
rounding district. Fine weather made a
most enjoyable week-end, and good col-
lecting, despite recent severe flooding of
much of the area covered by the survey.
February:

The topic for the evening was “Tax-
onomy and its Use”, given by A. Brook
and L. Winsor. A brief historical back-
ground and an introduction to the bi-
nomial system of zoological nomen-
clature was given by L. Winsor. A.
Brook then covered problems of classi-
fication of animals, illustrating his topic
with excellent transparencies. Grid maps
were made available to members, en-
abling them to plot the distribution of
animals or plants in which they are
interested.

Part I of a field guide for collectors,
printed, using the club card duplicator,
was available to members. The field
guide will set out habitat types, collect-
ing, preserving and grid survey tech-
niques. A larger manual for base refer-
ence is planned, in which all animal and
plant groups will be detailed together
with important points about collecting
and preserving techniques applied in
each case. It is hoped that these field
guides, once tested and amended will
provide the basis for a published field
guide for naturalists. Mike Howes and
Robin Sandell are concentrating on ter-
restial isopods and amphipods _repec-
tively, thus increasing group specializa-
tion in cryptozoic animals. The Group
will make reports to L.C.C. on the
Melbourne study area on the distribu-
tion and ecology of animals it has stu-
died and surveyed.

Notice to Contributors

It is important that material submitted for publication should preferably be
typewritten on foolscap or quarto sheets at double spacing, and with a 2.5-3 cm
(1”) margin on the left. No underlining of words should appear unless abso-

lutely necessary.

Where dates occur, the day should precede the month, e.g. 15 May 1972 not

May 15 1972.

April, 1973

109

Field Survey Group

Annual Report 1972

F.S.G. Committee:
Chairman — Leigh Winsor.
Secretary — Dave Barham.

Minute Secretary — Rosalind St. Clair.
Records Officer — Arthur Brooks.
Barbara Hooke, Linda Barraclough,
Dr. Brian Smith.

The Field Survey Group’ was
formed in February 1972, following
interest expressed in field work at the
December meeting of the Club, 1971.
Formation of the group was approved
by Council and its inaugural meeting
held in March 1972.

The group has steadily grown over
the year, and as a result of camps, in-
dividual study and support within the
group, a considerable degree of ex-
pertise has been achieved in specia-
lised fields. Currently group members
are specialising in the following:

Arthur Brooks — Frogs.

Linda Barraclough — Fungi and

Liverworts.

Barbara Hooke—Acacias and Euca-

lypts.

Dave and Ria Barham, Michael

Coulthard — Spiders.

Adrian Kelly — Beetles.

Alan Burns—Scorpions, Centipedes

and Millipedes.

Leigh Winsor — Land Flatworms.

In addition, the group assists Dr.
Brian Smith with his survey of Vic-
torian Non-Marine Molluscs.

Meetings — Monthly meetings al-
ternate between a speaker and group
discussion on the group’s survey work.
Dr. Brian Smith has addressed the
group on Grid Surveying techniques,
and on the National Museum and its
work. Miss L. Barraclough spoke on
Vegetation in Mountain Areas, and
Dr. Alan Bridgewater on Botanical
Surveying techniques.

110

Camps— Throughout the year eight
survey camps were held:—

Barringo, near Mt. Macedon.

Mt. Disappointment, with Mammal
Survey Group (F.N.C.V.).

Siberia Gap, near Healesville.

Cape Liptrap.

Mortimer Park, Gembrook.

Mt. Disappointment (farming areas).

Stoney Rises, Colac, with Mammal
Survey Group (F.N.C.V.).

Mt. Hickey, near Broadford, with

Mammal Survey Group
(F.N.C.V.)

McAllister Water Shed—Christmas
Camp.

The group gained valuable experi-
ence in grid survey techniques through
these survey camps, and the Christ-
mas Camp for 1972 is the culmination
of the year’s work. The group has
found itself able to rapidly survey
large areas during daytime or at night,
taking representative specimen samples
at frequent intervals.

Nature Show — The group exhibit
for the Nature Show 1972 depicted
the activities of the group and also
how we process and identify plants
and invertebrate animals.

Personal Projects — Initial . difficul-
ties in obtaining detailed reference
works hindered many projects, but
most members have by now made
some progress. Mr. Arthur Brooks
has obtained valuable data on frog
distribution and behaviour, supple-
menting his previous extensive studies
in this field. Many spiders are now
able to be identified, due to the efforts
of Dave and Ria Barham, and Michael
Coulthard. Assistance in this field was
offered by Mr. M. Grey, Curator of
Arachnids of the Australian Museum,
Sydney, Scorpions, Centipedes and

Vict. Nat. Vol. 90

|
|

Millipedes are a difficult group with
which to work, as most references are
in German. Alan Burns has tackled
this difficult group. Millipedes were
studied by Barry Cooper until he left
for America in September. Leigh
Winsor has studied land flatworms and
obtained interesting data on their dis-
tribution and behaviour. A new flat-
worm record for Victoria was obtained
during these studies.

Linda Barraclough, Barbara Hooke
and John Robins did a large amount
of work in plant identification, but in
order to pursue their interests in
depth, have restricted themselves to
Fungi, Liverworts, Acacias and Euca-
lypts.

Members — The group was unfor-
tunate to lose the guiding spirit
and enthusiasm of Barry Cooper
when he left for the U.S.A. to further
his studies. However, regular contact

with Barry is maintained and we re-
gard him as a “far country” member.

New members have expressed in-
terest in several fields and the group
hopes to promote these _ interests
further in 1973.

In November, Leigh Winsor spoke
to the Colac F.N.C. about the group’s
activities, and our work in the area
was facilitated by the Colac F.N.C.
Since then, Jamie Davis of Colac has
joined the group, and is able to at-
tend our camps.

The success of the group in such a
short time is largely due to the untir-
ing work of the committee, parti-
cularly the group secretaries (B.
Cooper and D. Barham) over 1972,
and to the valued and enthusiastic
support of Dr. Brian Smith, Curator
of Invertebrates, National Museum.
To them the group expresses its
sincere thanks.

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April, 1973

111

Field Naturalists Club of Victoria

Established 1880

OBJECTS: To stimulate interest in natural history and to preserve
and protect Australian fauna and flora.

Patron:
His Excellency Major-General Sir ROHAN DELACOMBE, K.B.E., C.B., D.S.O.

Key Office-Bearers, 1972-1973.

President:
Mr. T. SAULT

Hon. Secretary: Mr. R. H. RIORDAN, 15 Regent St., East Brighton, 3187. 92 8579
Treasurer: H. BISHOP. Address Correspondence to National Herbarium, The
Domain, South Yarra.

Subscription Secretary: Mr. D. E. McINNES, 129 Waverley Road, East Mal-
vern, 3145

Hon. Editor: Mr. G. M. WARD, 54 St. James Road, Heidelberg 3084.

Hon, Librarian: Mr. P. KELLY, c/o National Herbarium. The Domain, South
Yarra 3141.

Hon. Excursion Secretary: Miss M. ALLENDER, 19 Hawthorn Avenue, Caulfield
S1G1::, - (62:2749).

Magazine Sales Officer: Mr. B. FUHRER, 25 Sunhill Av., North Ringwood, 3134.

Group Secretaries:
Botany: Mrs. M. G. CORRICK, 7 Glenluss St., Balwyn 3103. Tel. 857 9937.
Day Group: Mrs. J. STRONG, 1160 Dandenong Rd., Murrumbeena (56 2271).

Entomology and Marine Biology: Mr. J. W. H. STRONG, Flat 11, “Palm Court”,
1160 Dandenong Rd., Murrumbeena 3163 (56 2271).

Field Survey: Miss L. BARRACLOUGH, c/o 8/4 Rathmines St., Fairfield 3078.
Geology: Mr. T. SAULT.

Mammal Survey: Mr. D. KELLY, 107 St. Elmo Road, Ivanhoe, Vic. 3079 (49 4583).
Microscopical: Mr. M. H. MEYER, 36 Milroy Street, East Brighton (96 3268).

MEMBERSHIP

Membership of the F.N.C.V. is open to any person interested in natural
history. The Victorian Naturalist is distributed free to all members, the club’s
reference and lending library is available, and other activities are indicated in
reports set out in the several preceding pages of this magazine.

Rates of Subscriptions for 1973.

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Full-time Students between 18 and 21 years pay at Junior Member rates.

All subscriptions should be made payable to the Field Naturalists Club of Victoria, and posted
to the Subscription Secretary.

fe) JENKIN, BUXTON & CO. PTY. LTD., PRINTERS, WEST MELBOURNE

MAY, 1973

Published by the
FIELD NATURALISTS CLUB OF VICTORIA

in which is incorporated the Microscopical Society of Victoria

Registered in Australia for transmission by post as a periodical.
Category “A”

45c

F.N.C.V. DIARY OF COMING EVENTS
GENERAL MEETING
Monday, 14 May— At National Herbarium, The Domain, South Yarra, commencing
8 p.m.
Subject for Evening — ‘“‘An Introduction to Insects”: Mr. P. Kelly.

New Members:

Ordinary:
Mrs. J. Hayward, 491 Glenferrie Road, Hawthorn 3122. General.
Mr. Gregory J. Hocking, 45 Highwood Drive, Glen Waverley 3150.
Miss Lillian Lenne, 76 Cooper Street, Essendon 3040. Plant Diseases.
Mrs. A. D. Morris, 1/49 Seymour Road, Elsternwick 3185.
Mrs. E. L. Saunders, 147 Marshall Street, Ivanhoe 3079.
Mr. Andrew Benwell, 334 Barkers Road, Hawthorn 3122. Mammals.

Joint:
Mr. James F. Hutton and Mrs. Elaine V. A. Hutton, 10 Bolton Street, Beaumaris 3193.
Geology, Mammals, Birds.
Mrs. Esme J. Kent, 16 Papua Street, Watsonia, 3087.
Mr. and Mrs. B. Abbott, 30 Lincoln Road, Essendon 3040. Botany.

Junior:
Christopher Lyons, 11 Esper Avenue, South Oakleigh 3167. Palaeontology.
Charles Meredith, Geelong Grammar School, Timbertop, P.B., Mansfield 3722.

Monday, 11 June — (To be announced).

GROUP MEETINGS
(8 p.m. at the National Herbarium unless otherwise stated.)
Wednesday, 9 May — Geology Group meeting.

Thursday, 10 May — Botany Group. Speaker, Mrs. P. Matches: “An Introduction to
the Rushes and Sedges”’.

Wednesday, 16 May — Microscopical Group.

Thursday, 24 May — F.S.G. General Meeting at 8 p.m. in Conference Room, National
Museum.

Sunday, 27 May — Botany Group Excursion, Mornington Peninsula.

Monday, 4 June — Marine Biology and Entomology Group meeting at Library
Conference Room, National Museum.

Wednesday, 6 June — Geology Group.
Thursday, 14 June — Botany Group.

JUNIOR F.N.C. MEETINGS
Friday, 25 May— Hawthorn Juniors in Town Hall at 8.00 p.m.

Friday, 1 June— Preston Juniors at 281 High Street, Preston (Rechabite Hall), at
8.00 p.m.

Friday, 8 June— Montmorency and District in Scout Hall, Petrie Park at 8.00 p.m.

Friday, 8 June—Black Rock Juniors at 8 p.m. in Congregational Church Hall, cnr.
Arkaringa Crescent and Bent Parade.

F.N.C.V. EXCURSIONS

Thursday, 17 May — Day Group. Wattle Park Tram No. 70 leaving Batman Avenue
at 10.48 a.m. Alight at Entrance to Wattle Park. Meet 11.30a.m. Bring lunch.

Sunday, 20 May — Fungi excursion led by Mr. J. H. Willis. The bus will leave
Batman Avenue at 9.30 a.m., but members travelling by private car may join the
excursion at Eastland Shopping Centre, Ringwood, at 10.15 a.m., where we will
meet a group from the Native Plants Preservation Society who will join us for
the day. Bring one meal and a snack. Fare $2.00.

Plans are in hand for an excursion to the Warrumbungles in the August-September
school holidays, leaving Melbourne, Saturday, 28 August. Details should be in
the next Naturalist.

114 Vict. Nat. Vol. 90

The

Victorian Naturalist

Editor: G. M. Ward

Assistant Editor: G. Douglas
Vol. 90, No. 5

CONTENTS

Articles:
Camping in the Caves Country. By Elizabeth K. Turner

14 May, 1973

The Origin of Generic Names of the Victorian Flora — Part 1 [cont.].

By J. A. Baines 122

An Avoca River-Wirrengren Plain Aboriginal Trade Route.

By Aldo Massola = 126

A Note on Dacelo gigas. By Cedric and Claire Ralph 132

A Further Note on the Leathery Puffball. By G. Crichton fete No

Colour of Coastal Rocks of the Otway Ranges. By Edmund D. Gill .. = 134

The Names of Minerals. By A. W. Beasley 1bSiS)
Personal:

E. S. Hanks 133
Feature:

Nature Notes from the Gold Coast. By Alex N. Burns 124
Book Reviews:

“Forest Trees of Australia” . 137

“A Handbook to Plants in Victoria” 138

“Birds of Victoria — No. 4 . 139
Field Naturalists’ Club of Victoria:

Group Meeting Reports 140

Diary of Coming Events 114

Country and Junior F.N.C.’s 142

Front Cover:

... the Pyramids, which are tall, fluted blocks of limestone . . . (see leading

article, p.116).

May, 1973

Photo: Author.

115

Camping in the Caves Country

Labour Day Week-end — 9 to 12 March 1973

by ELIZABETH K. TURNER

The Caves Country in Victoria is
an extensive limestone region running
north from Buchan into the Eastern
Highlands, and including Murrindal.

These limestones which formed in
Silurian and Devonian times (approxi-
mately some 400 to 100 million years
B.P.) represent the sedimentary cal-
carious parts of marine animals, ac-
cumulated on the floor of the ancient
Palaeozoic sea.

These skeletons are composed of
calcium carbonate which is soluble in
water containing carbon dioxide; rain
water obtains this gas from the air as
well as oxygen and humic acids from
the soil. This acidulated water perco-
lates in along fissures and joints in the
rocks, dissolving the limestone and
forming caves and channels.

Water and acid calcium carbonate
in solution drips from the roof of
these caves and in the process the gas,
carbon dioxide, is lost, thus calcium
carbonate is precipitated to form
stalactites which may be _ variously
coloured by other chemicals such as
iron.

On the floor of the caves below, the
calcium carbonate is deposited as
rounded masses, or stalagmites. Over
the years, the roofs of these caves
have frequently collapsed to form
sink holes, a few of which are visible
from the Buchan-Murrindal roadway.
Where these sink holes have formed
in the beds of streams, the waters
plunge underground into a swallow
hole. Near such a one on the Murrin-
dal river we pitched our tents, choos-
ing a small, elevated, grassy flood
plain on the west bank of the river
within view of the Pyramids, which

116

are tall, fluted blocks of limestone,
the largest about 40 feet high perched
atop and to the north end, of the
rounded hill under which the river
disappears and runs underground for
about 4+ of a mile.

A cliff face extends about 250 feet
from the Pyramids vertically down to
the river to form its eastern bank.
This cliff face has concertina-type
folds with straight limbs and angular
anticlines and synclines, occurring in
pinkish-coloured mudstone and bedded
limestone. West of the Pyramids
there is a large sink hole representing
the collapsed roof of Dalley’s cave be-
low. Speleologists who have entered
this cave have recently sighted a living
platypus swimming in water approxi-
mately 1,000 feet from the entrance.

The Murrindal river arises in the
Black Mountain area to the north, and
flows south for about 25 miles along
a steep-sided valley formed in the
Snowy River volcanic rock. The
waters are augmented by those of
Butcher’s Creek and together they
reach the limestone area. Here the
river flows along the boundary be-
tween the Volcanics and the limestone
until it joins the Buchan River. This
river arises in the vicinity of the
Cobberas (6,025 ft.) and flows south
for about 50 miles to join the Snowy
River a little south of Buchan. The
combined waters from these rivers
enter the ocean at Marlo.

We had been told that at this par-
ticular season, following the drought,
the Murrindal River was so low that
all the water went underground and
one could dive into the swallow hole

Vict. Nat. Vol. 90

and, by holding one’s breath, could
come up into the so-called sub-aqua
cave. We were too terrified to attempt
this feat, but with great trepidation
inspected the natural cave entrances
along the high west cliff of the river,
some of which were marked with the

PARISH One
ro MURRINDAL CAVE
‘W L/LLY PILLY CAVE
<Mt Dawson } :
Z =
DICKSON
CAV. =
»
\ »
4 ~
C- =
@ camp

: PON AON OR
<The Pyramias w
“UNDERGROUND shoe re

~~

ce M™ Leod

metal identification disc of the Spele-
ologists.

At Buchan the river flows in its
valley tract and the well-incised chan-
nels show along their banks small,
rounded boulders overlain with de-
posits of coarse detritus and quartz

BUCHAN

s
Whisky Ch,

SLOCOMBE
£S

RIVER
2 aS
= nha eo
mm Seer
Vv ) } Aten nor
Ye jams : =
oe : ( A oer ;
5 ae ee Sip 5 Bag RB. =
Ge eon ).. »<Rocky Nob”: us
“The ae a
CAVE a Be
mG BUCHAN.“ NG
a BS eee D “ON
MOON CAVES a witso e
CA ee - SS)
IRIN FEDERARCAVE ae =
ROVALTAVES (1 =
FAIRY CAVE 0 ; A oy oa
/TSON CAVES : y ae
2 ee ‘Cm (\ pt

\ ; »)

LAr G
Cn

'NOng ... NR

MONO AIL IAC PUAN cote meee ae

Figure 1: Locality Map of Cave Country.

May, 1973

117

sand; further north near our camp on
the Murrindal the gradient of the
river was steeper and the boulders
were much larger and angular and of
many shapes and colours. The deep
red ones were rounded and appeared
to be volcanic, possibly a _ granite
porphyry; and these were interspersed
with smoke-grey plaques of what ap-
peared to be a mud-stone, and large
irregular masses of pale grey mud-
stone (with darker limestone nodules
which appeared fossiliferous), and
blocks of conglomerate with rounded
boulders cemented together.

These streams proved difficult and
tiring to clamber along, especially in
a temperature of more than 30° C.,

118

but the river water was cool as it
emerged from the hillside some 4 mile
or so south of the swallow hole, and
this proved an excellent place for a
bathe.

Before leaving Buchan, early on the
cloudless, brilliant morning of Satur-
day 10 March, we noted flocks of
Gang- gangs and _ Sulphur - crested
Cockatoos feeding in the Yellow Box
(E. melliodora). The sounds and

sights of the Grey Currawong were
common during the weekend, and at
one stage at the camp we noted a
number of Bell Miners (also common
along the river), mercilessly attacking
a Currawong which had strayed into
their territory.

Plate 1

In Dalley’s Sink
Hole —
members of
sub-aqua
Speleological
Society (now
incorporated
into Victorian
Speleological
Association).

Photo:
Peter Robertson.

Vict. Nat. Vol. 90

The forest officer in Buchan advised
us to travel east along the Orbost road,
and then north along the Old Basin
Road over the Murrindal River and
along to the Tulloch Ard road, which
runs more or less on the top of the
spur between the Snowy and Murrin-
dal rivers, past Mt. McLeod and
through Ash Saddle where there are
fine specimens of E. delegatensis;
until one enters the Tulloch Ard
property through a gate, and then by
turning west to Butcher’s Creek re-
joins the main road from Gelantipy
south to Murrindal and Buchan. The
views from this road over the Snowy
River gorges were extremely fine at
points where the forest had been
cleared.

The Eucalypts were mainly assorted
stringy barks, the Brown Stringy Bark
(E. baxteri) being in abundance.
There were also fine stands of Gipps-
land Grey Box (E. bosistoana), Red
and Yellow Box (E. polyanthemos
and E. melliodora); and also the
Whitewood (Acacia mollis) and the
Sunshine Wattle (A. botryocephala)
in flower. The Black She-oak (Casua-
rina littoralis) seemed plentiful, and
the road traversed many fern gullies
where Rough Tree Ferns (Cyathea
australis) Pomaderris sp. and Bed-
fordia grew abundantly.

Our fern list over this weekend in-
cluded :—

Small Rasp-fern (Doodia caudata)
var. dimorpha

Common Rasp-fern (D. media)

Sickle-fern (Pellara falcata)

Fan-fern (Sticherus lobatus)

Austral Lady-fern (Athyrium aus-
trale)

Mother Shield-fern
proliferum)

Maiden-hair Fern (Adiantum
aethiopicum)

Common _ Spleenwort
trichomanes )

(Polystichum

(Asplenium

May, 1973

Rock-fern (Cheilanthus tennui-
folia)
Finger-fern (Grammitis billardieri)

Fishbone Water-fern (Blechnum
nudum)

Bats-wing Fern (Histiopteris in-
cisa)

We were treated to some very close
views of a black goanna, 4’ 6” long,
which had brilliant yellow bands en-
circling his horny limbs (? Varanus
varius). He crossed the track at great
speed and then climbed up to about
10 feet on a eucalypt sapling, and
froze in a suitable pose for photo-
graphy. Later, when disturbed, he
climbed to the top of the tree making
quite a terrifying hissing sound.

Amongst the ground cover in the
Stringy-bark forests of the area we
found masses of Stypandra_ and
Dianella plants not in flower; and in
flower, Red Correa (C. reflexa), the
Golden Everlasting (Helichrysum
bracteatum), the Lavender Bottle-
daisy (Lagenophora Stipitata), and the
minute Pink Pea flowers of the Vari-
able Tic-trefoil (Desmodium varians) .
Some Prostanthera sp., had been lately
in flower.

Growing thickly along the coarse,
sandy, graded reaches of the river
below the flat east bank on which our
tents were pitched, was the Kanooka
(Tristania laurina) also lately in
flower, the fallen fruits of which at-
tracted a large flock of beautiful deep-
grey Wonga pigeons with creamy
white crowns, throats and abdomens.
These fine creatures flew off one by
one with a loud whirring of wings at
our approach. We were able to see
only one King Parrot; but Crimson
Rosellas were common. Our camp
site provided an excellent post to
observe the hundreds of Bell Miners
in the surrounding Yellow Box trees.
These pretty olive-green birds with
orange legs and bills and a _ bright

119

yellow patch in front of the eye, began
a tentative “tinking” at dawn. This
sound was made by the bird while
flying or stationary, whilst eating the
mealy bug on the leaves, and con-
tinued in a crescendo until a kind of
plateau of sound was reached about
the time the sun’s rays surmounted the
high, forested hills on the east side of
the valley. A decrescendo of sound
occurred around dusk, but there were
still a few “tinks” heard after dark-
ness. These birds were observed to
occasionally fly down to the river
pools. The unmistakable song of
several lyre-birds was enjoyed in the
early morning from the comfort of
our sleeping bags; and Noisy Miners
with their bright yellow bills and legs
were a common sight.

We had intended exploring the
Pyramids and the nearby sink-hole
further on the Sunday afternoon
where one of us, during a visit in
January several years previously, had
discovered the Shrubby Platysace
lanceolata and the Large-leaf Bush
Pea (Pultenaea daphnoides) in flower;
and also the Turnip-Wood (Rapanea
howittiana), (a tree with small blue
fruits on its stems), and the satiny

120

white flowers of the Grevillea-like
Lomatia myricoides. Among the
climbers she had observed were the
tough Marsdenia rostrata of the East
Gippsland jungles and the Wombat
berry (Eustrephus latifolius). This
latter we also observed growing below
the Burgan (Leptospermum ericoides)
covered banks of the river, along with
occasional bushes of the crimson and
the cream Bottle-brushes (Callistemon
citrinus and palludosus).

Our exploratory excursion on the
hot Sunday afternoon was severely
curtailed due to a mishap with the car
on the narrow mountain track, neces-
sitating a tiring walk north for about
four miles to obtain help from our
friends the McRae’s at the homestead,
all of which proved unnecessary in
the end as the three young male
Speleologists (the only other campers
in the area) returned home in time to
manhandle the car back on to the
track again.

Among the Eucalypts, we observed
the Cherry Ballart (Exocarpus cup-
ressiformis) and the Hop-bush (Do-
donaea attenuata). Along the east
river bank we also found flowering
specimens of the Labiate Plectranthus

Plate 2

The camp on
grassy flood
plain of west
bank of
Murrindal
River.

Photo: Author.

Vict. Nat. Vol. 90

le

australis; while clinging to the vertical
west cliffs of the river were some fine
trees of the Sweet Pittosporum (P.
undulatum).

In the homestead paddocks the
predominant remaining trees are the
Kurrajong (Brachychiton diversifolia) .
Nearer to the Buchan-Suggan Buggan
road than the McRae homestead is a
wonderful old stone house, now
painted creamy-white with pale blue
trimmings of doors and windows, and

May, 1973

Plate 3

Members of
Subaqua
Speleological
Society
preparing to
dive into
sub-aqua cave.

Photo:
Graeme Wilson.

with ancient chimney pieces, a long
verandah, and the irregularities of
structure which denote antiquity.

From the roadway it is possible to
visit the very large, still unenclosed
Murrindal Cave and the Lilly Pilly
Cave.

On Monday morning we _ were
awakened, to our dismay, by the
sound of raindrops on the canvas and
the contemplation of packing wet
tents was a trifle disturbing. However

Plate 4

Pool in
Murrindal
River after it
emerges from
underground
channel,
showing large,
angular rocks
— volcanic,
limestone and
mudstone.

Photo: Author.

121

the sun soon shone again and we
packed and travelled back to Mel-
bourne in comfort.

It seemed to us that this camping
weekend had been near to ideal, with
windless, fine weather, a sheltered,
flat camp site, a nearby deep pool of
drinkable river water, constant day-
time music supplied by the Bell
Miners and Lyrebirds, comparative
freedom from pests of all varieties
and, as a special bonus, fresh mush-
rooms for tea. These were collected
from the grassy isthmus of land north
of the swallow hole where, at first
sight the grass seemed full of enorm-
ous mushrooms, but these were dis-
covered to be mainly large specimens

of a leathery puff ball, fully 8” in
diameter which disclosed a succulent-
looking deep purple mass of spores,
once the leathery peridium was split
back from the top centre. These may
have been edible to wise or experi-
mentally minded mycologists but to
us, two of whom were medical doc-
tors, discretion seemed the better part
of valour!

REFERENCES

Teichert, C., Talent, J. A. (1958). Geo-

logy of Buchan Area East Gippsland
Memoir No. 21.

Chapman, F. (1914). Australian Fossils,
G. Robertson & Co.

Sherbon Hills, E. Physiography of Vic-
toria.

The Origin of Generic Names of the Victorian Flora
Part 1 — The Person behind the Name

[continued from 90 (3)]

by JAMES A. BAINES

Boerhavia. Named by L. after Her-
mann Boerhaave (1668-1738), pro-
fessor of medicine, botany and
chemistry at the University of Ley-
den. His encyclopaedic medical
books were translated into many
European languages; his book on

chemical elements appeared in
1724.
Boisduvalia. After J. A. Boisduval

(1801-1872), a noted French ety-
mologist and botanist who published
Flore Francaise in 3 volumes in
1828. (Boisduvalia tasmanica is now
Epilobium curtisiae.)

Boronia. Named by Sir J. E. Smith
after Francesco Borone (died 1794,
aged 25, in an accidental fall from
a window in Athens when working
for English botanist John Sibthorp,
author of Flora Graeca). As a lad

122

from Milan he helped Smith during
his European botanizing in 1787,
and was assistant to Afzelius in
Sierra Leone. Smith wrote: “I think
he had more acuteness in finding
out specific differences of plants
than anybody I ever knew”’.

Borya. Named by La Billardiére after
J. B. Bory de Saint-Vincent (1780-
1846), who wrote on the seaweeds
collected on the voyage of the Co-
quille, giving the first descriptions
of the genera Durvillea (named
after Dumont d’Urville), Lessonia,
Iridea, etc.

Bossiaea. Named by Ventenat after de
Boissieu La Martiniere (died 1788),
French physician and botanist with
La Pérouse, who perished with his
leader at Vanikoro in the Santa

Vict. Nat. Vol. 90

Cruz Islands, after the visit to early
Sydney.

Boussingaultia. Named by Kunth after
Jean-Baptiste Boussingault (1802-
1887), professor of chemistry at
Lyons, then of agriculture. The
greatest agronomist of the 19th cen-
tury, he has been called the “Father
of Agronomy”. (Now Anredera.)

Brunonia. Named by Sir James E.
Smith after Robert Brown, the bot-
anist with Flinders in the Jnvesti-
gator, who became one of Britain’s
greatest. Born Montrose in Scot-
land in 1773, died London 1858.
First Keeper of the Botanical De-
partment, British Museum; librarian
to Sir Joseph Banks; author of Pro-
dromus Florae Novae Hollandiae
(1810), in which great numbers of
new Australian species were de-
scribed. He is also commemorated
by the specific name brownii given
to many Australian plants.

Burchardia. Named by Robert Brown
after J. H. Burckhard, a German
botanist. (B. umbellata was named
Reya umbellata in 1891 by O.
Kuntze, after Eugene Rey, a zoo-
logist, but Brown’s name remains
valid.)

Burnettia. Named by Lindley after
Gilbert Thomas Burnett (1800-
1835), professor of botany, King’s
College, London; author of Outlines
of Botany and Plantae Utiliores
(Useful Plants).

Calandrinia. Named by Kunth after
Jean Louis Calandrini (1703-1758),
professor of mathematics and phil-
osophy at Geneva.

Caleana. Named by R. Brown after
George Caley (1770?-1829), collec-
tor for Banks in New South Wales,
and explorer of the Blue Mountains.
See Reflections on the Colony of
New South Wales, by George Caley
(edited by J. E. B. Currey).

May, 1973

Candollea. Named by La Billardiére
after A. P. de Candolle, noted
French botanist (1778-1841). Origi-
nally Swiss, but moved from Geneva
to Paris in 1796. He introduced
his system of plant classification in
Flore Francaise (1803-1815); pro-
fessor of botany, University of
Montpellier, then professor of
natural science at Geneva. (Now
Stylidium.)

*Carrichtera. This plant, C. annua
(syn. Vella annua), not in Ewart,
but in Black as Ward’s Weed, was
given its generic name by De Can-
dolle, after an obscure character
named Carrichter!

Cassinia. Named by R. Brown after

Count Henri de Cassini (1781-
1832), a French botanist who
specialized in Compositae. The

other famous members of this Cas-
sini family were astronomers, but
Henri gave up astronomy for
botany. He published Opuscules
Phytologiques in 1826.

Celmisia. Named by Cassini after
Celmisios, son of the Greek nymph
Alciope, for whom a related genus
was named.

Claytonia. Named by L. after John
Clayton (1686-1773), an American
botanist who came to Virginia from
England in 1705. (Now Montia.)

Coopernookia. Named by R. C. Caro-
lin after a small township near
Taree in N.S.W., Coopernook,
which is not Cooper’s Nook, but an
Aboriginal word meaning elbow,
probably so named from a bend in
a local stream. C. barbata was
named Goodenia barbata by R.
Brown, but this Purple Goodenia
was found to be worthy of separate
generic status within the Goodenia-
ceae.

Correa. Named by Andrews after Jose
Francisco Correa da Serra (1751-
1823), a Portuguese botanist,

123

scholar and statesman. He founded
the Portuguese Academy of Sciences
at Lisbon, and went to France to
escape the Inquisition. Secretary to
Portuguese Embassy in London;
minister at Washington, then deputy
to Cortes (Parliament) in Portugal
after 1820. Wrote a history of Por-
tugal in 4 volumes; the botanical
name is usually pronounced with
the accent on the first syllable, but
his surname is accented on the
second syllable.

Cupania. After Francesco Cupani
(1657-1711), an Italian monk who
wrote works on Sicilian plants.
(Now Alectryon.)

Dampiera. Named by R. Brown after
William Dampier (1652-1715),
English buccaneer who made visits
in 1688 and 1699 to Australia’s
north-west coast. Twice circumnavi-
gated the globe; collected plants in
Brazil, Timor and New Guinea as
well as “New Holland”; his plants
such as the Sturt Pea (which rightly
should be called Dampier Pea as he

saw it long before Sturt) are ‘still.
kept at Oxford.

Danthonia. Named by De Candolle
after Etienne Danthoine, a French
botanist, of Marseilles.

Darwinia. After Erasmus Darwin
(1731-1802), physician, poet, bot-
anist; grandfather of Charles Dar-
win and Francis Galton. He culti-
vated an 8-acre botanical garden
at Lichfield. He wrote the poetic
work, Botanic Garden: The Temple
of Nature, and in prose works he
anticipated views on evolution later
expounded by Lamarck.

Davallia. After Edmond Davall (1763-
1798), a Swiss botanist of English
origin, a friend of Sir J. E. Smith,
to whom he left his herbarium and
by whom this genus of ferns was
named.

Daviesia. Named by Smith after Rev.
Hugh Davies, F.L.S. (17397-1821),
author of Welsh Botanology, 1813.
Born, lived and died in Wales, but
was M.A. of Oxford.

(To be continued.)

Nature Notes from the Gold Coaot

by

ALEX. N. BURNS

The past spring and summer has
been a good season for the breeding
of the Scrub Turkeys in the Burleigh
National Park; an estimate from
counts made at feeding time each late
afternoon indicates an increase of
young birds at about 46. This indeed
is only a very moderate percentage
from the number of eggs laid in the
nesting mounds. Although almost im-
mediately after hatching, the young
turkeys are able to forage for them-

124

selves and can run swiftly and even
climb up sloping trees, the greatest
number of casualties is caused by
feral cats. Of these, many inhabit the
park at times and take a considerable
toll of small birds and even lizards.
Many residents living in_ close
proximity to the park keep cats, often
in numbers. One person had at one
stage last year, no less than fourteen!
Fortunately over the past few months

Vict. Nat. Vol. 90

this total has been reduced by at least
75 per cent.

The rock wallabies too have in-
creased their number considerably,
and many of the “joeys” have now left
their mothers’ pouches and join in
with the older ones at feeding times.
Koalas also have been, and still are,
active; almost daily opposite the gar-
den two or three may been seen sleep-
ing in the forks of the large gums.
Whilst preferring the leaves of the
so-called Queensland Blue Gum
(Eucalyptus tereticornis?), the young
leaves of the large leaved Box (Tris-
tania conferta) are also favoured. This
is especially so during showery
weather.

At the big lagoon at the Currumbin
Bird Sanctuary the black swans are
again nesting; this time five eggs have
been laid, and these are due to hatch
within the next week or ten days. The
little Wood Duck companion of the
swans waits patiently near the nest
which is close to the water’s edge.
This friendly relationship between
them has persisted for several years.
The Ibis population remains about the
same, also that of the other birds;
but we now have in addition especi-
ally in showery weather, a large com-
plement of Sea-gulls.

In the home garden, the Buddleyias
have flowered again, but the white
predatory spiders are now absent. On
one fairly large bush a large brown
Praying Mantis took up its abode
some six weeks ago. After a few days
it constructed a large creamy-grey egg
sac, but it still remained on the bush.
During the past week the young man-
tises have emerged and have spread
to neighbouring shrubs and _ plants.
Their mother has been taking quite
a toll of butterflies. Those observed
being eaten have included the Aus-
tralian Leafwing, (Doleschallia bisal-
tide australis Feld.), the Common
Grass Yellow, (Eurema hecabe phoe-

May, 1973

bus Butl.), and strangely enough a
species distasteful to birds, the Black
and White Tiger, (Danaus affinis
affinis Fab.). The mantis took less
than half an hour to eat this latter
victim, only the wings being left!
Another interesting “victim” was a
large third stage short horned Grass-
hopper (Orthoptera-Acridiidae), a
case of one Orthopterous insect prey-
ing upon another.

Larvae of the Evening Brown But-
terfly (Melanitis leda bankia Fab.),
have been taken freely over the past
couple of weeks. These beautiful
apple green caterpillars with two
brown or blackish horns on their heads
normally feed at night and shelter by
day amongst leaves and debris at the
base of the foodplants. During
showery weather however these larvae
will ascend the leaves and stems of
the grasses on which they feed in the
daytime. Any type of tall growing
grass is eaten, also the Common Blady
Grass (Imperata sp.). Many of these
larvae are being parasitized by Tachi-
nid Flies (Diptera-Tachinidae), be-
cause some of the larger specimens
collected had one or more of the white
fly eggs adhering to their bodies. Most
of these eggs are laid on the anterior
end of the caterpillar’s body; a few
are even laid on the head itself. With
a good pair of forceps it is possible
to crush the parasite eggs before they
hatch and so save the caterpillar from
destruction by a natural enemy.

Webs of very large Orb-Web Spin-
ning Spiders are prevalent at the
present time, and often with the large
bodied occupant present in its web.
One web examined a couple of days
ago had two forewings of a female
Richmond Birdwing butterfly (Orni-
thoptera priamus richmondius Gray.),
as well as remains of small moths and
beetles. So the struggle for existence
goes on, and the balance of Nature is
preserved.

125

An Avoca River—Wirrengren Plain Aboriginal
Trade Route

by ALDO MassoLa*

Trade-routes is the term now used
to describe the native paths that once
criss-crossed the countryside in every
direction and enabled the Aborigines
to reach and maintain contact with
even the most outlying groups, inhabi-
ting the most unhospitable regions.

Some of these paths were well de-
fined tracks. C. B. Hall, a pioneer in
the Grampians, recorded that he had
found one about 15 miles north of
Mt. William leading to the sources of
the Glenelg River, and _ another
through the tea-tree scrub on the Wan-
non River, near Mt. Sturgeon. He
described them as being much like
cattle tracks, except that they passed
over places which cattle were not like-
ly to attempt. Elsewhere, such as on
sandy soil and in the Mallee country,
it is probable that the paths would
not have been very distinct and could
have passed unnoticed by the settlers;
but there is no doubt that the better
defined ones were used by the early
colonists, and, in some cases, these
developed into our present day main
roads, such as, for instance, the Omeo
Highway between Omeo and Bairns-
dale.

Whenever possible the paths fol-
lowed water courses, since the travel-
lers were then assured of water; in
fact, over most of Western Victoria
the native word for path was the same
as that for creek: bah, or bar, con-
tracted from Baring and its local vari-
ants, which still survives in some place
names, such as Barwidge (bar-witchie
creek with rushes growing in it); Bar-
ing (the creek or the track); Baring-
hup (baringug, his tracks); the Avoca

126

Creek (witchellibah, witchelli,
reeds, bah, creek);
(Barrh, the path)?.

When water courses were not
present or could not be followed the
native tracks generally ran from one
waterhole or swamp to the next, even
if it meant some lengthening of the
route; and lacking these, to where water
could be obtained by digging in soaks,
or obtained from yabbie holes (known
as crab holes in Western Victoria) or
the roots of certain species of Mallee
trees*?. In particularly dry country
water was carried in possum or wal-
laby skin bags.

Campsites seem to occur along
these tracks at about every 5 miles,
thus denoting that under ordinary
leisurely circumstances 5 miles was
the average distance covered in one
day. This is a fair average for families
burdened with young children and
hunting and gathering food on the
way.

Many of these tracks led to the
great intertribal meeting places where
allied tribes were wont to periodically
meet for ceremonial purposes or to
exchange raw materials and manufac-
tured goods. The time of the meetings
generally coincided with the season
when that particular locality offered
an especially desirable food, such as
bogong moths in the Highlands, lerp
(manna) in the Mallee or eels in cer-
tain rivers or lakes. Hundreds of
Aborigines then converged to the
locality from all directions. However
each participant was either a member
of one of the many groups composing

*4/18 Wolseley St., Mont Albert.

dry
The Wimmera

Vict. Nat. Vol. 90

the tribal unit, or of one of the groups
of an allied neighbouring tribe.

Though the goods exchanged at the
meeting could include some that had
come from a long way, they were
still brought by neighbours and not
necessarily by the original manufac-
turers. In other words: an object
from A could not reach D without
first being traded through B and C.
Thus possum fur armlets brought
down from the Murray River to Wir-
rengren Plain were exchanged with
the Avoca River people who later ex-
changed them with the Jajawurong of
the Loddon River, who, in turn ex-
changed them with the Wurunjeri of
the Yarra.

Several of these meeting places
have been recorded, and, in the West-
ern District, these include Mt. Noorat
(old man kangaroo) and nearby Lake
Keilambete (kill-om-beet, yellow-
skum-on-the-water); Lake Bolac (bu-
luk, frog); Buckley Swamp (yatchaw,
meaning unknown); and Lake Conne-
warre (keingean, Major Mitchell’s
parrot). A glance at a map, however,
will disclose that all these places could
easily be reached from any direction
by following water courses or by way
of conveniently situated swamps and
lakes.

It was a different matter for the
Wotjobaluk people of the Mallee and
Wimmera: theirs was a much drier
country and the knowledge of the
position of the few places where per-
manent, or at least seasonal water was
available, was all important to them.
Yet these people’s great meeting places
included Wirrengren Plain, at the end
of the Wimmera River system, which,
even today, is one of the most hard-
to-get-to places in Victoria.

Elsewhere I reported the discovery
of this campsite*, its associated
legends®, and the northern and south-
ern routes by which the Aborigines of
the Murray River and those of the

May, 1973

Grampians and the Wimmera River
reached it. But Aborigines from the
Avoca, and even from the headwaters
of the Loddon reached it also. Howitt®
explicitly states that his Jajaurung in-
formant (who was related to the Wot-
jobaluk people through descent in the
female line and could thus attend their
meetings) who lived in the neigh-
bourhood of St. Arnaud, had brought
word to the Jajaurung living at Char-
lotte Plains (north of Havelock, on the
headwaters of the Loddon River),
where there was a stone axe quarry’,
that the Wotjobaluk of Lake Hind-
marsh were in want of stone axes
“and this material was obtained from
the quarry and carried up to the next
meeting of the tribes on the Wimmera
for barter by my informant’s father’.

By the ‘Wimmera’ I take Howitt to
mean the end of the Wimmera, Wir-
rengren Plain, where the great meet-
ings used to take place; and it is
therefore my purpose, in this paper,
to place on record the result of my
researches upon the native route be-
tween Charlotte Plains and Wirren-
gren Plain, over the intervening long
stretches of now waterless country, a
distance of approximately 250 miles.

Some clues of the route are fur-
nished by Howitt. He states® that his
informant’s Jajawurung grandfather
went to a place now called Pine Plains
(north of Wyperfeld National Park)
where he obtained a Wotjobaluk wife.
His son (Howitt’s informant’s father)
was born in Jajawurung country, and
when old enough obtained a wife from
Kulkaine (Murray River) at Morton
Plains (north of Lake Buloke). Thus
it seems probable that, at least in this
family’s case, instead of crossing over
from Bet Bet Creek (at Charlotte
Plains) to the Avoca River and then
across to the headwaters of the Wim-
mera, he and his father and his grand-
father before him followed the Avoca
River as far as Charlton and then took

127

a course almost due east to Lake
Buloke, north to Morton Plains, east
to the Wimmera River, then north to
Pine and Wirrengren Plains.

My search for the actual route over
country which is now entirely cleared
and intensively cultivated was greatly
facilitated, if not successful, only be-
cause of the great assistance I received
from Mr. and Mrs. W. H. Wood, of
Charlton; Mr. and Mrs. Jack Golding,
of Donald; Mr. and Mrs. Ron Falla,
of Litchfield; Mr. and Mrs. Doug
McColl, of Warracknabeal; and Mr.
Keith Hofmaier, of Beulah, who at
each of my visits went to no end of
trouble to take me to likely places and
to enlist the assistance of ‘locals’ with
long memories (who also did their
best for me), as well as providing me
with a comfortable home while I was
in their district. I here wish to express
my sincere thanks to each and all of
them.

The Route to the West

It is a comparatively easy matter to
cross over from the headwaters of the
Loddon to the Avoca by means of Bet

128

Bet Creek and to follow the Avoca
north to Charlton®. About 3 miles
north of Charlton, on a very big sand
hill on Mr. Alf Giles property on the
west side of the river, there is what
was probably the most important, and
certainly the most extensive campsite
on the Avoca!®,

To the Aborigines this was Djub-
djub-galk, _ the-place-of-many-myrtle-
trees, and it was the locality from
which the Jupa-galk-wournditch, or
Djub-ah-galk people, took their name.
It was an important meeting place and
trade route junction, and to it came
the people from the south and those
from the Murray River at Lake
Charm, Bael-Bael, and Boga to the
north, Lake Buloke and other points
to the west, and those from Boort,
Buckrabanyule, Mount Korong, and
even from the Loddon River to the
east.

From this camp the first stop on the
way to the west was at a low rise
about 43 miles distant. At this spot
there is a large campsite and water
was available both from waterholes

Watchem vA
re

/
Sammy's Swampo”

a. cari
ert “Whngarra if
TR. /

~.9/ Carron
XY Carro

ONE
Donaveai

Figure 1

Vict. Nat. Vol. 90

ee ee

(now dry) and a rockwell, this latter
giving the campsite its name: Yuan-
duk, rockwell".

Upon leaving Yuanduk a walk of
about 54 miles to the south-east took
the travellers to Lake Wooroonook
(wooroomook, fresh-water _ turtle)
where the campsite has now been
ploughed over, though traces of it are
still discernible. Lake Wooroonook is
permanent water, and no doubt the
natives lingered there, feasting upon
the turtles after which the place was
named.

The next stretch was of 4 miles
south-east, to Mt. Jeffcot (native name
not available) where there was a
campsite and some native ovens at the
northern base of the mount. Here
water was available from springs.

At 54 miles due east from Mt. Jeff-
cot there is a very large campsite on
the sand ridge marking the eastern
margin of Lake Buloke at its full ex-
tension. (Lake Buloke was banye-
nong, where - long - ago - the - roots -
burned-out). This campsite is prob-
ably the one referred to by the Abor-

May, 1973

igines as Banjigu (meaning unknown)
and said to having been the meeting
place for the people from the south
(Avon and Richardson Rivers, Batyo-
Catyo, Avon Plains, York Plains, and
even Carr’s Plains) and from the
north (Birchip, Woomelang, Tyrell
Downs) as well as from the east and
the west.!"

Further westerly progress from this
campsite is barred by Lake Buloke,
which means that the native path had
to go around it either at the north or
at the south end. Taking the southern
possibility first, there are many native
ovens, denoting long occupation, near
where the Avon River enters the lake,
just north of Donald, and a sizeable
campsite at Lake Dunstan, a little to
the east of the ovens and about 43
miles from Banjigu campsite. But
then there does not appear to be any
water to the west for the next 18 miles.

A route to the north of the lake,
however, would pass through exten-
sive tracts of low-lying land subject to
inundation. A number of swamps and
waterholes are encountered, and
native ovens are plentiful. There are
small campsites at Mini and Watchem
Swamps. Morton Plains, just north of
Watchem, is also subject to inunda-
tion; and it will be remembered that
this is the place where Howitt’s in-
formant’s father obtained his Kulkaine
wife.

From Watchem the next campsite
in a south-westerly direction is at
Sammy’s Swamp, just over 5 miles
away, and this seems to have been
the obvious way to the west since
5 miles beyond Sammy’s there is
another swamp and campsite, the
northernmost of a line of waterhold-
ing depressions marking the former
bed of Dunmunkle Creek. Fairly
evenly spaced water is thus available
on Wangarra, Donabeal, Areegra and
Challambra Stations on the north and
on the south side of the present

129

a course almost due east to Lake
Buloke, north to Morton Plains, east
to the Wimmera River, then north to
Pine and Wirrengren Plains.

My search for the actual route over
country which is now entirely cleared
and intensively cultivated was greatly
facilitated, if not successful, only be-
cause of the great assistance I received
from Mr. and Mrs. W: H. Wood, of
Charlton; Mr. and Mrs. Jack Golding,
of Donald; Mr. and Mrs. Ron Falla,
of Litchfield; Mr. and Mrs. Doug
McColl, of Warracknabeal; and Mr.
Keith Hofmaier, of Beulah, who at
each of my visits went to no end of
trouble to take me to likely places and
to enlist the assistance of ‘locals’ with
long memories (who also did their
best for me), as well as providing me
with a comfortable home while I was
in their district. I here wish to express
my sincere thanks to each and all of
them.

The Route to the West

It is a comparatively easy matter to
cross over from the headwaters of the
Loddon to the Avoca by means of Bet

128

Bet Creek and to follow the Avoca
north to Charlton®. About 3 miles
north of Charlton, on a very big sand
hill on Mr. Alf Giles property on the
west side of the river, there is what
was probably the most important, and
certainly the most extensive campsite
on the Avoca.

To the Aborigines this was Djub-
djub-galk, the-place-of-many-myrtle-
trees, and it was the locality from
which the Jupa-galk-wournditch, or
Djub-ah-galk people, took their name.
It was an important meeting place and
trade route junction, and to it cam«
the people from the south and those
from the Murray River at Lake
Charm, Bael-Bael, and Boga to the
north, Lake Buloke and other points
to the west, and those from Boort,
Buckrabanyule, Mount Korong, and
even from the Loddon River to the
east.

From this camp the first stop on the
way to the west was at a low rise
about 43 miles distant. At this spot
there is a large campsite and water
was available both from waterholes

Figure 1

Vict. Nat. Vol. 90

(now dry) and a rockwell, this latter
giving the campsite its name: Yuan-
duk, rockwell".

Upon leaving Yuanduk a walk of
about 54 miles to the south-east took
the travellers to Lake Wooroonook
(wooroomook, fresh-water _ turtle)
where the campsite has now been
ploughed over, though traces of it are
still discernible. Lake Wooroonook is
permanent water, and no doubt the
natives lingered there, feasting upon
the turtles after which the place was
named.

The next stretch was of 4 miles
south-east, to Mt. Jeffcot (native name
not available) where there was a
campsite and some native ovens at the
northern base of the mount. Here
water was available from springs.

At 54 miles due east from Mt. Jeff-
cot there is a very large campsite on
the sand ridge marking the eastern
margin of Lake Buloke at its full ex-
tension. (Lake Buloke was banye-
nong, where - long - ago - the - roots -
burned-out). This campsite is prob-
ably the one referred to by the Abor-

May, 1973

igines as Banjigu (meaning unknown)
and said to having been the meeting
place for the people from the south
(Avon and Richardson Rivers, Batyo-
Catyo, Avon Plains, York Plains, and
even Carr’s Plains) and from the
north (Birchip, Woomelang, Tyrell
Downs) as well as from the east and
the west.!*

Further westerly progress from this
campsite is barred by Lake Buloke,
which means that the native path had
to go around it either at the north or
at the south end. Taking the southern
possibility first, there are many native
ovens, denoting long occupation, near
where the Avon River enters the lake,
just north of Donald, and a sizeable
campsite at Lake Dunstan, a little to
the east of the ovens and about 44
miles from Banjigu campsite. But
then there does not appear to be any
water to the west for the next 18 miles.

A route to the north of the lake,
however, would pass through exten-
sive tracts of low-lying land subject to
inundation. A number of swamps and
waterholes are encountered, and
native ovens are plentiful. There are
small campsites at Mini and Watchem
Swamps. Morton Plains, just north of
Watchem, is also subject to inunda-
tion; and it will be remembered that
this is the place where Howitt’s in-
formant’s father obtained his Kulkaine
wife.

From Watchem the next campsite
in a south-westerly direction is at
Sammy’s Swamp, just over 5 miles
away, and this seems to have been
the obvious way to the west since
5 miles beyond Sammy’s there is
another swamp and campsite, the
northernmost of a line of waterhold-
ing depressions marking the former
bed of Dunmunkle Creek. Fairly
evenly spaced water is thus available
on Wangarra, Donabeal, Areegra and
Challambra Stations on the north and
on the south side of the present

. 129

Borung Highway, and, at each water,
stone implements have been collected
thus proving that the Aborigines
visited these places. The natives were
thus enabled to travel westward to the
next large campsite, which is on a
sand hill on Mr. Saunder’s property
about 2 miles south-east of Warrack-
nabeal and about the same distance
east of Yarriambiack Creek.

From this campsite the native path
had to traverse a particularly dry
stretch of country before the Wim-
mera River was reached. The Abor-
igines could have travelled due west
and reached one of the campsites, and
water, in the vicinity of Antwerp, and
then followed the Wimmera north.
This route, however, would have
meant a 12-mile walk through country
for which I have only one locality
name, Cannum, which should be
konmun and means ‘thirsty’, thus im-
plying that no water at all was avail-
able until Katyil (which means ‘water’
and where there still is a large water-
hole) was reached. This water is
about 7 miles from Datchak Creek
(dadjug, his arm, i.e., of the Wim-
mera), a tributary of the Wimmera.

It is more likely that from Mr.
Saunder’s campsite the track to the
Wimmera first followed the Yarriam-
biack north to a bend on the creek
just north of Lah, where there is a
very large campsite which, judging by
its size, must have been an important
north-south and east-west junction?.
The track to Wirrengren Plain prob-
ably struck off due west from there,
though the Wimmera is about 25 miles
distant and the intervening country-
side was a wilderness of sand hills
covered with Mallee scrub. However,
judging by locality names, water was
not entirely absent. The first is Yel-
langip, which means crab holes; next
comes Angip, which is obviously a
contraction of Yellangip, therefore
more crab holes from which to draw

130

underground water; then old local
people speak of soaks and of water
in holes in red sandstone outcrops
scattered here and there through that
country; and these must have been
known to the Aborigines and have
supplemented that which they carried
with them in skin bags or obtained
from Mallee roots. They would have
hurried through this region, and
would have crossed it within two days
and reached the large campsite at the
bend of the Wimmera River just south
of Jeparit, which was known to the
Aborigines as Barengi-djul, the-place-
where - the - wallaby - skin - water -
bags-are-filled.

This camp (and deep waterhole in
the river) must have been an impor-
tant road junction; and its name fully
vindicates my choice of route from
the Yarriambiack. The waterbags, of
course, would not be filled after reach-
ing the camp; but on the return jour-
ney, before the scrub and sand hills
were again braved by the Aborigines
on the way back to their own country,
either east to the Yarriambiack and
beyond, or west to Lorquon, Yannac,
Broughton and the Tattiara of South
Australia.

From Barenji-djul the journey north
must have been very leisurely and
pleasant, since it skirted Lake Hind-
marsh and Lake Albacutya and, by
way of Outlet Creek, went on through
what is now Wyperfeld National Park
and Pine Plains (where Howitt’s in-
formant’s grandfather obtained his
Wotjobaluk wife) to the end of the
250-mile walkabout at the great meet-
ing on Wirrengren Plain (werren-
jerren, describes the noise made by
many assembled people). Water must
have been easily available on this
track, even in dry years,1* since that
part of the country was permanently
inhabited by the Aborigines.

This also brings me to the end of
my journey — the search for this par-

Vict. Nat. Vol. 90

ticular trade route; and there remains

but to thank Mrs. Nellie Stewart, of

Swan Hill, and pay a tribute to the

memory of Walter and Peter Ken-
nedy, of Antwerp, the last of the
Aborigines with a knowledge of the
Mallee language, who helped me with
Aboriginal place names and_ their
meaning!”.

NOTES:

For a complete list of works pertain-
ing to the Aborigines of the Wimmera
and mallee see Massola, A., Bibliography
of the Victorian Aborigines, Hawthorn
Press, Melb. 1971.

1 In Bride, T. F. (Edit.) Letters from
Victorian Pioneers, new edition,
Heinemann, Melb. 1969.

2 For other local Aboriginal place
names see: ‘Massola, A., Aboriginal
Place Names of South-East Australia
and their meaning, Melb. 1968.

3 For method used by Aborigines to
obtain water from trees, yabby holes,
etc., see: (A) Massola, A., The
Aborigines of the Mallee, Proc. Roy.
Soc. Vic., 79, 1966; (B) Massola A.,
Aboriginal Campsites on Wyperfeld
National Park and Pine Plains
Station, Vic. Nat. 86, 1969; (C) Old
Bushman (W. L. Morton) Notes of
a tour in the Wimmera District (June
and July 1861). Reprinted by
National Parks Authority (Vic.) no
date.

4 loc. cit. 3 (B).

Bunjil’s Cave, Melb. 1968.

Howitt, A. W., Native Tribes of
South-East Australia p. 690, London,
1904.

I have not been able to locate this
quarry which is mentioned by A.
Joyce in A Homestead History (Edit.
G. F. James, M.U.P. latest edition
1969) as being on Joyce’s Creek. It
is now probably under the water of
Cairn Curran Reservoir.

loc. cit. (6) p. 248.

For campsites on the Avoca River
south of Charlton see: Massola, A.,
Journey to Aboriginal Victoria,
Rigby, Adel. 1969.

This sand hill is currently being
quarried for sand and will soon be
only a memory. The local Historical
Society or other interested Body
should see that a commemorative
tablet at least be erected on the site.
Massola, A., Notes on the Aborigines
of the Donald District, Vic. Nat. 86,
1969.

loc. cit. (11). For the mythology of
this campsite see loc. cit. (5).

For campsites on Yarriambiack
Creek see Hofmaier, K. C., Abor-
igines in the Southern Mallee of Vic-
toria. Vic. Hist. Journ. XXX1, 1960.
For campsites of the Wimmera River
see loc. cit. 3 (B) and loc. cit. (5).
All the Aboriginal words remem-
bered by these valued informants
were collected and published by Mrs.
Louise A. Hercus in The Languages
of Victoria: A late survey, Austr.
Inst. Abor. Studies, Canberra, 1969.

F.N.C.V. PUBLICATIONS AVAILABLE FOR PURCHASE
THE WILD FLOWERS OF THE WILSON’S PROMONTORY NATIONAL PARK,

by J. Ros Garnet.

Price $5.25, (discount to members); postage 20c.

VICTORIAN TOADSTOOLS AND MUSHROOMS, by J. H. Willis.

This describes 120 toadstool species and many other fungi. There are four
coloured plates and 31 other illustrations. Price 90c. Postage 1Ic.

THE VEGETATION OF WYPERFELD NATIONAL PARK, by J. R. Garnet.
Coloured frontispiece, 23 half-tone, 100 line drawings of plants and a map.

Price $1.50.

Address orders and inquiries to Sales Officer, F.N.C.V., National Herbarium,

South Yarra, Victoria.

Payments should include postage (15c on single copy).

May, 1973

131

A Note on Dacelo gigas

William East remarks in his volume
“The Life of Kookaburras' and
Kingfishers” —

. there are only a few authenti-
cated instances of Kookaburras
catching snakes.

In the light of that statement, the

following observation may be of in-
terest. On 2 January 1973 on the
Traralgon Creek Road 3 or 4 miles
south, or upstream from Le Roy, we
saw a Kookaburra fly above the road
in front of us and land on a branch
of a eucalypt across the creek, roughly
100 feet from the edge of the road.
The bird was carrying in its beak a
snake, held just behind its head, which
we estimated to be at least twice the
length of the Kookaburra itself, which
would make it 3 feet. The snake,
which because of the small diameter
of the head in relation to its body we
thought to be a copperhead, was on
first sighting wriggling vigorously. The
bird beat the snake against the branch
many times — two or three whacks —
and then a pause.

Apparently satisfied the snake was
dead (it was certainly hanging very
limp), the bird manoeuvred the snake
head first into its mouth and _ pro-

ceeded to swallow it — taking at first
not a very large proportion of the
snake down its gullet. The snake went
down in rather a manner of two
steps forward one step back, the body
of the snake being somewhat regurgi-
tated after each substantial swallow.

In the process, after the tail of the
snake had disappeared, it re-appeared
three or four times, at first to the
extent of four to six inches and lastly
only about one inch.

Because of a grossly distended crop
the bird looked more like a poor
portrayal of a Kookaburra, than the
real thing. The bird continued for
some minutes sitting on the tree
branch looking very uncomfortable.
Then all its feathers rose up until the
bird appeared about double normal
size. It remained in that condition
for some minutes, its feathers slowly
subsiding. After an interval the bird
flew off up the creek valley out of our
sight.

The whole process took about 40
minutes. During that time we were
watching continuously, each of us
having good binoculars.

CEDRIC and CLARE RALPH

A Further Note on the Leathery Puffball

It might be assumed from the note
by Mrs. Lyndon Victorian Naturalist
90 (3), and the footnote to the
article by Marginson and Murray-
Smith, Vict. Naturalist 89 (8), that
the Leathery Puffball, Mycenastrum
corium, is an exclusively Australian
species.

132

Actually, this fungi is of world
wide distribution, and in the Aus-
tralian region has been collected from
as far afield as the Barron Falls near
Cairns, to Kalgoorlie in Western Aus-
tralia. It has also been collected in
New Zealand. I have been unable to
find any record of its occurrence in

Vict. Nat. Vol. 90

Tasmania, but its presence in the Bass
Strait area could indicate merely that
it has not been collected from there.

One interesting aspect of these latter
collections is their immense size; proof
that this plant does particularly well
in high rainfall areas.

Mostly, these puffballs are found
free of any soil attachment, and so
could be bowled along by the wind or
carried by flash floods.

Over the past hundred-odd years
this fungi has received many names
and classifications, but the genus
Mycenastrum now includes this single
species, M. corium.

The characteristic separating it
from the other members of its family
is the spininess of the threads, which,
together with the spores, make up the
contents of most puffballs.

This spininess need not deter Mrs.

powerful microscope. Furthermore
as the secret of puffball culinary art
is to catch them young and tender,
before their contents have started to
change colour with maturity, the risk
is even lessened.

But there is one apparently truly
Australian fungi, the Stone-making
Fungi (Polyporus _ basilapiloides),
which has had its known range ex-
tended from the dry mallee country
by recent finds on the beach sand
dunes near Wonthaggi, an area not
noted for its dryness.

This remarkable fungi makes an
apparent food storing body of swollen
hyphae, closely intertwining a mass of
sand grains; the resulting body being
stonelike, both in feel and appear-
ance. A description of it can be
found in the F.N.C.V. publication,
“Victorian Toadstools and Mush-

Lyndon from her gastronomic experi- rooms”.
ment, should opportunity offer; for G. CRICHTON,
they are evident only under a fairly Croydon.
Tribute
to

Ernest Silvestor Hanks

The Field Naturalists’ Club of Vic-
toria has had many outstanding
members who have shared their ob-
servations and enthusiasms with us in
a Clear logical way. Such dearly loved
and appreciated members were Pearl
and Ernest Hanks, an outstanding
husband and wife team. They took a
leading part in many cultural societies,
being life members of the F.N.C.V.
since 1925, life members of the An-
tropological Society, members of the
Henry Lawson Society, the Poetry
Lovers, The Australian Literature
Society, The Bird Observers (of which

May, 1973

they were both presidents), and the
R.A.O.U. Now alas — Ernest died on
12 April 1973.

His presidential address to the
R.A.O.U., “Origin of the Parasitic
Habit in Cuckoos”’, was printed in the
“Emu” and in overseas papers.

A foundry man, he proved that ac-
cepted principles in the textbooks were
wrong by demonstrating that solid
metal will float in its own melt.

They both had poems and stories
published. Our sincere sympathy
goes with tenderness to Pearl.

LYNETTE YOUNG.

133

Colour of Coastal Rocks of the Otway Ranges

Victoria, Australia

by EpmMunND D. GILL*

The surface of the moon is dark
because no oxygen is present. There
is no atmosphere as on earth. A deep
mine, a tunnel into a hill, or a deep
roadcut reveals fresh rock that is
usually dark grey to black in colour.
The oxygen of the atmosphere has not
combined with them, except where
the air gains access down faults, joint
planes and such. It is the oxygen of
the air combining with the minerals
in the rocks that yields the bright
yellow, brown and red colours we see
at the surface. In the Otways, the
soils and rocks that have been oxidized
are typically light brown.

On the shores, the rocks do not get
much opportunity to combine with
the oxygen of the atmosphere, be-
cause they are nearly always covered
with water or saturated with water,
even at low tide. Generally, as a re-
sult, the rocks of the shore platforms
are some shade of grey, as would be
expected. The rocks presenting joint
planes or faults may be light brown
where air has penetrated when sea
level was lower. Occasional small
patches of reddish brown oxidized
rock a few centimetres across may be
noted, but these are merely spots
where pyrite has oxidized to iron
oxide. However, it is a surprise in
many places where the coastal terrain
is very steep, to find a grey shore
platform and rampart (a higher part
of the platform usually at the outer
edge) then rocks at the outer edge
that are light brown! Where least

134

opportunity exists at present for
oxygen to combine with the rocks,
they are oxidized. Rocks thrown up
from low tide and below are often
oxidized. The process obviously can-
not occur now, so must have occurred
in the past when sea level was lower,
and these rocks were part of the land
surface (Gill 1971, 1972). Because
the terrain is steep, the sea has cut
deeply into unoxidized grey rocks,
and the brown rocks at the edge of
the platform are part of the former
land surface. Out on the most exposed
headlands, such as Point Sturt and
Point Hawdon, such relics of the old
land surface have been destroyed. This
is good evidence that destruction of
the rocks is occurring there. Where
the coastal terrain is not steep, the sea
has not cut into the unoxidized rocks,
and much of the rock platform is
oxidized. Also where the rocks are
much broken by numerous _ joint
planes and faults, the air has been
able to penetrate, and the rocks are
more oxidized.

There is a reason for everything,
and this appears to be the explanation
of why along the Otway Coast some
of the rocks are grey and some are
light brown.

REFERENCES

Gill, E. D., 1971. Ramparts on Shore
Platforms. Pacific Geol. 4: 121-133.

Gill, E. D., 1972. The Relationship of
Present Shore Platforms to Past Sea-
levels. Boreas 1: 1-25.

*Deputy Director, National Museum of Victoria

Vict. Nat. Vol. 90

The Names of Minerals

by

Dr. A. W.

There are about 2,000 different
mineral species and several thousand
varieties of these species. It is inter-
esting to enquire into the origin of
their names. The knowledge thereby
acquired may be useful for the lapi-
dary, mineral collector and mineralo-
gist.

Unlike plants and animals which
have two scientific names, minerals
have but one. There are many ways
in which minerals can be named. It
should be noted that the majority of
names end in “ite”. This is a relic of
the old Greek and Roman “itis” or
“ites” which simply means the “nature
of the subject’. These terminations
were added by the Greeks and
Romans to ordinary words that de-
noted qualities, uses, constituents, or
localities of minerals. Thus, siderites
(now siderite) was made from the
word for iron because the mineral
contains iron; hematites (now hema-
tite) was made from the word for
blood because of the red colour of
the mineral when powdered. A large
number of mineral names are derived
from the Greek.

Some of the most common mineral
names are so old that their origin is
unknown or doubtful. These include
quartz, gypsum, tourmaline, corun-
dum, beryl, and galena. However, the
origin of the majority of mineral
names is known.

With reference to the ways in which
minerals are named, one favourite
method is to name a mineral after
some person, real or mythological.
The first modern mineral to be named
for a person was prehnite, which in
1783 was named by Werner after
Colonel von Prehn, who had brought

May, 1973

_ found it.

BEASLEY *

the first specimen to Europe from the
Cape of Good Hope where he had
Since that time, hundreds
of scientists, rulers, philanthropists,
mineral collectors, and other persons
have had their names perpetuated in
the names of minerals. One of the
commonest of minerals, goethite, was
named after the German poet, Goethe,
who was an ardent mineral enthusiast.
Minerals named after European
rulers include willemite, for William I,
king of the Netherlands, and alexan-
drite, for Alexander II of Russia.
Minerals first recorded from Australia
and named after Australians include
raspite, marshite, newberyite, stitch-
tite and stillwellite.

Another favourite method is to
name a mineral after the geographic
locality or place where it was first
discovered. Examples are labradorite
from Labrador in Canada, aragonite
from Aragon in Spain and vesuvianite
from Mount Vesuvius in_ Italy.
Minerals named after Australian
localities include maldonite, after the
town of Maldon in Victoria, and
dundasite after the township of Dun-
das in Tasmania. The naming of
minerals after localities can lead to a
lot of confusion as, following war or
independence, borders may be altered
and the name of the place may be
changed to something quite different,
sometimes in a different language;
this has been the case with place
names in Europe and Africa.

The best method of naming a
mineral is after some notable property
or some feature of its chemical com-
position. For instance, the name
azurite is an instant reminder of the

*National Museum of Victoria

135

azure-blue colour of the
mineral. Quite a number of mineral
names describe their colour. For
example, albite, an important kind of
feldspar, is from the Latin word for
“white”, while /Jeucite comes from the
Greek word of the same meaning.
Rhodonite and _ rhodochrosite both
come from the Greek word for “rose’’,
given because of their rose-pink
colour.

Various other physical properties
have been used in giving names to
minerals. For instance, the name
barite comes from the Greek word
for “heavy” and refers to the relatively
high specific gravity of the mineral.
The name euclase means “to break
well” in Greek and indicates the well-
developed cleavage of this mineral.
Cleavage is also indicated in micro-
cline which means “little inclination”
and refers to the two main cleavage
planes intersecting at almost 90 de-
grees in this feldspar. Fusibility is
referred to clearly by fluorite, derived
trom the Latin word “to flow” because
it melts easily. The pearly lustre of
stilbite is described in its name,
which comes from the Greek “to
glitter’.

Minerals whose names have refer-
ence to their chemical composition
include zircon (zirconium silicate),
magnesite (magnesium carbonate),
borax (hydrated sodium borate),
uraninite (uranium oxide) and _ bis-
muthinite (bismuth sulphide). Any-
hydrite, meaning without water, was
so called because it contains no water,
in contrast to gypsum, which is other-
wise like it in composition. If you
know your Greek, chalcopyrite im-
mediately conveys to you the fact that
it contains copper, and halite conveys
the fact that it is composed of salt
(sodium chloride).

Certain mineral names pertain to
their use. Among names of this kind
is nephrite, one of the two kinds of

beautiful

136

jade, which was employed as a remedy
for kidney disease in ancient times.
Pyrolusite is from the Greek words
‘fire’ and “to wash” because it is
used to remove the colour due to iron
impurities in molten glass. Graphite,
which is used in pencils, gets its name
from the Greek graphein (to write).

Some mineral names come from the
mode of occurrence of the mineral.
Monazite, for example, acquired its
name, which comes from the Greek
word monazein, meaning to be soli-
tary, in allusion to the rarity of this
mineral which occurs in_ isolated
grains in rocks.

A mineral which gets its name from
its crystal form is tetrahedrite, which
commonly occurs in sharply crystal-
lized tetrahedrons.

Most newly named minerals are
christened by the mineralogist who
first describes them in print. The law
of priority is applicable to mineral
names and is superseded only when
the original name is proved to have
been incorrect or inadequate. The
mineralogists who make up the Inter-
national Mineralogical Association
have a Commission on New Minerals
and Mineral Names which sets high
standards for the scientific proof of
a new species, and recommends rules
to be followed in naming minerals;
the mineral and name are frequently
approved by it prior to publication.
To be given a name, and to be ac-
cepted as a distinct and separate
species, a mineral must prove to be
chemically or structurally different
from any other known mineral.

The International Mineralogical As-
sociation also makes recommendations
concerning the preferred spelling of
mineral names and the preferred name
of species and varieties where there
are two or more names in common
use. For example, analcime is recom-
mended as the preferred name and not
analcite; arsenopyrite, not mispickel;

Vict. Nat. Vol. 90

hemimorphite, not calamine; nontro-
nite, not chloropal, and siderite, not
chalybite.

The well-known textbook “Dana’s
Manual of Mineralogy” revised by

C. S. Hurlbut contains descriptions of
about 200 of the most important
minerals and, at the end of each
description, the origin of the mineral
name is given where this is known.

book review

Forest Trees of Australia

by NorMAN HALL, R. D. JOHNSTON and G. M. CHIPPENDALE
(93” x 7”, 334 pp., 145 full-page plates — 13 in colour.
Aust. Govt. Public Service, Canberra, Sept. 1970. Price $8.50.)

By some mischance, a review of this
noteworthy publication in the Vic-
torian Naturalist was overlooked two
years ago; but it is so important to the
forester, tree-specialist, conservationist,
general botanist and every lover of our
countryside that some notice — even
if belated — ought to appear in this
journal. No better value could be
imagined for a purchase price of
$8.50.

Forest Trees of Australia, third
edition (revised and enlarged) of a
book that was first published in 1957,
is packed with information about the
principal arboreal species. Since euca-
lypts dominate almost 95% of the
forested land of the Commonwealth,
118 kinds are included in the book.
Each tree is dealt with in strict uni-
formity: there is a left-hand page of
text setting out the habit, hatitat, dis-
tribution, climatic and soil preferences,
associated species, utility, morpho-
logical characters (of bark, leaves,
inflorescence, fruit and timber), any
distinctive features or variations and
an inset line-map of Australia (22” x
2%”) indicating the range of the tree in
heavy black; the facing right-hand
page is entirely illustrative, with photo-
graphs of trees in situ (to show crown
pattern, etc.), bark, seedling or juve-

May, 1973

nile or intermediate leaves, mature
leaves, buds and fruits — the last four
each accompanied by a scale in both
centimetres and inches.

It is the aim of the Forestry and
Timber Bureau in Canberra to pro-
vide, eventually, this kind of systema-
tized information not only for com-
mercial species, but for all indigenous
trees in the Commonwealth. Since
September 1970 Norman Hall has
been active in preparing the text and
photographic illustrations for 50 addi-
tional species of Eucalyptus; these
have been published, from time to
time, as separates by the Bureau under
the title, “Forest Tree Series”, and
they will be incorporated without
alteration in the next edition of this
useful book. Scrupulous attention is
being given to accuracy of detail, and
annotated voucher specimens are kept
of every eucalypt (and the parts there-
of) photographed in the field. Future
checks on identity, etc., may thus be
made on the actual populations used
as illustrative material.

On pages 309-322 are separate
keys to the lumber-producing euca-
lypts of five major regions in Aus-
tralia; these are very simple but effec-
tive. The work concludes with a

137

four-page glossary of botanical terms
and an excellent index to scientific and
vernacular names. So carefully were
the proofs read that it is virtually
impossible to find any misprint in

text or index; one that escaped detec-
tion was “Fraser” for Flinders (Island)
in line 4 of the third paragraph on
page 128.

—J. H. WILLIs.

A Handbook to Plants in Victoria
Volume 2 — Dicotyledons

by J. H. WILLIs
Published by Melbourne University Press. Price—$21.

This eagerly awaited complete
record of 2,290 species of Dicotyle-
dons — indigenous and _ naturalized
alien plants —is the culmination of
twenty-two years of work revising
previous records and adding extra
species discovered.

Vol. 1, dealing with Ferns and
their allies, Gymnosperms and Mono-
cotyledons with 943 species was pub-
lished ten years ago. The research
was sponsored by the Maud Gibson
Gardens Trust, The Melbourne Uni-
versity Press and the Government of
Victoria.

In 1888 Ferdinand Mueller wrote
in the “Key to the system of Vic-
torian plants’, “This work owes its
origin to a desire expressed by the
Field Naturalists’ Club of Victoria

. that its members should be pro-
vided with a literary guide.” This was
for “1,900 vascular plants indigenous
to Victoria’. About forty years later
the Government of Victoria requested
Professor A. J. Ewart (Government
Botanist) to “undertake in an honor-
ary capacity the preparation of a new
Flora of Victoria and offered to defray
the cost of preparing any illustrations”.
This was published in 1930-1. Now
just over forty years on comes this
really complete work of Mr. Willis,
making Ewart’s flora obsolete.

This book shows how to identify
the families, genera and species of
indigenous and naturalized alien dico-
tyledon plants in Victoria. It is far

138

more than just a key as there is much
additional information about each
species. As well as the scientific name,
a common name is given in each case
and a previous name is also recorded.
Though there are no illustrations in
this book, publications in which illus-
trations of species may be found are
named.

The distribution of each species is
indicated by letters referring to
lettered rectangles on a map of Vic-
toria at each end of the book. Each
rectangle extends over 1° of latitude
and 1° 50’ of longitude.

For a few families and genera and
species the details of special localities
are given as in Vol. 1.

The descriptive terms are simple
and the distinguishing features of each
species easy to recognize.

To appreciate the scope of revision
and addition of species the following
comparison may be made:

Eucalyptus: Mueller, 38 species;
Ewart, 68; Willis, 96.

Acacia: Mueller, 53; Ewart, 74;
Willis, 96.

On the other hand Epacris has 10
species in former works and there are
8 in Willis.

The ambiguous former genus Blen-
nodia had 6 species now distributed
between 3 genera.

Mr. Willis is internationally known
and respected for his scientific in-
tegrity and thoroughness in Taxonomy

Vict. Nat. Vol. 90

ON Or ee ae

and this authentic book is a boon for
Botanists, Agricultural Science and
Forestry students, Conservationists,
Field Naturalists and any of the in-
creasing numbers of people interested
in our native plants.

The misprint in the index on p. 778
for A. spinescens is unimportant.

In the introduction to this work he
asks “Should field observations bring
to light any extensions in the regional
distribution of a particular species,
the observer is invited to communicate

this additional information to the
National Herbarium, South Yarra.”
15. Vine

Birds of Victoria
No. 4

Available Now
@
A must for Bird Lovers
e

Price $1.50

4, 4G LY
GYFTE
GY%%

REQUEST FOR INFORMATION

Members with reliable bird lists for the Westernport region (including
Eastern Mornington Peninsula) wishing to assist in a proposed book, ‘The Avi-
fauna of Westernport Bay, Victoria”, are asked to forward them to William A.
Davis, P.O. Box 78, West Footscray, 3012.

Information is currently being collated for a projected publication date
during 1975. Pressures on the Westernport area make it highly desirable for

such a book.

May, 1973

W.A. DAVIS.

139

Field Naturalists Club of Victoria

Botany Group
12 April, 1973

The subject for the evening was “Some
Aspects of the New Zealand Flora” by
Miss L. White and Mr Dick Morrison
who showed his own slides as well as
some taken by other members who had
been on the trip. Miss White gave a
most entertaining and informative talk,
and in spite of the shortness of the trip,
was able to give a great deal of informa-
tion on the flora of the various places
visited. She had also prepared some
drawings of interesting species which it
had not been possible to photograph,
including several of the conifers and
shrubs and trees which bear colourful
fruits. Among the exhibits was an Im-
pressive collection of books and_ bro-
chures on the National Parks of New
Zealand.

A brief report of the Group’s excur-
sion in the Yarra Valley at Studley
Park and Pound Bend was given by the
leader, Mr. Ian Cameron. Some little
known spots were visited and members
felt they had gained a greater respect for
the value of this portion of the river.

Following the discussion last month
on ways of helping members with identi-
fications and the use of a botanical key,
a sheet of notes on Goodenia ovata was
available. Mrs. M. Corrick spoke briefly
on the unusual structure of the stigma
which is characteristic of the family
Goodeniaceae, and portions of the flower
were displayed under the microscope. It
is hoped to deal with a different flower
in this way each month.

Mr. A. Fairhall reported on the An-
nual Meeting of the Natural Resources
Conservation League which he attended
as the Club’s delegate and drew members
attention to the Wetlands Forum which
the League is organizing.

Marine Biology and Entomology Group
2 April, 1973

The meeting was attended by 24
members.

Guest speaker for the evening was
Mr. J. A. Harris from the Forestry Com-
mission, who is at present carrying out
research into forest entomology. His
talk was on insect pests which attack
trees. One of these was Uraba lugens, a
species of moth, the larvae of which
attacks Eucalypts, and is a gum-leaf

140

skeletonizer. This species can defoliate
up to 100 acres at a time. At least two
species of wasps parasitize this larva
which helps to reduce its depradations
somewhat. The moths are poor fliers,
not flying higher than eight feet from the
ground. Another insect which does dam-
age is a beetle, Austroplatypus incom-
pertus. Mr. Harris outlined the history
of this beetle, and the research which
took place. They make galleries in the
wood at a very slow pace, a three-year-
old gallery being only three inches long.
Trees are only attacked if they are
fifteen inches or more in diameter. Smal-
ler trees are immune. Phasmidae (stick
insects), also do much damage. They
attack narrow-leafed peppermints and
red gums. Trees however refoliate.
Phasmids lay their eggs straight down
into the ground and have a four-year
life cycle. About 5-10 per cent hatch out.
In December through to January, the
females, by themselves, start a new
plague. They have no known parasites
or predators. Biological control is ac-
complished by spraying.

Exhibits—Mr. P. Kelly: Parasitic
wasps which emerged from the eggs of
a beetle of Genera Paropsis, collected
at Rushworth, Victoria.

Mr. K. Strong made a _ microscope
slide of one of these tiny wasps, the
species of which is unknown.

Also shown were — (i) COLEOPTERA:
Family Carabidae; Genus Catadromus.
(ii) Also another species of beetle,
Family — Hydrophilidae; Genus Hydro-
philus.

These two beetles were taken at Shep-
parton, Victoria, from street lights.

Mr. H. Bishop, showed, under his
microscope, a live medusa of Clavatella
taken at Beaumaris, Victoria. Also a
Coelenterata, Velella lata, found on the
ocean beach at Mallacoota, Victoria.
Mr. Bishop said that this Coelenterata
belongs to a special division known as
the Disconantha.

Dr. Brian Smith showed four species
of Queensland Cowries, viz., C. caurica,
C. errones, C. subviridus and C. pyri-
formis. He explained that these four
species were often confused. Also two
shells of the family Haliotidae, Haliotis
ruber and Haliotis laerigata were shown.
These were taken off Torquay, Victoria.
Dr. Smith explained that these shells
showed possible hybridization.

Vict. Nat. Vol. 90

Mammal Survey Group (FNCV)

Chairman: D. Barham.
Secretary/Treasurer: D. Kelly.

Minute Secretary: Miss L. King-Smith.
Records Officer: R. Gibson.
Equipment Officer: 'M. Coulthard.
Specialist Adviser: S. Morton.
Residual: Miss V. Taylor.

Camps.
19-20 May 22-23 September
9-11 June 20-21 October
21-22 July 17-18 November

25-26 August 8- 9 December

Letter to the Editor

On behalf of the 15 April excur-
sionists I hope you can spare a little
space to express our appreciation of
the superb leadership on the geology
of Melbourne.

From long knowledge of Dan
McInnes we expected a very interest-
ing day, but the trip was, in the
opinion of us all, quite outstanding.

It is regrettable that we have few

such energetic and lucid leaders and
that a large proportion of our excur-
sions are little more than pleasant days
in the country with little or no nature
teaching.

There were many requests that
Dan’s clear and comprehensive notes
should be published in our magazine.

L. M. BEADNELL.

ENTOMOLOGICAL
EQUIPMENT

Butterfly nets, pins, store-boxes, etc.

We are direct importers and manufacturers
and specialise in Mail Orders

(write for free price list)

Australian Entomological Supplies
35 Kiwong St., Yowie Bay, Sydney, 2228
Phone: 524 4614

May, 1973

141

COUNTRY AND JUNIOR FIELD NATURALISTS CLUBS

The following list is published to help encourage co-operation between the Clubs.
Every effort has been made to ensure that it is accurate, but we apologise for the
inevitable errors and omissions. Clubs marked with an asterisk are affiliated with
the F.N.C.V.

Ararat Field Naturalist Club.
Secretary: Miss Z. Banfield, 7 Ligar Street, Ararat, 3377.

*Bairnsdale Field Naturalists Club.
Secretary: Mr. E. V. Barton, 13 Turnbull Street, Bairnsdale, 3875.

*Ballarat Field Naturalists Club.
Secretary: 'Mr. Peter Fry, 19 Stawell Street, Ballarat, 3350. Phone: 32 6454.
President: Mr. W. Murphy, Dana Street, Ballarat, 3350.

*Benalla Field Naturalists Club.
Secretary: Mrs. M. Brooks, Dookie Agricultural College, Vic., 3647.
President: Mr. R. Barber, ““Wyambi”’, Benalla, 3672.

Bendigo Field Naturalists Club.
Secretary: Mr. P. N. Ellis, P.O. Box 396, Bendigo, 3550.

*Colac Field Naturalists Club.
Secretary: Mr. Peter Dorman, “Burngul”, Lorne Road, Deans ‘Marsh, 3235.
President: Mr. Robert Missen, “‘Flowerfield’’, Beeac, 3251.

*Creswick Field Naturalists Club.
Secretary: Mr. H. L. Barclay, Raglan Street, Creswick, 3363.

*Donald History & Natural History Society.
Secretary: ‘Mrs. R. Falla, Box 111, Donald, 3480. Phone: Litchfield 98 5531.
President: Mrs. J. W. Golding, 9 Napier Street, Donald, 3480. Phone: 346.

*Geelong Field Naturalists Club.
Secretary: Mr. G. McCarthy, 26 Fairbrae Avenue, Belmont, 3216.

Goulburn-Murray Field Naturalists Club.
Secretary: Mr. R. O’Malley, Katunga, 3640 .
President: Mr. John Fordyce, 54 Wyndham Street, Shepparton, 3630.

*Hamilton Field Naturalists Club.
Secretary: Mr. D. ‘McKenzie, French Street, Hamilton, 3300.

*Horsham Field Naturalists Club.
Secretary: Mrs. Jean Hill, 16 Rose Street, Horsham, 3400.

*King Island Field Naturalists Club.
Secretary: ‘Mrs. P. F. Barnett, Private Bag 111, Currie, King Island, 7256.

Kowree Field Naturalists Club.
Secretary: Mrs. J. M. Forster, “Moss Giel”, Edenhope, 3318.

*Latrobe University Conservation Society.
Secretary: Latrobe University, Bundoora, 3083.

*Latrobe Valley Field Naturalists Club.
Secretary: ‘Mr. S. Belgraver, 179 Lloyd Street, Moe, 3825.
President: Mr. T. ‘Moretti, 130 Princes Street, Traralgon, 3844.

*Maryborough Field Naturalists Club.
Secretary: Mrs. M. L. Courtney, Carrick Street, Maryborough, 3465.
Phone: 61 2249.
President: Mr. Brian Jones, Argyle Road, Maryborough, 3465.
*Mid-Murray Field Naturalists Trust.
Secretary: Miss G. Willoughby, Gray Street, Nyah West, 3595.
President: Mrs. M. Irvin, Wood Wood, 3596.
*Native Plants Preservation Society.
Secretary: Mrs. A. Faithfull, 67 Athelstan Road, Camberwell, 3124.
*Peninsula Field Naturalists Club.
Secretary: ‘Mr. P. Bulfin, 189 Jones Road, Somerville, 3912.
President: Mr. E. O. Dawson, Victoria Road, Pearcedale, 3912.

142 Vict. Nat. Vol. 90

*Portland Field Naturalists Club.
Secretary: Miss J. Colleshaw, P.O. Box 332, Portland, 3305S.
Phone: Portland 23 2956.
President: Mr. Greg Baker, Alexandra Street, Portland. Phone: 23 2960.

*Ringwood Field Naturalists Club.
Secretary: Mr. A. F. Le Rossignal, 74 Loughnan Road, Ringwood, 3134.
Phone: 870 8063.
President: Mr. F. J. C. Rogers, 108 Wantirna Road, Ringwood, 3134.

Robinvale Field Naturalists Club.
Secretary: ‘Mr. J. R. Curr, Box 471, Robinvale, 3549. Phone: Robinvale 179.
President: Mrs. K. Grose, Box 85, Robinvale, 3549.
Phone: Robinvale South 26 6254.

Sale Field Naturalists Club.
Secretary: Mrs. K. H. Newnham, Box 302, Sale, 3850. Phone: 44 1406.
President: Mr. P. J. Turner, Box 302, Sale, 3850.

*Stawell Field Naturalists Club.
Secretary: ‘Mrs. E. J. Hughes, 9 Oriental Street, Stawell, 3380. Phone: 58 2031.
President: Mr. I. R. McCaw, “Bimbimbie”, Crowlands Road, Stawell, 3380.
Phone: 581402; Bus.: 58 2314.

Sunraysia Field Naturalists Trust.
Secretary: C/o Box 763, Mildura, 3500.

Timboon Field Naturalists Club.
Secretary: Mrs. F. Negrallo, “Glenfyne’’, Cobden, 3266.
Phone: Brucknell 95 0353.
President: Miss J. E. Phillips, Lord Street, Port Campbell, 3269.
Phone: Port Campbell 98 6317.

*Traralgon Field Naturalists Club.

Secretary: (Mr. J. Wall, 156 Kay Street, Traralgon, 3844. Phone: 74 1948.

President: Mr. A. Chambers, 5 Hickox Street, Traralgon, 3844. Phone: 74 2706.
Warragul Field Naturalists Club.

Secretary: Mr. J. M. Brooks, 3 Nobel Street, Warragul, 3820. Phone: 2 1563.

President: Mrs. E. Algie, “Balgowan’’, Neerim South, 3831. Phone: 8 1491.
*Wimmera Field Naturalists Club.

Secretary: 'Miss A. 'M. Jordan, “Lister Vale’’, Kiata, 3415.
Wodonga Field Naturalists Club.

Secretary: Mr. A. W. Bullock, 13 Havelock Street, Wodonga, 3690.
*Wychitella Forests Protection League.

Secretary: Mr. R. Johnston, Wychitella, 3522.
Yea Field Naturalists Club.

Secretary: Mr. J. G. Alberton, C/o Yea High School, Yea, 3717.

Phone: 117; A.H.: 2164.

President: Rev. E. A. Eames, Sacred Heart Presbytery, Box 61, Yea, 3717.
Hawthorn Junior Field Naturalists Club.

Secretary: Mr. Robin Sandell, 39 Rubens Grove, Canterbury, 3126.

Phone: 83 8009.

Montmorency Junior Field Naturalists Club.

Secretary: Mrs. J. Cookson, 21 Wilson Avenue, Montmorency. Phone: 43 1712.

Preston Junior Field Naturalists Club.
Secretary: Mrs. E. Tenner, 9 Foch Street, Reservoir, 3073. Phone: 478 1284.

Victorian Field Naturalists Clubs Association.
Secretary: Mrs. D. W. Lyndon, P.O. Box 80, Leongatha, 3953.
President: Mr. Alex Fisher, Private Bag, Piangil, 3597.

Western Victorian Field Naturalists Clubs Association.
Secretary: Mr. L. M. Williams, 15 Camp Street, Creswick, 3363.

May, 1973 143

Field Naturalists Club of Victoria

Established 1880

OBJECTS: To stimulate interest in natural history and to preserve
and protect Australian fauna and flora.

Patron:
His Excellency Major-General Sir ROHAN DELACOMBE, K.B.E., C.B., D.S.O.

Key Office-Bearers, 1972-1973.

President:
Mr. P. KELLY

Hon. Secretary: Mr. R. H. RIORDAN, 15 Regent St., East Brighton, 3187. 92 8579
Treasurer: H. BISHOP. Address Correspondence to National Herbarium, The
Domain, South Yarra.

Subscription Secretary: Mr. D. E. McINNES, 129 Waverley Road, East Mal-
vern, 3145

Hon. Editor: Mr. G. M. WARD, 54 St. James Road, Heidelberg 3084.

Hon. Librarian: Mr. J. MARTINDALE, c/o National Herbarium. The Domain,
South Yarra.

Hon. Excursion Secretary: Miss M. ALLENDER, 19 Hawthorn Avenue, Caulfield
3161. (S52 2749).

Magazine Sales Officer: Mr. B. FUHRER, 25 Sunhill Av., North Ringwood, 3134.

Group Secretaries:
Botany: Mrs. M. G. CORRICK, 7 Glenluss St., Balwyn 3103. Tel. 857 9937.
Day Group: Mrs. J. STRONG, 1160 Dandenong Rd., Murrumbeena (56 2271).

Entomology and Marine Biology: Mr. J. W. H. STRONG, Flat 11, “Palm Court”.
1160 Dandenong Rd., Murrumbeena 3163 (56 2271).

Field Survey: Miss L. BARRACLOUGH, c/o 8/4 Rathmines St., Fairfield 3078.
Geolosy: Mr: F..SAULT:

Mammal Survey: Mr. D. KELLY

Microscopical: Mr. M. H. MEYER, 36 Milroy Street, East Brighton (96 3268)

MEMBERSHIP

Membership of the F.N.C.V. is open to any person interested in natural
history. The Victorian Naturalist is distributed free to all members, the club’s
reference and lending library is available, and other activities are indicated in
reports set out in the several preceding pages of this magazine.

Rates of Subscriptions for 1973.

Ordinary Members 2.0 “2.0 3.06 sm ha ee pes ORES RS ep $7.00
Country; (Members 4.05 jue os sor ie cet ede eet Sane ae aes a $5.00
Joint Members .. wet el akg ea Dye ei FA ais, Ese Sg ie $2.00
Junior Members (under Ig years) wie gal ag Ga Oe gg ea 5 A eel 1 $2.00
Junior Members: receiving Vict. (Nat. °: 3.00 2) 005 a a al $4.00
Subscribers to Vict. Nat. (Aust. only) i er Amn Mea i oe. | oc $5.00
Overseas Subscribers eel dae Sato ee eel tht ote 2S gs Sa err $6.00
Affiliated Societies. 2.8 2.00 ea a a we ish bee ees Duet 2 ST Pe
Supporting Members . Pram rre We se IE
Life Membership (reducing after 20 years) .. . we eae Se arc itis Geena tes Ag anc Oe

The cost of individual copies of the Vict. Nat. will be 45 cents (62 cents — overseas requests).
Full-time Students between I8 and 21 years pay at Junior Member rates.

All subscriptions should be made payable to the Field Naturalists Club of Victoria, and posted
to the Subscription Secretary.

) JENKIN, BUXTON & CO. PTY. LTD., PRINTERS, WEST MELBOURNE

JUNE, 1973

Published by the
FIELD NATURALISTS CLUB OF VICTORIA

in which is incorporated the Microscopical Society of Victoria

Registered in Australia for transmission by post as a periodical.
Category “A”

F.N.C.V. DIARY OF COMING EVENTS
GENERAL MEETING

Monday, 11 June— At National Herbarium, The Domain, South Yarra, commencing
8 p.m.

Subject for Evening — “‘Botanical Trails through the British Isles”: J. H. Willis.:
Monday, 9 July—(to be announced)

GROUP MEETINGS
(8 p.m. at National Herbarium unless otherwise stated)

Thursday, 14 June—Botany Group meeting.

Thursday, 21 June—Microscopical Group meeting in Prahran Town Hall Public

Library rooms at 8 p.m. The group will be contributing to the Library Group
Midwinter Lectures.

Thursday, 21 June—Day Group. To meet at Conference Room, National Museum,
at 11.30 a.m.: Study of bird specimens. Members to bring lunch.

Thursday, 28 June—F.S.G. meeting in Conference Room, National Museum, at
8.00 p.m.—Mr. B. Dexter and Mr. Heislers, of the Forests Commission, will
speak on “The effects of fires on Forests and their Inhabitants’.

Monday, 2 July—Marine Biology and Entomology Group meeting. In Conference
Rooms, National Museum, at 8.00 p.m.

Wednesday, 4 July—Geology Group meeting.

CAMPS
14, 15 July—F.S.G. Acheron Way: Donna Buang.

JUNIOR F.N.C. MEETINGS
Friday, 29 June—Hawthorn Juniors in Town Hall at 8.00 p.m.

Friday, 6 July—Preston Juniors at 281 High Street, Preston (Rechabite Hall), at
8.00 p.m.

Friday, 13 July—Black Rock Juniors at 8 p.m. in Congregational Church Hall, cnr.
Arkaringa Crescent and Bent Parade.

—Montmorency and District in Scout Hall, Petrie Park at 8.00 p.m.

F.N.C.V. EXCURSIONS

Sunday, 17 June—Miss M. Lester will lead an excursion on ‘Ferns’ in the Sassafras
Creek area. The coach will leave Batman Avenue at 9.30 a.m. Fare $1.70. Bring
a picnic lunch.

Saturday, 25 August-Friday, 7 September—This excursion includes a week at Coona-
barabran, the nearest town to the Warrumbungles in N.S.W. The coach will
leave Melbourne on Saturday, 25 August, stopping overnight at Finley and
Parkes, and will reach Coonabarabran on Monday, 27 August. The return
journey will include two nights in Canberra. It was hoped to rent some of the
converted trams at the Warrumbungles; however, this was not possible, so the
excursionists will be accommodated in hotels or motels on a dinner, bed and
breakfast basis, but we would like members going by private car and camping
to link up with the party. The cost, including transport and accommodation,
should be approximately $155 with hotel accommodation in Coonabarabran
and $15 extra in the motel. The excursion secretary would appreciate hearing
from local members when planning these excursions and would be grateful
for suggestions from anyone knowing the areas to be visited.

146 Vict. Nat. Vol. 90

The
Victorian Naturalist

Editor: G. M. Ward

Assistant Editor: G. Douglas

Vol. 90, No. 6 6 June, 1973

CONTENTS

Articles:
Ayers Rock, Northern Territory. By Dr. A. W. Beasley

Physiographic Changes at Mud Islands, Port Phillip Bay. By E. C. F. Bird
F.N.C.V. Excursion to New Zealand (Part 1)

The Origin of Generic Names of the Victorian Flora (Part 1 cont.)
By J. A. Baines

William Howitt and Australian Natural History. By G. Blackburn

Features:

Early Naturalists’ Writings —3 .

Book Review:

“Flora of the Sydney Region”

Field Naturalists’ Club of Victoria:
Reports of General Meeting and Group Meetings
Diary of Coming Events .
Latrobe Valley F.N.C. Report .

Front Cover:

154
153]
166

170
2

148

151

174
146
174

Tachyglossus aculeata, the Spiny Anteater, indicates his unruffled, unhurried
and admirable approach to the world about him. photo: J. Wallis

June, 1973

147

Early Naturalist’s Writings — 3

The following is a letter* written by the naturalist Amalie Dietrich to her
daughter Charitas, during a visit to Australia in 1864.

Rockhampton
12/10/1864
Dear Charitas,

You may have wondered why you
have heard nothing at all from me
for so long, but just think, I have been
very ill with a fever for six weeks:
and hardly had I recovered, when my
house burnt down.

Yes, I know exactly how I became
ill, but how the fire broke out, that
remains a mystery.

Here in the settlement they say that
the Aborigines did it, but I dont
think so; I don’t hold with them being
malicious, only crude and ill-bred.

I won’t have anything said against
the Aborigines, they recently saved
my life. How this all came about, you
shall soon hear.

Concerning the fire, I could un-
fortunately save nothing more than
the bare essentials. Such a house, out
of bamboo poles covered in palm
leaves, is burnt down in an instant.
The spirit preparation gave the flames
new support. After the illness I was
still very weak, and now, as well,
came the great fright and sorrow. I
lost all recollection. Ah, everything
is destroyed! The paper for the Her-
barium and the expensive spirit.

Before my illness I had already
collected so many beautiful specimens
together, that I had thought of soon
sending them. Had I only done so!
It worries me so, what Godeffroys will
say. What if they lose their faith in
me? If they call me back now? Ah,
this last piece of mis-fortune has quite
cast me down.

I am fearful, faint, shaky in the
legs, so that as I am now, I could do

148

nothing, even if I had the material to
work with.

I am for the present, homeless.
The German squatter family took me
in with them in the first place, I feel
so unfortunate and dispirited. I sit
lazily around. I cant go far yet.
Without spirit and paper I can’t do
anything, and to have the living
animals around me for so long, until
I am better, is also out of the ques-
tion: such people have no_ under-
standing of my interests, they don’t
like it when I have snakes and lizards
in my room. I really can’t demand
that, just must be glad they put up
with me.

Ah, I am terribly impatient. It
tortures me day and night, that I can
hear nothing from Godeffroys. I feel
this long delay in my daily activity to
be a very difficult fate.

My illness came in this manner:—

One day I made a tour into the
huge plains where thousands of sheep
and cattle graze.

The impression is peculiar — far
plains stretch themselves in unseeable
distances, here and _ there’ the
monotony is broken by giant trees,
upon which further parasites have
settled themselves; parasites whose
roots hang down from giddy heights
like a tangle of thick ropes. These
sorts of tree-parasites clutch firmly in
the crown of the tree and suck their
landlord’s sap and life, until he is
finally brought to the ground. That is
a sad moment.

* Translation from the German language by
Diana Dennis under supervision of Gertrude
Mulac-Teichmann. Last article: The Victorian
Naturalist 81 (1) May 1964.

Vict. Nat. Vol. 90

One can wander these plains hour-
long without getting any other im-
pressions. The horizon rises and
sinks imperceptibly; in the lowlands
water collects and swamps develop,
in which beautiful water plants grow.
These plants are visited by the most
beautiful insects.

At the time I wanted to collect
samples of grass and rushes, which
mostly grow so high, that I quite dis-
appear amongst them. Through that
I lost my survey of the scene and I
presently noted that I had got into a
swamp.

“Now, as one gets into it —so one
gets out of it again’ I thought. I had
dealt with many swamps in my life.
Yes, if I had only turned around at
once, everything would have been
alright, but some distance away there
shone a fine blue water lily. I had to
have it! Carelessly and_ without
worrying about the apparent mirror-
like surface of the water, I plunged
in. Yes, I got it, but O God, at what
a price. I wanted to turn around, but
there was no way back. Deeper and
deeper I sank. As soon as I moved,
the water climbed higher. What
should become of me in this great
solitude. It became later and later.
There was no sound of human activity
from near or far, only the giant
eucalyptus rose on one side in certain
distances on the plain, while before,
on the other side of the swamp, lay
a dark forest.

I listened tensely. Many swamp-
birds, also the Kookaburra, which
formerly had made so much fun of
me, let their voices be heard, whilst
near me countless frogs croaked. No
human voice. “Ha Ha Ha!” called
the Kookaburra. Had he spotted me?
“Ha Ha Ha! Ha Ha Ha!” Yet again
this scornful laughter.

A dreadful worry possessed me,
especially as now white fog lay around
me and enveloped the entire region.

June, 1973

I don’t fear easily but then I feared
for myself.

Although I knew that my calls did
nothing to help, yet I called full of
anxiety into the loneliness; perhaps
God had a rescuer nearby. Ah, how
anxiously I listened after each call,
how I spied for humans. Cold shivers
ran through my body —I almost lost
my senses from worry.

Presently I saw in the distance
through the fog, a red light in the
forest and at the same time I heard
a wild noise. I thought: In these days
it must be full moon and then the
Aborigines meet to dance. I had not
seen it, but in the settlement they had
described it to me. Oh, if only I
could succeed in attracting their at-
tention.

I cried out with all my strength for
help; I said to myself, if they don’t
understand the word, if only I can
awaken their curiosity. Indeed, it
presently became still out there, and
I saw, coming towards me through
the trees, flickering fire lights. I
called louder and more urgently in
order to guide them in the right direc-
tion, because it had in the meantime
grown quite dark. But— what was
that? Had they changed their minds?
Did they turn away? — They stood
still and I could hear excited speech
amongst them. Did they fear me?
What else could I do other than call?
After some time —to me it seemed
endless — the fire lights and the wild
voices drew nearer. I was terribly
excited. At last I could see, as an
entire tribe of Aborigines, men and
women, worked their way towards me
through high grass and reeds. They
pushed and shoved a narrow canoe
towards me as they neared me; letting
out wild howls and swinging their fire
brands and with grinning faces they
pulled me out of the swamp, set me
in the canoe and we departed. That
the canoe lay so deep in the water

149

they appeared not to mind; it was a
colourful bustle—one helped the
other. In any case I was saved.

They brought me to the house of a
squatter family and doubtlessly after-
wards continued with-their dance by
the light of the full moon.

The whole thing was like a wild
dream. The long stay in the water
and the fearful anxiety had their re-
sults. I became very sick, became
feverish. I was brought to my station
in the ox wagon. The woman from
whom I get milk and anything else
I need, wanted me to stay with her in
order that I would not be so alone.
However I did not want that — noth-
ing is more painful than to be a bur-
den on another.

The woman looked in on me how-
ever, cooked me soup occasionally
and daily sent her daughter Lucy,
who placed a can of milk on the trunk
next to my bed; and then came my
cat, sat at my feet, and I shared the
milk with her.

I cured myself with my dispensary
which I take with me, using particu-
larly Quinine. You see, I am fairly
well over the illness, but I have done
nothing for six weeks and now I must
meet the misfortune of the fire. If
only I had sent off what I had ready.

Yes, I must tell you about my cat,
she deserves it. You know I love to
have animals around me. I observe
them with interest, they are such fun,
and if they want it, I teach them all
sorts of things. My cat is not only
very faithful, she is also very clever.
She accompanies me for a bit, climbs
up myrtles and rubber trees and hunts
for her profit, but funnily enough,
she also collects for me. It is quite
touching what she drags to me, frogs,
toads, lizards and those sorts of things.
The small mammals and birds she
keeps for me. According to her
nature she prefers to collect at night.
I however prefer to sleep; now she

150

makes a noise for so long, until I get
up and let her in. That did not suit
me so I left the door open a crack.
If she now has anything she lays it
before my bed, jumps onto me and
wakes me up very gently. I must
light the light and take up the booty.
That she choose the animals, that
much I could not teach her, so she
brings me mostly familiar small stuff.
I give the animals the freedom and
Pussy collects indefatigably, freely
disturbing my sleep, but I would not
hurt her.

I received your letter from Eisenach
and am very pleased that you are
getting along so well there. But I do
wonder very much over you! Can you
still not distinguish the great from the
insignificant? You are still a super-
ficial lover of finery. On reading your
story of the parasol I had to think so
much of your Aunt Leanka in Buka-
rest. If you had laid your worries
before her, then you would have
found understanding. Do you expect
it from me? You don’t know me
very well. You spend the whole day
travelling through strange, beautiful
districts. They are paraded before
your eyes; you need not at any time
exert yourself, only gaze out and you
shall receive, but you weigh down
your soul with small things. “Soul,
why do you weary yourself?” Why
does one learn something like this
when one does not use it?

I am naturally of Frau Doktor’s
opinion. One lives in a hostile world.
If I had been better prepared in my
youth for the struggle, I would not
have suffered so. I am very anxious
what your next letter will tell me.

I hope I soon get material and my
old strength, in order that I can again
collect efficiently.

Be brave, and write to me again so
fully.

I embrace and kiss you,
Your loving mother.

Vict. Nat. Vol. 90

book review

Flora of the Sydney Region

By N. C. W. BEADLE, O. D. EvANs, R. C. CAROLIN and Mary D. TINDALE
94” x 6”. 724 pp., 16 plates — 8 in colour, 56 figs.
Publ. A. H. & A. W. Reed, Nov. 1972. Price $13.95.

This most welcome taxonomic
handbook, by four leading profes-
sional botanists in New South Wales,
has recently reached the library of the
Field Naturalists Club of Victoria. It
supersedes the very useful but con-
siderably smaller Handbook to the
Vascular Plants of Sydney District and
the Blue Mountains (by the same
authors in 1962), a private publica-
tion which has been out of print for
several years. The present title is
somewhat misleadingly restrictive, be-
cause the book incorporates all species
of vascular plants occurring between
the rivers Hunter and Shoalhaven
(well north and south of Sydney),
with the Dividing Range as approxi-
mate boundary to the west —“a floris-
tic unit known as the Central Coast”
and an adumbration, perhaps, of the
suburban sprawl of Sydney within the
next century or so. The numbers of
species cited in the Preface for this
large tract (covering six counties) are
about 2,000 indigenous and 450 in-
troduced aliens; a careful count of
those actually described on succeeding
pages has disclosed 2,050 native and
586 adventive species, and _ these
figures approach half the total vascu-
lar flora of New South Wales. There
are as many ferns (115 spp.) and
orchids (180 spp.) here as in the
whole of Victoria!

Flora of the Sydney Region is un-
doubtedly a splendid achievement,
meriting high praise for the joint
authors and the publishers, A. H. &
A. W. Reed, from whom one has
grown accustomed to expect such a
standard of production. Material is
excellently and spaciously set out,

June, 1973

and the book is further enhanced by
16 plates of superior clarity (half
being in colour) in addition to 56
figures of line drawings. It will surely
take its place as one of the most im-
portant regional floras yet produced
in the Commonwealth —a fitting
companion volume to Burbidge’s &
Gray’s Flora of the Australian Capi-
tal Territory (1970).

The very comprehensive glossary of
botanical terms and the line drawings
of leaf-shapes, inflorescences, floral
organs, fruits, etc., on pages 13-36
follow the same pattern as in the
earlier handbook and are most useful
to those with a limited knowledge of
taxonomy; but it seems a pity that
the Introduction (of 8 pages in the
previous volume) has been omitted
altogether. Except for a few additional
items, the general Key to angiosper-
mous families (pp. 99-113) remains
almost exactly as before, yet the sup-
plementary key for field use (pp. 117-
146) has been completely re-cast.

Some Keys under genera are un-
altered from 1962, whereas many
others have been re-written. The sec-
tion on Eucalyptus (contributed by
Professor Noel C. W. Beadle) has
received special treatment, with much
extended descriptive text against each
species. An innovation here is the in-
sertion of clear marginal illustrations
of eucalypt buds and fruits, by Miss
Lois D. Beadle, for all 101 species
recognized — particularly helpful in
such a large perplexing genus. The
key to the groupings of eucalypts on
p. 314 is based chiefly upon bark
features, and it could be difficult to
identify a hand specimen without

151

some foreknowledge of the living tree
from which the sample came. The
reviewer has found it impossible to
key out a peppermint or stringybark
eucalypt from first principles, by com-
mencing at the key to Angiospermae
on p. 99. This would lead one to key
division E on p. 100 (“either, petals
connate; or perianth-segments connate
and arranged in a single whorl’),
from which we pass to Group 13 on
p. 109, but key division F (“calyx
and corolla present’) does not fit any
eucalypt of the section Renantherae.
Nor can the genus be tracked down
by using the special field key on
p. 118 —but perhaps such a criticism
is mere “straw-splitting’, and surely
every Australian, plantsman or other-
wise, would recognise a gum-tree on
sight and not require to work out its
family first!

Descriptions of families and genera
in the fern flora are much more de-
tailed than for any others in this book.
Distribution of each fern and club-
moss is given for other Australian
States, also beyond the Common-
wealth; but no such information ac-
companies any gymnosperm or angio-
sperm species.

- The locality and habitat notes
against all species are quite useful,
and it is a good idea to have incor-
porated major synonyms in the Index
(pp. 689-724), with cross-reference to
the accepted name in each case, rather
than clutter up the text. Families in
the Index are effectively picked out in
bold black type. One is rather puzzled
by the arrangement adopted for angio-
sperm families, which follow neither
the Hookerian (and Benthamian) nor
Englerian system, and no explanation
appears to be offered. Myrtaceae and
Casuarinaceae, for instance, are oddly
assorted bedfellows to be placed to-
gether on p. 352. While it is admitted
that the delimitation of taxa can be
highly subjective, one wonders why

152

Cassytha is given familial rank dis-
tinct from Lauraceae on p. 152, but
not so Cuscuta (p. 494) which is
equally if not more distinct from all
other members of the family .Con-
volvulacee.

Typographical slips that were not
picked up at the page-proof stage are
surprisingly few, in the 688 pages up
to the Index; but here follows a list
of those detected during a cursory
thumbing of the book:

Page
103—-EUPHORBICAEZ (== EUPHORBIACEZ)
109—EPARCIDACEZ (== EPACRIDACE )
111 (line 2) — whrol (= whorl)
282—Oxylobium pultenee

(= O. pultenea)
357—PARIETERIA (‘= PARIETARIA)
383—EvuoIDA (= EvuopiA)
383—Acronychia oblongifka & A. sim-

plicifolic (= A. oblongifolia &

A. simplicifolia resp.)
388—CARDIOSPERUM

(= CARDIOSPERMUM )
391—Polyscias sambucifoli

(= P. sambucifolius)
466—Senecio apargicfolius

(= S. asparagiifolius)
469—Chrysanthemoides moniliferum

(= C. monilifera)
496—Verbascum thaspus (= V. thapsus)
5$32—-ARTHROPOIDUM

(= ARTHROPODIUM )
597—CYATOCHATA (== CYATHOCHATA)
653 & 654—Deyeuxia brachyanthera

(= D. brachyathera)

The situation, however, is not near-
ly so bright in the 36 pages of Index,
where at least 106 mistakes, chiefly in
spelling, have been counted — an
average of three errors per page.
[A list of these errata (with corri-
genda) is available from the reviewer,
if desired.] It would seem that, in
order to up-date the text, several
nomenclatural alterations were made
at the eleventh hour without any corre-
sponding final and careful check of
the index, otherwise it is difficult to
understand how the following dis-
crepancies could have occurred:

Microstrobos is the spelling adopted
in two places on p. 97 of text, but

Vict. Nat. Vol. 90

the rendering in index (p. 710) is
“Microstrobus’’.

Petrorhagia nanteuilii in text (p.
177), but given as P. prolifera in index
(p. 714).

Rumex acetosella in text (p. 184),
but R. angiocarpa in index (p. 718).

Lileopsis polyantha in text (p.
395), but L. australasica in index (p.
708).

Notelea is the spelling in text (pp.
414 & 415), but “Notolea” in index
(p. 712)—the correct rendering
should be Notelaa.

Misopates in text (p. 496), but
“Misapetes” in index (p. 711).

Erythrea centaurium appears as a
synonymous name in index (p. 701),
where there is a cross-reference to the
accepted name Centaurium minus, but
the latter is not to be found on p. 696
of index nor on p. 421 of text.

Similarly, Erechtites arguta (index
p. 701) is referred to p. 468 of text
where there is no mention of it what-
ever.

Hypolena lateriflora (index p. 706)
is listed as a synonym of Calorophus
lateriflorus, but the latter is itself
synonymized under C. minor on p.
695.

There is some inconsistency in cita-
tion of authorities for names, e.g., we
have “N. A. Wakef” on p. 44, “N. A.
Wakefield” or simply “Wakefield” both
on p. 365 and “N. Wakefield” on
p. 708 (lines 1 & 7); under Orchid-
acee, pp. 563-586, R. D. FitzGerald’s
name is abbreviated throughout as
“FitzG.”, but in the index it is invari-
ably rendered “Fitzg.” (see Caladenia
p. 694, Prasophyllum p. 716, etc.).
Also, the asterisk for introduced plants
is not always correctly applied; for
instance, there are no prefixing aster-
isks against the two Petrorhagia
species (p. 177), Solanum sodomeum
(p. 489) and several other undoubted
weeds of alien origin, whereas the
truly indigenous and endemic Celmisia
longifolia is wrongly asterisked (p.

June, 1973

456). It is to be regretted that all
these imperfections were not dis-
covered in time to be eliminated, or
at least to be included on the ‘errata’
slip that accompanies this volume.

In several instances, invalid and
obsolete names have been retained.
Two such are Aybanthus filiformis
(DC.) F. Muell. (on p. 168) which
should be replaced by H. monopetalus
(Roem. & Schult.) Domin; and
Leucopogon hookeri Sond. [not “F.
Muell.”] which must become L.
suaveolens Hook. f. (p. 406). The
authority for Hydrocotyle peduncularis
(pp. 394 & 706) is not N. A. Wake-
field, as cited, but R. Br. ex A. Rich.
There seems to be some mistake in
identification of the photograph at the
lower right-hand side of plate 13
(opp. page 576) purporting to be
Melaleuca ericifolia — it fails to show
the narrow-linear leaves and_ very
short staminal claws (only 1.5-2.0 mm
long) ascribed to this species in the
description on p. 347.

One queries the recording of Bird’s
Nest Fern, Asplenium nidus, for Vic-
toria (p. 83). This handsome plant
was not admitted in either of the two
handbooks on Victorian ferns pub-
lished by the F.N.C.V. (R. W. Bond’s
in 1934 and N. A. Wakefield’s in
1955), and intensive searching for it
in the Howe Ranges and other likely
parts of far East Gippsland, during
the past 40 years, has been to no
avail; it is certainly not considered
indigenous to this State.

A final interesting point concerns
use of the word “Grounsel” (pp. 467,
468 & 704) for certain species of
Senecio. This curious spelling was
employed also in the previous hand-
book of 1962, but one is at a loss to
find any alternative spelling for the
usual Groundsel either in the Oxford
Dictionary, the various British floras
or other botanical works of reference.

—J, H. WILLIS
158

Ayers Rock, Northern Territory

Australia

by Dr. A. W. BEASLEY*

It is only 100 years since the first
white man visited Ayers Rock. This
was the explorer W. C. Gosse, who
named the mountain after Sir Henry
Ayers, the South Australian Premier
at that time. Today Ayers Rock is
an outstanding tourist attraction, and
it has a strong fascination for most
people who visit it.

Ayers Rock is a huge domed rock-
mass, 2,820 feet high and approxi-
mately 54 miles in circumference,
situated about 200 miles south-west of
Alice Springs in the Northern Terri-
tory. It rises abruptly from the sur-
rounding plain, reaching a height of
1,140 feet above the level of the
sandy plain. The lower slopes are
steep and precipitous and vertically
furrowed into great buttresses, but the
upper slopes are gentler and the top
is flattish.

Ayers Rock is composed of near-
vertical beds of arkose, a type of sand-
stone with a high feldspar content.
The bedding is particularly con-
spicuous when the Rock is viewed
from the air. On its top there are
parallel ridges and furrows produced
by erosion along the bedding planes,
and weathering along the steeply
tilted bedding planes is also respon-
sible for the fluting which marks the
lateral buttresses, especially on the
northern side.

The Ayers Rock arkose is a non-
marine sediment deposited in front of
a mountain chain formed by folding
and thrusting during a period of
major earth movements known as the
Petermann Ranges Orogeny. This
orogeny is believed to have occurred

154

in late Upper Proterozoic times and
the arkose is thought to be of early
Cambrian age, the detrital material
coming from the rapid disintegration
of granite and gneiss exposed to the
south-west. The arkosic sediments are
considered to be of fluviatile and del-
taic origin, laid down about 550 mil-
lion years ago by rivers that emptied
into a sea to the north-east. Subse-
quent earth movements uplifted the
beds of arkose and tilted them almost
vertically. Unfortunately, no fossils
have been found in the rock.

The weathered surface of the arkose
is indurated, relatively smooth, and
reddish brown in colour. However,
when the rock is broken and a fresh
surface is examined, it is generally
pinkish to greenish grey in colour.
Examination reveals that the arkose
is coarse-grained with rare bands of
conglomerate and some _ medium-
grained laminae, and that it contains
fragments of feldspar up to one inch
long. It is cross-laminated and poorly
sorted, and most of the grains are sub-
angular.

Although the arkose is fairly re-
sistant, Ayers Rock has been eroded
considerably through the effects of
rain, wind and temperature changes.
The smooth outline is largely the re-
sult of a weathering process known
as spalling. This affects rock which is
of a homogeneous nature and which
has very widely spaced joint planes.
Actually, rock fractures called joints
are conspicuously absent in Ayers
Rock, and bedding plane fissility is
absent. The dominant weathering pro-
cess appears to be the spalling or

*National Museum of Victoria.

Vict. Nat. Vol. 90

— a a

“peeling” off the rock surface of
slightly curved slabs of rock averaging
about one inch in thickness and one
foot across; this tends to create a
smooth, curved surface.

On the north-western face, weather-
ing has produced a spectacular fea-
ture known as the “Kangaroo Tail”.
This is a huge outwardly-curved strip-
like slab of rock about 20 feet thick
lying on a 50-degree slope, separated
from the main rock surface for most
of its length of 200 feet by a crevice
four feet in width. The slab is about
15 feet in width and is attached to
the main rock mass at its top and
bottom.

Weathering has formed smail caves
in many parts of the Rock, and some
of these have coalesced to form large
caves up to 200 feet high and extend-
ing up to 100 feet into the rock.
Chemical weathering produces a
strong outer crust on the rock, but the
rock below becomes weaker and it dis-
integrates more rapidly. Strong winds
help to form the caves by removing

Plate 1

June, 1973

particles of rock detached by the
physical and chemical weathering.
The caves are numerous near the
base of the Rock. At ground level
they take the form of overhanging
cylindrical rock shelters, whose long
axes are parallel to the face of the
rock; many of these caves are de-
corated with Aboriginal paintings.
Caves are also common in a zone
about 50 or 60 feet above the plain
level; this zone may mark a former
ground surface, the caves having been
initiated by ground-level weathering.
Other caves seem to have a quite irre-
gular distribution. Cavernous weather-
ing is pronounced on the northern
face of the Rock and, near the north-
east corner, has produced a _pro-
minent feature known as “The Brain’,
which somewhat resembles a vertical
section through the human brain with
the jaw-bone attached. It is a
coalescing mass of caves which follow
the bedding.

To the Aboriginals Ayers Rock is
sacred, and no Aboriginal would set

Ayers Rock, Northern Territory, seen from the air.

155

foot on the Rock itself. This explains
why paintings are found only in the
caves at the base of the Rock. How-
ever, many people who make the
journey to Ayers Rock want to climb
it. It can be climbed’ from a point on
the western side, where a_ buttress
slopes down at a rather gentler grade
than elsewhere. Although the steepest
part of the climb is at an angle of
60 degrees, it is not hazardous and,
even if the climbing is carried out in
a leisurely manner, it takes no longer
than 13 hours. On the top, some of
the furrows in the rock are fairly deep,
and these become filled with water
after heavy rain. A certain amount of
vegetation, including mulga and black
wattle has succeeded in establishing
itself on the top.

Permanent water and seepages are
found at the base of Ayers Rock. On
the southern side a pool is fed by a

particularly copious drainage, and is
known as Maggie Springs. On the
northern and western sides there are
two other important pools.

Ayers Rock has been formed
through the erosion of surrounding
material, leaving the mountain (tech-
nically known as an inselberg) stand-
ing as a remnant of hard rock rising
above the general erosion surface. It
has been formed by weathering fol-
lowed by removal of debris in such a
way that the slopes retreated whilst
maintaining a more or less constant
angle. The outline is apparently deter-
mined by major joints.

Knowledge of its geology and geo-
morphology adds considerably to a
visit to Ayers Rock. The information
may also interest those who are un-
able to make the journey to view this
spectacular feature.

F.N.C.V. PUBLICATIONS AVAILABLE FOR PURCHASE
THE WILD FLOWERS OF THE WILSON’S PROMONTORY NATIONAL PARK,

by J. Ros Garnet.

Price $5.25, (discount to members); postage 20c.

VICTORIAN TOADSTOOLS AND MUSHROOMS, by J. H. Willis.

This describes 120 toadstool species and many other fungi. There are four
coloured plates and 31 other illustrations. Price 90c. Postage 1lc.

THE VEGETATION OF WYPERFELD NATIONAL PARK, by J. R. Garnet.
Coloured frontispiece, 23 half-tone, 100 line drawings of plants and a map.

Price $1.50.

Address orders and inquiries to Sales Officer, F.N.C.V., National Herbarium,

South Yarra, Victoria.

Payments should include postage (15c on single copy).

Back Copies of the “Naturalist”

Mr. Keith Hately, of Kiata, would like a copy of Volume 4, No. 68, of the
“Naturalist”. For further information please contact the Secretary.

156

Vict. Nat. Vol. 90

Physiographic Changes at Mud Islands,
Port Phillip Bay

by E. C. F. Brrp*

The southern part of Port Phillip
Bay (Fig. 1) is underlain by a broad
platform of Quaternary rocks and
sediments, crossed by deeper channels
which converge towards the outlet to
Bass Strait. At low tide extensive
shoals are exposed, notably on Great
Sand, between Symonds Channel and
the South Channel. Mud _ Islands,
situated here, consist of ridges of
shelly sand that rise above high tide
level, and are surmounted by dunes
up to 12 feet high; they enclose salt
marshes and extensive shallow lagoons
which are linked to the sea through
narrow tidal channels at North Inlet
and South Inlet (Fig. 2).

Mud Islands have long been re-
cognised as a site of scientific interest.
In 1898, part of the area became a
sanctuary to preserve breeding colo-
nies of the white-faced storm petrel
(Pelagodroma marina); in 1930, Mud
Islands were declared a Sanctuary for
Native Birds and Animals, and in
June 1961 they were proclaimed a
State Wildlife Reserve under the man-
agement of the Department of Fisheries
and Wildlife.

The physiography of Mud Islands
was described by Keble (1947). They
are composed of ridges of quartz and
carbonate sand derived from the Qua-
ternary aeolian calcarenite formation
which extends beneath this part of
Port Phillip Bay, together with shells
and shell grit produced by organisms
that inhabit the surrounding shallows.
The ridges of shelly sand have been
built up by wave and wind action to
enclose a sheltered lagoon environ-
ment within which muddy sediment
has been deposited. The fine-grained

June, 1973

sediment has come as silt and clay in
suspension in the waters of Port Phillip
Bay, supplied from the Yarra, the
Werribee, and other in-flowing rivers
and creeks. It is mixed with organic
materials produced by the plants and
animals that live on Mud Islands,
and has been trapped and stabilised in
areas colonised by salt marsh vege-
tation.

This article is concerned with the
evidence for changes in the configura-
tion of Mud Islands in_ historical
times.

Historical Evidence

Acting-Lieutenant John Murray
sighted Mud Islands during his ex-
ploration of Port Phillip Bay in
H.M.S. Lady Nelson during February
1802; he sketched them in on his
chart, named them Swan Isles, but
did not actually survey them (Keble
1947). During the episode of Collins’
settlement at Sullivan’s Bay, near Sor-
rento, in 1803-4 they were known as
Signet Island, but no detailed survey
was made until 1836, when Lieu-
tenants Symonds and Henry from
H.M.S. Rattlesnake recorded the out-
lines of three islands rising above a
sandy shoal that dried at low water,
and gave them their present name,
Mud Islands (Fig. 3, A). These out-
lines were entered on the chart of the
Entrance to Port Phillip compiled by
Commander Ross in 1859-60, but
when the chart of Port Phillip Bay
compiled by Commander Cox was
published five years later he included
on it his own survey of Mud Islands,
made in 1864 (Fig. 3, B). This per-

*Reader in Geography, University of Melbourne.

157

sisted on successive editions of nau-
tical charts published in the nineteenth
century, until it was replaced by the
survey of Mud Islands made by J. B.
Mason in 1896 (Fig. 3, C). A further
survey of Mud Islands by J. P. Larkin
in 1932 (Fig. 3, D) has been used on
subsequent charts, up to and including
the most recent of the Entrance to
Port Phillip Bay, published with metric
soundings in 1972. However, a map
made by R. A. Keble in 1946 (Fig.
3, E) differs in several respects from
Larkin’s survey, and more recent air
photographs (Plates 1 and 2) show that
the outline of Mud Islands appearing
on current nautical charts needs cor-
recting (cf. Fig. 2).

It is always difficult to decide how
far chart variations such as those
shown in Fig. 3 represent actual
changes in configuration rather than
differences in the method of charting.
Nautical charts are kept accurate for
navigation areas, but features at and
above high tide level are of less im-
portance to mariners, and may not be

vig Wh
LONSOALE™
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CL ty

SORRENTO
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ae
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ie

rendered so accurately. Before at-
tempting to measure changes in low-
lying coastal terrain from the evidence
on historical maps and charts it is
necessary to know precisely what the
lines drawn on the map indicated.
The outline of Mud Islands changes
continually as tides rise and _ fall.
Boundaries mapped at different stages
of the tide (e.g. highest spring tides,
mean high spring or neap tides, mean
tide level, mean low neap or spring
tides, or lowest spring tides) would
vary considerably. The vertical range
between highest and lowest spring
tides in this part of Port Phillip Bay
is about 1.75 metres (5.6 feet), and
on the very gently shelving topo-
graphy around Mud Islands there is
a great contrast in the area above
water at highest and lowest spring
tides. At highest spring tides only the
dune ridges stand above the sea,
whereas at lowest spring tides exten-
sive surrounding sandy shoals are
exposed (the dotted area on Fig. 1).
Comparison of one survey showing

PO AT

P HCL SE fap

MORNINGTON
BAY y A f YU
J
: e oe
=

a

Figure 1

158

Vict. Nat. Vol. 90

MUD ISLANDS
FEBRUARY 1973

Relics of
beach rock

Erosion of
former
salt marsh

!
|
(
i)
1%

x

SS

4

Outcrop of
shelly beach rock

M.H. W. S. T.

Mean tide line

Limits of salt marsh

3000 Feet

1000 Metres

Figure 2
159

June, 1973

the outline at highest spring tides with
another at, say, high neap tides might
lead an unwary observer to think
that an enlargement of the land area
had occurred when in fact no change
had taken place.

In practice, a surveyor is likely to
have selected a particular level, such
as the limit of a preceding high tide
marked by litter and driftwood, as a
mappable outline. Alternatively, since
such a line is obviously transitory, he
might use well-defined natural boun-
daries, such as a break of slope along
a beach or the junction between sandy
and muddy surface deposits. Vege-
tation often provides sharp natural
boundaries in salt marsh and dune
areas, and these are prominent on
vertical air photographs (especially
colour photographs), which also re-
cord configuration at a particular time
and tidal stage. However, there is

SYMONDS & HENRY 1836

COX 1864

still scope for differing interpretation
of patterns as perceived by different
people, and there is no certainty that
maps produced independently from
the same air photograph of an area
such as Mud Islands will be identical.

Acknowledging these difficulties,
the series of maps shown in Fig. 3
suggests that there have been varia-
tions in the configuration of Mud Is-
lands between 1836 and 1946. The
southernmost point, marked by an
outcrop of shelly beach rock, and the
spatulate marshland of Boatswain’s
Island changed little, but the western
island lengthened and gained terminal
recurves. Larkin’s survey _fore-
shadowed the development of a ridge
along the south-western shore, but
there was still a distinct outer lagoon,
in the lee of Western Island, in 1946.
Variations in the pattern of shoals sur-
rounding Mud Islands are indicated,

Figure 3

160

Vict. Nat. Vol. 90

MASON 189 |

those to the south and west having
been more extensive than those off the
eastern shore.
Changes Since 1951

The air photograph taken in Octo-
ber 1951 (Plate 1) shows that Western
Island had been truncated, and that
the sandy ridge along the _ south-
western shore had been built up since
Keble made his survey in 1946. Com-
parison with the air photograph taken
in February 1969 (Plate 2) shows that
the sandy ridge along the south-
western shore has been driven land-
ward and banked as a beach against
the margin of Boatswain’s Island. A
breach had developed at some stage
near its northern end, with sand
washed into the lagoon as a “tidal
delta” north-west of Boatswain’s Is-
land, but by 1969 this gap had been
sealed off by a sand ridge. The nor-
thern shore has also been driven back,

s.
\
‘
1
!
1
I
1
t
|
\
!
!
1
‘

LARKIN 1932.0 22>"

Cr

June, 1973

and an in-washed sandy tidal delta
formed inside a broader North Inlet.
Some of these changes may have
been gradual, but episodes of rapid
change have occurred during severe
storms. For example, extensive shore-
line recession was reported as a result
of the storm of 27 September 1962
by the Fisheries and Wildlife officer,
Mr. Puffitt, who found that waves
had washed right over the low-lying
parts of Mud Islands.

There has also been recession on the
eastern shoreline between 1951 and
1969, with sand deposition around
East Inlet. By February 1973 this
Inlet had been sealed off completely
(Fig. 2). Scrub vegetation, mainly
Atriplex, had by 1969 spread over
many areas that were bare sand, or
very sparsely vegetated, in 1951.

It is still possible to trace the
foundations of the truncated part of

KEBLE 1946

SCALE
5000 Feet

1000 Metres

161

the outline at highest spring tides with
another at, say, high neap tides might
lead an unwary observer to think
that an enlargement of the land area
had occurred when in fact no change
had taken place.

In practice, a surveyor is likely to
have selected a particular level, such
as the limit of a preceding high tide
marked by litter and driftwood, as a
mappable outline. Alternatively, since
such a line is obviously transitory, he
might use well-defined natural boun-
daries, such as a break of slope along
a beach or the junction between sandy
and muddy surface deposits. Vege-
tation often provides sharp natural
boundaries in salt marsh and dune
areas, and these are prominent on
vertical air photographs (especially
colour photographs), which also re-
cord configuration at a particular time
and tidal stage. However, there is

still scope for differing interpretation
of patterns as perceived by different
people, and there is no certainty that
maps produced independently from
the same air photograph of an area
such as Mud Islands will be identical.

Acknowledging these difficulties,
the series of maps shown in Fig. 3
suggests that there have been varia-
tions in the configuration of Mud Is-
lands between 1836 and 1946. The
southernmost point, marked by an
outcrop of shelly beach rock, and the
spatulate marshland of Boatswain’s
Island changed little, but the western
island lengthened and gained terminal
recurves. Larkin’s survey fore-
shadowed the development of a ridge
along the south-western shore, but
there was still a distinct outer lagoon,
in the lee of Western Island, in 1946
Variations in the pattern of shoals sur-
rounding Mud Islands are indicated,

SYMONDS & HENRY 1836

: J

COX 1864

Figure 3

160

Vict. Nat. Vol. 90

MASON 1896

—)

oe

those to the south and west having
been more extensive than those off the
eastern shore.
Changes Since 1951

The air photograph taken in Octo-
ber 1951 (Plate 1) shows that Western
Island had been truncated, and that
the sandy ridge along the south-
western shore had been built up since
Keble made his survey in 1946. Com-
parison with the air photograph taken
in February 1969 (Plate 2) shows that
the sandy ridge along the south-
western shore has been driven land-
ward and banked as a beach against
the margin of Boatswain’s Island. A
breach had developed at some stage
near its northern end, with sand
washed into the lagoon as a “tidal
delta” north-west of Boatswain’s Is-
land, but by 1969 this gap had been
sealed off by a sand ridge. The nor-
thern shore has also been driven back,

and an in-washed sandy tidal delta
formed inside a broader North Inlet.
Some of these changes may have
been gradual, but episodes of rapid
change have occurred during severe
storms. For example, extensive shore-
line recession was reported as a result
of the storm of 27 September 1962
by the Fisheries and Wildlife officer,
Mr. Puffitt, who found that waves
had washed right over the low-lying
parts of Mud Islands.

There has also been recession on the
eastern shoreline between 1951 and
1969, with sand deposition around
East Inlet. By February 1973 this
Inlet had been sealed off completely
(Fig. 2). Scrub vegetation, mainly
Atriplex, had by 1969 spread over
many areas that were bare sand, or
very sparsely vegetated, in 1951.

It is still possible to trace the
foundations of the truncated part of

LARKIN 1932.

KEBLE 1946

ee

SCALE
5000 Feet

1000 Metres

June, 1973

161

tify

Plate 1

Mud Islands in
October 1951.

By Courtesy
of RAAF

Plate 2

Mud Islands in
February 1969.
Crown (State of

Victoria)
Copyright

162 Vict. Nat. Vol. 90

Western Island as a firm sand shoal
(West Bank on Fig. 2), while relics
of the salt marsh that once existed in
its shelter can be seen as eroding mud-
flats on the foreshore, with relics of
the trunks and roots of a former
Arthrocnemum scrub (Plate 3). Drift-
wood piled on the shore near North
Cape is all that remains of a formerly
dense dune scrub that occupied the
eroded sand ridge: Leucopogon parvi-
florus, once common, is now repre-
sented by only a single surviving
shrub.

There have also been changes in
the inter-tidal zone since 1951. The
sand shoal south and west of Mud
Islands acquired extensive weed
growth (dark area in Plate 2) by 1969,
and was re-shaped off South Inlet.
Since the 1969 photograph was taken
sand shoals have grown northwards
off the eastern shoreline to form a
linear bank that may presage the
emergence of a third sand ridge paral-
lel to the two that form the inner part
of the existing structure.

Plate 3

Photo:
E. C. F. Bird.

June, 1973

Discussion

The only fixed point on the shore-
line of Mud Islands has been South
Cape, where shelly beach rock out-
crops on the foreshore (Plate 4) and
extends under the highest and most
stable dunes. This rests upon Pleisto-
cene aeolian calcarenite similar to
that of the Nepean Peninsula and
Point Lonsdale, but the beach rock
(Plate 5) results from cementation of
shelly sands similar to those of the
present beach. Samples of the sandy
matrix were found to contain between
45 and 54 per cent of acid-soluble
carbonates, the residues being mainly
fine to medium quartz sand. It is pos-
sible that cementation was facilitated
by the former presence of a capping
of guano deposits, a foot or two thick,
which were removed under leases
granted during the nineteenth century.
Beach rock of this type is common on
calcareous beaches in warmer |lati-
tudes (Russell and McIntire 1965) but
on the Victorian coast is usually

found only in the presence of some

163

164

Plate 4

Photo:
K. G. Boston.

Photo:
K. G. Boston.

Vict. Nat. Vol. 90

locally abundant source of cementing
carbonate, such as springs seeping
from a limestone cliff.

Anchored at the southern end by
beach rock, the sandy ridges that en-
close the lagoons and salt marshes on
Mud Islands are in many ways similar
to spits, shaped in response to wave
action, especially during storms. Such
changes can be the outcome of varia-
tions in the topography of the sur-
rounding inter-tidal and submerged
areas, where shoals and_ channels
migrate in response to tidal currents
as well as wave action. If the near-
shore area is shallowed by sand
accumulation, wave action reaching
the beach is reduced, and shoreward
movement of sand may build up the
beach face; if the nearshore area
deepens as the result of scour, the
beach is exposed to stronger wave
action, and may be eroded, or driven
back by storm overwash.

On a larger scale, the changes at
Mud Islands may result from changes
elsewhere in the southern part of Port
Phillip Bay. Early in the present cen-
tury, rocks were blasted from the sea
floor in the entrance to Port Phillip
Bay in order to deepen the waterway
for navigation (Grant and _ Thiele
1902). Modification of wave and tide
regimes by this operation could be
responsible for the extent of shore-
line erosion near Point Lonsdale in
subsequent decades, and indirectly for
some of the changes that have ensued
on Swan Island and at Mud Islands.

In general configuration Mud _Is-
lands have been likened to a coral
atoll, but a closer analogy would be
the low sand and shingle islands that
develop on coral platforms in the
coastal waters off north-east Queens-
land. Low Isles, off Port Douglas, is
a good example, where ridges of coral
sand and shingle have been built up

June, 1973

on a reef platform to enclose a
lagoon with a mangrove swamp.
Great Sand provides a _ foundation
similar to a large reef platform, and
Mud Islands have developed near its
centre. Other shoals in the southern
part of Port Phillip Bay have evi-
dently been too small or too narrow
to provide an environment for this
kind of deposition.

Mud Islands came into existence
during Holocene times, when the sea
rose to submerge the Pleistocene aeo-
lian calcarenite topography in _ the
southern part of Port Phillip Bay. The
framework of enclosing sand ridges
developed as the result of wave action
on unconsolidated surface deposits as
these became submerged. Localised
cementation of shelly beach sands
has provided small areas of relatively
durable rock, but within historic times
there have been changes in configura-
tion leading to the present relatively
simple outline. Shelly organisms in
the surrounding shallows continue to
yield material for beach accumulation,
and it is likely that further growth and
evolution of Mud Islands will occur
in the future.

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

I am grateful to Mrs. M. Barson, who
made a diligent search for historical
maps and charts, assisted by officers of
the Lands Department and the Ports and
Harbors Branch, and to the Department
of Fisheries and Wildlife, who enabled
me to visit and study the Mud Islands
State Wildlife Reserve.

REFERENCES

Grant, F. E., and Thiele, E. O. 1902. On
some rocks from the fairway of Port
Phillip Heads, Proc. Roy. Soc. Victoria,
L352) 13253:

Keble, R. A. 1947. Mud Islands, Port
Phillip Bay, Mem. Nat. Mus. Victoria,
15: 131-8.

Russell, R. J., and McIntire, W. G. 1965.
Southern hemisphere’ beach __ rock,
Geogr. Review, 55: 17-45.

165

FNCV Excursion to
New Zealand, 1973

For the first time in the records of
the F.N.C.V. an official trip was made
by members to New Zealand. In three
weeks over 3,300 miles were covered,
giving a fairly full picture of the
scenic, botanical and geological varia-
tions which occur in both islands. In
an account such as this it is impos-
sible to include full species lists
because many different habitats were
visited and time did not allow a
systematic investigation. This report
will be limited to the main points of
interest encountered on the excursion.

From Wellington the group began
their North Island tour, having in
many cases, their first introduction to
the Pohutukawa or N.Z. Christmas
tree (Metrosideros excelsa). Belonging
to the Myrtaceae, the flowers have
conspicuous red stamens, somewhat
similar to certain species of Euca-
lyptus. Although naturally a coastal
tree, it has been introduced to many
inland parts of N.Z. The native cab-
bage tree (Cordyline australis) was also
abundant. This is a Monocotyledon
which has developed a woody growth
form and is up to 40 ft. high. It is
typical of much of the N.Z. scenery
often growing abundantly in paddocks
as well as in forests and coastal areas.
Originally in the Liliaceae, it is now
put by some authorities in the Aga-
vaceae. Other plants seen frequently
throughout N.Z. were soon learnt.
These included the native flax— Phor-
mium tenax (now used commercially
for its strong fibres), and the nikau
palm — Rhopalostylis sapida. The
latter gives a tropical appearance to
the scenery. The nikau berries take

166

three years to develop and ripen to
a deep red colour. Tree ferns (Dick-
sonia and Cyathea species) were plenti-
ful either as isolated specimens or
growing in dense groves.

A detour to Bushy Park, north of
Wanganui, gave an excellent example
of lowland rainforest, with good speci-
mens of rewarewa (Knightea excelsa),
one of the two species of Proteacea in
N.Z.. Titoki (Alectryon excelsum) and
the northern rata (Metrosideros ro-
busta) were both of interest. The
Titoki has a brown covered fruit
which splits open to expose a bright
scarlet fleshy aril with a black seed
projecting from it. It is a favourite
food of the wood pigeon (Hemiphaga
novaezelandiae). The rata is closely
related to the pohutukawa and hybri-
disation frequently occurs between
these two. The rata tree has a different
growth form from the pohutukawa
and lacks the white tomentum of leaf
and young shoot. Trees showing
characteristics of both parents, in
varying degrees, are common. One
large rata at Bushy Park had a girth
of 45 ft. This species of rata begins
as an epiphyte and sends roots down
to the ground. This root system en-
larges and surrounds the tree on which
it began life. It was previously
thought that it strangled the supporting
tree, but recent research indicates that
death is possibly due to overshadowing
by the large spreading rata crown.
The lush ground cover of ferns —
Asplenium and Blechnum species be-
ing very common — was typical of
most forest areas.

At the end of a long day’s drive,

Vict. Nat. Vol. 90

Mt. Egmont’s clear conical outline
dominated the Taranaki plains. A
blue sky, and snow on the upper slopes
of this 8,160 ft. mountain made every-
one happy with the prospects of a
good day to follow in alpine and sub-
alpine areas. However, typical of
N.Z. mountains it was deceptive. The
next day cloud was low and rain fell
heavily. The annual rainfall for. the
Stratford House area is 250 in. per
year. Fortunately, the ranger, sta-
tioned at the national park came to
give a talk illustrated with slides.
After this, undaunted by the weather,
the party set off in groups to various
areas on the mountain.

Mt. Egmont has some interesting
features. It is an andesitic volcano,
the last eruption probably being about
220 years ago, but the main one was
100 years earlier. Botanically it has
been described as an “island” flora
in that the alpine composition is dif-
ferent from other North Island moun-
tains and also some common species
are somewhat different from the North
Island ones, showing that evolution
due to isolation is occurring. Beech
forest (Nothofagus species) typical of
such an altitude elsewhere, is lacking.
Several hypotheses have been sug-
gested, one being that beech is slow
to spread and hence has not been able
to reach this isolated mountain.

The forest on Egmont is dense and
several trees dominate the canopy —
e.g. Libocedrus bidwillii, Weinmannia
racemosa and Hall’s totara — Podo-
carpus hallii. The tree _ fuchsia
(Fuchsia excorticata) is abundant, and
with its gnarled moss and _ lichen
covered branches gives parts of the
forest an elfin appearance. Some of
the alpine and sub-alpine plants were
in flower, e.g. Ourisia macrophylla,
and Prterostylis banksii; but on the
whole the flowers were disappointing.
The party which did the walk down
Waipuku track saw good examples of

June, 1973

mountain zonation. Bad weather pre-
vented investigation of the highest
limits of vegetation. Egmont emerged
from the cloud to bid farewell the
following morning as the bus set off
for Auckland via Waitomo on one of
its marathon mileage days.

The highlight of the Waitomo lime-
stone caves was the trip by boat into
the glowworm grotto. Innumerable
larvae of Arachnocampa_ luminosa
shone coldly in otherwise total dark-
ness, the complete silence adding to
the effect. Glowworms are not con-
fined to caves, and their lights were
seen later on clay banks at Fox
Glacier and Milford Sound.

The day in Auckland had three
“musts”. Firstly a trip to the west
coast to see kauri forest in the Wai-
takere Ranges, and sand-dunes at
Piha; secondly a visit to the zoo to see
kiwis, and finally the museum with its
fine Maori displays and geological and
zoological sections.

The Waitakere Ranges (1,100 ft.),
close to Auckland city are composed
of an andesitic conglomerate known
as the Manukau Breccia, of Miocene
age. The kauri forest is typical of
parts of the northern half of the North
Island. Fossil remains show that at
one time it extended about 700 miles
south to Dunedin, when climatic con-
ditions were more tropical. Now it is
limited to north of latitude 38°. Kauri
(Agathis australis), endemic to N.Z.,
has always been keenly sought after,
not only for its durable timber —
houses built of it over 100 years ago
are still sound, but also for its long
clean trunks which lack knots. Thus
uncontrolled felling in the past has
caused the destruction of many forests.
The young kauri has a conical form
(called a ricker) but as it grows the
side branches are shed in a manner
similar to leaf fall, and hence no knots
form. Sixty to seventy years later its
growth form alters, to produce a

167

spreading crown on top of the large
straight trunk. The bark is also shed
in large irregular pieces and this often
prevents growth of epiphytes. Mounds
of acid humus many feet deep build
up at the base of large kKauris. Small,
irregular roots from the trees pene-
trate the mound to absorb minerals.
Thus the kauri is adapted to recycle
its own minerals. A kauri grove has
certain species associated with it, some
of which occur nowhere else, e.g.
Blechnum fraseri — which has the
appearance of a miniature treefern.
Some existing kauris in North Auck-
land are thought to be over 2,000
years old. Kauri regenerates in tea-
tree scrub and after many years of
kauri growth the soil alters. In parts
of the old kauri lands of North Auck-
land, where forest no longer exists,
only certain species like Pomaderris
kumeraho (gumdiggers’ soap) can sur-
vive in the phosphate deficient soils,
the acidity of which is often as low as
ph 3.6. Pomaderris and Cyathodes are
adapted to these conditions by having
mycorrhizal fungi associated with their
roots.

There was not sufficient time to
examine the sand dunes at Piha
thoroughly. However in many respects
they are similar to those in Victoria
having Spinifex hirsutus and marram
grass (Ammophila arenaria) as_ the
sandbinders. An endemic _ species,
Desmoschoenus spiralis also grows on
the foredunes. The introduced Cali-
fornian lupins are grown in the fixed
dunes and in some places Pinus
radiata forests have been established
on dune lands. The sand at Piha was
black and this type of sand had
already been seen at Mokau, after
leaving Mt. Egmont. Many beaches
on the west coast of the North Island
contain iron minerals which in some
areas are being extracted commer-
cially. It was unfortunate that the trip
did not allow more time for coastal

168

investigation as there are well over
4,000 miles of varied coastline in New
Zealand.

The kiwi (Apteryx mantelli) in the
nocturnal house at the Auckland Zoo,
showed itself to advantage. The bird
is unusual in that its nostrils are at the
tip of its beak and the female lays an
egg one-quarter of the total weight of
her own body. Twins have been re-
corded, too! Although dogs and cats,
together with man’s clearing of the
forests, have greatly reduced the
abundance of the flightless bird, they
still exist in fair numbers but are dif-
ficult to locate. There are four species
of Apteryx.

The Tuatara (Sphenodon punc-
tatus), a primitive reptile related to the
Dinosaurs, refused to appear from its
hiding place in the cage at the zoo.
They are reputed to have a life span
of possibly over 300 years, and show
many primitive features. No longer
existing on the mainland, these two-
foot-long reptiles are restricted to cer-
tain islands off the east coast of North
Auckland. Lethargic animals, they
have the lowest respiratory rate known
for any animal.

Rotorua entertained with its thermal
activities. Boiling mud pools, reluctant
geysers, and hot springs together with
other tourist attractions filled up one
and a half days. The ubiquitous tea-
tree has become adapted to the ther-
mal conditions and will grow where
all else would die. It has become the
climax vegetation in some areas be-
cause nothing else can replace it.
Rotorua is a Maori centre (96% of
the Maoris live in the North Island
of New Zealand) and there were oppor-
tunities to see various Maori crafts,
including how to make flax clothing.
Although some members of the party
began making them, no one completed
the trip in a self-made Maori skirt.

Rotorua is situated on the earth-
quake belt, but none was experienced

Vict. Nat. Vol. 90

during the visit. Had the party arrived
in Wellington a day earlier they would
have felt a substantial two-minute
quake (6.8 on the Richter scale) which
was widespread over the North Island.
There are two separate regions of
earthquake activity in N.Z. The larger
includes most of the North Island
(except the North Auckland _penin-
sula) together with the northern part
of the South Island (latitudes 364° to
434°). The second region incorporates
Southland, West Otago and South
Westland. Later in the trip in the
Buller Gorge, mountain slips were
observed which were the result of the
1968 earthquake which killed three
people at Inanguhua.

Perhaps one of the most remarkable
features of the tour was the visit to
Rogue Bore in the Wairakei steam
power area. An eight-inch bore was
put down about 14 years ago, and ex-
plosive results led over the years to
the formation of an area _ several
hundred feet wide, filled with water
and steam which frequently erupts.
An unforgettable feature is the con-
tinuous shaking of the ground which
affects several miles around the bore.
The sensation is similar to that of
certain types of earthquakes.

Tongariro National Park is a centre
where more time could have been
profitably spent. Here, mountain
beech (Nothofaqus solandri var. clif-
fortioides) is the dominant tree and
grows to an altitude of about 5,000
feet. This beech forest contains many
interesting plants such as the appro-
priately named stinkwood (Coprosma
foetidissima) and abundant Pterostylis
banksii. Below the beech forest is the
large volcanic plateau covered mainly
with red tussock grass (Chionochloa
rubra), introduced heather (Calluna
vulgaris), and the grass tree (Draco-
Phyllum longifolium). This is a
natural grassland area but the intro-
duced lodge pine ( Pinus contorta) if

June, 1973

not eradicated will take over. The
tussock — Dracophyllum — heather
relationship is now fairly stabilised
and the heather does not seem likely
to oust the native plants. Beekeepers
favour Calluna because Dracophyllum
gives poor honey. Incidentally, the in-
troduced bumble bee (not honey pro-
ducing) with its large black and orange
striped body, was one of the interest-
ing insects seen on the trip.

The three volcanoes in this national
park are Mt. Tongariro (6,458 ft.)
which has a number of craters and hot
springs; Mt. Ngauruhoe (7,515 ft.) a
perfect cone which has periodic acti-
vity, and Mt. Ruapehu (9,175 ft.).
Ngauruhoe, which has been fairly
active over the last year produced
only a quiet display for the trip. Acti-
vity includes larva flows and rock and
ash showers, although it is several
years since the former has occurred.

A morning was spent on the scoria
plateau of Mt. Ruapehu in the com-
pany of a national park ranger.
Various alpine plants such as Draco-
phyllum recurvum, Celmesia species
and Hebe tetragona, were seen. Some
of the party took the ski-lift to higher
altitudes but time was not available
to climb to the crater lake. This acid
lake varies from cold to boiling, so
care is needed before swimming. The
exit of the lake is via an ice cave
which leaves the base of the Whan-
gaehu Glacier by a river of the same
name. On Christmas Eve, 1953, vol-
canic activity caused the exit of the
lake to enlarge and a raging torrent
of water, boulders and mud rushed
down the river valley. This mass of
huge debris destroyed the supports
of the railway bridge at Tangiwai,
just prior to the arrival of the north-
bound Wellington-Auckland express.
The resulting disaster caused the loss
of 151 lives.

From National Park it was back to
Wellington. Unfortunately the Mt.

169

Bruce sanctuary was closed to visitors.
It was here that the first Notornis
chicks were hatched in captivity. Both
died however, just prior to the can-
celled visit. The Takahe (Notornis
hochstetteri) was thought to be extinct
but was rediscovered in 1948 in the
wild mountainous country west of

Lake Te Anau in Fiordland. Much
research is being done on this bird
which is related to the swamphen, Por
(Porphyrio melanotus). It is a grazer,
shearing off the tussock grass with its
large beak.

(To be continued.)

The Origin of Generic Names of the Victorian Flora

Part 1— The Person behind the Name
[continued from 90 (5)]

Dennstaedtia. Named by Bernhardi
after August Wilhelm Dennstedt, a
German botanist of the early 19th
century. His name is sometimes
spelt Dennstaedt, a surname derived
from a place of that name in Thur-
ingia, now spelt Denstedt.

Deschampsia. Named by Palisot de
Beauvois after Louis Auguste Des-
champs (1765-1842), a French
surgeon-naturalist who investigated
the natural history of Java. Des-
champs, Ventenat and La Billar-
diére were all members of the scien-
tific personnel of the D’Entrecas-
teaux expedition in the Recherche
and Esperance.

* Desmazeria. After J. B. J. H. Desma-
zieres (born 1796; Black gives 1862
as the year he died, but De Virville
in his Histoire de la Botanique en
France gives 1852). He amassed
a large herbarium of dried plants
of France, and wrote on the crypto-
gams of the northern part of his
country.

Deyeuxia. After Nicolas Deyeux
(1753-1837), professor at the
School of Pharmacy and Faculty of
Medicine, Paris.

170

Dicksonia. Named by L’Heritier after
James Dickson (1738-1822), F.L.S.,
an English nurseryman who became
a competent botanist, writing on
British cryptogams, his mosses _ be-
ing in the herbarium of the British
Museum. His collection of phanero-
gams went to the Linnean Society.

Dillenia. After Johann Jacob Dillenius
(1684-1747), born in Darmstadt,
Germany, and died at Oxford,
where he had become in 1728 the
first Sherardian Professor of Bot-
any. His given names were angli-
cized as John James. His work on
the mosses in 1741 was illustrated
by himself. He corresponded with
the great Linnaeus, who named the
genus after him. (D. procumbens
has long been known as HAibbertia
procumbens, of the family Dillen-
jaceae. )

Dillwynia. Named by Sir J. E. Smith
after Lewis Weston Dillwyn (1778-
1855), spent most of his life at
Swansea, where he owned the pot-
tery and two streets are named after
him. A competent botanist, he was
F.L.S. and F.R.S.

Vict. Nat. Vol. 90

Dodonaea. Named by Philip Miller
after Rembert Dodoens (1517-
1585), Dutch botanist, author of
Cruydeboek on domestic and for-
eign plants.

Doodia. Named by R. Brown after
Samuel Doody (1656-1706), a
London apothecary who was cura-
tor of the Chelsea Physic Garden
from 1691. He assisted Ray with
his Synopsis and Historia Plan-
tarum, and wrote on mosses.

Drakaea. Named by Lindley after
Miss S. A. Drake (fl. 1831-1847),
botanical artist, who _ illustrated
works on orchids by Lindley and by
Bateman. (Now Spiculaea in S.
huntiana. )

*Duchesnea. Named by Smith after
N. Duchesne (1747-1827), who in
the botanic garden at ‘Trianon
specialized in the study of straw-
berries, which he monographed in
his Histoire Naturelle des Fraisiers
(1766). Our introduced species, D.
indica, is known as the Indian
Strawberry, and like the true straw-
berries, Fragaria, belongs to family
Rosaceae. Duchesne also wrote a
manual of botany, and a natural
history of gourds and pumpkins.
(Even his surname is _ botanical,
meaning ‘of the oak’.)

*Ehrharta. Named by Carl Thunberg,
the great Swedish botanist of the
flora of South Africa, after F. Ehr-
hart, a Swiss botanist.

*Eichhornia. Named by Kunth after
J. A. F. Eichhorn (1779-1856), a
Prussian Minister of Education. E.
crassipes, our introduced pest, is
Water Hyacinth, a native of tropi-
cal America, and is known as Lilac
Devil in the Congo.

Eugenia. Named by L. after Prince
Eugene of Savoy (1663-1736), the
distinguished soldier who was Marl-

June, 1973

borough’s. ally. Born Francois
Eugene de Savoie-Carignan, he re-
nounced France when Louis XIV
banished his mother, and his mili-
tary fame was earned as an Austrian
general.

Euphorbia. Named by L. after the
name of an African species that
had been named by King Juba of
Mauritania after Euphorbus, his
Greek physician, who had discov-
ered its medicinal uses. (The name
means “good pasture” in Greek.)

Ewartia. Named by Beauverd (1910)
after Alfred James Ewart (1872-
1937), professor of botany, Mel-
bourne University, and Victorian
Government botanist. The most
notable of his works was Flora of
Victoria. He was elected F.R.S. in
1922.

Fieldia. Named by Allan Cunningham
after Barron Field, judge of the
Supreme Court of N.S.W. He was
born in London in 1786, and died
in Torquay, Devon, in 1846. He
sent plants and drawings to Hooker
from New South Wales.

Frankenia. Named by L. after Johan
Frankenius (1590-1661), professor
of botany and anatomy at the Uni-
versity of Uppsala, Sweden. He ap-
parently was not very notable, as he
is not mentioned in A Short History
of Botany in Sweden, by R. E. Fries
(published for the 7th International
Botanical Congress in 1950 held in
Stockholm), which includes the
names and work of 450 Swedish

*Freesia. After Friedrich Heinrich
Theodor Freese (died 1876) of
Kiel, a friend of Ecklon, who
named the genus.

Gahnia. Named by the Forsters after
Dr. Henry Gahn, Swedish botanist,
who was a friend of Linnaeus. (An-
other omitted from the 162-page
history mentioned above.)

171

*Galinsoga. After Mariano Martinez
Galinsoga, an 18th century Spanish
doctor, by Ruiz-Lopez and Pavon.
Stearn says ‘his botanical accom-
plishments match the smallness of
their flowers’, referring to G. parvi-
flora, the common weed that is
comically known as Gallant Soldier,
a corruption of Galinsoga! The
plant originated in Latin America
(from Mexico to Argentina). Willis
gives Potato Weed as another of its
common names.

*Gaudinia. Named by Pal. Beauverd
in 1812 after Jean Francois G.
Gaudin (died 1833), pastor at
Nyon in Canton Vaud, Switzerland,

author of ‘Flora Helvetica’ and
‘Agrostologia Helvetica’ (i.e. works
on the general Swiss flora and on
the grasses of that country respec-
tively).

Gaultheria. After Jean Francois Gaul-
tier (Sometimes spent Gaulthier) (c.
1708-1756), a French physician
and botanist of Quebec, but only
two of the 200 species are native to
eastern North America.

Geijera. Named by Schott after J. D.
Geijer, a Swedish botanical author.
This generic name of the Wilga is
usually pronounced geejera, with
the initial g hard, but the Swedish
surname is pronounced yeier.

William Howitt and Australian Natural History

G. BLACKBURN

After almost two years in Victoria,
William Howitt returned to England
in 1854 and completed his major book
with an Australian theme —‘‘Land,
Labour and Gold” (1855). This has
been re-issued recently* and has value
for field naturalists as well as for
sociologists, economists, and __his-
torians.

For many Victorians the only not-
able Howitt was Alfred William, the
explorer, geologist, anthropologist,
and member of the Field Naturalist
Club of Victoria. This book, by his
father, will certainly interest those
curious about the son, but it provides
original observations on several as-
pects of natural history, and useful
references to its students in Australia
more than a century ago.

In “Land, Labour and Gold’, Wil-
liam Howitt tells of plants, birds, rep-

*In 1972 by Lowden Publishing Co., Kilmore,
Victoria, and by Sydney University Press,
Sydney.

172

tiles, insects, mammals, weather, soils,
rocks, and gold. All his information
seems to be out of direct contact with
life, though one may suspect that the
energy and interest of his elder son,
Alfred, were responsible for many of
the experiences. However, by noting
entries in the index, specially com-
piled for the new edition, and by
examining the author’s narratives for
periods when he was unaccompanied
by his sons, it can be seen that his
botantical interests transcended others
in the realm of natural history. This
fits with the fact that he maintained
special affection for Eucalyptus long
after leaving Australia: he encouraged
plantings in Italy where he died in
1879.

Birds he regarded as “perhaps...
the most striking feature of Australia”
(p. 58); he referred to more than
sixty species. Insects are mentioned
repeatedly, but his remarks about flies

Vict. Nat. Vol. 90

lose the detached curiosity and be-
come almost emotional. He thought
that the general lack of fruit-bearing
plants in Australia (p. 113) was par-
ticularly significant for the Aboriginal
way of life. He was struck by “the
extreme tenacity of life in many of
its animals” (p. 111) and instanced
the “opossum” and the hawk. As
prospectors for gold in the 1850's,
Howitt and sons learnt to live off the
land and thus acquired direct know-
ledge of game birds and river fish.
Not all the hunting was for food —
take the episode of their wombat
hunt (p. 303). This appears to have
been inspired more by curiosity than
by hunger, and it is probable that
Alfred initiated the quest. It involved
digging three holes, each to ten feet,
and it is unlikely that father William
—then in his sixty-fourth year —
competed with Alfred (27) and the
man called Lignum and described as
an Irish giant. One of the curiosities
recorded by the author was_ the
Aboriginal practice of digging narrow
perpendicular holes in search of wom-
bats. This was also later referred to
by Brough Smyth (“The Aborigines
of Victoria, 1876, Vol. 1, p. 149).
The Howitt trio — William, Alfred
and Charlton— sought gold in the
north-east, at Bendigo, and at Ballarat.
Despite a longish stay at Bendigo,
they seem to have had no experience
of the Whipstick Scrub there. This
type of eucalypt vegetation is referred
to only from the Goulburn diggings,
near Waranga and Rushworth, and
there is no mention of the Mallee,
though this word was used and ex-
plained in another book by Howitt:
“Tallangetta, the Squatter’s Home”
(1857). It is also interesting that
William Howitt made no reference to
any mound-building birds, though he
was very interested in birds and knew
of John Gould, who had previously
described the bird, Leipoa ocellata,

June, 1973

we know as the Lowan or Mallee
Fowl.

One topic that may appear unusual
in Howitt’s book is “crab-holes”, but
these were almost synonymous with
uncomfortable travelling on the roads.
He recorded them from the Kilmore
district and also near the Campaspe
River, between Heathcote and Ben-
digo. One peculiarity, which may re-
fer to the linear form of gilgai micro-
relief, is the account of ground, ap-
parently between the Colbinabbin
Range and Cornella Creek, which re-
sembled ploughed land (p. 276).

William Howitt had become well
known as an author before his visit to
Australia and had no difficulty in
meeting men and women with kindred
interests. During his stay in Mel-
bourne he was made an _ honorary
member of the Mechanics Institution
and of the Philosophical Society, fore-
runner of the Royal Society of Vic-
toria. His meeting with particular
people concerned with natural history
are mentioned only with respect to
Tasmania. There he visited several
such people, including old friends. In
the Launceston district, he met Ronald
Gunn, the botanist. At Swanport he
stayed with the Merediths, and at
Campbell Town he renewed friend-
ship with Dr. William Valentine.
Louisa Meredith (nee Twamley) had
by then become the author of books
dealing with nature in England and
Australia. Dr. Valentine was a medi-
cal practitioner who was also devoted
to astronomy and microscopy.

Alfred Howitt probably gained im-
mensely from association with a
father who had wide interests, con-
siderable experience, and _ encyclo-
paedic knowledge. Victorians are for-
tunate that human activity and natural
history in and near the goldfields were
recorded so fully and entertainingly
by a man in his sixties who adapted
so well to the strange and often in-
hospitable life in Australia.

173

Field Naturalists Club of Victoria

Field Survey Group
Camp Report
May: Otway Ranges.

Eight members and friends attended
a most successful camp in the Otway
Ranges. The group met at Geelong and
proceeded to Benwerrin via Deans
Marsh, collecting at several points along
the way. Near Benwerrin, Peripatus was
found, and at most of the localities
various species of non marine molluscs
including the species endemic to the
Otways, Victaphanta compacta. The
group moved on to the Aire Valley
Plantation where collecting was done in
the conifer plantaticns. Camping at
Beauchamps Falls Park, two night-survey
parties set out, but their work was cur-
tailed by heavy rain.

On Sunday the group’ continued
through the plantation to Apollo Bay,
then to Cumberland River. Following
collecting along the Cumberland River,
members returned to Melbourne. Of par-
ticular note in the Otways were the many
beautiful fungi and ferns. A white Gos-
hawk (white phase) was observed near
Apollo Bay. This bird is fairly rare.
Planaria collected included Geoplana
warragulensis and an unknown species.
Voice records of Geocrinia victoriana
were obtained, but few specimens of
frogs and toadlets were found.

Botany Group—10 May.

Speaker at the May meeting of Botany
Group was Mrs. P. ‘Matches, who spoke
on Sedges and Rushes, with particular
emphasis on the differences between the
families Cyperaceae and Juncaceae. Mrs.
Matches has made an extensive study of
these often overlooked and less showy
plant families and she displayed a num-
ber of pressed specimens from her own
collection to illustrate the talk.

A report was received on the very
successful fungi excursion to Kinglake
and a vote of thanks to the leader, Mr.
Jim Willis, was carried. Miss White
handed in a list of eighty-eight different
species which had been seen on the day.
Unfortunately, plans for the May excur-
sion had to be abandoned, due to lack
of transport.

Flower for the night was Banksia
ornata, and live specimens were dis-
played and a sheet of notes was avail-
able. All of Victoria’s six Banksia
species were on display, either in flower
or dried.

Other exhibits were Piltosporum phil-
lyreoides from Mrs. Zirkler, and a male
cone of Cycas media from Miss White.
Both members spoke briefly about their
exhibits. Mr. Baines gave a brief review
of “The Observer’s Book of Sedges
Grasses and Rushes” and the periodical
“Growing Australian Plants”’.

Latrobe Valley Naturalists Report 1972/73

President—Mr. T. Moretti.
Hon. Secretary—Mrs. Iris Peterson,

14 Barry Street, Morwell 3840.

Up to thirty members attend meetings,
visitors are welcomed and some are often
present. Members were sorry to lose
their secretary of ten years, Mr. Simon
Belgraver, who has resigned for health
reasons.

The club has been active in conserva-
tion projects, chief of which was an
extensive survey of Crown lands in the
Rosedale area, which formed the basis
of submissions to the Land Conserva-
tion Council.

The Latrobe Valley Naturalist, the

club journal, reports the speaker’s talk
at the monthly meeting, and also the
excursion that follows to such places as
the Channel Country of the Avon River,
the ‘Mitchell Gorge, South Cascade, or
Yanakie. Two very successful boat trips
were undertaken in ideal weather from
Welshpool; one in the spring to Little
Snake Island, and the other in ‘March
to Refuge Cove.

The annual get-together of Gippsland
clubs was held this year at the Ski Vil-
lage on Mt. Baw Baw, on A.N.A. week-
end. It attracted more than fifty people
representing all local clubs, as well as
some from F.N.C.V.

ERRATA
An unfortunate error inadvertently occurred in the obituary to Mr. E. S.
Hanks in the Victorian Naturalist for May. The late Mr. Hank’s correct Christian
names were Ernest Silveston, not Ernest Silvestor as printed.
The Editor’s sincere apologies go to his family.

174

Vict. Nat. Vol. 90

Additional Information on Country and Junior F.N.C.

LATROBE VALLEY F.N.C. RINGWooD JUNIOR F.N.C.
Secretary—Mrs. I. Peterson, Secretary—Miss C. E. Gray,
14 Barry Street, 30 Montvue Street,
Morwell 3840. Lilydale 3140.
Phone 4 2129. Phone 735 1233.
COLAC

President—Mr. R. V. Dennis,
Warncoort, 3243.

Notice to Contributors

It is important that material submitted for publication should preferably be
typewritten on foolscap or quarto sheets at double spacing, and with a 2.5-3 cm
(1”) margin on the left. No underlining of words should appear unless abso-
lutely necessary.

Where dates occur, the day should precede the month, e.g. 15 May 1972 not
May 15 1972.

Set of “Victorian Naturalists”

Following the recent offer of a set of “Naturalists”, requests were received from
the Libraries of C.S.I.R.O. (Division of Wildlife Research), La Trobe University,
Native Plants Preservation Society, and the Gould League. Would any member who
has a set of ‘““Naturalists’”” of some duration which they would be prepared to give to
one of these Libraries, please contact the Secretary.

ENTOMOLOGICAL
EQUIPMENT

Butterfly nets, pins, store-boxes, etc.

We are direct importers and manufacturers
and specialise in Mail Orders

(write for free price list)
Australian Entomological Supplies
35 Kiwong St., Yowie Bay, Sydney, 2228
Phone: 524 4614

June, 1973 175

Field Naturalists Club of Victoria

Established 1880

OBJECTS: To stimulate interest in natural history and to preserve
and protect Australian fauna and flora.

Patron:
His Excellency Major-General Sir ROHAN DELACOMBE, K.B.E., C.B., D.S.O.

Key Office-Bearers, 1972-1973.

President:
Mr. P. KELLY

Hon. Secretary: Mr. R. H. RIORDAN, 15 Regent St., East Brighton, 3187. 92 8579

Treasurer: H. BISHOP. Address Correspondence to National Herbarium, The
Domain, South Yarra.

Subscription Secretary: Mr. D. E. McINNES, 129 Waverley Rd., East Malvern, 3145.
Hon. Editor: Mr. G.'M. WARD, 54 St. James Road, Heidelberg 3084.

Hon. Librarian: Mr. J. MARTINDALE, c/o National Herbarium, The Domain,
South Yarra.

Hon. Excursion Secretary: Miss M. ALLENDER, 19 Hawthorn Avenue, Caulfield
3161. (522749.)

Magazine Sales Officer: Mr. B. FUHRER, 25 Sunhill Av., North Ringwood 3134.

Group Secretaries
Botany: Mrs. M. G. CORRICK, 7 Glenluss St., Balwyn 3103. Tel. 857 9937.
Day Group: Mrs. J. STRONG, 1160 Dandenong Rd., Murrumbeena (56 2271).

Entomology and Marine Biology: Mr. J. W. H. STRONG, Flat 11, “Palm Court”,
1160 Dandenong Rd., Murrumbeena 3163 (56 2271).

Field Survey: Miss L. BARRACLOUGH, c/o 8/4 Rathmines St., Fairfield 3078.
Geology: Mr. T. SAULT.

Mammal Survey: Mr. D. KELLY, Flat 8/1894 Murrumbeena Rd., Murrumbeena
3163 (56 2486).

Microscopical: Mr. M. H. MEYER, 36 ‘Milroy Street, East Brighton (96 3268).

MEMBERSHIP

Membership of the F.N.C.V. is open to any person interested in natural history.
The Victorian Naturalist is distributed free to all members, the club’s reference and
lending library is available, and other activities are indicated in reports set out in the
several preceding pages of ‘this magazine.

Rates of Subscriptions for 1973.

Ordinary Members - 2. 2 uj0 Coa oe la Ses “Gh” Pe ee $7.00
Country “Members. > 26°50 he Oe cle Dk, oe 5 Se ES el en $5.00
Joint Members .. ays A Re i Sey ae | aN Ne Be a mS REA PUN is Hui 5 $2.00
Junior Members (under IS years) ee ee Meee ne NE nin Mier inane a fo SB Ob o's $2.00
Junior Members receiving Vict..Nat, 6... 200 “.005 0) Rc ae eae eee ieuene een ee $4.00
Subscribers to Vict. Nat. ep only) wb lea ee heat ets a CE aes a ae $5.00
Overseas Subscribers se eb eel we cate lea EE a ee Hel Tan ae
Affiliated “Societies: 3. i ann eee ee ee DE tn 1 i Sanaa $7.00
Supporting Members . Pt etre eer nn oe LY)
Life Membership (reducing after 20. years) Sai PEE we Lo eb 1 a ae es eee

The cost of individual copies of the Vict. Nat. will be 45 cents “(62 cents — overseas requests).
Full-time Students between I8 and 21 years pay at Junior Member rates.

All subscriptions should be made payable to the Field Naturalists Club of Victoria, and posted
to the Subscription Secretary.

(3) JENKIN, BUXTON & CO. PTY. LTD., PRINTERS, WEST MELBOURNE

JULY, 1973

Published by the
FIELD NATURALISTS CLUB OF VICTORIA

in which is incorporated the Microscopical Society of Victoria ‘

Registered in Australia for transmission by post as a periodical.
| Category “A”

F.N.C.V. DIARY OF COMING EVENTS
GENERAL MEETING
Monday, 9 July— At National Herbarium, The Domain, South Yarra, commencing
8 p.m.
Subject for Evening — The New Zealand Excursion
New Members p. 207

GROUP MEETINGS
(8 p.m. at National Herbarium unless otherwise stated)

Thursday, 12 July — Botany Group. Speaker — Mr. Rex Filson: “A Botanical Meal
in Japan.”

Sunday, 29 July — Botany Group Excursion — Ocean Grove.
Wednesday, 18 July — Microscopical Group Meeting.
Thursday, 19 July — Day Group Meeting.

Thursday, 26 July — F.S.G. Meeting in Conference Room, National Museum, Vict.,
at 8.00 p.m. Mrs. Jan Watson, Hon. Assoc. Nat. Mus. Vict——‘‘Marine Surveying”’.

Monday, 6 August — Marine Biology and Entomology Group Meeting in Conference
Rooms, Nat. Mus. Vict., at 8.00 p.m.

Wednesday, 8 August — Geology Group Meeting.

CAMPS
11 August — F.S.G., Strathbogie Ranges.

JUNIOR F.N.C. MEETINGS
Friday, 27 July —-Hawthorn Juniors in Town Hall at 8.00 p.m.

Friday, 3 August -Preston Juniors at 281 High Street, Preston (Rechabite Hall), at
8.00 p.m.

Friday, 10 August-Black Rock Juniors at 8 p.m. in Congregational Church Hall, cnr.
Arkaringa Crescent and Bent Parade.

Friday, 10 August-Montmorency and District in Scout Hall, Petrie Park at 8.00 p.m.

F.N.C.V. EXCURSIONS

Sunday, 15 July — Wollert. The area to be visited is an old farm obtained by
Andrews Antennas Company for use as a testing range. Only part of the
property will be required for this purpose and they propose using the remainder
of the 190 acres for a conservation project with the co-operation of the F.N.C.V.
A representative of the Company will meet us on the site. The coach will leave
Batman Avenue at 9.30a.m. Fare $1.60 — bring one meal.

Saturday, 25 August-Friday, 7 September — Warrumbungles, Canberra, etc. The
coach will leave Melbourne from Flinders Street at 8a.m. on Saturday, 25th
August, stopping overnight at Finley, on to Parkes for Sunday night and arriving
at Coonabarabran, Monday, where the party will remain until Sunday, with day
trips to the Warrumbungles and surrounding areas. Sunday, 2 September, the
party will commence the return journey, stopping overnight: Sunday, Wellington;
Monday, Bathurst; Tuesday and Wednesday, Canberra; Thursday, Albury; reach-
ing home on Friday. Accommodation is on a dinner, bed and breakfast basis and
members will be responsible for their own lunches. It was necessary to divide
the party in Coonabarabran, so the cost for the excursion will be $155 with hotel
accommodation there and $170 for motel. The full amount should be paid to

ine excursion secretary by 31 July —all cheques being made out to Excursion
rust.

178 | Vict. Nat. Vol. 90

The
Victorian Naturalist

Editor: G. M. Ward

Assistant Editor: G. Douglas

Vol. 90, No. 7 4 July, 1973
CONTENTS
Articles:
F.N.C.V. Excursion to New Zealand (continued) .. ax ae bc aa 180
The Origin of Generic Names of the Victorian Flora (Part I cont.).
By J. A. Baines .. ee 2. Se ue Ad a ae - ad 186
Chaetal Striations in Burrows of Notoscolex shephardi Spencer.
By G. Blackburn . is a te i a ‘e ia ae CRW os)
Discovery of Tentaculites in the Limestone at Tyers, Gippsland.
By Barry J. Cooper... 045 2K as ar at res a Se 192
Prehistoric Cracks in Alluvial Deposits. By Edmund D. Gill . ns Rie ee |e)

The Marine and Estuarine Molluscs of French Island.
By Barbara J. Nielsen . ie, a ne me we se fs sah, LOO

Field Naturalists’ Club of Victoria:
Reports of General Meetings and Group Meetings = bie A wi. 205

Diary of Coming Events .. 5A Bs ae re re has oy. cs 178

Front Cover:

The Spotted Marsh Frog (Lymnodynates tasmaniensis) is caught in a “thoughtful”
pose by the photographer, John Wallis.

July, 1973 179

FNCV Excursion to
New Zealand, 1973

[continued from 90 (6)]

From Wellington the party left for
the South Island travelling across Cook
Strait to Picton. Various seabirds,
such as the black-backed gulls and
albatrosses followed the boat. Entry
to the South Island was through the
picturesque Marlborough Sounds
which are drowned valley systems and
form an intricate network of islands
and peninsulas. An interesting fea-
ture seen at Nelson was the Boulder
Bank, a natural breakwater about
seven miles long. It is a spit made of
gravel and boulders which encloses
the harbour. Also in this city is the
fine view point from the summit of
Botanical Hill, which is the geo-
graphical centre of New Zealand.
Time did not permit a visit to the Dun
Mountain, a mineral belt. This moun-
tain consists mainly of dunite, an
olivine rock which changes to ser-
pentine.

Extensive areas of exotic forests
were seen throughout N.Z. The tree
grown most commonly for timber is
Pinus radiata, but other species of
pine, e.g. Pinus patula are also used.
Eucalyptus forests have been planted,
but these trees often tend to grow too
quickly, and this affects the quality of
the wood. Many of these forest areas
are still in the experimental stage.

The drive from Murchison followed
the scenic Buller Gorge, where the
road winds high above the river.
Although still far from good, south
island roads have been vastly im-
proved over the last ten years and
touring is less hair-raising! Even so,
the bus had difficulty in negotiating
some bridges and bends. Signs of
previous earthquakes were visible in
the Buller Gorge.

180

Perfect weather showed the coast
between Westport and Greymouth to
good advantage; toetoe (Cortaderia
splendens), native flax (Phormium
tenax), cabbage trees (Cordyline aus-
tralis) and nikau palms (Phopalostylis
sapida) giving a typical New Zealand
picture. The toetoe (formally Arundo
conspicua) hybridises with the South
American pampas grass, this being
one of several features which indicate
affinity between the flora of the two
countries. The highlight of this part
of the trip was the stop at Punakaiki.
A track through coastal bush and
shrubland lead to a headland of blow-
holes, chasms and rock formations.
The stratified limestone, eroded by
wind and sea has been carved into
striking irregular columns resembling
piles of pancakes and hence the com-
mon name for this area — the Pan-
cake Rocks. This headland would be
very spectacular during a storm.

Wekas (woodhens) appeared on the
roadside at Punakaiki with two young
chicks. These’ birds (Gallirallus
species) about the same size as a small
fowl, are flightless and fast runners.
They have inquisitive natures which
cause them to steal small shiny ob-
jects left lying about. Native birds
were rather disappointing on the trip
and although red-billed gulls (Larus
novaehollandiae) black-backed — gulls
(Larus dominicus), Kingfishers (Hal-
cyon sancta), Tuis (Prosthemadera
novaeseelandiae), wood pigeons
(Hemiphaga novaezelandiae), fantails
(Rhipidura_ flabellifera) were seen
fairly frequently, most other native
birds tended to remain rather aloof.
The rifleman (Acanthisitta chloris) —
the smallest bird in N.Z. — was seen

Vict. Nat. Vol. 90

only occasionally. It is a wren only
three inches long and has a very re-
duced tail. Bird calls, including the
night morepork, were heard from time
to time, but the forest was silent in
comparison with Australian bush-
lands.

The vegetation of the northern part
of the South Island’s west coast con-
tains beech forest, but this then gives
way to mixed forest of rimu (Dacry-
dium cupressinum), southern § rata
(Metrosideros umbellata) and _ the
Kamahi (Weinmmanis racemosa).
Further south, beech returns again.
Various hypotheses for the absence of
beech in this central West Coast area
have been made. One is that severe
glaciation has destroyed the original
beech here and it has not regenerated.
However D.S.I.R. (Department of
Scientific and Industrial Research) are
carrying out investigations at the pre-
sent time and no one is prepared to
give a definite answer.

The southern rata (Metrosideros
umbellata) was in full bloom and looks
very similar in flower structure to the
northern rata (M. robusta) and the
pohutukawa (M. excelsa) but the
growth form of the three trees vary.
Masses of scarlet and red flowers did
much to brighten the somewhat
sombre appearance of the N.Z. forest.

A stop at a greenstone factory in
Hokitika gave everyone the chance
to examine the much prized nephrite
—vused in the past for Maori orna-
ments and weapons, now for souvenirs
and jewellery. The various stages
from the native rock to the finished
article could be observed. The green-
stone is brought out by helicopter
from the upper part of the rugged and
inaccessible Arahura Valley.

A short visit was made to the
Franz Josef Glacier which together
with the Fox Glacier are the lowest
temperate glaciers in the world, de-

July, 1973

scending to less than 1,000 ft. above
sea level. Their terminal faces have
varied considerably over the last 100
years, showing periodic retreats and
advances. Both glaciers arise in the
snowfields on the western slopes of the
Southern Alps and require heavy
snowfalls to supply the glacial ice.
Snow occurs in summer as well as
winter, and the annual fall can be up
to 300 ft. in thickness. The valleys
descend steeply, e.g. the Fox falls
8,000 ft. in eight miles, and ice moves
at the rate of 15 ft. per day. Thus the
ice can travel to lower levels before it
melts.

A two-night stop at Fox Glacier
gave time to examine more fully the
glacier and vegetation. The Minne-
haha walk was well worth while,
showing the incredibly twisted growth
of Weinmannia trees (W. racemosa).
These trees start life as an epiphyte
and produce weird growth forms.
There was also a prolific growth of
other epiphytes, lianes and _ ferns.
In the North Island these growth
forms were also abundant, e.g. Astelia
and Colleospermum species caused a
tremendous weight on the branches of
many forest trees. However in the
Fox Glacier region it seemed as
though there were an impossible num-
ber of plants perching on others and
many trees had no bark exposed.
Among the luxuriant growth of
ground ferns the Prince of Wales
feather or crepe fern (Todea superba)
with its feathery fronds, was especially
beautiful. Supplejack (Rhipogonum
scandens) occurred here as well as in
the North Island forests, and at times
the almost impenetrable tangle of
stems gives the forest a tropical ap-
pearance. A fine specimen of the
flatworm, Geoplana _ flavimarginata,
was observed.

Although mountain reflections were
not perfect due to a slight breeze, the

181

early morning visit to the moraine
formed Lake Matheson was still worth
while. Mt. Cook and Mt. Tasman
stood out clearly behind the lake.
Along the track were clumps of the
unique kidney fern [Trichomanes (for-
mally Cardiomanes) reniforme] and
lanternberry (Energea parviflora). On
the nearby Lake Gault track were
patches of the giant moss (Dawsonia
superba). This moss also grows in
other parts of New Zealand parti-
cularly in Kauri forests, and when
fertile, with its large red capsules is
very conspicuous. Liverworts grew
abundantly in the Fox region as well
as elsewhere, and Monoclea forsteri
—the largest liverwort in the world
— was found in several places. It
reaches a size of 15 cm x 15 :cm.. As
well as the large southern rata (Metro-
sideros umbellata) three species of
climbing rata were found, M. diffusa,
M. perforata and M. fulgens. These
species never become trees.

A trip up the Fox Valley and on to
the glacier had many interesting fea-
tures. One of these was a kettle lake
formed where a large block of ice
had been buried in moraine gravel
and then, subsequently had melted,
leaving a_ large water-filled hole.
“Dead Ice”, glacial scratches and
strikingly patterned mica schist rocks,
were some of the things observed. The
temptation to overload luggage with
rock specimens was too great for
many of the party.

Those who took advantage of the
fine weather to go on a plane trip
did not regret it; especially as later
bad weather prevented flights at Mt.
Cook. Magnificent views of the coast,
bush and mountains, together with a
ski landing at 6,000 ft. in the snow-
field at the top of the Fox Glacier,
made it an unforgettable experience.

Unfortunately the trip to Gillespies
Beach was cancelled due to the bus
being unable to cross one of the

182

bridges. The beach is the site of an
old goldmining ghost town and as
well as being extremely scenic, has a
fur seal colony nearby.

The walk along the moraine track
had various points of interest. Not
only was a ridge of moraine observed,
but the difference in age between the
old forest and the young, was quite
striking. The former had never been
destroyed by glacial action, whereas
the latter had arisen after the retreat
of the ice.

Altitudinal zonation is well shown
in New Zealand mountains. In the
Fox region the warm temperate belt
rises from sea level to 500 ft., and is
then replaced by the montane or cool
temperate belt to the 3,000 ft. level.
This rain forest consists of rimu
(Dacridium supressinum), miro (Podo-
carpus ferrungineous) and other smal-
ler trees and ferns. The sub-alpine
belt showing a transition from forest
to scrub lies between 3,000-4,000 ft.
Plants common here are the N.Z.
“Cedar” — Libocedrus bidwillii and
the grass tree, Dracophyllum longi-
folium. The lower and higher alpine
belts extend to 6,000 ft. with snow-
grass, Celmesia and Ranunculus
species giving way to dwarf herbs in
the upper limits. Finally the rival
belt of lichens extends to 8,500 ft.

From Fox Glacier the route fol-
lowed the coast to Haast. Knight’s
Point gave excellent views and seals
could be seen far below on the beach.
The road through Haast was com-
pleted in 1965 and before this it was
necessary to return from Fox to Grey-
mouth in order to cross the Southern
Alps. Engineers had great difficulty
in completing the road because of the
high rainfall and consequent floodings.
The steep mountain rivers and rocky
terrain cause rapid run-off which
quickly changes a normal river into a
raging torrent. Several bridges were
destroyed during the construction of

Vict. Nat. Vol. 90

this “round trip” road and trouble
caused by slipping still exists.

An overnight stop at Lake Wanaka
and then on to Milford Sound via
Lake Te Anau, which is the largest
South Island Lake. The largest New
Zealand lake, Taupo, was seen when
travelling from Rotorua to National
Park. On the western side of Lake
Te Anau the almost impenetrable rug-
ged beech-covered mountains of the
“Notornis Country” could be seen.

The spectacular drive up the Eglin-
ton, Upper Hollyford and Cleddau
valleys to Milford Sound passed
through forest containing the three
species of Nothofagus. These were
the red beech (N. fusca) which has
serrated leaves, larger than the other
two species; silver beech (N. menziesii)
with smaller serrated leaves and moun-
tain beech (N. solandri var. cliffor-
tioides) which has small unserrated
leaves. The Homer Tunnel which is
about three-quarters of a mile long,
links the Upper Hollyford and Cled-
dau valleys, is cut through the rocky
mountain side in an avalanche area.
The beech forest is absent here, hav-
ing been destroyed by the action of
many avalanches; and in its place
poorly developed scrub exists among
huge boulders. Precipitous mountains
and varied vegetation give outstanding
views as the descent to Milford Sound
is begun. Mountain ribbonwood
(Hoheria glabrata) with its soft lighter
green leaves looked out of place
amongst the sombre harsher foliage of
the forest. This tree is one of the few
deciduous N.Z. trees. Two others are
Kowhai (Sophora microphylla) and
tree Fuchsia (Fuchsia excorticata).
Under some conditions leaf fall is not
complete.

At the Sound, the party was given
an unwelcome greeting by innumerable
sandflies, but the day trip on the launch
in perfect weather compensated for the
previous evening’s trials. Not only was

July, 1973

the scenery majestic, but seals were
clearly seen on nearby rocks; glacial
markings on steep cliffs observed; and
finally playful dolphins followed the
launch. Milford and the adjacent
Sounds (really fiords) are glaciated val-
leys and hence have steep sides going
deep into the sea. Leaving the Sound
in rain the following day, the drive up
the 3,000 ft. incline to the Homer
Tunnel showed how quickly waterfalls
can appear in these mountains where
there is a large catchment area and
little soil to hold the water.

The journey from Milford to
Queenstown retraced the route pre-
viously covered except for a brief de-
tour to Lake Manapouri — site of con-
flict between conservationalists and
hydro power authorities over the rais-
ing of the lake level The former have
won the dispute.

A good view was obtained of the
“Kingston Flyer” — not a bird, but a
vintage steam train. The train does a
daily 38-mile service between Lumsden
and Kingston and was travelling north
at the same time as the bus. Both
arrived at Kingston within minutes of
each other, thus allowing steam en-
thusiasts to look over the train.

From Kingston the road runs be-
tween Lake Wakatipa and a range of
mountains — the Remarkables. The
lake is “S” shaped, 52 miles long but
only 1-3 miles wide. It is over 1,000 ft.
above sea level but more than 1,200 ft.
deep, so that like many of the New
Zealand lakes of glacial origin, the floor
is below sea level. Kingston is situated
on the terminal moraine of this former
glacier which blocks the end of the
Wakatipu basin. The outflow from the
other end. of the lake — the Kawarau
Falls — give rise to the Kawarau River
which was seen again at Cromwell.
This old goldmining town is situated at
the confluence of the whitish-blue
Clutha and darker Kawarau Rivers.

After cooling off on the Coronet

183

Peak ski-tow at over 5,000 ft., a spell
in Queenstown allowed members to
choose their own sightseeing tours in
this picturesque town. The final stages
of the trip had now been reached, and
Mt. Cook — New Zealand’s highest
mountain (12,349 ft.) — was the re-
maining area left to visit before leaving
New Zealand via Christchurch. Much
of the journey to this national park
was through tussock grassland where
Spaniards (Aciphylla species) and the
Wild Irishman (Discaria toumatou)
were abundant Both these plants are
extremely inhospitable, the former hav-
ing piercing needle-like points to their
long leaves, and the latter consisting of
a mass of sharp, hard spikes. It is not
fully understood why large areas of
tussock land exist in this part of New
Zealand. it is not, as sometimes stated,
due to repeated burning off of vegeta-
tion by farmers. Possibly fires in Pre-
European times may have played a
part together with the climate. Re-
search shows that in the past the area
supported forest trees. It remains one
of the many New Zealand botanical
puzzles still to be solved.

From Lake Pukaki Mt. Cook’s snow-
clad peaks stood out against a blue sky
and it was hard to realize that this
mountain was only a few miles from
Fox Glacier. By road it is more than a
200-mile journey. One of the difficul-
ties when touring N.Z. are the long
distances which often have to be driven
on winding roads in order to reach
places which are really close together.
Few roads cross the rugged mountains
from east to west.

As with Egmont, the weather was
deceptive and the day in the Mt. Cook
National Park was wet and cold. In
spite of the very bad conditions all
managed to see something of interest.
The track to Kea Point even in rain,
gave a spectacular view of the retreat-
ing Mueller Glacier (named by geo-

184

logist Sir Julius von Haast in honour
of the Directors of Melbourne’s
Botanic Gardens). Less than fifty years
ago this track lead to glacial ice, but
today it looks down on a rock debris
chasm with walls of lateral morraine,
giving the impression of a “moon land-
scape”. The threatening echoing roars
of crashing avalanches could be heard
from time to time, but rain and cloud
prevented any from _ being seen.
Governor’s Bush — a beech forest area
— provided plants of interest. An ex-
cursion to the Red Lakes and up the
ridge of Mt. Sebastopol failed to reveal
any of the large Mountain Sheep.
These are species of Raoulia and
Haastia which grow on rocky mountain
slopes where they experience extremes
of climate. Composites, they form
oval to rounded compacted masses up
to two metres across, with woolly
densely packed leaves which from a
distance look like sheep. During the
winter they are often covered by several
feet of snow. However in spite of the
failure to find this “evolutionary won-
der’, the trip was worthwhile because
alpine flowers and shrubs were prolific.
Gentians and Helichrysums were in
bloom and the giant mountain butter-
cup (Mt. Cook “Lily”) — Ranunculus
lyallii was just at the end of its flower-
ing season. This plant has saucer-
shaped leaves up to 20 cm across and is
the largest Ranunculus in the world, as
it can grow to 1.5 min height. The low
Snow Totara (Podocarpus nivalis) with
its red swollen fleshy bracts supporting
a nut-like seed, together with the moun-
tain celery pine (Phyllocladus alpinus)
formed the most conspicuous part of
the vegetation. In the shelter of these
shrubs were many delicate flowers.
The alpine regions of N.Z. have many
interesting plants and one of these is
the pigmy pine (Dacrydium _laxi-
folium). This prostrate Gymnosperm
forms mats over rocks and is the smal-
lest pine in the world.

Vict. Nat. Vol. 90

The following day the sun shone
once more as the bus headed for Christ-
church. An enormous amount had
been seen in three weeks and although
confusion still existed over tricky Maori
plant names such as mingi-mingi,
mange-mange, and hange-hange, every-
one had learnt a great deal and had
enjoyed a wonderful tour.

There are a number of general
points of interest concerning New Zea-
land. Firstly national parks are well
established. Land areas were set aside
in 1840 “for public enjoyment” and in
1887 the first national park came into
being. This consisted of three moun-
tain peaks — Tongariro, Ruapehu and
Ngauruhoe — which were given by
Maori chiefs to the nation as “a
national park for the benefit of every-
body”. Today there are ten national
parks covering about one-twelfth of the
total New Zealand land area, which is
more than in any other country. Wil-
derness areas where access is restricted
to foot tracks have also been estab-
lished. In 1971 the national parks to-
gether with 935 scenic reserves, 45
bird sanctuaries and 63 historic re-
serves totalled some 6,185,000 acres,
and over the last two years this area has
been increased.

New Zealand is long and narrow. It
passes through 13° of latitude and no
part is more than about 70 miles from
the sea. The country is mountainous
— 16 peaks exceed 10,000 ft., while at
least 223 named peaks are of 7,500 ft.
or more. The rainfall is varied — from
about 12 in. per year in Central Otago
to over 300 in. per year in parts of the
Southern Alps; in Fiordland rain is
recorded on more than 200 days each
year. These conditions all lead to the
wide range of habitats which in turn
lead to a varied flora.

New Zealand has a large number of
endemic plants. There are approxi-
mately 1,900 species from ferns up-
wards; of these 79% are endemic. The

July, 1973

alpine herbfield areas of New Zealand
have over 600 different species of
plants, 94% of which are endemic. The
flora shows affinity to South America,
Malaya and Australia. It is thought
that New Zealand may have been con-
nected to South America via the South
Pole. The similarity between New Zea-
land and Australian floras is not as
great as one would expect. There are
about 250 species common to both
countries, but of these one-quarter are
of fairly world-wide distribution. No
native Eucalyptus species occur and it
is probable that New Zealand became
separated from Australia at a time
when the Eucalypts were restricted to
the West, and an inland sea prevented
their spread across to the East. New
Zealand’s long isolation (possibly
more than 60 million years) from other
land masses has allowed time for many
new species to develop.

There are no mammals except
marine ones, and two species of bats.
Again the reason for this can be traced
to New Zealand’s early separation
when mammals were just beginning to
evolve. The bats were probably blown
across from Australia. Because of the
absence of mammals the birds had no
enemies, and hence flightless ones were
at no disadvantage as regards predators.
Thus over a long period of time a
number of different types of birds with
absent or degenerate wings developed.
There was no competition from grazing
mammals and hence some birds such as
the Notornis and extinct Moa, took
over this ecological niche. Even one
species of bat shows reduction in flying
and at times uses its folded wings as
legs.

Reptiles are present (e.g. geckos,
skinks and the living fossil — Tuatara)
but no land snakes. This seems to be
due to the fact that snakes are a more
recently evolved reptilian line, and
developed after New Zealand’s separa-
tion.

185

Another feature of the flora is the
large number of plants (over 200)
which have juvenile leaf forms. Some
of these may persist up to 50 years
before developing adult foliage. The
lancewood (Pseudopanax crassifolium)
is one tree which has a striking young
stage —- long narrow serrated leaves
arising from a single unbranched stem.
Others, such as the Maori Jasmine, pass
through innumerable leaf shapes as the
plant grows.

The arrival of the Pakeha together
with his animals, caused drastic
changes in the fauna and flora. Many
species have become extinct or nearly
so, and forests rapidly disappeared. In
some places native plants have become
induced weeds, e.g. bracken (Pteridium
esculentum) and scented fern (Paesia
scaberula) take over when land is
cleared. Much irreversible damage has
been done, but today awareness of the
situation may help to prevent too many
future mistakes.

The Origin of Generic Names of the Victorian Flora

Part 1— The Person behind the Name

[continued from 90 (6)]

by JAMES A. BAINES

Gentianella. From Gentiana, which
was named by Linnaeus after King
Gentius of Illyria, who in 168 A.D.
allied himself with King Perseus of
Macedonia but was captured in battle
against the Romans the following year.
Placing the annual and biennial gen-
tians in the separate genus Gentianella
by European botanists is not widely
accepted by American botanists — the
suffix -ella is often used as a diminutive
or to differentiate allied genera.

Gleichenia. Named by Smith after
Friedrich Wilhelm von Gleichen
(1717-1783), a German botanist in-
terested in microscopical studies. He
was a baron.

Goodenia. Named by Smith after
Rev. Samuel Goodenough (1743-
1827), Bishop of Carlisle. Treasurer
of the Linnean Society and F.R.S., he
wrote on seaweeds and sedges.

Goodia. Named by Salisbury after
Peter Good (died 1803), a Kew gar-
dener who went with Robert Brown

186

in the Investigator. Flinders lost four
men in Sydney from dysentery con-
tracted on the voyage, among them
Good, who was praised by Banks. for
his diligence and ability. He had pre-
viously gone to Calcutta in 1796 to
bring back plants collected by Chris-
topher Smith.

Grevillea. Named by Robert Brown
after Charles Francis Greville (1749-
1809), a founder of the Horticultural
Society of London and a vice-president
of the Royal Society. He introduced
and grew rare plants.

Gunnia. Gunn’s Orchid or Butter-
fly Orchid was named Gunnia australis
by Lindley in 1834 after Tasmanian
collector Ronald Campbell Gunn, born
in Cape Town 1808, died Launceston
1881; F.L.S., F.R.S.. “Lindley Sre-
named it Sarcochilus parviflorus four
years later, and the valid name now
is S. australis. It is ironic that so
many plants retain the specific name

Vict. Nat. Vol. 90

gunnii after this indefatigable ama-
teur botanist, but Gunnia as a generic
is superseded. (F. Mueller’s Gunnia in
Aizoaceae is now Neogunnia.) The
epithet gunnii survives in such genera
as. Chiloglottis, Cladium, Cyperus,
Scirpus, Acacia, Asperula, Eucalyptus
(Tasmanian endemic), Helichrysum
(Tas.), Phyllanthus, Pultenaea, and
Senecio, as well as other Tasmanian
endemics, while gunniana and gun-
nianum survive in Carex, Deyeuxia,
Epilobium and Ranunculus.

Haeckeria. Named in 1852 by F.
Mueller, presumably after a German,
Haecker. The name was restored in
1967 for two species long known as
Humea, a third species of the latter
genus reverting to Calomeria, a name
that had priority in 1804 by only
three months.

Hakea. Named by Schrader after
Baron Christian Ludwig von Hake
(1745-1818), a German patron of
botany, and councillor in Hanover.
Usually pronounced in the eastern
States with the first syllable sounding
like the European fish hake, the Ger-
man pronunciation would support
those who say hahk.

Hardenbergia. Named by Bentham
after Franziska, Countess von Harden-
berg, sister of Baron Carl A. A. von
Hiigel (1795-1870), Austrian patron of
horticulture and traveller. Baron von
Hiigel collected in Western Australia
in 1833, and also in the Philippines.
Baron A. von Hiigel, his son, came
to Australia after succeeding to the
title, and in 1874 made collections of
birds while staying with the Richard-
son family at Harmony Vale, Olinda
Creek, in the Dandenongs (see N. A.
Wakefield’s paper, Vict. Nat. 89, 156-
164, June 1972). Species named after
the father, e.g. Gompholobium hue-
gelii, have an extra letter e after the u
to represent the umlaut diaeresis as
used in the German surname.

July, 1973

Hibbertia. Named by Andrews after
George Hibbert (1757-1837), who sup-
plied plants for his work on Gerania-
ceae from his private botanic garden
at Chelsea. He sent Niven to the
Cape and Macfadyen to Jamaica for
new plants to propagate. He employed
as gardener, nurseryman and collector
Joseph Knight, who wrote on the
Protea genus (1809), although the N.Z.
Proteaceous genus Knightia was
named by R. Brown after Thomas
Knight, a friend of Sir Joseph Banks.

Hovea. Named by R. Brown after
Anton Pantaleon Hove (fl. 1785-1798),
a Polish botanist from Warsaw, who
became a collector for Kew Gardens
on the instructions of Sir Joseph
Banks in West Africa, India and the
Crimea.

Howittia. Named by F. Mueller in
1855 after Dr. Godfrey Howitt, a
Melbourne doctor, interested in Bot-
any, born 1800, died 1873. An ori-
ginal member of the council of
Melbourne University, and a founder
of what became the Royal Society of
Victoria, he was an authority on ento-
mology, many of his new species of
insects being named by overseas ex-
perts. He owned land near Caulfield
farmed for a time by his more famous
nephew, Alfred William Howitt, the
explorer-naturalist who found King,
survivor of the Burke and Wills ex-
pedition.

Humea. Named by Smith after
Lady Amelia Hume (1751-1809), wife
of Sir Abraham Hume, F.R.S., of
Wormleybury, Herts., and a pupil of
Sir James E. Smith. (Now superseded
by Haeckeria, q.v., and Calomeria.)

Hutchinsia. After Ellen Hutchins
(1785-1815), of Bantry, Ireland, who
was accomplished in cryptogamic bot-
any, and made contributions to English
Botany journal. (Now Cuphonotus
and Hymenolobus.)

(To be continued )

187

Chaetal Striations in Burrows of

Notoscolex shephardi Spencer

by

G. BLACKBURN*

Considerable information is avail-
able on earthworms and their activi-
ties, but there appears to be no record
of the impressions of chaetae on the
walls of their burrows. The fact that
under some conditions these markings
are clearly preserved may be useful in
helping to identify worm burrows in
soil.

Parallel striations along the walls
of vertical channels, approximately
4 mm diameter, were observed com-
monly at depths of 1 to 1.5 m in clay
soils with gilgai microrelief in western
Victoria in 1970. The numerous
channels were seen in the walls of

excavations to 2 m, but earthworms
were rarely observed, probably due to
their disturbance by the back-hoe
machine used for the work and the
exposure of the subsoil to light. The
pattern of striations on a short length
of channel wall is shown in Plate 1.
The striated channels were sub-
mitted for biological examination and
opinion was obtained that they were
likely to be made by earthworms.
The only live earthworm noticed at
the excavations was 80 to 100 mm
long, 7 mm in diameter, and dark in

*Division of Soils, CSIRO, Glen Osmond,
South Australia

Plate 1. Parallel striations and worm casts on approximately 10 mm _ length of
earthworm burrow in gilgai clay subsoil at Miram South, Victoria.

188

Vict. Nat. Vol. 90

colour. Specimens obtained subse-
quently from nearby soil were identi-
fied by K. E. Lee (pers. comm.) as
Notoscolex shephardi Spencer. This
species was established by Spencer
(1$00) from specimens collected near
Horsham, also in western Victoria.
The disposition of chaetae on the seg-
ments of the species agrees with the
striations found on the channel walls
and it was concluded that they were
made by this species of worm.

The field observations were made
in September and the gilgai clay soils
were then moist to depths of at least
2 m, the maximum depth of excava-
tion. The walls of the burrows con-
sisted of fine-grained material on
which the striations were clearly
shown. The pattern of these markings
was occasionally broken, apparently

due to masking by worm casts. This
interruption of striations is shown in
PI.1.

The burrows of Notoscolex shep-
hardi are smaller in diameter than
those of some other megascolecid
earthworms, and the fact that the
chaetal markings were noticeable
under field conditions indicates the
scope for observing these and other
micromorphic features without re-
course to laboratory or microscope.

Acknowledgement
Dr. K. E. Lee commented on the
cause of the striations and identified
the live earthworms collected by Mr.
A. Coutts of Yanipy, Victoria.

REFERENCE

Spencer, W. B. (1900). Further descrip-
tions of the Australian earthworms.
Proc ORS o0c. Vickek3(1)2 29-61.

Varied Menus

by

JEAN GALBRAITH

For years wild birds have come to
feed in my garden, both on natural
foods (insects, fruit, flower nectar, etc.)
and that placed on the bird-table and
in nectar bottles. “Nectar”, as provided
for them consists of a moderately
weak mixture of brown-sugar and
water. If too weak they do not return
after the first one or two sips unless
they see me add sugar. The accepted
mixture is honey and water, but that
is impractical here as bees smell the
honey and crowd round it so thickly
that birds cannot reach it, while they
(the bees) take no notice of sugar and

water. On a cold, wet day the two —

bottles may have to be refilled three
times — one is a large tomato-sauce
bottle; one a milk bottle.

July, 1973

A “pudding” of brose meal, etc., is
a failure. Possums tear it down on the
first night. Food from the table is
removed at night, and wire protects
the nectar bottles from large birds
and possums. The larger birds take
nectar from dishes.

My birds get only mild cheese, but a
friend who puts out both says that
Blue Wrens will eat every crumb of
tasty cheese before tasting the mild.

Many of the birds eat a wide
variety of foods, but none so great a
variety as the Satin Bower-birds, and
none so small a variety as Spinebills
and Yellow-winged Honeyeaters. A
friend has seen Yellow-wings feeding
nestlings on insects taken from a
spider web, but over 20 or more years

189

I have never seen them take any solid to the nectar bottles. So long as it
food. They take my synthetic nectar does not rain the flowering tree will be
very freely indeed, and if there is crowded while only one or two birds
Juice on the surface of fruit that other come to the sugar and water. Rain
birds have been eating they will lick it evidently washes out or dilutes the
off, but never peck at the flesh as other fforal nectar and then the birds prefer
species do. I have watched them the sugar mixture.

feeding on flowers, especially gum The confidence of birds here has

blossom, but (in view of Dr. Chur- taught me other things. I should not
chill’s records of feeding Lorikeets) I have expected them to notice dif-
aa ‘ak ere nae food! eae ferences between people. Sudden or
ae ns wae eis Gen decisive movement disturbs any bird,

ceeee: y but even if visitors move quietly the
pues aust £eb msecis| SOMmewnete/ioL birds are less confident with others

in a good season they nest almost h th Th te not '
continuously and, like all honeyeaters eee tN Oy EE eT aunt
the window for food if anyone else

I know, their nestlings are fed on :
Cees. stands too near it, though a room full

I have never seen a honeyeater eat Of people does not disturb them pro-
a flower for the sake of the nectar Vided I am the only one close to the
in it as parrots do. They are equipped Window. When there are visitors they
for licking not chewing. seem to be reassured by quiet conver-

When eucalypts are flowering the sation though used to silence when
Honeyeaters go to them in preference I am alone.

* * *

Of the birds listed below a yellow-tufted honeyeater was here for ten days,
spending much of each day on the bird-table at the window, but has not been
seen since. Those marked (A) come nearly every day, off and on all day.
(S) indicates regular visitors in season (spring-autumn or autumn-spring). The
others come intermittently. Foods listed are only those I have seen the birds
taking — unmistakably. ? = not sure; + = never seen taking this. Only birds
that come to the bird tables and/or nectar bottles are listed. In the list below
* = soaked and sweetened only, so far as I have seen; f. nectar = nectar from
flowers; f-juice = fruit juice as distinct from fruit flesh.

Brown Thornbill — bread, cake, cheese, coconut, fat, insects, nectar.

Blue Wrens — bread, cake, cheese, coconut, fat, insects, nectart.

White-browed Scrub-wren — bread, cake, cheese, coconut, fat, insects,
nectary.

Yellow Robin — bread, cake, cheese, coconut, fat(?), insects, nectart.

(S) Silvereye — bread*, cake*, cheese(?), coconut(?), fat, insects, nectar.

(A) Yellow-faced Honeyeater — bread, cake, cheese, coconut, fat(?), insects,
nectar, f. nectar, f-juice, fruit.

(A) White-eared Honeyeater—bread, cake, cheese, coconut, fat, insects, nectar,
f. nectar, f-juice, fruit.

(A) White-naped Honeyeater — bread, cake, cheese, coconut, fat, insects,
nectar, f. nectar, f-juice, fruit.

190 Vict. Nat. Vol. 90

(A) Yellow-winged Honeyeater — breadt, cake+, cheesey, coconut}, fat}, in-

sects, nectar, f. nectar, f-juice, fruitT.

Yellow-tufted Honeyeater — bread(?), cake(?), cheese, coconut(?), fat(?),
insects, nectar, f. nectar, f-juice(?), fruit(?).

Eastern Spinebill — bread+, caket, cheeset, coconuty, fatt, insects, nectar,
f. nectar, f-juice(?), fruitT.

Noisy Miner — bread, cake, cheese, coconut(?), fat(?), insects, nectar
f. nectar, f-juice, fruit.

(S) Red Wattle-bird— bread, cake, cheese(?), coconut(?), fat(?), insects, nectar,
f. nectar, f-juice, fruit.

(S) King Parrot — potatoes, all sorts of fruit (including tomatoes), acorns.
Prefers feeding on ground and comes more often to bird bath than bird
table.

(S) Crimson Rosella — crushed acorns, most fruits and seeds, especially sun-
flower seed, flowers containing nectar.
Eastern Rosella — all fruits and berries, docks and other seeds, f. nectar,
bread, cake, etc.

(S) Sulphur-crested Cockatoo — seeds (tearing apart pine cones or pears with
equal ease to get them), onion grass bulbs.
Gang Gangs — Hawthorn berries (not seen on bird table but yearly visitor
to nearby Hawthorn).

(S) Harmonious Thrush — cheese, bread, fat, meat, grubs and insects.
Golden Whistler — cheese, bread*.

(S) White-throated Tree-creeper — cheese, coconut, fat.
A Magpie — meat, fat, bread, cheese.

(S) Pied Currawong — meat, fat, bread, cheese(?), fruit.

(S) Satin Bower-bird — bread, cake, cheese, coconut, fat, insects, nectar, fruit
and berries (all kinds), vegetables (carrots, pumpkin, marrow, silver
beet), sugar, leaves (especially forgetmenot), sunflower seeds, meat,
greenhood tubers, flowers (if containing nectar) — Pittosporum fruits a
special delicacy.

Club Archives

Council feels that it is important that historical material relating to the Club
should be collected and preserved, and accordingly Mr. Barry Callinan has been
appointed Archives Officer.

If any members have material which they feel may be of interest to the
Club, would they please send it to Mr. Callinan. Arrangements will be made to
copy any interesting items which members would prefer to retain.

Mr. B. Callinan,
29 Reynards Street,
COBURG, 3058
Telephone: 36 0587

July, 1973 191

Discovery of Tentaculites in the Limestone at Tyers,

Gippsland

by Barry J. COOPER

Tentaculites are small straight coni-
cal shells, which occur in large num-
bers in rocks of Silurian and Devonian
age. Although recognised as long ago
as 1852, it has only been in the last
fifteen years that their value in age
determination has been realised.

Chapman (1904) was the first to
describe representatives of the group
in Victoria. Gill (1941) re-described
these forms and_ illustrated new
material.

The present note describes a few
well preserved specimens of Turkes-
tanella acuaria (Richter), discovered
in the Devonian limestone at the old
Tyers Quarry on the E. bank of the
lower Tyers River, north-west of
Traralgon, in Gippsland. The age sig-
nificance of the specimens is discussed,
with reference to the already docu-
mented conodont fauna.

GEOLOGICAL SETTING

The Devonian limestone at Tyers
constitutes part of the limestone/con-
glomerate association found at the
base of the Walhalla Group in this
area. Philip (1962) introduced the
name, Coopers Creek Formation to
describe this unit and the only subse-
quent studies are unpublished B.Sc.
(Hons.) theses by B. Golding and
C. Wilman at the University of Mel-
bourne, 1971.

Philip (1962) also gave an account
of the then known fauna of the
Coopers Creek Formation and _ the
underlying Boola Beds at Tyers. In
a subsequent paper, Philip (1965), he
described the conodonts. As a result
of these extensive works, the rich

192

Tyers fauna has become one of the
best known Lower Devonian sections
in the State.

Considerable uncertainty exists,
however, as to whether an uncon-
formity occurs between the Coopers
Creek Formation and the Boola Beds.
Strusz (1972), p. 440, summarises
the questions related to this problem.

AGE SIGNIFICANCE OF THE
TENTACULITES

Turkestanella acuaria is known
from the uppermost part of the Loch-
kovian to the top of the Pragian stage
in Bohemia (Boucek 1964). More
recent work in North America by
Churkin and Carter (1970) and Lud-
vigsen (1972) confirms this range. In
relating this to the Rhenish stages,
which are more commonly used in
Victoria, a range of Middle Siegenian
to the top of the Lower Emsian, is
considered equivalent.

Forms attributed to Turkestanella
acuaria have been recorded by Talent
(1965), 3,500 feet stratigraphically
below the Coopers Creek Formation.
Hence, the age of the specimens de-
scribed here is unlikely to be older
than Upper Siegenian.

Tiny teethlike micro-fossils called
conodonts provide the most accurate
dating of Devonian sediments at
present. Conodonts described from
Tyers (Philip 1962) are recognised
by the writer as being of late
Siegenian age, thus being in accord
with the tentaculite determination.

This conclusion is based on the ob-
servation that some specimens of the
conodont, Spathognathodus sulcatus

Vict. Nat. Vol. 90

illustrated by Philip, closely resemble
the Emsian form, Spathognathodus
trilinearis (Cooper, in press).

SYSTEMATIC PALAEONTOLOGY

Class—TENTACULITA Bouéek
1964

Order—DACRYOCONARIDA
Fisher 1962

Family—NOWAKIIDAE Bouéek
and Prantl 1960

Genus—Turkestanella Klishevich
1968
Type Species—
Tentaculites acuarius Richter 1854,
p. 285, pl. 3, fig. 3-7.

Turkestanella acuaria (Richter
1854)

Nowakia acuaria (Richter)
Boucek 1964, p. 60,

Churkin and Carter 1970, p. 62
Pl. 16, fig. 1-8
Turkestanella acuaria (Richter)
Ludvigsen 1972, p. 309,
Pl. 1, fig. 1-13
Pl. 3, fig. 3-6
(The reader is referred to Lud-
vigsen 1972 and Bouéek 1964 for a
complete synonymy.)

DESCRIPTION — Conical shells up to
1.0 mm in length. The maximum
width is about 0.4 mm and the apical
angle about 10°.

The initial chamber is 0.1 mm wide
and is separated from the remainder
of the shell by a constriction. It is
ornamented by longitudinal sculpture,
which can be traced into the more

distal parts of the shell. Transverse
ornament is lacking.
The remainder of the shell is

characterised by clearly defined trans-
verse rings and a _ nearly constant

July; 1973

number of longitudinal striae. These
rings are more closely spaced near the
initial bulb.

REMARKS — Boucek (1967) recog-
nised two sub-species of T. acuaria in
the Australian region. However, full

RHENISH

DEVONIAN

LOCHKOVIAN | PRAGIAN ZLICHOVIAN

FORMATION

SIEGENIAN

LOWER

GEDINNIAN

SILURIAN

for the

scale
Lower Devonian showing the age
determined for the Coopers Ck.
Formation at Tyers.

Fig. 1—Chronological

193

Fig. 2—Turkestanella acuaria (Richter),
Scanning Electron Micrograph,
x 100.

descriptions and_ illustrations were
omitted, so no comparison can be
made here.

The specimens of 7. acuaria in the
author’s collection are smaller in size
in comparison with other material de-
scribed. This fact is attributed to
preparation technique, which was de-
signed to recover conodonts. Labora-
tory procedure included _ crushing,
acetic acid treatment and retention of
the residue fraction collected between
a 7 and 100 mesh screen.

The above note is, in no way, a
complete study of the Tyers tenta-
culite fauna. One poorly preserved
fragment suggests that Styliolinid
tentaculites are also present. Tenta-
culites were only recovered from
sample Ty-5 of the section collected.
Bulk material from this section, as
well as the specimens described here-
in, are stored in the collections of the

School of Geology, University of
Melbourne.
194

REFERENCES

Bouéek, Bedrich, 1964. The Tentaculites
of Bohemia. Publishing House of
Czechoslovak Academy of Science,
215":

Boucéek, Bedrich, 1967. Significance of
Dacryoconarid Tentaculites and Grap-
tolites for the Stratigraphy and Palaeo-
geography of the Devonian System.
In International Symposium on_ the
Devonian System, Vol. 2, Ed. D. H.
Oswald, P. 1275-1281.

Chapman, F., 1904. New or Little
Known Victorian Fossils in the
National Museum, Pt. 3: Some
Palaeozoic Pteropoda. Proc. Roy.
Soc. Vict. (n.s.) 16: 336-342.

Churkin, Michael and Carter, Claire,

1970. Devonian Tentaculitids of East
Central Alaska; Systematics and Bio-

stratigraphic Significance. J. Palcont.
44: 51-68.

Cooper, B. J., 1973. Lower Devonian
Conodonts from Loyola, Victoria.

Proc. Roy. Soc. Vict. (in press).

Gill, E. D., 1941. The place of the genus
Styliolina in the Palaeozoic Palaeon-
tology and Stratigraphy of Victoria.
Proc. Roy. Soc. Vict. 53: 145-164.

Klishevich, V. L., 1968. Some Tenta-
culites from the Lower Devonian of
Tien Shan and _ their systematic
position. In Biostratigraphy of Silu-
rian/Devonian Boundary Deposits. Ed.
B. Sokolov and A. Iwanowski, p. 131-
140 (in Russian).

Ludvigsen, Rolf, 1972. Late Early
Devonian Dacryoconarid Tentaculites,
Northern Yukon Territory. Can. J.
Earth Sci. 9; 297-318.

Philip, G. M., 1962. The Palaeontology
and Stratigraphy of Siluro-Devonian
Sediments of the Tyers area, Gipps-
land, Victoria. Proc. Roy. Soc. Vict.

75: 123-246.
Philip, G. M., 1965. Lower Devonian
Conodonts from the Tyers Area,

Gippsland. Proc. Roy, Soc. Vict. 79:
95-118.

Richter, R., 1854. Thiiringische Tenta-
culiten. Deutsche Geol. Gesell.
Zeitschr. 6: 275-290.

Strusz, D. L. (with contributions by
others), 1972. Correlation of Lower
Devonian Rocks of Australasia. J.
geol. Soc. Aust. 18: 427-455.

Talent, J. A., 1965. The Stratigraphic
and Diastrophic Evolution of Central
and Eastern Victoria in Middle
Palaeozoic Times. Proc. Roy. Soc.
Vict. 79: 179-195.

Vict. Nat. Vol. 90

Prehistoric Cracks in Alluvial Deposits

by EDMUND D. GILL*

“Cracks in alluvium indicate the
presence of stresses that are suffi-
ciently large to rupture cohesive de-
posits.” In this way, William B. Bull
(1972) began his U.S. Geological Sur-
vey Professional Paper on prehistoric
cracks in Western Fresno County,
California. When the California
Aqueduct was being built, thousands
of clay-filled tension cracks were
found in the alluvial fans of the San
Joaquin Valley. The question was
raised whether these were a threat to
the canal, so they were studied. Bull
discovered that cracks in the big allu-
vials fans presented no danger because
they were formed in prehistoric times.
Some of the cracks are over 6,000
years old.

I found this paper of considerable
interest because prehistoric cracks
occur in some Australian alluvial de-
posits, but no one appears to have
studied them. This note is to record
an unusually well documented one
from Queensland.

Darling Downs

Ancient cracks were found on the
Darling Downs in southern Queens-
land. At the request of the Aus-
tralian Institute of Aboriginal Studies,
I investigated a site at Canning Downs
near Warwick. The place was near a
well E.S.E. of the homestead on an
alluvial terrace beside the Condamine
River. Giant extinct marsupials have
been found in the sediments of this
terrace, and the site on King Creek is
famous.

A bulldozer trench 45 m long bear-
ing 163° was dug to a depth of 6.7 m
(22 ft.). The profile thus exposed was:

July, 1973

QO -0.76 m—Black (SYR 2/1 moist)
friable — soil. Heavy
cracking in montmoril-
lonite clay; patches of
earthy carbonate.

0.76-6.7 m—Dark reddish brown
(SYR 3/2 moist) clayey
silt to clay with car-
bonate as earthy patches
and nodules. Black

traces to 1.5 m due to black soil
migrating down ancient cracks. Ver-
tical cleavage. Very compact, so
that the ripper had to be used before
the bulldozer could move the allu-

vium. The bulldozer blade was 3 m

wide.

On 25 April, 1964, soon after the
trench was completed and just after
people had inspected it, about 20
tonnes of sediment fell from the west
wall. The slip was about 10 m long
and 6 m high; it involved approxi-
mately 0.3 m thickness of terrace
material. The face from which the
sediment fell was vertical and without
slickensides. It was covered with black
soil. Fissures up to 1.5 m were com-
mon, but this one was over 6m deep.

The crack was clearly ancient, but
younger than the black soil that filled
it. In the same district, detailed geo-
logy was investigated in connection
with the Talgai Cranium, and this sug-
gested that the crack was not more
than 6,000 years old. At some time in
the Holocene, the clay dried out to a
depth of more than 6 m, thus causing
the crack. Black soil from the sur-
face filled it. Upon re-wetting of the

*Deputy Director, National Museum of Victoria.

195

clay, it swelled, and compressed the
black soil into a narrow seam that
nonetheless marked a plane of weak-
ness. By a coincidence, the bulldozer
trench was cut near it and parallel to
it, resulting in the rock fall. It was
fortunate that the people had left the
trench before the fall occurred.

If the funds had been available,
black soil from the fissure would have
been collected for a radiocarbon dat-
ing. There would be sufficient or-
ganic matter in the soil to permit a
date to be assayed.

Victoria

Ancient cracks occur in Quaternary
formations in Victoria, but it is rarely
that a bulldozer trench is available to
permit their adequate study. Cracks

along river cliffs (e.g. Nampoo Station,
Cal Lal, southwest N.S.W., on the
Murray River) and along sea cliffs
(e.g. between Warrnambool and
Childers Cove, Western Victoria) are
common. Some are very old, but
most are difficult to date. However, at
Wilson’s Crack near Childers Cove
there is an Aboriginal midden at the
top of the high cliffs, suggesting that
the Aboriginals climbed up through
this fissure (as fishermen do now) to
attain the cliff top. This fact, and the
structure of the fissure, suggests that
it is very old.
REFERENCE

Bull, W. B. 1972. Prehistoric near-sur-

face subsidence cracks in Western

Fresno County, California. Geol. Surv.
U.S.A. Prof. Paper 437-C.

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May 15 1972.

F.N.C.V. PUBLICATIONS AVAILABLE FOR PURCHASE
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Price $5.25, (discount to members); postage 20c.

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This describes 120 toadstool species and many other fungi. There are four
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Payments should include postage (15c on single copy).

196

Vict. Nat. Vol. 90

The Marine and Estuarine Molluscs of French Island

by BARBARA J. NIELSEN*

French Island lies to the north of
Phillip Island in Westernport Bay. It
is the larger of the two islands with
an area of 16,900 hectares (42,000
acres). Although it has been settled
since 1850, as far as is known, no
survey of the littoral zones of the
island had been made until January,
1972, when a party from the National
Museum of Victoria, led by Dr. B. J.
Smith, Curator of Invertebrates, visited
the island for this purpose. This re-
port, as indicated in the title, is of
the marine and estuarine molluscs col-
lected on this visit. It forms an
adjunct to the wider survey of the
littoral areas of Westernport Bay made
by the Marine Study Group of Vic-
toria in which the author took part.
An interim report of this survey was
published in August, 1971.

The visit to French Island lasted
four days, from the 21 to the 24
January 1972. During the whole
period the weather was fine and sunny.
There had been no rain for some
time. The time factor and the distri-
bution of the access roads meant that
most of the survey was conducted on
the western and southern coasts of the
island. In all ten localities were
visited.

THE ISLAND

According to Jenkin 1971, the bed-
rock of the island is probably of
Silurian sedimentary rock. This is
overlain by Tertiary sediments in the
central part of the island and on the
southern coast by small areas of vol-
canic rock (basalt) of the Narracan
series. |

July, 1973

The coastline consists mainly of
large areas of mud or sandy mud with
numerous stands of the White Man-
grove (Avicennia marina). In places,
for example on the beach 0.8 kilo-
metre north of Tortoise Head, there
were stands of dead trees held in the
mud at about high water mark, which,
it is assumed, are the remains of
stands of A. marina.

According to local inhabitants dur-
ing winter the whole island seems to
be “floating” on a sea of mud. This
is easily believed as, in many places,
particularly on the northern and
western coasts the “beach” is separated
from the higher parts of the island
coast by a wide area of salt marsh.
Our informants told us that this
area is water-logged in winter and
also covered by the “King Tides’.
On the southern coast there are
several relatively small rocky outcrops
of basalt where, in general, the wide
marsh area is missing.

THE LITTORAL AREAS

For convenience, the littoral and
related habitats are divided into six
main categories:—

(a) the coastal salt marsh of the lit-
toral fringe on the western and
northern coasts, separating the
beach from the rest of the is-
land;

tidal mud flats uncovered at low
tide often with stands of the
White Mangrove (A vicennia
marina) either living or dead;

(b)

*Honorary Associate in Invertebrates,
National Museum of Victoria.

197

(c) tidal sandy mud and muddy flats

with extensive eel grass beds,

usually with a _ shallow water
cover;

isolated rocky areas, mainly on

the tidal mud flats, but sometimes

on sandy mud, increasing in area
near the rock platforms;

(e) wave cut platforms of fresh and
weathered basalt which were
found only in two areas — at
Tortoise Head on the south-west
tip of the island and near the
landing place, west of the barge
mooring;

(f) the banks of tidal streams—these
differ from the other five areas
in that they are inland but sup-
port a population of estuarine
animals.

(d

—_

LOCALITIES COLLECTED

Below is a list of the localities
where collections were made together
with the grid references from the army
ordinance map of the Queenscliff
area reference number SJ 55-9, ed. 1,
series R502.
A. Areas with access from the west

coast, listed from north to south.

1. Salt marsh at the North Pines
Pastoral Company (C. C.
Fisher): Grid ref. 333 278.

2. 0.8 kilometres north of Fair-
haven Jetty: Grid ref. 332 375.

3. 2.1 kilometres north of the
bridge at the junction of the
Tankerton and Coast roads,
near the Coast road: Grid ref.
331 268.

4. The banks of the creek at the
bridge at the junction of the
Tankerton and Coast roads:
Grid ref. 331 268.

5. 0.6 kilometres north of Tor-
toise Head: Grid ref. 331 266.

B. On the south coast.

6. Tortoise Head:
331 265.

7. Chesapeake: Grid ref. 335 265.

8. Long Point: Grid ref. 334 268.

Grid ref.

198

9. (a) The landing point — mud
flats to the east of the
barge landing place.

(b) The landing point—rocks
to the west of the barge
landing place.

Grid reference for both these

points is 334 268.

It should be noted that in most
cases several habitats were sampled
at each locality. The localities will be
referred to by the numbers given in
the above list in both text discussion
and the systematic list below (Fig. 1).

THE MOLLUSCAN ASSOCIATIONS

(a) The salt marsh of the supra-lit-
toral fringe. Localities 1, 2, 3, 5,
6, 7.

These areas supported large popu-
lations of amphibolid and elobiid mol-
luscs, only a few species being present.
The molluscs tended to congregate in
low-lying areas under loose vegeta-
tion.

The dominant species were Ophicar-
delus ornatus and Salinator solida.
Specimens of the latter were large,
often the shell being covered with a
layer of mud. In one place, on the
track to Tortoise Head, small mud
rings were seen in the damp areas.
These were thought to have been
Salinator egg rings.

In general the size of this species of
Salinator was constant. However, at
Chesapeake small and medium sized
specimens were found in a small rivu-
let leading to the sea.

By the track to Tortoise Head an-
other elobiid, Marinula meridionalis,
and the succinid Austrosuccinia aus-
tralis were found.

(b) Tidal mud flats with stands of
living and dead mangroves and
uncovered at low tide. Localities
Br Gla cigs.

This habitat, a feature of the nor-
thern parts of Westernport Bay, sup-
ports two faunas — one mud dwelling,
the other living on the trunks,

Vict. Nat. Vol. 90

branches and pneumatophores of the

Avicennia marina. In the latter habi-

tat species such Melarapha unifasciata,

Cominella lineolata and Austrocochlea

constricta were found.

The mud, on the other hand, sup-
ports the bivalves Mysella donaci-
formis, an ubiquitous species, small
individuals of Laternula tasmanica
and occasional Anadara _ trapezia.
Associated with this bivalve fauna
are the carnivorous gastropod species
Polinices sordidus and Parcanassa
burchardi. Salinator fragilis was also
found in large numbers.

(c) Mud and sandy — mud flats with
extensive eel grass beds usually
with a_ shallow water cover.
Localities 2, 3, 5, 7, 9(a).

The fauna of the mud habitat in
these areas was similar to that men-
tioned for the same type of substrate
in (b). In addition the small bubble
shell Acteocina apicina was found
living on the eel grass. Empty shells

FRENCH
ISLAND

of another bubble shell,
atkinsoni were also found.

The sandy-mud habitat differs from
that described above in that the upper
layer of the substrate has a larger
grain size and is light grey to yellow
in colour. Beneath this layer of
sandy mud, in some places, parti-
cularly locality 3, there is a layer of
sub-recent, reworked shells, mainly
Katelysia rhytiphora. This layer also
outcrops at the surface near Tanker-
ton Jetty.

Many species described for the mud
areas also occur in_ this habitat
although some of the bivalves are
absent. Mysella donaciformis is again
associated with the carnivorous
species Parcanassa burchardi and
Polinices sordidus. On the eel grass
the small bubble Cylichna atkinsoni
occurred together with Eubittium law-
leyanum, Salinator fragilis and Assi-
minea_ brazieri. The last was only
found at locality 2.

Cylichna

Figure 1

July, 1973

199

It is interesting to note that in the
muddy areas where there was little if
any eel grass the sand snail, Polinices
sordidus, travels below the mud sur-
face, whereas in areas where there is
much eel grass it moves over the sur-
face of the substrate.

(d) Isolated rocky areas. Localities 5,
7, 8,9.

The only rock seen on the shores
of the island was basalt. The isolated
rocky areas usually consisted of basalt
boulders resting on the mud.

The molluscan fauna of these areas
was more varied although there were
fewer bivalves than in the previous
areas. Rock dwelling gastropods such
as Bembicium auratum, Cominella
lineolata, Lepsiella vinosa, Austrococh-
lea constricta and Notoacmea scabri-
lirata were found in most of these
areas. Other species recorded from
some points were Melanerita melano-
tragus, Melarapha_ unifasciata, M.
praetermissa, Onchidella patelloides,
Barbatia squamosa & Modiolus pulex.
Some species attained sizes larger than
for members of the same species in
other areas of Westernport Bay. An-
other species, recorded only from
Long Point was Pseudoliotia micans.

(e) Rocky wave platforms. Locali-
ties 6, 9(b).
EUCALY PT

200

AVICENNIA

Only one of the two basalt rock
platforms, that at Tortoise Head, car-
ried what might be described as a
typical rock platform molluscan fauna
for Westernport. Here Hormosira
banksii was present.

At locality 9, on the rocky platform
to the west of the landing place the
fauna was limited to Bembicium mel-
anostomum (the only place where this
species was found), Siphonaria sp. cf.
baconi and the bivalves Ostrea angasi
and Anadara trapezia.

The platform at Tortoise Head had
a large and varied molluscan fauna,
typical of the rock platform fauna in
other parts of the Bay. Gastropods and
bivalves of this type of habitat were
well represented although only three
species of chiton were recorded —
Ischnochiton variegata, Acanthochiton
bednalii and Ischnoradsia australis
and only one cephalopod, the Blue-
ringed Octopus Haplochaena macu-
losa. In all forty species of mollusc
were recorded from this area including
two opisthobranchs, Dendrodoris
nigra and Spurilla maclaeyi from
under a loose rock and the bubble
shell Acteocina hofmani.

Typical rocky platform species such
as Cominella eburnea, C. lineolata,
Austrocochlea constricta, A. odontis,
Melarapha unifasciata, Cosmetalepas

Figure 1.

Littoral and
supra-littoral
zonation
(not to scale).

FEL
GRASS

Vict. Nat. Vol. 90

concatenus, Siphonaria diemenensis,
Clanculus (Mesoclanculus) plebjus,
Dentimitrella pulla, Dicathais textilosa,
Subninella undulata and Floraconus
anemone formed the basis of the
gastropod fauna. Among the bivalves
were Modiolus pulex, Barbatia squa-
mosa, Mytilus planulatus and Vene-
rupis exotica. On nearby mud flats
Anadara trapezia was found.
(f) The banks of a tidal
Locality 4.

A small creek running to the shore

was examined. The fauna of this

creek.

July, 1973

Plate 1.

Saltmarsh of
supra-littoral
locality 5.

creek and its banks indicated that it
was estuarine. The molluscan species
were limited to Ophiocardelis ornatus
on the banks with Salinator solida and
Assiminea tasmanica. In the water
was an unknown species of the family
Hydrobiidae belonging to the genus
Potamopyrgus.
DISCUSSION

Much of the littoral zone of French
Island resembles that described for the
littoral of the Northern Mangrove/
Tidal Flats Province of Westernport
described in the “Interim Report” by

Plate 2.

Saltmarsh of
supra-littoral.
Habitat of
Austrosuccinia
australis.

the Marine Study Group of Victoria
(1971). The whole zone, including
the supra-littoral salt marsh carries a
limited and somewhat specialized mol-
luscan fauna. The limited nature of
this fauna is somewhat exemplified
by the fact that only three species of
chiton were collected and, of these,
two were represented by one specimen
each and the other, Jschnochiton
variegata was very common, being
recorded from four localities. Accord-
ing to Mr. R. C. Robertson, who
identified the chitons, this was to be
expected as this species favours a
muddy environment. (Personal com-
munication.)

Altogether five species were re-
corded on French Island but not dur-
ing the survey of Westernport. These
species were Pseudoliota micans, the
three bubble shells —- Acteocina api-
cina, A. hofmani, and Cylichna atkin-
soni, and the bivalve Venerupis
exotica. Another species recorded
from the Island was found but not
identified on the Westernport survey.
This was the bivalve Mysella donaci-
formis.

It is difficult to assess the exact role
of the molluscs of the Island in the
total ecosystem of the Bay in that so
little is known about the habits of

202

these local species. Comparisons can
be made with overseas members of
the same families but this is not
always satisfactory as there is often
great variation within the one family.
In particular more information is
needed on the feeding and breeding
habits. Field observations made on
general collecting excursions do en-
able some genera and species to be
fitted into the overall food web, re-
vealing the importance of the molluscs
in this area. For example, Parcanassa
burchardi, like all the Nassidae, is a
carnivore and scavenger. Polinices
sordidus is also a carnivore. Other
gastropods such as the trochids and
turbinids are herbivorous, helping to
keep in check algal growth on rocks
and mud, also the branches and
pneumatophores of Avicennia marina.
Of course, the bivalves are all filter
feeders.

It is certain that during all seasons
but winter the molluscs of this area
would add considerably to the plank-
ton of the surrounding waters by the
discharge of gametes and the resultant
developing larvae. Anderson (1962)
has shown that Bembicium auratum
and Melanerita melanotragus both
have planktonic larvae. It is very

Plate 3.

Dead
mangroves (at
low tide) —
locality 5.

Vict. Nat. Vol. 90

probable that many other gastropods
also have planktonic larvae and cer-
tainly the bivalves would have the
same. Thus this addition to the plank-
ton would provide food for small fish
and other marine organisms.

If the role of the molluscs is not
always clear, the importance of
French Island in the northern province
of Westernport is very apparent.
Hence the need to preserve undis-
turbed the entire habitat. The whole
province is an area of natural re-
clamation, the mangroves and eel
grass holding the silt and mud in
position, helping it to build up so that
finally the shore moves further out.
The reclaimed tidal flats lose their
mangroves and eel grass becoming
salt marsh which eventually forms into
paper-bark and eucalypt bushland
(Fig. 2).

If the mangroves are killed by frost
or man they revive slowly, if at all and
in Corner Inlet and Westernport Bay
erosion has developed where the man-
groves have been removed by man

(Bird 1972). Obviously wholesale re-
moval of the mangroves and also the
eel grass, would result in the loosen-
ing of vast amounts of mud. This
would be removed by erosion and
probably deposited further down the
bay. The net result of this would be
that the shipping lanes would be
blocked. Another more important re-
sult would be the alteration of the
littoral areas of the Bay including the
destruction of fish breeding grounds
among the tidal flats. Thus the whole
natural ecosystem would be disturbed
and as a consequence both from the
economic and _ scientific standpoint
much harm would be done.

Acknowledgements:

The author wishes to thank the Dir-
ector of the National Museum of Vic-
toria, Mr. J. McNally, for allowing her
to join the excursion; Dr. B. J. Smith for
help both during and after the excursion
and for reading the manuscript; Messrs.
R. Burn and R. C. Robertson for identi-
fying the opisthobranchs and chitons re-
spectively and all others who helped the
author.

Appendix

Below is attached a list of the species collected and the localities at which
each was recorded. The basis for this list is Macpherson and Gabriel 1962.

Class AMPHINEURA (identified by R. C. Robertson)
Family Cryptoplacidae — Acanthochiton bednalli (Pilsbry 1894) Locality 6.
FP. Ischnochitonidae — Ischnochiton variegata (H. Add & Angas 1964) Loca-
lities 6, 7, 8, 9(b).
— Ischnoradsia australis (Sowerby 1840) Locality 6.

Class GASTROPODA
Family Fissurellidae

— Scutus antipodes (Montfort 1810) Locality 6.

— Montfortula rugosa (Q. & G. 1834) Locality 6.
— Cosmetalepas concatenatus (Crosse & Fischer 1864)

Locality 6.
F. Acmaeidae
F. Trochidae

— Notoacmea scabrilirata (Angas 1865) Localities 5, 6.
— Herpetopoma aspersa (Philippi 1840) Locality 6.

— Austrocochlea constricta (Lamarck 1822) Localities
3, 5, 6,'7, 8, 9(a).

— A. odontis (Wood 1828) Locality 6.

—Clanculus (Mesoclanculus) plebjus (Philippi 1851)

Locality 6.

July, 1973

203

F. Turbinidae — Subninella undulata (Solander 1786) Locality 6.

EE: Neritidae — Melanerita melanotragus (Smith 1884) Localities 6,
7, 8.
F. Littorinidae — Melarapha unifasciata (Grey 1826) Localities 3, 6, 7.

— M. praetermissa (May 1908) Locality 7.
— Bembicium auratum (Q. & G. 1834) Localities 1, 3,

5, 6, 8.
— B. melanostomum (Gmelin 1791) Locality 9(b).
Family Assiminidae — Assiminea (Metassiminea) brazieri (T. Woods 1876)
Locality 2.
— A. tasmanica (T. Woods 1876) Locality 4.
F. Tornidae — Pseudoliotia micans (A. Adams 1850) Locality 8.
FE; Potamididae — Zeacumantus diemenensis (Q. & G. 1874) Locality 6.
F. Cerithiidae — Eubittium lawleyanum (Crosse 1863) Localities 2, 3,
5G:
lee Hipponicidae — Antisabia foliacea (Q. & G. 1835) Locality 6.
F. Naticidae — Polinices sordidus (Swainson 1821) Localities 2, 3, 5,
6, 7, 9(a).
F. Muricidae — Lepsiella reticulata (Blainville 1832) Locality 6.
— L. vinosa (Lamarck 1822) Locality 5, 6.
— Dicathais textilosa (Lamarck 1822) Locality 6.
EF; Columbellidae — Dentimitrella pulla (Gaskoin 1851) Locality 6.
F Buccinidae — Cominella eburnea (Reeve 1846) Locality 6.
—C. lineolata (Lamarck 1809) Localities 3, 5, 6, 8.
F. Nassidae — Parcanassa burchardi (Philippi 1851) Localities 2, 3,
5, 6, 8, 9a).
— Niotha pyrrhus (Menk 1843) Locality 6.
F. Conidae — Floraconus anemone (Lamarck 1810) Locality 6.
F. Scaphanderidae — Acteocina apicina (Gould 1859) Locality 9(a).
(ident. R. Burn) —A. hofmani (Angas 1877) Locality 6.
—Cylichna atkinsoni (T. Woods 1876) Localities 2,
9(a).
F. Dendrodoridae — Dendrodoris nigra (Stimpson 1855) Locality 6.
(ident. R. Burn)
F. Aleolidiidae — Spurilla macleayi (Angas 1864) Locality 6.
(ident. R. Burn)
F. Ellobiidae — Marinula meridionalis (Brazier 1877) Locality 5.
— Ophicardelus ornatus (Ferussac 1821) Localities 1, 4.
seer
Family Amphibolidae — Salinator fragilis (Lamarck 1822) Localities 2, 3, 5,
6,.7; 8, 9( a).
— §. solida (von Marten 1878) Localities 1, 4, 5, 7.
F. Siphonariidae — Siphonaria diemenensis (Q. & G. 1833) Localities 5,
6, 8.
— Siphonaria sp. cf. baconi (Reeve 1856) Localities 6,
9(b).
F Onchidiidae — Onchidella patelloides (Q. & G. 1832) Localities 6, 7.
BE: Hydrobiidae ©— Potamopyrgus sp. Locality 4.
F Succinidae — Austrosuccina sp. Localities 3, 5.

204 Vict. Nat. Vol. 90

Class BIVALVIA
Family Arcidae
9(b).

— Anadara trapezia (Deshayes 1840) Localities 6, 8,

— Barbatia squamosa (Lamarck 1819) Localities 6, 7.

Class CEPHALOPODA
Family Octopodidae

BIBLIOGRAPHY

Anderson, D. T. 1962. The reproduction
and early life histories of the gastro-
pods Bembicium auratum (Quoy and
Gaimard), (Fam. Littorinidae), Cellana
tramoserica (Sower.) (Fam. Patellidae)
and Melanerita melanotragus (Smith)
(Fam. Neritidae); Proc. Linn. Soc.
N.S.W., vol. 87, pt. 1, p. 62.

Bird, E. C. F. 1972. Mangroves on the
Australian Coast: Aust. Nat. Hist., vol.
Ih nod; p.. 167;

Hi, Mytilidae
F. Ostreidae
F. Montacutidae
5,160,728, 9a).
F. Veneridae
E. Hiotellidae
F. Laternulidae

— Modiolus pulex (Lamarck 1819) Localities 6, 7.

— Mytilus planulatus (Lamarck 1819) Locality 6.

— Ostrea angasi (Sowerby 1871) Locality 9(b).

— Mysella donaciformis (Angas 1878) Localities 2, 3,

— Venerupis exotica (Lamarck 1818) Locality 6.

— Hiatella australis (Lamarck 1818) Locality 6.
— Laternula tasmanica (Reeve 1818) Locality 7, 9(a).

— Hapalochaena maculosa (Hoyle 1883) Locality 6.

Dobbin, N. H. 1971. French Island past,
present, future: The Melbourne
Walker, p. 33.

Jenkin, J. J. 1971. Geological History of
the West Gippsland Region: Proc.
Roy. Soc. Vic., vol. 84, pt. 1, p. 19.

Macpherson, J. H., and C. J. Gabriel.
1962. Marine Molluscs of Victoria:
M.U.P. with the Nat. Mus. Vic.

Marine Study Group of Victoria. 1971.
Littoral Survey of Western Port Bay:
Interim Report, August.

Field Naturalists Club of Victoria

Day Group
17 May

Eighteen members were present at
Wattle Park. During the group meeting,
Mr. Fairhall gave a resume of the history
of Wattle Park dating back to 1915. This
was facilitated by information supplied
by the Tramways Board who hold this
area in trust and who have developed it
into a fine, multi-purpose park.

Inspection commenced with a close
study of the two fenced plots of native
flora. Seen in flower to varying degrees
were Anigosanthos’ flavida, Bauera
rubioides, B. sessiliflora, Brachysema lan-
ceolatum, Calytrix fraseri, C. tetragona,
Correa alba, C. glabra, C. bauerlenii, C.
lawrencia, C. minor, C. reflexa, Crowea
exalata, C. saligna, Crotalaria laburni-
folia, Darwinia citriodora, Epacris longi-
flora, Eucalyptus caesia, E. torquata, E.
woodwardi, Grevillea stenomera, G. vic-
toriae, Hakea laurina, Melaleuca lateritia,
Prostanthera cuneata, Thryptomene pay-
nei and Westringia glabra.

July, 1973

A circuit was made of the eastern side
of the park, taking in children’s play-
grounds, areas planted to native trees
(Eucalyptus citriodora dominant there)
and an area reserved for indigenous trees.
Fine views were obtained from an emin-
ence of some 300 feet. Noted from here
was the concentration of schools and
child care institutions in the surrounding
area.

Field Survey Group
Easter Camps

Over the Easter period, F.S.G. was re-
presented by members at Hattah Lakes
National Park, and others with the Haw-

thorn Juniors near Redcliffs. The ex-
tremely dry conditions yielded little
apart from ants and _ spiders. Some

species of fresh water molluscs and frogs
were found in some of the lakes and
dams of the district. Some members
moved south and Arthur Brook travelled
by land rover through parts of the Big
Desert and Sunset country where he re-
corded evidence of breeding seasons for

205

some frog species. The Hawthorn junior
members moved to Boundary Bend, and
Leigh Winsor travelled to Horsham then
through parts of the Grampians. In all,
the country was interesting but produced
few specimens for the group.
April

On the Thursday following the Easter
break, fifteen members and friends at-
tended the members’ night. Those that
had been away over Easter spoke on
the country they saw and specimens they
collected. Other members spoke on as-
pects of their field studies, and Tom
Sault showed excellent photographs of
native orchids, giving members some
basic points about this interesting plant
group. The evening finished with coffee
and discussion.

May

The topic for the evening was Vic-
torian frogs— behaviour and _ distribu-
tion, by Mr. Arthur Brook. Using clear
diagrams and specimens, Mr. Brook ex-
plained the behaviour of some species of
frogs and spoke on their distribution and
problems associated with morphologi-
cally similar species. Of particular in-
terest was the “Dial-a-Croak’’, an elec-
tronic device made by Mr. Brook that
simulates the call of various frogs. The
meeting closed with discussion and
coffee.

Queen's Birthday Weekend (June Camp)

Eight members spent an extremely pro-
fitable weekend in the Buchan-Orbost
area. The group was fortunate in having
fine weather which facilitated survey
work along the Omeo Highway to the
Snowy River at McKellops Bridge.
Here we spent a rather chilly night, and
moved on to the Bonang Highway the
following day.

Many specimens of millipedes and cen-
tipedes were collected by Al Burns and
Max Campbell, and non-marine molluscs
and planarians in fair numbers resulted
in good sampling for the area. Of in-
terest was the finding of Atrax species
near the C.R.B. camp at Murrindal and
finding of a freshwater sponge by Ros
St. Clair at Little River.

General Meeting — // June

A large audience gathered to hear Mr.
Jim Willis’s talk entitled “Botanical Trails
through Britain”. His very varied collec-
tion of slides covering Britain in all sea-
sons was accompanied by an informative
and most interesting commentary, giving
a glimpse of the history as well as the
botany of the places he had visited.

206

A full list of Club correspondence as
well as notices and press cuttings were
displayed on the board at the back of
the hall. The Secretary drew members’
attention to the forthcoming meeting of
the International Whaling Commission,
and it was agreed that the Club would
appeal to the Commonwealth Govern-
ment for a vote in favour of a proposed
international moratorium on whaling.

A plan of a new native plant garden to
be established in the Oakleigh district
was on display, and Mr. A. Fairhall was
nominated to fill a position on the Com-
mittee of Management which was of-
fered to a Club delegate.

A request was also received from the
Commonwealth Serum Laboratories for
assistance in collecting March Flies and
Paper Wasps required for experimental
purposes. Anyone interested in helping
with this can obtain further details from
the Serum Laboratories.

Among the exhibits were some very
large specimens of the Basket Fungus,
Clethrus gracilis, which had appeared on
a compost heap in the Eltham area. Mr.
Willis commented that these were the
largest specimens of the species he had
seen; the “basket” part of the larger one
being about five inches in diameter. Also
exhibited was a _ collection of small
animal bones found at Eden Park; these
were passed on to the Mammal Survey
Group for identification.

The President announced that Mr. Jim
Baines would be retiring from the posi-
tion of Secretary of the Natural History
Medallion Committee at the end of the
year and appealed for a nominee or
volunteer to fill this position. Mr. Kelly
also announced that Mr. D. McInnes
had been appointed Sales Officer for the
Club and Mr. B. Cullinan, Archivist.
The Club already has a small quantity of
historic records and old photographs and
is interested in hearing from any one
who may have items they are willing to
donate, lend or have listed for future
reference.

Botany Group — /4 June

Three members contributed to the pro-
gramme at the June meeting of Botany
Group. Mrs. M. Corrick spoke on
“Some Victorian Bush-peas’’, illustrated
with slides and pressed specimens; Mr.
Tom Sault showed a few slides of some
fungi which he had found on the Morn-
ington Peninsula and then conducted a
quiz on Eucalypts. Miss Gwen Piper
talked about two “Projects in Botany”,
one on the succession of vegetation in

Vict. Nat. Vol. 90

a gorge of the Mitchell River and the
other a study of regeneration after fire.

The President, Mr. Ian Cameron, re-
ported the death in April of Lord Talbot
de Malahide, who had been responsible
for the publication of “The Endemic
Flora of Tasmania”. Members expressed
the hope that completion of the final
volumes of the work would still be
possible.

Arrangements were made for the June
excursion to Simon’s Gully near Arthur’s
Seat. It is anticipated that extension of
quarrying in the area will have a con-
siderable adverse effect on the vegeta-
tion of this gully which at present still
contains ferns and is relatively unspoilt.

The speaker at the July meeting will
be Mr. Rex Filson whose talk is en-
titled ““A Botanical Meal in Japan”.

New Members.

Dr. N. G. Elder, Mrs. A. Elder, James Elder, 39 Waldemar Rd., Heidelberg, 3084 (Botany).
Rev. K. M. Pither, Mrs. K. M. Pither, 5 Westley Ave., Ivanhoe, 3079 (Fauna and Flora).

May —
Ordinary:
Mr. Thomas J. Brodribb, 47 Frater St., East Kew, 3102.
Mr. Lindsay Jolley, 5/7 Curtain St., Kingsbury, 3083.
Mr. B. A. Joy, 329 Kooyong Rd., Elsternwick, 3185 (Botany).
Mr. Kenneth Phillip Galloway, 72 Sth. Circular Rd., Tullamarine, 3043 (Marsupials).
Miss Jennifer Skewes, 192 MclIlwraith St., North Carlton, 3054.
Mr. John E. Smith, 21 Frater St., East Kew, 3102.
Miss Alice Turner, 172 Victoria Pde., East Melbourne, 3002 (Birds’ Botany).
Joint:
Mr. Robert Thompson, Mrs. Edith Thompson, Flat 3, 5 Foote St., Elwood, 3184.
Country:
Mr. John D. Berry, 468 Hargreaves St., Bendigo, 3550.
June —
Ordinary:
Miss Penelope B. Morison, 476 Glenferrie Rd., Hawthorn, 3122
Mr. Robert G. Stewart, 12 Piedmont St., Box Hill, 3128.
Mr. Robert C. Ward, 2/26 Garton St., Nth. Carlton, 3054 (Botany).
Joint:
Mr. James E. Pearson, Mrs. Lauris T. Pearson, 109 Kooyong Rd., Armadale, 3143.
a Mr. Peter A. Taylor, Mrs. P. Taylor, 36 Glendearg Grove, Malvern, 3144 (Fungi).
ountry:

Mr. James A. Gillians, Mrs. Patricia V. Gillians, R.S.D., New Dookie Road,

Shepparton, 3630 (Mycology).

Mr. L. D. Leavesley, 7 Lister Crescent, Shepparton, 3630 (Flora).

ENTOMOLOGICAL
EQUIPMENT

Butterfly nets, pins, store-boxes, etc.

We are direct importers and manufacturers
and specialise in Mail Orders

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Australian Entomological Supplies
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Phone: 524 4614

July, 1973

207

Field Naturalists Club of Victoria

Established 1880

OBJECTS: To stimulate interest in natural history and to preserve
and protect Australian fauna and flora.

Patron:
His Excellency Major-General Sir ROHAN DELACOMBE, K.B.E., C.B., D.S.O.

Key Office-Bearers, 1972-1973.

President:
‘Mr. P. KELLY

Hon. Secretary: Mr. R. H. RIORDAN, 15 Regent St., East Brighton, 3187. 92 8579

Treasurer: H. BISHOP. Address Correspondence to National Herbarium, The
Domain, South Yarra.

Subscription Secretary: Mr. D. E. McINNES, 129 Waverley Rd., East Malvern, 3145.
Hon. Editor: Mr. G.'M. WARD, 54 St. James Road, Heidelberg 3084.

Hon. Librarian: Mr. J. MARTINDALE, c/o National Herbarium, The Domain,
South Yarra.

Hon. Excursion Secretary: Miss M. ALLENDER, 19 Hawthorn Avenue, Caulfield
3461. « (52.2749.)

Magazine Sales Officer: Mr. D. McINNES
Archives Officer: Mr. CALLINAN.

Group Secretaries
Botany: Mrs. M. G. CORRICK, 7 Glenluss St., Balwyn 3103. Tel. 857 9937.
Day Group: Mrs. J. STRONG, 1160 Dandenong Rd., Murrumbeena (56 2271).

Entomology and Marine Biology: ‘Mr. J. W. H. STRONG, Flat 11, “Palm Court”,
1160 Dandenong Rd., Murrumbeena 3163 (56 2271).

Field Survey: Miss L. BARRACLOUGH, c/o 8/4 Rathmines St., Fairfield 3078.
Geology: Mr. T. SAULT.

Mammal Survey: Mr. D. KELLY, Flat 8/1894 Murrumbeena Rd., Murrumbeena
3163 (56 2486).

Microscopical: Mr. M. H. MEYER, 36 Milroy Street, East Brighton (96 3268).

MEMBERSHIP
Membership of the F.N.C.V. is open to any person interested in natural history.
The Victorian Naturalist is distributed free to all members, the club’s reference and
lending library is available, and other activities are indicated in reports set out in the
several preceding pages of this magazine.

Rates of Subscriptions for 1973.

Ordinary ;Members: .: 3. we ged 1 eo ew ley oe ee ea $7.00
Country. (Members. 0.0 eS ae eS $5.00
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The cost of individual copies of the Vict. Nat. will be 45 cents (52 cents — overseas requests).
Full-time Students between I8 and 21 years pay at Junior Member rates.

All subscriptions should be made payable to the Field Naturalists Club of Victoria, and posted
to the Subscription Secretary.

) JENKIN, BUXTON & CO. PTY. LTD., PRINTERS, WEST MELBOURNE

AUGUST, 1973

Published by the
FIELD NATURALISTS CLUB OF VICTORIA

in which is incorporated the Microscopical Society of Victoria

Registered in Australia for transmission by post as a periodical.
Category “A”

F.N.C.V. DIARY OF COMING EVENTS
GENERAL MEETING

Monday, 13 August At National Herbarium, The Domain, South Yarra, commencing
8 p.m.

Subject for Evening — “Birds of Bass Strait’: Mr. Ken Simpson.

GROUP MEETINGS
(8 p.m. at National Herbarium unless otherwise stated)

Thursday, 9 August — Botany Group.
Wednesday, 15 August — Geology Group.

Thursday, 23 August — F.S.G. Meeting in Conference Room, National Museum of
Victoria at 8 p.m. Some Aspects of Fern-gully Environment: T. Sault.

Wednesday, 5 September — Geology Group.

Monday, 3 September— Marine Biology and Entomology Group Meeting in
Library Conference Room at National ‘Museum at 8 p.m.

JUNIOR F.N.C. MEETINGS
Friday, 31 August— -Hawthorn Juniors in Town Hall at 8.00 p.m.

Friday, 7 Sept -Preston Juniors at 281 High Street, Preston (Rechabite Hall), at
8.00 p.m.

Friday, 7 Sept -Black Rock Juniors at 8 p.m. in Congregational Church Hall, cnr.
Arkaringa Crescent and Bent Parade.

Friday, 14 Sept -Montmorency and District in Scout Hall, Petrie Park at 8.00 p.m.

F.N.C.V. Excursions

Thursday, 16 August — Day Group. Alexandra Gardens and St. Paul’s Cathedral.
Meet 11.30 at S.E. corner of Prince’s Bridge. Bring lunch.

Sunday, 19 August — Wattle excursion, probably in the Warrandyte area. The
coach will leave Batman Avenue at 9.30 a.m. Fare $2.00. Bring one meal.

Saturday, 25 August-Friday, 7 September — Warrumbungles, Canberra, etc. The
coach will leave Melbourne from Flinders Street at 8a.m. on Saturday, 25th
August, stopping overnight at Finley, on to Parkes for Sunday night and arriving
at Coonabarabran, Monday, where the party will remain until Sunday, with day
trips to the Warrumbungles and surrounding areas. Sunday, 2 September, the
party will commence the return journey, stopping overnight: Sunday, Wellington;
Monday, Bathurst; Tuesday and Wednesday, Canberra; Thursday, Albury; reach-
ing home on Friday. Accommodation is on a dinner, bed and breakfast basis and
members will be responsible for their own lunches. It was necessary to divide
the party in Coonabarabran, so the cost for the excursion will be $155 with hotel
accommodation there and $170 for motel. The full amount should be paid to
the excursion secretary by 31 July — all cheques being made out to Excursion
Trust.

Wednesday, 26 December - Tuesday, 1 January — Port Campbell, details later.

210 Vict. Nat. Vol. 90

The
Victorian Naturalist

Editor: G. M. Ward

Assistant Editor: G. Douglas

Vol. 90, No. 8 8 August, 1973
CONTENTS
Articles:
The Search for Rudd’s Rocks. By Victor Jacobs ag fe, Se sr ween
The Origin of Generic Names of the Victoria Flora (Part 1 cont.)
By J. A. Baines .. oe Le a = ie io oe i ee |
Features:
Nature Notes from the Gold Coast. By Alex N. Burns .. a ie i 230)
Reptiles of Victoria— No. 9. By Hans Beste .. ce Be ae fo

Field Naturalists’ Club of Victoria:
Reports of General Meeting and Group Meetings .. ap i, ea .. 234

Diary of Coming Events .. a op ae mt = oe a ie 2O

Front Cover:

A Tawny Frogmouth demonstrating the threat display of the species
Podargus. Photo: Heather Winsor.

August, 1973 211

The Search for Rudd's Rocks

by VICTOR JACOBS

THE First HESITANT STEPS

The safari bus moved away from
Wonga Hut, in Wyperfeld National
Park, heading for Melbourne, with its
load of forty Grade 6 boys and girls,
leaving us rather pensive yet jubilant.
We had not lost one; and even at this
stage, felt that we had achieved some
of our other objectives. Not the least
of these was the imparting of a sense
of wonder to them. Not a very diffi-
cult task in this wonderland. Still!
One does not share a camp with forty
lively youngsters without coming to
know them well, missing them, and
pondering the eventual effect of this
park.

(Much later, reading a log book,
we noted this comment. “The sight of
cars and houses didn’t bother me much
as we passed through Yaapeet and
Rainbow, but when we reached the
big cities I felt like throwing up.” )

Sentimentality defeats action, and so
we shouldered our packs having left
the vehicle at the “No Vehicle” sign
at the start of the Western Sector track
and stepped out into a stiff west wind.
My friend, Brigg Young, who had
helped with the camp, volunteered to
carry the heavy pack and admitting
his many years of scouting as an in-
dication of priority I accepted his
offer. I, as usual, was festooned with
binoculars, camera gear, and small
satchel containing emergency rations,
pathfinding gear, and _ first-aid
materials.

We passed Sabrina with barely a
glance; for our target was “Rudd’s
Rocks”. These rocks were discovered
and treasured by the late Rudd Camp-
bell, and had long exerted a magnetic

212

pull on me. For those who have not
been to Wyperfeld, we must comment
that rock is extremely uncommon in
the area. In fact one of the little as-
signments set for the pupils was to
draw a five yard circle and hunt for
various items, one of which was rock
pieces. The nearest they came to
success was at the base of the tower
at Eastern Lookout, when some ob-
servant ones found a few bluestone
screenings used for cement making.
And so we hoped to find “Rudd’s
Rocks”, that rare sandstone outcrop.

Once around both sharp bends of
the Dogleg, the plain stretched away,
and on the distant horizon small, hand-
sized dumplings of clouds were well
spaced. It was a matter of conjecture
as to whether these approaching
clouds contained rain or not. It was
too muggy to be clad in nylon all the
time, but it would certainly be too wet
if one of these approaching “black
galleons” sailed overhead. The first
sailed well to the north; the next to
the south, but close enough to warn
us with some heavy drops. Apparently
giving us a wide berth, the third tacked
resourcefully to darken the sky and
spill a wet load almost catching us
ungarbed. With a final tail end swish
it cleared us to give the sun and our
own heat production the swift task of
drying our trousers and lower limbs,
the only wet parts of our bodies.

We were soon in “unexplored”’
country and came to the point A
(Fig. 1), where the old bulldozed
track veers off to the left at an angle
of about 10°. Having found point A
it appeared so easy now to find points

Vict. Nat. Vol. 90

=

B, C, and D. B was the point where
this same old track comes at right
angles from the left to cross the new
wide track and head north. C was
the fainter track leading west from
this north track leading to Hopping
Mouse Hill, and D, “Rudd’s Rocks’.
In imagination it was all very simple.
In fact we never even found point B.
We did find a few broad areas on
either side of the wide track, but when
they led nowhere, we had to admit that
they were probably made by a back-
ing grader. By dusk we estimated that
we had overshot point B by at least a
couple of miles; yet we did not believe
this. It was a confusing situation. We
could not have both missed the track,
and also not reached it. We computed
by scout know-how and watch, that
we had walked at least eleven miles
but felt that the effect of strong wind,
tired legs and soft sand had upset our
rough calculations. The inclement
weather and our sustained pace had
interferred with natural history obser-
vation, and the most unexpected bird
had been a White-winged Triller which
sat in a low shrub as we passed. By
the time we had selected some mallees
as a wind break for our “night” stop,
there was still time to browse around.
The pink shading of the ground was
provided by Baeckea crassifolia and
B. ericaea, with the latter more abun-
dant; but the most interesting find was
Comesperma ericinum (Heath Milk-
wort) well out of its recorded territory.
C. calymega, already recorded for
Wyperfeld was not seen.

Before 7 p.m. we were asleep, and
after some hours sleep I awoke. It
was just midnight. Brigg grunted and
I said, “Are you awake?”

ne Ges)

“Had enough sleep?”

POCes:,

“Shall we make a move?”

“Right!”

The track was soon located, and

August, 1973

even by starlight it was easy to follow
it even to the extent of seeing faint
old wheel tracks. We plodded on and
regained the vehicle just on dawn.
The last couple of hours had been
illuminated by a waning moon, yet in
spite of that extra light, features were
flattened and it was a surprise to reach
the Black Box and the car, for we had
not even seen Sabrina.

We breakfasted back at Wonga Hut,
then in an almost empty park I took
advantage of Brigg and let him chauf-
fuer me around the Car Trail while I
rested the tele-lens on one or other of
the open rear windows and took some
kangaroo shots. By this time it was
really time to head for the city...
so we did.

HAVING HAD SOME ADVICE
August 1972

Wonga Hut had quite a smattering
of teachers and their families. The
motivation to come to Wyperfeld had
been at least twofold. One factor was
a notice in the Education Gazette
from the Gould League of Victoria in-
viting teachers to Wyperfeld and offer-
ing to help to involve them in studies
of the area; and the second factor; a
footnote to the Survival Article — an
offer to teachers by the author making
himself available to those who also
wanted to meet this national park and
possibly lead primary school camps
here.

Having plans for another walk out
to the elusive “Rudd’s Rocks” and
still wearing city legs it was necessary
to train a little, and some short walks
were taken. Most of the tracks near to
the camp area were suffering from an
overdose of footprints, and cross coun-
try walking offered relief from the soft
sand. A previous method of recording
birds had resulted in a multiplicity of
lists, and to simplify matters I decided
to record the birds vertically as I first
sighted them and also horizontally by

Als

OS
QaiL LAKES

£5 30%
NighE Camp Zz

ines.

jearing

To Pine Plains Gate
a Park Boundary
——__ Tracks

ae Direction of trovel.

ly Dunco SS Lake Beds
“UN

S=

WONGA LAKE

Jo Park Entrance

Figure 1.

a cross if they came up on later walks.
(See Table 1.)
The description of the walks listed

in Table 1 are as follows:—

20/8 From Wonga Hut to Mt. Mat-
tingley and return.

21/8a Wonga Hut to Devil’s Pools
along the sandy track towards
Lake Brambrook and return.

21/8b From Black Flat to Round
Lake, and on to Calamifolia
Valley (i.e. part of the ploughed
poison trail to Shepherds Pines
Clearing) and return.

21/8c From the new Car Trail along
Parker’s Track and on to the
south edge of the park.

22/8a Wonga Hut along Brambrook
Track for about a mile, then
due west past large living and
dead Bulokes to the higher
dune. Then due south over Mt.
Mattingley to Wonga Hut.

214

23/8

Black Box at the start of the
Western Sector Track to Sab-
rina Dunes and return.

As for 22/8a. On this early
morning trip there was nearly
a frost. Allan Thomson and I
were escorting Susan McInnes,
the artist who did the paintings
for Birds of Victoria 4, pub-
lished by the Gould League.
She hoped to make acquaint-
ance with some of our rarer
friends as she prepared to paint
for Volume 5 (Dry Country) to
be published in 1973. She
plodded along barefooted with
blue toes and had beginner’s
luck, for apart from helping to
discover the nests of the
Tawny-crowned MHoneyeater
and the Shy Heath-wren, also
shared in a sighting of a pair

Vict. Nat. Vol. 90

of Mallee Emu-wrens. Here
they were within a mile of
Wonga Hut when my last sight-
ing had been far away on the
Ginap Track. It would be
interesting to log the species
that can be seen within a mile
radius of Wonga Hut, and
then show it to those who plain-
tively ask the ranger where all
the birds are.

The Black Box at the start of
the Western Sector Track.
Also the Tea Tree and the re-
generating Scrub Pine to the
south. It was a little joke to
remark on the massive job the
ranger had done in mulching
the base of all those healthy
ten-foot high trees with broken
down Porcupine Grass.

For the observant readers who won-
der what happened to days 24/8 to
26/8, I have to admit to going “walk-
about” again. Those Red Rocks had
haunted me, and I decided to have
another try at finding them. Don
Saunders had indicated that they
should be seen from the south-west
corner or a little to the north, so I
anticipated walking the full length of
that new track to find them.

During our lunch break on 22/8b
in the cleft below Sabrina, Allan and
I had heard a “different” bird call.
The callers proved difficult to track
down, and the ensuing glimpse so
fleeting, that the call was presumed
to come from an unlisted species as
far aS we were concerned. A return
to the area was necessary. This suited
my own plans for my trek was to
begin along this section.

On the 24th I rose at 5.30 to see
that Venus had preceded me. It was
mild with no cloud and no one ob-
jected to being aroused. Thus quite
a loaded vehicle deposited a_half-
dozen people at the end of the Black
Box section and I had a wide range

27/8

August, 1973

of bearers for the first four miles.
As we approached Sabrina, well be-
fore 9 a.m., some early feeding kan-
garoos vacated the track.

As soon as that “different” call was
heard a battery of field glasses and
cameras of all kinds came to bear
and soon we had to admit that the
White-fronted Honeyeater had a wider
variety of notes than we knew.

With the problem solved, I left the
others and stepped out west.

From this point details of the walk
will be given as a mile by mile timed
diary. The times were recorded by a
fairly accurate watch and the distance
by a somewhat less accurate pedo-
meter. Thus details on the map are
completely accurate.

In the diary the following details
will be given.

Day of walk.
Time.
Distance walked that day.
Total distance walked.
Day 1. 9.30. End Mile 4. 4 miles.

Left group heading west.
9.35 a.m.—Very low (8’) mallee.
Porcupine Grass.

9.40 a.m.—Dog’s Leg Bend.
Day 1. 9.50. E.M.5. 5 miles.

Scattered Blue boronia. Flexile
Hakea. Desert Banksia, Low domed
Casuarinas. Erect Guinea Flower.
Flame Heath. Two kangaroos in dis-
tance.
Day 1. 10.23. E.M.6. 6 miles.

Came to Old Bulldozed track lead-
ing off. Point A. Taller Casuarinas
and abundant Baeckea ericaea.

Day 1. 10.47. E.M7. 7 miles.

Two kangaroos well back and two
quite near. Baeckea ericaea and B.
crassifolia continue to tinge the area
pink. Cypress Pines 2-4’ tall. Two very
large kangaroos near road.

215

TABLE 1 |
SPECIES DATE AND ROUTE

20/8 | 21/8a | 21/8b | 21/8c | 22/8a | 22/8b} 23/8a | 23/8b| 27/8

ee

Nankeen Kestrel x x 4 x

Chestnut-tailed Thornbill x x x x

$$ | | SS EE EE

Golden Whistler x x

Brown Falcon x Xx

White-faced Chat x x

x
x<

Spiny-cheeked Honeyeater x x x

Fantailed Cuckoo x x

Little Thornbill x x x

x
x

Brown Flycatcher x x
Black-faced Cuckoo-shrike x xX

Gilbert Whistler x x x

x<
x

Silvereye x

Yellow-winged Honeyeater x

Straited Pardalote 4 4 x

White-fronted Honeyeater
Weebill
Mulga Parrot

x | xX
x

x
x

x
x<

Brown Tree-creeper

Crested Bellbird

Dark-tailed Thornbill x
Xx

Horsefield Bronze Cuckoo
Pallid Cuckoo Xx
Mallee Emu Wren Xx
Black-eared Cuckoo x

Grey Fantail x
Pied Butcher-bird x

Red-capped Robin x x!

Shy Heath-wren x

Crested Pigeon Xx xX

White-tailed Warbler x
(Western)

216 Vict. Nat. Vol. 90

Day 1. 11.10. E.M.8. & miles.

Bigger mallee eucalypts on the
ridges. Masses of B. crassifolia. Look-
ing towards the right I recognise the
group of small mallees where Briggs
and I slept in 1971. (It really was not
eleven miles).

Day 1. 11.40. E.M.9. 9 miles.

11.50 (94 miles). Stopped for lunch.
Left 12.23 p.m.

Day 1. 12.45. E.M.10. 10 miles.

More Desert Heath-myrtle in flower
and a lot of Blue Boronia, past its
prime, but with a few in good bloom.
Some Shrubby Violet and Scarlet
Mint-bush across the track.

Day 1. 1.10 p.m. E.M.11. 11 miles.

I was quite hot, so I chose a soft
seat where the sand, banked up by the
grader, makes an almost continuous
bench and drowsed off. It was 2.20
when I awoke, and then moved off at
2.40.

Day 1. 3.00. E.M.12. 12 miles.

Many dead pines here with dwarfed
Tea Tree and Desert Banksia.

3.15 — Cutting the wide main track
at right angles and quite visible ran
the old bulldozed track leading north
towards Hopping Mouse Hill, and on
to join the main east-west track farther
north. It was as Gary Anderson had
said it would be and clearer than we
had expected to see it last year. It
meant a change of plans again, for up
there, somewhere, was a faint track to
“Rudd’s Rocks”’.

I turned right (Point B). All the
parts of this old bulldozed track that
I walked were easy to follow. The
wheel tracks, though far from recent
are definite. In between these tracks
various plants have regenerated, but
the difference in height between them
and the odd ones in the actual tracks
is quite enough to show up the more
difficult areas for regeneration.

Day 1. 3.18. E.M.13.

Banksia, Boronia.
myrtle. Tea Tree.

Mat Heath-

August, 1973

Day 1. 3.42. E.M.14. 14 miles.

4.00 — Rested, and moved off at
4.10.

Day 1. 4.16. E.M.15. 15 miles.

A new species for me was later
identified as Scaly Humea (Humea
pholidota). Flame heath frequent.
Mallees are very small. Baeckea was
still abundant. There is so much B.
ericaea here, and the plants so old, that
it is quite likely that the species was
established here for many years un-
noticed, before Cliff Beauglehole re-
corded it. The sandy wheel tracks are
quite soft, and kangaroo track over-
prints suggest that the marsupials
have been grading it for many a year.
The B. crassifolia in the soft sand were
taller, and beside them grew a healthy
Grevillea pterosperma.

Day 1. 4.43. E.M.16. 16 miles.

I had now come 34 miles up the Hop-
ping Mouse Hill Track, and half a mile
later, having covered 164 miles for the
day, I stopped between two dunes to
make a night camp. Unlike the wide
new track that had been followed for
the greater part of the day, where
long level stretches are the rule and
these flats separated by short, steep
steps going up towards the west; the
track I was now on was more un-
dulating. Most of the dunes on it run
east/west so that the traveller on the
track undulates with it. This is not
too inconvenient, for the rises, except
for the summits are not over steep.

Night camp was a clump of medium
sized mallees surrounded by Scrub
Pine, Heart-leaf Beard Heath, Mun-
tries and our two Baeckeas. It was
still light enough to put the bed down
and eat frugally but well. Drinking
well was another matter, for some
miles back an excessive dampness on
my right thigh had indicated more
than sweat. It was water, the water
from my army water bottle. This
army container in spite of its regula-
tion cork was losing water. By capil-

217

lary action the water from inside was
moving down through the felt cover on
to my trouser legs. It it had not been
spring I would have back-tracked im-
mediately, but being cooler I trans-
ferred the remainder of the supply to

a plastic bottle and worked out a
ration.
Before the light had faded I re-

wrote my hurried mile by mile diary,
transferring it from the pocket note-
book into a more sturdy book and
entombing these more legible notes in
my rucksack till the next long stop.

As a separate bird list based on the
mile by mile notes is included I have
not mentioned the birds in the on-the-
track notes. This bird survey (Tab. 2)
gives a rough clue to the bird distribu-
tion, while some apparently unex-
plained gaps may be understood by
looking at the times of the observa-
tions. Most birds recessed during the
warmer part of the day.

Scrub Robins, White-eared Honey-
eaters, Red Wattle-birds, Spiny-
cheeked Honeyeaters, White-browed
Babblers, Cuckoos, Spotted Pardalotes,
Ravens, Willy Wagtails, Crested Bell-
birds and other birds with familiar
calls were usually first noted by ear,
with the exception of the Crested Bell-

218

Plate 1

Overgrown
track
heading
towards
Hopping
Mouse Hill.

Photo: Author.

bird, which is not difficult to note
visually. Hawks and eagles were spot-
ted moving in the sky. The Tawny-
crowned Honeyeater so often heard,
was usually first noted in the down-
ward swoop of a hawking flight. The
Purple-backed Wrens were, as you
may note, seen quite a lot. In one
party that included a fully plumaged
adult as well as a number of demure
females, there were a couple of im-
mature males having no brown wings
but sporting handsome blue mou-
stachios. Any whistler that called was
sure to lead me in its direction. I was
learning to distinguish between the
calls of the Gilbert Whistler and the
Golden Whistler. I was still hoping
to make a “first” with the Red-throated
Whistler. The vociferous Smokers, the
Regent Parrots, always warned of their
approach as they swept across the low
mallee, heading for the taller eucalypts.
To bed. To sleep.

Day 2.

I had awoken at 6.30. I was warm,
and remembering that I had last read
my watch at 8.30p.m. when some
rain had fallen, was pleased to have
been so cosy. Once out of bed I felt
the nip in the air while the pink
streamers in the sky heralded the sun.

Vict. Nat. Vol. 90

e
2

SPECIES

TABLE 2

NUMBER OF SPECIES AND LOCATION (MLS) OF SIGHTING

1-6 7-12 | 13-184 |194-234|244-294/303-—354/363-414

Shy Heath-wren 1 1

Tawny-crowned Honeyeater 4 2 2 3 2 1

White-fronted Honeyeater 2 1 3 2 1

Scrub Robin 1 2 1

White-eared Honeyeater 2 eae 1 3

Red Wattle-bird 1 2 2 1 1 2 2

Spiny-cheeked Honeyeater 2 1 1 1 1 2

White-browed Babbler 2 2

Horsefield Bronze Cuckoo 1 1

Little Corella i)

Spotted Pardalote 1 1 Vea ec

Striated Field-wren ae ets 2

Wedge-tailed Eagle i 1 1

Purple-backed Wren t ie oe 1G ae

Black-backed Magpie 1 2 1

Australian Raven 1 I 1 1 2

Gilbert Whistler 1 2 1

Nankeen Kestrel 1

Regent Parrot 8 1 1 1

Willy Wagtail 1 1 1

Crested Bellbird 2 2 2

Mallee Emu-wren Fo) iS

Weebill very 1

Grey Thrush 1 1 1 1

Brown-headed Honeyeater ip Naa aa aie ate) @ aks ke

Purple-gaped Honeyeater Par eer f as Ser 7. Pt

Hawk? a 1

Emu D) a ae gt oe

Thornbill? 1 Ces Cane

Hooded Robin ieee ara 1

White-plumed Honeyeater Ce mcr yal ay, we eta Cia
NOTE: Hopping Mouse Hill occurs at approximately 22 miles.

August, 1973 219

TABLE 2—CONTINUED

Mulga Parrot
Hawk?

Pink Cockatoo

Yellow-tailed Thornbill

Galah

Brown Flycatcher

Black-backed Wrens
Grey Butcher-bird

Mopoke

Pallid Cuckoo

Red-throated Whistler

Kookaburra

Pied Butcher-bird

Dusky Wood-swallow

White-browed Tree Creeper

Red-backed Parrots

Ringneck Parrots

Black-faced Cuckoo-shrike
Eastern Whiteface
White-winged Choughs

1-6 7-12 | 13-184 |194—234/243-2914)303-354|363-414
fone s 2 5
Ey cae 1 4 3
cea, 12
ie 1
1
2
oe 1
aaa 1
: 2
Se
aaa 6 Cale
ng hee a
——|——|———
ey Fee
2
4 l
tet 1 2
Se ae 1
1

I had been protected from the rain by
a thin sheet of polythene, and when I
shook it vigorously, a myriad of tiny
chips of ice flashed and sparkled in
the early sun. I did a small “walk-
about” of the area before breakfast,
and when I returned to camp my
desert boots had changed from brown
to pink with the many petals of the
Baeckeas that had dropped from the
plants on to my wet shoes.

7.20 a.m. — Moved on.
Day 2. 8.00 a.m. E.M.1, 17% miles.

Two kangaroos on track. The male
made haste to bound off but the
female with grass in her mouth had a

220

couple more chews before leaving.
Some active honeyeaters were quite
different, and the group was large and
static enough to provide the clues for
later identification. They were Purple-
gaped Honeyeaters but do not let the
name lead you to expect to see that
purple gape. I could not, and now
identify them by the pale yellow below
the dark band through the eye coupled
with the bright yellow, plumy flash
behind the ear. Just then, going up a
rise, I made copious notes about a
very pale pointed winged hawk, but
was still bothered when I failed to
identify it. Hawks often lead me

Vict. Nat. Vol. 90

af ia

astray. Here Broom Ballart was fre-
quent, and amidst the low mallee the
Spiny Wattle was plentiful.

Day 2.8.50) \E.M.2.. 184 miles.

Day 2. 9.15. E.M.3. 19% miles.
“Off with the pack to take some shots
of the track. Moved off 9.48.

Once again there was a stretched-out
mass of Baeckeas, some _ Banksias,
plenty of Flexile Hakea and very low
Casuarinas. No eucalypts here. I
noticed my first Phebalium along the
track but as yet only in bud. Acacia
rigens was there too. No sign of the
track to ““Rudd’s Rocks”. I must have
missed it.

Day 2. 10.20. E.M.4. 20% miles.

Day 2. 10.30. E.M.44. 21 miles.

I stopped here just east of a very
large dune which I thought was Hop-
ping Mouse Hill. Though the low
stratus hinted at rain, the air was
warm and dry, so I was able to leave
my damp bedding spread out to dry
as I climbed the dune. From the top
there was a 360° view which included
Quandong Hill to the east, but peer as
I did, I was unable to locate Flag-
staff Hill. Coming down the hill I
made a positive sighting of a pair of
Mallee Emu Wrens. I had not ex-
pected them this far west.

Day 2. 12.08. E.M.5. 21% miles.
Moving across the eastern flank of
an even larger dune I realised that I
had been mistaken before, and that
this was in fact Hopping Mouse Hill.
The slopes were clad with Leucopogon
cordifolius, Lasiopetalum behrii, Phe-
balium glandulosum, Humea_ pholi-
dota and a different acacia. When the
specimen was identified it was re-
turned labelled Acacia grayana. That
rare species will be mentioned later in
this article. A powerful whistler-like
call attracted my attention, but the
shy caller made it difficult to see
enough to be certain. When he finally
came into full view, there was no

August, 1973

doubting that I had seen my first Red-
throated Whistler.
Day 2. 12.40. E.M.6.

22% miles.

Stopped 12.55 p.m. for lunch.
Day2; 2205 EM.

23% miles.

More Scaly Humea here with Phe-
balium and bigger mallee gums. The
paucity of notes over these last few
miles indicates fatigue and more
energy being expended in moving legs
and feet than eyes, ears and pencil.
At 7% miles from the night stop and
24140 miles from the start I met the
main meridian track and turned right
to travel east along a wider, clearer
track.

There was a little mallee regenera-
tion along this track, and from the
middle of a large clump a couple of
large kangaroos detached themselves
and made off. To the north of the
track Westringia eremicola was plenti-
ful and in flower, while to the south
the low domes of an acacia, probably
A. microcarpa, were very abundant.
The regeneration along the track
varied from nil to very dense.

Day 2. 2.48 p.m. E.M.8. 24% miles.

The eucalypt regeneration along the
track lessened, but it was rarely pos-
sible to view a clear track to the next
bend. The ranger’s vehicle tracks, as
infrequently made as they have been,
wind in and out of the thick mallee
clumps, but the dozers are needed to
stop these impediments becoming total.
Acacia rigens was abundant here.

Day 2. 3.10 p.m. E.M.9, 25% miles.

I had a short spell till 3.35. Wal-
lowa and Neallie both here. Also
Grevillea and broombush.

Day 2. 4.01. E.M.10. 26% miles.

More kangaroos, resting in the re-
generating mallee, shot off and rounded
a visible bend. Rounding a bend I
came to a dense 12’ high mass of re-
generation almost blocking the way,
and requiring a shoulder to. get

221

through. Coming into the clear I saw
the first of the Quail Lakes; a small
one on the right of the track. The
soil changed from red to grey and the
lake was ringed with tall, dead, white
mallee sticks 25’ high. I stopped at
4.22 and left at 5.14. My notes show
an avian activity in this area. The
four Purple-gaped Honeyeaters were
identified by the yellow streaks men-
tioned earlier.

Day 2. 5.16. E.M.11. 274 miles.

Passing the end of the small lake I
recorded a large area of Variable
Groundsel and then a much larger
Quail Lake on my left. Far from
empty like the former, this one had a
number of dead pines standing on its
bed. Ten kangaroos vacated the area.
Beyond the lake the track narrowed
and was walled in by Moonah, Wal-
lowa and Nealie. A less harmonic
sound indicated Pink Cockatoos, and
the call came from their nesting tree
as if to say “Keep Away”. There was
something familiar about the tree. I
feel positive that this was the one
where many years before, Rudd had
stopped his vehicle and thumped the
bonnet metallically to induce those
same cockatoos to leave the nesting
site and raise their crests in a greeting.
I was not on such intimate terms and
having no bonnet to whack, stealthily
approached aiming my medium sized
lens. All I achieved was a retreating
view of a pair of them.

Day 2. 5.50. E.M.12. 284 miles.

A patch of Narrow-leaved Hopbush
was illuminated by a pair of very large
Golden Wattles blooming. These had
a base plate of dried pods. Very large
Grey Mulgas lined both sides of the
track.

When I am in the wilderness I feel
in harmony with it. While the needs
for survival are present and I have
my bearings, nothing at all seems
hostile. Perhaps I am greedy of my
solitude and not willing to share it

222

with the average human being. I am
certainly sure that the activity of many
of my fellow men encourages less
love of them. So, when at 6.06 I
heard shotgun blasts I felt far from
eager to come across the shooters.
They would not be too happy to be
observed, whatever their target inside
Wyperfeld. I hid within sight of the
track hoping to sight the offending
vehicle number. More shots rever-
berated and a vehicle could be heard
bumping and jolting in the distance
and circling around. Half an hour
passed, and when it did not come into
sight I moved well back from the track
and bedded down. I drank sparsely
as I was down to a pint of water. I
slept soundly, at least till 11.00 p.m.,
when the bright moonlight shone on
my eyelids. I next woke at 4.30 and
drowsed till 5.00, when, wide awake,
I breakfasted, packed up and moved
off at 5.20 on Day 3. The mild night
had continued and there was no dew.
Day 3. 5.40 a.m. E.M.1. 29% miles.

A mopoke called. The road soon
started to climb, and dark masses to
the left of the track were checked and
found to be Scrub Cypress Pine and
Moonah. Sand was soft and deep.
Day 3. 6.02. E.M.2. 30% miles.

A stretch of large mallee eucalypts.
An early Pallid Cuckoo called into a
sky lit with dawn’s early streaks.

6.15 —I was following on the south
side of an east-west fence; most likely
the northern boundary. Here fresh car
tracks indicated that the shooters were
on the wrong side of the fence.

6.22 — Crossed Outlet Creek.

Day 3. 6.28. E.M.3. 31% miles.
Day 3. 7.08. E.M.4. 32% miles.

A little crucifer collected here later
turned out to be, thanks to Cliff
Beauglehole, Harmsiodoxa blenno-
diodes (syn Blennodia blennodioides),
last collected in 1898 by Charles
McLennan.

Vict. Nat. Vol. 90

7.27 — Reached the “T” junction
and turned south, heading down the
“Freeway” on the last leg. Two kan-
garoos ahead moved into obscurity
amidst tall pines.

Day 3. 7.40. E.M.5. 33% miles.

A steepish dune lay ahead, and
breasting the top I came to a very
pretty sight. There, amidst very dense
Porcupine Grass of various sizes, was
a wide range of Cypress Pines all with
their bases and roots well bedded
down below the Porcupine Grass
domes. I took a “five minute” break
to ease myself between the prickly
mounds to a camera vantage point.
Day 3. 8.08. E.M.6. 34% miles.

Two big kangaroos occupied the
binoculars and being busy, I only
glimpsed an extremely thin parrot with
a red beak and a yellow slash on its
wing. The last mile had been a good
one for birds. Back in the pines, a
rich rollicking chorus was made by
two black and white birds, more
melodious than the Grey Butcher Bird,
but in fact their Pied relatives. A rare
kookaburra called his greeting, while
two Dusky Wood-swallows perched
in the pines. Amidst the bulokes a
Tree-creeper paused long enough for
me to see his white brow, and be
certain that my Wyperfeld bird-list
was one greater.

Day 3. 8.37. E.M.7. 35% miles.

I rested in a section of Black Box
till 8.55.

9.15 —I was well away from the
creek line, and so out of the Black Box
and into a dense growth of Tea Tree
and Banksia wherein I noted two kan-
garoos and heard many Red Wattle-
birds calling as they fed. They were
using their “keeyu-keeyu-keeyu” call
even more than the familiar ‘“hochk-
hochk”’.

Day 3. 9.20. E.M.8. 364 miles.

The country was now similar to that
north of Black Flat with sections of
dunes followed by river flats.

August, 1973

9.28 — Off the dunes and down into
Red Gum and Black Box. I was now
at a lake bed with a dead Red Gum
having on its trunk the largest boss
that I have seen. My notes record this
area as Lost Lake.

9.45 —I reached a pair of signs
that read Pine Plains 8; Meridian
Track. Lost Lake 3.

Day 3. 10.02. E.M.9. 37% miles.

A bank of green moss amidst a
grove of Black Box looked so inviting
that I could not resist lounging awhile.
Moved off 10.50.

10.58 — Signs of man. Footprints
not my own. Probably made yester-
day.

Day 3. 11.03. E.M.10. 38% miles.

The clear blue sky seemed to shelter
the earth, for there was no wind and
the sun was warm.

Day 3. 11.25. E.M.11. 39% miles.

I was hot and weary and with just
a few mouthfuls of water left; I re-
gretted my dependence on that useless
army-type canteen.

11.55 — Reached the alternative
route to Lake Wonga sign.
11.57 — Reached the alternative

route to Black Flat sign.

Then I was ploughing up and down,
interminably it seemed, through the
worst of all deep sand on the tracks
trod by visitors to the park. The River
Red Gums at Black Flat were now in
sight.

Day 3. 12.30. E.M.13. 41% miles.

A couple of hundred yards past a
flock of Red-backed Parrots, and I
came to the station wagon owned by
the group of people seen a few minutes
before. They arrived and I begged a
lift back to Wonga Hut.

The primary aim of the walk had
not been achieved, although many
secondary intentions had been fulfilled,
and a few exciting bonuses had been
gained — however “Rudd’s Rocks” re-
mained elusive.

223

ONCE MORE...

It was October 1972 and all the pre-
parations for a second Junior Science
Camp had been completed. The Grade
Sixers, having been finally briefed
were impatiently sitting out the week-
end before the bus was to take them
to Wyperfeld on the Monday.

I had left Upwey as soon as regula-
tions permitted, and by using the
Tullamarine Freeway had _ avoided
many traffic lights, bottlenecks and
stress driving. There was time for a
lengthy tea break and a chinwag at
Warracknabeal with a fellow teacher
and a final sprint to arrive at Wonga
Hut by a few minutes past midnight.
Once the squeaking caravan jacks had
ceased to disturb the peace, only the
mopoke was sounding off, and the
huge stars hung over an _ extensive
peace. The reason for preceding the
campers was to introduce a couple of
newcomers to the routes we intended
to walk and they, Ethel and Ted
Breen, arrived about midday Saturday.
They arrived amidst an assortment of
vintage vehicles enjoying a car rally.
All sorts of groups and organisations
use Wiperfeld at the weekend, and
not always with desirable results; cer-
tainly undesirable for the park itself

224

Plate 2

Dead, River
Red Gum
at Lost
Lake.

Photo: Author.

and for most of those who wish to see
it preserved intact.

Before the children arrived on Mon-
day the two “novices” had “fallen in
love” with Wyperfeld albeit that their
feet complained. On a walk to Sab-
rina, Ethel had sighted an_ orchid,
which is now at the National Her-
barium, being the second record for
Prasophyllum odoratum for the area;
a welcome confirmation of Cliff
Beauglehole’s find and an extension of
the species from squares C and H on
the Victorian Grid.

On the visit of 1971, when groups
had walked to the big tree, they had
varied the route back by first walking
west to the oblong lake we called
Stadium Lake; then walking more or
less south along its long axis to climb
the bank and locate a solitary cypress
pine. We had then followed the ridge
in the same direction finding some
early flowering plants of Calythrix
tetragona and a couple of Phebaliums
in flower. Sighting the top of Pirro
Dune we had scaled it for the view
and headed down to meet the deep
sand of the track just north of Black
Flat.

This had been on a coolish day,
and anticipating warmer weather for

Vict. Nat. Vol. 90

the second school camp, but still wish-
ing to vary the route, I had tried a
new route in 1972. Using the same
solitary cypress pine and taking a
bearing of 180°, I met the track too
soon on the opposite side of outlet
creek not far south of the turn-off
to the big tree.

While putting Ethel and Ted through
their novice course we had used the
same pine again, but this time changed
the bearing to 200°. This route proved
interesting, cutting through some lake
beds, climbing some good dunes and
leading us right to the track at Cherry
Whip Hill. This compass walk was
used during the second camp with
groups of pupils and the same _ ob-
jective was gained.

The camp came and went success-
fully, and by the following Saturday
morning there remained only the
rangers, my daughter, Simone, myself,
and Cliff Beauglehole, who had turned
up the night before.

My specimens collected in 1972
had been lodged with Gary Anderson
and he located them for Cliff to per-
use. Cliff was interested in a couple
of the specimens but did not become
really excited till Acacia grayana was
produced. I was aware that in the
Distribution of Victorian Plants, A.
grayana was recorded only in Grid C
and that the specimen before Cliff
was found well inside the park. Know-
ing the multiplicity of his new records
for Wyperfeld and also that many of
my apparent “firsts” had become in-
teresting seconds I was not very sur-
prised to find that Acacia grayana was
not listed in Grid B and had left the
matter there. Apparently I made an
error. Acacia grayana was found as
a single plant by Alf Gray in the
Little Desert, and is a hybrid of
Acacia brachybotrya and A. calami-
folia, being intermediate between the
two. Alf Gray’s find had been de-
scribed by Jim Willis, but the type

August, 1973

specimen had died and even the col-
lected seeds had failed to produce.
To my present knowledge the only
existing plant of the hybrid was some-
where in Wyperfeld. Its exact loca-
tion was in a diary at home and
memory told me it was somewhere
between mile 7 and mile 10 on Day 2
of the walk. Cliff had to see this and
the Harmsiodoxa, too. Rabbits had
disposed of the cress and my faulty
memory caused us to search the wrong
area for the acacia. Cliff proved cap-
able of determining a vast number of
plants from the land rover at 15
m.p.h., but when the driver exceeded
that speed we went on foot. We did
not find it. My notes have given me
more clues, therefore some time I
must walk out and give my new water
container a trial!

While on foot in one section, we
came across a plastic marker contain-
ing a note left last September. It was
blurred but readable and indicated my
night stop at the end of Day 1. On
the summit of the very next dune go-
ing north towards Hopping Mouse
Hill was a very faint overgrown track
leading west.

While tramping about and festoon-
ing my desert boots with Baeckea
petals that cool morning, I had not
been observant enough to see what I
had probably walked over twice —
the track to “Rudd’s Rocks”.

After a quarter of a mile along this
track we came to the remains of a
lowan mound that had been in use
before the big fires had wiped out
all the Mallee Fowl in the Western
Sector. At 14 miles the broombush
plain spread out in all directions with
here and there a few stands of
medium sized mallees. This broom-
bush was never five feet high and
often less than two. At two miles a
few small red rocks lay at the edge
of the indistinct track, and standing
up after examining them I noticed

225

one of the party standing apparently
ten feet tall, although his feet were
invisible in the small broom bush.
Were they there. Another fifty paces
and they were at our feet.

It had been a long search with many
direct misses and some lucky finds;
but to stand pensively looking at that
rare formation made it all worth-
while. Since then Ian Moroshki has
discovered more red _ outcroppings
while doing a compass walk, but this

226

Plate 3

Rudd’s
Rocks.

Photo: Author.

group because of their connection with
Rudd Campbell will remain shrine-
like in my memory. Remote as they
are at present, one feels that the ac-
celerating pace of regress may cause
their real distance to diminish to a
degree that drags them into the maw
of destruction. When one stands be-
side them looking west towards the un-
seen South Australian border one
wishes that farsighted government
would proclaim as part of Wyperfeld

Plate 4

.. . looking
west towards
the South
Australian

border...
Photo: Author.

Vict. Nat. Vol. 90

all that untouched Victorian wilder-
ness and create a very real buffer
against those destructive forces.

Very little time remained before
duty called, but a walk with Cliff up a
steep ridge overlooking an extensive
valley to the west of Mount Mat-
tingley did allow us to “overlook” a
fluffy white Wedge-tailed eaglet in its
nest. The parents fled with our first
shadow but the young bird was easily
seen with binoculars as it stretched,

moved around the edge of the nest
and opened its wings fully. On this
ridge which had been burnt the pre-
vious year Cliff and I each found a
further Scented Leek-orchid.

A last word of warning — I intend
to go out there again, and I feel sure
that many of my readers will want to
see what there is to be seen. Do not
go without thorough preparation, and
that includes putting the ranger into
your picture.

The Origin of Generic Names of the Victorian Flora

Part 1 — The Person behind the Name
[continued from 90 (7)]

by JAMES A. BAINES

Imperata. Named by Cyrillo after
Ferrante Imperato (1550-1625), an
apothecary of Naples.

Kennedia. Named by _ Ventenat
(who used this spelling, not the -ya
form used for so long) after John Ken-
nedy (1775-1842), an original partner
of Lee and Kennedy, nurserymen, of
Hammersmith. (The year of birth is
that of Smith and Stearn, but Britten
and Boulger in “British and Irish
Botanists” gives the date of birth as
30 Oct. 1759). Kennedy was the
author of Page’s Prodromus (1817).

*Kickxia. After Jean Kickx (1775-
1831), a Brussels apothecary who
wrote on cryptogamic plants. (Black
states that he was a Belgian pro-
fessor.)

Kochia. Named by Roth after Wil-
helm Daniel Josef Koch (1771-1849),
professor of botany at the University
of Erlangen, Germany (Koch means
cook.)

*Koeleria. Named by Persoon after
G. L. Koeler, a German botanist.

Korthalsella. Named by Van Tieg-
hem after Peter Willem Korthals

August, 1973

(1807-1892), a Dutch botanist who
spent the years 1831-1836 in Java,
Sumatra and Borneo. (Korthals in
Dutch means short neck — a descrip-
tive surname.)

Kunzea. Named by Reichenbach
after Gustav Kunze (1793-1851), pro-
fessor of botany at Leipzig, who
wrote mainly on the ferns. He was
also a physician with a good know-
ledge of entomology.

*Lamarckia. After Chevalier Jean-
Baptiste de Monet Lamarck (1744-
1829), French naturalist, author of
Flore Francaise; a Darwin precursor.
Royal botanist; custodian of herbarium
of Jardin du Roi; wrote Dictionnaire
de Botanique.

Lavatera. Named by L. after a 16th
Century physician and naturalist, J. R.
Lavater. (It was one of Tournefort’s
pre-Linnean names adopted by L.)

Lawrencia. Named by Hooker after
Robert William Lawrence (1807-1833),
who collected in the Western Moun-
tains in Tasmania. (Long included in
the genus Plagianthus.)

227

Laxmannia. Named by R. Brown
after Erich Laxmann, professor of bot-
any at St. Petersburg, but himself a
Swede, born at Abo (now Turku in
Finland) in 1730, died at Tobolsk in
Siberia, in 1796; author of ‘Letter
About Siberia’, 1967. Three other
genera were named Laxmannia, in
Rosaceae, Rubiaceae, and Compositae,
all invalid, and even Brown’s genus in
Liliaceae had to be conserved.

Leichhardtia. Named by R. Brown
in 1849 after Ludwig Leichhardt
(1813-1848) when the disappearance
of the controversial German explorer
was fresh in the public mind. Austral
Doubah was known as Marsdenia
australis from 1917, but Brown’s
name, L. australis, has been restored.
(Mueller’s Leichhardtia is now Phyl-
lanthus, and Shepherd’s is Callitris.)

Lespedeza. Named by Michaux
after Vincente Manuel de Céspedes,
Spanish governor of Florida about
1790. The de Céspedes family were
prominent for centuries, in Spain and
Cuba. Michaux oddly substituted L
for C initially.

Levenhookia. Named by R. Brown
after Anton van Leeuwenhoek (1632-
1723), the Dutch naturalist whose dis-
coveries with simple microscopes
covered a very wide field. In botany
he described monocotyledonous and
dicotyledonous stems. Brown simpli-
fied the spelling of his surname when
naming the genus.

*Leycesteria. After William Ley-
cester (1775-1831), Chief Justice of
Bengal about 1820. Burkill in his
Chapters on the History of Botany in
India states that when botanist-surgeon
Nathaniel Wallich, in charge of Cal-
cutta botanic garden, left India for
Penang he suggested that Judge Wil-
liam Leycester should act for him. It
was Wallich who named the Hima-
layan Honeysuckle Leycesteria in
1824. The F.N.C.V. excursionists saw
L. formosa growing in New Zeland,

228

where it is known as Spiderwort (ac-
cording to Willis).

Lhotzkya. Named by _ Schaurer
after Jan Lhotsky, born in Poland of
Czech parentage. His name also ap-
pears as Johann Lhotzky, a German
form of the name, hence the spelling
used by Schauer, and Chisholm in
The Australian Encyclopaedia uses the
English form, John Lhotsky, by which
he was known during the five years he
spent in Australia in the 1830’s. He
was a doctor of medicine and a Fellow
of the Royal Botanical Society of
Bavaria. He wrote on his travels in
New South Wales for the Linnean
Society of London, also a book that
included the first printed descriptions
of the Canberra area, prepared the
first arrangement of an Aboriginal
song, and collected plants in Tasmania
to form the nucleus of a herbarium
there. (Now Calytrix.)

Libertia. Named by Sprengel after
Marie A. Libert (1782-1863), a Bel-
gian botanist who wrote on liverworts.

Lindsaya. After John Lindsay (fl.
1785-1803), a surgeon in Jamaica who
corresponded with Sir Joseph Banks.
He wrote on ferns and Mimosa.
Named by Dryander, the genus has
also been spelt Lindsaea.

Lippia. Named by L. after Augustin
Lippi (1678-1701), an Italian natura-
list and botanist who was killed in
Abyssinia. (Now Phyla nodiflora.)

Livistona. Named by R. Brown
after Patrick Murray, Baron of Liv-
ingston, who before 1680 had a good
garden that became the Edinburgh
Botanic Garden; this is stated by
Smith and Stearn, but Livingston is
not mentioned in the chapter on Edin-
burgh’s Royal Botanic Garden in
Great Botanical Gardens of the World,
by Hyams and MacQuitty.

Lobelia. Named by L. after Mathias
de VObel (1538-1616), a Flemish
botanist who was physician to King
James I of England. (Also spelt de

Vict. Nat. Vol. 90

Lobel.)

Logania. Named by R. Brown after
James Logan (1674-1751), an Irish-
born scientist who became William
Penn’s agent in North America and
governor of Pennsylvania. He wrote a
book in Latin on the sexuality of
plants, published at Leyden in 1739.
He went with Penn to America in
1699, and became governor in 1736.

Loudonia. Named by Lindley after
John Claudius Loudon (1783-1843), a
landscape gardener and _ botanical
author. He travelled in _ northern
Europe and in Italy, edited “Loudon’s
Gardener's Magazine” 1826-43, wrote
Encyclopaedia of Plants and Arbore-
tum Britannicum (on British trees).

Ludwigia. Named by L. after Chris-
tian G. Ludwig (1709-1773), a Leipzig
professor.

Luzuriaga. Named by Ruiz-Lopez
and Pavon after Ignatia Maria Ruiz
de Luzuriaga, professor of medicine
and botany, who was probably a re-
lative of Ruiz.

Lyonsia. Named by R. Brown after
Israel Lyons (1739-1775), astronomer,
who taught Banks botany, and went on
an Arctic expedition in 1773.
(Lyonsia straminea is now Parsonsia
brownii.)

Marsdenia. Named by R. Brown
after William Marsden (1754-1836),
secretary to the Admiralty, orientalist
and traveller, author of History of
Sumatra (1783). Irish-born, he was
elected F.R.S. in 1783.

Marsilea. Named by L. after Count
Luigi Ferdinando Marsigli (1656-
1730), an Italian botanist of Bologna.
His surname means “from Marseilles”.
As well as being a naturalist, he was
a geographer and soldier. He founded
the Institute of Science and Arts at
Bologna in 1714, and was a pioneer
in the field of oceanography. As a
historian he wrote The Military State
of the Ottoman Empire.

August, 1973

Martynia. Named by L. after John
Martyn (1699-1768), London phy-
sician and professor of Botany at
Cambridge, in which post his son,
Thomas, succeeded him. He founded
the Botanical Society of London in
1721. (M. louisianica, Purple-flower
Devil’s-claw, is now Proboscidea loui-
sianica.)

*Matthiola. Named by R. Brown
after Pierandrea Mattioli (1500-1577),
an Italian physician and_ botanist,
author of a commentary on ancient
Greek botanist Dioscorides, which
exists in Latin, Italian, German,
French and Czech versions.

Menkea. Named by Lehmann in
1843 after Dr. Carl Theodor Menke,
of Pyrmont, Prussia.

Millotia. Named by Cassini in 1829
after a French scientist called Millot,
author of a pharmaceutical history of
camphor (Strassburg 1837).

*Minuartia. After Juan Minuart
(1693-1768), of Barcelona.

Mirbelia. Named by Smith after
C. F. Brisseau de Mirbel (1776-1854),
one of the founders of cytology and
plant physiology. First in charge of
the Jardins de la Malmaison, then
secretary-general of the ministries of
Police and Interior, he became a pro-
fessor at the Museum and the faculty
of Sciences of Paris. In 1835 ap-
peared his remarkable monograph on
the anatomy of Marchantia poly-
morpha. The beginnings of palyno-
logy may be noted in his Elements of
Vegetal Physiology and of Botany,
1815.

*Moenchia. Named by _ Ehrhart
after Konrad Moench (1744-1805),
German botanist, a professor at the
University of Marburg.

Montia. Named by L. after Giu-
seppe Monti (1682-1760), professor of
botany at the University of Bologna,
Italy.

(to be continued)

229

Nature VWotes from the Gold Coast

by

ALEX. N. BURNS

The advent of cooler weather gene-
rally, especially at night, has created
an easing off of activity in the entomo-
logical field, more so as heavy rains
(10 inches in three days) and high
winds have persisted for almost a
week. Occasional short bursts of sun-
shine have an almost immediate effect
in arousing activity with most of the
living creatures. Five minutes of this
increased warmth brings quite a num-
ber of butterflies to flowers in search
of nectar. Most common amongst
these are the Eastern Brown Crow
(Euploea tulliolus tulliolus Fab.), the
Common Crow (Euploea core corinna
Macl.) the Blue Tiger (Danaus hamata
hamata Macl.) and several species of
small Blues (Fam. Lycaenidae) and
Skippers (Fam. Hesperidae).

Most noteworthy amongst the “win-
ter” butterflies has been the White
Nymph (Mynes geoffroyi guerini Wall.)
which ranges from Cape York south-
wards to Byron Bay (N.S.W.) and is
generally regarded as being rare in the
southern limits of its range. Quite a
number of specimens have been ob-
served in the garden and Burleigh
National Park throughout the month
of June. This led to a search of feed-
ing trees which are the small leaved
Stinging Tree (Laportea sp.) in the
hope of finding eggs. Very soon a
female butterfly was found depositing
eggs on the underside of a leaf not six
feet from the ground. A batch of 25
eggs was laid and these were carefully
removed to a breeding cage, and in
24 days the young larvae hatched. As
the original leaf had withered slightly
the portion with the eggs was attached
to a fresh leaf. The young larvae

230

which are gregarious, arranged them-
selves more or less in a circle on the
underside of a leaf. After a few days
the feeding trees were again visited in
the hope of finding more eggs, but
better still another larger batch of
young larvae was found also about six
feet from the ground and on the
underside of a leaf. Other batches
were noted higher up on the trees.
These larvae are voracious feeders
and grow rapidly, sill remaining gre-
garious. This habit persists through-
out the larval life, but when ready for
pupation they wander off singly or
several together in search of sheltered
places where they can pupate. The
larvae are typical “Nymphalid” having
their bodies ornamented with branch-
ing spines. They are brownish in
colour, and the pupae are brown and
spiny and are attached by the tail
hook or “cremaster” to a small pad of
silk from which they hang head down-
wards. In appearance the White
Nymph is quite unlike the usual
“nymphalid”, in flight and appearance
it resembles the Common _ Jezabel
(Delias nigrina Fab.) of the Family
Pieridae, but its structure and life
history at once places it in the Family
Nymphalidae.

In the plant nursery at the Currum-
bin Bird Sanctuary, a large number of
young Papaya (papaw) seedlings is
being raised, and when from 6 to
12 inches in height, leaves and tops
were being eaten. Caterpillars or
grasshoppers were at once suspected
and spraying with insecticide was re-
sorted to, completely without effect.
One mild day, quite by accident, the
culprit was caught “red-handed” and

Vict. Nat. Vol. 90

proved to be none other than a Frill-
necked Lizard about 20 inches in
length. Quiet observation revealed
that he was merely satisfying his ap-
petite in no small manner. Accor-
dingly he was removed to another
part of the estate a long distance from
the nursery. To date he has not
returned.

The cooler weather has brought
black Aphis to the terminal shoots and
leaves of the Hibiscus bushes, and
these are now being visited by num-
bers of Silver Eyes (Zosterops sp.)
which are doing a great job cleaning
up these pests. Occasionally sparrows
have been observed picking aphids
from various plants in the garden. At

the present time the beautiful apricot
flowered Browallia bushes are in full
flower in Gold Coast gardens; these
are a great attraction to Honeyeaters
and at least three species have been
observed.

Next month will bring increased
activity to the birds and insects: al-
ready with the lengthening of the days
the scrub turkeys and other inhabitants
of the National Park are becoming in-
creasingly active. Several koalas have
been in the white barked Eucalypts
throughout the past month along the
road bordering the park. Usually in
the colder weather they move to the
trees on the top of the hill; not so
this season.

SWAN BAY, QUEENSCLIFF

A proposal by a development firm to construct a marina on the former
shell-grit works near Queenscliff is causing concern.

The main source of worry is that it will be necessary to dredge a channel
across the southern end of Swan Bay to provide access to the marina — and
this in turn may adversely affect the total area of Swan Bay as far north as

Duck Island and Edwards Point.

The Geelong Field Naturalists’ Club and the Geelong Environmental
Council are working on the project, and additional support may be sought.

Meanwhile Urgent Information is needed — all bird notes, references and
similar data about Swan Bay must be compiled if we are to ensure that there

is no damage done to its fauna.

There appears to be an ornithological link between Swan Bay and Mud
Islands, and if this can be proven, the immense value of Swan Bay becomes

obvious.

Data should be sent to the G.F.N.C., care of:

Trevor Pescott,

4 Victoria Terrace, Belmont, 3216.

Notice to Contributors

It is important that material submitted for publication should preferably be
typewritten on foolscap or quarto sheets at double spacing, and with a 2.5-3 cm
(1") margin on the left. No underlining of words should appear unless abso-

lutely necessary.

Where dates occur, the day should precede the month, e.g. 15 May 1972 not

May 15 1972.
August, 1973

231

reptiles of victoria -9

by Hans BESTE

Plate 17
Leiolopisma trilineatum — Three Lined Skink.

A slender, fast moving lizard.

Length: to 7 inches.

Movable eyelids. Distinct ear-opening. Legs well developed. Tail long,
tapering to a point. Head spade shaped. Upper dark brown. A black line along
the spine. Also dark dorso lateral stripes, edged with fine cream coloured lines.
Under greyish-white. A salmon coloured throat is often conspicuous in this

species.

Habitat: in open as well as timbered country, among debris, under rocks
and logs.

Best distinguishing features — movable eyelid, stripes and salmon coloured
throat.

Plate 18
Lerista bougainvillii — Bougainville’s Skink.

A feable limbed skink, rarely found in the open.

Length: to 54 inches.

Head narrow, not distinct from neck. Ear-opening small. Five fingers and
five toes. Legs weakly developed. Basic colour pale salmon-pink. Upper light
grey. Chocolate-brown dorso lateral stripe, from snout to just past hind legs.
Tail long, tapering, pale orange, speckled with small brown spots. Under pale

salmon to white.

Habitat: under rocks and logs, mainly in sandy areas, where it hunts for its
prey underground.

Best distinguishing features — weak limbs, number of toes, markings.

232 Vict. Nat. Vol. 90

Plate 17

Plate 18

August, 1973 233

Field Naturalists Club of Victoria

General Meeting
9 July

In spite of a foggy evening the hall
was well filled with members and visitors
who came to hear the review of the
Club’s excursion to New Zealand in
January this year. Mr. Jim Baines out-
lined the route of the trip and referred
to the fuller account published in the
June and July Naturalist. He thanked
Mrs. Joan Monahan of Auckland for
these articles and also expressed apprecia-
tion of her help in acting as guide on
the trip. Mr. Baines also referred to the
help received from the rangers of the
various National Parks which the party
visited. Mr. Dick Morrison followed
with a collection of his slides taken on
the trip giving impressions of the spec-
tacular scenery as well as details of some
of the interestng plants, insects and birds.

A full list of correspondence was on
the notice board as well as Council
minutes and a large collection of press
cuttings dealing with matters of interest
to the Club. A copy of the M. & M.B.W.
Environment Study of Port Phillip Bay
was tabled and also the minutes of a
round-table conference on the manage-
ment of alpine areas held on 22 May and
arranged by the Premier’s Department.

Mr. Tom Sault spoke on the work of
Miss Rosemary Myers, a school girl
member of the Geology Group, who had
objected to the proposals for quarrying
in the vicinity of Werribee Gorge. Mr,
Sault said she had put a great deal of
time and study into preparing reports
and maps of the area and corresponding
with Ministers and Government Depart-
ments. It appeared that her protests had
at least delayed the start of quarrying
and it is hoped that the area may eventu-
ally become part of a National Park.

Members were pleased to see Miss
Jean Galbraith at the meeting and also
to receive a message of greeting, through
Mrs. Salau, from a former Club secre-
tary, Mr. F. S. Colliver, who had been on
holiday in Melbourne.

Among the exhibits at the meeting was
a large collection of books and pamphlets
about New Zealand, displayed by Mr.
Jim Baines; Mr. Garnet showed a speci-
men of Rock Fern of the genus Cheil-
anthes which he had originally grown
from spores collected at Mt. Olga in
1960. Under the microscopes were some
samples of pond life collected by Haw-

234

thorn Junior Naturalists’ Club at Albert
Park Lake and Alexandra Gardens. In-
cluded were crustaceans of the sub-
classes Copepoda and Ostracoda, and the
alga Volvox.

Botany Group

12 July

The speaker at the July meeting of
Botany Group was ‘Mr. Rex Filson, who
spoke about his visit to Japan whilst
abroad on a Churchill Scholarship. As
well as talking and showing slides of
Japanese city life and of country trips to
collect lichens, Mr. Filson gave a detailed
description of a ‘Botanical Meal’ which
had been specially prepared at the home
of Dr. Kurakawa. Many of the dishes
were based on fruits, vegetabes and even

flowers very strange to the Western
palate. Included were such things as
sea-weed soup; Chrysanthemum and

Ginger flowers cooked in batter; the
seeds of Ginkgo biloba, the finely sliced
roots of a water lily, as well as pickled
cucumbers, grated pickled radish, sliced
carrots, mushrooms and eggplant each
served as an individual dish in various
sauces and accompanied by rice. The
meal occupied most of the evening and
Mr. Filson commented that he had felt
it an unusual honour to be asked into a
Japanese home.

Correspondence received included a
request from the Diamond Valley Con-
servation Society for help with a survey
of vegetation in the shire. Arrangements
were made for some members of the
Group to assist.

The ‘Flower of the Night’ was Steno-
carpus sinuatus, the Firewheel Tree. A
very fine spray of flower, donated by
Maranoa Gardens, was on display and
also the flowers of several other repre-
sentatives of the family Proteaceae.

A brief report and plant list from the
June excursion to Simon’s Gully was
received and arrangements were made
for the July excursion to Ocean Grove.

The next meeting will be on 9 August
when various members will contribute to
the subject ‘“‘Wattles’. Members of the
Group and others may be interested to
keep the evening of 11 October free,
when our meeting will be addressed by
‘Messrs. Kriek and O’Shaughnessy of the
Board of Works who will speak on
“Studies and Experiments in the Manage-
ment of Water Catchment Areas”.

Vict. Nat. Vol. 90

Day Group
19 July

Braving the bitterly cold weather 11
members met at the Sports Pavilion in
Como Park, South Yarra. The group
meeting was held and lunches were
eaten in the central room of the pavilion.
The wide windows overlooked the site
of a billabong on the Yarra which was
later to become Lake Como and still
later the beautifully set sports oval of
Como Park.

The group next moved to Como House
which has been kept by the National
Trust as a fine example of gracious living
in the Victorian Era. The present gardens
are all that remain of the original Como
Estate of 544 acres. Among the many
exotics were some tall Arancarias and a
magnificent specimen of Moreton Bay
Fig. We learnt that much of the original

planting was done under the direction
of Baron von Mueller.

Field Survey Group
June:

The subject for the evening was “The
Effect of Fires on Forests and Their In-
habitants”. The talk was by Mr. B.
Dexter and Mr. A. Heislers of the Forests
Commission, and was preceded by two
interesting films from America and Aus-
tralia dealing with the effects of fire,
shown by the Commission’s projectionist.
Mr. Dexter and Mr. Heislers then dis-
cussed different aspects of regeneration
and fire ecology. Of particular interest
to the twenty-three members and friends
present was a discussion on the effects of
fire on small forest animals such as
Antechinus. Questions to the speakers
then took up the remainder of the
evening.

FNCV New Zealand Excursion Report

Unfortunately, the writer of the comprehensive report of this excursion
[Victorian Naturalist 90 (6), (7)] was inadvertently left un-named. It was in
fact Mrs. Joan Monahan, whom we thank sincerely.

F.N.C.V. PUBLICATIONS AVAILABLE FOR PURCHASE
THE WILD FLOWERS OF THE WILSON’S PROMONTORY NATIONAL PARK,

by J. Ros Garnet.

Price $5.25, (discount to members); postage 20c.

VICTORIAN TOADSTOOLS AND MUSHROOMS, by J. H. Willis.

This describes 120 toadstool species and many other fungi. There are four
coloured plates and 31 other illustrations. Price 90c. Postage 1Ic.

THE VEGETATION OF WYPERFELD NATIONAL PARK, by J. R. Garnet.
Coloured frontispiece, 23 half-tone, 100 line drawings of plants and a map.

Price $1.50.

Address orders and inquiries to Sales Officer, F.N.C.V., National Herbarium,

South Yarra, Victoria.

Payments should include postage (15c on single copy).

August, 1973

235

Field Naturalists Club of Victoria

Established 1880

OBJECTS: To stimulate interest in natural history and to preserve
and protect Australian fauna and flora.

Patron:
His Excellency Major-General Sir ROHAN DELACOMBE, K.B.E., C.B., D.S.O.

Key Office-Bearers, 1972-1973.

President:
Mr. P. KELLY

Hon. Secretary: Mr. R. H. RIORDAN, 15 Regent St., East Brighton, 3187. 92 8579

Treasurer: H. BISHOP. Address Correspondence to National Herbarium, The
Domain, South Yarra.

Subscription Secretary: Mr. D. E. McINNES, 129 Waverley Rd., East Malvern, 3145.
Hon. Editor: Mr. G. M. WARD, 54 St. James Road, Heidelberg 3084.

Hon. Librarian: Mr. J. MARTINDALE, c/o National Herbarium, The Domain,
South Yarra.

Hon. Excursion Secretary: Miss M. ALLENDER, 19 Hawthorn Avenue, Caulfield
3161. (52/2749,)

Magazine Sales Officer: Mr. D. McINNES
Archives Officer: Mr. CALLINAN.

Group Secretaries
Botany: Mrs. M. G. CORRICK, 7 Glenluss St., Balwyn 3103. Tel. 857 9937.
Day Group: Mrs. J. STRONG, 1160 Dandenong Rd., Murrumbeena (56 2271).

Entomology and Marine Biology: Mr. J. W. H. STRONG, Flat 11, “Palm Court’,
1160 Dandenong Rd., Murrumbeena 3163 (56 2271).

Field Survey: Miss L. BARRACLOUGH, 4-7 Chrystobel, Cres., Hawthorn, 3122
Geology: Mr. T. SAULT.

Mammal Survey: Mr. D. KELLY, Flat 8/1894 Murrumbeena Rd., Murrumbeena
3163 (S56 2486).

Microscopical: Mr. M. H. MEYER, 36 Milroy Street, East Brighton (96 3268).

MEMBERSHIP
Membership of the F.N.C.V. is open to any person interested in natural history.
The Victorian Naturalist is distributed free to all members, the club’s reference and
lending library is available, and other activities are indicated in reports set out in the
several preceding pages of this Magazine.

Rates of Subscriptions for 1973.

Ordinary. “Members: 23% - 8. ete tua na hess oe a) Dee eet no cc on er $7.00
Country: Members. © oc- = 8.06 Jon eet J eee 0 i a eee Pe $5.00
Joint Members .. wk aes eis, He SS $2.00
Junior Members (under Ig years) aah Stace ee Mae hia etal PU ah RD tT Ss een as ea $2.00
Junior Members- receiving Vict.Nat,) 0 ec ne ey ee, CN a, $4.00
Subscribers to Vict. Nat. Aust only) Pee ce Bg eke hy ele NSU ind eee at a aa ee rr $5.00
Overseas Subscribers : ee ee ne mee PMNS ME ERE eno io! nd. oc $6.00
Affiliated Societies .. . Teoh vee ga asad Oe ease ye Pe Sean ay rere ea Ne er $7.00
Supporting Members . Pe er rer rrr anu a Shih cay
Life Membership (reducing after 20 years) wo eal Sete awe cp jcepel a Lette 8 hvala A eee

The cost of individual copies of the Vict. Nat. will be 45 cents (52 cents — overseas requests).
Full-time Students between 18 and 21 years pay at Junior Member rates.

All subscriptions should be made payable to the Field Naturalists Club of Victoria, and posted
to the Subscription Secretary.

G3) JENKIN, BUXTON & CO. PTY. LTD., PRINTERS, WEST MELBOURNE

SEPTEMBER, 1973

pe577 9S

Published by the
FIELD NATURALISTS CLUB OF VICTORIA

in which is incorporated the Microscopical Society of Victoria

Registered in Australia for transmission by post as a periodical.
Category “A”

F.N.C.V. DIARY OF COMING EVENTS
GENERAL MEETING

Monday, 10 September — At National Herbarium, The Domain, South Yarra, com-
mencing 8 p.m.

Subject for Evening — “The Evolution of Marsupials’: Mr. Pat Curlis.

New Members — July:

Ordinary:
Mr. Daryl R. Cooper, 4 Illawarra Ave., Rowville, 3178 (Botany).
Mrs. G. Isaac, 5 Vista Ave., Kew, 3101 (Botany).
Miss Jocelyn E. Lade, 511 St. Kilda Rd., Melbourne, 3004 (Botany, Mammals).
Mr. W. M. Molyneux, Belfast Rd., Montrose, 3765 (Botany).

Joint:
Mr. B. A. and Mrs. R. J. Abbott, 21 Graves St., Essendon, 3040.

Country:
Miss Lyn J. White, c/o Narellan House, Reid, A.C.T., 2601.

GROUP MEETINGS
(8 p.m. at the National Herbarium unless otherwise stated)

Thursday, 28 September — F.S.G. General Meeting at 8 p.m. in Conference Room,
National Museum, Victoria. Speaker: Mr. P. Kelly — Cryptozoic beetles.

Friday, 14 September — F.S.G. Film Night — to raise funds for Night Survey Equip-
ment. Supper, donation 50c.

Wednesday, 19 September — Microscopical Group.

Monday, 1 October — Marine Biology and Entomology Group Meeting at the Library
Conference Room at the National Museum at 8 p.m.

Wednesday, 3 October — Geology Group.

Thursday, 4 October — M.S.G. Meeting at 8 p.m. in Arthur Rylah Research Institute,
123 Brown Street, Heidelberg.

JUNIOR F.N.C. MEETINGS
Friday, 28 September— Hawthorn Juniors in Town Hall at 8.00 p.m.
Friday, 5 Oct.—-Preston Juniors at 281 High Street, Preston (Rechabite Hall), at
8.00 p.m.

Friday, 5 Oct.— Black Rock Juniors at 8 p.m. in Congregational Church Hall, cnr.
Arkaringa Crescent and Bent Parade.

Friday, 12 Oct.—Montmorency and District in Scout Hall, Petrie Park at 8.00 p.m.

F.N.C.V. Excursions

Thursday, 13 September — Botany Group: “Some Plant Associations on the Morning-
ton Peninsula”, by Mr. Tom Sault.

Sunday, 16 September — Mt. Beckworth. Leader, Mrs. S. Bedggood, and members
of the Ballarat F.N.C. The coach will leave Batman Avenue at 9.30 a.m. —
fare $3.00. Bring two meals. The meeting place in Ballarat is in Albert Street,
near the Comfort Station, at approximately 11.30 a.m.

Thursday, 20 September — Day Group—To Mrs. R. G. Taylor’s garden and
Austraflora Nursery. 10.12 Lilydale train to Croydon, then 11.01 Mt. Dandenong
bus to corner Mt. Dandenong Tourist Road and Sheffield Road North, Montrose.
Cars meet at this corner at 11.20. Bring lunch.

Sunday, 30 September — Botany Group Excursion to Blackwood and vicinity —
transport by private car.

Wednesday, 26 December-Tuesday, 1 January — Port Campbell with day trips to
surrounding areas. Motel accommodation has been booked at $11.00 per day
for dinner, bed and breakfast; coach fare, $24.00. Further details later. The
excursion secretary would be glad to hear from local members and would
welcome any suggestions for the day trips.

238 Vict. Nat. Vol. 90

The
Victorian Naturalist

Editor: G. M. Ward

Assistant Editor: G. Douglas

Vol. 90, No. 9 5 September, 1973

CONTENTS

Articles:

Conservation Problems at Black Rock Point
By E. C. F. Bird, P. W. Cullen, and N. J. Rosengren

The Origin of Generic Names of the Victorian Flora (Part I cont.).
By J. A. Baines

The Geology of Port Fairy, Western Victoria.
By Edmund D. Gill and Kathleen W. Gill

Traces left by the Aborigines on Phillip Island, Victoria. By A. E. Spillane

Non-Marine Molluscs Census By Brian J. Smith and Rhyllis J. Plant

A new Land Planarian record for Victoria By Leigh Winsor

Field Naturalists’ Club of Victoria:
Reports of General and Group Meetings
Diary of Coming Events

Front Cover:
The photograph of the female Antechinus swainsonii was taken by Liegh

Winsor of the Field Survey Group, at the Aire Valley Plantation,
Beech Forest, in the Otway Ranges, Victoria.

September, 1973

240

266
238

239

Conservation Problems at Black Rock Point

by E. C. F. Biro, P. W. CULLEN, AND

N. J. ROSENGREN*

The coastline between Brighton and
Beaumaris (Fig. 1) is dominated by
cliffs and bluffs, with sandy beaches
and rocky platforms on the foreshore.
Rocks which outcrop in the cliffs and
shore platforms are of Miocene to
Lower Pliocene age, and consist of
poorly cemented sands, grits and clays
resting upon harder reddish-brown fer-
ruginous sandstones. Kenley (1967)
classified these as two distinct forma-
tions, the Red Bluff Sands resting upon
the more indurated Black Rock Sand-
stone, both gently folded in a series
of parallel anticlines and synclines
with axes trending N.W. to S.E., and
thus intersecting the coastline.

Promontories such as Picnic Point
and Red Bluff occur where anticlines
bring up the more resistant Black
Rock Sandstone to outcrop above sea
level at the base of the cliff and in
shore platforms. The intervening em-
bayments (such as Half Moon Bay, to
the south of Red Bluff) occur where
synclines bring the softer Red Bluff
Sands down to and below sea level,
where they have been scoured away
by marine erosion (Bird 1971). Black
Rock Point (Fig. 1) is a slight pro-
montory where the axis of the Black
Rock anticline crosses the shore (see
Plate 2 in Kenley 1967).

At the end of last century the coast-
line between Brighton and Beaumaris
showed extensive natural cliffs which
were receding, in some sectors rapidly,
as the result of erosion. Early at-
tempts to stop this erosion included
the timber wall built at Picnic Point
around 1900, and similar structures on
Green Point in 1905. Subsequently,
stone and concrete walls were added

240

at these sites, and also along the
southern shores of Half Moon Bay,
where the antique warship Cerberus
was grounded offshore to form a
breakwater in 1926. In 1936 the Fore-
shore Erosion Board mapped these
artificial structures in the course of a
survey of the coastline between Brigh-
ton and Mordialloc to assess the need
for further shore protection works.

This survey recommended building
undercliff walls on all sectors where
cliff recession was judged to be pro-
ceeding rapidly, and within the next
ten years walls were added at Brighton
Beach, at Sandringham, from Black
Rock to Quiet Corner, and in sectors
between Mentone and Mordialloc.
The usual procedure was to build a
wall at the back of the beach, with a
paved undercliff footpath, and to cut
the vertical cliffs back to a more gra-
dual slope, which was stabilised by
planting with vegetation. In some sec-
tors — at Hampton, for example, and
at Quiet Corner — this kind of treat-
ment was unavoidable, for Beach Road
had been built close to the coastline,
and continued erosion would soon
have undermined it.

Since 1946, the walled sectors have
been extended laterally, so that now
there are artificial structures along
almost all of the coastline north from
Picnic Point, as well as on several
sectors between Picnic Point and
Rickett’s Point. Because _ vertical
stone or concrete walls were found to

*Dr. Bird is Reader in Geography, University of
Melbourne; Mr. Cullen, formerly Research Officer,
Port Phillip Authority, is now a Lecturer in
Resource Management at Canberra College of
Advanced Education; Mr. Rosengren is a Demon-
strator in Geography, University of Melbourne.

Vict. Nat. Vol. 90

cause wave reflection, leading to the
scouring away of beaches, foreshore
engineers have more recently preferred
to dump large boulders at the back of
the shore, knowing that these will ab-
sorb more of the energy of storm
waves, and hoping that beach erosion
will be less severe in front of them.
In the last few years, many people
have begun to question the need to
extend coast walls and dump _ un-
sightly heaps of boulders on the shore.
Natural cliffs persist only at Red Bluff,
Black Rock Point, and between Table
Rock Point and Mentone, and it has
been argued that these should be pre-
served as scenic features to keep an
element of diversity on a coastline
that has been made more uniform,
and thus less interesting, as the result
of twentieth century engineering
works.

The cliffs at Black Rock Point
(Plate 1) stand between 80 and 100
metres seaward of Beach Road, and
so there was no immediate threat of
undermining by cliff recession. How-
ever, in August 1970, Sandringham
City Council began dumping concrete
slabs and rubble on the shore south
of the car park at Black Rock Point,
and it was realised that this could be
the prelude to a further phase of “re-
clamation’, the eventual outcome of
which would be to obliterate the
existing cliffs, shore platforms and
sandy coves in the sector extending
about 200 metres southwards. The
Black Rock and Sandringham Con-
servation Association protested, and
in October 1970 the Secretary for
Lands directed that the dumping of
rubble be stopped. After much dis-
cussion between the organisations
concerned (including the Port Phillip
Authority, the Board of Works, the
Public Works Department and the
Soil Conservation Authority) the
Minister for Conservation, Mr. W. A.
Borthwick, decided in June 1972 that

September, 1973

MELBOURNE @

PORT
PHILLIP
BAY

BASS
STRAIT

y HAMPTON

‘4
Picnic Point

1,
Black Rock Point —"® 6 ack ROCK
Quiet Corner

Bee ulen IS

2 Miles

3) 4Kms

Figure |

the dumped rubble should be removed,
and that the cliffed coast at Black
Rock Point should be left in its exist-
ing condition for a period of ten
years, during which surveys and re-
search work would be carried out to
provide the information necessary to
make a correct decision on the long-
term management needed on this
coastal sector.

In April 1973 the rubble was moved
from the shore and banked against
the seaward side of the car park. A
detailed survey of the cliffed sector
(Fig. 2) by N. J. Rosengren of the
Melbourne University Department of
Geography was carried out to provide
a record against which subsequent
changes can be monitored over the
ten-year period. This article gives an
account of the features of scientific
interest at Black Rock Point, and the
problem of their conservation.

24]

Plate 1

Geomorphology

The coastal landforms at Black
Rock Point consist of rilled cliffs and
scrub-covered bluffs behind a shore
platform of ferruginous sandstone
(Plates 2 and 3). There are two coves,
each with small beaches of fine white
quartz sand derived from erosion of
the adjacent cliffs, while at the nor-
thern end, near the car park, is a
beach of coarser brown quartz sand.
The cliffs are capped by up to eight
feet of pale grey dune sand, also

1 20 30 YAROS

30 METRES

Photo: E. C. F. Bird

quartzose, resting on a black humic
horizon which is clearly an ancient
soil. Some sections show additional
black soil layers within the dune for-
mation (Plate 4). Between the cliff
crest and Beach Road the sand-capped
plateau bears a scrub and woodland
vegetation.

The shore platform is gradually be-
ing undermined and dissected by wave
attack at its outer edge, but waves
reach the base of the cliff only during
brief periods at high spring tides. Ob-
servations made during the past three

BLACK ROCK POINT PLANE TABLE SURVEY N.ROSENGREN - MARCH /JUNE 1973

—— Base of cliff —+—~+Crest of cliff = ----~-- Major gulhes in cliff

‘-"+"+ "Coastal scrub

Figure 2

242

Vict. Nat. Vol. 90

Plate 2

Photo: E. C. F. Bird

years show that erosion of the cliff
face is largely due to surface runoff
after episodes of heavy rainfall. This
runoff is effective only in sectors where
the dune capping at the cliff crest has
lost its vegetation cover, and wind ero-
sion has exposed the underlying soil
surface. The surface slopes seaward
(Plate 4), and as it is relatively imper-
meable, water runs off it during heavy
rainfall and spills over the edge, scour-
ing vertical rills and gulleys and wash-
ing out fans of fine sand that spread

Plate 3

Photo: E. C. F. Bird

September, 1973

across the beach and on to the shore
platform. Plate 1 shows the correla-
tion between a cliff sector subject to
gulleying and the absence of cliff-top
vegetation: on adjacent sectors, where
cliff-top vegetation persists and the
dune capping 1s intact, the cliff gives
place to scrub-covered bluffs where
the vegetation extends down almost to
high tide level. Rain which falls in
these sectors seeps into the ground
instead of running quickly off the bare
surface.

243

Cliff erosion by runoff was observed
during the downpour which occurred
on 17 February 1972. Detailed mea-
surements were made on 3 and 4
February 1973 when, after a_pro-
longed dry spell, about 5 inches (127
millimetres) of rain fell at Black Rock
within 36 hours. Minor slumping
occurred on the cliff face during this
episode, but the bulk of the erosion
was achieved in the form of gulley
gravuring by rainwash. Surveys of the
fans of down-washed sand along a
15 metre section at the base of the
cliffs (here about 8 metres high)
showed that some 0.55 cubic metres
of sand had been deposited. This re-
presents an average recession of the
cliff face of about 0.6 centimetres, but
actual recession of up to 8 centimetres
was measured at the head of the larger
gulleys. Subsequent episodes of light
rainfall produced no measurable ero-
sion, and it was therefore not possible
to estimate annual erosion (mean an-
nual rainfall at Black Rock is about
25 inches or 635 millimetres) by
simple multiplication of the erosion
measured during this five-inch down-
pour. Further observations should in-
dicate the intensity of rainfall needed
to achieve erosion here.

The fans washed down in February
persisted until April, when they were
cut away by wave scour during high
spring tides. Cliff recession is thus due
largely to the combination of cliff-face

244

Plate 4

erosion by runoff during heavy rains
and removal of cliff-base fans by
storm waves during high tides. Sea
spray also reaches these cliffs during
storms, but its effects are insignificant
compared with rainwash. The cliffs
are also damaged when _ people
scramble up or down them, but the
extent of this kind of erosion has not
yet been assessed.

Further evidence that the rate of
cliff recession at Black Rock Point is
slow was obtained by comparing air
photographs taken in December 1945
and January 1972. During this in-
terval the cliff crest receded no more
than one or two feet. At this rate it
would be at least 100, and perhaps as
much as 300 years, before there was
any serious risk that erosion would
undermine Beach Road.

Landform Evolution

Evolution of the coastal topography
at Black Rock Point should be con-
sidered in terms of the world-wide
rise of sea level to its present position,
attained within the past six thousand
years (Bird 1968, p. 45). Port Phillip
Bay had existed in similar form at
earlier stages, but its bordering sea
cliffs had been degraded to bluffs
during low sea level phases. As the
sea rose, these bluffs were attacked by
wave action to develop new sea cliffs,
especially where the softer Red Bluff
Sands outcropped. Where the top of

Photo: E. C. F. Bird

Vict. Nat. Vol. 90

the more resistant Black Rock Sand-
stone stood at, or slightly above, sea
level it was exhumed as a shore plat-
form when waves cut back the over-
lying sands.

This was the situation at Black Rock
Point. Fig. 3 shows the probable
sequence of stages. The initial slope
ABCD was attacked by marine ero-
sion, the Red Bluff Sands (dotted) re-
treating more quickly than the Black
Rock Sandstone (ruled horizontally) so
that profiles aa’, bb’, cc’ and dd’ existed
successively, the seaward edge of the
shore platform retreating more slowly
(B to E) than the base of the cliff (B to
F) so that the platform has gradually
broadened to its present dimensions
(EF). Assuming that the sea remains
at its present level, further evolution
will depend on the relative rates of
recession of points E and F. Since
the base of the cliff is now only
reached infrequently by wave action,
it is inferred that it will not be cut
back much further before the rate of
retreat slows down sufficiently for sub-
aerial processes of slope evolution to
become dominant in shaping the cliff.
The cliff crest will continue to retreat
as the result of gulley incision and
slope wastage, but without regular
removal of the basal fans of down-
washed sand by wave attack it will
eventually decline to the profile FD.
At this stage, vegetation is likely to
have colonised it naturally, and stabi-

lised it. Thereafter, the cliff base F
will recede only at the slow rate of
retreat of the outer edge of the shore
platform, E; it will be attacked by
wave action only on rare occasions
when a severe storm happens to coin-
cide with an exceptionally high tide.
Applied to the sector shown in
Plate 1, this prediction needs slight
modification. The largest gully, in the
centre of the cliffed sector (Plate 5), is
being cut back more quickly than its
neighbours, and will probably grow
into a small valley similar to the exist-
ing wider, well-vegetated valley that
opens into the next cove to the north.
It is thus likely that the rate of
natural cliff recession will diminish, so
that the estimate of 100 to 300 years
for recession to Beach Road is an
under-estimate. It is possible that the
impact of intensified and unrestricted
usage of the area by an increasing
visitor population will impede the at-
tainment of natural stability; it is pos-
sible that some unexpected change,
such as a rapid rise of sea level, will
accelerate cliff recession. However, in
practical terms, the threat to Beach
Road is here so remote as to be irre-
levant to the problem of coastal zone
management at Black Rock Point.

A Site of Scientific Interest

The cliffs and shore platform at
Black Rock Point exhibit several fea-
tures of scientific interest, and are

Figure 3.

September, 1973

245

visited frequently by school and uni-
versity groups. The geological and
biological features of the area would
be concealed or destroyed if foreshore
reclamation and anti-erosion works
were to proceed.

Prominent in geological interest is
the problem posed by the so-called
Red Bluff Sands and Black Rock
Sandstone formations. It is not certain
that these are distinct formations.
Cliff sections show that the junction
between the two is irregular, and
could be interpreted as a boundary be-
tween ferruginised and de-ferruginised
zones in rocks that otherwise show
little lithological variation. One layer
of coarse quartz granules can be
traced laterally from the brown ferru-
ginised rock into the paler sands. Ac-
cording to Gill (1957) the sediments
were laid down originally in a lagoon
or nearshore environment; they show
a transition from marine fossils below
to estuarine fossils and remains of
land plants above, suggesting accumu-
lation during a phase of shallowing at
the head of an ancestral Port Phillip
Bay. The ferruginised rock contains
structures which appear to be relics
of driftwood deposited in the Tertiary

246

sediments, the organic materials hav-
ing been replaced by iron oxides.

The lithological contrast in the
rocks that outcrop at Black Rock
Point may result from a past phase
of deep weathering akin to that which
produces lateritic soils in humid tro-
pical environments. Iron oxides re-
moved from the pale, unconsolidated
Red Bluff Sands could have been de-
posited to enrich the underlying fer-
ruginised rock. This hypothesis re-
quires further investigation, which will
be impeded if foreshore reclamation
and anti-erosion works were to conceal
the geological evidence. Moreover, if
and when this geological problem is
resolved, the sections should remain on
view for educational use.

Near the top of the cliffs, layers of
shell, charcoal and organic material in
a sandy matrix are remains of an
Aboriginal kitchen-midden of un-
known date, formed during a phase
when the Aborigines used this site to
feast on locally-caught shellfish.

Such features merit the classifica-
tion of Black Rock Point as a Site of
Special Scientific Interest. In addition,
the ten-year study of geomorphological
changes and accompanying vegetation

Plate 5

Photo: E. C. F. Bird

Vict. Nat. Vol. 90

changes will make Black Rock Point
an “outdoor laboratory” for environ-
mental research. One result of the
controversy over reclamation and
stabilisation of this coastal sector was
the initiation of a project to list other
Sites of Special Scientific Interest on
the Victorian coast: this will be dis-
cussed in a subsequent article.

Aesthetic and Recreational Values

The suggestions that the cliffs at
Black Rock Point be artificially stabi-
lised appears to have been prompted
to some extent by a belief that all
erosion is evil, and must be halted.
While soil erosion on farmland is ob-
viously undesirable, erosion on coastal
cliffs is a different matter: quite apart
from the scientific interest of geo-
logical exposures, geomorphological
forms, and ecological features, such
cliffs have an aesthetic appeal to many
people. Few would wish to see the
magnificent coastal cliffs of the Port
Campbell district converted into arti-
ficially stabilised, vegetated slopes, and
the rugged cliff scenery at Cape
Schanck on the Nepean coast, and on
parts of Phillip Island, is an essential
part of the scenic attraction for visi-
tors to these areas. Perhaps there is a
case for halting cliff recession where
valuable property is threatened, but
public sympathy may be declining for
people who have built roads and
houses too close to the crests of
actively-receding cliffs.

The cliffs at Black Rock Point are
clearly of interest to the many people
who visit this part of the shore, in
winter as well as in summer. A pre-
liminary enquiry into their motives for
coming here showed that many regard
the area as an attractive segment of
wild or natural environment, appre-
ciating it both as a particular feature,
and as an element of diversity on a
coastline that is otherwise rather

September, 1973

monotonous. People use the small
sandy coves here in summer, espe-
cially on windy days, and the shore
platform provides an environment of
rock pools, clefts, ledges and _ islets
which functions as an adventure play-
ground for children. Anglers fish from
the rocks, and skin divers explore the
nearby sea floor. In its present con-
dition, Black Rock Point is of recrea-
tional value, offering a contrast in
seaside environment from the beaches
to north and south.

Conclusion

Black Rock Point is a site of scenic
and scientific interest, offering oppor-
tunities for both educational and re-
creational activities. The decision by
the Minister for Conservation to defer
consideration of coastal engineering
works here for ten years to permit
scientific study and research was an
important precedent: Black Rock
Point is the first of Victoria’s coastal
Sites of Special Scientific Interest to
be treated in this way. The results of
the ten-year study will enable a man-
agement plan to be developed for this
sector of coast, taking full account of
scenic, scientific, educational and re-
creational values.

ACKNOWLEDGEMENT

We are grateful to Mr. H. J. Collier
for drafting the diagrams.

REFERENCES

Bird, E. C. F., 1968. Coasts, A.N.U.
Press, Canberra.

Bird, E. C. F., 1971. Beach systems on
the Melbourne coast, Geog. Teacher,
10 (2), 59-72.

Gill, E. D., 1957. The stratigraphical
occurrence and palaeoecology of some
Australian Tertiary marsupials, Mem.
Nat. Mus. Vict., 21; 135-203.

Kenley, P. R., 1967. Tertiary, Geology
of the Melbourne District: 31-46.

247

The Origin of Generic Names of the Victorian Flora

Part 1 — The Person behind the Name
[continued from 90 (8)]

by JAMES A. BAINES

*Mioraea. After Robert More (1703-
1780), of Shrewsbury, a keen amateur
botanist. He travelled in Europe, and
was a friend of Linnaeus. F.R.S. in
1729. (M. xerospatha, Thread Iris, is
now Gynandriris setifolia.)

Morgania. Named by R. Brown
after Hugh Morgan (fl. 1540-1576),
apothecary to Queen Elizabeth I. He
established private botanical gardens
in central London and at Battersea,
and introduced several new plants to
England. He was described by Gerard
as “a curious conserver of simples”.

Muehlenbeckia. Named by Meissner
after Henri Gustave Muehlenbeck
(1798-1845), a physician at Mulhouse,
France (the surname is German, and
means “mill on the creek’’).

Muellerina. Named by Van Tieg-
hem after Baron’ Ferdinand von
Mueller (Sir Ferdinand Jakob Hein-
rich Mueller) (1825-1896), M.D.,
F.L.S., F.R.S., K.C.M.G. (and innu-
merable other honours), Victoria’s
Government Botanist and Director of
Melbourne’ Botanic Gardens, the
greatest 19th Century botanist working
in Australia, who won world-wide re-
cognition for his achievements as a
systematic botanist (Bentham’s Flora
Australiensis was mainly his work) and
as an explorer. (See By Their Fruits,
by M. Willis, and Ferdinand von
Mueller, by Alec H. Chisholm, but
the definition biography is yet to be
written.)

*Navarretia. Named by Ruiz and
Pavon after Francisco Fernando
Navarrete, a Spanish physician. Our
introduced species is Californian
Stinkweed (Skunkweed in U.S.A.).

248

Nicotiana. Named by L. after Jean
Nicot (1530-1588), French ambas-
sador to Portugal from 1559 to 1561,
who received from a Flemish gentle-
man the first seeds of tobacco, which
he sent to Catherine de Médicis. She
named it at first “the ambassador’s
herb”, but it was called Nicotiane by
the Duc de Guise. Linnaeus adopted
this name for the genus in its Latin
form.

Oschatzia. Named by Walpers after
Herr Oschatz, in 1849. This umbelli-
ferous plant has been placed in various
genera, including Azorella, Pozoa,
Microsciadium and Centella.

Pandorea. Named by Spach after
Pandora of the famous Greek myth.
The word means “all-gifted”, in refer-
ence to the box from which all “gifts”
escaped except Hope when she lifted
the lid. The specific name is also from
Pandora (P. pandorana).

*Parentucellia. Named by Viviani
after Tomaso Parentucelli, founder of
the botanic gardens in Rome, Orto
Botanico. The genus was set up in
1824. Our species were long known
as Bartsia.

Parsonsia. Named by R. Brown
after James Parsons (1705-1770),
M.D., F.R.S., a London doctor, author
of Microscopical Theatre of Seeds and

Pharmacopoeia Edinburgensis. _ P.
brownii was formerly known as
Lyonsia straminea.

Patersonia. Named by R. Brown

after Colonel William Paterson (1755-
1810), Lieutenant-Governor of N.S.W.
in early Sydney, and founder of
Launceston, Tasmania, who had stu-
died botany in England and dedicated

Vict. Nat. Vol. 90

an account of his travels in South
Africa to Sir Joseph Banks, who used
his influence to gain him a captaincy
in the N.S.W. Corps (probably with
the idea of furthering the study of
botany there). He challenged John
Macarthur to a duel, but supported
Major Johnston in the aftermath of
the mutiny against Governor Bligh,
whom he insisted must return to Eng-
land. Chisholm states that he was
more interested in natural history than
in public affairs during his period in
charge of northern Tasmania. Cala-
denia patersonii is one of a number of
specific names honouring him. He
named the Grose Valley when explor-
ing in the Blue Mountains, and Pater-
son River (N.S.W.) and the town of
Paterson are named after him.

Persoonia. Named by Smith after
Christiaan Hendrik Persoon (1755-
1837), born in South Africa, but be-
came a famous mycologist in Paris,
where his work on the classification of
fungi was extremely important. The
most significant of his numerous writ-
ings was Mycologia Europaea (1822-
1828). His father was Dutch and his
mother a Hottentot. The surname Per-
soon means “person” in Dutch.

Posidonia. Named by Koenig after
Poseidon, the Greek god of the sea
(= Neptune). The name is apt, as it is
a submarine plant (known as Fibre-
ball Weed).

Protea. The name given by Salis-
bury in 1796 to Drumstick Conebush
was Protea anemonifolia, but Protea
is solely an African genus, and its
present valid name, Isopogon anemoni-
folius, came into use in 1809. The
family Proteaceae is represented in
Australia by many genera, recalling
yet another classical figure, Proteus,
who was able to assume many shapes
when seized in the hope of getting
him to prophesy the future. The
many guises of the plants made the
name seem appropriate.

September, 1973

Puccinellia. Named by Parlatore in
1848 after an Italian botanist named
Puccinelli of Lucca. (Puccinia, a genus
of fungi with nearly 4,000 species, was
named after Th. Puccini, professor of
anatomy in Florence.)

Pultenaea. Named by Smith after
Richard Pulteney (1730-1801), M.D.,
F.L.S., F.R.S., an English botanist-
surgeon, who practised his profession
first at Leicester and then for 36 years
at Blandford, Dorset. He wrote on
Leicestershire plants, and left an un-
published manuscript Flora Anglica.

Quinetia. Named by Cassini pos-
sibly after Edgar Quinet (1803-1875),
a French historian and politician. (The
specific name urvillei is, of course,
after Dumont d’Urville.)

*Reichardia. Roth named this com-
posite after Reichard in 1787; never-
theless he named plants Reichardia
subsequently in two other families:
Scrophulariaceae (1800) and Legumi-
nosae (1821), both of course invalid.
After J. J. Reichard, 1743-1782, dir-
ector of Frankfurt botanical gardens.

Richea. Named by R. Brown after
Claude Riche (1762-1797), doctor and
botanist on the Esperance (one of the
two French frigates on the d’Entre-
casteaux expedition). He was lost on
a shore trip near Esperance Bay, W.A..,
and was searched for in vain by men
from that ship and the Recherche. He
had been first secretary of the Philo-
mathic Society of Paris.

*Romulea. Named by Maratti after
Romulus, the legendary founder of
Rome, 753 B.C., after his quarrel with
his brother, Remus.

Rulingia. Named by R. Brown after
Dr. Johann Philipp Rueling (born
1741), a German botanist. The ab-
sence of the e indicates that he pro-
bably spelt his name Riuiling, with a
diaeresis over the u. He wrote an
essay on the Natural Order of Plants.

249

Rumohra. Named by Raddi after
Karl Friedrich von Romohr, born near
Dresden in 1785; studied art and
became an historian in this field; made
many journeys to Italy: died 1843
at Dresden.

Ruppia. Named by L. in 1753 after
H. B. Ruppius (1689-1719), a Ger-
man botanist. (Ruppius is the Latin
form of the German surname Rupp,
derived from the short form of Rup-
recht or Rupert, and is therefore the
same name as that for Rev. Herman
M. R. Rupp (1872-1956), author of
The Orchids of New South Wales and
many papers on orchids in the Vic-
torian Naturalist.)

Scaevola. Named by L. after Caius
Mucius Scaevola, a hero of ancient
Rome. After Horatius at the bridge
had saved Rome from immediate in-
vasion by Lars Porsena, king of the
Etruscans, the city was _ beseiged,
Mucius, disguised, sallied out to kill
the king, but stabbed his similarly
dressed secretary instead. Seized, and
threatened with torture, he thrust his
right hand into the fire on the altar
and let it burn to show how he de-
spised pain. Porsena in admiration of
his courage let him go free, and the
Romans henceforth called him Scae-
vola, meaning “the left-handed’.
Linnaeus named the genus from the
spread-fingered appearance of the

corolla.
Schelhammera. Named by _ R.
Brown in 1810 after C. C. Schel-

hammer, a professor at the University
of Jena in Germany. The name ori-
ginated as a dialect word for a black-
smith, meaning literally “let the ham-
mer sound loudly”.

*Schkuhria. Named by Roth in
1797 after a German named Schkuhr.
Our introduced species is a South
American native. Moench named an-
other composite Schkuhria, which is
now Sigesbeckia. Christian Schkuhr

‘was born in 1741 at Pegau, studied

plants at Wittenberg University, died
1811. Author of “Encheiridium
Botanicum’”, in addition to works on
Germany’s cryptograms and sedges.
Selliera. Named by Cavanilles after
Francois Noél Sellier (1737-c. 1800),
of Paris, engraver of botanical illus-
trations for Cavanilles and Desfon-
taines between 1780 and 1800.
*Sherardia. Named by L. in 1753
after William Sherard (1659-1728),
D.C.L., F.R.S. He was born Sher-
wood, and_ studied botany under
Tournefort. Consul at Smyrna from
1703-15. He brought Dillenius to
England, and founded a chair of
botany at Oxford, where the Sherar-
dian Professor was endowed through
a legacy of £3,000. He bequeathed
also his library, herbarium and manu-
scripts. Linnaeus said he was “known
among botanists as GREAT”. The
genus is monotypic (Field Madder).
Siebera. Now Platysace, this genus
was named by Reichenbach after
Franz Wilhelm Sieber (1789-1844), of
Prague, natural history collector, who
travelled to Italy, Crete, Egypt, Pale-
stine, Mauritius, Australia and South
Africa in search of new plants, and
sent other collectors elsewhere. He is
also commemorated in the specific
names of Eucalyptus sieberi, Crassula
sieberana, Pomaderris sieberana, Cal-
listemon sieberi and Viola sieberana.

(to be continued)

Australian Natural History Medallion
1973

The Award Committee has named Mr. Edmund D. Gill as the winner of the
1973 Natural History Medallion.

250

Vict. Nat. Vol. 90

The Geology of Port Fairy, Western Victoria, Australia

by EDMUND D. GILL* AND

KATHLEEN W. GILL

One of the oldest settlements in
Victoria is Port Fairy. One reason for
this is that its masses of heavy basalt
provided shelter from the south-
westerly gales for the numerous small
ships sailing the coast early last cen-
tury. The same material, ready to
hand, was used extensively for build-
ing, because the migrants from cold
England believed that the only type of
house worth building was a stone one.
Port Fairy, for its size, has more build-
ings classified by the National Trust
as worthy of preservation than any
other town in Victoria. The site of
Port Fairy (originally called Belfast),
was created by the basalt flow that
provides its foundations, and the his-
tory of the basalt is largely the history
of the area.

Anomalous Coast

The coast of Western Victoria is on
a saw-tooth pattern with the sides of
the teeth oriented north-east and south-
west. From Port Fairy to Cape Rea-
mur, however, there is a stretch of
coast of anomalous direction, because
it runs east-west. The reason for this
is that the coast cuts across a valley
infilled with basalt at right angles to
its direction of flow (north-south).
This basalt is called the Woodside
Basalt after the property north of the
town.

But why is this basa!t where it is?
The answer is that it occupies an an-
cient valley that ran from north to
south. Molten lava, like water, follows
the lowest parts of the land. The

*Deputy Director, National Museum of Victoria.

Plate 1 — Eastern Beach, Port Fairy.

The beach and dune have been built since the sea returned to its present level about
6,000 years ago. The underlying basalt is about 300,000 years old.

September, 1973

251

fossil valley belongs to the ancestor of
the Moyne River. This ancestral
Moyne flowed approximately through
the site of the present water tower,
but about 100 feet (30 m) below the
present level of the sea! This was pos-
sible because the coast at that time
was somewhere in the vicinity of the
edge of the continental shelf over 30
miles (50 km) from the present shore.

The time of eruption was the
Glacial Stage before last. During the
Glacial Stages, water was trapped on
land in the form of giant polar ice
caps, so that the level of the sea fell
to at or near the edge of the con-
tinental shelf. This is how it came
about that the ancestral Moyne was
flowing in a valley cut to about 100 ft.
(30 m) below present sea level at the
present coastline. The old Moyne
River wandered across the plain
formed by the sea vacating the con-
tinental shelf, and fell into the sea
some 30 miles south of Port Fairy.
The site of Port Fairy was then in air
space above the land far from the
shore! When the molten lava flowed
(from an eruption point not yet dis-

covered), the valley was filled with
basalt, and so the site of Port Fairy
came into being. The obvious vol-
canic peaks in the district are not the
source of this basalt; they are far too
young.

So the ancestral river died, drowned
under a flood of molten lava that
clogged its vailey.

Rivers of Red Hot Lava

The valley of the ancient Moyne did
not get filled by a single lava flow.
Basalt flow after basalt flow erupted
from the volcano until 145 feet (44 m)
of rock had been piled up. The Port
Fairy water bore penetrated this thick-
ness of basalt. Because there was
such a thick suite of flows, the lava
spread out to form a band about
5 miles (8 km) wide. The Crossley
Scarp, a limestone cliff behind Tower
Hill Swamp, ends where it does be-
cause cut off by the valley of that
ancient river. When the basalt over-
filled the valley of the prior Moyne,
it spread along in front of the scarp
as far as Killarney, but no further.
The close proximity of the Tower Hill

Ancestral Moyne River Valley
-
100 ft below Sealevel <——
al |
POR PAWALRY. ROSE BRO‘

Marginal Stream:
Marginal Stre

Goose Lagoon

Port Fairy Bore Glaxo Bore

Moyne Rive
AZ
Sealevel

Woodbine Basalt

Vict. Nat. Vol. 90

volcano has given rise to the idea
that the Killarney lava came from
there, but this is not so. Fig. 1 shows
that the lava from Port Fairy gra-
dually thins in that direction but does
not reach Tower Hill. As can be seen
by the bores near Tower Hill shown
in that figure, none of them pierced
basalt.

River Finds a New Route

Water has a way of finding a path
for itself. The Moyne watershed still
needed a drainage route as its old
valley filled with lava. This was even-
tually established marginal to the
basalt, except at Rosebrook where the
lava flow spread in front of the Cross-
ley Scarp. Somehow it found a path
across the basalt there, but has never
cut a very deep channel because basalt
is so difficult to erode. Goose Lagoon
is the remains of a marginal stream on
the west side of the lava field. During
the last Glacial Stage, this stream cut
deeply into the comparatively soft
rocks there. Bores in this area have
penetrated 70 feet (21 m) without
meeting the bedrock (Miocene marine

on of Basalt Flow
— —_ —_ ->

_of Crossley Scarp

Kirkstall
Road

{
oh

ultimate Interglacial Calcarenite’ ’.?

September, 1973

Road to Tower Hill Beach

| Bores Zi g ae

— aw ow ome

limestone such as can be seen at
“Aringa’’).

So Port Fairy is founded on a lava
flow that issued from the earth during
the Glacial Stage before last (the
Penultimate Glacial) when sea level
was low, and rivers were entrenched
deeply into the terrain. A radioactive
dating of this basalt by Dr. Ian Mac-
Dougall of Canberra has given an age
of about 300,000 years.

Ancient Shellbeds

Before myximatosis was discovered,
during a rabbit plague, one of us
(E.D.G.) wrote a newspaper article on
“my friends the rabbits”! It was ex-
plained that although rabbits were a
pest, they assisted considerably by
digging out what was under the
ground. They provided eyes beneath
the earth. In many places around
Port Fairy they dug out sand rich in
marine shells. The drain across the
Highway at the north end of the town
had been dug shortly before, and its
walls revealed layers of beautifully
preserved marine shells, including
some not now living on the Victorian

TOWER HILL
Buried

Sand

Bores 100 ft.
Dune : ;

M4 I
J
|

j~

Gi Peat ape i teas gre) a 7

194 14

fossil valley belongs to the ancestor of
the Moyne River. This ancestral
Moyne flowed approximately through
the site of the present water tower,
but about 100 feet (30 m) below the
present level of the sea! This was pos-
sible because the coast at that time
was somewhere in the vicinity of the
edge of the continental shelf over 30
miles (50 km) from the present shore.
The time of eruption was the
Glacial Stage before last. During the
Glacial Stages, water was trapped on
land in the form of giant polar ice
caps, so that the level of the sea fell
to at or near the edge of the con-
tinental shelf. This is how it came
about that the ancestral Moyne was
flowing in a valley cut to about 100 ft.
(30 m) below present sea level at the
present coastline. The old Moyne
River wandered across the plain
formed by the sea vacating the con-
tinental shelf, and fell into the sea
some 30 miles south of Port Fairy.
The site of Port Fairy was then in air
space above the land far from the
shore! When the molten lava flowed
(from an eruption point not yet dis-

covered), the valley was filled with
basalt, and so the site of Port Fairy
came into being. The obvious vol-
canic peaks in the district are not the
source of this basalt; they are far too
young.

So the ancestral river died, drowned
under a flood of molten lava that
clogged its valley.

Rivers of Red Hot Lava

The valley of the ancient Moyne did
not get filled by a single lava flow
Basalt flow after basalt flow erupted
from the volcano until 145 feet (44 m)
of rock had been piled up. The Port
Fairy water bore penetrated this thick-
ness of basalt. Because there was
such a thick suite of flows, the lava
spread out to form a band about
5 miles (8 km) wide. The Crossley
Scarp, a limestone cliff behind Tower
Hill Swamp, ends where it does be-
cause cut off by the valley of that
ancient river. When the basalt over-
filled the valley of the prior Moyne,
it spread along in front of the scarp
as far as Killarney, but no further.
The close proximity of the Tower Hill

Ancestral Moyne River Valley

100 ft below Sealevel

Marginal Stream.

Goose Lagoon
{i722

Sealevel

Woodbine Basalt

/

SS

|

Miocene Marine Limestone

Miles 1 2

252

Port Fairy Bore

PORT FAIRY

Marginal Stream:

Glaxo Bore

Pt. Fairy Calcarenite LAT

Vict. Nat. Vol. 90

<— — —_ —

ROSEBROOK |

Moyne River
77 Y

a et eee el

volcano has given rise to the idea
that the Killarney lava came from
there, but this is not so. Fig. 1 shows
that the lava from Port Fairy gra-
dually thins in that direction but does
not reach Tower Hill. As can be seen
by the bores near Tower Hill shown
in that figure, none of them pierced

basalt.
River Finds a New Route

Water has a way of finding a path
for itself. The Moyne watershed still
needed a drainage route as its old
valley filled with lava. This was even-
tually established marginal to the
basalt, except at Rosebrook where the
lava flow spread in front of the Cross-
ley Scarp. Somehow it found a path
across the basalt there, but has never
cut a very deep channel because basalt
is so difficult to erode. Goose Lagoon
is the remains of a marginal stream on
the west side of the lava field. During
the last Glacial Stage, this stream cut
deeply into the comparatively soft
rocks there. Bores in this area have
penetrated 70 feet (21 m) without
meeting the bedrock (Miocene marine

Basalt Flow
—_-—>
ossley Scarp

Kirkstall
Road

September, 1973

Road to Tower Hill Beach

ZVZ 2 Bores A as .
LLM TALS a See no ANS

limestone such as can be seen at
“Aringa”).

So Port Fairy is founded on a lava
flow that issued from the earth during
the Glacial Stage before last (the
Penultimate Glacial) when sea level
was low, and rivers were entrenched
deeply into the terrain. A radioactive
dating of this basalt by Dr. Ian Mac-
Dougall of Canberra has given an age
of about 300,000 years.

Ancient Shellbeds

Before myximatosis was discovered,
during a rabbit plague, one of us
(E.D.G.) wrote a newspaper article on
“my friends the rabbits”! It was ex-
plained that although rabbits were a
pest, they assisted considerably by
digging out what was under the
ground. They provided eyes beneath
the earth. In many places around
Port Fairy they dug out sand rich in
marine shells. The drain across the
Highway at the north end of the town
had been dug shortly before, and its
walls revealed layers of beautifully
preserved marine shells, including
some not now living on the Victorian

TOWER HILL

Buried
Sand Bores 100 ft.

Dune

Wight wen Pe atmo) hot anne Z

253

coast. The rabbits revealed something
of the extent of this shellbed.

The formation was first reported in
connection with the study of changes
of sea level (Gill and Fairbridge 1953,
Gill 1954, 1956). Later, Professor
J. W. Valentine of U.S.A., who spent
a Fulbright Scholarship year here,
made a detailed study of the mollusca
of the Port Fairy Calcarenite (as the
formation is called). He determined
over 300 species of molluscs — a re-
markably rich fauna. The Foramini-
fera have been studied by Mr. Arthur
Collins (1953) of Geelong. More re-
cently, a new fauna exposed in the
Goose Lagoon drain has been recorded
(Gill 1971).

So the flat occupied by the business
area of Port Fairy was once a seabed;
the horizontally laid shelly sand ac-
counts for its flatness. During the dig-
ging of sewerage trenches in recent
years both the shelly sand and the
underlying basalt have been revealed.
Then where was the shore at the time
this bed was laid down? It was ap-
proximately at the 25 ft. (7.5 m) con-
tour. On the north-east corner of the
intersection of the Princes Highway
and Bank Street, well-rounded basalt
boulders, shells and _ shell-sand are
cemented together. This is a part of
this ancient shore. On the present
coast there are many places where
boulders are mixed with shells and
sand in similar manner. At that time
the sea reached the Crossley Scarp and
overlapped the basalt in the lower
lying areas. It occupied Goose Lagoon,
and also the flats between Narrawong
and the east side of Portland.

Dating the Past

When was this sea over Port Fairy,
and when did it cover the low country
west and north of the town? When the
original work was done, radiocarbon
dating had been only recently in-
vented. The Turban Shell Ninella tor-

254

quata 1s an index fossil for the Port
Fairy Calcarenite (shellbeds) because
it no longer lives in Victoria. So the
opercula of this species were used for
a dating. The assay showed that the
formation was beyond the range of
radiocarbon dating. Because the fauna
indicated warmer water species, and
the height of the sea level on this un-
usually stable coast stood at 25 ft.
(7.5 m) it was thought that the age was
Last Interglacial. Professor Valentine
confirmed this by a uranium/thorium
assay that gave an age of about
125,000 years.

Stranded Dunes

When the sea retreated from its
high stand about 125,000 years ago,
it left behind some dunes of lime sand.
The Princes Highway traverses one
from Tower Hill to Port Fairy, and
more can be seen along the Princes
Highway between Port Fairy and
Goose Lagoon. The rain of the inter-
vening years has dissolved lime and
redeposited it as calcrete (natural con-
crete) which has formed a hard shell
over the ancient dunes, so protecting
them. These dunes are case-hardened.
The sea then retreated to its latest low
level, between 18,000 and 20,000
years ago, and about 6,000 years ago
once more reached approximately its
present level, with only small oscilla-
tions since then. The return of the
sea meant the return of coastal dunes
to the area. Thus the Eastern Beach
(Plate 1) and the dune behind it are
the result of the sand piled up by the
sea in recent millenia; likewise the soft
dunes along the Port Fairy/Cape Rea-
mur coast, and at Goose Lagoon.

A basal soil in this modern dune
line at Tower Hill Beach dated 5,120
years by radiocarbon, while another
soil near the top of the dune dated
2,800 years. Both have Aboriginal
middens in them. This soil has now
been dated at Warrnambool, Goose

Vict. Nat. Vol. 90

Lagoon, McKechnie’s Craigs and
other places, and all the dates are of
the same order of age. It is not to be
expected that they will be the same
because such a soil takes a long time
to form, and the datings are done on
Aboriginal middens within them that
date a particular event in that period.
A midden in Tower Hill Tuff between
Point Pickering and Thunder Point
at Warrnambool gave a date of 7,300
years, which is the best date so far
for the eruption of that volcano (Gill
1972).

Complex Coast

A whole book could be written on
the geology of Port Fairy and its en-
virons, but for this brief account one
other group of features should be
mentioned, as they are rather unusual.
Captain Barrow (1854) made the ori-
ginal survey of Port Fairy harbour.
The Back Passage then led right
through to the Moyne River, and
there were two other small inlets north
of it, now filled in. Along the coast
there are other similar elongate narrow
channels between reefs. Another fea-
ture is the circular bays and domes.
At the seaward end of the Back Pas-
sage, on the south side, there is a cir-
cular bay, with a still smaller one on
its west side. There are many such
circular bays along the coast such as
Horseshoe Bay and Leura Bay. Many
domes of basalt (tumuli) can be seen,
as at Drain Bay, and on the west side
of Cape Reamur. Some can be seen
inland from the Princes Highway west
of Port Fairy.

The Woodside Basalt had a high
gas/lava ratio, causing it to be full of
bubbles. Sometimes this gas accumu-
lated and caused an up-doming of the
surface of the lava flow while it was
still soft. This is probably how the
domes were formed; they are too re-
gular to be due to pressure ridging.
In other places these domes collapsed,
leaving rounded bays with the basalt

September, 1973

dipping inwards all round. The dips

can be as steep as 30°. Narrow chan-

nels like the Back Passage are thought
to be due to lava tunnels collapsing.

In such basalt, the lava can cool on

top and the still molten lava flow out

from underneath, thus forming a

tunnel. Sometimes such tunnels re-

main, as at Byaduk, Mt. Napier, Pan-
mure, and many other places. At
other times they collapse, and then
can be recognized by the sides dipping
inwards. The bubble lines that were
horizontal now dip towards the
channel. Joints that once were ver-
tical are now at an angle. To walk
along the south side of the Back Pas-
sage and round the circular bay at the
seaward end is the easiest way at Port
Fairy to observe what these features
are like. The sea has washed away
the soil, making them easy to see.
These interesting features are very
well preserved because the basalt is so
hard, so heavy, and so tough that it
is only slowly eroded. In many places,

Port Fairy Calcarenite laid in the

basalt joint 125,000 years ago can

still be seen there on the shore plat-
forms, showing that the sea has made
little impression on it in the past

6,000 years, since it returned to its

present level.

REFERENCES

Gill, E. D., 1956. Radiocarbon dating of
late Quaternary shorelines in Australia.
Quaternaria 3: 133-138.

Gill, E. D., 1971. Latest research on the
Quaternary shorelines of Australasia.
Search 2: 58-63.

Gill, E. D., 1972. Eruption date of Tower
Hill volcano. Vict. Naturalist 89: 188-
192:

Gill, E. D., et al., 1954. Australasian re-
search on eustatic changes of sea-level.
Aust. J. Sci. 16 (6): 227-229.

Gill, E. D., and Fairbridge, R. W., 1953.
Research on eustatic sea-levels in Aus-
tralia and N.Z. Rept. 29th Mtg.
ANZAAS (Sydney 1952), pp. 333-340.

Valentine, J. W., 1965. Quaternary Mol-
lusca from Port Fairy, Victoria, Aus-

tralia, and their palaeoecologic implica-
tions. Proc. R. Soc. Vict. 78: 15-74.

255

Traces left by the Aborigines on Phillip Island,
Victoria

by A. E. SPILLANE

Illustrations by Author.

Phillip Island, Victoria, was dis-
covered by George Bass in 1798, at
the end of his historic journey from
Port Jackson, in a whale-boat only 28
feet long, which carried him down the
east coast of Australia.

The Island is situated at the en-
trance to Western Port Bay, and is
16 miles long, by 54 miles wide. The
highest part of the Island is Cape
Woolamai, which is 357 feet above sea
level. The Eastern Passage, about half
a mile wide, separates Phillip Island
from the nearest point of the main-
land, which is near San Remo. The
climate is temperate, particularly in
summer, when the hot north winds are
considerably tempered by the waters
of Western Port Bay. The annual
rainfall is approximately 29 inches.

With its 30 miles of golden beaches,
and beautiful coastal scenery, the Is-
land has become a popular attraction

for thousands of summer visitors. In
the not so distant past, it was also a
favourite area for the Aborigines; as
is proved by traces left by them in
various parts of the Island.

When Bass discovered Western Port,
the Bunurong tribe of Aborigines in-
habited all adjacent areas of the main-
land, so it is reasonable to assume,
that it was natives from that tribe who
occupied the Island from time to time.
The main reason for the periodic visits,
would have been food from the cap-
ture of Mutton-birds (Puffinus tenui-
rostris), Penguins (Eudyptula minor),
and Seals (Arctocephalus doriferus).
As these three animals commence
breeding in November, the natives
would presumably have been at their
camp sites well before then, awaiting
their arrival.

As the time spent on the Island by
the natives would have been governed

256

Sx

Piate 1 — Ca

t Bay site.

Vict. Nat. Vol. 90

Plate 2 — Uniface Pebble Implement,
Woolamai Beach.

by the breeding cycles of the above
animals, there could have been a sub-
stantial Aboriginal population in the
area for five or six months each year.

In its natural state, the terrain was
thickly covered by scrub, and it would
have been an ideal habitat for many
different types of birds and marsupials;
which combined with shellfish from
the rocky shore platforms, plus the
sea birds which frequented the shores,
would have supplied a change of diet.

Stone Implements

The main types of implements
found on the Island, are edge-ground
axes, pebble axes, anvils, hammer-
stones, scrapers, and utilised flakes.

Upon examining refuse obtained
from old camp sites, one is soon made
aware of the abundance of flaked
pieces of stone; however, microlithic
implements of the type usually found
at other Victorian sites are very scarce.
Perhaps this problem could be ac-
counted for by the fact that suitable
stone for flaking was obtained in
abundance from the coastal shingles;
consequently, flakes of the desired
shapes were probably discarded after
using once. The knowledge that their
stay on the Island would be of only

September, 1973

short duration, would not have sup-
plied the natives with sufficient in-
centive to strive for the production of
the classic types of artifacts. A large
proportion of the utilized pieces of
stone, appear to have been used either
as scraping or cutting implements.
Camp Sites

On the southern shore of the Island,
about three miles from the San Remo
bridge; the sea comes rolling in from
Bass Strait and pounds upon a magni-
ficent stretch of beach. This is an
area with large Mutton-bird rookeries.
High up on top of the cliffs, scattered
through the sandy stretches of coun-
try, can be found stone relics, left
by the Aborigines who came to col-
lect the rich harvest that Nature pro-
vided for them. The main artifacts to
be found, are knapped pieces of flint
obtained from nearby beaches. An
occasional knapped pebble axe may
also be found.

A short distance inland from For-
rest Caves, in a north-easterly direc-
tion, is a former camp site. The pre-

Plate 3 — Pebble Axe, Saltwater Creek.

257

dominating implements found there,
have been fabricated from either clear
or Opaque quartz.

There is an excellent example of a
midden on top of the cliff at Point
Grant, which is on the western ex-
tremity of the Island, overlooking the
Nobbies. Scattered amongst the sur-
face shells and charcoal, the writer
found numerous flaked pieces of stone,
and a good type of a scraper.

An old camp site is situated a short
distance north-east of Saltwater Creek.
Several stone flakes were collected
here; also a typical specimen of a
knapped basalt pebble axe, of the type
found in the area. A quartzite con-
cave scraper, was also found at this
location.

Boat Creek is on the north-west of
the Island. At its outlet to Western
Port Bay, the remains of past native
feasts, in the form of discarded shells,
may still be observed.

One of the main camping grounds
of the Bunurong people on Phillip
Island, was situated at Cat Bay. It was
on the rolling sand dunes overlooking
the Western Passage, which separates

258

the Island from the Mornington Penin-

sula. The site had a lot in its favour
from the natives’ point of view. It was
set amongst their beloved sand dunes,
and was sheltered from the fierce Bass
Strait winds; adequate water was avail-
able from nearby lakes, and a small
creek which passed through the camp;
but most important of all, it was close
to one of the main breeding grounds
of Mutton-birds, Penguins, and Seals;
while just offshore was a rock plat-
form, which would supply a large
amount of shellfish.

Scattered over the camp site, are
shells, knapped-pebble axes, anvils,
hammer-stones, utilized flakes, scra-
pers, and occasionally, a microlith;
mute reminders of a people who have
vanished into the Dreamtime.

REFERENCES

Gliddon, J. W. Editor, Phillip Island,
Melbourne, 1968.

Gil, E. D. Peep into Prehistoric Abori-
gines’ Kitchen. Ibid. 1968.

Massola, Aldo. Journey to Aboriginal
Victoria, Melbourne, 1969.

Mitchell, S. R. Stoneage Craftsmen, Mel-
bourne, 1949.

Spillane, A. E. Aboriginal Relics on the
Mornington Peninsula, Victorian
Naturalist, Vol. 88 (12), 1971.

Vict. Nat. Vol. 90

SWAN BAY, QUEENSCLIFF

A proposal by a development firm to construct a marina on the former
shell-grit works near Queenscliff is causing concern.

The main source of worry is that it will be necessary to dredge a channel
across the southern end of Swan Bay to provide access to the marina — and
this in turn may adversely affect the total area of Swan Bay as far north as

Duck Island and Edwards Point.

The Geelong Field Naturalists’ Club and the Geelong Environmental
Council are working on the project, and additional support may be sought.

Meanwhile Urgent Information is needed — all bird notes, references and
similar data about Swan Bay must be compiled if we are to ensure that there

is no damage done to its fauna.

There appears to be an ornithological link between Swan Bay and Mud
Islands, and if this can be proven, the immense value of Swan Bay becomes

obvious.

Data should be sent to the G.F.N.C., care of:

Trevor Pescott,

4 Victoria Terrace, Belmont, 3216.

Preliminary Results of Non-Marine Mollusc Census

by

BRIAN J. SMITH*
and
RHYLLIS J. PLANT*

The census of non-marine molluscs
of Victoria has now been running for
two and a half years and it was
therefore felt that a brief report on
the progress of the work so far would
be of interest and value. A great deal
of material has been collected both by
the Museum staff and by interested
people all over the State. From these
records an interesting picture is emerg-
ing of the distribution of the various
species. In many cases it is being dis-
covered that species are far com-
moner and more wide-spread than was
hitherto thought. In a number of
cases large range extensions have been
established by the census, also large
collections of specimens of species
needing taxonomic revisionary work
are accumulating.

However there are still many gaps
in the distribution maps as many areas
have so far not been sampled. Even

September, 1973

in the areas from which material has
been collected, more comprehensive
collecting will undoubtedly reveal
many more records.

Interim distribution maps of seven
species are included to show the ex-
tent of recording so far; three intro-
duced species and four native species.

Helix aspersa (Fig. 1). This map
shows a scattered distribution all over
the State, but mainly in the more
populated areas. This is probably our
commonest, most wide-spread, non-
marine mollusc and for this reason I
suspect it 1s not being collected. I
would expect it from anywhere where
man lives, from suburban gardens to
around the chalets in the snow coun-
try, from isolated homesteads in the
Sunset Country to around holiday
houses on the coast. Ordinary garden
snails and slugs will be very welcome

*Invertebrate Department, National Museum of
Victoria.

259

as records from all parts of the State
and especially from anywhere not
marked on the map.

Theba pisana (Fig. 2) is the Dune
snail. When the census started it was
only known from a few coastal sand-
dune areas of central Victoria. How-
ever in these areas this small white
snail with brown bands was found in
very large numbers. The map shows
that it is now known from many
localities along the coast of western
and central Victoria. More collecting
will fill in the gaps along these
coasts. Surprisingly it has not been
recorded so far from east of Phillip
Island except for one isolated popu-
lation at Tidal River on Wilson’s Pro-
montory. I feel sure this is not a true
picture but rather reflects the lack of
collecting in this area.

However the most surprising re-
cords of this species, arising as a
direct result of increased interest in
non-marine molluscs stimulated by the
census, are the two records from
north-western Victoria in the Irymple
and Ouyen areas. Again I feel that
these should be more widespread in
these areas, but only more collecting
can confirm this.

Cochlicella ventrosa (Fig. 3). This
small conical snail is another intro-
duced species proving to be very wide-
spread throughout the State. Its small
size makes it more difficult to find
than Helix and I believe that this
factor could explain its apparent less
widespread distribution. This species
is capable of a further penetration into
native bush than any other introduced
species of snail. One interesting, but
probably false, impression given by
map is its apparent absence from
north-eastern Victoria. This is prob-
ably merely a lack of collecting in this
area.

Cystopelta purpura (Fig. 4). This
is the only species of native slug found
in Victoria and before the start of the

260

census very little was known about its
distribution within the State. It was
generally considered to be fairly rare
and restricted. However the census
has proved this wrong as the map
shows a widespread distribution over
much of the southern and mountain
areas of the State. This species is
largely confined to fairly wet native
bush areas of the more hilly country
and is common in the rain-forest areas
of the Great Dividing Range where
it is found to over 1,200 m (4,000 ft.).

Records from the Glenelg River
area of far western Victoria and re-
cords in the Grampians area have
come to light as a result of the census.
However the map reveals many gaps
which can only be filled by more in-
tensive collections.

Victaphanta atramentaria and Vic-
taphanta compacta (Fig. 5). These
two large black carnivorous snails
have very restricted distributions con-
fined to the rain-forest areas of the
central Great Dividing Range and of
the Otways respectively. The reason
for this very restricted distribution is
not known. This is thought to be a
true picture of their distributions as
these are large obvious species and
have been extensively searched for in
adjacent similar areas without success.
This genus is known only from Vic-
toria and western Tasmania.

Pygmipanda kershawi (Fig. 6). This
is the largest native land-snail in Vic-
toria and, as can be seen from the
map, is confined to the East Gipps-
land area of the State. Recent work
for the census has widened its known
distribution west of Bairnsdale in the
Macalister area, but much collecting
is still needed in the Gippsland area
to establish the true range of this
species.

Much more material is needed, even
for the common species, to enable
meaningful distributions to be drawn

up.
Vict. Nat. Vol. 90

Cae

uy nae EB
See ST ae

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September, 1973 263

Geoplana varigata Fletcher and Hamilton

1887-

A new Land Planarian record for Victoria

by LEIGH WINSOR*

Field work on the Wellington
Plains, Gippsland, Victoria, as part of
a study of Victorian Land Planarians,
resulted in the collection of five species
of land planarians (Phylum-Platyhel-
minthes). One of these species was
later identified as Geoplana varigata,
Fletcher and Hamilton, previously
only recorded from New South Wales
and Tasmania. This therefore con-
stitutes a new record of the species for
Victoria.

Geoplana varigata,
Fletcher and Hamilton, 1887.
Fletcher, J. J., and Hamilton, A. C.,

1887. Proc. Linn. Soc., N.S.W. 2:

364-365, pl.v. figs. 3, 3’.

Geoplana varigata, Dendy A., 1893.

Proc. Roy. Soc. Vict. 6: 183.
Geoplana varigata, Dendy, A., 1893.

Rep. Australas Ass. Advmt. Sci. 5:

421.

Geoplana varigata, Dendy A., 1894.

Proc. Linn. Soc. N.S.W. 9: 731.
Geoplana varigata, Von Graff L., 1899.

Monog. der Turbellarien. YW Tri-

cladia Terricola, Text and Atlas.

Diagnosis: With four dark longi-
tudinal stripes, the lateral stripes
broader than the median stripes, mar-
ginal zones mottled, dorsal ground
colour yellow to green. Geoplana
varigata was differentiated from G.
subyiridis (Moseley), the median zone
in the latter broad and the paired in-
nermost stripes lateral rather than
median in position, from G. howitti
(Dendy), in which the lateral stripes
were narrower than the median stripes
and from G. bicolor (Graff), which
had six dark stripes dorsally.

The Victorian specimen had a dor-

264

sal median zone of blue-green ground
colour 0.25mm _ wide bordered on
either side by faint brown-flecked
paired median stripes 0.25 mm wide.
External to these were 0.5 mm wide
lateral zones of ground colour which
merged into the marginal brown-
flecked paired stripes 0.6mm _ wide,
the inner margins of which were well
defined. These were bordered by a
fine zone of ground colour continuous
with the ventral surface. The dorsal
stripe pattern is illustrated in Figure 1.

The anterior tip was pink and the
ventral surface a blue-white colour,
pale over the creeping foot. Eyes
were multiple, concentrated in three
rows on the anterior third of the body
with a single row around the anterior
tip.

The specimen measured 90mm long
and 2mm wide when crawling, the
pharyngeal aperture 62 mm from the
anterior end and the genital aperture
4mm posterior to the pharyngeal
aperture. The dimensions of the worm
following fixation were 30 mm long
and 3mm wide. This single speci-
men was lodged as a voucher speci-
men with the National Museum of
Victoria. (Reg. No. G2275.)

Three spirit specimens of Geoplana
varigata labelled “typical”, collected
by T. Steel from Bundanoon, New
South Wales, in the N.M.V. collec-
tions, were also examined and com-
pared to the Victorian specimen. The
above description of the dorsal stripe
pattern and the relative positions of
the pharyngeal and genital apertures
agreed closely with those of previous

*8/4 RATHMINES ST., FAIRFIELD, 3078.

Vict. Nat. Vol. 90

authors, and with the spirit specimens
examined. Difficulty was encountered
in the description of colour as it was a
mixture of yellow and green, and com-
parison to faded spirit specimens was
pointless. Geoplana_ varigata had
been recorded from localities in the
Blue Mountains, Bundanoon and Bur-
rawang, New South Wales, and from
Bedlam Heights, Tasmania.

The Victorian specimen was col-
lected from beneath a rotting snow
gum at a locality 4,900 feet A.S.L.,
1.2 miles from the Moroka Road, on
the Tarli Karng track via McFarlane
saddle, Wellington Plains, Gippsland.
Geoplana_ varigata was _ associated
with G. howitti, G. spenceri, G. lucasi,
G. sanguinea and the nemertime worm
Geonemertes_ australiensis, all nor-
mally found in wet mountainous areas.

Some specimens of G. spenceri, nor-
mally a blue-green planarian, were
collected, in which the dorsal ground
colour was a clear yellow in one
specimen, and in two others a yellow
green. Typical specimens were also
found in the same locality. This
colour variation observed in G. spen-
ceri may explain the similar tints in
G. varigata, there perhaps being cer-
tain environmental factors influencing
pigmentation.

race wg
Bi ness
Bone. rs or
wie Se
Mise “Anh y-
wets We
nf “> ro en
Weed f'n tit
By? Sleek.
woe ees
en 5) See
wpe? ’
eee Gee
ict et
oes York
yeas eH

wie RRA ed
BG Gud
es, Van
AR een
ae 4 2 L Avet
ocean ee 3
Heke ieee
tay eked
“eee Rete
as ale}
22450 - sod
AS, TEA
fai: tse

Tmm.

Fig. 1.—Dorsal stripe pattern of
Geoplana varigata.

At present, Wellington Plains, Gip-
psland, is the only known Victorian
locality of G. varigata, and the status
of this land planarian is considered
rare.

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

For advice and access to the collec-
tions of the National Museum of
Victoria, I thank Dr. Brian Smith,
Curator of Invertebrates, N.M.V., and
for help in collection of specimens, I
thanks members of the F.N.C.V. Field
Survey Group.

REFERENCE
Fletcher, J. J., and Hamilton, A. C.
(1887). Notes on Australian Land
Planarians with descriptions of some

new species. Part 1. Proc. Linn. Soc.
N.S.W.2: 349-374.

Corregenda

IN SEARCH OF RUDD’S ROCKS

Some small errors and omissions were inadvertently introduced into this
article which appeared in the previous issue:
p. 214 — Beginning of column two should read —
22/8b From the Black Box at the start of the Line 4 should read —
23/8a As for 22/8a. On this early
p. 215 — Column one, after line eleven, insert —
23/8b Black Flat to Big Tree and return.
Column two, eighteenth line should read —
...meter. Thus details on the map are not
p. 218 — Column one, last line should read —
and with the exception of the Crested Bell-
Column two, first line should read —

bird, not difficult to note

September, 1973

265

The Field Naturalists Club of Victoria

General Meeting — 13 August

The hall was well filled with members
and visitors to hear Mr. Ken Simpson
speak on “Birds of the Tasman”. Mr.
Simpson is author of the book “Birds in
Bass Strait” and has recently been study-
ing the distribution of penguins. His
talk was illustrated with a large collec-
tion of slides from different sources, both
in Australia and New Zealand.

Among the exhibits at the meeting
were a few small rock specimens col-
lected by Mr. Jim Baines in a quarry
near Bacchus Marsh where, last year, a
number of fossilized Diprotodon skele-
tons were discovered. Mr. Simpson,
who has worked with a Museum party
on the site, spoke briefly about the dis-
coveries and the problems in recovering
fragile fossil material.

At the opening of the meeting the Pre-
sident, Mr. Peter Kelly, announced the
death of Club member Miss Janet Raff;
Mr. Swaby spoke of her life and work,
recalling his first meeting with her when
he studied at Melbourne’ University
where Miss Raff worked for many years.

The full Treasurer’s report was avail-
able, having already been dealt with by
Council; Mr. McInnes drew attention to
the success of the publication ‘Flowers
and Plants of Victoria’ by Cochrane,
Fuhrer, Rotherham and Willis, which
had been supported by the Club and
from which we have received almost
$3,000 as our share of royalties. The
success of this book, now completely sold
out, has greatly helped the Club’s
finances over the past five years.

Members were concerned to hear re-
ports of a proposal to build a chair lift
betwen Hall’s Gap and The Pinnacle.
as part of extensive tourist development
in the Grampians, and further informa-
tion on the nature and effect of this pro-
posed construction will be sought.

The Secretary had a display of corres-
pondence, cuttings and notices on the
board and dealt with a few matters in
detail. Notice was received of a large
convention to be held in 1974 organized
by the Australian Forestry Council to
discuss the future of the forestry and
timber industries in Australia. This con-
vention seems likely to be of particular
interest to conservation groups.

The Secretary also drew attention to
the establishment of a Commonwealth

266

Committee of Enquiry into the National
Estate. The Conservation Council of
Victoria, with which the Club is affi-
liated, is calling for information to help
in the preparation of a submission to
this Committee. The C.C.V. is also
gathering information towards the for-
mulation of a policy on quarrying, and
is looking into problems of fire protec-
tion work by public authorities, and
effects of fire protection on the environ-
ment. Any Club member who can as-
sist in these matters may communicate
directly with the C.C.V. or through a
Club delegate.

Botany Group — 9 August

There was a very full programme at
this months Botany Group meeting.
The main topic was “Wattles” with a
large display of living and pressed speci-
mens contributed by members; several
people spoke about their exhibits. The
second part of the programme was a
short talk with slides of the Waram-
bungle Range by Miss Pat Carolan. Un-
fortunately this was arranged at the last
moment and could not be advertised in
the Naturalist; however quite a number
of those going on the spring excursion
were at the meeting and enjoyed the
preview of the area.

The Flower of the Month was the
genus Juncus, the main characteristics
of the sections Thalassici and Genuini
were discussed with the aim of following
up on Mrs. Matches comprehensive talk
in May on Sedges and Rushes.

A report was received on the excursion
to the Ocean Grove Nature Reserve
where the group had a most enjoyable
day led by Messrs. Owen Andrews and
Jack Wheeler of the Committee of Man-
agement. A plant list was compiled and
will be forwarded after determination of
one or two puzzling species. The group
was impressed with the educational
potential of the reserve particularly for
school groups, and the small handbook
published by Geelong Field Naturalists’
Club is an added asset.

There will be no excursion in August
due to holiday trips by group members,
but plans are in hand for a day trip to
the Blackwood area on 30th September.
Anyone interested in this trip who will
not be attending the September meeting
can obtain details from the group Sec-
retary, Mrs. M. Corrick (tel. 857 9937).

Vict. Nat. Vol. 90

Day Group Report

On Thursday, 16 August, the group
gathered at Princes Bridge. There was a
muster of 14, a very good attendance
considering the wintry conditions and the
absence interstate of many of our re-
gulars.

A few paces and we were admiring
the work of M.C.C. gardeners who had
so well replaced all the mess and un-
tidiness that had been made in con-
structing the Alexandra Road underpass.
Our stroll took us through formal gar-
dens and pleasant open park land in the
Alexandra and Queen Victoria Gardens
and the King’s Domain. The statuary
and the two pavilions were centres of
interest. The sunken garden that is a
memorial to the Pioneer Women of Vic-
toria held members’ attention for some
time. We sought the shelter of the Myer
Music Bowl for lunch. Our meeting was
held there, too, despite very noisy oppo-
sition from a large but orderly school
party lunching in the far corner. The
floral clock in St. Kilda Road was the
last garden item to be inspected.

At two o’clock we met two guides
waiting for us just inside the Bell Tower
entrance to St. Paul’s Cathedral. Here
we found much that was of absorbing
interest to members. Expert craftsman-
ship was seen all round — in fine carving
in wood and stone, stained glass, ceramic
tiling and mosaics, brass, bronze and
wrought iron, needlework and tapestries
— all this in a beautiful interior of noble
proportions. Generous use had_ been
made of Australian blackwood while
black bean was also seen as well as im-
ported cedar and oak. Bluestone alter-
nated with bands of sandstone in the
clustered pillars. The many lovely
marbles used included stone from Bega,
N.S.W., Devon, Belgium and _Italy.
Among the granites used our Harcourt
stone found a warm and useful place.
Members considered this hour and a half
in the quiet of the Cathedral as time
well spent.

Field Survey Group

July Camp

The July camp concentrated on several
areas around the perimeter of the
O’Shannasy Watershed, including the
Acheron Way and Big River. The
thirteen members who attended col-
lected a large number of invertebrates
and lower plants despite the absence of
night survey due to the cold conditions.
The area provided good species of fungi,
lichens, mosses, liverworts and _ ferns,
especially Blechnum spp. Only two
species of frogs were recorded during
the weekend, due to the cold conditions;
but invertebrates collected included three
species of Scolpedrid centipedes, four
species of native slaters, flatworms,
spiders and non-marine molluscs.
August Camp

Seven members and one visitor from
the “Field Nats” at Bendigo attended
the camp in the Strathbogies. Despite
cold conditions night surveying provided
data on seven species of frogs in the
area. Eight species of slaters and three
Mygalomorphs were collected as well
as several species of flatworms, non-
marine molluscs, centipedes and milli-
pedes. Cunningham’s Skink, Striped
Skink and Water Skink were also noted.
In the plant world numerous species of
fungi were collected, including some in-
teresting puffballs, and five species of
liverworts and one of Anthoceros. Of
particular interest in the liverworts were
two species bearing sporophytes.
July Meeting

The speaker for the evening was Mrs.
Jan Watson; and her subject was
“Marine Surveying’. Mrs. Watson gave
a fascinating insight into the work that
she has been doing along various parts
of the coast around Australia, as well
as explaining many of the sampling and
collecting techniques that she uses. The
interest shown was obvious in the large
number of questions that she was asked.
The evening closed, as usual, with coffee
and biscuits.

Notice to Contributors

It is important that material submitted for publication should preferably be
typewritten on foolscap or quarto sheets at double spacing, and with a 2.5-3 cm
(1”) margin on the left. No underlining of words should appear unless abso-

lutely necessary.

Where dates occur, the day should precede the month, e.g. 15 May 1972 not

May 15 1972.

September, 1973

267

field Naturalists Club of Victoria

Established 1880

OBJECTS: To stimulate interest in natural history and to preserve
and protect Australian fauna and flora.

Patron:
His Excellency Major-General Sir ROHAN DELACOMBE, K.B.E., C.B., D.S.O.

Key Office-Bearers, 1972-1973.

President:
Mr. P. KELLY

Hon. Secretary: Mr. R. H. RIORDAN, 15 Regent St., East Brighton, 3187. 92 8579

Treasurer: H. BISHOP. Address Correspondence to National Herbarium, The
Domain, South Yarra.

Subscription Secretary: Mr. D. E. McINNES, 129 Waverley Rd., East Malvern, 3145.
Hon. Editor: Mr. G. M. WARD, 54 St. James Road, Heidelberg 3084.

Hon. Librarian: Mr. J. MARTINDALE, c/o National Herbarium, The Domain,
South Yarra.

Hon. Excursion Secretary: Miss M. ALLENDER, 19 Hawthorn Avenue, Caulfield
3161. (522749.)

Magazine Sales Officer: Mr. D. McINNES
Archives Officer: Mr. CALLANAN.

Group Secretaries
Botany: Mrs. M. G. CORRICK, 7 Glenluss St., Balwyn 3103. Tel. 857 9937.
Day Group: Mrs. J. STRONG, 1160 Dandenong Rd., Murrumbeena (56 2271).

Entomology and Marine Biology: Mr. J. W. H. ONS Flat 11, “Palm Court”,
1160 Dandenong Rd., Murrumbeena 3163 (56 2271).

Field Survey: Miss L. BARRACLOUGH, 4-7 Chrystobel, Cres., Hawthorn, 3122
Geology: Mr. T. SAULT.

Mammal Survey: Mr. D. KELLY, c/o 14 Finnigan’s Road, Research, 3095.
Microscopical: Mr. M. H. MEYER, 36 Milroy Street, East Brighton (96 3268).

MEMBERSHIP
Membership of the F.N.C.V. is open to any person interested in natural history.
The Victorian Naturalist is distributed free to all members, the club’s reference and
lending library is available, and other activities are indicated in reports set out in the
several preceding pages of this magazine.

Rates of Subscriptions for 1973.

Ordinary Members 3 5.00 i A ee So ee fal ee oo $7.00
CountnyaaMemibers). =a. © oles. 4... oes = wa ge) SER ra Bi ae eres Si cee $5.00
Joint Members .. ns as ~~ a: Ey a re ere Minn Weel orn ne MG pg volo. * av $2.00
Junior Members (under: 18 years) «... 5 2. Ns wae | See ee $2.00
Junion Members receiving: Viet: Nati. ss 00 ch. ee Piel a cae et 2 $4.00
Subscribers to Vict. Nat. eae Omi) Oe Syl ial SE SIS Sirs a NR oe $5.00
Overseas Subscribers : i te ee es sO nm AG Do | oo. ac $6.00
Affiliated’ Societies. (00d) Pe Se ae Enos RG et ee er $7.00
Supporting Members . ee mn OEE ho LOLI
Life Membership (reducing after 20. years) Sehr nase aie waa sha) EO Rate eer OBO

The cost of individual copies of the Vict. Nat. will be 45 cents “152 cents — overseas requests).
Full-time Students between 18 and 2! years pay at Junior Member rates.

All subscriptions should be made payable to the Field Naturalists Club of Victoria, and posted
to the Subscription Secretary.

) JENKIN, BUXTON & CO. PTY. LTD., PRINTERS, WEST MELBOURNE

OCTOBER, 1973

Published by the
FIELD NATURALISTS CLUB OF VICTORIA

in which is incorporated the Microscopical Society of Victoria

4.5 c

Registered in Australia for transmission by post as a periodical.
Category “A”

F.N.C.V. DIARY OF COMING EVENTS
GENERAL MEETING

Monday, 8 October — At National Herbarium, The Domain, South Yarra, com-
mencing 8 p.m.
Subject for Evening — “Symposium on the McAlister Water Shed.”
(Speakers from within F.N.C.V.)
New Members —
Ordinary:
Mr. W. John Collins, 43 Kenmare St., Box Hill North, 3129.
Mr. William G. Franzke, 7 Tudor Court, Glen Waverley, 3150 (Lepidoptera).
Mrs. Sybil Manser, 99 Wright St., Sunshine, 3020 (Microscopy).
Mr. John Taylor, 33 Westgarth St., East Malvern, 3145.
Mrs. N. Mead, 23 Munro Ave., Ashburton, 3147 (Native Plants).
Joint:
Mr. Peter Anders and Mrs. Ruth Anders, 7 Barrington Drive, Ashwood, 3147.
Mr. James A. H. Mattiske and Mrs. Janet Mattiske, 7 Jobert Court, Blackburn South,
3130 (Ecology, Botany).
Mr. Ian K. Monkhouse and Miss Sandra Monkhouse, 4 Churchill Way, Kilsyth, 3137
(Mammals, Trees and Birds).
Mr. and Mrs. D. R. Robertson, 66 Livingstone Rd., Eltham, 3095.
Country:
Mr. Robin D. Wallis, King St., Rainbow 3424 (Geology).

GROUP MEETINGS
(8 p.m. at the National Herbarium unless otherwise stated)
Thursday, 11 October — Botany Group.
Wednesday, 17 October — Microscopical Group.

Thursday, 18 October — Day Group. Latrobe University. Members going by bus
to meet at bus terminal in University grounds at 11.30a.m. Bus leaves north-
east corner of Cotham and Burke Roads at 10.30a.m. Cars meet before
11.30 a.m. at eastern car park near Glenn College. Tea, coffee and cups supplied
by Latrobe.

Thursday, 25 October — F.S.G. General Meeting at 8 p.m. in Conference Room,
National Museum, Victoria.

Thursday, 1 November—M.S.G. Meeting at 8 p.m. in Arthur Rylah Research Institute,
123 Brown Street, Heidelberg.

Monday, 5 November — Entomology and Marine Biology Group Meeting at 8 p.m.
in the Library Conference Room at the National Museum.

Wednesday, 7 November — Geology Group.
Thursday, 8 November — Botany Group.

F.N.C.V. EXCURSIONS

Sunday, 21 October — Angahook Forest Park. The coach will leave from Batman
Avenue at 9.30 a.m. Fare $3.00 — bring two meals.

Tuesday, 6 November (Cup Day) — President’s Picnic to Werribee Gorge. All
members are welcome, but a special invitation is extended to the Junior
Branches. The coach will leave Batman Avenue at 9a.m. (please note time)
and a stop will be made in Bacchus Marsh at 10 a.m. where members travelling
by car can join the party, or if preferred can proceed direct to the picnic area
on Mr. J. Myer’s property which is reached through a cattle grid near the 37-mile
post where a F.N.C.V. sign will be displayed. The coach fare will be $2.50,
but there will be a special junior concession price of 50 cents for juniors who
are not travelling by car which should be paid to the excursion secretary, Miss
M. Allender, by 21 October. Bring a picnic lunch and a snack for tea.

Wednesday, 26/12/1973-Tuesday, 1/1/1974— Port Campbell. A coach has been
chartered for this excursion which will be used for day trips to surrounding
areas, probably including a visit to Tower Hill and another to the Otways, but
the excursion secretary would be glad of suggestions from those knowing the
area well. Motel accommodation for the members travelling by coach has been
booked on a dinner, bed and breakfast basis, quoted at $11.00 per day at time
of booking. Coach fare: $24.00.

270 3 | Vict. Nat. Vol. 90

The
Victorian Naturalist

Editor: G. M. Ward

Assistant Editor: G. Douglas

Vol. 90, No. 10 3 October, 1973

CONTENTS

Articles:

A Buried Soil with Fossil Gilgai within the Volcanic Deposits at Terang,
Western Victoria. By E. B. Joyce and M. J. Knight... ae = gr)!

Origin of Generic Names of the Victorian Flora Part 1 (cont.).
By James A Baines ae i ey, oe ‘ir os a ae oe eo

Report of New Discoveries of Aboriginal Painted Shelters in the Victoria Range
By Aldo Massola . ee, oe ae A ae ae sass e: .., « 280

Ecological Studies on the Bennison High Plains.
By T. P. Farrell and D. H. Ashton He os oe ae oi tee 286

Field Naturalists’ Club of Victoria:
Diary of Coming Events .. a3 ae os a a be ss suet aa
Group Reports . ns <a by ans a ¥ Ss ae a sg 299

Front Cover:

Moloch horridus, caught south of Atula Station, Northern Territory. It
was photographed by Miss Dianna Harrison.

October, 1973 271

A Buried Soil with Fossil Gilgai within
the Volcanic Deposits at Terang, Western
Victoria

by

E. B. JoycE* AND M. J. KNIGHT*T

INTRODUCTION

A section exposed during recent
road work at Terang in Western Vic-
toria has allowed a more detailed study
of the ash sequence and soils. This
report records the result of examina-
tion soon after the cutting was com-
pleted, as the exposure is now de-
teriorating.

Terang township lies 137 miles west
of Melbourne on the Princes Highway,
and is built on the northern rim of a
wide crater known locally as “Lake
Terang”, although the lake which
existed in the crater during the last
century is now gone. A volcanic cone
known as Mt. Terang lies immediately
outside the north-west rim, and part of
the town including the hospital is built
on its slopes (Fig. 1).

The area has been described by
Grayson and Mahony (1910), Walcott
(1919) and Gill (1953); Ollier and
Joyce (1964), and later Ollier (1967),
discussed these two volcanoes when
describing the Newer Volcanics of
Victoria, which overall range in age
from Upper Pliocene to Holocene.
The Terang area is covered by the
Colac 1:250,000 sheet of the Geo-
logical Survey of Victoria (1967), and
maps were also provided by Grayson
and Mahony (1910) and Gill (1953).

Lake Terang has the size and
general appearance of the numerous
maar craters with surrounding tuff
rings which are found in Western Vic-
toria in the area between Colac and
Warrnambool, and Ollier and Joyce
(1964) described it as a maar. Mt.
Terang might at first appear to be re-
lated to the Lake Terang maar erup-
tion, in the way that cones such as

272

Mt. Leura or those at Tower Hill re-
present the last stages of activity fol-
lowing the maar eruption which
produced the main crater.

However, the known exposures have
always suggested a more complicated
picture. On the eastern flank of Mt.
Terang in Seymour Street is an old
quarry, now being filled in, and this
shows that Mt. Terang is built of
bedded yellow lapilli and ash, with a
thin lava flow or flows on the flank
(Table II).

The north and east rim of Lake
Terang in the township area shows
lapilli overlain by a lava flow or flows;
this was first noted by Bonwick (1858,
p. 41). The Terang Catholic Church
on the south-eastern part of the rim
is built on a platform of the same lava,
which outcrops below the church and
also further around the rim below the
cemetery (see Fig. 1). The lava may
include more than one flow, and in
places is composed of layers about
30 cm thick.

This lava forming the rim of Lake
Terang was called the “Earlier Basalt”
by Grayson and Mahony (1910), and
they referred to the lava on Mt.
Terang as the “Later Basalt”; they also
gave analyses which indicate a distinct
difference in composition between the
two lavas.

Above the lava on the south side of
Lake Terang and east of the cemetery,
Gill (1953) has described ‘volcanic
agglomerate consisting of coarse
lapilli, scoria and basalt” and present
cemetery excavations are producing

*School of Geology, University of Melbourne.

(tNow at Land Utilization, D.A.S.F., Box 1863,
Boroko, Port Moresby, P.N.G.)

Vict. Nat. Vol. 90

weathered lapilli, scoria, basalt frag-
ments and fragments of the underlying
Tertiary sediments. Walcott (1919)
mentioned that a well put down “on
the eastward outward slope of the lake
near the cemetery . . . passed through
about 80 feet of tuff...”

The usual result of maar eruption is
to produce a wide crater surrounded
by a ring of “tuff”, this being a
general term to refer to ash, lapilli,
and even scoria, blocks and bombs.
The agglomerate found around Lake
Terang is rather coarser than at most
maars in Victoria, but similar tuff

rings are known locally. One prob-
lem is that the tuff surrounding the
local maars is normally distributed in
an annular ring around the crater, be-
ing highest on the downwind or
eastern side. Although this is not the
case at Lake Terang, the coarseness
of the ejecta may offer an explana-
tion for its more irregular distribution.

Gill (1953) described Lake Terang
as a “maar-like caldera” which had
been formed by subsidence following
‘a short and rather violent” eruption.
However, it seems more probable that
the crater was formed by the ejection

—

——Z+-s—

Basalt

Tuff
Agglomerate
Basalt

Cemetery

o o GF) fl fo

Fossil Gilgai
in Cutting
Dip in
10
a bedding
Quarry

| Q

Fa ca a |

| Mile
J

a aa ane

1 11/2 Km ‘i

Fig. 1—Map of Terang area showing location of road cutting with fossil gilgai.

October, 1973

273

Old pipeliney

Wood found here.

(7-Sm from speed sign;
10cm below layer 4 )

Fig. 2.—Sketch of the north-west facing cutting on the Princes Highway, one mile
from Terang Post Office.

of material during a normal maar
eruption which need not involve sub-
sidence.

THE NEw RoabD CUTTING

This cutting is on the Princes High-
way one mile south-west of Terang
Post Office (Fig. 2). Six major de-
positional beds or layers can be dis-
tinguished. They are composed of
volcanic ash, lapilli, and agglomerate
(see Fig. 3 and Plate I). Detailed
descriptions of the layers and soils are
given by Knight (1971), and sum-
marized here in Table I.

It is of interest to note that Walcott
(1919) mentioned agglomerate near
Mt. Terang, and this may be the
material now exposed in the new road
cutting.

Layers 1, 2 and 3 were laid down
successively during one period of vol-
canic activity. Deposition then ceased,
the top of layer 3 being the new
ground surface. There was sufficient
time for a soil over 1 m thick to form

= ey

UE CU

alah

on layers 2 and 3, which show infilled
burrows, root channels and_ black
stains on crack surfaces, similar to
features which may be found on cer-
tain types of soil forming today.

Layer 2 was deposited as an ash
which subsequently weathered to a
swelling clay. This layer and layer 3
vary in thickness (see Plate I). The
undulation of their contact is in part
due to the swelling of the clay in
layer 2.

After the soil had formed, vertical
cracks open to the surface at the top
of layer 3 may have allowed the entry
of water, so that the clay of layer 2
would have swelled faster at some
places than in others, resulting in the
ground surface being pushed up into
a series of mounds, depressions and
flat areas. The pattern of microrelief
formed in this way is known as
“gilgai”. Gilgai occurring on present
day ground surfaces have been dis-
cussed by Stace et al. (1968, p. 415).

0

Fig. 3.—Layers exposed in road cutting. (N.B.: 7 is debris from road works; natural
surface at top of 6.)

274

Vict. Nat. Vol. 90

Most of the mounds were subse-
quently eroded, and in some places
layer 3 was completely removed to
expose the clay core, layer 2 (see
Plate I, to left of scale). An even sur-
face of erosion was produced, sloping
south-east at 2° down the side of Mt.
Terang towards Lake Terang (i.e. into
the section in Plate I).

Later volcanic activity deposited the
thin band of ash, layer 4, which
covered the eroded gilgai, and further
ash deposits followed (layers 5 and 6,
Fig. 3).

Near the top of layer 5 are burrows
or large root holes which have been
infilled by material from layer 6.
These features suggest that there may
have been a break in deposition and
further weathering after layer 5 was
deposited and before the deposition
of layer 6. However, it is possible that
layer 6 was already present and as the
cavities developed the material of
layer 6 moved down into them. The
uppermost layer is partly weathered to
give a dark brown silty loam.

Charred wood fragments were col-
lected from layer 3 and these had
probably been incorporated into layer
3 during or after deposition, and
before the deposition of ash layer 4.
Much of the carbon was found to
have been replaced by iron oxides,
and the amount of carbon remaining
proved insufficient for dating. Later
inspection has failed to find any
further wood fragments.

VOLCANIC SEQUENCE AT TERANG

The evidence from the new cutting
can now be used to discuss the vol-
canic sequence (see Table II).

The oldest volcanic material in the
area is probably the tuff or bedded
lapilli which forms the lake rim on
the north and east side, next to the
town, where it is overlain by lava.
The lapilli are up to 1 cm across, and
bombs are present, as Walcott (1919)

October, 1973

noted, and this suggests a nearby
origin for the tuff. A possible source
is Pejark Marsh, 2km to the north-
east.

Both Walcott (1919) and Gill (1953)
correlate this tuff with tuff found at
Pejark Marsh in association with
bones of extinct marsupials and an
aboriginal artefact. However, they do
not necessarily distinguish this tuff,

Fig. 4.—Schematic representation of the
sequence in the road cutting.

(See Table I for explanation.)

Pais

overlain by the lava, from the tuff of
Mt. Terang (see Table II).

The lava of the lake rim was identi-
fied by Grayson and Mahoney (1910)
as the “Earlier Basalt”, and this lava
may have come from a vent or vents
some distance away, probably to the
north.

The same lava outcrops on _ the
inner wall of Lake Terang below the
cemetery, and below the Catholic
Church. At the cemetery it is suc-
ceeded upslope and presumably over-
lain by the agglomerate which forms
the high southern part of the rim.
This agglomerate is correlated with
that found in the lower part of the
new cutting (layers 1, 2 and 3), and
is interpreted as the product of a
maar-type eruption which broke
through the earlier layers of tuff and
lava, and formed the crater now
known as Lake Terang.

A long period of weathering, soil
formation and. gilgai development
followed. Then a new period of vol-
canic activity commenced, building the
ash cone of Mt. Terang, burying the
gilgai soil developed on the agglo-
merate, and also producing some lava.

Gill (1953) has suggested that Lake
Terang erupted comparatively recently
but the evidence from the new cutting
would suggest that Mt. Terang is the
younger volcano at Terang, and some
considerable time must have elapsed
between the two periods of activity
to allow the development of a gilgai
soil over | m thick, and then its trun-
cation by erosion.

As no evidence for renewed erup-
tion at a point has been found else-
where in Victoria, it seems most

likely that the Mt. Terang eruption
was a separate and unrelated event to
the earlier Lake Terang eruption.

Plate I—Road cutting on Princes Highway at Terang. Scale six foot. Looking
south-east, with Lake Terang in the background (see also Fig. 3).

276

Vict. Nat. Vol. 90

However, the complete volcanic
history of the area around Terang still
remains to be solved, and further study
of the tephrochronology or sequence
of ash layers may help to determine
this.

CONCLUSION

Two separate and unrelated periods
of volcanic activity have occurred at
Terang. Between the two periods, suf-

ficient time elapsed for a gilgai soil to
form on the earlier ejecta, become
eroded and then be buried by the later
ejecta.

Acknowledgement

Geomorphology students in the
School of Geology assisted in the map-
ping of the Terang area as part of a
1970 field exercise.

REFERENCES

Bonwick, J. (1858). Western Victoria; Its
Geography, Geology and Social Con-
dition. Thomas Brown, Geelong (re-
published by William Heinemann, Aus-
tralia Pty. Ltd., Melbourne, 1970).

Gill, E. D. (1953). Geological Evidence
in Western Victoria Relative to the
Antiquity of the Australian Aborigine.
Mem. Nat. Mus. Vic., No. 18, pp. 26-
92.

Grayson, H.J., and Mahony, D. J. (1910).
The Geology of the Camperdown and
Mount Elephant Districts. Mem. Geol.
Surv. Vict., No. 9, pp. 26.

Knight, M. J. (1971). Structural Analysis
of Selected Duplex Soils. Ph.D. thesis,
School of Geology, University of Mel-
bourne, pp. 399-425.

Ollier, C. D. (1967). Landforms of the
Newer Volcanic Province of Victoria,
in Landform Studies from Australia
and New Guinea, ed. J. N. Jennings
and J. A. Mabbutt, pp. 315-339. A.N.U.
Press, Canberra.

Ollier, C. D., and Joyce, E.B. (1964).
Volcanic Physiography of the Western
Plains of Victoria. Proc. Roy. Soc.
Vict., 77 (2) pp. 357-376.

Stace, H. C. T. et al. (1968). “A Hand-
book of Australian Soils’, Rellim
Technical Publications, Glenside, S.A.,
pp. 435.

Walcott, R. H. (1919). The Origin of the
Volcanic Tuff of Pejark Marsh, Vic-
tora. Proc...Roy.: Soc. Vict." 32):
pp. 1-10.

TABLE I

DESCRIPTION OF LAYERS IN ROAD CUTTING
(See Fig. 4)

Layer

Description

6. Very dark brown ash (10 YR 2/2) weathered to a loam.

5. Ash, olive brown (2.5 YR 4/4), well bedded, cross-bedding (C.B.), burrows or
holes (B) up to 1 foot in diameter infilled with lapilli; large cracks (Cr) infilled

with lapilli.

4. Ash, greyish yellow (2.5 YR 7/2), fine cross-bedding, ripple marks (R) on the

layer’s upper surface.

3. Ash, dull reddish brown (5 YR 4/4), many infilled burrows, root channels, black
stains on ped surfaces, friable crumb structure, charred wood fragment. Undu-

latory contact with layer 2.

N

Clay with a few weathered lapilli, very dark brown (7.5 YR 2/3), strongly

cracked, a few infilled burrows, black stains and slickensides on ped surfaces.

Undulatory contact with layer 3.

1. Agglomerate containing pieces of Tertiary limestone and basalt.

Deposit is

mottled dull reddish brown (5 YR 4/4), and orange (7.5 YR 6/8).

October, 1973

277

CEMETERY:

QUARRY: NEW ROAD NORTH-EAST
SEQUENCE MT. TERANG CUTTING LAKE RIM: LAKE
TERANG TERANG
Present Surface
DEVELOP-
f MENT OF Son
PRESENT
SOIL
LAVA 3m
ERUPTION with scoria
MT. TERANG cover sharp | Present Surface
E —— contact ——|—____—
tuff and lava SOIL
TUFF 8*m TUFF 1.5m
layers 4, 5,6
Present Surface
—?—?—?)? — eae Aa
D PERIOD OF BURIED SOIL
WEATHERING WITH GILGAI SOIL
LAKE TERANG page te al AGGLOMERATE
C MAAR layers 1.23 6-10m
ERUPTION sae Present Surface
— ?— ?— ? —|— 9? — 2? — 2? —
EARLY LAVA SOIL
FLOW(s)
B_ possible LAVA 3-6m LavA 3m
source to
north
—?—?—?—
EARLY TUFF
ERUPTION T 3+
A possible ike
source
Pejark Marsh MOR a iy
TERTIARY
SEDIMENTS
TABLE II.—VOLCANIC SEQUENCE AT TERANG.
278 Vict. Nat. Vol. 90

The Origin of Generic Names of the Victorian Flora

Part 1 — The Person behind the Name
[continued from 90 (9)]

by JAMES A. BAINES

*Sieglingia. Named by Bernhardi
after Siegling. S$. decumbens (Heath
Grass) has in turn been placed in
Festuca, Triodia and Danthonia.

Sigesbeckia. Named by L. after
Johann Georg Siegesbeck (1686-1755),
director of the Apothecary’s Physic
Garden at St. Petersburg, his bitter
opponent, the plant being an insigni-
ficant weedy composite. Siegesbeck
had severely criticized the sexual basis
of the Linnean classification system,
saying: “Never would God allow such
detestable vice within the vegetable
kingdom, that several men should own
a communal wife, and in certain com-
posite flowers, a husband have a mis-
tress so near to his wife.” He deplored
that “such a lewd system should be
taught to young students”. Linnaeus
sent him seeds of S. orientalis through
Baron Bjelke, but wrote on the packet
Cuculus ingratus, i.e. “ungrateful
cuckoo”, thus gaining a humorous
revenge!

smithii is not a generic name, but is
included because Eugenia smithii, the
Lilly-pilly, native to East Gippsland
and Wilson’s Promontory, was named
after Sir James Edward Smith (1759-
1828), who named many plants in our
flora. The genus Smithia in the family
Papilionaceae (Fabaceae) is repre-
sented in Queensland, but its 70
species are mainly in tropical Africa
and Asia. In 1784 Smith purchased
Linnaeus’s collections, and founded
the Linnean Society four years later.
The society bought the herbarium on
Smith’s death for £3,000. His English
Botany (1790-1814) was illustrated by
James Sowerby’s 2,592 very lovely
colour plates. He was M.D., F.R.S.,

October, 1973

was born, lived and died at Norwich;
his widow was nearly 104 when she
died.

Sowerbaea. Named by Smith after
James Sowerby (1757-1822), F.L.S.,
botanical artist, who illustrated Smith’s
36 volumes on the English flora (see
previous entry). Three sons and a
grandson were all botanists and artists.
He also illustrated Hortus Kewensis
and English Fungi (1797-1809) and
did drawings of lichens.

Sprengelia. Named by Smith in
1794 after Kurt Polycarp Joachim
Sprengel (1766-1833), a German
botanist and physician, author of his-
tories of medicine, surgery, and bot-
any, a handbook of pathology. John-
son’s Gardener's Dictionary states that
the genus was named after C.
Sprengel; if this is correct, it would be
Christian Konrad Sprengel (1750-
1816), uncle of the former, also a
botanist, who was the first to point
out (1793) the part played by insects
in the fertilization of flowers. As this
would be topical at the time Smith
named the genus, the latter origin
seems more likely than that usually
given.

Stackhousia. Named by Smith in
1798 after John Stackhouse (1742-
1819), F.L.S., a Cornish botanist who
wrote mainly on seaweeds. He was a
botanical artist, and discovered Viola
lactea. A relative, Emily Stackhouse,
depicted the mosses of Cornwall, while
T. Stackhouse, who died in 1886 at
the mouth of the Clarence River, was
the founder and first honorary secre-
tary of the Linnean Society of
N.S.W.

(To be Continued)

279

Report of New Discoveries and Notes on
Older Aboriginal Painted Shelters in the
Victoria Range, Grampians

by ALDO MASSOLaA*

In May of this year a small party?
organized to visit two new painted
shelters lately discovered by Mr. Ellis
Tucker, of Brit Brit, met in the vicinity
of Red Rock Creek, in the western
foothills of the Victoria Range, Gram-
pians.

Red Rock Creek arises in the fast-
ness of the Victoria Range, and after
a short, but tempestuous run through
steep, rocky and_ broken terrain
reaches the flat country about 1 km
(about 0.62 miles) south of Red Rock.
This is the name given to a large
rockmass the face of which is devoid
of vegetation and marked by pro-
minent red scars. Although it is not
really close to it, it is this rock which
gives the creek its name.

This area had already yielded one
painted rock shelter; it was discovered
by Dr. and Mrs. J. M. Agar in March,
19662 and called Red Rock Creek
Shelter No. 1. This shelter, inci-
dentally, was visited and _ rephoto-
graphed on the present occasion by
our party, and the observant Dr.
Elder discovered an unreported design
about 35m (40 ft.) to the left of the
main group described by Dr. Agar.
It is a “kangaroo” track 51 mm (about
2”) long, partly hidden under the yel-
lowish fungoid growth already re-
ported by Dr. Agar. This “kangaroo”
track could be the top drawing of an-
other group of paintings now hidden
by the fungus, or could be a lone
representation, these being by no
means rare in the Grampians; but in
either case it must not be forgotten
when the final account of the Gram-
pian paintings is drawn up.

280

RED RocK CREEK No. 2

The first of the new shelters we
had come to inspect is approximately
1 km (about 0.62 miles) south-east of,
and on the opposite side of Red Rock
Creek from No. 1. Once again, it is
not, strictly speaking, a shelter, but
one of those huge overhanging tors so
common in the Victoria Range. It
faces north, and the paintings, exe-
cuted in red ochre on the rock face,
are protected from direct rain by the
overhang but are otherwise exposed
to the weather and, consequently, are
now badly faded, and it is safe to
assume that many elements have dis-
appeared altogether.

The extant paintings consist of two
groups of human figures, about 43 m
(about 15 ft.) apart, the left group de-
picting four figures, standing, with legs
widespread and the hands held high
above the head. This is the accepted
corroboree position, and the figures
are shown wearing a dance “apron”,
which is clearly visible falling be-
tween the legs.

It is the disproportionate size of
the hands in relation to the body, how-
ever, that impresses most, and the
figures appear to be only subsidiary to
them. On the first figure to the left,
for instance, the length of the body
from head to feet is 152mm (about
6”), and the length of the arms held
above the head is 51mm (about 2”),
but that of each hand (with fingers
extended) is 176mm (about 7”). The
palms of the hands are 76mm (3”)
wide. The hands are, therefore, about

*4/18 Wolseley St., Mont Albert, Vic., 3127.

Vict. Nat. Vol. 90

life size (remembering that Aborigine’s
hands are smaller than the average
European’s), and drawn on the rock-
face, not stencilled or stamped like
they occur elsewhere in these ranges.
This point is important, since it is be-
lieved that the stamped or stencilled
hand is a “personal” mark, while the
drawn hand represents that of a mythi-
cal being.

This type of large handed figure is
not known from any other site in Vic-
toria, and I cannot recall having seen
it or heard of it anywhere in Australia.

The group to the right also repre-
sents dancing figures, but in these the
hands are not delineated and the
grouping of the figures differ from the
left group. They are placed in two
rows, one above the other, four in the
top and five in the bottom row, but
so close together that the arms and
legs of each figure cross those of the
figure next to it, and the legs of those
in the top row cross the raised arms
of those in the second row.

October, 1973

This treatment is obviously meant to
represent a compact body of dancers,
and is, in fact, the same as in the
corroboree scenes painted on Euro-
pean paper at the close of the last cen-
tury, both by Berak, the last of the
Yarra River tribe*, and by Tommy
Barnes, of Wahganyah, on the upper
Murray River*. The discovery of the
present painting thus shows that this
style was general in Victoria and that
the two above named Aborigines,
though using European materials were
not influenced by European art tech-
niques, as has been suggested.

Red Rock Creek No. 2 is thus one
of the most important sites so far dis-
covered in the Victoria Range, and it
is a pity that the paintings are so
badly faded and that, short of restor-
ing them, nothing can be done to
prevent them eventually disappearing
altogether.

Their age, of course, can only be
surmised. The country (Glen Isla) was
first occupied by H. N. Simson in

rae

“A

\

(ie
Figure 1

Left Panel:

The left-most and best preserved figure
in the panel. Note the four fingers in the
right hand: a not unusual trait in Abori-
ginal art.

Right Panel:
Detail showing the best preserved figures
in the group.

281

June, 1843, and he had trouble with
the Aborigines. Glen Isla homestead,
in fact, is built in the lines of a forti-
fied camp. At this time the Abori-
gines were still untouched by “civilisa-
tion” and obviously still carried out
their ceremonies. The first painted
shelter discovered in Victoria (now
known as Glen Isla No. 1) was dis-
covered by Samuel Carter, the then
owner of Glen Isla, in or about 1859.
He was on good terms with the numer-
ous natives, who had by then been
“pacified”, although they most likely
still held some ceremonies, but they
disclaimed any knowledge of the
paintings. Pleading ignorance is a
good way not to give away secrets.

The distingiushed anthropologist,
Rev. John Mathew, visited the site and
published a description of it in 1897°
and he then stated that although the
oldest among his guides professed to
having seen them “in their youth”,
they still could not find the paintings
in a day’s deliberate searching.

I take “in their youth” to mean
when they were initiated, this prob-
ably being the last time ceremonies
were held in the ranges, probably in
the early 1860's, this date coinciding
with recorded last ceremonies held
elsewhere in Victoria.

If this were so we can then take it
for granted that either the “guardian
of the site” or the totem leaders would
have come to the shelters prior to the
holding of the ceremony and repainted
(or made alive) the designs in readi-
ness for the event. This procedure
has been recorded from native infor-
mants elsewhere in Australia, and,
with variants, must have occurred in
Victoria.

Two examples will suffice to illus-
trate this point: Ian Crawford de-
scribes®’ how in the Kimberleys old
Aborigines “are careful to observe a
certain amount of protocol when they
approach the paintings’. They call

282

out to them when several yards from
the shelter “to tell them that the party
is approaching and will not harm the
paintings” and that “at the site the
Spirit must not be upset by frivolous
behaviour or, in some areas, by touch-
ing the painting. When the paintings
had to be retouched the old Abori-
ginal (in Crawford’s presence) first ad-
dressed them: “Because you are look-
ing so dull — you're not looking
bright — Ill try to draw you. I'll try
and put new paint on you people...
don’t get wild .. .” and he restored the
figure and “made only minor altera-
tions, being extremely careful to fol-
low the lines of the previous picture”,
and when he had finished he once
again addressed the figures, “I made
you very good now... you must be
very glad .2...2:

Charles Mountford describes a
painting at Wimbaraku’, a residual of
the MacDonnell Ranges in Central
Australia, which “being in a shallow
cave facing north and therefore un-
protected from the weather has to be
renovated continually. Its renovation
has no ceremonial or magic function
although a number of songs are
chanted while the designs are being
repainted.” In 1951 he saw two Abori-
ginal men, both approaching middle
age, being shown the paintings for the
first time. “An old Aboriginal taking
the right hand of each initiate in turn
rubbed it on the rock from the tail to
the head of the snake painting, then,
retracing his steps, placed the hand of
the initiate on each individual design
explaining its mythological signific-
ance ... This snake painting is con-
sidered by the local Aborigines to be
the master of all the snakes in the
desert, and they take great care not
to break any of the taboos laid down
by the ancient laws . . . they often per-
form ceremonies (at the site) because
the spirit of the painting enjoyed hear-
ing his songs being chanted.”

Vict. Nat. Vol. 90

If we take this to be an indication
as to what happened in the Victoria
Range, then the last time the paint-
ings were freshened up was in Carter’s
time, though their origin, of course,
simply goes back to the “Dreamtime”.

While on the subject of the Rev.
Mathew and Glen Isla No. 1, I take
the opportunity to explain matters to
those who have visited the shelter and
are both familiar with, and critical of
the rendition of the paintings pub-
lished by Mathew’. It is a fact that
although the individual figures are
correctly rendered, they are far from
correct in their relative position to
one another.

In the shelter the paintings are
spread over a large part of the rock
face, and Mathew copied them on a
large sheet of paper. However, in
order to include them all in the one
plate and yet retain a fairly large
scale rendition, the then editor of the
Proceedings of the Royal Society re-
grouped the figures, but omitted to
state this in the caption.

This, of course, was most unfor-
tunate, since it has caused many noted
writers (the most outspoken of whom
was my teacher, the late Dr. L.
Adam), to severely criticise Mathew.

The Reverend’s original drawing has
now been made available to me by his
son, Dr. R. Y. Mathew, and it is here
reproduced with his kind permission.
Those who are familiar with the ori-
ginal on the rockface will vouch for its
correctness, although not all the in-
numerable little strokes (apparently
representing vegetation) are shown. In
his paper Rev. Mathew frankly stated
having omitted many of them, but
claims that “those I have given show
how thickly they are distributed and
their relative length and position’.
GLEN Ista No. 5

The second shelter we had come to
inspect is a little more than 1 km (or
0.60 of a mile) south-west from Red

October, 1973

Rock Creek No. 2, almost exactly
half-way between Red Rock Creek and
Cultivation Creek and about the same
distance from Glen Isla No. 1. Be-
cause the shelter is not in the water-
shed of either of these two creeks and
it is at about an equal distance from
either of them or from Glen Isla No. 1
it has been added to the Glen Isla
series as No. 5; the preceding num-
bers being the original No. 1 with the
nearby No. 2, and Nos. 3 and 4 which
(in consultation with Mr. McCann and
Mr. Tucker) are now allotted to the
two previously unnamed sites de-
scribed by me!® as occurring in the
valley of a likewise unnamed little
creek a short distance south of Glen
Isla No: 1.

It will be understood that the plac-
ing of the several painted shelters in
series 18 for ease of location and re-
cording and has no bearing to pos-
sible stylistic variations or tribal or
mythological grouping.

Glen Isla No. 5 is a shelter caused
by the coming together of two tors.
It faces south, and is about 3.75m
(about 12 ft.) high at the “entrance”,
about 8m (about 26 ft.) wide, and
about 7.50m (about 24 ft.) deep, but
reducing sharply both in height and
width to a small hole barely large
enough for a child to crawl through at
the end. It is a commodious shelter
to sit in (not to stand in), the floor
consisting of clean and rock-free sandy
loam, probably washed in by rain
action.

Almost in the centre of the entrance
there is a rock embedded, but loose,
in the floor. It is about 140 cm (about
38”) long and varying from 23cm to
30cm (9” to 12”) in width. Because
of its position in the shelter and some
peculiarities in its shape (it even looks
as if some rough flaking has been car-
ried out on it in order to improve its
shape) it has a vague resemblance to
some nondescript animal (a lizard?)

283

emerging from the shelter. In this re-
spect it can be likened to any of the
free-standing, more or less oddly-
shaped natural stones and rocks, said
by the Aborigines to represent mythi-
cal objects or animals or ancestral
Beings, met with in sacred sites all over
Australia. It will be understood, how-
ever, that I am not claiming it to be
one, but that I am simply recording
a rock which arrested the attention
of all the members of our party.

The rock walls of this shelter have
been badly infested by a hard black
fungoid growth which threatens to
cover them entirely and which must
have hidden a number of paintings.
Those that are still visible were done
in red ochre and are badly faded and
hard to identify, the most interesting

284

being what look like two human
figures on the right side of the en-
trance. One is 23 cm (about 9”) high,
the other 13 cm (about 5”) high, and
they are placed close together and
look as if holding hands.

This motif of a tall and a short
figure placed together occurs in other
shelters in these ranges, notably Glen
Isla No. 1 and Cultivation Creek Nos.
5 and 10, and obviously belong to the
one mythological cycle.

In this shelter these two figures are
surrounded by a number of designs
now all too faded for identification
with the exception of a lizard 13cm
(about 5”) long and an emu track 5 cm
(about 2”) long, this latter situated
about 90 cm (about 3 ft.) to the left of
the central figures. Very faded designs

Aboriginal Rock Paintings in the Pa

| iow i

Scale:

Vict. Nat. Vol. 90

are also visible on the left side of the
entrance, the only distinguishable one
being an emu track about 5 cm (about
2”) long.

It is unfortunate that nothing has
been recorded on the religious life of
the Aborigines of this region. We can
only guess the totems represented by
the paintings, and we know nothing
about the associated mythology. All
we can say is that the art of both
these new shelters belongs to what we
have termed “the lizard style’.

NOTES AND LITERATURE CITED
(1) The party consisted of Ellis Tucker,
of Brit Brit; Ian McCann and Ian
Smith, of Stawell; Dr. and Mrs. N. G.
Elder and their son, James, and my-
self, of Melbourne.

(2) Agar, J. M.—A new Painted Rock

Billiminah, County of Dundas, Victoria.

0 1 inch.

October, 1973

Shelter in the Victoria Range. Vict.
Nat. v.83, 1966.

(3) Massola, A.—Painting by Berak.
Vict. Nat. 76, Feb. 1960.

(4) Massola, A.—The Aborigines of
South-East Australia as they were.
Heinemann, Melbourne, 1971.

(5) Mathew, J.—Notes on the Aboriginal
Rock Paintings in the Victoria Range,
County of Dundas. Proc. Roy. Soc.
Vic. (n.s.) TX, 1897.

(6) Crawford, I. M.—The Art of the
Wandjina. Oxford Uni. Press, Mel-
bourne, 1968.

(7) Mountford, C. P.—Wimbaraku and
the Myth of Jurapiri. Rigby, Ade-
laide, 1968.

(8) Mathew, J. ibid (3).

(9) Adam, L.—The Rock Paintings near
Glen Isla, Victoria Range, Victoria.
Mankind IV, 1952.

(10) Massola, A.—Two New Painted Shel-
ters at Glen Isla. Vict. Nat. v.76, Jan.,
1960.

285

e shelter. In this re-
spect it can be likened to any of the
free-standing, more or less oddly-
shaped natural stones and rocks, said
by the Aborigines to represent mythi-
cal objects or animals or ancestral
Beings, met with in sacred sites all over
Australia. It will be understood, how-
ever, that I am not claiming it to be
one, but that I am simply recording
a rock which arrested the attention
of all the members of our party.

The rock walls of this shelter have
been badly infested by a hard black
fungoid growth which threatens to
cover them entirely and which must
have hidden a number of paintings.
Those that are still visible were done
in red ochre and are badly faded and
hard to identify, the most interesting

emerging from th

284

being what look like two human
figures on the right side of the en.
trance. One is 23 cm (about 9”) high
the other 13 cm (about 5”) high, and
they are placed close together ang
look as if holding hands.

This motif of a tall and a short
figure placed together occurs in other
shelters in these ranges, notably Glen
Isla No. 1 and Cultivation Creek Nos.
5 and 10, and obviously belong to the
one mythological cycle.

In this shelter these two figures are
surrounded by a number of designs
now all too faded for identification
with the exception of a lizard 13 cm
(about 5”) long and an emu track 5 cm
(about 2”) long, this latter situated
about 90 cm (about 3 ft.) to the left of
the central figures. Very faded designs

are also visible on the left side of the
entrance, the only distinguishable one
being an emu track about 5 cm (about
2”) long.

It is unfortunate that nothing has
been recorded on the religious life of
the Aborigines of this region. We can
only guess the totems represented by
the paintings, and we know nothing
about the associated mythology. All
we can say is that the art of both
these new shelters belongs to what we
have termed “the lizard style”.

NOTES AND LITERATURE CITED
(1) The party consisted of Ellis Tucker,
of Brit Brit; Ian McCann and Jan
Smith, of Stawell; Dr. and Mrs. N. G.
Elder and their son, James, and my-
self, of Melbourne.
(2) Agar, J. M.—A new Painted Rock

f iy

Aboriginal Rock Paintings in the Parish} Billiminah, County of Dundas, Victoria
Scale: 3 {et to 1 inch.

Vict. Nat. Vol. 90

October, 1973

Shelter in the Victoria R i

_ Nat. v.83, 1966. po

assola, A.—Painting b
Vict. Nat. 76, Feb. 1960). a
(4) Massola, A.—The Aborigine
A gin
South-East Australia as nes
Heinemann, Melbourne, 1971.

(5) Mathew, J.—Notes on the Aboriginal
Rock Paintings in the Victoria Range,
County of Dundas. Proc. Roy, Soc.
Vic. (n.s.) IX, 1897. ;

(6) Crawford, I. M.—The Art of the
Wandjina. Oxford Uni. Press, Mel-
bourne, 1968.

(7) Mountford, C. P.—Wimbaraku and
the Myth of Jurapiri. Rigby, Ade-
laide, 1968. %

(8) Mathew, J. ibid (3).

(9) Adam, L.—The Rock Paintings near
Glen Isla, Victoria Range, Victoria,
Mankind TV, 1952.

(10) Massola, A—Two New Painted Shel-
ae Glen Isla. Vict. Nat. v.76, Jan.,

285

Ecological Studies on the Bennison
High Plains

by

T. P. FARRELL* AND D. H. ASHTON*

The conspicuous zonation of vegeta-
tion across the shallow valley of
Shaw’s Creek, near Mt. Tamboritha
at the southern edge of the Bennison
High Plains, was studied by the senior
ecology class of the Melbourne Uni-
versity Botany School in March 1969.
These sub-alpine plains are of interest
because of their relatively low altitude
and annual precipitation compared
with analogous areas to the North,
East and West. They are also of in-
terest because of their geographical
position between the east and west
Gippsland regions and because of the
presence of many mature forests and
woodlands. The plains have long been
used for summer grazing of cattle and
have been frequently, though lightly,
burnt. The first cattlemen arrived
about 1874 and today some 50 hec-
tares is leased for grazing. Grazing
effects are conspicuous and have been
accentuated by rabbits in some areas.
Wind and water erosion have occurred
and many bog areas are now trampled
and excessively drained (Costin, 1958).
A detailed species composition an-
alysis of this area of sub-alpine com-
munities can be found in Chesterfield
(i972):

GENERAL ENVIRONMENT

The Snowy Plains Land System
(Rowe and Downes, 1960) extends for
some 32 kilometres from Mt. Howitt
(1715 m) to Mt. Wellington (1606 m).
This sinuous land system is sharply
delineated by the deep valleys of the
Macalister, Wellington and Wonnan-
gatta Rivers (Fig. 1) and consist of
wooded ridges and hills separated by

286

broad treeless valleys. The topography
is dominated by low-dipping Lower
Carboniferous sandstones which are
interbedded with shales and rhyolite.
Many streams on the plain tend to
follow the strike pattern of the rocks,
which is roughly N.E.-S.W. The soils
of the area have organic-rich upper
horizons and may be a relatively shal-
low yellow brown Alpine Humus type
or a deep red-brown friable Crypto-
podzol type (Hallsworth, Costin and
Gibbons, 1953). Rocky soils are com-
mon on the warmer slopes and are
associated with outcrops of resistant
sandstone. Some of the deeper grass-
land soils show a marked change of
structure, associated with a layer of
stones, at 30-40 cm. These stones are
orientated with the broadest face
parallel to the ground surface and sug-
gest movement by solifluction pheno-
mena, possibly in the last glacial
period.

The annual precipitation of the
south end of the plains has been esti-
mated by Rowe and Downs (1960) to
be about 1270mm, of which a con-
siderable proportion falls as snow.
Summer rainfalls are often unreliable
due to erratic thunderstorms and thus
many sites are likely to suffer water
stress at times. In common with
other areas of high country, winds in
winter can be severe and snow may
be blown from exposed slopes. Shal-
low valleys are characteristically prone
to cold air accumulation leading to
periods of extreme frosting.

*Botany School, University of Melbourne,
Parkville, Vic.

Vict. Nat. Vol. 90

VEGETATION ZONATION

The study sites chosen ranged from
mature forest and woodland to lightly
grazed holding paddocks on the plain
(Plate 1). A species list for the study
site at 1370m altitude on the Benni-
son High Plains is included in Appen-
dix 1. The vegetation was studied at
the southern end of the plains across
Shaw’s Creek by a transect 1.5 km long
with plots at 13-20 m intervals. Trees
were measured in plots 30 x 10m and
all species assessed by cover classes in

MT HOW! TTa

Fig. 1.

The Snowy : \

‘
(
cx \\\
< \
5
noe eS

Plains Land
System.

G

Soe HUT
MT TAMBORITHA* ~~
(

We
l v4 ‘NGS
'N
R.

@LICOLA

October, 1973

sub-plots 10 x 1m at each site. Addi-
tional studies were made on selected
sites in the treeless areas. Soil sam-
ples were taken for analysis and tem-
peratures were measured over a period
of one week.

(a) Wooded Areas

In general the treeless areas of the
Bennison High Plains is a mosaic of
grassland, herbfield, shrubland and bog
bordered either abruptly or somewhat
diffusely by a woodland boundary
(Plate 2). This boundary consists of

MT remo
A o———N
, \

\
\\MT ARBUCKLE
WO

Nae
wig
\
4

SHAWS ‘eX

i

\\
\\
\

p)

—S
4 MT WELLINGTON

L.TARLI KARNG

* STUDY AREA

287

a more or less continuous fringe of
Eucalyptus stellulata (Black Sallee) fol-
lowed by a broad zone of E. pauciflora
var. alpina (Snow Gum) woodland.
Beyond this zone an open forest of
E. rubida (Candlebark) occurs with
E. pauciflora. Detailed work by
Chesterfield (1972) has shown that the
E. rubida forests were in fact a mix-
ture of intermediates between that
species and E. dalrympleana (Moun-
tain Gum). For convenience it will
be referred to as “E. rubida” although
on this peneplain there is a tendency
for E. dalrympleana to occupy forest
sites and E. rubida to occupy the
woodland sites. E. delegatensis (Alpine
Ash) occurs only in the sheltered mid
slopes of the east and south aspects
either in pure stands or mixed with
“E. rubida’. Most of the forested
areas are mature or relatively so and
were only lightly burnt in a regenera-
tion fire of 1962. On the higher ridges
pure E. pauciflora reappears with a
grassy or shrubby floor. This inver-
sion of the treeline and eucalypt
zonation has also been described by
Costin for the Monaro area (Costin,

288

Plate 1

General view of
the Bennison
High Plains.

Photo:
E. D. Francis

1954). The undergrowth of the mon-
tane forest of E. delegatensis and “E.
rubida” is chiefly coarse tussock grass
(Poa ensiformis), Dianella tasmanica
and occasional shield fern (Poly-
stichum proliferum). Hickory wattle
(Acacia obliquinervia) is scattered, and
regeneration of the eucalypts is oc-
curring in gaps following ground fires
of 1962. The grassy forest of “E.
rubida” and E. pauciflora contains
scattered shrubs of Leucopogon
macraei and L. hookeri, and many
herbs such as Viola, Hydrocotyle, As-
perula, Ranunculus, Geranium and
Wahlenbergia.

In the woodlands further down the
slope fine snow grass (Poa ‘australis’)
is abundant and is associated with
plains herbs such as Helichrysum acu-
minatum, and shrubs such as Hovea
longifolia and Grevillea australis. In
open places in this woodland, re-
generation of the eucalypts has oc-
curred without the intervention of fire.
In the lowest woodland of Black Sallee
many vof the grassland species are pre-
sent and occasional shrubs of Hakea
microcarpa mix with Hovea longifolia

Vict. Nat. Vol. 90

and Leucopogon’ suaveolens. The
woodlands of Black Sallee may stop
abruptly or extend as low open wood-
land for six or more metres. There is
thus a gradual transition of species
from the forest to the grassy plains,
this being most conspicuous in the
lower woodlands of Snow Gum. The
mature tree heights tend to reflect the
quality of growing conditions which
are governed by moisture, nutrient

Plate 2

Vegetation
Zonation across
Shaw’s Creek.

Photo:
E. D. Francis

October, 1973

supply and temperature of the air and
soil. Thus the woodlands on the ridge
are 18-25 m high, whilst the tall open
forests of E. delegatensis are 40-45 m
high, and those of “E. rubida’ and
E.. pauciflora are 30-35 m. The wood-
lands of these latter species lower
down the slope are 15-25m_ high,
whilst those of E. stellulata in the
coldest sites on the slope are only
10-18m high. It is likely that height

289

growth of the tree species may itself be
a factor contributing to the zonation.
Thus any “E. rubida’ in the E. dele-
gatensis stand tends to be overtopped
and suppressed, and any E. stellulata
in the “E. rubida”’ stand shows a
similar relationship.

Temperatures taken during the first
week of March 1969 showed that the
valley is in fact a severe frost hollow
aS grass minima of — 10°C. were re-
corded in the open. However, in the
forest and woodland only mild frosts
were recorded (Fig. 2). No doubt
under extreme conditions severe frosts
would also extend upslope.

A preliminary frost experiment was
carried out on hardened seedlings in
a cold room at —8°C. This resulted
in a complete kill of both “E. rubida”
and E. delegatensis and moderate to
severe damage to FE. pauciflora seed-
lings. The resistance of juvenile
foliage to water infiltration for 17
hours under chilling conditions (2°C.)
was carried out on the four species of
eucalypts, since Grose (1960) had
shown that this was a discriminating
factor associated with survival of
seedlings under a prolonged cover of
melting snow. The results showed that
“FE. rubida’ and E. stellulata were
quite resistant and E. delegatensis very
susceptible (Table 1). The clear dif-
ferentiation between E. pauciflora and
E. delegatensis was similar to that
found by Grose.

These experiments, together with
general observations, suggest that the
zonation of species is due in part to
differential resistance to frost and
snow cover. The greater moisture
storage of the deeper soils of the mid-
slope on sheltered aspects probably
allows E. delegatensis to out-compete
the adjacent tree species, due to its
faster growth rate, greater potential
height and denser crown. The reap-
pearance of E. pauciflora on higher
slopes could be due to the more severe

290

climate — higher winds and cooler
temperatures — as well as drier, shal-
lower soils. If E. stellulata is more
frost resistant than E. pauciflora at
the treeline on the lower level high
plains, then it is difficult to explain its
absence at the upper level treeline at
2,000 metres. Mr. H. Bond (pers.
comm.) suggested that this anomaly
may be explained if E. stellulata had
a higher day temperature requirement
for growth than E. pauciflora. The
relative resistance of the two species
to wind and waterlogging may also
be different. There is obviously a need
for research into this problem under
controlled environmental conditions.

(b) The treeless plains (Plate 3)

The species composition of the tree-
less areas varies according to the local
topography and the depth of the soil.
On the shallowest soils, belts of Hakea
and Grevillea shrublands are found
along the strike of the resistant rock
outcrops. The Hakea stands are usu-
ally open with areas of grass tussocks
and herbs, but may be associated with
dense spreading shrubs of Grevillea
and Hovea.

Mature Hakea forms a very large
lignotuber (15-23 cm in diameter) with
a strong tap root. When the mature
shoots die they are replaced by new
juvenile branches from ground level.
Sometimes two morphologically dis-
tinct generations may be present at the
one time. Seedlings are rare and estab-
lishment appears to be difficult. This
disadvantage is probably offset by the
relatively greater longevity of the
plants. Grevillea and Hovea on the
other hand regenerate without fire on
rocky soils where grass is not vigorous.
These communities may be patchy
since maturation and death of shrubs
is not always followed by an estab-
lishment of seedlings. In deeper soils
where grass is vigorous the regenera-
tion of shrubs may be inhibited by

Vict. Nat. Vol. 90

competition in the same way as de- moides are found on gentle rises where
scribed by Carr (1962) for the Bogong low-lying sandstone occurs at less than
High Plains. 30cm depth and in sites where snow

Herbfields of Helipterum anthe-_ drifts are certain to occur in winter,

E, DELEGATENSIS
E.RUBIDA

E. PAUCIFLORA
E.STELLULATA

FOREST

00-9

WOODLAND GRASSLAND

25 4 SCREEN MAX,

20 pee tee © SCREEN MIN.

15 © SHRUB MIN.Go cM)
Se 10 x GRASS MIN.(S CM)

Fig. 2.— Vegetation and Temperature profiles along major transect line.

TABLE |

INFILTRATION OF EUCALYPTUS LEAVES UNDER CHILLING CONDITIONS

Species Pe ee Nilera E. pauciflora E. delegatensis
Inter-

Age Medium] Medium | Large |Medium| Small | Small|Medium mee Medium
iate

Class |Coppice| Coppice | Coppice|Coppice|Coppice| Seed-| Seed- | Seed- Coppice
ling ling ling

Mean
Damage 14

Mean

Damage| 1.4 4.4 152 28.0
for

Species

All Figures Represent Percentage of Leaf Area Damaged.

October, 1973 291

such as the eastern aspects of gentle
hollows and the eastern edge of
woodland boundaries. Other compo-
sites such as Helichrysum acuminatum,
Leptorhynchos squamatus, Craspedia
glauca and Brachycome aculeata are
common associates. It appears that
these sites are unfavourable for the
full development of Poa ‘australis’
(fine sp.) and that under these condi-
tions the dicotyledonous species can
dominate.

In the herbfield area on shallow soil
over flat sandstone Poa was present
as either old degenerating tussocks or
very young plants. The absence of one
whole broad age class of the grass
could have been due to a number of
factors such as drought, excessive
water-logging or to the activities of in-
sects such as casemoths (Carr and
Turner, 1959). It is quite possible that
some of the herbfield areas are stable,
but others appear to be alternating
with areas of grassland, depending on
the hazards of the environment.

The status of E. stellulata on the
more or less treeless plains is interest-
ing. It occurs sporadically both as

292

small bushes amongst Hakea and Gre-
villea heath on the rocky rises and
strike ridges, and as bushes and small
trees along the entrenched sections of
Shaw’s Creek at the southern edge of
the plain. On one rocky knoll 6m
above Shaw’s Creek, E. stellulata has
been reduced to a_ shrub- with
numerous juvenile shoots only 30-60 m
high (Fig. 3). The large lignotubers
which support these shoots show at
least 20 growth rings (Plate 4). It was
deduced that the persistent juvenile
condition was due to recurrent frosting
of each summer’s growth. In April
1972 early autumn frosts of great
severity had in fact killed back all
shoots of the eucalypt as well as many
of those of Grevillea, Hovea and
Leucopogon hookeri.

It is thought that this small unique
area (0.1 ha) of eucalypt heath had
arisen following efficient dispersal
from the nearest fruiting trees 200
metres away. It is likely that this
naturally open habitat provided the
initial seed-bed and that the subse-
quent seasons were of sufficient mild-
ness to enable establishment to the

Plate 3

The Treeless
Plains.

Photo:
E. D. Francis

Vict. Nat. Vol. 90

lignotuber stage. Limited temperature
records in March 1969 suggest that
the rocky knoll is likely to be less frost
prone than the surrounding plain (Fig.
4) and that local air drainage is critical.
In slightly more favourable _ sites,
bushes with adult foliage occur but
bear no buds or fruits, even though
similar sized plants bear them on the
woodland margin. Along the en-
trenched section of Shaw’s Creek,
where the presence of a broad flowing
creek and better air drainage has per-

Agropyron
Carex \
Helipterum \ \
e \ Grevillea
| by : E. stellulata
§ flies ¥ cy) \
ay 9&> Ae ) ! se is.) Y ri a :

LIGNOTUBERS

SANDSTONE OUTCROPS

Plate 4

Stunted
E. stellulata
bush.

Photo:
E. D. Francis

mitted small trees to develop in a better
microclimate, buds may be produced
but fruits only set where the shoots
have been raised well above (6-8 m)
the lethal cold air layers. Flower buds
had been killed below this height in
autumn 1972, probably by the severe
frosts of that period.

It seems therefore that there is a
tendency for E. stellulata to invade
some grassland and heathland areas
of the plains and to show considerable
resistance to frost, drought and water-

Helipterum

Danthonia

DISTANCE (meTRes)

Fig. 3—Vegetation profile, Rocky Knoll, near Shaw’s Creek.

October, 1973

295

logging. The success of this invasion
could depend on the oscillation of un-
usually mild and unusually severe
years, although if sufficient trees estab-
lish and produce a woodland canopy
this could materially affect the micro-

Plate 5

View along
fenceline of
holding
paddock.

Photo:
oe E. D. Francis
climate and render the change rela-
tively permanent. If such trees grew
tall enough to bear fertile seed the
change could proceed at an accelerated
rate.

The effects of prolonged grazing on

O GRASSLAND
@ €£. STELLULATA

* CREEK BANK

MARCH

Fig. 4—Grass Temperatures recorded in various communities.

294

Vict. Nat. Vol. 90

the grassland were also quite notice-
able, especially along the fencelines of
holding paddocks (Plate 5). The un-
grazed areas consisted of tall tussock
grassland, dominated by coarse and
fine blue-leaved Poa ‘australis’ and
Carex spp. The grazed paddocks
showed a greatly reduced dominance
of Poa, while other species such as
Danthonia spp., Dichondra repens and
Craspedia glauca were absent. Only
a few species were restricted to the
grazed paddock. Percentage covers of
species from grazed and ungrazed pad-
docks are given in Appendix 2. The
major effect of grazing seemed to be
simply a reduction in the cover of
Poa and no major alteration in the
total floristics of the area was apparent.

The vegetation of the gullies and
swamps of the plains varies consider-
ably. On the section of Shaw’s Creek
which cuts through the sandstone
strata near the southern edge of the
plain, there is a strip of wet heath
dominated by Richea_ continentis,
Baeckea gunniana and Epacris petro-
phila. A dense herbaceous stratum of
Calorophus lateriflorus occurs beneath
this, associated with Craspedia glauca
and Gentianella diemensis. The soil is
wet, humus rich and gravelly and is
of low pH and low conc. HCI extract-
able phosphorus compared with the
relatively uniform soils of the grass-
lands and forests. The swampy fens
and marshes, formed on _ sediments
which have accumulated upstream
from rockbars, consist of sedgeland
of Carex gaudichaudiana and tall
grassland of Poa australis and Festuca
asperula with scattered bushes of Epa-
cris petrophila. Occasional hummocks
of Sphagnum cristatum are found
where tributory streams join Shaw’s
Creek. It is possible that Sphagnum is
invading the marshes from bogs in the
tributory gullies. These leech-ridden
bogs consist of a narrow strip of peat
hummocks 30-60 cm high interspersed
with gravel and mud-filled hollows

October, 1973

colonized by Carex gaudichaudiana.
Some tributaries have been filled with
peat to the level of the adjacent slopes.
The streams find a path through the
series of hollows along a course made
tortuous by the constant invasion of
the pools by Sphagnum mounds. To
what extent the Sphagnum has _ per-
mitted a lateral spread of peat over
the grassland at the edges was not
investigated. Vegetative shoots and
seedlings of Epacris paludosa, Richea
continentis and Calorophus lateriflorus
invade close behind the advancing
Sphagnum. Sometimes mounds of
Sphagnum are relatively pure but
mostly they are supported by the
shoots of the bog-heath shrubs. Only
when these become very dense does
the Sphagnum disappear, but evidence
for its role in the build-up of peat can
be found below the surface of the
hummock. In only one case was clear
evidence available for the replacement
of a hummock by a pool filled with
Carex and in this case the cycle of
regeneration was similar to that de-
scribed for the Kosciusko region by
Costin (1954). The pH’s of both the
hummock and hollow peats on the
Bennison Plains however were quite
acid and varied little (4.8-5.6), whilst
those at Kosciusko were higher and
differed by almost three units (4-7)
(Table 2). It is possible that the con-
stant flushing of the pool hollows by
the melt-swollen streams, especially in
Spring, could prevent a build-up of
nutrients and a rise of pH in the Ben-
nison sites.

An interesting and rare pocket of
fruiting Sphagnum cristatum was
found by Mr. N. Edquist near Hig-
gins Hut. It is possible that this small
patch, around a clump of Epacris,
could have been subject to rather
longer periods of snow lie than other
areas but as yet the casual factors
have not been studied. It may well
prove to be a genetically different race.

295

TABLE 2

COMPARISON OF »H VALUES OF
DIFFERENT BOGS

mae Hollow

4.8 5.1
5.4 5:2
BENNISON 5.0 By,
HIGH PLAINS 5.6 5.6
KOSCIUSKO 5:0 6.7
(Adapted from 4.5 6.8
Costin, 1954) 4.3 6.8
42 6.7

4.6

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

The excursion was made possible
by the help of the Fisheries and Wild-
life Department through Mr. S. Cowl-
ing and by the co-operation and as-
sistance of Mr. F. Noble of the Vic-
torian Forests Commission. The
following students helped to collect
data and discussed the ecological re-
levance of the results:

D. Cooke, D. Corcoran, T. Farrell,
W. Findlay, M. Foley, J. Fox, D.
Francis, K. Harber, S. Hawe, J. Ire-
land, G. Kulbys, R. Leuning, P. Lewis,
G. MacRaild, C. MacDonald, G.
Morris, A. O’Halloran, R. Richards,
P. Smith, P. Taylor, M. A. Thrum,
te Tippett, 1D.* Tucker, J:. Weste;, Hi:
Bond, C. Curry, I. Hemphill, I. Lever-
sha, R. McHugh, R. McKimm, T.
Rouse, I. Sevire, I. Wild, R. Youl.

BIBLIOGRAPHY

Carr, S. G. (1962). The role of shrubs in
some plant communities of the Bogong
High Plains. Proc. Roy. Soc. Vict, 75:
301-310.

Carr, S.G., and Turner, J. S. (1959). Eco-
logy of the Bogong High Plains I. The
environmental factors and the grass-
land communities. Aust. J. Bot. 7:
12-33.

Chesterfield, E. (1972). The plant eco-
logy of the Glenmaggie Reservoir
Catchment. B.Sc.F.(Hons.) Thesis,
University of Melbourne.

Costin, A. B. (1954). A study of the eco-
systems of the Monaro region of
N.S.W. Govt. Printer, Sydney.

Costin, A. B. (1958). The grazing factor
and the maintenance of catchment
values in the Australian Alps. CSIRO
Divn. of Plant Industry, Tech. Pap.
No. 10, pp. 14.

Grose, R. J. (1960). The silviculture of
Eucalyptus delegatensis, R. T. Baker.
Ph.D. Thesis, School of Forestry,
University of Melbourne.

Hallsworth, E. G., Costin, A. B., and
Gibbons, F. R. (1953). Studies in pedo-
genesis in New South Wales. VI. On
the classifications of soils showing fea-
tures of podzol morphology. J. Soil
Sci. 4: 241-256.

Rowe, R. K., and Downes, R. G. (1960).
Reconnaissance survey of the ecology
and land-use in the catchment of the
Glenmaggie Reservoir. Soil Conserva-
tion Authority, Victoria.

Appendix |

SPECIES LIST — BENNISON HIGH PLAINS

FERNS
Polystichum proliferum

MONOCOTYLEDONS
Cyperaceae

Carex appressa
C. blakei
C. breviculmis
C. gaudichaudiana
C. raleighii
Carpha nivicola

296

Schoenus calyptratus
Scirpus crassiusculus
S. subtilissimus

Cramineae
Agropyron scabrum
Agrostis avenacea
Aira caryophyllea
A. praecox
Danthonia laevis
D. nudiflora

Vict. Nat. Vol. 90

D. penicillata

D. pilosa

D. racemosa

Deyeuxia brachyathera

D. carinata

D. densa

D.monticola

Dichelachne crinita

D. sciurea

Festuca asperula

Holcus lanatus

Microlaena stipoides

Poa “australis” (agg.)

Vulpia bromoides
Juncaceae

Juncus australis

J. bufonius

J. polyanthemos

Luzula campestris
Liliaceae

Arthropodium milleflorum

Dianella tasmanica

Lomandara filiformis
Orchidaceae

Chiloglottis gunnii

Eriochilus cucullatus

Prasophyllum suttonii

Pterostylus curta

P. decurva
Restionaceae

Calorophus lateriflorus

DICOTYLEDONS
Araliaceae
Tieghemopanax sambucifolius
Campanulaceae
Pratia sp.
Wahlenbergia gloriosa
Caryophyllaceae
Cerastium glomeratum
Scleranthus biflorus
Stellaria multiflora
S. pungens
Compositae
Brachycome aculeata
B. scapigera
Celmisia asteliifolia
Cirsium lanceolatum
Cotula filicula
Cras pedia glauca
Gnaphalium collinum
G. japonicum
Helichrysum acuminatum
H. hookeri
H. millani
H. rutidole pis
Helipterum albicans
H. anthemoides
Lagenophora stipitata
Leptorhynchos squamatus
Microseris scapigera
Olearia megalophylla
O. myrsinoides

October, 1973

O. phlogopappa

O. subrepanda

Podole pis jaceoides

Rutidosis leptorhynchoides

Senecio lautus

Taraxacum officinale
Convolvulaceae

Dichondra repens
Crassulaceae

Crassula sieberana
Epacridaceae

Epacris paludosa

E. petrophila

Leucopogon hookeri

L. macraei

L. montanus

Richea continentis
Euphorbiaceae

Poranthera microphylla
Gentianaceae

Gentianella diemensis
Geraniaceae

Geranium solanderi
Goodeniaceae

Goodenia hederacea
Haloraciaceae

Haloragis tetragyna

Myriophyllum propinguum
Labiatae

Ajuga australis
Linaceae

Linum marginale

Mimosaceae
Acacia dealbata
A. obliquinervia
Myrtaceae
Baeckea gunniana
Eucalyptus dalrympleana
E. delegatensis
E. pauciflora var. alpina
E. rubida
E. stellulata
Kunzea muelleri
Leptospermum grandifolium

Onagraceae
Epilobium guanianum

Oxalidaceae
Oxalis corniculata

Papilionaceae
Bossiaea foliosa
Daviesia ulicifolia
Hovea longifolia
Glycine clandestina
Medicago polymorpha
Pultenaea fasciculata
Trifolium arvense
T. dubium
T. repens

Plantaginaceae
Plantago major
P. varia

297,

Polygonaceae

Rumex acetosella

R. brownii
Portulacaceae

Montia australasica
Primulaceae

Anagallis arvensis
Proteaceae

Hakea microcarpa

Grevillea australis
Ranunculaceae

Clematis aristata

Ranunculus lappaceus

R. pimpinellifolius

R. rivularis
Rosaceae

Acaena anserinifolia

A. ovina

A phanes arvensis
Rubiaceae

Asperula gunnii

Coprosma quadrifida

C. repens

Galium umbrosum

Rutaceae
Asterolasia trymalioides

Scrophulariaceae

Euphrasia scabra
Veronica agrestis
V. derwentia
V. gracilis
Stackhousiaceae
Stackhousia monogyna
Stylidiaceae
Stylidium graminifolium
Thymelaeaceae
Pimelea alpina
P. ligustrina
Umbelliferae
Hydrocotyle hirta
Oreomyrrhis eriopoda
O. argentea
Violaceae
Hymenanthera dentata
Viola betonicifolia
V. hederacea

Appendix 2
EFFECTS OF GRAZING ON GRASSLAND. BRAUN BLANQUET VALUES FOR INDIVIDUAL
QUADRATS, EACH ONE METRE SQUARE.

Absence of a value indicates that the species was not recorded in that quadrat.

Ungrazed Grazed

Species (6 Quadrats) (4 Quadrats)

Poa ‘australis’

Carex spp.

Ranunculus rivularis
Trifolium repens
Danthonia spp.
Oreomyrrhis spp.
Epacris petrophila
Cotula filicula

Cras pedia glauca
Dichondra re pens
Linum marginale
Luzula campestris
Brachycome spp.
Gnaphalium japonicum
Deyeuxia monticola
Viola betonicifolia
Hydrocotyle hirta
Lagenophora stipitata
Acaena spp.

Geranium solanderi
Leptorhynchos squamatus
Calorophus lateriflorus
Scleranthus biflorus
Galium umbrosum
Cerastium glomeratum
Stellaria pungens
Plantago varia
Agropyron scabrum

298

+++++-+ HR Bri VNeVnnnenvne—w

NNMw+twtNNA

t+weHn

5 4 2 3
1

Bs
3 ~
1
+ +
--

+ —W
—,

- +
2
1

+++
+

ED elo oa fe
++

++4+4+4+4+4+4+ 44+

Vict. Nat. Vol. 90

Field Naturalists Club of Victoria

Botany Group
13 September.

The speaker at the September meeting
was Mr. Tom Sault and his subject was
“Some Plant Associations of the Morn-
ington Peninsula’. Mr. Sault has made
a special study of this area, and is well
versed in its many aspects, as well as
having a very thorough knowledge of the
plant communities. In spite of fairly in-
tensive agriculture and the spread of
suburbia there are still some unspoilt
areas left, including one or two fern
gullies. Some of the showiest plants are
found on the heathlands and these are
rapidly being taken over for housing.
Mr. Sault commented that few owners
and builders of new houses seemed to be
aware of the potential for an attractive
garden which would result from the pre-
servation of the native vegetation on their
block, and it was still common to see
housing land completely levelled by buli-
dozing before building commenced.

The Flower of the Month was the
genus Dillwynia, illustrated by pressed
specimens of several species. Also ex-
hibited were several of the pea family,
both native and introduced, as examples
of some of the different tribes of the
family.

Mr. Alan Morrison showed and spoke
on three plant specimens which he had
collected in Western Queensland, includ-
ing a very large flowered species of
Prostanthera which is as yet unnamed.

Due to seasonal conditions it was de-
cided to make the September excursion
to the Rushworth State Forest, instead
of to the Blackwood area as originally
planned. Mr. Bruce Fuhrer will lead
the group. The exceptionally wet season
is reported to have produced a great
wealth of flowers and plants including
a great variety of annuals and ephemeral

things which appear only in favourable
conditions.

The next meeting of the Group will be
on 11th October, when Messrs. Kriek
and O’Shaughnessy of the Melbourne &
Metropolitan Board of Works will speak
on “Studies and Experiments in Man-
agement of Water Catchment Areas”.
The November meeting topic is ‘The
Alternation of Generations; Mosses,
Ferns, etc., to Flowering Plants’, by
Miss Madge Lester. Members are re-
minded that this meeting, on Thursday,
8th November, will be on the Thursday
prior to the General Meeting.

F.S.G. September Camp
Maryborough District

Seven members spent a_ profitable
week-end in fine weather surveying in
the Maryborough district.

Survey work commenced at Clunes,
moving N.W. to Bung Bong then to
Maryborough. A camp was established
near the Bealiba Range west of Dunolly.
Night survey work extended far north-
wards into the flood zones where valu-
able records of breeding for many frog
species were obtained. Sunday, the group
moved west to Bealiba, returning to
Maryborough via Natte Yallock.

Collecting was good, the recent rain
providing sufficient moisture to keep
most invertebrates in easily accessible
micro habitats. Many centipedes, plan-
arians and beetles were found. Orchids
and many other wildflowers were com-
mon. Of interest was the finding of the
freshwater crustacean Lepidurus in road-
side ponds.

Other members of the group travelled
to the Little Desert area where they
collected a scaly foot legless lizard.
Several land planarians, hitherto previ-
ously never found in such dry regions,
were recorded.

JUNIOR F.N.C. MEETINGS
Friday, 26 October — Hawthorn Juniors in Town Hall at 8.00 p.m.

Friday, 2 November — Preston Juniors at 281 High Street, Preston (Rechabite Hall),

at 8.00 p.m.

Friday, 2 November — Black Rock Juniors at 8 p.m. in Congregational Church Hall,
cnr. Arkaringa Crescent and Bent Parade.

Friday, 9 November — Montmorency and District in Scout Hall, Petrie Park at

October, 1973

299

Field Naturalists Club of Victoria

Established 1880

OBJECTS: To stimulate interest in natural history and to preserve
and protect Australian fauna and flora.
Patron:
His Excellency Major-General Sir ROHAN DELACOMBE, K.B.E., C.B., D.S.O.

Key Office-Bearers, 1972-1973.

President:
Mr. P. KELLY

Hon. Secretary: Mr. R. H. RIORDAN, 15 Regent St., East Brighton, 3187. 92 8579

Treasurer: H. BISHOP. Address Correspondence to National Herbarium, The
Domain, South Yarra.

Subscription Secretary: Mr. D. E. McINNES, 129 Waverley Rd., East Malvern, 3145.
Hon. Editor: Mr. G. M. WARD, 54 St. James Road, Heidelberg 3084.

Hon. Librarian: Mr. J. MARTINDALE, c/o National Herbarium, The Domain,
South Yarra.

Hon. Excursion Secretary: Miss M. ALLENDER, 19 Hawthorn Avenue, Caulfield
3161... “(52 2749.)

Magazine Sales Officer: .Mr. D. McINNES
Archives Officer: Mr. CALLANAN, 29 Reynards Street, Coburg 3058. Tel. 36 0587.

Group Secretaries
Botany: Mrs. M. G. CORRICK, 7 Glenluss St., Balwyn 3103. Tel. 857 9937.
Day Group: Mrs. J. STRONG, 1160 Dandenong Rd., Murrumbeena (56 2271).

Entomology and Marine Biology: Mr. J. W. H. STRONG, Flat 11, “Palm Court”,
1160 Dandenong Rd., Murrumbeena 3163 (56 2271).

Field Survey: Miss L. BARRACLOUGH, 4-7 Chrystobel, Cres., Hawthorn, 3122
Geology: Mr. T. SAULT.

Mammal Survey: Mr. D. KELLY, c/o 14 Finnigan’s Road, Research, 3095.
Microscopical: Mr. M. H. MEYER, 36 Milroy Street, East Brighton (96 3268).

MEMBERSHIP
Membership of the F.N.C.V. is open to any person interested in natural history.
The Victorian Naturalist is distributed free to all members, the club’s reference and

lending library is available, and other activities are indicated in reports set out in the
several preceding pages of this magazine.

Rates of Subscriptions for 1973.

Ordinary, Members. 2 050 se- eee hae CP neta ae RE $7.00
Country “Members- - 3. «0.0 Sb a Se Re $5.00
Joint Members .5- 225° ek ¢ sa Si ee eae “Sa ER ee $2.00
Junior Members; (under “18 years) .. 020 0 $8 aek oe ial) Ley Sha se ae $2.00
Junior Members: receiving Vict. Nat, 2000.0 Geb Le Be es ee $4.00
Subscribers,.to, Vict. Nat. (Aust;-only): 3.0 6 32 ae Wa cg Se $5.00
Overseas Subscribers we nee ee ae ee STR SE Ss ae e/g UR is lg nL
Atfiliated “Societies: 3.6 5.5 8 ek 2 ected ae SEUSS Siege. See a Se Oe as he $7.00
Supporting Members . en eM ER INS cull dul
Life Membership (reducing after 20 years) .. : Boe nel ak Se oreo

The cost of individual copies of the Vict. Nat. will be 45 cents (2 cents — overseas requests).
Full-time Students between 18 and 2! years pay at Junior Member rates.

All subscriptions should be made payable to the Field Naturalists Club of Victoria, and posted
to the Subscription Secretary.

G3) JENKIN, BUXTON & CO. PTY. LTD., PRINTERS, WEST MELBOURNE

NOVEMBER, 1973

Published by the
FIELD NATURALISTS CLUB OF VICTORIA

in which is incorporated the Microscopical Society of Victoria

45c

Registered in Australia for transmission by post as a periodical.
Category ‘‘A”

F.N.C.V. DIARY OF COMING EVENTS
GENERAL MEETING
Monday, 12 November — At National Herbarium, The Domain, South Yarra, com:
mencing 8 p.m.
Subject for Evening — Natural History Medallion Presentation to Mr. E. D. Gill:

who will speak on:— “Changes in the Natural History of Victoria by Radio
Activity”.

New Members —
Ordinary:
Mr. W. Derrick Bevan, 39 Chaucer Crescent, Canterbury, 3126. (Mammals and Geology.)
Mrs. Coralie Daniels, 17 Montgomery Ave., Mt. Waverley, 3149. (Marine Biology.)
Mr. David Maiden, 5 Lee Ave., Springvale North, 3171. (Botany and Field Survey.)

Joint:

Mr. Peter G. Shanks, Mrs. Dorothy N. Shanks, 59 Argyll Street, Chadstone, 3148. (Botany.)
Ordinary:

Mr. Bruce D. Tivendale, 33 Stephens St., Nth. Balwyn, 3104. (Mammal Survey and Botany.)
Country:

Mrs. Thelma Mann, Trafalgar Road, Thorpdale, 3835. (Wildflowers and Birds.)
Mr. Brian Pell, 5 Pyrors Road, Horsham, 3400. (Botany.)

Junior:
Stephen D. A’Beckett, 102/197 Domain Road, South Yarra, 3141. (All Topics.)
Denyse Gibbs, 26 Crow Street, East Burwood, 3151. (Entomology.)
David F. Martin, Lot 3, Adam Ave., Hallam, 3803. (Field Survey.)

GROUP MEETINGS
(8 p.m. at the National Herbarium unless otherwise stated)
Thursday, 8 November — Botany Group. Miss M. Lester will speak on the “Alterna-
tion of Generations”.
Thursday, 15 November — Day Group final meeting for year. Visit to Natural

Resources Conservation League, at Springvale. Catch 10.29 a.m. Dandenong train
to Springvale, thence by 11.15 a.m. Grenda’s coach.

Wednesday, 21 November — Microscopical Group.

Thursday, 22 November — F.S.G. Members’ Night in Conference Room, National
Museum at 8.00 p.m.

Monday, 3 December — Marine Biology and Entomology Group Meeting at 8 p.m.
in Library Conference Room at National Museum.

Wednesday, 5 December — Geology Group.

Thursday, 6 December — Mammal Survey Group Meeting in Arthur Rylah Research
Institute, 123 Brown Street, Heidelberg, at 8.00 p.m.

Thursday, 13 December — Botany Group.

F.N.C.V. EXCURSIONS

Sunday, 18 November — Murrundindi Falls. The bus will leave Batman Avenue at
9.30 a.m. Bring two meals. Fare $2.20.

Sunday, 9 December — Cape Schanck. The bus will leave from Batman Avenue at
9.30 a.m. Fares $2.50. Bring two meals.

Wednesday, 26/12/1973-Tuesday, 1/1/1974— Port Campbell. A coach has _ been
chartered for this excursion which will be used for day trips to surrounding
areas, probably including a visit to Tower Hill and another to the Otways, but
the excursion secretary would be glad of suggestions from those knowing the
area well. Motel accommodation for the members travelling by coach has been
booked on a dinner, bed and breakfast basis, quoted at $11.00 per day at time
of booking. Coach fare: $24.00, to be paid by December General Meeting.

JUNIOR F.N.C. MEETINGS

Friday, 7 December — Preston Juniors at 281 High Street, Preston (Rechabite Hall),
at 8.00 p.m.

Friday, 14 December — Montmorency and District in Scout Hall, Petrie Park at 8 p.m.

Friday, 14 December—Black Rock Juniors at 8 p.m. in Congretional Church Hall
cnr. Arkaringa Crescent and Bent Parade.

Friday, 21 December — Hawthorn Juniors in Town Hall at 8.00 p.m.

302 Vict. Nat. Vol. 90

The
Victorian Naturalist

Editor: G. M. Ward

Assistant Editor: G. Douglas

Vol. 90, No. 11 7 November, 1973

CONTENTS

Articles:

Radiocarbon Dating of Mount Napier Eruption.

By Edmund D. Gill and L. K. M. Elmore ... Ae a ae ne Guiress 0)
Winter Day at Kangaroo Island. By Eulalie Brewster .. oe ae a B10
The Vegetation of Sloping Island. By J. B. Kirkpatrick ee ae je ao

The Origin of the Generic Names of the Victorian Flora.
(Conclusion of Part 1) By James A. Baines a a ae a 322

The “Matterhorn” Aboriginal Shelter and _ its voile Mytuologiea!

Significance. By Aldo Massola_.. 326
Features:

Nature Notes from the Gold Coast. By Alex. N. Burns us ae ee BOG

Reptiles of Victoria— No. 10. By Hans Beste .. ie ye ie ce. 508

Book Review:

“Aquatic Plants of Australia”. .. si Re st ad Es geese

Front Cover:

Flocks of Budgerigahs coming to drink at Waterhole beside The Bitumen, north of
Alice Springs. Photo: Graham Pizzey.

November, 1973 303

Radiocarbon Dating of Mount Napier Eruption,
Western Victoria, Australia

by EpmMunp D. GILL* and L. K. M. EL_mMore.

Mount Napier is a volcanic cone in
the Hamilton District of Western Vic-
toria. This cone is part of a whole
array of features — cinder cone with
lava fountain spatter on the crater
walls, parasitic cones, lava flow, pres-
sure ridges, chasms, tumuli, lava caves
(some with stalactites), and so on.
Many writers have noted the youthful
nature of this eruption centre (Skeats
and James 1937, Hills 1939, Ollier
1964, Ollier and Joyce 1964), but an
attempt has now been made to date
it with radiocarbon.

No material suitable for C14 assay
could be found in the ejectamenta (as
exposed in quarries) so a sample was
taken from the base of a peat bed in
Buckleys Swamp, because this was
formed by the volcanic products

blocking the drainage, so forming the
swamp. Figure 1 shows the site from
which the sample came. The depth
was 1.4 m. The date obtained by
radiocarbon assay was 7240 + 140 yr
B.P. (GaK—3706). As it is the age
of organic material accumulated after
the eruption, it is a minimal date for
that event. However, as the sample
came from the base of the deposit, the
date is probably near that of the erup-
tion. It approximates a date obtained
for the eruption of the Tower Hill
caldera near Warrnambool, viz. 7300
+ 150 yr (Gak—2856). This date was
from the assay of Aboriginal midden
shells (marine) in the tuff from the
volcano (Gill 1972).

* National Museum of Victoria.

RADIOCARBON
°

PEAT SAMPLE

Figure 1. Radiocarbon sample site in the Parish of Yatchaw West, Western Victoria
(see Fig. 2). The site is 210 m (230 yd) north of the fence shown, and 320 m

(960 yd) west of the road.

304

Vict. Nat. Vol. 90

Basalt Plain

BRANXHOLME
e

Alluvium

MT. NAPIER

VOLCANIC COMPLEX”

Alluvium t €

YX

Basalt Plain

MT. ECCLES He ee
VOLCANIC COMPLEX

BESSIBE LLE

Figure 2. Mt. Napier and Mt. Eccles volcanics and associated swamplands.

t=

Radiocarbon site, Buckleys Swamp, 7240 yr B.P. 2 = Radiocarbon site, Condah
Swamp, 6235 yr B.P. 3 = Diatom/phytolith site (Giil and Gibbons 1969), grid
reference 823,037 Heywood Military Map 1942.

In 1969 Gill and Gibbons reported
a date of 6235 + 120 yr (GX—O150)
for a basal peat in Condah Swamp that
overlies a basalt flow believed to be
from Mount Napier. Figure 2 shows
the relationship of the two sites with
respect to the volcanoes, based on the

November, 1973

mapping of Gibbons and Downes

(1964). Two interpretations have been

given for the Lake Condah deposits:

1. That they are simply accumula-
tions of sediments over the basalt
flow in an area of: very low
declivity.

305

2. That they are sediments due to
ponding that followed the dam-
ming of drainage by the products
of the Mount Eccles eruption.

Insufficient field work has been done

to solve this problem. A third possi-

REFERENCES

Gibbons, F. R., and Downes, R. G.,,
1964. A study of the land in south-
western Victoria. Soil Conserv.
Author. Vict. TC 3.

Gill, E. D., 1972. Eruption date of
Tower Hill volcano, Western Victoria,
Australia. Vict. Naturalist 89: 188-
192.

Gill, E. D., and Gibbons, F. R., 1969.
Radiocarbon date related to vulcanism
and lake deposits in Western Victoria.
Aust. J. Sci. 32: 109-110.

Hills, E. S., 1939. The age and physio-
graphic relationships of the Cainozoic

bility is that the swamp deposits are
due to both processes because the
Mount Napier eruption was earlier
than the Mount Eccles event. It will
be noted that the two radiocarbon
dates differ by about 1000 years.

volcanic rocks of Victoria. Prod. R.

Soc. Vict. 51: 112-139.

Ollier, C. D., 1964. Tumuli and lava
blisters of Victoria, Australia. Nature
202: 1284-1286.

Ollier, C. D., and Joyce, E. B., 1964.
Volcanic physiography of the Western
Plains of Victoria. Proc. R. Soc. Vict.
T1: 357-376:

Skeats, E. W., and James, A. V. G., 1937.
Basaltic barriers and other surface
features of the Newer Basalts of West-
ern Victoria. Proc. R. Soc. Vict. 49:
245-278.

Nature Votes trom the Cold Coast

by ALEX. N. BURNS.

Although the July rainfall of over
12 inches constituted a record for the
month of July (the normal being 2.4
inches) which is considered to be part
of the “Dry Season’, activity in the
natural history field has been consid-
erable. Several koalas have appeared
carrying very small young ones on
their backs, and the scrub turkeys are
in full force; as many as 30 individuals
coming to be fed in the late after-
noons. Mound building is in full
swing; one old mound disused for two
seasons is now being re-built on a
much larger scale. The work involved
in mound construction is indeed con-
siderable, and, as the terrain is very
rocky with many large boulders, the
scratching of the leaf debris over a

306

distance of up to 60 feet or more
entails much energy and labour for
the birds. The two mounds at present
under observation are on_ sloping
ground and the birds have the good
sense to work downhill towards the
mound, thus gaining a little gravita-
tional assistance. Clearing of the
leaves and rain forest debris is very
thorough, the ground surface being
left as clean as if swept carefully with
a broom. The extent of scratching on
the downhill side of mound does not
extend more than about 20 feet. Egg
laying should commence in September,
and with the good rains and moist
compost, conditions for incubation
should be optimum. During the
scratching operations the supply of

Vict. Nat. Vol. 90

ieee

natural food is good, the moist com-
post yielding numerous small land
crustaceans, worms, beetles, and many
other miscellaneous creatures.
Breeding experiments with the
White Nymph butterflies (Wynes geof-
froyi guerini Wall.) have proceeded
very well and have yielded some in-
teresting data. A number of batches
of eggs and small larvae was collected,
and placed on branches of the food-
plant (Small leaved Stinging Tree,
Laportea sp.) which last very well in
water. Loose dry cotton wool was
placed round the stem near the water
container to prevent the larvae from
“straying”. Their intensely gregarious
habit however almost completely pre-
vented this. For the first three instars
(periods between moults) the larvae,
blackish in colour, kept in close
groups on the underside of a leaf,
sometimes as many as 30 individuals
together. Before the next moult the
larvae rested with the anal and pre-
anal segments raised giving them a
superficial resemblance to Sawfly lar-
vae (Tenthredinidae-Hymenoptera). At
the pre-pupal instar some individuals
showed a definite brownish colour in
the body spines, the majority however
were black. They now congregated
in a close mass on the leaf stems and
twigs and looked more than ever like
Sawfly larvae. The raising of the last
two body segments added greatly to
this resemblance. Moving from one
feeding leaf to another was more or
less “orderly”; one or two_ larvae
would lead off and soon all the others
were following. This procedure also
was followed when the time for pupa-
tion arrived. A small branch was

selected and the larvae moved off to it
and spun small silken pads quite close
to one another; and to these they at-
tached themselves by the anal segment
and hung head downwards for a
couple of days before actually chang-
ing into pupae. The pupa is elongate,
approximately a full inch in length,
dark greyish brown in colour, a golden
spot on each side of the thorax dor-
sally, two blunt spines on either side
of the head, and two _ longitudinal
rows of three spines on each side of
the abdomen dorsally. It was a sur-
prise when it was found that the pupal
stage lasted only two and a half weeks
at this time of year. The larval life
averaged from 6 to 7 weeks. Emer-
gence of the butterflies usually takes
place at night or in the early morning.
From the first batch of sixteen pupae
the first seven to emerge were females.
Eventually from the total there were
only five males, and all the butterflies
had hatched within 24 hours. A few
butterflies from the original “parent
brood” are still on the wing (these
worn specimens must be in some cases
about 8 weeks old).

In the northern part of its distribu-
tion (Rockhampton northwards) the
White Nymph sometimes exhibits a
much whiter underside colouration;
the writer had hoped to breed some
of these but so far without result. All
the specimens hatched out so far have
been fine and large and with very
little variation on either side of the
wings.

There are still several fairly large
batches of pupae to emerge so here’s
hoping!

Notice to Contributors
It is important that material submitted for publication should preferably be
typewritten on foolscap or quarto sheets at double spacing, and with a 2.5-3 cm
(1”) margin on the left. No underlining of words should appear unless abso-

lutely necessary.
e.g. 15 May 1972 not May 15 1972.

November, 1973

Where dates occur, the day should precede the month,

307

reptiles of victoria -10

by HANS BESTE

Plate 19
Tiliqua rugosus — Shingleback Lizard
A large lizard of the Bluetongue group.
Length: to 18 inches.

Popularly known as “Pinecone Lizard”, due to overlapping scales on the
upper body surface. Under smooth. Tail, short and stumpy. Legs powerful but
short, with short toes. Colour variable from very light creamy with brown
markings to almost compietely biack. Under usually creamish. Head, large
and triangular. Males are more robust than females, having noticably larger
heads.

Habitat: open and forest country throughout western parts of State.

Best distinguishing features — blue tongue, shape — especially tail and
scalation.

Plate 20
Physignathus lesueurii howitii — Gippsland Water Dragon
A large spinous lizard of Eastern Victoria, living always near water.
Length: to 3 feet.

Head, large and angular, with distinct ear opening (covered by tympanum).
Line of triangular scales extending from top of head along spine to tip of tail.
Other enlarged scales prominent on head and neck. Tail twice as long as body,
compressed vertically for swimming. Limbs well developed, hind-limbs power-
ful, with strongly developed toes. Males, generally greyish green, when adult,
with orange and blue throat markings. Females and juveniles basically
yellowish-brown.

Habitat: along watercourses in Gippsland to the Thompson River in the
West. More often heard than seen, as it dives into water with a loud splash,

often from considerable heights.

Best distinguishing features — shape and size, habitat.

308 Vict. Nat. Vol. 90

M allan ”

BEE

Plate 19

Plate 20

November, 1973 309

Winter Day at Kangaroo Island,
South Australia

by EULALIE BREWSTER

After leaving Adelaide Airport be-
fore dawn on 14 June, 1972, in driv-
ing rain; a somewhat bumpy trip was
made to Kangaroo Island with oc-
casional brief glimpses of the ocean
through broken cloud and rain squalls.
Once over the Island we could see a
sodden landscape with muddy streams
and dams. Two or three runs were
made over the airstrip before vision
was good enough for the plane to land.
Some time later we learnt that the
guest house manager on the Island,
arranging the day trip, had rung the
airport to see if a plane was really
braving the weather and coming over!

It was a bleak scene outside the
airport—a few hardy Eucalyptus
ficifolia near the car park, and banks
of scrub visible in the mist-shrouded
distance.

An 18 mile bus trip followed to
American River, with six passengers
rattling along in an airways bus built
for forty. Two of them were highly
delighted with the amount of birdlife
and wildflowers they saw. Birds in-
cluded Plover and Ibis, a Common
Myna, White-faced Herons, Swans,
and Silver Gulls and Terns once we
reached the coast. On this short drive
we were able to recognise quite a num-
ber of flowers and shrubs already
known to us — Correa, both red and
ereen, (we later learnt there are five
species found on the Island in a
variety of colours), Cassythe melantha
over many of the shrubs, Banksia —
(both marginata and ornata grow in
this area), Grass-trees, Wild Irishman
— (two plants are known by this
name), Petrophila multisecta and Iso-
pogon ceratophyllus, Sheoaks, several

310

Acacias, Sedges, Tea-trees and Euca-
lypts. There were Melaleucas flower-
ing, Box thorns and Boobialla, Soursob
(Oxalis cernua), and Burrs. Some of
the soils appeared to be limestone,
with clays and patches of ironstone
pellets on the surface.

At American River there were
sandstones bordering the beach, with
tea-trees framing the view across the
bay. Pittosporums and Acacia pyc-
nantha were seen. We here transferred
to a smaller vehicle and were soon
travelling towards Seal Bay. Along
the roadsides we saw Red Correa,
White Heath, Bell Heath, Goodenia,
Hakeas, a Pimelea some three feet tall,
and more Dodder.

Also seen were Parrots, two Moun-
tain Duck, Magpies, and Kangaroos.

Sheltered among the sand dunes at
Seal Bay we found quite a number of
the Hair Seals for which this area is
famous. Some were alone, some in
pairs of a female and suckling pup;
and there were family groups — a bull
and his harem and their young. Of
this latter group, one female was most
belligerent in chasing us away, while
the much larger and battle scarred bull
continued dozing in the sun. The
crests and sides of the dunes were well
clothed with Coastal Saltbush (Altri-
plex paludosa), New Zealand Spinach
(Tetragonia tetragonoides), and Pig-
face (both the Angular and the Round
Leaved), while the valleys between
were bare sand where the seals shel-
tered. At this spot we also saw Flame
Heath and a prostrate Correa. The
wind was so wild and cold, that we
did not stay long.

Our next stop was at the Kelly Hill

Vict. Nat. Vol. 90

Caves where a variety of Eucalypts
and smaller shrub growth gave shelter

from the wind. There was a native

pigeon sighted, Wattle Birds in the
trees, and Cape Barren Geese in a
nearby paddock. In the course of the
walk to the cave entrance we found
Native Aster (Olearia rudis), Clematis
mycrophylla, Dianella revoluta, Har-
denbergia violacea, Thomasia petalo-
calyx a Baeckia and_ Bracken.
Although not extensive, the caves
were attractive with their varied for-
mations.

From the caves we went on to the
Flinders Chase Fauna and Flora Re-
serve. In the cleared areas there were
dozens of Kangaroos, Emus, and Cape
Barren Geese feeding together in their
own groups. The road led on through
thick bush to our first stop in the
Chase at Cape de Couedic, where
from the base of the lighthouse we
could look out across the Casuarina
Islets (or The Brothers), two low
islands with sparse flattened growth on
their surfaces. From the lighthouse a
painted trail led over the pitted lime-
stone to the extremity of the cape
where we climbed down the cliff and
along its side to look through the spec-
tacular Admiral’s Arch. Blackened
stalactites hung from its roof forming
an impressive frame to the wild seas
breaking agaist the cliffs to the west.
The three distinct types of rock in the
formation were easily seen — lime-
stone above, softer eroding sandstone
which had worn away to form the
arch, and a darker harder base rock.
From here we could look east around
the cliffs to the Remarkable Rocks.
These are a collection of huge granite
boulders eroded into fantastic shapes
as they sit atop a huge dome-shaped
mound of granite. When we reached

them we were warned not to venture
on the seaward side of the rocks for
fear the wind plucked us from our
footholds and flung us into the sea
below. Our next stop was at a more
sheltered place at Rocky River, where
we saw Koalas, and fed the bread and
butter left from our lunch to the
Kangaroos. Many of them appeared
to be females with young in their
pouches, but not a joey did we see.

The route back to American River
took us along the West End Highway
which divides Flinders Chase from
farming land, and then along the Play-
ford Highway roughly across the
centre of the Island. Although none
of the Island is over 1,000 feet above
sea level, this road gave us views, be-
tween showers, over the valley of the
Cygnet River to the north, and over
farmlands to the south. Throughout
the day we were impressed by the way
the roadsides had not been scraped
bare but had been left with attractive
wild edges which also formed wind-
breaks for the farms. Likewise, clear-
ing of the farms for pasture had been
done in such a way as to leave thick
shelter belts of native growth along
many fence lines.

While we waited for dinner at
American River we took a quick walk
along the windy foreshore and were
rewarded by the sight of four Pelicans
floating on the water, and over a dozen
more wheeling overhead. These latter
soon landed on the inlet and the whole
formed an elegant flotilla in the fading
light. The weather had been improv-
ing all day and there were broken
clouds and no rain when we returned
to the airport. Once airborne it was
a treat to watch the plane’s shadow
thrown by the almost full moon as we
left this fascinating island.

Needed Urgently
The Editor is in need of smaller articles to help in making up the normal content

of the Victorian Naturalist.
excursions undertaken by members.

November, 1973

Surely something of interest is seen on the many

311

The Vegetation of Sloping Island,
Tasmania

by J. B. KIRKPATRICK*

The islands of Bass Strait have been
the subject of considerable recent
botanical exploration (e.g. Whinray,
1972a, 1972b; Marginson and
Murray-Smith, 1972; Kirkpatrick,
Massey and Parsons, 1973). While
our knowledge of the vegetation of
these islands is expanding rapidly the
equally interesting islands in the south
of the State of Tasmania have received
little attention. This article describes
the vegetation of Sloping Island which
is situated in Frederick Henry Bay
approximately 1.5 km from the north-
west extremity of the Arthur Peninsula
(Figure 1).

The island is approximately 1.5 km
long by 0.75 km wide and attains an
altitude of 70 m above sea level. No
climatic figures are available but the
island probably receives between 600
and 650 mm of precipitation per an-
num and almost certainly enjoys rela-
tively equable temperatures through-
out the year as a result of its maritime
location. The geology of the island is
generally mapped as Permian mud-
stone in the north and Jurassic dolerite
in the south. However, these rocks
outcrop rarely, being overlain by re-
cent cover sands over the greater part
of the island. The underlying rocks
become most evident along the coast
where broad platforms are formed in
the mudstone, while the dolerite
plunges directly into the sea. There
is a marked contrast between the ex-
posed cliffs of the south-west coast
and the more gentle shores of the
other more sheltered coasts. Para-
doxically the slopes of the western
part of the island (excepting the cliffs)
are generally gentler than those found
in the east (Figure 2).

312

The island is held under lease, and
while not at present being used for
grazing, in the past was well-grazed
and partly cleared. When visited in
Easter 1972 there were signs of recent
firing and it is probable that the island
has been burnt regularly since its first
settlement in the nineteenth century.
The ruins of a stone building and a
deep but dry well testify both to past
permanent settlement and to one
possible reason for its demise. The
island supports two major muttonbird
breeding colonies, one in the north-
west of the island and one in the
south-east. However, several days
after the commencement of the mut-
tonbird season only one live bird was
observed although carcasses of adults
and the feathers of the younger birds
were much in evidence.

Clearing, firing, grazing and the in-
troduction of the rabbit have un-
doubtedly altered the vegetation con-
siderably from its natural state. Never-
theless, the vegetation present today
exhibits some interesting correlations
with environmental factors and is
composed largely of native species.
Thus the changes that have almost
certainly occurred have probably been
in the form of structural change and
possibly floristic depletion.

The vegetation of the island was
studied during a three-day field trip in
Easter 1972. The island was traversed
several times and notes made on the
floristic composition and structure of
the vegetation in representative parts
of the island. These notes and aerial
photograph interpretation were used
to construct the maps of plant com-

*Geography Department, University of Tasmania,
Box 252C, G.P.O., Hobart.

Vict. Nat. Vol. 90

—

munities (Figure 2) and tree species
distribution (Figure 2). Vascular
plant species observed during the
course of the field trip were collected,
pressed and identified where possible
to the species level (Appendix).
The «communities mapped have
been defined in terms of the dominant
or codominant species taking the term
dominant to mean the species with
the greatest cover in the tallest
stratum, and according to the struc-
tural classification of Specht (1970).

These communities are discussed
below:
1. Eucalyptus Woodland

Two eucalypt species are found on
the island. E. viminalis is concentrated
along the east coast and in the saddle
in the centre of the island, while E.
tenuiramis (formerly known as E.
tasmanica) occurs elsewhere and in
mixture with E. viminalis. The trees
vary in their density and height. Dense
stands of Acacia dealbata 1-3 m high
are found as a second or sometimes
dominant stratum throughout much of
this community. Some areas bereft of
eucalypts have been included with the
eucalypt woodland because of the
dominance of this species. Where
the thickets of A. dealbata are
found the third and lowest stratum
tends to be dominated by Pteridium
esculentum with Lomandra longifolia,
Astroloma humifusum and Carpobro-
tus rossii variably subdominant. In
some areas of eucalypt woodland
Acacia melanoxylon forms an often
dense second stratum up to 4 m in
height. This species is most common
along seepage lines. Where cover is
complete little grows beneath the
blackwoods, but in more open areas
there is a dense 1-2 m high growth of
Lomandra longifolia, Carex appressa,
Juncus pallidus and Pteridium esculen-
tum under which can be found Acaena
anserinifolia, Tetragonia implexicoma,
Viola hederacea and Dichondra repens

November, 1973

Where the eucalypt dominated com-
munity occurs on the steep eastern
slope of the island the trees are
both tall and reasonably dense (Plate
1). Here Banksia marginata, Casua-
rina littoralis and A. melanoxylon
form a sparse second stratum and
other species that are found include L.
longifolia (dominant in the lowest
stratum), Lepidosperma squamata,
Carpobrotus rossii, Pimelea linifolia,
Scirpus nodosus, Acaena anserinifolia,
Astroloma humifusum, | Amperea
xiphoclada, Exocarpos strictus, Diche-
lachne crinita, Pteridium esculentum
and Dichondra repens. Around the
summit of the, island the understorey
of the eucalypts again changes char-
acter the species found including
Epacris impressa, Astroloma humi-
fusum, Aotus ericoides, Haloragis
tetragyna, L. longifolia, P. esculentum,
A. xiphoclada, Acacia suaeveolens and
Banksia marginata. This type of asso-
ciation is also found in the northern
part of the community.

The boundaries of the Eucalyptus
woodland are indistinct except where
it is juxtaposed to the Astroloma
humifusum open-heath. At _ the
moment the community is confined to
the weakly podsolized soils formed on

147°30'E

Figure 1. Locality map.

Sis

recent cover sands. However, eucalypt
seedlings are readily found around the
margins of the taller trees and it seems
probable that frequent firing has re-
duced both the area of this community
and the density of the dominant
species within it. The other soil types
on the island support eucalypt com-

AAAI EUCALYPTUS WOODLAND

4} CASUARINA STRICTA LOW-OPEN FOREST

munities in similar situations elsewhere
and may have been at least partially
occupied by eucalypts in the past on
Sloping Island.
2. Casuarina stricta Low-Open Forest
This community is virtually confined
to the western aspect of the island.
The coverage of C. stricta varies from

== BANKSIA MARGINATA-CASUARIA MONILIFERA CLOSED-HEATH

YJ EPACRIS IMPRESSA CLOSED-HEATH

Kw ASTROLOMA HUMIFUSUM OPEN- HEATH

LOMANDRA LONGIFOLIA HERBLAND

| POA POIFORMIS TUSSOCK GRASSLAND

PTERIDIUM ESCULENTUM FERNLAND

CARPOBROTUS ROSSII-TETRAGONIA IMLEXICOMA HERBFIELD

@ CLOSED HERBFIELD

Uf CONTOURS
IN
METRES

Figure 2. Distribution of plant communities (A), distributions of Fuca spp.
and Casuarina stricta (B) and topography (C).

314

Vict. Nat. Vol. 90

sparse to dense. In the denser stands
the understorey is generally bare as is
recorded for the same community
elsewhere in southern Australia (Par-
sons, 1966; Kirkpatrick, Massey and
Parsons, 1973). However, in its less
dense phase several subordinate shrub
species including Pomaderris ellip-
tica, Olearia phlogopappa and Pul-
tenaea daphnoides are found underlain
by a sparse growth of small herbs and
shrubs (Plate 2). The community is
found on two soil types, podzolics on
mudstone and brown earths’ on
dolerite, being absent from the areas
covered by recent sands. The distri-
butions of the eucalypt species and
Casuarina stricta on Sloping Island
(Figure 2) reflect a distinct relation-
ship observable elsewhere in southern
Tasmania. C. stricta is almost cer-
tainly a more salt resistant tree than
either of the eucalypts found on Slop-
ing Island. It maintains a rounded
crown in all but the most exposed
situations whereas the eucalypts where
they occur near the sheoak are dis-
tinctly asymmetrical and exhibit leaf
tip necrosis on their seaward shoots.
Thus, the eucalypts are found almost
entirely on the sheltered side of the
island whereas the sheoaks are most
dense on the exposed cliffs of the
western coast. The sheoaks’ avoidance
of the sandy soils is also typical of the
species, whereas E. viminalis is one of
the most common species found in
relatively sheltered situations in sandy
coastal areas.
3. Banksia marginata-Casuarina moni-

lifera Closed-Heath

This community occupies a re-
stricted area in the south-west of the
island where it is partially sheltered
from the effects of strong salt-laden
winds by the local topography. The
species found in this dense community
include B. marginata, C. monilifera,
Epacris impressa, Lepidosperma squa-
mata, Aotus_ ericoides, Amperea

November, 1973

xiphoclada, L. longifolia and P.
esculentum, the former two species
composing the tallest stratum and the
latter two species being sparse in their
occurrence. The community may
have been more extensive in the past
when the island was subjected to less
frequent firing than at present.

4. Banksia marginata-E pacris impressa

Closed-Heath

The area mapped as composing this
community is in fact extremely hetero-
geneous. B. marginata and E. impressa
occur throughout much of this area
but in parts Acacia dealbata, A. mela-
noxylon, P. esculentum or L. longi-
folia are dominant. The area has
almost certainly been reduced from
the eucalypt community through ex-
cessive firing and grazing, and the
continuance of the vegetation found at

Plate 1. Eucalyptus woodland on the
eastern slope of the island.

315

present probably depends on the con-
tinuance of these disturbances. The
community is found on the recent
sands and has sharp boundaries with
contiguous communities except for the
Eucalyptus woodland.

5. Astroloma humifusum Open-Heath

This community is found on skeletal
to podzolic soils formed on Permian
mudstones and its boundaries with
other communities excepting the
Casuarina stricta low-open forest are
sharp (Plate 3). The species which
characterize this community include
Astroloma humifusum, Danthonia
laevis, D. caespitosa, Pultenaea daph-
noides, Hibbertia fasciculata, H. pro-
cumbens and Lissanthe strigosa. L.
longifolia has a sparse occurrence
within this community but P. esculen-
tum is almost totally absent. Part of
the area of this community has been
subject to recent clearing which does
not seem to have much altered its
floristic composition but may have
eliminated Casuarina stricta, and has
resulted in a sparser than normal
vegetation.

6. Lomandra longifolia Herbland

L. longifolia is found in most com-
munities present on the island and is
the dominant species over much of
the south of the island. Typically L.
longifolia accounts for fifty per cent
of the cover with P. esculentum the
next most numerous species and Scir-
pus nodosus, Lepidosperma squamata,
Juncus pallidus and Astroloma humi-
fusum being other common associates
of the lily. The community is confined
to the recent sands and probably repre-
sents a stage in fire and grazing induced
degeneration from the eucalypt wood-
land over much of its area.

7. Poa poiformis Tussock Grassland
This community is confined to the
exposed south-west corner of the
island. Its inland boundary coincides
with a change from skeletal soils on
dolerite to the recent cover sands
which are occupied by the previous
community discussed (Plate 4). As-
sociates of the Poa include Carpobro-
tus rossii, Acaena anserinifolia, Astro-
loma humifusum and_ Dichelachne
crinita, the latter two species being

Plate 2.

Casuarina
stricta low-open
forest.

Vict. Nat. Vol. 90

=e

absent close to the coast. The Poa
community is found inland from a
narrow zone dominated by Stipa tere-
tifolia, a similar situation being found
on both Curtis and Rodondo islands
in Bass Strait (Kirkpatrick, Massey
and Parsons, 1973), where the Poa
community is far more extensive.
8. Pteridium esculentum Fernland

P. esculentum, like L. longifolia, is
common over most of the island but
attains dominance only in the area
which has been cleared and ploughed
in the northern part of the island.
Species associated with bracken in this
man induced community include
Rumex acetosella, Medicago sp., Hol-
cus lanatus, Cirsium vulgare, Sonchus
oleraceus and Scirpus nodosus.

9. Carpobrotus rossii-Tetragonia
implexicoma Herbfield

This community occupies the rook-
ery areas (Plate 5), the dominants
forming a succulent mat between
patches of ground bared by mutton-
bird activity. Many of the introduced
plants found on the island occur with-
in this community including Lycium

Plate 3.

Astroloma
humifusum
open-heath in
foreground
with Lomandra
longifolia
herbland in
middleground.

November, 1973

ferocissimum, Urtica urens and Cir-
slum vulgare. Carpobrotus rossii is
dominant over most of the northern
patch of this community while Tetra-
gonia implexicoma is more common
in the southern patch.
10. Closed Herbfield

This community has developed on
a degraded cliff face in response to
seepage from the sands that lie above
the cliff. Two species found on the
island were confined to this com-
munity, Microsorium diversifolium
and Cotula reptans. Other species
found included Poa poiformis, Viola
hederacea, Acaena anserinfolia, Carex
appressa, Juncus bufonius, Acacia ver-
ticillata, Selliera radicans, Lobelia
alata, Tetragonia implexicoma (domi-
nant in the southern part of the com-
munity), and Disphyma _ blackii.
Smaller soaks occur elsewhere along
the shores of the island especially
along the north coast but had too
small an area to be mappable.

Several species found on the island
were virtually confined to the rocky
coasts. These include Correa alba,
Distichlis distichophylla, Rhagodia

317

baccata, Myoporum insulare, Leuco-
pogon parviflorus, Salicornia quinque-
flora, Pelagonium australe and Stipa
teretifolia. Unfortunately, the area
occupied by this distinct coastal as-
semblage of species was too limited to
be mappable.

Four factors, disturbance, soil type,
exposure to salt laden winds and
moisture availability, seem to be most
important in controlling the distribu-
tion and type of plant communities on
Sloping Island.

The contribution of man to dis-
turbance has been in increasing the
frequency of fire, introducing grazing
animals, and in clearing and plough-
ing. The increased fire frequency has
probably reduced the area of the
Eucalyptus woodland to the advantage
of the Lomandra and _ closed-heath
communities, and possibly has also
extended the Lomandra community at
the expense of the closed-heath com-
munities. Grazing, clearing and
ploughing have probably combined in
introducing and_ establishing alien

weeds in the vegetation of the island.
Certainly without clearing and plough-
ing the Preridium community would
not exist

and the Astroloma com-

munity might not have been so ex-
tensive. The breeding muttonbirds
provide another source of disturbance
the nature of which has been docu-
mented by Gillham (1960, 1961).
Without their activities the Carpo-
brotus-Tetragonia community might
not have existed.

Soil boundaries on the island almost
invariably correspond with community
boundaries indicating that the edaphic
factor is of some importance. The
Astroloma community is confined to
soils formed on Permian mudstone,
while the Casuarina community is
found also on soils formed on dolerite
but not on the soils formed on recent
sands. The boundary between the
Poa community and the Lomandra
community corresponds with a sharp
break in soil type, the Lomandra,
Eucalyptus, Pteridium, Carpobrotus-
Tetragonia and closed-heath communi-
ties all being confined to the soils
formed on recent sands.

The influence of relative exposure
to salt laden winds is most evident in
the location of the Poa community
and in the relative distributions of the
two species of eucalypt and Casuarina
stricta.

Plate 4

The boundary
between the
Poa poiformis
tussock grass-
land and the
Lomandra
longifolia herb-
land. Looking
north-west with
the closed herb-
field in the
middleground.

Vict. Nat. Vol. 90

The areas of the island where seep-
age reaches the surface support dis-
tinct vegetation types, including the
closed herbfield community and the
Acacia melanoxylon phase of the
Eucalyptus woodland, indicating that
moisture availability plays an impor-
tant role in defining the limits of at
least some community types.

The flora of the island contains
elements from the drier eucalypt for-
ests of south-eastern Tasmania as well
as a strong coastal and island element,
indicated by the fact that forty per
cent of the species that occur on
Curtis Island and/or Rodondo Islands
in Bass Strait also occur on Sloping
Island. Only three species (Eucalyptus

REFERENCES

Gillham, M. E., 1960. Destruction of
indigenous heath vegetation in Vic-
torian seabird colonies. Aust. J. Bot.,
Se 247-37:

, 1961. Plants and sea-
birds of granite islands in south-east
Victoria. Proc. Roy. Soc. Vict., 74,
21-35.

Kirkpatrick, J. B., Massey, J. S., and
Parsons, R. F., 1973. Natural history
of Curtis Island, Bass Strait 3. Soils
and vegetation with notes on Rodondo
Island. Pap. Proc. Roy. Soc. Tas.,
107, 5-18.

Plate 5.

Muttonbird
rookery in the
north-west of
the island. The
species visible
are Carpobrotus
rossil, Loman-
dra longifolia
(being under-
mined) and
Lycium
ferocissimum.

November, 1973

tenuiramis, Lepidosperma squamata,
and Pomaderris elliptica) found on the
island are Tasmanian endemics.

Further work on other southern
Tasmanian islands, especially the more
exposed and least disturbed of them,
could reveal valuable data in relation
to the affinities of the vegetation of
these islands to those in Bass Strait in
floristics, plant communities and _ sus-
ceptibility to disturbance, as well as
enlarging our limited knowledge of
their vegetation per se.

Acknowledgement

I would like to thank Mrs. J. E. S.
Townrow for her help with identifica-
tion of the grasses and Mr. G. Van der
Geer for drawing the figures.

Marginson, 'M. A., and Murray-Smith, S.,
1972. Craggy Island, Bass Strait. Vict.
Naturalist 89, 212-222.

Parsons, R. F., 1966. The soils and vege-
tation at Tidal River, Wilson’s Prom-

ontory;--Procs Roy. Soc.) Vick 49:
319-354.
Specht, R. L., 1970. Vegetation. In

Leeper, G. W., (Ed.). The Australian
Environment. 4th ed., CSIRO and
MUP, Melbourne.

Whinray, J. S., 1972a. Notes on West

Sister Island, Furneaux Group, Tas-
mania. Vict. Naturalist 89, 4-14.

—_____—_—_——., 1972b. A visit to
East Sister Island. Vict. Naturalist 89,
264-268.

319

Appendix
SPECIES OBSERVED ON SLOPING ISLAND

DENNSTAEDTIACEAE: Pteridium esculentum (Forst. f.) Nakai.
POLYPODIACEAE: Microsorium diversifolium (Willd.) Copeland.

GRAMINEAE: *Aira caryophyllea L., Agrostis aemula R. Br., *Anthoxanthum odora-
tum L., Danthonia caespitosa Gaudich., D. laevis J. W. Vickery, Deyeuxia
quadriseta (Labill.) Benth., Dichelachne crinita (L.f.) Hook. f., Distichlis
distichophylla (Labill.) Fassett, *Holcus lanatus L., *Nassella trichomata (Nees)
Hack. ex Arech., Phragmites communis Trin., Poa poiformis (Labill.) Druce,
*Polypogon monspeliensis (L.) Desf., Stipa mollis R. Br., S. teretifolia Steud.

CYPERACEAE: Carex appressa R. Br., Lepidosperma squamata Labill. Scirpus
cernuus Vahl, S. nodosus Rottb.

CENTROLEPIDACEAE: Centrolepis strigosa (R. Br.) Roem. et Schult.

JUNCACEAE: Juncus bufonius L., *J. capitatus Weig., J. maritimus, Lam., J. pallidus
R. Br., J. planifolius R. Br.

LILIACEAE: Dianella revoluta R. Br., D. tasmanica Hook. f., Lomandra longifolia
Labill.

CASUARINACEAE: Casuarina littoralis Salisb., C. monilifera L. A. S. Johnson, C.
stricta Ait.

URTICACEAE: *Urtica urens L.

PROTEACEAE: Banksia marginata Cav.

SANTALACEAE: Exocarpos strictus R. Br.
POLYGONACEAE: *Rumex acetosella L., *R. crispus L.

CHENOPODIACEAE: *Atriplex hastata L., *Chenopodium album L., Rhagodia baccata
Mog,., Salicornia quinqueflora Bunge ex Ung.-Stenb.

AIZOACEAE: Carpobrotus rossii (Haw.) N.E. Br., Disphyma blackii R. J. Chinnock,
Tetragonia implexicoma (Migq.) Hook. f.

PITTOSPORACEAE: Bursaria spinosa Cav.
ROSACEAE: Acaena anserinifolia (Forst. et Forst. f.) Druce, *Rosa rubiginosa L.

MIMOSACEAE: Acacia dealbata Link, A. melanoxylon R. Br., A. suaeveolens (Sm.)
Willd., A. verticillata (Lher.) Willd.

PAPILIONACEAE: Aotus ericoides (Vent.) G. Don., Bossiaea cinerea R. Br., B.
obcordata (Vent.) Druce, B. prostrata R. Br., Kennedia prostrata R. Br.,
*Medicago sp., Pultenaea daphnoides J. Wendl.

GERANIACEAE: Geranium potentilloides Aucct., non certe Forst. f. ex Willde,
Pelargonium australe Willd., *P. “domesticum’” L. H. Bailey — agg.

OXALIDACEAE: Oxalis corniculata L.

RUTACEAE: Correa alba Andr.

EUPHORBIACEAE: Amperea xiphoclada (Sieb. ex Spreng.) Druce.

RHAMNACEAE: Pomaderris elliptica (Labill.).

DILLENIACEAE: Hibbertia fasciculata R. Br. ex DC., H. procumbens (Labill.) DC.
VIOLACEAE: Viola hederacea Labill.

THYMELACEAE: Pimelea humilis R. Br., P. linifolia Sm.

MyrTAceAE: Eucalyptus tenuiramis Miq., E. viminalis (Labill.), Leptospermum
scoparium Forst. et Forst. f.

ONAGRACEAE: Epilobium sp.
HALORAGACEAE: Haloragis tetragyna (Labill.) Hook. f.
UMBELLIFERAE: Daucus glochidiatus (Labill.) Fisch. et al.

320 Vict. Nat. Vol. 90

. 2

EPACRIDACEAE:

Astroloma humifusum (Cav.) R. Br., Epacris impressa Labill.,

Leucopogon parviflorus (Andr.) Lindl., Lissanthe strigosa (Sm.) R. Br.

PRIMULACEAE:
GENTIANACEAE:

* Anagallis arvensis L., Samolus repens (Forst. et Forst. f.) Pers.
*Centaurium minus Garsault.

CONVULVULACEAE: Dichondra repens Forst. et Forst. f.

SOLANACEAE:
SCROPHULARIACEAE:
LABIATAE: *Marrubium vulgare L.

MYOPORACEAE: Myoporum insulare R. Br.

*Lycium ferocissimum Miers.
*Verbascum virgatum Stokes.

CAMPANULACEAE: Lobelia alata Labill., Wahlenbergia sp.

GOODENIACEAE: Selliera radicans Cav.

COMPOSITAE:

*Cirsium vulgare (Savi) Ten., Cotula coronopifolia L., C. reptans

(Benth.) Benth., *Gnaphalium candidissimum Lam., Helichrysum apiculatum
(Labill.) DC., H. dendroideum N. A. Wakefield, *Hypochacris radicata L.,
*TLeontodon taraxacoides (Vill.) Merat, Olearia phlogopappa (Labill.) DC.,
Senecio lautus Forst. f. ex Willd., *Sonchus oleraceus L.

*species not native to Tasmania.

Nassella trichomata and Stipa mollis were

observed on the island by J. E. S. Townrow but were not collected by the author.

The list is incomplete as many annuals and geophytes have certainly been missed
owing to the restricted period in which collecting took place, and some mono-
cotyledenous plants not in head have probably also been missed.

The Origin of Generic Names of the Victorian Flora

Part 1 — The Person behind the Name (conclusion)
[continued from 90 (10)]

by JAMES A. BAINES

Sterculia. Named by L. after Ster-
culius, Roman god of dung and privies.
(The Romans in their later period of
decadence deified unpleasant things,
other examples being Caca, Crepitus
and Petunda.) This odd provenance
is explained by the fact that some
species, including the type species,
have an offensive odour (Latin stercus
= dung). SS. diversifolia has been
superseded as the botanical name of
the Kurrajong, which has been for a
long time Brachychiton populneus.
The name is familiar still in the family
name Sterculiaceae, and Sterculia is in
the Queensland filora.

Stuartina. Named by Sonder in
1853 after Charles Stuart (1802-1877),
gardener and collector in N.S.W., and

November, 1973

in Tasmania (for Ronald Campbell
Gunn). He collected algae for Harvey,
author of Manual of British Algae
(1841). The specific name stuartii
also commemorates him, e.g. Leuco-
pogon stuartii, Helipterum stuartianum
and Eucalyptus stuartiana (former
name of E. bridgesiana) also were
named after him.

Swainsona. Named by Salisbury in
1806 after Isaac Swainson (1746-
1812), M.D., who had a _ private
botanic garden at Twickenham, and
made a collection of 11,000 botanical
plates, now in the herbarium of the
British Museum. His cousin, William
Swainson, wrote a Botanical Report
on Victoria, 1853; his enormous list
of species of Casuarina throws grave

321

doubts on his competence as a botanist,
even though he became F.L.S. in 1816
and F.R.S. in 1820. He botanized in
Malta, Sicily, Brazil and New Zea-
land as well as Australia.
named Orthrotrichum swainsoni after
him.

Templetonia. Named by R. Brown
in 1812 after John Templeton (1766-
1825), of Belfast, Northern Ireland,
author of Flora Hibernica (5 volumes).
His drawings of Irish fungi and lichens
are in the herbarium of the British
Museum, London.

Thomasia. Named by Gay in 1821
after Swiss botanists, Peter and
Abraham Thomas, of Bex, brothers
who made many collections. Abra-
ham’s son, Philipp (died 1831 in
Sardinia), Ludwig (died 1824 at
Naples) and Emanuel were _ also
botanists.

Threlkeldia. Named by R. Brown
in 1810 after Rev. Dr. Caleb Threl-
Keld (1676-1728), M.A., M.D., an
English botanist who settled in Dublin
as divine and physician. He estab-
lished his own botanic garden there.
He wrote a Synopsis of Irish Plants
(in Latin). He was truly “British”,
born in Cumberland (England), edu-
cated at tertiary level in Glasgow and
Edinburgh (Scotland), and worked in
Ireland.

Tieghemopanax. Named by Viguier
in 1905 after Philippe Edouard Léon
Van Tieghem (1839-1914), French
botanist, known for his studies on
fungi and bacteria; he proposed a new
classification of plants. T. sambuci-
folius was named Panax sambucifolius
in 1830, but Van Tieghem’s name was
prefixed when the generic difference
was established. The name means “of
Tiegem’”’, a village in Belgium founded
by Flemings. His ancestors went to
France, and the h was introduced in
the spelling to preserve the hard sound
in spoken French, or perhaps an old

322

Hooker -

spelling of the village name was Tieg-
hem (cf. Arnhem in Holland, the —hem
being cognate with —heim in German
and —ham in English placenames).
An indication of Van Tieghem’s status
as a versatile botanist is the refer-
ences to his achievements (including
“firsts” in plant anatomy and cytology)
on no fewer than 29 pages of De Vir-
ville’s history of botany in France,
which also has a photograph of him.

Todea. Named by Willdenow in
1802 after Heinrich Julius Tode (1733-
1797), a German cryptogamic botanist,
who specialized in the fungi of Meck-
lenburg.

*Tradescantia. Named by L. in
1753 after John Tradescant (1608-
1662), gardener to King Charles I;
he visited Virginia in 1654. As a re-
sult of this collecting trip, he intro-
duced into Britain Tradescantia (Wan-
dering Jew), Liriodendron (North
American Tulip-tree) and other plants.
This appears to be the correct person
honoured (as given by Smith and
Stearn), but Britten and Boulger state
that the genus was named after his
father, also John, who was probably
born in Suffolk and died in 1637 at
Lambeth, where he .had a plant
museum and botanic garden. He too
was gardener to King Charles I; he
went to Russia in 1618. He had gone
to Holland in 1611 when he was gar-
dener at Hatfield to Lord Salisbury,
then on to Paris. He was an ardent
plant collector, who even signed on as
a gentleman volunteer against the cor-
sairs so that he could collect plants
in North Africa (see Mea Allen’s The
Tradescants and Tyler Whittle’s The
Plant Hunters).

Vallisneria. Named by L. after An-
tonio Vallisnieri de Vallisnera (1661-
1730), Italian doctor and _ botanist,
professor at Padua. The name means
“black valley”.

Vict. Nat. Vol. 90

Velleia. Named by Smith in 1798
after Thomas Velley (1748-1806);
D.C.L., F.L.S., a _ lieutenant-colonel
who became a noted algologist; of
Bath, and later of Liverpool, where his
herbarium of 18 volumes is kept.
Author of Coloured Figures of Marine
Plants, 1795.

Ventenatia. Cavanilles named a
genus after P. Ventenat (1757-1808)
in 1797, but the species validly bears
the name given to it in 1810 by R.
Brown, Astroloma humifusum. Smith’s
Ventenatia is now Stylidium. WLesche-
nault’s Ventenatum is now Diplolaena.
Ventenat was one of the naturalists of
the d’Entrecasteaux expedition in the
“Recherche” and “Espérance’, the
others being Deschamps, La Billardiere,
Blavier (mineralogist) and Riche. He
was an able draughtsman, and learned
to describe plants accurately from
L’Héritier, after he left the Church.
He decided to dedicate his life to
scientific botany as a result of a visit
to England, during which he visited
the finest botanical gardens. A fine
work on The Garden of the Mal-
maison, undertaken at the instigation
of the future Empress Josephine, was
illustrated by the famous Redouté with
120 colour plates.

Veronica. Named by L. apparently
in honour of Saint Veronica. Victoria
has 15 species, but two of them, V.
derwentiana and V. perfoliata, have
been transferred to Parahebe by some
botanists. New Zealand’s numerous
species of Hebe were formerly in-
cluded in the genus Veronica. The
name Veronica means “true image”,
from the legend about Christ’s image
appearing on the cloth with which St.
Veronica is said to have wiped the face
of Jesus on the way to Calvary.

Villarsia. Named by Ventenat after
Dominique Villars (1745-1814), a
French botanist and physician, author
of Histoire Naturelle des Plantes du

November, 1973

Dauphiné, 1786-9. He also spelt his
name Villar, which was his birthplace.
He was chief doctor of the hospital at
Grenoble, then professor of botany
and medicine at Strassburg.

Vittadinia. Named by Lesson and
A. Richard in 1832 after Carlo Vitta-
dini (1800-1865), an Italian botanist,
who wrote on fungi.

*Vulpia. Named by Gmelin after
J. S. Vulpius (1760-1840), a German
chemist. Our five introduced species
were formerly included in Festuca
(fescue grasses).

Wahlenbergia. Named by Schrader
after Goran Wahlenberg (1780-1851),
professor of medicine and botany at
Uppsala, 1829-51. A pioneer in phy-
togeography and in plant chemistry, he
wrote floras of Lappland, Sweden, and
the Carpathians.

Waitzia. Named by Wendland after
F. C. A. Waitz in 1808. He was a tra-
veller in Java, who wrote on the plants
of that island.

*Watsonia. Named by Miller after
Sir William Watson (1715-1787),
M.D., F.R.S., an electrician, apo-
thecary and physician, of London.
He was a specialist on the grasses. He
became an F.R.S. in 1741, and was
knighted in 1786.

*Wedelia. Named by Baron von
Jacquin after Georg Wolfgang Wedel
(1645-1721), professor of botany at
Jena, Germany. The genus was named
in 1763.

Westringia. Named by Smith after
Dr. Johan Peter Westring (1753-1833),
a Swedish writer on lichens; he was
physician to the king of Sweden.

Wilsonia. Named by R. Brown after
John Wilson (died 1751), of Kendal,
Westmorland, shoemaker and baker!
and amateur botanist, who wrote a
Synopsis of British Plants (1744).

Wittsteinia. Named by F. Mueller
in 1861 after Dr. G. C. Wittstein,

323

author of a German botanical dic-
tionary, | ‘Etymologisch - botanisches
Handworterbuch’ (Erlangen, 1856),
giving derivations of generic names,
and a number of pharmaceutical
works, one of which was translated
from the German by Baron von Muel-
ler and published in Melbourne by
McCarron, Bird & Co. Both these
books are in the library of the National
Herbarium, South Yarra. Wittsteinia
is one of only two genera endemic to
Victoria, W. vacciniacea being the
Baw Baw Berry.

Wolffia. Named by Horkel after
J. W. Wolff (1778-1806), a German
physician and botanist. W. arrhiza
(Tiny Duckweed) is the smallest
known flowering plant.

Woodwardia. Named by Smith after
Thomas Jenkinson Woodward (1745-
1820), LL.B.;. FAL.S;, .an — English
botanist, who was a major contributor
to Withering’s Systematic Arrange-
ment of British Plants, 1776, and
wrote a Flora of Suffolk. W. caudata
is now Doodia caudata.

Wurmbea. Named by Thunberg
after F. V. Wurmbe, a Dutch natura-
list. Our species is now Anguillaria
dioica, Early Nancy.

Zaluzianskya. Named by Schmidt
after Adam Zaluziansky von Zaluzian
(1558-1613), a physician and botanist
of Prague.

*Zantedeschia. Named by Sprengel
after Dr. Giovanni Zantedeschi (1773-
1806), an Italian physician and bota-
nist. Z. aethiopica is the White Arum
Lily.

Zichya. Named by Baron von
Huegel after the Hungarian noble
family von Zichy, patrons of horticul-
ture. The well-known Australian
legal family of Zichy-Woinarski stems
from a Polish branch of the family.

Zieria. Named by Smith in 1798
after Jan Zier, a Polish botanist who
died in London (as John Zier) in 1796.

324

F.L.S. 1788. He wrote many of the
descriptions in Dickson’s Fasciculi of
Cryptogamic Plants. His plants and
Manuscripts are in the herbarium of
the British Museum, many collected
in Electorate of Hanover.

Zoisia. Named by Willdenow in
1801 after Karl von Zoys (or von
Zois) (1756-1800), an Austrian
botanist, plant collector and landed
proprietor of Carniola.

BIBLIOGRAPHY OF WORKS CONSULTED
Australian Encyclopaedia, 10 vols. (edited

by Alec. H. Chisholm).

Black, J. M.: Flora of South Australia
(4 vols.).

Britten, J., and Boulger, G. S.: A Bio-
graphical Index of British and Irish
Botanists.

Burbidge, Nancy T.: Dictionary of Aus-
tralian Plant Genera.

Burkill, I. H.: Chapters on the History
of Botany in India.

Churchill, D. M., and de Corona, A.: The
Distribution of Victorian Plants.

Ewart, A. J.: Flora of Victoria.

Fries, R. E.: A Short History of Botany
in Sweden.

Johnson, A. T., and Smith, H. A.: Plant
Names Simplified.

Marindin, G. E.: A Smaller Classical
Dictionary.

(Merriam, G. and C., publishers): Web-
ster’s Biographical Dictionary.

Smith, A. W., and Stearn, W. T.: A Gar-
dener’s Dictionary of Plant Names.

Virville, A. D. de: Histoire de la Bot-
anique en France.

Whittle, Tyler: The Plant Hunters.

Willis, J. C.: A Dictionary of the Flower-
ing Plants and Ferns.

Willis, J. H.: A Handbook to Plants in
Victoria (2 vols.).

Wright: C. H., and Dewar, D.: Johnson’s
Gardener's Dictionary.

Zimmer, G. F.: A Popular Dictionary of
Botanical Names and Terms.

Reference was also made to the series
in Victorian Naturalist, Sept., Oct., Nov.,
1949, by J. H. Willis:

Botanical Pioneers in Victoria —I (Vol.
66, 83-89).

Botanical Pioneers in Victoria — II (Vol.
66, 103-109).

Botanical Pioneers in Victoria—TIII (Vol.
66, 123-128).

Vict. Nat. Vol. 90

book review

Aquatic Plants of Australia

by HELEN I. ASTON

Pubished by Melbourne University Press.
362 pp., incl. 138 pen and ink drawings.
Price $21.

This book comes as a most welcome
addition to the very small number of
authoritative and comprehensive
works at present available on Austra-
lian plant life.

In his introduction Professor Tur-
ner describes it as “a highly profes-
sional production which will be of
immense value to academic and ap-
plied biologists”. However, the layout
of the text, the excellent descriptions
of individual species with supplemen-
tary notes on distribution and, above
all, the line drawings make it a most
appealing and useful work for the
amateur in quest of information on a
fascinating part of the plant world.

A total of 222 species is treated,
109 of which occur in Victoria; all
the latter are illustrated, mostly with
the author’s own drawings taken from
living material which she has collected
herself. As she points out there is no
firm boundary dividing the aquatic
from the non-aquatic species, and
only those plants entirely dependent
on the presence of permanent water,
and never found far from it are dealt
with fully in the book. A few species
of true aquatics have been deliberately
omitted, notably some of the sedges,
because of the difficulty of dealing
with them apart from other very
similar semi-aquatic or terrestrial
species. On the other hand some
semi-aquatics are included for the

November, 1973

sake of completeness and to avoid
misidentification.

Each species is covered by descrip-
tive notes and almost all are illus-
trated. Family and generic descrip-
tions and botantical keys have been
included for some of the larger fami-
lies dealt with. Generally the descrip-
tions are fuller for those species which
occur in Victoria, and distribution
maps for these are also included.

As well as the main text there are
appendices dealing with Water Hya-
cinth, Sea Grasses and a distribution
chart of species according to State.
There is also a bibliography with over
200 references, and location maps for
Victoria and Australia. The introduc-
tion deals briefly with climate and
physiography and an excellent illus-
trated glossary completes the work.

Miss Aston is a senior staff mem-
ber of the National Herbarium, Mel-
bourne; her book is the culmination
of ten years’ work which has in-
cluded much original research into
aquatic plants. She is well known for
here involvement with amateur
naturalist groups, and as a lecturer in
both botantical and _ ornithological
topics. Perhaps it is this contact with
amateurs and students which has re-
sulted in the stated aim “not to avoid
detail, but rather to present it in a
way which should be comprehensible
to all who wish to understand”. It is
apparent from first opening the book
that this aim has been achieved in a
manner which makes the book a
delight to use.

M. G. CorrICk.

325

The “Matterhorn” Aboriginal Shelter and its
Possible Mythological Significance

by ALDO MaAssoLa*

This article describes an Aboriginal
painted shelter discovered in the Vic-
toria Range, Western Grampians, as
far back as 1966, which, through a
misunderstanding, has remained un-
described; this despite the fact that it
is obviously quite important for the
study of the mythology and art of the
Aborigines of this area.

The shelter was discovered by Mr.
Ellis Tucker, of Brit Brit, and by
means of directions supplied by him
Mr. Ian McCann, Tourist Information
Officer, of Stawell, and I were recently
able to locate it. It is situated about
0.6 km in a south-easterly direction
from the now classic Cultivation Creek
Shelter No. 5, on the north-west base
of a huge tor, the pointed top of
which, towering above the trees, re-
sembles in shape the famous Matter-
horn Peak on the Italian-Swiss fron-
tier. For this reason we broke our
self-imposed rule of using serial num-
bers for recording all new sites and
have called this ‘the Matterhorn
Shelter’.

The ‘shelter’ is really an overhang
of the rock face and is about 8 m
wide, 2.5 m high, and almost 3 m
deep, with the back wall featuring a
prominent fault, a perpendicular fis-
sure, or cleft, terminating into a large
irregular cavity; and around it the
Aborigines long ago painted a number
of lizards in red ochre, positioning
them as if issuing from the cavity. It
is impossible to say how many were
originally painted, since they are now
so faded as to be barely visible; but by
diligent examination of the rock face,
eleven lizards varying in length from
20 cm to 46 cm can still be discerned.
No other symbol or design appears to
be represented in the shelter.

326

Those who are familiar with the
painted shelters in the Victoria Range
will recollect that lizard renditions pre-
dominate, although in some cases they
are associated with other designs; but
then the latter are always small in size
and rendered in a linear, or thin line
manner, like the lizards. Because of
this peculiarity I have, in my former
writings in the Victorian Naturalist
and elsewhere, called this art the
‘Lizard Style’ and claimed that many
of these shelters were connected with
the mythology of the Lizard totem.

My co-searches in these ranges
agree with this nomenclature and
hypothesis, and when Mr. Tucker in-
formed the rest of us of his discovery
of the Matterhorn shelter he ad-
vanced his belief that he had located
the mythical ‘home’ or ‘birthplace’ of
all the lizards in the Grampians.

To fully appreciate the import of
this claim we must go further afield,
beyond the Grampians or even the
confines of Victoria. Anthropologists
agree that despite regional differences,
which are mainly due to geographical
and ecological variations, there was a
fundamental unity of customs among
all Aboriginal tribes throughout Aus-
tralia. Everywhere the Aborigines be-
lieved that the physical features of the
landscape were the results of the ac-
tivities of Dreamtime ancestors. These
beings, in their erratic wanderings,
were responsible for the creation of

all the waterholes, artifacts, rock
shelters, customs, trees, ceremonies,
mountains, and animals and edible

plants in the tribal territory. They
travelled from place to place, meeting
other Dreamtime spirits, fighting with

*4/18 Wolseley Street, Mont Albert, V. 3127.

Vict. Nat. Vol. 90

them, chasing and copulating with
female beings, and drifting off in
their separate ways, sometimes re-
maining in the tribal territory, more
often passing into the territory of
another tribe, but eventually all grow-
ing very tired and ‘sitting down’, to
be transformed into rocks and trees,
mountains or waterholes, or rising
into the sky to become planets and
Stars.

Their creative essence however re-
mained, and the natural features they
were turned into became the spirit
centres from where all future totem
members, both human and animal,
originated.

Many fissures or natural holes in
rock surfaces have been recorded as
representing the vulva of one or
another of the female beings with
whom the Ancestors copulated. Spen-
cer and Gillen discussed and _illus-
trated one such in Central Australia,
an isolated rock protruding from the
ground amidst mulga scrub. It has a
round hole on one side, and from it
the spirit-children of the Plum-tree
Totem emerged whenever a woman
passed in its vicinity, and she would
be fertilized! Mountford illustrates a
fissure in a rock shelter in the
MacDonnell Ranges which represents
the vulva of the Wild-dog Woman
with whom Jarapiri, the Snake-Man,
copulated.?

The general configuration of the
Matterhorn shelter is very similar to
Mountford’s example. The unusual
top of the tor could well have sug-
gested to the Aborigines the member
of a virile male ancestor, while the
fissure and the hole in the shelter
would have denoted the vulva of a
female being. The painted lizards
indicate that she was fertilized. The
tor is not far from Cultivation Creek
No. 5, where natural peculiarities of
the rock face are delineated with red
ochre to emphasise their fancied re-
semblance to a male and two female
sexual organs.? In No. 5 and nearby
No. 10, as well as in several other
shelters in the area, two human
figures, one tall and one short, most
likely a male and a female, are shown
as if holding hands, as if they were
inseparable. All this points to the
locality having being the centre of
creative activities on the part of
Dreamtime beings.

We don’t know who this particular
male Ancestor was, but there is little
doubt that at the Matterhorn shelter
he met, and fertilized, the Lizard-
Woman.

REFERENCES

1. Spencer, B., and F. J. Gillen, The

Native Tribes of Central Australia.

London, 1899.

Mountford, C. P., Wimbaraku and

the Myth of Jarapiri. Adelaide, 1968.

3. Massola, A., Victoria Range Shelters.
Vict. Naturalist 81, Oct. 1964.

N

PHOTOFLORA ’74

_ The Native Plants Preservation Society is now planning Photoflora °74, its eighth
biennial competition and exhibition featuring colour slides of Australian wildflowers.
Photoflora °74 is to include a new section for slides of Australian birds in their
habitat. The award for this section is a specially designed silver medallion, presented
by Bendigo Field Naturalists’ Club and named the Redvers J. Eddy Award in honour

of this well-known naturalist and bird photographer, an active member of their Club
until his death in 1968.

_Photoflora Entry Forms are now available from the Competition Secretary,
Miss B. C. Terrell, 24 Seymour Avenue, Armadale, 3143. Public screenings have
already been arranged in 17 suburban and country centres during March and April,
1974, and a few dates are still available if any group would like to sponsor another
screening. Screening details will be published later.

November, 1973 327

Field Naturalists Club of Victoria

Established 1880

OBJECTS: To stimulate interest in natural history and to preserve
and protect Australian fauna and flora.
Patron:
His Excellency Major-General Sir ROHAN DELACOMBE, K.B.E., C.B., D.S.O.

Key Office-Bearers, 1972-1973.

President:
Mr. P. KELLY

Hon. Secretary: Mr. R. H. RIORDAN, 15 Regent St., East Brighton, 3187. 92 8579

Treasurer: H. BISHOP. Address Correspondence to National Herbarium, The
Domain, South Yarra.

Subscription Secretary: Mr. D. E. McINNES, 129 Waverley Rd., East Malvern, 3145.
Hon. Editor: Mr. G.'M. WARD, 54 St. James Road, Heidelberg 3084.

Hon. Librarian: Mr. J. MARTINDALE, c/o National Herbarium, The Domain,
South Yarra.

Hon. Excursion Secretary: Miss M. ALLENDER, 19 Hawthorn Avenue, Caulfield
3161. (62 2749:)

Magazine Sales Officer: Mr. D. McINNES
Archives Officer: Mr. CALLANAN, 29 Reynards Street, Coburg 3058. Tel. 36 0587.

Group Secretaries
Botany: Mrs. M. G. CORRICK, 7 Glenluss St., Balwyn 3103. Tel. 857 9937.
Day Group: Mrs. J. STRONG, 1160 Dandenong Rd., Murrumbeena (56 2271).

Entomology and Marine Biology: Mr. J. W. H. STRONG, Flat 11, “Palm Court’,
1160 Dandenong Rd., Murrumbeena 3163 (56 2271).

Field Survey: Miss L. BARRACLOUGH, 4-7 Chrystobel, Cres., Hawthorn, 3122
Geology: Mr. T. SAULT.

Mammal Survey: Mr. D. KELLY, c/o 14 Finnigan’s Road, Research, 3095S.
Microscopical: Mr. M. H. MEYER, 36 Milroy Street, East Brighton (96 3268).

MEMBERSHIP
Membership of the F.N.C.V. is open to any person interested in natural history.
The Victorian Naturalist is distributed free to all members, the club’s reference and
lending library is available, and other activities are indicated in reports set out in the
several preceding pages of this magazine.

Rates of Subscriptions for 1973.

Ordinary iMembers '¢°5 5.0 atte? at ae gts Ooo EO oa ae $7.00
Country» Members =... un ope us Pe cata: Aa a ane Vee a GE re ir $5.00
Joint Members .. ih a eee MAO halo a yg dc $2.00
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Junior Members. receiving. Vict. Nat...) 3.20 ce es 0 WO $4.00
Subscribers to Vict. Nat. Loi only) Boh 7 Sabrtecdl eve / castes ol hanes TUS St =P GI 20 elles Oh eae a a $5.00
Overseas Subscribers ee ent alee) Maes Ties weg coibte Wen eae eag oe arr $6.00
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The cost of individual copies of the Vict. Nat. will be 45 cents (52 cents — overseas requests).
Full-time Students between I8 and 21 years pay at Junior Member rates.

All subscriptions should be made payable to the Field Naturalists Club of Victoria, and posted
to the Subscription Secretary.

) JENKIN, BUXTON & CO. PTY. LTD., PRINTERS, WEST MELBOURNE

DECEMBER, 1973

Published by the
FIELD NATURALISTS CLUB OF VICTORIA

in which is incorporated the Microscopical Society of Victoria

Registered in Australia for transmission by post as a periodical.
Category “A”

F.N.C.V. DIARY OF COMING EVENTS
GENERAL MEETING

Monday, 12 November — At National Herbarium, The Domain, South Yarra, com:
mencing 8 p.m.

Subject for the evening —‘“‘Eucalypts”: J. H. Willis.

14 January 1974 — Members’ Night.

GROUP MEETINGS
(8 p.m. at the National Herbarium unless otherwise stated)

Thursday, 13 December — Botany Group “Australian Plants in their Natural En-
vironment’, by Leon Costermans, also annual election of Office-bearers.

Wednesday, 26/12/1973-Tuesday, 1/1/1974— Port Campbell. A coach has been
chartered for this excursion which will be used for day trips to surrounding
areas, probably including a visit to Tower Hill and another to the Otways, but
the excursion secretary would be glad of suggestions from those knowing the
area well. Motel accommodation for the members travelling by coach has been
booked on a dinner, bed and breakfast basis, quoted at $11.00 per day at time
of booking. Coach fare: $24.00, to be paid by December General Meeting.
The coach will leave Flinders Street outside the Gas and Fuel Corporation at
9 a.m. Bring a picnic lunch.

The F.N.C.V. Council members and the Editor wish to extend the

Compliments of the Season
to all members and readers; and we also hope that 1974 offers the

opportunity for the fulfilment of your ambitions.

330 Vict. Nat. Vol. 90

The
Victorian Naturalist

Editor: G. M. Ward

Assistant Editor: G. Douglas

Vol. 90, No. 12 5 December, 1973
CONTENTS
Articles:
Accelerated Tree Death in Mature Nothofagus cunninghamii Forests in
Tasmania. By Truda M. Howard .. ae oi J am ee .. 343
Phascogales Galore. By G. Piper ws ee, tae Pe eS i: at ea MIA
Prehistoric Wildfires in S.E. Australia. By Edmund D. Gill .. BS see sad
The Origin of Generic Names of the Victorian Flora.
Part 2 — Latin, Greek and Miscellaneous. By James A. Baines vet BAD
Notes on the Short-necked Tortoises. By A. J. Coventry and C. Tanner... 351
Feature:
Early Naturalists’ Writings —4 .. At a ae as a a St pe OaD

Field Naturalists Club of Victoria:

General Meeting and Group Reports .. .. ae ae nat ae ae 355
Western Victorian F.N.C. Association .. ae a av, , oe: i 358

Front Cover:

The Sugar Glider photographed by John Wallis, exemplifies (in a loose sense)
the expression “Cheeky Possum”.

December, 1973 331

Early Naturalists’ Writings — 4

Mallacoota Inlet

From the preface to the book
“Wildlife in Australia”, written by W.
H. Dudley Le Souéf, we read—

In writing a short account of vari-
ous excursions made to different parts
of Australia, my object is to place on
record a few facts about our fast dis-
appearing fauna, and to interest others
in the wonderful book of Nature and
to stimulate them to learn for them-
selves how rich a storehouse of mar-
vels it is, and how generously it re-
wards those who give it patient study.
Surely a message like that should

inspire us to cease being apathetic or
tentative about writing of the little
things we observe; and as you read on,
you will indeed notice that small ob-
servations are treated just as carefully
as the more spectacular observations.

This, the fourth in the series, is
taken from “Wildlife in Australia’;
and in particular deals with Malla-
coota Inlet.

Our party, consisting of Colonel C.
S. Ryan, Dr. G. A. Syme, and the
writer, proceeded by train and steamer
to Cunningham, situated at the en-
trance to the Gippsland Lakes, arriv-
ing there about dusk. On the lakes
large numbers of Black Swans were
seen and on being approached too
closely they, with outstretched wings
pattered noisily over the water until
they had gained sufficient momentum
to enable them to rise. On the banks,
especially where the rushes grew,
Coots were plentiful. They often make
rough platforms to stand on over the
water, by breaking and bending over
a few rushes one towards the other;
and they frequently construct a float-
ing nest of the same material in still

332

water, well hidden among the rushes.
They are adepts at climbing by the
aid of their long toes, getting over an
ordinary wire netting fence without
any difficulty; and when eating, a
small lettuce for instance, a Coot wiil
grasp it with one foot and lift it haif
way up to its beak, using its foot as
a hand. Its beak is strong and sharp,
and it often feeds on short green grass,
putting its head on one side and so
nipping it off.

Next morning we drove thirty-five
miles to Orbost, a township situated
on the Snowy River and about ten
miles from its mouth.

When we stopped for lunch at a
wayside public-house, I found on a
shrub a bunch of sixteen cocoons be-
longing to a Death’s Head spider.
Some of them contained young and
others eggs in various stages of de-
velopment, the last one being hardly
completed, showing that the eggs
commence to develop as soon as the
cocoon is finished. The average num-
ber of young spiders or eggs in each
cocoon was 256, making a total of
4096; and it is quite possible that she
had not quite finished her brood. Con-
sequently these spiders must have
many enemies, otherwise the country
must be overrun with them. The
spider herself sits on the cocoons,
which are held together with strong
cobweb, and has her legs compactly
drawn up; and her back which is the
most prominent part, is almost the
same colour as the cocoons, namely
brown. She can, therefore, remain in
an exposed situation, being wonder-
fully protected by her colour.

Vict. Nat. Vol. 90

We arrived at Orbost at 5 o’clock.
The town is situated on the banks of
the Snowy River, which we _ had
imagined from its name to be a clear,
pellucid stream; but we found on the
contrary that this portion, at any rate,
was very muddy. Every now and then
a heavy flood comes down and sub-
merges the river-flats, covering the
soil in many places feet deep with
sand. The soil of the river flats is very
rich and splendid crops of maize and
hemp are grown, the latter averaging
about 12 feet in height; we were told
that it grew a foot a week and that
when ready it is cut, made into
bundles, and steeped in water for
about eight days, when it is dried and
crushed to get rid of the bark and
pith.

We left Orbost again at 6 o’clock,
on horseback, a packhorse carrying
our luggage, and reached Marlo, situ-
ated at the mouth of the river, at 10
o'clock. The view from this place was
very fine, overlooking the valley of
the Snowy River on one side and the
open ocean and the river bar on the
other. Early next morning a start was
made for the Bemm River, a distance
of 25 miles. On the way we passed
over Cabbage-tree Creek, and, follow-
ing it up for some distance, saw some
specimens of the Cabbage-tree Palm,
one of which was about 60 feet in
height. It is curious that this is the
only portion of Victoria where these
Palms are found, although they grow
in Eastern New South Wales. It is
probable that the seeds were brought
here by natives, or possibly by some
other agency. The country we passed
through was generally poor, with oc-
casional low ridges of sand; and cross-
ing one, we passed a dray laden with
wattle bark drawn by sixteen bullocks.

Shortly after leaving Marlo, we
passed close to the ocean beach; and
on a shallow salt lagoon at the foot of

December, 1973

the cliffs, and separated from the
ocean by a low sand bank, Musk
Ducks, Black Ducks, and Grey Teal
were enjoying themselves. The former
were generally in small companies of
seven, possibly the young with their
parents.

In the neighbourhood of Bemm
River, we were told that Dingoes
were plentiful, but it is probable that
few, if any, pure dogs exist. We saw
a few Emus in the open country as
well as Grey Kangaroos. In January,
1894, a heavy flood occurred in this
river, which rose 30 feet above its
ordinary level; and immense numbers
of young birds must have been
drowned in their nests, as the thick
scrub on the banks is a favourite
nesting place. But, as showing the de-
votion of some birds to their young at
such times, my friend, Miss Hood, of
“Merrang’, Hexham, in_ Victoria,
found the remains of a Black and
White Fantail which had apparently
been drowned while trying to protect
a little brood from the flood water;
and when the waters went down, her
remains and those of the three young
under her were found in the muddy
nest. Another case, showing equal de-
votion, occurred in Gippsland, when
during a dry summer, a bush fire
devastated the country close by a
farm, and on passing over the burnt
land shortly after, the body of a dead
hen was noticed, sitting on the ground,
with most of the feathers scorched off
her back, and on lifting her up, five
little chickens a few days old, were
found safe and sound; the mother
could easily have escaped if she had
left her little brood, but the maternal
instinct was too strong and she died
in protecting them.

We left next morning for the Cann
River, 20 miles distant, and during the
day noticed the Leach Black Cocka-
toos and saw the way they had par-
tially stripped the bark off dead rung

333

trees, in their search for the grubs.
We also saw Sulphur-crested Cocka-
toos, White Goshawks, and _ noticed
one tall White gum tree on which
both the nest of a White Goshawk
and that of a Sparrow Hawk were
situated, but they were perfectly safe
as we couldn’t climb the tree. Gang-
gang Cockatoos, with their curious
note, like a creaking gate, were occa-
sionally seen in pairs, and in the dense
scrub the clear call of the Coachwhip
bird was heard, like the cracking of a
whip. These birds seem very local,
and one pair seldom stray far from
one limited locality and almost in-
variably feed on the ground, scratch-
ing the surface like a domestic fowl;
they are always in pairs and are sel-
dom far apart. In the heath covered
country the delicate little Emu-wrens
were plentiful, always being found in
flocks; and they seem continually on
the move, dodging in and out of the
thick vegetation or taking short flights
from one bush to the other. Their
dome-shaped nests are well hidden in
some thick bush about two feet from
the ground. In the same _ locality,
among the long’ tussocky _ grass,
glimpses were occasionally obtained
of the dull-coloured little Grass-bird;
and on the ground, which was com-
paratively free of undergrowth, the
White-throated Nightjar would occa-
sionally be disturbed, as well as the
Ground Thrush; but they are so like
the ground that if they only refrained
from flying when one passed close by,
they would probably never be noticed.
Blue Wrens were of course plentiful,
generally in small flocks of about four
or five birds. They, too, keep close to
the thick vegetation near the ground
and are continually on the move. In
the larger timber the curious note of
the Leatherhead was often heard;
these birds generally keep near the
tops of the trees. Occasionally we
passed near a flock of Bell Miners

334

busily searching for insects among the
tree tops and frequently uttering their
single tinkling note. It is curious how
local these birds are and how close
they keep to water. I remember on
one occasion in Gippsland what a
welcome sound the note of the Bell
Miner was, as we were passing over
a long dry stage, when, hearing these
lively birds, we at once knew that
water was somewhere near. They al-
most invariably live in communities.
Many other birds were seen, such as
King and Pennant Parrots or Scarlet
Lowrys, Honeyeaters, Flame-breasted
Robins, &c., &c.

We stayed for the night at the Ac-
commodation house on the Cann
River, a distance of 35 miles. This
country is very heavily timbered and
it is only along the rivers that the
trees have been cleared and the land
cultivated; consequently sheep are sel-
dom seen, but goats which can live
well on shrubs, often take their place
as an article of food. On one occasion,
while unsaddling our horses at a
house we were going to stay at for the
night, I noticed a fresh scalp of a
kid lying on the ground and casually
remarked to one of our party that I
wouldn’t be surprised if we had kid
for supper. Well, later on, when that
meal was brought in, there was a
plentiful supply of mutton, as our
hosts called it, but the third member
of our party who did not know any-
thing about the aforementioned scalp,
thought it really was mutton and kept
explaining “fancy seeing mutton here,
we have not seen country that could
support a sheep for the past two days,
where do you keep them and what
do they live on? &c., &c. Kicking our
friend under the table to restrain him
and so lessen the confusion of our
hosts had no other effect than making
him want to know what we were doing
it for; anyhow the kid was very tender
and thoroughly appreciated by us.

Vict. Nat. Vol. 90

The road to Genoa was very inter-
esting, although for the most part only
a rough and newly cut track, which in
some places went down a steep hill-
side and up again at the other side at
an equally acute angle. On one occa-
sion when toiling up a steep bit of
road leading our horses, we met a
Copperhead snake rapidly coming
down the track; it was too late to stop
when it saw us, so passing quickly
between my feet it soon disappeared.
On another occasion, we espied a
Tiger snake and as I wished to
examine it, to see whether there were
any ticks on it or not, I got off my
horse which one of my companions
held for me. Going up to the snake I
quickly put my foot on it, but not
with sufficient pressure to do any
damage; and working my foot up to
its neck, I was then enabled to grasp
the reptile there, not giving it room
to turn round and bite me. Lifting it
up I was then able to examine it
leisurely, although it wriggled about
a good deal. After I had removed the
ticks and thrown away the snake, we
proceeded on our journey. Now the
track lay over a hill of granite, then
again over another hill of slate and
quartz and so on. Splendid forests of
ironbark and other trees were passed
through, and Tree ferns were plentiful
in the deep gullies; and we heard the
clear call of the Lyre bird on several
occasions in such localities, while
every now and again we had beautiful
glimpses of distant views from our
mountainous track, as it wound along
the crests of the hills; occasionally we
passed over swampy ground, on
which grew stunted trees. Funereal
Black Cockatoos were seen or heard
on several occasions among the tall
trees, and one Copperhead snake was
caught and despatched; but as the
weather was hot, we had expected to
see more of these reptiles. Lizards

December, 1973

were numerous, two so-called Iguanas
or Gould Monitors were noticed, and
it is astonishing the speed at which
they run up the trees, always carefully
keeping the trunk between the in-
truder and themselves, and it is almost
impossible for a person by himself to
get a shot at one. I lately knew of a
man who attempted to drive over one
of these reptiles, but it ran up one of
the forelegs of his horse and got on
its back; the animal became’ un-
manageable from fright, promptly
bolted, and soon overturned the con-
veyance by coming in contact with a
tree. The Iguana was thrown off by
the jerk of the concussion and escaped
up the tree.

An interesting note about an Igu-
ana appeared in the “Argus” by Mr.
John Hopcraft, of Red Hill, Victoria,
in which he stated that he saw one of
these reptiles that had captured a large
hare and was holding on to its ribs.
The Iguana by a series of jerky snaps
continued the assault, each jerk get-
ting a fresh hold slightly nearer the
head. It was not till he had got on the
neck that the hare was quickly killed.
The Iguana now moved round and
placed himself in a line head to head
with the hare. Opening his jaws, the
reptile got the hare’s nose in his
mouth; then by jerky movements, the
head began to disappear and_ the
shoulders became fast wedged in the
Iguana’s throat. Still slowly, very
slowly, the attempt to swallow went
on, and the hare gradually disap-
peared, and in fifteen minutes only
the hind legs were outwardly visible.
He approached the reptile, which was
quite unable to move away, only able
to jerk, jerk, jerk, getting his dinner
down. Soon, nothing was to be seen
of the hare, only the monstrous en-
largement of the conqueror, and then
the Iguana was no longer helpless and
quite actively ascended to the top of
a stubb fence, where he left him.

335

The tracks of the so-called Porcu-
pine Ant-eater or Echidna were seen
on several occasions across the dusty
track, and also the holes they had
burrowed into the White Ants or Ter-
mites’ mounds, these insects being
their favourite food.

Near the house at the Cann River
was a large blackberry hedge, which
was in full bearing at the time of our
visit. Numbers of Grey Crow-shrikes
came to eat the fruit, and I watched
a little Collared Sparrow-hawk, which
was sitting on a neighbouring willow
tree, suddenly swoop down and fly
along the hedge on one side and re-
turn to his seat on the willow along
the other side of the hedge, disturbing
and driving away all the Crow-shrikes
that were busily engaged feeding. Oc-
casionally one was struck by the pass-
ing hawk and the one so struck called
out loudly in its fright, yet it was
much larger than the hawk. He
seemed to disturb them for amusement
only, as I watched him doing it several
times, and it was evidently not for the
purpose of procuring food. I have
seen the Australian Goshawk do the
same thing with Nankeen Herons. It
will fly at them as they are seated on
a branch and send them spinning
down to the ground, although often
the Heron will not wait for the Hawk
to reach him, but promptly plumps on
to the ground; and again, if a Gos-
hawk sees these birds flying overhead,
it will often apparently amuse itself
by flying at them and occasionally
striking them with its talons as it
passes by and pulling a few feathers
Out—i-In. ‘anyo case, the Heron is
thoroughly frightened and squawks out
loudly as it tries to get to the ground,
apparently feeling safer on terra firma.
The late General Watson of North-
down, Tasmania, told me that he once
saw a little Falcon strike a swiftly
flying Duck, which then fell dead into
the water. The Falcon flew down and

336

alighting on the floating bird, com-
menced to devour it.

A beautiful nest of the Flame-
breasted Robin was noticed, snugly
built between the interstices of a rough
piece of bark of a Eucalyptus tree.

We arrived at the Accommodation
House at Merrimingo on the Genoa
River at sundown and turned our
horses out, as the rest of the journey
was to be by boat. On the river flats
were heavy crops of maize, and when
nearly ripe store pigs were turned
into them, where they rapidly became
fat, rooting up the maize plants and
feeding on the corn. The pigs were
sent to Twofold Bay about 60 miles
distant, to be shipped to market. It
was easier to drive the fat pigs than
cart the corn over the heavy roads.
Black, Tiger, and Copperhead snakes
are found here, and Water Lizards
were often seen lying basking in the
sun on the rocks or logs by the water’s
edge; but directly they are disturbed,
they dive into the water and are con-
sequently difficult to capture alive. In
the river, Eels are plentiful and we
were informed of some having been
caught weighing 28 lbs. If set nets are
used, many of the fish caught are
eaten before the morning, and our
friend, Mr. Allan, said Eels were the
culprits. On one occasion he had seen
a Water Lizard partly disabled, jump
into the water and while it was swim-
ming on the surface, a large Eel seized
it and dragged it down, and it did not
reappear. Personally I think the
Golden-bellied Water-rats are largely
responsible for eating the fish caught
in the set nets. Platypi* were also
numerous, and one large specimen
was caught in a net during our visit,
but escaped from captivity during the
night, for these creatures are very
strong and are adepts at climbing.
Echidnas or so-called Porcupine Ant-
eaters are equally as proficient in the

same art. We were informed that the
* Platypuses of course is the accepted plural now.

Vict. Nat. Vol. 90

Platypi are generally caught here in
the nets and as far down the river as
Gipsy Point, where the water is nearly
salt, while in times of flood, they went
down the river to the Upper Malla-
coota Inlet in fresh water. When the
river returned to its normal condition
they have been caught there in the
salt water and they were plentiful
enough where the water was brackish.

We left next morning by boat for
Mallacoota Inlet, a distance of 25
miles down the Genoa River. The
stream for the first few miles is nar-
row, at places partially obstructed by
fallen timber, but as we got further
down, it widened out considerably
and gradually became brackish as it
neared the Upper Mallacoota Inlet.
When being rowed down the river, we
occasionally disturbed numbers of
Black Ducks, and we passed a colony
of the Little Black Cormorants resting
over the water on the branches of an
old dead tree that had fallen into the
river. Some Welcome Swallows were
noticed high in the air, chasing a
Hawk, when the latter bird took a
rapid dive almost in a perpendicular
line towards the earth and alighted on
a tree near the river. We also found
several of the mud nests of these
Swallows built in small hollows of the
branches of dead trees that had fallen
in the river, and often within a few
inches of the water. So that should a
flood occur during the nesting season
some nests unavoidably get swamped.
A pair of Ospreys watched us as we
passed by, and further on we saw a
pair of the fine White-bellied Sea
Eagle, which let us pass comparatively
near them. A few Nankeen Herons
were also seen as well as Cormorants.
In the salt water we trailed a fishing
line behind the boat and caught a few
Skipjack. The bait was a piece of red
rag and bit of tinsel fastened on to the
hook. About midday we camped for
a short time on the shore, and making

December, 1973

a fire, soon had the fish we had caught
cooked, and they made a welcome ad-
dition to our lunch. The Upper Inlet
is about three miles long and two
broad and is connected with the lower
by a passage about a mile in length,
with fairly high land on each side.
On passing through this we came to
Mallacoota Inlet itself, which is about
seven miles long by four wide.

We had often heard of its beauties,
but they far exceeded our expecta-
tions. The water is salt and very clear,
and the banks covered with vegetation
to the water’s edge. Many of the
gullies that ran down to the Inlet were
clothed with thick scrub, often fes-
tooned and matted together with
creepers whose dense shade afforded
a cool retreat for the birds. There are
various arms running inland some dis-
tance and the coast line is very broken,
making numerous little bays, some
with sand beaches, others with rock or
gravel. Quartz reefs are to be seen in
places on some of the steep banks and
some of these have been worked and
proved to be gold bearing. The clear
waters teem with fish of various kinds,
Mullet, Skipjack, Schnapper and Flat-
head being especially plentiful. A
specimen of the latter was caught dur-
ing our stay that weighed 14 Ib. Sting-
rays are also numerous and are often
seen in the shallow estuaries, but they
are a timid fish. On the shore the
Brush-tailed and Red-bellied Wallaby
are abundant, and Grey Kangaroos
are occasionally seen. Wonga-Wonga
and Bronze-wing Pigeons were heard
in many places. Some parts of the In-
let are shallow and at low water sand
banks are left exposed here and there
on which are generally to be seen
Black Swans, Ducks, Gulls, &c.

Near the bar are several islands of
various sizes, the favourite haunt of
the Spur-winged Plovers and White-
fronted Herons. The bar has a high
cliff on one side and a long range of

337

low sandhills on the other. The depth
of water at low tide is about 9 ft., and
small steamers and schooners can go
in and out except in rough weather. In
many places on the coast, what are
apparently old sand dunes, are now
some distance inland and covered with
trees and scrub.

We stayed at the hotel that night
and spent next day in exploring its
neighbourhood. In one of the gullies
we heard a Lyre bird on its slight
mound, mimicking the various birds
of the bush, even the Laughing Jack-
ass, the Grey Crow-shrike, Gang-
gang Cockatoo, &c. But what struck
us aS most curious was its imitating
the whining and yelping of a puppy;
and we afterwards heard that some
miners who were camped near by,
used to leave a puppy fastened up at
their tent while they were away. We
also heard the bird uttering a note
something like the sound produced by
a cross-cut saw, and as one had
worked in the neighbourhood, that is
probably what it was; it only shows
what wonderful power of mimicry
these interesting birds have.

We frequently heard the Satin
Bower-birds in the dense scrub and
were fortunate in finding one of their
bowers built in a pretty situation and
surrounded with ferns. These birds
when in their greenish costume are
far from shy, but when the males don
their beautiful dark blue satin livery
im their. seventh year, they at once
seem to realise that they are conspicu-
ous and always keep as much out of
sight as possible; but for all that they
evidently soon fall a prey to the
watchful Hawk, as it is a rare thing
to see more than one blue male in a
flock of these birds. It is curious
watching their antics as they are play-
ing round their bower, hopping about
with mincing steps and drooping their
wings at the same time, picking up
sticks or shells and dropping them

338

again in front of one another, and at
the same time uttering a low running
note. They are also very clever at
mimicking other birds. They are fond
of green food and soon clear all the
grass off any aviary they may be
placed in, and frequently the leaves
off the bushes too. They often pull
their bowers to pieces to erect them
elsewhere. Not far from where we
found the “Bower” the Tree ferns
grew very thickly, forming a dense
shade, and close by, on some open
swampy ground, grew some Grass
trees, whose single flower stalks,
covered with small white flowers, were
in some instances 8 ft. long, and as
the flowers were literally dropping
with honey, which could be shaken off
if the stalk was bent over, it was a
capital place for catching flies, butter-
flies, beetles, ants, wasps, &c., as they
were sipping the delicious nectar. In
the evening after having dined on
Soles and other fish, we sat by the
Inlet and were impressed by the num-
ber of fish that rose to the surface of
the still waters; the clicking sound
made by them seemed almost con-
tinuous. Now and again, a Golden-
bellied Water-rat would pop into the
water on detecting our presence. We
had noticed feeding places of these
animals during the day on some
favourite log lying in the water close
to the bank where were the remains
of fish, mussel shells, and crayfish.
The next day, after inspecting a
gold mine, we returned by boat to
Genoa; and leaving there early next
morning on horseback, passed along
the same route by which we had come.
But in some places the path was diffi-
cult to follow, as a bush fire had
passed over a portion of it, burning
the timber and bringing many trees
down across the track. We camped
for lunch at Coolwater Creek, a clear
stream at the bottom of a deeply

Vict. Nat. Vol. 90

shaded gully, and as usual led our
horses to the top of the ridge before
mounting. We reached the Accommo-
dation House at the Cann River by
sundown. The day following we rode
to the Bemm River for lunch; and
after an hour’s rest, went on to
Orbost, where we arrived at 8 o’clock.
The man we had with us to look after
the horses and act as guide told us
that he had an exciting adventure with
a Tiger snake a short time previously,
as just before getting into bed he
noticed that a snake had already taken
possession of his bunk. So _ hastily
dressing again, he got a stick and went
for the snake but in the uncertain
light of a candle, and the numerous
impedimenta about the room, the
snake evidently got away down a hole
in the floor. Anyhow our guide
thought it wiser to leave the snake in
possession and he slept elsewhere that
night. We arrived in Melbourne next
day by steamer and train after having
had a most enjoyable trip.

I was enabled to visit this beautiful
Inlet on a subsequent occasion in the
G.S.S. “Lady Loch”. When opposite
the bar we were landed in one of the
ship’s surf boats, and after remaining
a little over a day, the steamer, which
had been leaving stores at the Light-
house on Gabo Island, called for us
again, the boat being rowed into the
Inlet to take us out to the steamer.
The nearest port to Mallacoota is
Eden, situated at Twofold Bay in
N.S.W., and it is only a day’s journey
on horseback. It is a fine spacious
harbour, where vessels of any size can
come in. Whaling has been carried on
here more or less ever since 1839. An
interesting article on this subject ap-
peared in the “Argus” in November,
1905, by Dr. Alex. Lewers. He states:

“For the present Eden responds to
one excitement only. At the cry of
‘A whale in the Bay’ the whole popu-
lation hurries to every available point

December, 1973

of vantage, and watches for the cap-
ture with as much eagerness as though
each individual had a personal interest
in the profits. Why whales should seek
Twofold Bay is not quite clear, but
local opinion is firm in the belief that
they do so under compulsion rather
than from choice. About this part of
the coast lurks a species of sea mon-
ster locally known as a ‘killer’ which
is apparently something in the nature
of a Grampus. It is firmly held that
the ‘killers’ work in conjunction with
the whaling boats and drive the whale
in designedly, much as a sheep dog
rounds stock up into a yard. Many and
fearsome are the legends of sagacity
displayed by these ‘killers’, and it is
alleged that on one occasion a ‘killer’
appeared in front of a Whaling Station
and displayed such evident agitation
that the boats put out and were led to
a whale outside the harbour. However
this may be, the ‘killers’ are held al-
most sacred, and are even known to
the whalers by name. One marked by
a white band is affectionately called
‘Stripey’ while another with a broken
fin goes by the appellation of
‘Hookey’. Once a whale is sighted it is
the property of anyone who first
makes fast; but in practice the opera-
tions are conducted by one proprietor.

“During the season, which extends
from June to October, two boats’
crews are provided with clothing and
rations and a certain percentage of
profits in the event of a capture. These
crews are composed almost entirely of
aboriginals, who have been specially
trained to the work from childhood.
When a whale appears, signal fires are
at once lighted and the boats turn out
almost with the celerity of a metro-
politan fire birgade. Each boat carries
a crew of six men. The first is
equipped with harpoons, lances and
tackle, while the second is known as
the ‘Pick-up’ and stands by in case of
accident to rescue their comrades.

339

With a skilful cast of the harpoon, the
leading boat makes fast to the whale
and then begins a time of excitement
for the onlookers, and of danger for
the whalers. The unfortunate whale,
worried on every side by four or five
‘killers’, and stung to mad agony by
the wounds of the harpoons, tries by
every means in his power to shake off
the deadly pursuit. If the whale is still
able to go forward with any pace, the
boat’s crew are in imminent danger of
being swamped, but the ‘killers’ seem
quite alive to the necessity of hamper-
ing his course, and one or two of them
Keep continually in front, and compel
the victim to travel slowly. This en-
ables the boat to get up from time to
time, and make effective play with the
lances, and soon the life-blood is
pouring from a dozen wounds, and
dyeing the water a deep crimson for
yards around. This is perilous work
for the boat while the great monster
lashes the water into seething foam,
and dives, perhaps to rise again right
under her Keel. One blow from a fin
would splinter the craft into match-
wood, and coolness and daring alone
save its occupants from disaster.
“Slowly the procession moves up
the harbour: the great carcase of the
whale, now looming above the water
and again lost to view, the smaller
forms of the killers’ grow more and
more active, and work always in front;
and the two boats with their crews
alert for every danger, and watching
every opportunity to deal another
lance-thrust and make assurance
doubly sure. Suddenly the whale
turns, and makes out to sea again.
The spectators hold their breath, and
count the minutes. If the boat can
hold on for an hour from the strike,
the end is certain, and anxiously the
remaining chances are measured. The
pace gets slower and slower. Every
time the whale rises now, great
volumes of blood pour out on every

340

side, making the very ocean red. The
‘killers’ first on one side, then on the
other, harass him at closer quarters.
Then in a final death agony the huge
monster thrashes the water into a wild
tumult of bloodstained foam and the
chase is over. The captors divide the
spoil. For twenty-four hours the
‘killers’ have the carcase under the
surface and feed upon it. When they
have taken their fill the huge form, in
which decomposition has already be-
gun, floats up again, to be held by the
anchor which the whalers have pre-
viously affixed. It is then towed across
to the station and the work of ex-
tracting the oil and whalebone is all
that remains. Yet not quite all, for the
carcase of a dead whale at Eden is
put to medical use in nearly every
case before being dismembered.

“There is a local tradition that a
cure for rheumatism may be effected
by placing the patient bodily into the
still warm blubber. A small hole is cut
in the outer skin, and through this the
sufferer, clad only in nature’s garb,
works his way down until only his
head and shoulders remain to the
outer world. Here he sojourns for an
hour or more, or until he becomes
faint, when he is withdrawn, and re-
stored to the world once more. It is
very rarely that a catch takes place
without a patient appearing ready and
eager to undergo this curious treat-
ment, which is the only evidence as to
its efficacy that is forthcoming. That it
actually occurs can be truthfully at-
tested. We interviewed a hopeful suf-
ferer both before and after the ordeal;
he was a man well over sixty years of
age, and seemed, at all events, none
the worse for his experience.

“The business of whaling, like most
dangerous callings, is a profitable one
in a good season; there are two varie-
ties, the ‘Right’ whale and the ‘Hump-
backed’. Great is the disappointment
when the catch proves to be a ‘Hump’,

Vict. Nat. Vol. 90

for it yields but little oil and is alto-
gether of small value in comparison
with the larger species. During the
present year five whales have been
taken to Eden, and two of them,
caught in the one week, yielded a
joint profit of £1500. In 1905, ten
whales were taken, yielding 253 tons
of oil and 14 cwt. of bone.”

On leaving Mallacoota, Cape Howe
gradually faded in the distance; it was
named by Captain Cook after Lord
Howe, R.N., and we soon came in
sight of Ram Head, so named by the
same Captain from its resemblance to
Ram Head, at the entrance of
Plymouth Sound, England. While
passing along this portion of the coast,
our thoughts go back to the time,
when on April 19th, 1770, over 130
years ago, Captain Cook arrived here
in his barque the “Endeavour” and
first saw the coast of Australia.
Authorities differ as to his first land-
fall, but it was most probably the
coast between Ram Head and Cape
Everard. On this point a lighthouse
has been erected, and its keepers com-
plain about the number of snakes that
pay them a visit. A stone wall seems
to be the favourite place of refuge for
these reptiles, and we were shown the
blackened powder marks where some
had been shot at close quarters. On
leaving here we passed along the
Ninety Mile beach to Port Albert, and
as the sea was rough on this occasion,
a difficulty was experienced in land-
ing. The small steam launch that took
us to the shore broke down just before
reaching it; and we found there were
neither oars nor anchor on board, so
that the strong tide began to take us
rapidly out to sea again. Thanks, how-
ever to some flooring boards among
the cargo, we managed with difficulty
to row into shallow water and so reach
the land.

Leaving here we went on to Cliffy
Island, on which was a lighthouse. It

December, 1973

is seventeen miles from Wilson’s
Promontory, to which place signals
are made by means of flags in clear
weather, and 167 miles from Mel-
bourne. It is a difficult place to land
stores on, in anything like rough
weather, and the usual crane is erected
for that purpose. A few years ago this
island was thickly clothed with tus-
socky grass, but now not a plant is to
be found; the mesembryanthemum or
pig-faced weed is also disappearing,
being eaten close down by goats and
rabbits. As the surface soil is being
disturbed, the strong winds are rapidly
blowing it away. Soon there will be
nothing but bare granite rock. The
lighthouse-keepers told us that shortly
before our visit, during a storm, the
heavy spray from the breaking surf
was blowing right over the houses,
130 feet above sea level, and every-
thing was drenched with salt water,
showing with what force the waves
break against this exposed rock. There
is a large crack on one side of the
island, where one part has apparently
sunk to a lower level and separating,
has left a cleft, into which the sea
penetrates for some short distance.

The next place called at is Wilson’s
Promontory, named by Governor
Hunter at the request of Flinders, and
also called South Cape by the intrepid
Dr. Bass, when on his voyage of dis-
covery from Sydney to Westernport.
He was the first navigator to ascertain
the real existence of the Strait separa-
ting Australia from Tasmania, which
was deservedly called after its dis-
coverer.

On leaving Wilson’s Promontory we
passed Rodondo Island, named by
Lieutenant.Grant from its resemblance
to a rock of that name in the West
Indies. In the distance can be seen
Curtis Island, so called by the same
discoverer, which from its likeness to
Lion’s Mount at the Cape of Good
Hope, he named after the Commander

341

of that station, Sir Roger Curtis. Not
far from it was the rugged rock, also
named by him The Devil’s Tower.
Glennie Islands then come in sight,
called after a Mr. George Glennie, a
friend of Lieutenant Grant and Cap-
tain Schanck. Steaming past Waratah
Bay the vessel was soon abreast of
Cape Liptrap, named by Grant after
a friend of his, John Liptrap, of Lon-
don. Cape Patterson is next passed,
called after Colonel Patterson of the
then N.S.W. corps.

Westernport, so named by Bass, is
now seen, and here it was that Grant
remained for some time, forming a
garden on Churchill Island, which he
called after John Churchill, of Daw-
lish, England, the gentleman who
partly supplied him with the seeds he
sowed. The Seal rocks off Philip
Island also received their name from
Grant, as when he saw them, they
were covered with Sea Elephants.
Sandy Point in Westernport was
named by him Lady Nelson Point,
after his ship, and it is a great pity
that the name has been changed. Cape
Schanck is soon abreast, and shortly
after the ocean or back beach of Sor-
rento is passed, just before Port Phillip
is reached.

It was near the ocean beach at Sor-
rento that Mr. T. W. Fowler found
interesting fossil remains of an extinct

species of Kangaroo in the dune sand-
stone namely Palorchestes. It was near
the outer edge of the reef and is only
exposed at low water, the white bones
standing out clearly in the dark rock.
I was only able to photograph it with
about an inch of water flowing over
it, as there being a high wind, the
tide did not go out sufficiently to
leave it dry.

On the piles of the piers in Port
Phillip mussels are very plentiful, but
are apparently kept down to a great
extent by the shell fish Purpura suc-
cincta, which feeds on them. The
Purpura shells grow to a fairly large
size but are not easily detected on
account of the seaweed and other
marine vegetation growing on them.
The largest mussels seem to be at-
tacked the first and the Purpura re-
mains there until it has completely
devoured the occupant, leaving the
empty shell hanging loose by the
byssus to the pile.

I often noticed how often in sum-
mer Swallows may be seen flying over
the Bay near the shore after their
insect prey; and on a cold windy day,
I counted over one hundred and fifty
of these dear little birds sunning them-
selves on the sheltered side of the Sor-
rento baths. They sat in long rows,
closely packed together and only a
short distance above the water.

Notice to Contributors

It is important that material submitted for publication should preferably be
typewritten on foolscap or quarto sheets at double spacing, and with a 2.5-3 cm
(1”) margin on the left. No underlining of words should appear unless abso-

lutely necessary.
e.g. 15 May 1972 not May 15 1972.

342

Where dates occur, the day should precede the month,

Vict. Nat. Vol. 90

Accelerated Tree Death in Mature Nothofagus
cunninghamii Oerst Forests in Tasmania

by TRUDA M. Howarp*

Summary

In North West Tasmania, the
normal pattern of sporadic tree death
in mature Nothofagus cunninghamii
stands has been replaced by the death
of large groups of trees. This tree
death was seen to occur in late sum-
mer to early autumn. Sections of new-
ly dead trees showed thousands of
new tunnels of Platypus sp. beetles
and soon after cutting developed a
mycelial felt. It is inferred that this
fungus is carried from tree to tree by
Platypus beetles, often killing the host
tree, whilst feeding the Platypus lar-
vae. A parallel is drawn to Elm die-
back disease.

Tree Death in the Mature Stand

In a mature undisturbed Notho-
fagus cunninghamii closed forest, the
death of individual trees causes a gap
in the forest canopy, which, in time is
occupied by seedlings, then saplings
of Nothofagus cunninghamii and
Atherosperma moschatum, or of any
other of the less common rainforest
trees, which are present in the stand.
In such a stand, the maximum trunk
diameter classes of Nothofagus cun-
ninghamii for that altitudinal zone,
are heavily represented, trunks of
smaller diameter are few and scattered
over a wide range of size classes. In
Victoria, where Nothofagus cunning-
hamii forests are few (Howard and
Ashton, 1973), only one or two (par-
ticularly in the Strzlecki and Otway
Ranges) are sufficiently mature to
have achieved this structure. In Tas-
mania, where Nothofagus cunning-
hamii is widespread, a great deal of
the area is occupied by mature forests
with this type of structure.

In the Surrey Hills area of North

December, 1973

West Tasmanian, observations of large
areas of both disturbed and undis-
turbed forest have revealed a _ con-
siderable departure from the normal
pattern of tree death, and consequent-
ly, in the structure of the forest. In
undisturbed forest, the death of a
single tree is often followed year by
year, with the death of surrounding
trees, of all ages and sizes (excluding
poles and saplings with a diameter of
less than 6 inches). Following dis-
turbances, typically by cull felling, or
access road construction, which create
large gaps in the canopy, rapid and
widespread deaths occur of a large
number of trees.
Investigation into the Causes of
Accelerated Tree Death

Various approaches to the problem
of accelerated tree death were tried.
Initially, the effect of root damage (by
trenching) was tested as a_ possible
cause of accelerated tree death in dis-
turbed areas. Thus in the undisturbed
forest trees with more than half of
their roots severed appeared to suffer
no ill effects during the 1971-72 sum-
mer. However, some trees on the
edges of new roads and snig tracks
which had had their root systems
trenched, did die. Sample discs were
collected from along the whole length
of the trunk, and inspected in detail in
the laboratory. The sections from the
the lower parts of the trees showed
thousands of small holes (1-2 mm in
diameter) through the bark, just pene-
trating the outer layers of the wood,
and the majority of the cambium was
dead and brown.

Immediately after this discovery in

* School of Botany, University of New South
Wales.

343

February 1972, a tree showing symp-
toms of incipient death (drooping
foliage and excessive leaf drop) was
found in the undisturbed forest. The
surface of the bark was covered with
sawdust expelled from abundant in-
sect tunnels. Within three weeks of
the initial observation of insect activi-
ty, this tree was dead. The tree was
immediately felled and the infested
area sectioned. The sections showed
that each hole extended approximate-
ly 3 cm into the wood, and was occu-
pied by an Ambrosia beetle (Platypus
sp. Fam. PLATYPODINAE).

The mechanical damage caused by
the insect tunnels was clearly inade-
quate to have been responsible for
tree death. Within two days of cutting
the sections, extensive fungal develop-
ment was apparent on the section sur-
faces. This raised the possibility that
tree death may have been caused by a
pathogen introduced by the beetle, a
possibility strengthened by the know-
ledge that the family contains species
known to cultivate fungi with which
to feed their larvae.

Trees which were known to have
died during the 1970-71 summer were
sectioned, and found to contain major
radial tunnels extending from the
point of entry to the heart of the tree,
with a series of branch tunnels at
right angles, each containing a larva
and lined with a mycelial felt. The
larvae were free to move within these
tunnels. As with the freshly dead
material, these section faces rapidly
developed a similar extensive mycelial
cover on the cut surfaces.

Discussion

The observations on the probable
link between a fungus (species as yet
unknown), a probable insect vector
(Platypus sp.) and the death of a
forest tree (Nothofagus cunning-
hamii) suggest a relationship similar
to that of Amylosterium and Sirex
noctilio to Pinus radiata death, and of

344

Ceratocystis ulmi and Scolytus spp. to
Elm dieback.

An attempt was made to establish
that the fungal material lining the
Platypus sp. tunnels was indeed patho-
genic, but although trees into which
the fungus was introduced (through
small holes drilled into the wood)
showed symptoms of incipient death
(wilting and excessive leaf drop)
within a fortnight of infection, all re-
covered after another three weeks. It
seems very likely however, that Platy-
pus sp. is acting as a vector for a
pathogenic fungus, as such a relation-
ship has been established between
Platypus spp., a fungus and damage
to and/or death of four New Zealand
Nothofagus species (Milligan, 1972).
Further Observations on the Relation-
ship Between Platypus and Nothofagus
cunninghamii

In the Surrey Hills district of N.W.
Tasmania, Platypus attack, and subse-
quent tree death appears to be re-
stricted to late summer and early
autumn. Most sawdust expelling ac-
tivity by the adult Platypus beetles
appears to be over by late May.

The spread of Platypus within the
mature forest, from an already in-
fected tree, seems in a majority of
cases to be a matter of spreading to
the nearest tree. Within the mature
Nothofagus cunninghamii forest on
Surrey Hills, extensive areas of dead
trees have been studied. In many cases
these areas of dead trees are still en-
larging annually through the spread of
the Platypus borne pathogen. It is
possible to trace evidence of past
Platypus attack on all but the most
decayed of these dead trees.

Within such areas of dead trees
young Nothofagus cunninghamii and
Athosperma moschatum trees are re-
generating successfully. Milligan
(1972) has observed that N.Z. species
of Nothofagus appear to have a mini-
mum size under which Platypus at-

Vict. Nat. Vol. 90

tack is not successful. That these
young trees have not succumbed to
Platypus attack may likewise be due
to effective wound response in the
young trees. However, extensive samp-
ling of young Nothofagus saplings and
poles has not revealed the formation
of “pathological wood” such as re-
ported for N.Z. Nothofagus species
(Milligan, 1972). It seems likely that
the young Nothofagus cunninghamii
trees may not be attacked at all by
Platypus, and that this may be due to
their leafy crowns forming a shield
for the trunk right to ground level.

Accelerated Platypus attack and
death appears to occur after logging
or roading of a Nothofagus cunning-
hamii stand. Not only are entire living
trees attacked, but also stumps which
are still alive after the falling. From
some stumps, before Platypus attack
occurred, coppice growth had been
produced; this was killed and no sub-
sequent coppicing took place from this
or any other Platypus-killed tree, sug-
gesting that the entire root system, as
well as the trunk and crown of the
tree is affected by the fungal pathogen.

Although Platypus beetles attack in
immense numbers (up to 1000 holes/
sq. m. have been counted), the attack
is often restricted to one side of a
tree (nearest a source of infection)
and generally occurs only in the lower
15-20 ft. of the trunk. Exposed roots
are usually also heavily infected,
though many are of _ insufficient
diameter to support the fully de-
veloped tunnel pattern.

The Extent of Platypus Infestation in
Australian Nothofagus Species

To date, Platypus infestation has
only been observed in Nothofagus
cunninghamii in North West and
Western Tasmania. Nothofagus gunnii
has not been investigated for Platypus
infestation.

In Victoria, no evidence of Platypus

December, 1973

infestation was ever found by the
author during a four-year study of
Nothofagus cunninghamii all over that
State. It it had been present, the cycle
of regeneration through coppice for-
mation described by the author
(Howard 1973) would have been un-
likely to occur, and the status of the
species would be even more precarious
than it is today.

In N.S.W., where the author has so
far inspected stands of Nothofagus
moorei in two areas (Mt. Boss State
Forest, inland from Wauchope, and
the —Tweed and MacPherson Ranges
on the border of N.S.W. and Queens-
land) no evidence of Platypus infesta-
tion has been found.

If indeed Platypus species are quite
indiscriminate in the species of
Nothofagus which they attack (as re-
ported for the three Platypus and four
Nothofagus species in N.Z. (Muilligan,
1972)), this is an insect vector and
pathogen which should be carefully
excluded from the restricted Notho-
fagus forests of mainland Australia.

Acknowledgement

This work was carried out while the
author was employed by Associated
Forest Holdings Pty. Ltd., Burnie,
Tasmania. I would like to extend my
thanks to ail members of the company
who assisted in this project, but par-
ticularly to Mr. Dirk de Boer, whose
enthusiasm and long experience with
Sirex problems acted as a catalyst to
this discovery.

REFERENCES

Howard, Truda M., and Ashton, D. H.
(1973). The distribution of Notho-
fagus cunninghamii rainforest. Proc.
R. Soc. Vict. 85: 47-76.

Howard, Truda 'M. (1973). Studies in
the Ecology of Nothofagus cunning-
hamii Oerst. I. Natural regeneraton on
the Mt. Donna Buang Massif, Vic-
toria. Aust. J: Bot. 21: 67-78.

Milligan, R. H. (1972). A review of
beech forest pathology. N.Z. Jour. For.
17: 201-211.

345

Phascogales Galore -

by G. PIPER

Residents of a modern brick house
in Kinglake described to me an in-
vasion of their home by phascogales
during the winter this year; a_be-
haviour of which I had not heard pre-
viously, and I think this account may
be of interest also to other members
and readers.

These small marsupial mice entered
the house by routes which no one
would have suspected. Small entrances
used, were in the eaves, floors and
ceiling. They left evidence of interest
throughout the house in the form of
droppings; the shifting of small ob-
jects; and missing or well-chewed
fruit. The work bench in the kitchen
contained plenty of droppings left
during the night, even though no food
was left there. Fruit mysteriously dis-
appeared from the bowl on the table,
and solution did not come until half
eaten passionfruit were found on the
floor behind the heat bank. The latter
region was the repository for various
other small objects such as biro pens.
How these were moved from the shelf
or table, down and along the floor and
around behind the heat bank was
never observed.

The phascogales usually were active
only at night, as is their custom; but
their timidity did not prevent their
appearing in the rooms while adults
were still there. While people sat there
they would scurry across the floor or
around the margins of the room, and
climb straight up the brick wall. Ap-
parently neither the noise of conversa-
tion nor the TV was too inhibiting.

The residents trapped one in a live
capture cage, and it was identified by
the National Museum as Antechinus

346

swainsonii, commonly called the
Dusky Marsupial Mouse. A photo of
this species appeared on the cover of
the Victorian Naturalist for Septem-
ber this year, and shows the long fore-
claws, the sharply tapered snout, the
small ears and the dark-coloured fur.
It is a rich dark brown with some
coppery tint. The tail is shorter than
the body. Troughton in “Furred Ani-
mals of Australia” 9th ed. gives the
head-body length of males as about

4 inches, the tail length of about
4 inches. Females are smaller. A de-
tailed measurement analysis for Aus-
tralian mainland and Tasmanian popu-
lations may be found in the article
“Some Revision in Antechinus (Mar-
supialia) —1”, N. S. Wakefield and
R. M. Warneke, Victorian Naturalist
80, 194-219. This article also has
drawings of the plantar aspects of the
feet, of interest in view of the reported
ability of these animals to climb up a
wall.

Distribution of this animal is given
in this article as Otway Ranges, east
central mountains, which contain wet
schlerophyll habitats, also in a Pinus
radiata plantation in Loch Valley in
Gippsland and, as well, there are
scattered occurrences in eastern and
western Victoria (e.g., the Gram-
pians). The appearance in southern
Victoria could be another one of these
odd occurrences.

Removal of these animals from the
house was attempted by putting out
one live capture cage each night, and
next morning, carrying the animal out
into the forest to release it. Unfortun-
ately, the number of invaders was too

Vict. Net. Vol. 90

large for removal permanently by this
means, and complete blockage of en-
trances had to be effected.

A nest was found under the re-
frigerator, lined with packing from it,
and containing bottle tops. It was not

a phascogale nest but that of another
animal described as a_ beautiful,
creamy-coloured rat with big brown
eyes, white abdomen and white ears.
This animal was not identified but re-
leased in the forest.

Prehistoric Wildfires in S.E. Australia
by EDMUND D. GILL

Bushfires are a part of Australian
life; they are a natural hazard on this
continent. Before Europeans came,
Aboriginals used fires to oust game.
Before any people lived in Australia,
there were wildfires naturally caused,
such as by lightning and by spontane-
ous combustion. That they have oc-
curred in Victoria in the Cainzoic Era
at least is shown by geological and
biological evidence. The geological
evidence consists of the products of
fire in a stratified sequence of dated
rocks. The biological evidence con-
sists of plants adapted to bushfires.
For example, Eucalyptus regnans, the
Mountain Ash, is adapted in its re-
generation and growth to the bushfire
situation. Hakea seeds are released
when fire or injury’ breaks’ the
capsule.

Tertiary Fires in Brown Coal
Evidence of these is found in the
Latrobe Valley brown coal field in
Gippsland, Victoria. Gloe (1960) has
described numerous depressions in the
top of coal seams, that were later in-
filled with clay. They are irregular in
shape but usually steep-sided. That
they were caused by fire is shown by
the thick layer of charcoal at the base
(up to 4.6 m), and sometimes clay
baked into a brick-like material. That
the age of the fires is Tertiary is shown
by the fact that they burnt Oligocene
and Miocene coals, yet were overlain

December, 1973

by clay and the Pliocene Haunted Hill
Gravels. The volume of coal burnt is
considerable, being calculated for one
of the deeper holes as 18.3 x 10%m?*
(2,400,000 cu yd.).

Gloe (1960) has published a photo-
graph (Fig. 22) of a huge hole in the
coal surface at the Morwell Open Cut.
The burned-out zone was subsequently
filled with clays, the uppermost of
which were black ligneous clays 3 m
thick carrying impressions of eucalypt
leaves. Such clays are of the same
stillwater facies as the coals them-
selves. This is shown also by the fine
bedding sometimes present. The clays
contrast in facies with the high-energy
Haunted Hill Gravels that unconform-
ably overlie them. So the facies of the
clays links them with the ecologic
phase of coal deposition and not with
the gravels which are apparently the
result of the Kosciusko Uplift that
rejuvenated the rivers of the Pliocene.

More recently, Waldman and Hand-
by (1968) have recorded from the
Morwell 12 coal seam a depression
from fire measuring about 67 m wide
and 6 m deep. The infilling clay con-
tained fossil fish, ostracods (in great
numbers), sponge spicules, diatoms
and pollen grains.

Prehistoric Fire in Mesozoic Coal
Parts of the Upper Coal Seam in

the North Basin of the Leigh Creek

Coalfield have been naturally burnt.

347

The coal is a sub-bituminous one of
Upper Triassic to Lower Jurassic age.
Fused coal ash resembling clinker was
formed, and some of the adjacent
shales were baked red. Dr. G. Baker
(1953) made a detailed study of the
fired materials. He quotes similar oc-
currences in New Zealand and U.S.A.
The Leigh Creek fires are attributed
to spontaneous combustion. The fire
appeared to start near the surface and
burn down, possibly indicating the
height of the water table that long
time ago is indicated.

Pleistocene Wildfires

The sea cliffs at Warrnambool in
Western Victoria consist of dune-rock
(aeolianite). The section at Thunder
Point shows a prominent fossil soil up
to 1 m thick. It is a terra rossa which
includes many pieces of charcoal and
occasional shells of fossil snails. The
age of this rock is probably Last Inter-
glacial (about 125,000 years ago) so
it is nearly 100,000 years older than
the oldest known Aboriginal site. It is
therefore believed that the charcoal is
a product of a natural bushfire.

Further inland, there are still older
dunes which also have fossil soils,
sometimes with charcoal. This is evi-
dence of much older bushfires.

Bushfires of the Past 10,000 years

When space travel was being de-
veloped, space scientists in U.S.A.
took a great interest in australites be-
cause they had come through the at-
mosphere at extremely high speed,
suffering anterior melting as a result.
One thing they wanted to know was
when these australites fell, so an
archaeological type dig was organized
to find australites in place and date
them (Gill 1965).

During the detailed work of this
dig, when the superficial deposits on
a ridge were carefully removed inch
by inch and sieved, rings of grasstree

348

(Xanthorrhoea) resin were dis-
covered. They were at a level to
which the land had been deflated dur-
ing a slightly drier time. Bushfires
occurred then that caused the resin to
melt and run down the trunk to form
a ring at the base. The resin was
dated by radiocarbon as 3880 + 250
years. Whether the fire or fires con-
cerned were started by Aboriginals
(whose implements were found there)
or by natural causes, could not be
determined.

When the Green Gully human re-
mains were being excavated South of
Keilor, one sample of charcoal was
taken from above the bones and one
from below. It was believed that in
this way a space of time within which
the burial occurred would be defined,
but the dates were the same (8155 +
130 years B.P.). The reason for this
was that a large tree stump was burnt
in place, and the fire followed down
a major root. In such burning, the
centre of a root is usually completely
burnt, but charcoal forms where the
root is in contact with the earth. Thus,
if charcoal from the outer part of the
root is preserved in two places, the
two samples will give practically the
same date. That the wood was burnt
in place was shown by the burnt
earth, and by the vertical grain of
the wood recognizable in the char-
coal (Casey and Darragh 1970).

REFERENCES

Casey, D. A., and Darragh, T. A., 1970.
The Green Gully burial. Mem. natl.
Vict.’ 30%, 3-13:

Gill, E. D., 1965. Quaternary geology,
radiocarbon datings, and the age of
australites. Spec. Pap, geol. Soc. Am.
84: 415-432.

Gloe, C. S., 1960. The geology of the
Latrobe coalfield. Proc. Aust. Inst.
Min. Metall. 194: 57-125.

Waldman, M., and Handby, P. L., 1968.

Tertiary fish from Morwell, Victoria.
Proc. R. Soc. Vict. 81: 95-96.

Vict. Nat. Vol. 90

The Origin of Generic Names of the Victorian Flora

Part 2—Latin, Greek and Miscellaneous

by JAMEs A. BAINES

Introductory Remarks.

As in Part 1, a prefixed asterisk in-
dicates that the genus is an introduc-
tion, and its absence implies that at
least one species is native to Victoria.
In all cases the spelling is that cur-
rently accepted by professional tax-
onomists, in accordance with the in-
ternational code of botantical nomen-
clature, even though some names have
a hybrid appearance: for example,
Exocarpos, the generic name _ for
Cherry Ballart, should be Exocarpus
in Latin and Exokarpos in Greek. The
name as spelt in the original descrip-
tion, unless involving obvious error, is
paramount. The names listed are as
given in A Handbook to Plants in
Victoria, 2 volumes, by J. H. Willis,
and The Distribution of Victorian
Plants, by D. M. Churchill and A. de
Corona, and reference has been made
to a number of books that will be
named in the bibliography at the end
of Part 2. Particularly useful have
been A Source-book of Biological
Names and Terms, by Edmund C.
Jaeger, Botanical Latin, by William T.
Stearn, Plant Names Simplified, by A.
T. Johnson and H. A. Smith, Glossary
of the British Flora, by H. Gilbert-
Carter, Flora of South Australia, by
J. M. Black, and A Gardener’s Dic-
tionary of Plant Names, by William
T. Stearn and A. W. Smith. The most
useful book for specific epithets
(trivial names) is A Popular Diction-
ary of Botantical Names and Terms,
by G. F..Zimmer..The index to
Ewart’s Flora of Victoria gives ety-
mologies of generic names, but many
are omitted, for no apparent reason
except perhaps those of space.

December, 1973

Abrotanella Like Artemisia abrota-
num (Southernwood), from Gk name
abrotonum (abrotos = immortal); our
A. nivigena (Snow-wort) = born in
snow.

Abutilon Arabic abutilun, one of
the names of the mulberry, which has
leaves resembling those of malvaceous
plants like Abutilon (Lantern-
flowers).

Acacia Gk akakia, the Egyptian
Thorn (A. arabica), from aké or akis,
a point or thorn; akazo, to sharpen.
Named by Miller in 1754 (after

Tournefort).
*Achyranthes Gk achyron, chaff or
husks; anthes, flower. A. repens

(Khaki Weed) is now Alternanthera
pungens.

Acaena Gk akaina, thorn, alluding
to the prickles on the fruit, as in our
Bidgee-widgee and Sheep’s Bur.

*Acanthus Gk akanthos, a prickle,
as in A. spinosus; our introduced
species, A. mollis, is the classical
acanthus of Greek architecture.

Acianthus Gk akis, a point; anthos,
flower.

*Acer Classical Latin name (as used
by Ovid) of the maple tree, possibly
from acer, sharp, the wood having
been used for writing tablets. Intro-
duced A. pseudo-platanus (Sycamore
Maple) seeds prolifically and spreads
easily.

Aciphylla Gk aké, a point; phyllor
leaf. The name is more appropriate to
New Zealand’s species (Fierce and
Horrid Spaniards!) than to Aus-
tralia’s.

349

Acmena Lat. Acmena, one of the
names of the goddess Venus, perhaps
derived from Gk akmenos, full-grown,
in full vigour.

(Willis retains the generic name
Eugenia for the Lilly-pilly.)

Acronychia Gk _ akros, terminal;
onux, a claw. The points of the petals
are curved and look like claws. This
genus of our Yellow-wood was named
by the Forsters, German botanists,
father and son, with Cook on his
second voyage.

Acroptilon Gk akros, at the top;
ptilon, wing. (Hj. Eichler places Cen-
taurea repens (Creeping Knapweed)
in this genus. )

Acrotriche Gk akron, summit or
extremity; thrix, trikhos, hair; alluding
to the tuft of hairs at the top of the
corolla-lobes.

Actinobole Gk aktinos, ray; bole,
a throw, a dart. (Flannel Cudweed.)

Actinotus. Lat. form of Gk word
meaning furnished with rays (see
above).

Adenanthos Gk aden, gland; anthos,
flower; alluding to the glands at the
base of the ovary.

Adiantum Gk adiantos, unwetted,
used by Greek authors for a plant
with unwettable leaves, perhaps A.
capillus-veneris, the fronds of which,
if plunged into water, remain dry.
Linnaeus adopted the name in its
Latin form.

*Agave Gk agauos, admirable, in
allusion to the beautiful flowers.

Agropogon Gk agros, field; pogon,
beard.

Agropyron Gk agros, field; pyros,
wheat.

Agrostis Gk agrostis, a kind of
grass (from agros, field).

350

*Ailanthus A Latinization by Des-
fontaines of ai lanit, the Moluccan
name for the ‘Tree-of-Heaven (cf.
Malay kayu langit = sky tree; kayu,
wood or tree; langit, sky or heavens).
Ailantus became Ailanthus on analogy
with the common Latin’ -anthus,
flower.

*Aira From the classical Gk name
for another (darnel) plant (cf. Gk
aira, hammer, from airo, to destroy).
(Hair-grass.)

Ajuga Probably from Gk a-, no;
zugon, yoke (in its Latin form jugum),
in reference to the calyx lobes being
equal, not bilabiate; but Gilbert-
Carter states that Ajuga was a name
used by Scribonius Largus, physician,
as a synonym of abiga, a plant, ac-
cording to Pliny, producing abortion
(Lat. abigo, procure abortion). (Aus-
tral Bugle.)

*Alchemilla Arabic alkemelyeh,
name of a plant probably used in
alchemy (Arabic alkimia). The Arabic
definite article al- was dropped, so
alchemy became chemistry. (Lady’s
Mantle.)

Alectryon Gk alektryon, a cock or
rooster (from a- no; lektron, bed, that
is, unwedded, a reference to barnyard
morals!). (Lat. lectus, Fr. lit and Eng.
litter come from the same _ root.)
(Smooth Rambutan.)

* Alhagi Mauretanian al-hag, Moor-
ish name for the Camel Thorn (A.
camelorum), a noxious weed in our
irrigation settlements.

Alisma Gk halisma, salt-loving, the
classical name for Water Plantain.

*Allium Lat. allium, garlic. (The
Lat. name for onion was caepa, which
is reflected in the botanical name,
A. cepa.)

To be continued.

Vict. Nat. Vol. 90

Notes on the Short-necked Tortoises Emydura australis

(Gray) and Elseya dentata (Gray) in the Victoria River

system, Northern Territory

by

A. J. COVENTRY* and C. TANNER

In 1841 Gray described a tortoise,
which although suspected of having
been collected in north-western Aus-
tralia, had no locality data. For many
years this species was little known,
and it is only recently that additional
Knowledge of it has been obtained.
This species differs from any other
described Australian species in the
heavy symphysis of the mandibles,
and the corresponding development
of the alveolar surfaces of the maxil-
laries. He called this tortoise Hydra-
spis australis. Boulenger (1889) placed
this species in the genus Emydura,
where it has since remained. In 1842
Gray described Hydraspis victoriae,
based on shells from the Victoria
River, but in 1855 synonymized this

Plate 1.

A small water-
hole on Timber
Creek, the pre-
ferred habitat
of Emydura
australis.

December, 1973

taxon with Chelymys macquaria
(sic.). In 1872, he re-erected the
name as C. victoriae, and while recog-
nizing C. krefftii Gray, included speci-
mens of this species with C. victoriae.
Boulenger (1889) placed H. victoriae
Gray with Emydura macquarrii (sic.),
a move which other workers (e.g.
Wermuth and Mertens, 1961) fol-
lowed. Goode (1967) finally placed it
with FE. australis, where it at present
remains.

In 1863 Gray described a second
species from the Victoria River, which
he called Chelymys dentata. In 1867
he erected a new genus Elseya with
dentata as the type species. This

* National Museum of Victoria.
+ Cooktown, Queensland.

species differed from all other Aus-
tralian species by the presence of a
median alveolar ridge, and also from
E. australis by the narrow symphysis
of the mandibles.

As little has been published on
either of these two species, we thought
it appropriate to record some of the
variations and habitat preferences ob-
served during several weeks’ field
work on the Victoria River in Sep-
tember 1963 and August 1964.

Two methods were used to obtain
tortoises. The first was drum _ nets
made from collapsible steel rods and
wire frames bolted together, with fish-
ing net of 3 cm mesh drawn over the
frame. Fish and beef proved equally
successful as bait. The second method
was gill nets in which free swimming
tortoises became entangled. Drum
nets proved to be much more produc-
tive, and had the advantage over gill
nets of being always re-usable. Both
types of net had to be checked at least
twice daily to prevent captured tor-
toises being drowned.

Collecting was mainly from four
waterholes (1 and 2) Timber Creek,
a tributary of the Victoria River, (3)
Jasper Creek, another tributary and
(4) Tortoise Reach on the Victoria
River proper. The two on Timber
Creek were (a) Immediately behind
the Timber Creek general store, ap-
proximately 1 km upstream from its
junction with the Victoria River, and
(b) A further 8 km or so upstream.
The Jasper Creek hole was _ the
southernmost one in Jasper Gorge,
which is situated some _ kilometres
north of the Victoria River Downs
homestead. Tortoise Reach is up-
stream from Timber Creek, and quite
close to Coolibah Homestead.

Not until a series of some fifty
specimens had been collected was it
evident that only two species (Emy-
dura australis and Elseya dentata)
were represented. The major differ-

352

ence in the shields of these two species
is the nuchal, which is present in
australis and absent in dentata. The
shell of australis is very similar to
that of E. macquarii of south-eastern
Australia. There is a greater external
difference between animals of varying
sizes, belonging to the same species,
than between those of similar propor-
tions yet differing species. The greatest
variations between the two species are
most evident in juveniles and very old
specimens.

The juvenile dentata are much more
dentate on the posterior marginal
shields than are the young of australis.
When attaining a shell size approxi-
mately equal to that of a fully-grown
australis, dentata is much flatter in
appearance, and has a much smaller
head. At this stage of growth, dentata
has only reached about two-thirds of
its maximum size. AS maximum size
is reached, the -carapace becomes
much more ovate, humped, and ex-
tremely dark. The plastron, uniformly
pale in young specimens, becomes pie-
bald and finally almost entirely black-
ish, except for a small central area.
This darkening of the plastron was not
observed in australis. At all stages of
its development, until near maximum
size, dentata has a fairly uniformly
coloured head, which in older speci-
mens becomes mottled. On the other
hand, australis has the two head
stripes typical of some of the other
Emydura_ species, differing only in
juvenile australis. These stripes are a
bright salmon red, which gradually
fades until in old specimens it is only
pale pinkish.

Although both of these species in-
habit the same river system, it be-
came evident during collecting that
australis showed a marked preference
for smaller waterholes than those pre-
ferred by dentata. Thus, at Timber
Creek, the smaller (both in width and
depth) holes had a marked predomi-

Vict. Nat. Vol. 90

nance of australis, the larger deeper
hole at Jasper Creek a predominance
of dentata, while the extremely large
waterhole in the main stream at Tor-
toise Reach yielded only E. dentata.
Whether further collecting will con-
firm these findings awaits to be seen.

Perhaps it is interesting to note that
the waterhole in Jasper Creek had a
large population of Freshwater Croco-
diles, Crocodilus johnsoni, a species
which was apparently absent in Tim-
ber Creek. Whether or not this reptile
preys on the tortoises, or influences
the preferences of waterholes, poses
an interesting problem.

The only other tortoises collected
were one Chelodina sp. taken in a
drum net from the hole behind the
Timber Creek store, and several speci-
mens of C. ? rugosa dug up by
Aboriginals from an aestivating site at
King Billabong on the Victoria River
several miles downstream from _ its
junction with Timber Creek.

REFERENCES

Boulenger, G. A., 1889. Catalogue of
Chelonians in the British Museum,
London.

Goode, J., 1967. Freshwater Tortoises of
Australia and New Guinea. Lans-
downe Press, Melbourne.

Gray, J. E., 1841. Gray’s Australia, Vol.
2, Appendix E.

—, 1842. Zoological Miscellany.

, 1855. Catalogue of Shield Rep-

tiles in the British Museum. London.

, 1863. Ann. Mag. Nat. Hist.

Gie127 598:

———., 1867. Ibid. 20, 43-44.

, 1872. Appendix to Catalogue
of Shield Reptiles in the British
Museum, London.

———, 1842. Zoological Miscellany.

—, 1855. Catalogue of Shield Rep-

tiles in the British Museum. London.

, 1863. Ann. Mag. Nat. Hist. (3)
12, 98.

———, 1867. Ibid. 20, 43-44.

———, 1872. Appendix to Catalogue of
Shield Reptiles in the British Museum,
London.

Wermuth, H., and Mertens, R., 1961.
Schildkroten Krokodile Bruchenechsen.
Fisher, Jena.

F.N.C.V. PUBLICATIONS AVAILABLE FOR PURCHASE
THE WILD FLOWERS OF THE WILSON’S PROMONTORY NATIONAL PARK,

by J. Ros Garnet.

9 Colored Plates. 32 Black and White Plates. 150 Drawings. A Check List of
854 Plants. 192 Pages. $4.75. Postage 30c.

THE VEGETATION OF WYPERFELD NATIONAL PARK, by J. Ros Garnet.

Colored Frontispiece.

23 Half-tone Plates.

100 Line Drawings of Plants.

Map of Park. 96 Pages. $1.50. Postage 20c.

VICTORIAN TOADSTOOLS AND MUSHROOMS, by J. H. Willis.
4 Colored Plates. 31 Black and White Plates. 120 Species described. 88 Pages.

90c. Postage 20c.

BIRDS OF THE DANDENONGS, by W. Roy Wheeler.
9 Colored Plates. Map of Area. 52 Pages. A Check List and description of
211 Species listed for the Area. 75c. Postage 20c.

To ensure prompt delivery, order direct from
Sales Officer F.N.C.V.
129 Waverley Road, East Malvern, 3145.

Telephone: 211-2427.

December, 1973

353

Report on First Natural Conservation Study Conference

Through the generosity of the
A.C.F., who paid air fares for dele-
gates from some 80 bodies, I was able
to represent the Club at the First
National Conservation Study Confer-
ence, held in Canberra on November
16-18.

Proceedings opened with a key-note
address by Dr. M. H. Cass, who
pointed out that the aspect of the
environment with which we are all
immediately concerned, and which is
suffering the most rapid deterioration,
is the cities, but that the Conservation
movement tended to be supported
mainly by the middle-class and had
been concerned mainly with rural
areas. He suggested that the move-
ment could not really succeed unless
it won the support of the workers,
and that to do this it must become
concerned with the urban environ-
ment. Although strenuously opposed
by some delegates, this concept
seemed to be supported by most of
those present.

A series of papers summarizing the
position in the various States was then
given, and after discussion of these
the Chairman, Mr. Serventy, at-
tempted to define Conservation and
enumerate its aims.

The delegates then divided into a
number of syndicates to consider dif-
ferent aspects of Conservation, in-
cluding environmental law and ad-
ministration, organization and finance,
communications, development of
leaders, relations with officialdom,
education, planning proper land use
and rationalizing the classification of
reserves, etc.

Papers were also given on the aims
and role of the A.C.F., guidelines for
co-ordinating the activities of the
various bodies, Australian environ-
mental law, and Judith Wright read a
paper prepared--by Mr. Justice Hope,

354

Chairman of the National Estate Com-
mittee of Enquiry on “How Conser-
vationists can Preserve and Enhance
the National Estate”. Finally, the syn-
dicate leaders reported their conclu-
sions and Professor Turner summed
up his impressions of the Conference.

I feel that the Conference was ex-
tremely valuable, both as an oppor-
tunity for meeting conservationists
from other States, hearing about their
problems and learning from their ex-
perience, and in enabling the Conser-
vation movement to begin to work
together towards a common goal.

A number of problems emerged,
particularly concerning the role of
the A.C.F. and its relations with the
State Conservation Councils. It seemed
to be the feeling of the meeting that
there should be a central body to co-
ordinate the activities of the State
bodies, and to represent them in ne-
gotiations with the Federal Govern-
ment. Both the Federal Government,
by allocating the A.C.F. $50,000 for
distribution among the various local
bodies, and the Conservation Move-
ment, by its rejection of the former
A.C.F. Executive, seem to have indi-
cated that they feel that the A.C.F.
should fulfil this role. However, it was
forcibly pointed out that the State
Conservation Councils would be very
reluctant to grant the A.C.F. any
special status as a_ central co-
ordinating body while it retains its
present structure and membership.

In conclusion, I personally found
the weekend very stimulating, having
become somewhat depressed by the
general apathy of F.N.C.V. members
and by overwork, in and out of the
Club, and I hope that the Conference
may provide a stimulus to the Club
so that it can resume its former lead-
ing role in the Conservation move-
ment.

Vict. Nat. Vol. 90

Field Naturalists Club of Victoria

General Meeting
12 November

The main business of the meeting was
the presentation of the Natural History
Medallion for 1973 to Mr. Edmund Gill.
Guests at the meeting included Sir
Robert Blackwood, Chairman of the
Medallion Committee, Dr. McNally of
the National Museum, Professor and
Mrs. Sherbon Hills and Mr. and Mrs.
Gill.

In making the presentation Professor
Hills said that he felt that Mr. Gill had
been honoured by the club not so much
for his services in the course of his pro-
fessional duties, but for what he has
done that is personally interesting to
him, which was chiefly the study of the
geology of the Quaternary Period. He
recalled that in order to pursue this
interest Mr. Gill had need to study
zoology as well as geology, as the inter-
pretation of fossil findings had been an
important part of his work.

Following the presentation Mr. Gill
gave an illustrated address on “Changes
in the Natural History of Victoria as
revealed by Radio Carbon Dating”. Mr.
Gill gave many examples of the way
these various dating techniques had
widened knowledge of the time scale of
natural events, such as the history of
coastal changes, the sequence of volcanic
activity and the period of aboriginal
occupation.

Mr. Kelly moved a vote of thanks to
Mr. Gill for his address and to Prof.
Hills for presenting the Medallion; he
also expressed the Club’s thanks to the
Medallion Committee for the work they
had put in to deciding the winner. Mr.
Riordan announced that Mr. Jim Baines
would retire as Secretary of the Com-
mittee at the end of the year and thanked
him for the efficient way in which he
had carried out his duties. Incoming
Secretary of the Committee is Mrs.
Margaret Corrick.

Among the exhibits on display was a
spider and its egg sac, some insect larvae
for identification and oolites from Cen-
tral Australia under one of the micro-
scopes.

Miss Young announced that club
member Mr. Vic. Miller had recently
celebrated his 99th birthday and also
that she had available a number of
copies of a song “Anthem for Youth”,
the words and music of which had been
written by the late Tarlton Rayment.

December, 1973

The book stall was in operation as
usual and orders are being taken for the
second edition of “Flowers and Plants of
Victoria” by Cochrane, Fuhrer, Rother-
ham and Willis, and for a new book in
similar form ‘“‘Flowers and Plants of
Western Australia” by Erickson, George,
Marchant and Morcombe. Both these
books will be available to club members
at a special price.

Full lists of correspondence were dis-
played and the Secretary announced that
he had been pleased to hear from the
New South Wales Government that the
proposed road through the Burendong
Arboretum in Canberra, about which the
Club had protested, would not now be
built. Acknowledgment had also been
received from the Port Phillip Authority
of the Club’s submission concerning
management of certain areas of shore-
line. Miss Madge Lester agreed to attend
discussions with the Authority as the
Club’s delegate.

Mr. Kelly said that Council regretted
that the November edition of the
‘Naturalist? had not gone out on time
but power restrictions due to the strike
by S.E.C. workers had caused delays in
printing.

Botany Group Meeting

8 November

There was a good attendance at the
November group meeting to hear Miss
Madge Lester who spoke on “The Alter-
nation of Generations in Green Land
Plants’. Miss Lester explained that when
there is such an alternation the genera-
tions do not follow each other AAA,
but go ABAB. As well as being different
in appearance from the parent, the off-
spring has a different quantity of heredi-
tary material — either half or double the
chromosome number of the parent.

With diagrams, Miss Lester showed
the result of cell division in growth, and
then the reduction division that produces
haploid cells. In animals these haploid
cells are the sex cells; in plants they are
spores —and such a spore grows into
an organism where all the cells are
haploid.

The life cycle of a fern was shown as
the easiest example. The familiar sporo-
phyte fern is diploid and produces hap-
loid spores; a spore grows into a haploid
gametophyte that looks like a fragile
quarter-inch liverwort; the gametophyte
produces the gametes or sex cells; union

355

of a male and female cell is the begin-
ning of a new sporophyte fern. At first
the young sporophyte takes all its
nourishment from the parent gameto-
phyte, but it soon becomes independent.
Miss Lester then dealt with mosses,
where the gametophyte is the dominant
generation, and the sporophyte fruiting
body is attached to, and largely de-
pendent on the parent gametophyte for
its entire lifetime.

The talk proceeded with one of the
club mosses, which Miss Lester prefers
to call club ferns, because the sporo-
phyte is the dominant generation. The
genus Selaginella has two kinds of spores
which develop into two kinds of gameto-
phytes, and the gametophytes begin to
grow when still inside the spore, while
receiving nourishment from the parent
sporophyte.

The two kinds of spores demonstrated
by Selaginella, and the small size and
dependence of the gametophyte culmi-
nate in the seed plants— conifers and
flowering plants. In seed plants the
microspores are called pollen grains,
while the sporangium that produces the
megaspores has an extra covering and
the whole is called an ovule. The mega-
spore (i.e. nucellus), the female gameto-
phyte (i.e. embryo sac), and the fertilised
cell are retained in the ovule. The fer-
tilised cell develops into an embryo
sporophyte inside the gametophyte
tissue, both being nourished from the
parent sporophyte. Finally the embryo
stops growing and the outside of the
ovule forms a firm coat. The whole is
a seed ready to be shed.

Miss Lester illustrated her talk with
a series of very clearly drawn diagrams
which she had prepared herself.

An unexpected addition to the meet-
ing programme was the showing by
Mr. Peter Kelly of some slides of West-
ern Australian wildflowers, taken by
Mr. Alwyn Pepper, who specialises in
nature photography. Mr. Harry Bishop
also showed some slides of orchids
which he had taken on a recent trip to
Western Australia.

Miss White exhibited a species of
Nitella, collected in Werribee Gorge,
bearing mature antheridia and gave a
brief explanation of the reproductive
structure of this alga. She also showed
some pressed plants collected on the
Club’s spring trip to the Warrumbungle
Range.

Mrs. Corrick showed and spoke about
two members of the Compositae family,

356

Cassinia aculeata
dendroideum.

A report was given on the Group’s
plant survey trip to Riddells Creek area,
and a list of about 190 species found in
the two localities visited was tabled.

At the December meeting there will
be an election of office-bearers for the
Group in 1974; and the meeting will be
followed by the usual Christmas supper.

and Helichrysum

Day Group
Latrobe University — 18th October, 1973

Despite early rain, thirty-one members
attended, and the day became fine and
sunny later. The meeting was held in the
Glen College Conference Room.

Mr. Fairhall chaired the meeting and
welcomed members and friends.

Apologies: Mr. and Mrs. Dodds, Miss
Herhstreit, Mrs. Pearce and Miss Baalam.

Minutes of the previous meeting were
read, moved Miss Bell, seconded Miss
Owen. The next and last meeting for
the year in November will be held at
the Natural Resources League at Spring-
vale. No meetings will be held in
December or January. During the week
a committee meeting was held at which
tentative arrangements for outings during
1974 were made.

At the conclusion of the meeting lunch
was taken and tea, coffee, milk and sugar
were kindly provided for members. After
lunch Mr. Butcher, of the Gardens De-
partment, joined us, as did Mr. Saul
later, and explained that prior to 1966
the area was a huge cow paddock, boggy
and covered with reeds and_ rushes.
Approximately 25,000 plants and 8,000
trees have been planted. Noted were the
lovely red-gums which are native to the
area. The following were mostly in
flower and a lovely sight — Grevillea
bitternata, G. poorindaqueen Clearview
David (Hybrid) Diosmafolia, Melaleuca
sp. and Kennedya rubicunda to name just
a few.

Mr. Butcher and Mr. Saul were
thanked for making a most interesting
and pleasant day for the members, who
made their way home at about 3.30 p.m.
after a very happy day.

Mammal Survey Group

The Mammal Survey Group’s October
camp was held on the 20 and 21
October in the Otway Ranges, approxi-
mately 11 km S.E. of Forrest. The 12
members and nine visitors who attended
the camp persevered in wet and windy
weather to record five native and one
introduced species of mammal for the

Vict. Nat. Vol. 90

area. Trapping yielded two species —
Bush-rat (Rattus fuscipes), and Swamp-
rat (Rattus lutreolus). The animals were
sexed in camp before being released at
the place of capture. It was surprising
not to trap any Brown Antechinus
(Antechinus stuartii), which have been
previously trapped by the group in
similar habitat in the Otways. Spotlight-
ing was spoiled by the weather, only
Ringtail Possum (Pseudocheirus pere-
grinus), and Black Wallaby (Wallabia
bicolor), being seen. Other species re-
corded by daylight sightings were Platy-
pus (Ornithorhynchus anatinus), at Slide
Lake, and Feral Cat (Felis catus). Out-
side the survey area, on the road near
Forrest, a dead Echidna (Tachyglossus
aculeatus), Was seen.

The guest speaker at the October
meeting was Dr. John Nelson on the
subject of animal behaviour. The talk
was illustrated with films of flying fox
colonies (Pteropus sp.) and _ captive

specimens of Dasyuroides byrnei, with
slides of other examples, mainly labora-
tory animals. It was impressed upon
members of the difficulty in obtaining
information on the behaviour of many
species under natural conditions.

At the November meeting Jack Hyett
gave the group an interesting talk on a
study he and students have made on a
population of Rattus rattus at Skenes
Creek. Mr. Hyett also spoke on some of
his recent observations of New Holland
Mouse (Pseudomys novae-hollandiae).
Members then gave reports of recent
sightings of native mammals, and dis-
cussed future camps.

The November camp will be on the
17 and 18 November, near Heathcote,
and the December camp will be held on
the 8 and 9 December on the Morning-
ton Peninsula. The Christmas camp will
be at Wingan Inlet, and more details of
this camp can be obtained at the Decem-
ber meeting.

BOOKS AS CHRISTMAS GIFTS FOR ALL FIELD NATURALISTS

Just Released “FLOWERS AND PLANTS OF VICTORIA”
Revised Reprint. 543 Color Plates. 224 Pages. $15.95.

New

‘“FLOWERS AND PLANTS OF WESTERN AUSTRALIA”

538 Color Plates. 216 Pages.
520 Plants shown, 432 restricted to the State. $16.95.
Brochure on these books posted on request.

New “BIRDS OF AUSTRALIA”

A Summary of Information.

J.D. Macdonald.

24 Colour Plates. 552 Pages.
Description of 745 Species, illustrated by Peter Slater.
300 Species. Distribution Maps. $18.50.

New
Helen Aston.

““AQUATIC PLANTS OF AUSTRALIA”

222 Species (109 in Victoria).
138 Illustrations. 362 Pages. $21.00.

‘““A HANDBOOK TO PLANTS IN VICTORIA”

J. H. Willis.

Vol. I.

Ferns, Conifers and Monocotyledons.

481 Pages.

$9.90.

Vol. II. Dicotyledons.
832 Pages. $21.00.

‘THE INSECTS OF AUSTRALIA”

C.S.LR.O.

$19.80.
(A Discount on all above books to Field Naturalist Club Members.)

Postage and Packing Extra.

Information and Orders.

D. E. McInnes, 129 Waverley Road, East Malvern, 3145.

December, 1973

Write direct to Sales Officer F.N.C.V.

357

Western Victorian F.N.C. Association

Report of Clubs’ Activities for year 1972

ARARAT F.N.C.
President —'Mr. Stan Kelly. Secretary — Miss Z. Banfield.
Membership 20.

Unfortunately, bone-seed has made its appearance in McDonald Park, and mem-
bers have been active in pulling out plants. A successful Western Victorian confer-
ence was held in April. Delegates attended the Colac and Creswick meetings of the
Association. Nineteen members went on a week-end tour of the Little Desert in
September, and were fortunate to be shown by Keith Hateley, his favourite Mallee
Fowl “Romeo” at his nest. The party enjoyed a 110 mile trip through the desert.

BENDIGO F.N.C.
President — Mr. Robin H. Moors. Secretary — Mr. Peter N. Ellis.
Membership 120.

The club was successful in Nov./Dec. in having 20,100 acres of State forest in
the Whinstick declared a forest park. The Forestry Commission is employing a
student from University (now a professional Forestry Officer) to complete a survey
by March with regard to picnic and toilet facilities in the Whipstick. The park
consists of a nothern section of approx. 14 sq. miles and a southern section of
approx. 19 sq. miles. We hope ultimately to have 11 sq. miles of crown land to join
the areas together. Presently we are more concerned about the risk of the private
land being cleared and fragmenting the ecological unit; attempts are being pursued,
through the shires and local Members of Parliament to have this land protected.

CoLac F.N.C.
President — Mr. R. Missen. Secretary — Mr. P. Dorman.
Membership 54, 3 Juniors.

The Club meets second Friday each month at 8 p.m. in St. John’s Hall,
Pollack St., Colac. Programmes for the year have been varied and informative, with
subjects to cover as many interests as possible. We have had seven visiting speakers,
three members nights and an evening of films from the State Film Centre. Subiects
have included Kruger National Park, Otway fauna and flora, Fossils, Work of field
survey group of F.N.C.V., and birds of the East coast. Excursions included
Mt. Sabine, Stony Rises, Barongarook and Yaugher Reserves, Tower Hill, Lake
Purrumbete, Chapple Vale. Yeo, Grey River and Horden Vale. In August we were
host club to the W.V.F.N.C.A. when the Saturday’s Programme included excursions
to Lardiners’ Track and Red Rock, followed by an address in the evening by
Mr. Brian Timms of the Zoology Dept. of Monash University, on the Ecology of
the Lakes of Western Victoria. An excursion to Arkin’s Creek on the Sunday
concluded a very successful week-end. A number of members participated at the
meetings of W.V.F.N.C.A. at Ararat in April and Creswick.

CRESWICK F.N.C.
President — Mr. H. L. Barclay. Secretary — Miss Jean Wilson.
Membership 35.

The Club enjoyed a very successful year, with well attended monthly meetings
held in St. John’s Hall, Creswick, on the 3rd Thursday of the month. Field Excur-
sions to Point Lonsdale, Clunes Swamp, Ararat, Colac, Creswick School of Forestry,
Siaty Creek and Mt. Beckworth, and meetings of the W.V.F.N.C.A. were all strongly
supported. We enjoyed our turn as Host Club for the Association Camp Out and
Annual Meeting in October, with gold seeking in Slaty Creek and an excursion to
Mt. Beckworth. The Guest Speaker on the Saturday evening was ‘Mr. Alan Sonsee,
who spoke with authority on the local district flora. A Club badge, featuring the
local Wiry Bossiaea, was produced. One of our members built a substantial cupboard
for the repository of Club property. Members were successful in ridding Calambeen
Park, Creswick, of bone-seed which had threatened to take over; we didn’t keep an
piact tally, but something between three and four thousand plants were accounted
or.

continued January issue

358 Vict. Nat. Vol. 90

2000. ..
2100. ..
2200...

For today... and the
centuries ahead

THE 5—POINT
FORESTS MULTIPLE USE PLAN

A plan based on scientific forests management...
ensuring that our forests continue to

contribute towards man’s overall survival

and to his individual zest for living.

The multiple use plan
protects the five critical forest values:

WATER WOOD WILDLIFE RECREATION FORAGE

Our State Forests provide abundant leisure enjoyment...
only one of the five big values.

Please help us by cherishing all five values
when you are enjoying the forests

FORESTS COMMISSION, VICTORIA 7
December, 1973 359

Field Naturalists Club of Victoria

Established 1880

OBJECTS: To stimulate interest in natural history and to preserve
and protect Australian fauna and flora.
Patron:
His Excellency Major-General Sir ROHAN DELACOMBE, K.B.E., C.B., D.S.O.

Key Office-Bearers, 1972-1973.

President:
Mr. P. KELLY

Hon. Secretary: Mr. R. H. RIORDAN, 15 Regent St., East Brighton, 3187. 92 8579

Treasurer: H. BISHOP. Address Correspondence to National Herbarium, The
Domain, South Yarra.

Subscription Secretary: Mr. D. E. McINNES, 129 Waverley Rd., East Malvern, 3145.
Hon. Editor: Mr. G. M. WARD, 54 St. James Road, Heidelberg 3084.

Hon. Librarian: Mr. J. MARTINDALE, c/o National Herbarium, The Domain,
South Yarra.

Hon. Excursion Secretary: Miss M. ALLENDER, 19 Hawthorn Avenue, Caulfield
S161 s (52 2749.)

Magazine Sales Officer: .Mr. D. McINNES
Archives Officer: Mr. CALLANAN, 29 Reynards Street, Coburg 3058. Tel. 36 0587.

Group Secretaries
Botany: Mrs. M. G. CORRICK, 7 Glenluss St., Balwyn 3103. Tel. 857 9937.
Day Group: Mrs. J. STRONG, 1160 Dandenong Rd., Murrumbeena (56 2271).

Entomology and Marine Biology: Mr. J. W. H. STRONG, Flat 11, “Palm Court’,
1160 Dandenong Rd., Murrumbeena 3163 (56 2271).

Field Survey: Miss L. BARRACLOUGH, 4-7 Chrystobel, Cres., Hawthorn, 3122
Geology: Mr. T. SAULT.

Mammal Survey: Mr. D. KELLY, c/o 14 Finnigan’s Road, Research, 3095.
Microscopical: Mr. M. H. MEYER, 36 ‘Milroy Street, East Brighton (96 3268).

MEMBERSHIP
Membership of the F.N.C.V. is open to any person interested in natural history.
The Victorian Naturalist is distributed free to all members, the club’s reference and
lending library is available, and other activities are indicated in reports set out in the
several preceding pages of this magazine.

Rates of Subscriptions for 1973.

@rdiinary. Wembens) tal. a ee sre es eS a a $7.00
Gountny “Members: ys. lsc heh Ooi ee ke a A SR te See $5.00
Joint Members .. = ae Me rf C3 ne Ly PME Ee Ten sith 0 $2.00
Junior Members (under IS years) es Sey Rane ted ees Pema: etre Ln een be nD es. sh ho $2.00
Junior Members:neceiving Viet. Nati. i502.) wae ke I $4.00
Subscribers to Vict. Naf. se pay) i en ene eran Om CI NT mma TS Oh oo on $5.00
Overseas Subscribers : Pr mar ante ar nia em 3g $6.00
Affiliated Societies .. . a a eee ee PEE Ee CUE EE Ue ng $7.00
Supporting Members . wee cee es lee) iver est? ya i a
Life Membership (reducing after 20. years) Agni en errant rere en rn 6) SIM4I0) (010)

The cost of individual copies of the Vict. Nat. will be 45 cents (52 cents — overseas requests).
Full-time Students between I8 and 2I years pay at Junior Member rates.

All subscriptions should be made payable to the Field Naturalists Club of Victoria, and posted
to the Subscription Secretary.

) JENKIN, BUXTON & CO. PTY. LTD., PRINTERS, WEST MELBOURNE

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JANUARY,

1974

F.N.C.V. DIARY OF COMING EVENTS
GENERAL MEETING
Monday, 14 January — At National Herbarium, The Domain, South Yarra, com-
mencing 8 p.m.

Members’ Night.

New Members -—
Ordinary:
Mr. G. M. Balding, 19 Frogmore Crescent, Park Orchards, 3114.
Mr. A. G. Davey, 10/432 Cardigan Street, Carlton, 3053.
Mr. Noel D. Purdue, Flat 4, 372 Toorak Road, South Yarra, 3141 (Mammals.)

Country:

Miss Jenny Barber, “*Yarra Doon”’ Launching Place, 3139. (Fauna and Flora.)
Laura D. Moncur, “‘Minnehaha’”’ . Thorpdale, 3835.

GROUP MEETINGS
(8 p.m. at the National Herbarium unless otherwise stated)

Wednesday, 16 January — Microscopical Group.

Monday, 4 February —Marine Biology and Entomology Group: 8 p.m. at National
Museum, Library Conference Room.

Wednesday, 6 February — Geology Group.
Thursday, 8 February — Botany Group.

JUNIOR F.N.C. MEETINGS

Friday, 1 February — Preston meeting at 281 High St., Preston (Rechabite Hall) at
8.00 p.m.

Friday, 8 February — Montmorency and District in Scout Hall, Petrie Park, at
8 p.m.

Friday, 8 February — Black Rock meeting at 8 p.m. in Congregational Church Hall,
cnr. Arkaringa Cres. and Bent Parade.

Friday, 22 February — Hawthorn meeting in Town Hall at 8 p.m.

F.N.C.V. EXCURSIONS

Sunday, 20 January.—Beach excursion. The bus will leave Batman Avenue at
9.30 a.m. Bring two meals. Fare $2.40.

Sunday, 1 September, to Sunday, 8 September.—Kangaroo Island. This excursion
will start from Adelaide and includes Motel accommodation on the Island, air
travel between Adelaide and Kangaroo Island, and day excursions at the cost of
approximately $135. Starting from Adelaide will enable members to spend extra
time in S.A. if desired but a group booking can be arranged on the train if members
wish to travel on the same day. Bookings for this excursion were already made when
we discovered the National Parks Association considering a trip to Kangaroo Island
also, but we felt both excursions could be successful as the dates differ and the size
of the N.P.A. party is strictly limited.

2 Vict. Nat. Vol. 91

the Vol. 91, No. 1 9 January, 1974

e@ e
victorian ioe Bat
naturalist Assistant Editor: G. Douglas

Contents

Articles: Following comments from some readers
about the format of the contents page, a new

Mineral and Rock Displays in the National layout has been adopted,

Museum of Victoria

By Dr. A. W. Beasley 19 The right hand column in future will be
devoted to the writing of some topical comment
The Origin of Generic Names of the on an aspect connected with Natural History,
Victorian Flora Ecology, or Conservation.
By James A. Baines 27,

It is hoped that the new form will please
those readers who have been kind enough to
indicate their opinions, and to those who have
thought about the need for a change.

Features:

as Editor
Early Naturalist Writings — 5 4

Readers’ Nature Notes 23

Reptiles of Victoria — 11
By Hans Beste 24

Field Naturalists Club of Victoria:
Diary of Coming Events 2
Country and Group Reports 28

Western Victorian F.N.C. Association 28

Front Cover:

The attractive male of the Mountain Duck
(Tadorna tadornoides).
photo: John Wallis.

January, 1974 3

Early Naturalists’ Writings — 5

From Dudley Le Souéf’s book Wild Life in Australia, written in the early part of
this century, we take the fifth writing of this series — a chapter entitled ““Gembrook”’.

For many years I used to visit this
beautiful district very frequently, and
always found something of interest in
its deep shaded gullies or densely tim-
bered ranges. The Eucalyptus trees
were very tall, especially in the gullies,
where they reared their lofty heads to
obtain sun and light, and the under-
growth was often very dense, con-
sisting principally of hazel wire-grass,
sword-grass, and similar vegetation.

In the early days, before the
country was as well cleared as it now
is, the native animals were far more
abundant. On one occasion, when
camping in a small bark hut, I was
asked by my companion if I thought
there were any snakes about, as dur-
ing the night, something had passed
over his legs. I scouted the idea: but
after he had gone out for the day, I
searched under the floor and found
the culprit in the shape of a Tiger
Snake, which I quickly despatched. In
the stable near the house mice were
plentiful, and Tiger Snakes used often
to live under the floor in luxury. On
one occasion we killed one of these
snakes and, as it was in prime con-
dition, determined to try what it was
like cooked; but the cook would not
touch it, so I had to prepare and do
it myself. I put various ingredients in
to make it appetising, but for all that
found it rather dry and bony, though
the flesh was white. In Northern Aus-
tralia, however, the Carpet Snake is
an esteemed article of food among the
Aborigines.

We once made a Tiger Snake bite a
mouse, which was dead in twenty-one
seconds, and on several other occa-
sions when we did the same thing,

4

found the time vary from twenty to
forty seconds. On one occasion a
young man thought he had discovered
an antidote, so he brought me a kitten,
which had had the hair shaved off the
part he wished the snake to bite.

Well, I caught a Tiger Snake, and
holding it by the neck, made it bite
the required spot, but while the owner
was looking for the punctures to rub
in his so-called antidote, the poor kit-
ten died. He thought then that his
antidote would hardly be strong
enough to check such a rapid poison.

Many native birds, especially those
nesting on or close to the ground,
naturally hold the snake in wholesome
dread, and try to drive it away from
their neighbourhood. The whereabouts
of one of these reptiles is often known
by the commotion among the birds.

The snake on being so attacked,
appears to be frightened, and often
withdraws a short distance, and
when safely ensconsed in a convenient
spot, coils itself up, and, as the birds
dart at it, keeps withdrawing its head.
The birds become emboldened and
careless, and probably one sooner or
later comes within reach, when, quick
as thought, the snake darts at and
catches its unwary victim. I have
never seen anything approaching fas-
cination, nor do I think it exists,
except in story books.

On another occasion I had been
out of the State for some months,
and on my return went up to Gem-
brook for a few days. In the evening
I heard some curious sounds proceed-
ing from the direction of the bark
kitchen, about twenty yards from the
house. It was a bright moonlight

Vict. Nat. Vol. 91

night, and I was sure the noise pro-
ceeded from domestic cats; and as
pheasants were being reared at the
place, wandering cats found were
promptly shot. So I carefully loaded
my gun, stole quietly out and pro-
ceeded cautiously in the direction of
the kitchen, with the gun cocked
ready for the supposed puss; but as I
got closer to the kitchen, the sounds
seemed to alter and come from inside
the building.

I was very puzzled, and could not
make out what animal could be pro-
ducing the curious sound, but, going
up to the building and peeping in, I
saw Gee Sue, the Chinese cook, play-
ing his fiddle, and he and a friend
who had dropped in to see him, sing-
ing a duet. I do not know if any of my
friends have ever heard two China-
men singing a duet, but if they have,
they probably will not be surprised at
my mistake.

I said nothing but went back to the
house and put my gun away without
attracting attention. I have heard the
squeaking fiddles many times since,
both in China and elsewhere, but
whenever I hear them, always think
of my first introduction to them with
the duet.

Flying Phalangers, or as they are
locally called, Flying Squirrels, were
plentiful, and their loud running shrill
note often heard. It was interesting
to see how quickly they scramble up
a tall Eucalyptus tree, and when a
distance from the ground, suddenly
launch themselves into space and
glide rapidly with feet outstretched
and head up to the foot of some
neighbouring tree, their long bushy
tail making a capital rudder.

When climbing, they go like an
opossum, that is, with jerks, moving
all their feet at the same time. Their
fur is beautifully soft and long, but
their skin thin. They come out of the

January, 1974

hollows in which they sleep during the
day, about dusk.

An interesting nesting site of one of
these animals was recently noted by a
correspondent of the Melbourne
“Argus” who stated as follows:—‘“We
were all out one day after a bee tree.
The first thing we saw when the tree
fell was a Squirrel, which came out of
the tree about 15 ft. above the bees’
nest. We all ran to catch it, but it got
up a wild cherry tree. Further efforts
to capture it were frustrated by the
bees. My hair was soon singing with
them and by the time I had got rid of
them the Squirrel was gone. When the
tree was opened and my husband was
taking out the honey, in the midst of
the comb he found the squirrel’s nest,
made of leaves and lined with grass.”

The Short-eared Opossum was often
heard at night and many were caught
by fixing a running wire noose on a
sapling that was placed in a leaning
position against a tree in which the
animal lived, as it would always prefer
going down the leaning stick to the
straight trunk.

It is easy to tell whether an Opos-
sum lives in a certain tree or not, for
if it does, a well-worn track on the
upperside of the trunk will be noticed
leading to its retreat. Of course indi-
vidual claw marks will always show
whether these animals are plentiful or
not.

They ascend the tree in a succession
of jerks or short jumps, stretching out
their feet and claws as far as possible
on each side and rarely losing their
hold. Their natural food is Eucalyp-
tus leaves, but if these are unobtain-
able on account of the destruction of
the timber, they then subsist on grass,
weeds, etc.

On the islands of Kent Group in
Bass Strait these animals are still
found, but as there are no trees with
hollows large enough for them to
enter, they camp during the day under

5

the tussocks of grass. They also do
the same thing at Kangaroo Island,
where they have no natural enemies.
On one moonlight night I went out to
shoot these creatures and after a time
I saw what appeared to be a large
Opossum in a tree, and, carefully get-
ting it between the moon and myself,
fired. It did not fall, so I fired again,
but still no move, but as I was sure
that it had been hit, I left it, presum-
ing I would find it dead under the tree
in the morning; but on going there
again in daylight I saw what I had
taken to be an Opossum was only an
excrescence on the branch covered
with moss, which looked like fur.

They are very partial to the white
pith of the Tree fern and also have a
weakness for fruit.

Native Bears were also plentiful,
resting during the day in a fork of a
tall Eucalyptus tree, and they were
much more partial to the White gum
trees than any other.

Their deep grunting call could be
heard for a considerable distance, but
mostly during the evening, except in
dull weather. They are quiet, inoffen-

sive animals and easily tamed, but
will not live in captivity for any length
of time, even when fed on Eucalyptus
leaves.

When their single little one is able
to leave the pouch, it frequently gets
on to its mother’s back and holds on
there while she is climbing about the
branches, and the young one has a
curious cry, almost exactly like a
small child. On windy nights especi-
ally the shrill cry of the young one
can often be heard, answered by the
deep bass voice of the mother.

Their fur is very dense and their
skin thick, and consequently they are
difficult to shoot with ordinary shot,
especially as they generally rest on the
higher branches of the tall trees.

I well remember a worthy doctor,
who thought he could shoot, going
out one day to get a bear he had
heard calling out the previous night.
After a time he located it a good dis-
tance from the ground and carefully
fired at it asleep in a fork of the tree.
The only effect of the shot was to
wake the bear up and make him look
down to see where the noise came

Plate 1

The Common
Opossum was
often heard at
mig itv

Vict. Net. Vel. 91

from; a second shot was fired, and
the bear thought it was time to shift
his quarters and get higher up, and
as he was ascending slowly hand
over hand, was fired at again, but the
only effect was to hurry him up a
little. Well, to make a long story
short, my friend kept firing away at
the bear and the bear eventually got
as high as the branches would hold
his weight and there remained. At
last the Doctor found that he had no
more cartridges left, and counting the
empty cases found he had used nine-
teen, and the bear still apparently
smiling at him from the top of the
tree! He gave up shooting for that
day and never got the bear, but it
was only by accident that we found
out he had used nineteen cartridges.
He forgot to tell us!

Native Bears are also very tenacious
of life, even more so than the prov-
erbial cat. I remember one that had
been brought to the ground after being
fired at twice and it fell a distance of
about one hundred feet, landing with
a heavy thud on its back. It was
then knocked on the head, in case any
life remained in it, and to keep its
body out of the way of prowling
dogs, was hung up to a branch by the
hind legs and left. This was about
ten o’clock in the morning, and when,
late in the afternoon, the sportsman
called for the animal, to his great
surprise he found it still alive.

I saw on one occasion a large
forest tree over two hundred feet
high cut down. It fell a thundering
crash, making the ground tremble,
and when looking at the wreck, I
noticed a Bear lying on the ground
that had come down with the tree.
We all looked at the animal, thinking
of course that it was dead, but when
the men had gone on with their chop-
ping, I saw it slowly open its eyes and
look round, and seeing no one moving
near it, it commenced slowly crawling

January, 1974

to the nearest tree; but one of the
men caught sight of it, and before
he could be stopped, had knocked it
on the head with the back of an axe
and apparently finished it. Shortly
afterwards, however, I again saw it
open its eyes and quietly look round;
and seeing the coast clear, it again
made for a neighbouring tree and this
time was successful, as it surely de-
served to be.

There is a strong ridge of bone
running down the centre of the fore-
head, and therefore, knocking it on
the head seldom kills it.

Mr. George White informed me
that on one occasion he saw a pair
of Native Bears together on a White
gum tree on the banks of the Goul-
burn River. Another essayed to join
them, but was repelled and backed
away along a branch overhanging the
river; when near the end, and unable
to proceed further, the attacking bear
closed with him and they fought
savagely; but the branch being so
thin, one lost his balance and carried
the other with him. They both fell
into the river below, which cooled
their ardour, as on swimming to the
bank they both went different ways.

In the thickly-timbered gullies we
often used to catch the Brush-tailed
Wallaby by setting snares in their
runs. On one occasion, I set a dog
gin-trap, but a wallaby got into it
and hopped off with it, and that was
the last I saw of the trap.

They remain in the scrub during
the day, coming out to feed in the
evening and at night. We used oc-
casionally to stalk them, but could
only be successful in wet weather,
when the.dead leaves and twigs on the
ground were damp and so did not
crackle; but even then extreme caution
had to be used. They generally
crossed the creeks on old logs that
had fallen across.

The bulky nests of the Ring-tailed
Opossum were very common, and
the parents with their two or three
young ones were occasionally cap-
tured. They make interesting pets
and can hang by their tail, which is
prehensile and has the skin on the
lower part of the end bare and rough
to prevent slipping.

Native Rats and Mice were some-
times caught in traps, including the
Thick-tailed Dromicia. This little
animal, in common with many other
small forms, gets very fat in autumn
and lies dormant in some small hollow
during the winter. When coiled up it
looks like a furry ball and can be
rolled about a tabie without making
it uncoil, provided it is not warmed.

A few Wombats had their deep
burrows in the ranges, and occasional-
ly a venturesome terrier would go
down one to bait the wombat, but he
generally got the worst of it and had
to retreat backwards, there not being
room for him to turn round.

As before mentioned the Tiger
Snake was found in this district,
though not in great numbers. I re-
member on one occasion jumping off
a large log in a fern gully and, when
too late to check myself, saw a Tiger
Snake coiled up on the ground below.
Anyhow I landed plump on top of the
snake, but not waiting to see how
matters stood, I scrambled back on
the log and when safely on my perch
again looked for the Snake, who had
also thought discretion the better part
of valour. If the truth were known,
I expect the Snake was just as scared
as I was and probably got more
damaged; but since that time I have
had many encounters with these rep-
tiles, as with others of their kind, and
have captured them by putting my
foot on them with just sufficient force
to hold them and then working the
foot up to the neck, so that they can-
not turn round; they can then be

8

safely caught by the back of the neck
and lifted up. But one has to be very
quick, as a Snake does not as a rule
waste time or lose his presence of
mind as we are very apt to do.

These reptiles are very prolific, oc-
casionally having as many as fifty-two
young; but the numbers vary consid-
erably, thirty being about the average.
The little ones have plenty of enemies
—Iguanas, Hawks, Laughing Jack-
asses, Butcher-birds, Crows, etc.

We are often told that they commit
suicide by biting themselves when
struck with a stick. They cannot
poison themselves, but when hit and
badly wounded sometimes strike at
the seat of the pain as animals often
do; they seem quite immune to their
own poison. I have seen these snakes
bite one another badly without any
ill effects.

Then again one often hears about
them swallowing their young. Well,
I have often had them in captivity at
the Zoo and young have been born on
several occasions, but I could never
make the mother swallow them; and
again if her throat was a receptacle
in time of danger, like the pouch of a
marsupial, she could not possibly
make room for say fifty, and it would
be contrary to nature for a mother to
have room for about a dozen and not
the rest. When anyone sees a snake
at close enough quarters to recognise
the little ones, about six inches long,
they are generally more or less
anxious in case the snake may go for
them, and all their time is taken up
watching the big snake, without
watching the little ones that are hard-
ly visible. When any danger threatens
them, the young at once make for any
cover they can find, even trying to
take refuge under their parent, as
they would under a stick. It is as-
tonishing what a little cover will hide
them, and if they do accidentally get
down their mother’s throat, I should

Vict. Nat. Vol. 91

think it was very doubtful if they
ever came out.

On two or three occasions I have
found what are called double snakes;
that is, two of these reptiles get hold
of the same prey, neither will let go,
and eventually the larger one often
gets the head of the smaller in his
mouth and proceeds to swallow him,
too, as well as the prey; and when
the head of the smaller one is in the
mouth of the other, it cannot open
its mouth wide enough to withdraw
its curved teeth from the prey, and
so perforce of circumstances has to go
down; but as the snakes are often
nearly about the same size, it follows
that perhaps only about three parts
can be swallowed, and as the head
gets digested, the tail part, which
meantime is sticking out of the other
snake’s mouth, is gradually drawn in.

They can swallow prey of broader
dimensions than themselves, as the
bones of their jaws are held together
by elastic tissue and can therefore ex-
pand considerably; for instance, a
Copper-head snake five feet long can
swallow a Sleeping lizard, and a Car-
pet Snake twelve feet in length, a
Kangaroo Rat.

When a non-poisonous’ Snake
catches its prey it puts two coils only
round it, and so quickly that it is
impossible to follow its actions; it
then draws the coils tightly, breaking
the back and half crushing its victim.
When life is extinct, it works its coils
from the head of its prey towards the
tail, breaking down the joints and
thereby making it easy to swallow. It
then commences on the head, moving
first one jaw forward a little and then
the other, and gradually draws its food
down. I need hardly say it does not
lick its prey over first to lubricate it,
as it were. That is only seen in old
story books.

Constricting Snakes often get their
ribs broken, but they easily mend

January, 1974

again, a small bony lump forming at
the place.

Venomous Snakes occasionally have
their fangs broken in catching their
prey, but they are soon replaced,
generally in about ten days.

The top of the fang of a venomous
Snake is solid, and the opening just
below; consequently when any one
gets bitten by any Australian Snake
through a woollen sock or similar
material, there may possibly be the
marks of the points of the two fangs
on the skin, but the poison itself will
probably be in the material, as the
fangs are short.

When they strike a Mouse, they do
not usually retain it, and it soon dies
close at hand. The Snake after a
short time, circles round, gradually
increasing the distance from _ the
starting point until he finds it; but if
he strikes a Frog, which is cold
blooded, he carefully retains his hold.
If he did not it is not likely he would
see the Frog again, as he has probably
learned by experience.

On one occasion we took five
young Quail out of a snake we had
killed.

I was once bitten by one of these
snakes which was about six months
old, and the only effect was to give
me a bad headache. I was carrying
it in my pocket at the time, with my
hand over it to prevent its escaping;
and that reminds me that some years
ago two venomous Water Snakes were
sent to me from Queensland. They
apparently died one cold night, so,
putting them in my pocket I took
them to town to preserve them in
spirits, but when in a crowded omni-
bus I felt as I thought someone mov-
ing my pocket, so putting my hand
in it, found my two snakes awake and
squirming about, the heat having re-
vived them; but I managed to keep
them in until the city was reached,
but I have often thought since what

)

the result would have been if one had
got out.

They cannot travel fast on sand, as
the loose material does not offer any
resistance to the ribs or belly scales.

When at King Island with members
of the Field Naturalists’ Club of Vic-
toria, I had collected one day about a
dozen Copper-head Snakes, and had
to transfer them from the collecting
bag to a box, so emptied them all out
on the sand, my friends looking on
from a distance and offering me ad-
vice. I was then enabled to pick them
up one by one, as they could not
escape. But in the scrub it is another
matter, and they can travel with con-
siderable speed, proceeding with a
waving motion and using the vegeta-
tion to help themselves along. A
large Black Snake will go as fast as
a man can run, in suitable country,
although in such cases I never think
a man runs his fastest, as he always
has the thought uppermost in his
mind, “supposing the snake was to
stop suddenly and turn round, where
would I be?” And I think the idea
would affect his speed.

Carpet Snakes and Lizards in
South Australia generally lay their
eggs about March or April, as they
are hatched more by a certain degree
of moisture than heat, and if their
surroundings get too dry they shrivel
up and die; consequently the hot sum-
mer weather would not be favourable.
The eggs are generally advanced in
incubation before being laid.

The young of the Tiger Snake are

generally born alive in April or May,

and occasionally in the latter end of
March. They then measure 77 inches
in length and weigh 60 grains. Their
mothers are then generally lying in a
semi-dormant state in some hollow
log or hole in the ground for the
winter, and the young are consequent-
ly well able to take care of themselves
when spring comes along. The young

10

of the Tiger, Black, and Copperhead
Snakes are born alive but curiously
enough, the Brown Snake, which is
also venomous, lays eggs, from twenty
to forty, generally in a burrow in the
ground, from three to four feet long;
they lay them in January or Feb-
ruary.

Snakes cast their skins _ several
times in the year, the skin of the eye
coming off as well as the rest,
generally complete. Therefore the
snake, having no eyelids, cannot close
its eyes and consequently cannot be
caught asleep; but when disturbed it
often remains perfectly still, appar-
ently hoping to be unnoticed.

The colour of a snake often varies
according to its surroundings. For in-
stance, in the open dry country such
as the Mallee, the darker bands are a
yellowish green; then again, in the
denser cover of Gippsland they are a
dark olive green, and in the Islands of
Bass Strait among the tussocky grass,
a greyish green.

Lizards were of course plentiful,
including one locally called a “Blood-
Sucker”, with a yellow mouth, which,
when caught, generally shammed
death. They are of a grey colour
and most difficult to detect as long as
they remain still. They can run very
rapidly, either on the ground or up a
thee:

The most troublesome insects were
the Bulldog and Soldier Ants. They
generally had their nests in rotten logs
and were very vicious if disturbed.
Their bite was painful and caused
much swelling.

I have known of two drunken men
who lay down by a nest of these ants
and went to sleep. They were bitten
on the neck and face, and the swelling
made thereby caused their death; so
we always kept an eye open for them
when camped in the bush.

There were a few Mason Wasps.
They made mud nests under logs in

Vict. Nat. Vol. 91

which they placed the spiders as food
for their respective young in larvae
form.

On the black burnt timber we oc-
casionally found both a dark coloured
Spider and a small Moth of a similar
colour, and when they remained still
on the burnt wood, they were prac-
tically invisible. We used to try to
make them settle on light-coloured
wood but without success, as they
would not stay there unless pinned.
They evidently knew _ instinctively
when they were protected by their
surroundings.

In all the gullies of this district
Lyre-birds were to be found, and it
was a pleasure listening to their loud,
clear note. We often found their
nests, In varying situations, such as in
a steep bank, on the top of a Tree
fern, or in the fork of a tree at vary-
ing heights from the ground, up to
about eighty feet.

Being weak flyers and almost en-
tireiy ground birds, they flew or
jumped from branch to branch until
they gradually worked their way up
to the level of their nest. They also
roosted at a considerable distance
from the ground, working their way
up in the same manner. They general-
ly build their nests in June, laying
early in August; the entrance as a
rule faced down hill towards the
creek, probably because there was a
better outlook; and in sitting on their
single egg their tail was kept over
their back, the tip often showing at
the opening of the nest just above the
head of the bird. The hen usually sits,
but on one occasion I disturbed a
male bird from the nest.

When the young is disturbed in the
nest, it utters a shrill cry of alarm,
which quickly brings its mother to the
scene. She is often very fearless at
such times, but the male bird is more
wary and carefully keeps out of sight,
however much his offspring may call.

January, 1974

They are difficult to keep alive in cap-
tivity. Their principal food consists
of insects, earthworms, grubs, etc.
The birds scratch up the ground like
fowls, which makes their presence
known.

They are very local, and one pair
of birds will keep to their own par-
ticular part of the gully; but it is
generally difficult to catch sight of
them, as both their hearing and sight
are very keen; but by sitting still in
their neighbourhood, one would oc-
casionally have them pass within
sight. And when I have been so
seated, they have come within a few
feet, scratching and feeding; and al-
though they kept one eye on me, as it
were, they did not seem at all alarmed
as long as I remained still, but directly
they saw any movement they darted
lightly away and were quickly lost to
sight in the undergrowth.

Each male has one or two playing
places, a circular patch of ground
about six feet across, scratched and
slightly raised, and here it is that they
generally spread out and raise their
tail, strut about and imitate the vari-
ous sounds they hear. Sometimes
there are two males on the same
mound.

On ordinary occasions the tail is
carried low and closed. They are
wonderfully active in going over the
scrub-covered ground, lightly hopping
or half flying, if need be, over the
various logs, etc., and they make no
noise when so doing.

My friend Mr. E. A. Kitson has
written some interesting notes on these
birds, which were published in the
“Emu”, and I cannot do better than
quote some of them:

“On one occasion only was I for-
tunate enough to see the birds danc-
ing. This was on the top of Mount
Wild Boar, in Victoria, about 8
o’clock on a foggy morning. When
quietly walking alone along a track,

11

I suddenly heard and immediately
saw two male birds performing on
one of these grounds. They were alter-
nately advancing and receding, turn-
ing, bowing, whirling, hopping, and
running about the ground. While
doing this they raised and lowered
their tails repeatedly. Sometimes they
put their heads through their raised
tails, and turning them, seemed to be
admiring the lyre designs thereon. At
the same time they were, in rather
subdued tones, whistling beautifully,
and mimicking all the forest birds.
One female bird quietly walked round
the dance, making a few short hen-
like notes, and pretended to pick up
a grub here and there and to be un-
concerned about the dance.

She, however, cast occasional
glances at the male birds and was
doubtless making her choice of a
mate.

In November, 1890, when return-
ing to Harrietville from Mount
Feathertop (6303 ft.) in the Aus-

tralian Alps, in Victoria, I saw be-
tween twenty and thirty male and
female Lyre-birds on the stunted snow
gums (E. pauciflora) on the high
ridge running from Feathertop and
separating the Ovens River from
Snowy Creek. They were at an alti-
tude of about 5700 ft., and near the
timber line. It was nearly sunset when
I was surprised to hear a medley of
melodious sounds, as if all the birds
in the bush were singing their best and
loudest. Being alone and on foot, I
was in their midst before they noticed
me, but to my surprise, they not only
remained jumping about the trees, or
with heads inclined watched me from
the branches, but many of them con-
tinued their unsurpassable mimicry of
other forest birds. The female birds
imitated other notes equally as well
as the males.”

Mr. S. McNeilly, of Drouin, Vic-
toria, informs me that he has had one
of these birds, a male, in captivity
for twenty years. For the first ten

Plate 2

Lyrebird on Dancing Mound.

12

Vict. Nat. Vol. 91

years it was free about the garden,
but the subsequent ten years was in
confinement, and it was six years
before it got its full tail, which it
moulted every November. Its food
consisted of grubs, beetles, earth-
worms, etc. He was a wonderful
mimic, and, being called “Jack” and
often getting in the way, his favourite
saying was “Look out, Jack”. Mr.
McNeilly says he could mimic almost
anything, the human voice, violin,
piano, cornet, cross-cut saw, also
pigs squealing, dogs barking, child
crying, and any of the sounds heard
about a farm. He imitated a Laugh-
ing Jackass splendidly and when any-
one said to him “Poor Jack’, his
answer was “Not poor Jack, fat Jack.”
Mr. McNeilly also had a hen bird
for six years, when she was shot by
some people passing by.

Another bird which lived mostly
on the ground and scratched for its
food like the lLyre-bird was the
Coachwhip bird, and we never tired
of listening to its clear long-drawn
note, which ended in a crack, like a
whip, the latter note being made by
the hen bird. They were also very
local and kept to the densest scrub,
and built their stick nests some two
or “three «feet from the ground,
generally in a tangled mass of vege-
tation.

One often notices that the birds
that make their home in the dense
scrub and gullies are almost invari-
ably of sombre hue, as the Lyre-bird,
Coachwhip bird, Sericornis, Pilot-
bird, Gerzgone, etc., and they mostly
live on or close to the ground, where-
as Cockatoos, Parrots, Kingfishers,
and most other bright plumaged birds
are found in the open forest country.

In the thick forest Gang-gang
Cockatoos, with their dark grey plum-
age and red crest, were often heard,
but they lived almost invariably in
pairs and nested in the hollows of the

January, 1974

highest trees and seemed to feed on
the seeds of the Eucalyptus and other
trees.

Our friend the Laughing Jackass, or
Kookaburra, was of course not absent,
and his cheery notes were frequently
heard, especially in the morning and
evening. But I am afraid they have
a weakness for other birds, as we
had turned out two pairs of European
Blackbirds, in the hope that they
would increase, but in watching them
shortly after enjoying their freedom,
and picking up food, a_ watchful
Kookaburra flew down from a neigh-
bouring tree and, darting at the un-
fortunate blackbird, struck it heavily
with its powerful beak and _ then
carried it off triumphantly. We saw
another of them attacked in a similar
manner, and the other two disap-
peared the same day, probably from
the same cause. The Jackass evidently
strongly objected to black newcomers
and preferred “White Australia”.

Since then I have known these
birds empty many nests of their con-
tents, either eggs or young; they are
as bad as cats in this respect. But
they lived principally on Yabbies,
which they seemed to entice within
reach by gently tapping the entrance
to their burrow. When one came up
to investigate he was promptly seized
by the bird, who battered it on some
favourite stump or branch.

Lizards and Snakes were also ap-
preciated, and we saw a small one of
the latter seized by one of these birds,
and when carried some distance in the
air, dropped, and the process was re-
peated several times. The bird then
struck the head with its sharp, strong
beak many times and soon killed it,
flying away with it to make a repast
undisturbed; but they cannot manage
any but comparatively small Snakes.

Mr. James Ramage, of Berwick,
informed me that he came across a
Laughing Jackass which had partly

13

swallowed a Snake about two feet
long. The tail of the reptile was
coiled round the bird’s neck, and pre-
vented its flying. The Kookaburra
was vigorously trying to swallow the
rest of it.

Mr. C. Barnard, of Queensland,
also found a Laughing Jackass on the
ground that had half swallowed a
Snake. The bird could not fly, so he
caught it, pulled the Snake out, and
then set the bird free again.

The average length of Victorian
venomous snakes is a little over three
feet, although occasionally Black
Snakes measure six feet.

But to return to our Jackasses — on
several occasions I have noticed them
redeem their character as Kingfishers,
by catching a small fish in very shal-
low water. They then flew up into a
neighbouring tree and _ vigorously
dashed the unfortunate fish against
the bough, and when it had been
killed and well battered, swallowed it.
I am afraid they are omnivorous as
far as meat diet is concerned, and it
would not be wise to place them in
an aviary with small birds.

They lay their roundish white eggs
in a hollow in a tree, and it is aston-
ishing how quickly the sitting bird
can hear anyone approaching and
quietly fly off, frequently unseen. They
are easily tamed and are capital for
catching Mice.

I have known one of these birds to
dash through a closed window into a
room on being chased by a hawk,
and on being frightened by the people
in the room, dart at another window,
and breaking the glass, make _ its
escape apparently unhurt.

The Black-backed Magpie was
only noticed here after the timber
was cleared away, as, being princi-
pally a ground feeding bird, it is not
found in forest country with thick
undergrowth.

14

We occasionally heard the blood-
curdling screech of the Powerful
Owls, but their usual note was a kind
of “hoot”. They were large birds and
killed Bandicoots, Rat-Kangaroos,
and fair-sized birds for prey.

The Boobook Owl was of course
common, and its cuckoo-like call
often heard, and no two birds ever
seemed to utter their call in exactly
the same key. When I first heard it I
thought it was the Frogmouth, but
noticing one uttering its note in a
dead wattle tree, on a clear moonlight
night, I shot it and found it was the
Boobook.

Regarding the Boobook, I may
quote an interesting paragraph from
a MS. of the late John Cotton, my
grandfather: “When the gloom of eve-
ning is spread over the face of the
Southern Hemisphere, and the Aus-
tralian forests are palled in shadow,
when the Opossum emerges from its
lurking place in some hollow branch
and the several species of Flying
Squirrels may be seen leaping from
branch to branch, or from tree to tree,
supported in their aerial flight by a
membrane extending from limb to
limb on either side, their lengthy tail
clothed with long, soft fur, floating
in their wake; when the Native Cats
are prowling in search of food, when
the Bandicoots and other animals that
love darkness rather than light are
abroad, a small Brown Owl may be
heard from his perch on some dead
branch or stump, giving notice to his
companions of his whereabouts by a
peculiar deep-toned call resembling
the words “mo-poke, mo-poke’, or as
some persons are pleased to imagine
“more-pork”’, at short intervals. Here
this little muffled Owl may be seen,
with all the gravity of a small judge,
casting his capacious glance around,
intent on pouncing on any unfor-
tunate insect that may happen to
stray within his ken, his large ears

Vict. Nat. Vol. 91

also open to catch the slightest vibra-
tion of the sound of any prey near
at hand. The name by which this
bird is known to the Goulburn River
tribe of aborigines is ‘Go-goon’.”

This was written in 1846, about the
time that Gould wrote his folio work,
and shows that in those early days
of the colony this owl was called the
‘“Mo-poke”, and not the “Frogmouth”
or ‘“Podargus”; the latter bird was
sometimes called “More-Pork” in Tas-
mania, according to Gould.

Those kept in confinement in the
Meibourne Zoo can also be heard
calling occasionally.

The Frogmouth is a much heavier
bird and as a rule silent, its principal
note being a kind of running croak,
difficult to describe.

Mr. N. Falkiner told me that one
used to roost at Moonbria Station, in
New South Wales, in a willow only
six feet from his window for two
years, and he states that the only note
he ever heard it utter was a repeated
low guttural grunt; its mate roosted
in a neighbouring tree.

Gould describes the sound uttered
by this bird as a “loud hoarse noise,
consisting of two distinct sounds,
which cannot be correctly described”,
and that of the Tasmanian bird “the
extraordinary sound of its hoarse un-
earthly cry, which resembles the word
‘“more-pork”’.

Mr. C. McLennan, who has had
wide experience with the Frogmouth
in Victoria, states that from the cry
of that bird he can make out the
sound “mo-poke”, but that it is much
longer drawn out than the cry of the
Boobook owl, and therefore easily
distinguished.

They are wonderfully protected by
their coloration, both birds being al-
most similar, but the male occasional-
ly has a more reddish hue, especially
in Northern Australia. They generally
sit lengthways on a thick branch, and

January, 1974

remaining perfectly still, stretch their
head and beak straight out, and so
from even a short distance look exact-
ly like a branch broken close off, and
consequently are, as a rule, passed
unnoticed.

Their stick nest is situated on a
horizontal branch, and when sitting on
their elongated white eggs, they as-
sume the same _ curious attitude,
should danger threaten. I remember
a Doctor and myself finding one of
their nests in an old Eucalyptus tree,
situated about twelve feet from the
ground, and my companion remarked
that some boys had evidently found
the nest first and had thrown a stick
across is, but on climbing up, we saw
the supposed stick fly away! The bird
evidently knows that by assuming that
stick-like attitude, and remaining still,
it will escape observation, in the same
way that some other birds do, notably
the Bittern.

The male Frogmouth seems to sit
on the eggs during the day, and the
hen at night, but so far I have never
yet found a hen sitting during the day;
but this is the habit of many birds,
such as the various Australian
Pigeons, Herons, Bustards, Plovers,
Crows, and other birds.

As far as I can judge, it seems that
if the male and female are both pro-
tected more or less by their colour,
the male birds will, as a rule, sit, any-
how during the day, and not the
female.

The same applies to Emus, both
birds being much alike and protected
by their sombre hue.

We always have to remember that
it is the back of the bird that is pro-
tected, not the breast, as the protec-
tion is from birds of prey, which fly
overhead; therefore, many of the fruit
pigeons and other birds have brightly
coloured breasts or white underneath,
but, as that is always in shadow, it is
immaterial. The same generally ap-

15

plies to animals. When a _ White-
plumed Honeyeater or Greenie utters
its note of warning on catching sight
of a bird of prey, it is astonishing how
quickly all birds within hearing dash
into the nearest bush for cover, and
even imported birds, such as Spar-
rows, soon learn to do the same thing.

Most of the old White Eucalyptus
trees in the gullies and similar places
have fire marks on one side, whereas
judging by the size of the present

undergrowth, it must have been many
years ago since a bush fire swept
through these dense damp gullies. It
may have been on Black Thursday,
February 6th, 1851, or possibly long
before. Some of the trunks are very
large. One that had fallen and been
partly hollowed out by fire was six
feet across inside at the lower end,
and we could easily walk into its in-
terior; and to climb over a fallen tree
was often a matter of difficulty.

Plate 3

The fern

gullies

were always a
delightful

place to visit
onahot day...

Vict. Nat. Vol. 91

Bee

These old monarchs of the forest
now laid low were probably many
hundred years old before their fall,
and it reminds us how young Mel-

bourne is when compared with them,

Occasionally a tall dead tree would
be partly hollow, and a fire lighted at
the bottom would soon find its way
through to the top of the hollow, the
draught quickly making it into a roar-
ing furnace. On a dark night it was
a beautiful sight to see the showers of
bright sparks wafted into the air and
the whole scene lit up by the glare.
It was a favourite sight to show visi-
tors from the city.

The Fern Gullies were always a
delightful place to visit on a hot day,
aS no sun penetrated through the
ferny covering, and there was always
a cold stream close by; the ground,
too, was free from short undergrowth,
except ferns of various kinds.

There was always occupation, such
as hunting in the rotten logs for vari-
ous kinds of insects, killing a Mos-
quito now and again, and looking out
for land Leeches. Frequently these
troublesome insects had half filled
themselves with one’s blood at the
ankle before being noticed, and an
irritating wound would be the conse-
quence. They always seemed thin and
hungry, and would start off for any-
One moving near them, in their loop-
like mode of progression.

The delicately coloured Rose-
breasted and Yellow-breasted Robins
also built their beautful nests in these
localities, and those of the former are
probably the most picturesque of any
of our Australian birds, being largely
composed of green moss and orna-
mented with pieces of lichen, while the
latter frequently hang strips of bark
on their nests, fastened on with cob-
web, presumedly to make the nests
look more like their surroundings and
so escape detection.

January, 1974

These birds are very cheery and
fearless, and are a common sight.
They are plentiful in southern Vic-
toria, but are only found in thick
scrub.

On one occasion when I was taking
a photograph of a nest and eggs, the
parent bird settled on the nest in the
middle of the exposure, and conse-
quently appeared in shadowy form.

Birds of prey were not plentiful;
they rarely seem to be in thickly tim-
bered country, but occasionally the
Wedge-tailed Eagle would be noticed
soaring aloft.

As the country became cleared, and
consequently more open, Kestrel and
Brown Hawks appeared. The former,
which nested in hollow trees, seemed
to live on insects, such as_ grass-
hoppers, beetles, etc., and never inter-
fered with the chickens; but a Brown
Hawk on one occasion was caught
eating the contents of a hen’s egg. I
am not sure whether he made the hole
in it himself or not, but judging by
appearances, he had. These birds, as
far as I know, rarely take eggs, but
there are plenty of other birds that
make up for them, especially crows.

In some places the scrub was very
dense and matted together with wire-
grass, and it was difficult to get
through.

In the more open country there was
abundance of beautiful wild flowers
in the spring, and some of the gullies
formed an ideal camping place, both
for the botanist and zoologist.

Bird life was also abundant, and
some of the gully Tree ferns were
very large. Occasionally I came
across specimens around which I
could not make my hands meet. The
Hill fern sometimes grew sixty feet
high, but that was exceptional.

The Acacias were very plentiful,
and the mass of yellow bloom that

A

clothed the hillsides in the spring was
a beautiful sight, especially blended
as it often was with many other shrubs
in flower.

My only experience in getting
‘“bushed” was in this district. I had
visited a hill from which a very
beautiful and extensive view was to be
obtained, and stayed rather too long,
and on my way back through the
trackless forest, darkness came on. I
was thoroughly wet with heavy
showers and with passing through
dripping scrub, and at last could go no
further with safety, the darkness under
the forest trees being so intense. For-
tunately I had matches and a toma-
hawk, and, by the help of dry bark,
which was difficult to find in the rain,
got a fire alight, and kept it up all
night. I then cut two sheets of bark
off a fallen tree and placed one on the
ground on two cross logs, in case
soldier ants should wish to pass that
way, and the other I placed over me,
as a protection from the rain. I used
to stand by the fire till I got well
heated, and then lie down on my back
until I got cold again, which did not,
as a rule, take long. When daylight
came I was enabled to find my way
to my destination.

18

My late father told me that, on one
occasion he was camping out on a
cold frosty night, and when he awoke
in the morning, he felt his face held
together in some way, and on opening
his eyes saw a large hairy tarantula
spider resting and apparently enjoying
the warmth of his breathing, but it did
not stay there long when its presence
was discovered.

Only on one occasion did I find a
specimen of the Giant Earthworm. It
was two feet long without being
stretched, and about as thick as my
finger, and when held up stretched
out to the length of six feet.

Land Crabs, or, as they are popu-
larly called, Yabbies, were very plenti-
ful. The larger variety lived in the
creeks, its holes being under logs in
the muddy bottom; and the smaller
kind made deep holes wherever the
soil was sufficiently damp. The vari-
ous tunnels generally joined, forming
a network difficult to follow up with
the hope of obtaining the occupants,
as they had so many ways of escape.
These crustaceans were rarely seen
during the day, except in very dull or
rainy weather. They were the favour-
ite food of the Laughing Jackasses.

Plate 4

Land Crabs...
... The larger
variety lived

in the creeks...

Vict. Nat. Vol. 91

Mineral and Rock Displays in the
National Museum of Vicforia

by

Dr. A. W. BEASLEY*

On joining the staff of the National
Museum of Victoria in 1950, it was
found that virtually no changes had
been made in the Mineral Gallery ex-
hibits since they were set up about
50 years previously, after the Museum
was moved from the Melbourne Uni-
versity grounds and established on its
present site. Specimens were ex-
hibited in display cases of different
styles, and the exterior of every case
was painted black. Overhead lighting
was very poor and there was no inter-
nal illumination of display cases. Al-
most all of the specimens on display
were of high quality and well worthy
of exhibition, but their presentation
was generally unattractive. Moreover,
there was a lack of instructive or
teaching series of exhibits. It became
clear that a complete reorganization of
the Mineral Gallery was required.

It is now some years since all of
the old exhibits were dismantled and
new displays were set up on the north-
ern and western sides of the gallery
surrounding the McCoy Hall. As
most people visit a museum to see the
exhibits, considerable effort has been
put into making the displays of
minerals and rocks as attractive and
informative as possible. To keep the
exhibits up-to-date and abreast of
modern display techniques, it has been
necessary to dismantle a number of
the exhibits twice during the past
20 years and to set up new exhibits on
the same topics.

It is true that many people visit
the Museum mainly to be entertained,
but it is clear that increasing numbers
come primarily to learn. No doubt
this increase is partly due to greater

January, 1974

public interest in geology. The great
importance of the mineral industry in
the Australian economy has certainiy
become apparent during the past 10
years, and more attention has been
given to geology in school curricula.
To cater for the serious student and
others who wish to learn in a syste-
matic way, several teaching series of
exhibits have been set up. A series of
16 inclined table cases, placed adja-
cent to the east-west balcony rail, has
been set up as an introduction to the
Study of Minerals. This is followed
by a display of Rock-Forming
Minerals, arranged systematically in a
series Of 13 inclined tables cases. On
the western side of the gallery an In-
troduction to the Study of Rocks has
been set up in a series of 10 similar-
style cases. Following on from this
introductory series a Systematic Dis-
play of Rocks is at present being as-
sembled in 10 inclined table cases.
Special effort has been put into mak-
ing these series of exhibits as simple
and concise as possible and attractive
to the eye, so that the public may
become interested in them and their
interest held. Use has been made of
coloured label-card and plastic letter
headings, and the printed labels have
been graded through the choice of
various type sizes. So that the teach-
ing series can be located readily, in-
ternally illuminated plastic label signs
have been erected overhead, and label
signs have also been affixed to the
balcony railing closer to eye level.
Minerals can be classed into rock-
forming minerals, economic minerals,
and gem minerals. This grouping has

*National Museum of Victoria.

19

been adopted in arranging the main
mineral displays in the Museum, in-
stead of arranging a large display ac-
cording to the Dana system of mineral
classification.

Economic minerals are displayed in
upright cases adjacent to the northern
wall and extending partly along the
western side of the gallery. With the
exception of gold, all of the mineral
specimens in these exhibits are from
Australian localities. Displays are ar-
ranged according to the principal
metal that the minerals contain; for

INTRODUCTION
TO MINERALS

20

example, the exhibit dealing with cop-
per in Australia contains specimens
of all the important copper ore-
minerals. These exhibits cater par-
ticularly for the student of economic
geology, the prospector and mining
person. They contain information
concerning the mode of occurrence
and distribution of important deposits
of the various ore-minerals in Aus-
tralia. Three display cases are de-
voted to gold, including one dealing
with gold in Victoria; the latter ex-
hibit contains a piece of the famous

Plate 1

Part of the
Mineral Gallery
of the National
Museum of
Victoria.

Photo:
E. Rotherham

Vict. Nat. Vol. 91

Welcome Stranger nugget. Gold has
such a strong appeal to the public,
that these exhibits are among the most
popular in the Museum. Models, dia-
grams and photographs are incor-
porated in the exhibits of economic
minerals, to make their presentation
more graphic and instructive, and
movement is provided by displaying
some specimens on revolving staging
mounted on turntables.

Gem minerals and ornamental
stones are exhibited in an especially
designed display unit centrally situated
on the northern side of the gallery.
Special exhibits of opal and agate are
included in this unit and, in a
darkened inside area, there is a large
exhibit of fluorescent minerals. Short
wave and long wave ultra-violet lamps
are used in the latter display and, by
the use of an automatic time-switch,
the minerals are also seen under or-
dinary incandescent light. The glow
and vivid colours of the minerals
under ultra-violet light contrasts
dramatically with their appearance
under ordinary light, and the exhibit
has a strong fascination for most
people.

A double-sided island case on the
northern side of the gallery features
mineral specimens from Australian
localities on one side and specimens
from Victorian localities on the other
side. A similar-style display case near-
by contains exhibits of minerals from
overseas localities. A large number of
the specimens in these exhibits were
obtained during the early days of the
Museum, and in many cases similar
specimens could not be collected now
because the localities have been
worked out. Some particularly fine
crystallized specimens and specimens
of rare minerals are included in the
displays.

To serve as an introduction to the
displays in the Mineral Gallery, an
exhibit of large and spectacular speci-

January, 1974

mens has recently been set up in the
Spencer Hall, on the ground floor
adjacent to the Russell Street Entrance
of the Museum. This exhibit is seen
by most people who visit the Museum.

Various aspects of the geology of
Victoria and the results of geological
processes are depicted in five dioramas
in the Mineral Gallery. They show on
a reduced scale a limestone cave at
Buchan, the results of weathering of
granite at Stonehenge, Mt. Buffalo, an
extinct volcano (nested caldera) known
as Tower Hill, near Warrnambool,
rock stacks called the Twelve
Apostles, near Port Campbell, and a
large gulch known as the Grand Can-
yon in the Grampians. In a panel at
the side of each diorama are displayed
rocks from the various areas, together
with photographs, geological maps,
sections and labels.

Close to the Grampians diorama
there are displayed two large slabs of
ripple-marked sandstone of _ the
Grampians Group. These outstand-
ing specimens came _ from _ near
Woorndoo, and were donated to the
Museum about 70 years ago.

Special consideration is also given
to Victoria with displays featuring
specimens of limestones, coals,
granitic rocks, and volcanic ejecta-
menta from Victorian localities. These
exhibits, which are on the northern
side of the gallery, in double-sided
island cases, contain overall descrip-
tive labels and geological maps.

An exhibit of meteorites and aus-
tralites, which includes a 13 ton piece
of the Cranbourne meteorite, has been
set up in the south-western corner of
the gallery. This is followed by a
sequence of general geological dis-
plays in seven upright cases. They
deal with the origin and internal
structure of the Earth, the rocks and
structure of the Earth’s crust, igneous
rocks, sedimentary rocks, metamor-
phic rocks, Earth movements (folds,

21

Plate 2

Some of the
teaching
series of
exhibits in
the National
Museum of
Victoria.»

Photo:
E. Rotherham

and geological
spherulites,

faults and _ joints),
curiosities (concretions,
dendrites and fulgurites).

Also on the western side of the
gallery is displayed a large polished
slab of orbicular granite from Kara-
mea, New Zealand. This very rare
variety of granite contains “orbs” con-
sisting of alternating concentric zones
of black mica (biotite) and white oli-
goclase feldspar embedded in a matrix
of normal granite.

To help make the Mineral Gallery

Va

brighter and more attractive, extensive
use has been made of fluorescent
lighting both over and inside display
cases, and the interior of many cases
has been painted in bright colours.
It is hoped that the public will derive
interest and pleasure from the mineral
and rock displays in the Museum, and
that they will want to return. To
encourage a desire to return, changes
are made in the displays and different
specimens are placed on exhibition,
so that there is something new to see.

oo ei Pl 3
OVERSEAS © ate

An exhibit of
overseas
minerals in
the National
Museum of
Victoria.

Photo:
E. Rotherham

Vict. Nat. Vol. 93

Readers Nature Notes

Jean Galbraith of Tyers, in Gippsland,
sent these two interesting, but widely
different, notes.

Butterflies

In October two members of La-
trobe Valley F.N.C. (our Hon. Sec.
Mrs. Peterson and I) recently visited
another member at Wangaratta South.
During the week we were there we
saw more Caper Whites than any of
us had ever seen before. Both in the
Warby Ranges and at Power’s Look-
out above Cheshunt they were in
dozens, flying past so lazily that it was
easy to catch one by hand, examine it,
and release it unharmed. Mrs. Peter-
son did this several times.

We are not entomologists, and I
can name under a dozen species of
butterflies at sight, but recollection of
a plate in McCubbin’s Australian But-
terflies made me fairly sure of the
species. The leisured flight and broad
white wings shading into black at the
edges suggested an Imperial White,
the “Mistletoe Butterfly”, but instead
of the bright red, yellow and black
underwings of that species the under
side of Caper White wings has a lacy
pattern of black and white with some
inconspicuous yellow shading. Refer-
ence to the book later showed that our
naming was correct.

The flocks of slow-flying butterflies
were very beautiful although I doubt
whether we saw more than two dozen
at one time, a small number compared
with flocks of many thousands _re-
ported from N.S.W.

According to the article in Aus-
tralian Butterflies it is usual for them

to migrate to Victoria from the north
where the food plant of their cater-
pillars (Capparis spp.) is native to
Queensland and N.S.W. The flocks
are largest in November and Decem-
ber. There are relatively few Capparis
trees in Victoria but Caper Whites do
breed here. One wonders why, with
their eggs laid safely on the northern
Caper Trees, they should migrate to
Victoria to die; for that is what hap-
pens in most cases. Are they looking
for Caper Trees — which few must
find here? At the same time other
flights — the very large flights — go
north to Queensland where Capparis
trees of over a dozen species are

widespread. Perhaps some of ours
go north again, but most do not re-
turn to the warm regions where

Capparis grows.

Powerful Owl call

The call of the Powerful Owl is
regarded as one of the most terrifying
sounds of the Australian Bush,
although the bird is harmless to any-
thing larger than Greater Gliders.

I have been interested to note that
although Powerful Owls live here —
I have seen one outside my. window
three times during the past two years
—J have never once heard the bird’s
scream — or indeed heard any sound
from it at all.

Some diversity of opinion has existed
over the species of owl which utters this
“terrifying scream’; however it seems
now (according to authoritative sources)
that the species responsible for it is the.
Barking Owl (Ninox connivens). The

normal call which the Powerful Owl utters
is a mournful “Woo-hoo”. [Ed.]

Needed Urgently
The Editor is in need of smaller articles to help in making up the normal content.

of the Victorian Naturalist.
excursions undertaken by members.

January, 1974

Surely something of interest is seen on the many

23

reptiles of victoria -11

by Hans BESTE

Plate 21

Leiolopisma guichenoti— Common Grass Skink.
A small brownish-grey skink, common near built-up areas.

Length: to 4 inches.

Head pointy. Ear-opening distinct. Eyelid movable. Five fingers and
five toes. Legs well developed. Colour brownish-grey to grey-olive; very vari-
able throughout range. Dark blotches on back and sides. Pattern has marbled
appearance. A black line along side of body (dorso lateral stripe). Head
metallic brown, often bright copper.

Habitat: among debris, fallen logs, low vegetation, also near houses and
along creeks in forested areas.

Best distinguishing features — movable eyelid, marbled pattern, coppery
coloured head.

Plate 22
Sphenomorphus quoyii — Water Skink.
A robust skink, found usually near water.
Length: to 12 inches.

Head slim, long and hardly distinct from body. Ear opening large and
distinct, eyelids scaly. Five fingers and five toes (2nd outer, of latter, greatly
lengthened). Very brightly marked with yellowish-gold and black. Sides, from
behind ear opening to hind limbs, black, with white spots. Upper golden, with
black spots. Tail longer than body and tapering to a point.

Habitat: along water-ways of the high alpine country and the Murray river
system of this State.

Best distinguishing features — shape and markings. However, two similar
species are easily confused with this species and specimens must be identified
with care. The very similar S. tympanum (two forms) is more subdued in its
colouration; the golden markings are more of a dull copper. The snout of the
latter seems also more rounded. (S. tympanum is the common species in
Gippsland and around Melbourne. )

24 Vict. Nat. Vol. 91

21

Plate

Plate 22

25

January, 1974

BOOKS FOR ALL FIELD NATURALISTS

Just Released “FLOWERS AND PLANTS OF VICTORIA”
Revised Reprint. 543 Color Plates. 224 Pages. $15.95.
New “FLOWERS AND PLANTS OF WESTERN AUSTRALIA”
538 Color Plates. 216 Pages.
520 Plants shown, 432 restricted to the State. $16.95.
Brochure on these books posted on request.
New “BIRDS OF AUSTRALIA”
A Summary of Information.
J.D. Macdonald.
24 Colour Plates. 552 Pages.
Description of 745 Species, illustrated by Peter Slater.
300 Species. Distribution Maps. $18.50.
New ““AQUATIC PLANTS OF AUSTRALIA”
Helen Aston.
222 Species (109 in Victoria).
138 Illustrations. 362 Pages. $21.00.
““A HANDBOOK TO PLANTS IN VICTORIA”
J. H. Willis.
Vol. I. Ferns, Conifers and Monocotyledons.
481 Pages. $9.90.
Vol. II. Dicotyledons.
832 Pages. $21.00.
“THE INSECTS OF AUSTRALIA”
C.S.1.R.O. $19.80.

(A Discount on all above books to Field Naturalist Club Members.)
Postage and Packing Extra.
Information and Orders. Write direct to Sales Officer F.N.C.V.
D. E. McInnes, 129 Waverley Road, East Malvern, 3145.

Birds of Victoria
No. 5

Available Now
@
A must for Bird Lovers

Price $1.50

26 aos Vict. Nat. Vol. 91

The Origin of Generic Names of the Victorian Flora

Part 2—Latin, Greek and Miscellaneous

by JAMEs A. BAINES.

*Aloe The old Arabic name of this
African genus, which is pronounced
in three syllables as a botanical name
but in two as an English common
name. These succulent garden escapes
often persist on railway embankments
and elsewhere.

Alopecurus Gk alopex, fox; oura,
tail. The common name, foxtail, prob-
ably existed when Linnaeus named
the genus, using a Lat. form of the
Gk term.

Alsophila Gk alsos, a grove; philos,
loving, in reference to shade-loving
treeferns now called Cyathea.

Alternanthera Lat. alternans, alter-
nating; anthera, anther, alternate
anthers in these flowers being barren.
(Joyweed.)

*Althaea Gk althaia, a cure, in al-
lusion to the use of some species in
medicine. (Common Hollyhock is a
garden escape that often persists for
years.)

Alyssum. Gk alysson, from a-, not,
lyssa, raging madness. Madwort was
a herb used as a specific against mad-
ness and the bites of mad dogs. *A.
maritimum (Sweet Alice) is now Lobu-
laria maritima, but A. linifolium is a
native.

Alyxia. Jaeger derives this from Gk
alyxis, an escape or avoiding; Smith
and Stearn from Gk halusis, chain
(apparently referring to the fruits).
The common name of our Victorian
species, Sea Box, comes from the
specific name buxifolia.

Amaranthus. Gk amarantos, unfad-
ing. Only one of the nine species in our

January, 1974

flora is native, A. grandiflorus, the in-
troduced species including Love-lies-
bleeding, *A. caudatus. Properly Am-
arantus, -thus spelling coming from
confusion with -anthus, flower.

* Ambrosia. Gk ambrosia, food of the
gods; lengthened form of a word mean-
ing immortal. *A. psilostachya is
Perennial Ragweed.

*Ammi. Gk ammi, name of an
African plant (from Gk ammos, sand).
*A. majus is Bishop’s Weed.

*Ammophila. Gk ammos, sand;
philos, loving. As a sand-binder, Mar-
ram Grass lives up to its ‘sand-lover’
name.

Amphibromus. Gk amphi, about;
bromos, oat. The prefix amphi- is used
to denote relationship, Amphibromus
being close to Avena, the oat, much
closer than to Bromus, Brome Grass.

Amphipogon. Gk amphi, _ both;
pogon, beard; both flowering glume
and palea having ciliate awns.

Amyema. This genus, named by
Van Tieghem, included _ tropical
African species, so this French

botanist could have named it after
Amyema in Chad (formerly French).
Barlow in his monograph on_ the
Loranthaceae (1968) placed those in a
separate genus from ours, which used
to be Loranthus.

Andropogon. Gk andros, genitive
of aner, man; pogon, beard; in refer-
ence to the hairs on the spikelets of
some species. Silky Blue-grass (A. seri-
ceus) is now Dichanthium sericeum.

To be continued.

27

Field Naturalists Club of Victoria
Latrobe Valley F. N. C. Report.

President: Mr. T. Moretti.

Hon. Secretary: Mrs. Iris Peterson,

14 Barry Street, Morwell 3840.
Members have enjoyed an active and

interesting half year. Authoritative

speakers have dealt with a variety of

subjects which included Petrology,
Botanical Surveys, Bird Study, Ferns
and Fern Keys, Algae, Fungi and

Forestry. Where possible the monthly
excursion was led by the speaker and
such outings were always well attended.
Members have given talks to other clubs
and organisations and have acted as
leaders during the weekend.

The December number of the Latrobe
Valley Naturalist will be the 120th
issue. A complete index has been com-
piled and is available for 20 cents. The
club is also building up a very useful
library.

The club weekend at Wilson’s Prom-
ontory in October has become an annual
affair. This year members had the
pleasure of meeting Geelong Club there
and at their invitation shared the Satur-
day night’s entertainment with that club.
Members are looking forward to the
annual campout in January which will
be held on the Bogong High Plains.

Field Survey Group.

November Meeting.—The November
meeting was attended by 20 members
and friends, and as it was a members’
night, many interesting and varied topics
were discussed; and a number of ex-
cellent slides on a wide range of topics
were shown. These included some excel-
lent ones from Mr Tom Sault. As this
was the last meeting for the year plans
for the Christmas camp to the Dargo
area were also discussed. The meeting
closed, as usual, with coffee and biscuits.

December Camp.—Eleven members
and friends attended a very dusty but

rewarding camp in the Gisborne Black-
wood area on the eighth and ninth of
December. Although there were no in-
dividual important finds on the camp the
results proved valuable for the mapping
of flatworms, both terrestrial and fresh-
water, other invertebrates and liverworts.
The camp also tended to confirm pre-
vious results from the mapping of the
distribution of frogs. Of special note
was the unusually large number of Dam-
sel Flies, and midges in particular, as in
some areas the ground surface and plants
were covered with the tiny insects, almost
making them appear black.

Western Victorian F.N.C. Association
Report of Clubs’ Activities for year 1972

DoNALD H. & N.H. Group
President — Not given. Secretary — Mrs. H. Falla.

Possibly to our Group the most important event this year has been the pro-
claiming of the Mt. Jeffcott Flora Reserve with R. P. Falla as its inaugural Chairman.
Our late respected member Mr. James Barrance worked long and patiently to have
this area reserved, and to our members this is the culmination of those years of
endeavour. The natural history side of our group this past year has been directed
towards Mt. Jeffcott, with regular visits to the area by individual members and the
identification of plants. It is pleasing to note that six orchids have now been found
on the Mount.

GEELONG F.N.C.
President — Mr. John Hunt. Secretary — Mr. G. McCarthy.

The monthly meetings were well attended, averaging about 130. Monthly
excursions, two by chartered buses, were also well attended by upwards of 100.
Junior meetings held before the general meetings were attended by an average of
25 to 30. The general week-end camp outs were well patronised; one to Port Fairy
for mutton bird banding; to Steiglitz area, alpine camp out to Mt. Baw Baw, and
Mud Island for petrel banding. The Otway survey group also had a number of
week-ends camping. The annual tree planting at the You Yangs was again under-
taken. Conservation projects included 'Mt. Cole, Ocean Grove, Belmont Common
swamp (which our club now leases) and Point Addis. The mailing list for
“The Geelong Naturalist” is now 457.

28 Vict. Nat. Vol. 91

Yl

HAMILTON F.N.C.
President — Mr. Chris. Baulch. Secretary — D. M. McKenzie.
Membership 29.

The year has been an interesting and varied one for our members, regular
meetings being held, highlighted by some excellent speakers. Excursions took us to
Lake Linlithgow, Mt. Eccles, rock paintings at Honeysuckle Creek, tree planting at
Bryan’s Swamp, Kentbruck Heath and the Chimney Pot. We were again able to
have “Photoflora’” in Hamilton and were treated to some of the best wildflower
slides that can be seen anywhere; one of our members, ‘Mr. Ellis Tucker, had two
of his slides accepted in the exhibition. The Club also sent its recommendation
following the report of the land Conservation Council on South Western Victoria.
We look with hope towards sensible conserving of natural resources in this part of
Victoria.

HorsHAM & District F.N.C.
President —'Mr. C. Kroker. Secretary — Mrs. Jean Hill.

Meetings are held in the Horsham Technical School on the 4th Thursday of
each month at 8 p.m. Activities included visits to Horseshoe Bend, Dimboola,
Natimuk Lake and the Smith Memorial Sanctuary. Monthly meetings were enjoyed
with guest speakers Ian Petersen, Fred Davies, Mr. A. E. Lindner, Owen Thomas,
Miss Thelma Bond and Miss Isobel Slater. A number of members also contributed.
Several matters of conservation were supported during the year by letters of protest
to Parliamentary members. The children’s essay prize night was featured on BTV 6
when nature book prizes were presented and winners made honorary members.

MARYBOROUGH F.N.C.
President — Mr. Brian Johns. Secretary — Mrs. E. Courtney.
Membership 91 adults, 11 juniors.

The Club meets on the first Monday in the month at the Maryborough High
School. Average attendance at meetings and excursions has been in the mid-thirties.
A submission requesting an appropriate permanent reservation of Maryborough’s
box/ironbark State forest was compiled and presented to the Land Conservation
Council and Forests Commission. A special evening was sponsored as part of the
Golden Wattle Festival programme, with Mr. J. Ros Garnet as guest speaker. We
were asked by the committee of the Golden Wattle Festival, the Agricultural Society
and the Dunolly Gold Rush to arrange a display of natural history items as part of
their programmes, and we co-operated with each of these bodies. Our twenty-first
birthday was celebrated at the September meeting.

MipD-Murray F.N. TRUST
President — Mrs. Norma Irwin. Secretary — Miss G. Willoughby.
Membership 33 adults, 8 juniors.

General meetings, executive meetings and excursions were held regularly each
month; our annual camp-out was held at Rankin Springs, N.S.W. Major Mitchell
Lagoon is now a Forests Commission special purposes reserve. It was confirmed
that Melaleuka decussata, a southern species is growing in the eastern Mallee on the
edge of a salt pan; a salt bush was found with bright yellow winged seed-pods, not
recorded for Victoria. We paddled in the swamps on a hot afternoon, looking for
fresh water snails for National Museum research; we built a large herbarium cup-
board (with many narrow shelves) to house dried specimens. We had talks about
Mallee land systems and salt and water table problems; our native fish and their
breeding requirements; the kangaroo problem when thousands and thousands invade
nearby river country, with hundreds being shot; and members contributed regular
nature notes to the local paper.

PORTLAND F.N.C.
President — Mr. G. Baker. Secretary — Miss Joan Collishaw.

Meetings and outings were held monthly. At each meeting the subject was
illustrated with slides, as follows: Mr. Davies, trip to U.S.A.; Mr. G. Baker, fungi;
Misses Lineker and Rogers, trip to Japan; Mr. Beuglehole, botanical research in
East Gippsland; 'Mrs. Davies, on Lord Howe Island; Mr. Wagner, on U.S.A:;
Mr. Streeter, Australian birds; Mr. Jones, orchids; Mr. Baker, trip to Central and
Northern Australia. Outings took us to Bridgewater Bay, Tower Hill, Cape Nelson,
Bulley Ras., Mt. Richmond, Nelson Bay, McKenzie’s Crag and Kentbruck.

January, 1974 29

ROBINVALE F.N.C.
President — Mrs. K. Grose. Secretary —'Mr. John R. Curr.

Membership 19 adults, 19 juniors.

The year 1972 was possibly the most successful year for the Club in that it has
been more active than previously. Excursions have been held at Tammit Station
in N.S.W., Belchers Island, Margooya Lagoon at Tol Tol, Wemen, Wandown
Reserve and Lake Benanee. Several general meetings have also been held, discussion
being centred on the flora and fauna in areas of local interest, and conservation of
areas such as Wandown and ‘Margooya Lagoon. Several films were shown and
members showed slides. Several members are also members of the Sunraysia N.R.T.,
and this has brought new ideas and energy into this Club.

STAWELL F.N.C.
President — Mr. I. McCann. Secretary —'Mrs. E. J. Hughes.

Membership 19 adults, 3 juniors.

Thirteen day and half-day trips were held to local areas and six slide nights
were given at Hall’s Gap, for which a new projector was purchased. Members
helped with Guides and school groups at Hall’s Gap, and guides were provided for
buses from a Victour train in October. Four sanctuaries are under our care; it is
intended to fence the Three-Jacks Sanctuary.

TIMBOON F.N.C.
President —- Mr. Kevin McQuinn. Secretary —'Mrs. L. T. Coe.
Membershi,y 35 adults, 1 junior.
The (lub meets on the first Friday of the month at the Consolidated School,
Timboon, at 8 p.m. and holds monthly excursions.

WARRNAMBOOL F.N.C.
President — Mr. R. F. Peirce. Secretary — Mrs. M. J. Yeoman.
Regular meetings were held; members themselves have willingly contributed to -
the success of the evenings with slides of educational interest and enjoyment. We
were especially favoured by visiting guest speakers — Dr. Csordas, on his experiences
as a doctor on ‘Macquarie Island and showed slides of the bird and animal life of
the Island. Mr. Seebeck interested us with insight into his research work as a field
naturalist. Numerous specimens have been brought along for identification and
comment. Outings have catered for the several interests of members, from beach
walking, watching the mutton birds returning to their burrows, to forest areas and
tree planting at Tower Hill. Some members have assisted in bird-banding. We
closed the year with an exhibition of specimens in the Town Hall supper room in
conjunction with the City of Warrnambool Gem Club.

Notice to Contributors

It is important that material submitted for publication should preferably be
typewritten on foolscap or quarto sheets at double spacing, and with a 2.5-3 cm
(1”) margin on the left. No underlining of words should appear unless abso-
lutely necessary. Where dates occur, the day should precede the month,
e.g. 15 May 1972 not May 15 1972.

30 Vict. Nat. Vol. 91

1972...

2000. ..
2100. ..
2200...

For today... and the
centuries ahead

THE 5—POINT
FORESTS MULTIPLE USE PLAN

A plan based on scientific forests management...
ensuring that our forests continue to

contribute towards man’s overall survival

and to his individual zest for living.

The multiple use plan

protects the five critical forest values:

WATER WOOD WILDLIFE RECREATION FORAGE

Our State Forests provide abundant leisure enjoyment...
only one of the five big values.

Please help us by cherishing all five values

when you are enjoying the forests

FORESTS COMMISSION, VICTORIA
January, 1974 31

Field Naturalists Club of Victoria

Established 1880

OBJECTS: To stimulate interest in natural history and to preserve
and protect Australian fauna and flora.
Patron:
His Excellency Major-General Sir ROHAN DELACOMBE, K.B.E., C.B., D.S.O.

President:
Key Office-Bearers, 1973-1974.

Mr 7P. KEELY

Hon. Secretary: Mr. R. H. RIORDAN, 15 Regent St., East Brighton, 3187. 92.8579

Treasurer: H. BISHOP. Address Correspondence to National Herbarium, The
Domain, South Yarra.

Subscription Secretary: Mr. D. E. McINNES, 129 Waverley Rd., East Malvern, 3145.
Hon. Editor: Mr. G. M. WARD, 54 St. James Road, Heidelberg 3084.

Hon. Librarian: Mr. J. MARTINDALE, c/o National Herbarium, The Domain,
South Yarra.

Hon. Excursion Secretary: Miss M. ALLENDER, 19 Hawthorn Avenue, Caulfield
3161. (52 2749.)

Magazine Sales Officer: Mr. D. McINNES
Archives Officer: Mr. CALLANAN, 29 Reynards Street, Coburg 3058. Tel. 36 0587.

Group Secretaries
Botany: Mrs. M. G. CORRICK, 7 Glenluss St., Balwyn 3103. Tel. 857 9937.
Day Group: Mrs. J. STRONG, 1160 Dandenong Rd., Murrumbeena (56 2271).

Entomology and Marine Biology: Mr. J. W. H. STRONG, Flat 11, “Palm Court”,
1160 Dandenong Rd., Murrumbeena 3163 (56 2271).

Field Survey: Miss L. BARRACLOUGH, 4-7 Chrystobel, Cres., Hawthorn, 3122
Geology: Mr. T. SAULT.

Mammal Survey: Mr. D. KELLY, c/o 14 Finnigan’s Road, Research, 3095.
Microscopical: Mr. M. H. MEYER, 36 Milroy Street, East Brighton (96 3268).

MEMBERSHIP
Membership of the F.N.C.V. is open to any person interested in natural history.
The Victorian Naturalist is distributed free to all members, the club’s reference and
lending library is available, and other activities are indicated in reports set out in the
several preceding pages of this magazine.

Rates of Subscriptions for 1973.

Ordinary Members 00 jee nS Pe ee BER Ne a ee
Country: Membersn Mian setae asso aien. we Og Ge. STR ee $5.00
Joint Members .. Fey aac a } a), eee eR Eat Se ae $2.00
Junior Members (under 18. years) Ey Pe agen ees Pee MR Oy la oS 8 en $2.00
Junior Memibensineceiving: Vict. Nat. 25. 68 fo. gt cee ei ec $4.00
Subscribers to Vict. Nat. (Aust. only) we Poige Lath Wee ay eis ll 2 Se cea $5.00
Overseas Subscribers ne ek i ner aa REM So Gg oe $6.00
Affiliated’, Societies. foi eicc eh wee as} Ie ie ES $7.00
Supporting Members . ar rn rmermmmer iar lar a SIO
Life Membership (reducing after 20. years) Ree ee Cas ae ae Say ene aeaumereaie Sit 40500)

The cost of individual copies of the Vict. Nat. will be 45 cents (62 cents — overseas requests).
Full-time Students between 18 and 21 years pay at Junior Member rates.

All subscriptions should be made payable to the Field Naturalists Club of Victoria, and posted
to the Subscription Secretary.

7) JENKIN, BUXTON & CO. PTY. LTD., PRINTERS, WEST MELBOURNE

FEBRUARY, 1974

Published by the

pea FIELD Ni UR. LISTS CLUB OF VICTORIA
in which is incorporated the Microscopical Society of Victoria

Register

in Australia for transmission by post as a periodical.

ed
Vege wh). Category A’

F.N.C.V. DIARY OF COMING EVENTS
GENERAL MEETING

Monday, 11 February — At National Herbarium, The Domain, South Yarra, com-
mencing 8 p.m.

Subject for Evening — “Between High and Low Tide”: Mr. Dan McInnes.

New Members —
Ordinary:
Mr. Brian E. Burbage, Flat 14, 74 Carlisle St., St. Kilda, 3182 (Mammals).
Dr. Murray J. Littlejohn, Department of Zoology, University of Melbourne, Parkville, 3052
(Amphibia, Inertidal Marine Ecology).
Mr. Kevin L. Reed, 269 Nepean Highway, Parkdale, 3194 (Botany).
Mr. Mark Tweg, 73 Evansdale Road, Hawthorn, 3122 (Geology).

Joint:
Mr. Maxwell J. Campbell and Mrs. Faye E. Campbell, 5/270 Rossmoyne St., Thornbury,

3071 (Field Survey).
Mr. S. D. Chivers and Mrs. E. J. Chivers, 16 King St., Glenroy, 3046 (Geology Microscopy).
Mr. Fabris and Mrs. M. Fabris, 54 Dwyer St., Clifton Hill, 3068 (Field Survey).
Mrs. Jeannette P. Jolley, 5/7 Curtain St., Kingsbury, 3083.
Mrs. Robert S. Pinan and Mrs. Lucia Pinan, 6/32 Power St., Hawthorn, 3122 (Botany).
Mrs. Anita M. Tregear, 36 Austin Crescent, Pascoe Vale, 3044 (Botany).

Country:
Mr. Greg. Daniels, 140 Nottinghill Road, Lidcombe, N.S.W., 2141 (Insects—Robber Flies).
Dr. Colin Officer and Dr. Margaret Officer, 32 Anzac Avenue, Seymour, 3660 (Botany).
Miss Susan Robertson, 7 Culliver St., Horsham, 3400.
Mrs. G. M. Ryan, 53 Contingent St., Trafalgar, 3824.

Wednesday, 13 March — Presidential Address and Annual Meeting.

GROUP MEETINGS
(8 p.m. at the National Herbarium unless otherwise stated)

Thursday, 14 February — Botany Group. Members’ Night.

Thursday, 21 February — Day Group meets 11.30 a.m. at the corner of Domain Road
and Park Street, South Yarra. Inspection of succulents and cacti at Botanic
Gardens Nurseries. Bring lunch.

Thursday, 28 February — F.S.G. Meeting in Conference Room, National Museum at
8.00 p.m. ‘Practical Aspects of Maps and Map Grid Work.”

F.N.C.V. EXCURSIONS

Sunday, 17 February — Kath Turnbull Research Station. The coach will leave Batman
Avenue at 9.30 a.m.; fare $2.00, bring one meal and a snack.

Saturday, 9 March-Monday, 11 March — Victorian Field Naturalists’ Clubs’ Asso-
ciation combined weekend at Stawell. A very good programme has been
arranged for the weekend and it is hoped as many as possible will attend. A
coach has been chartered and accommodation booked at the London Motel on
dinner, bed and breakfast basis; cost per person for accommodation and trans-
port $30.00, to be paid by 28th February. The coach will leave Flinders Street,
outside Gas and Fuel Corporation, at 8 a.m — bring a picnic lunch.

There will be a short excursion, Saturday afternoon, departing from the Town
Hall at 1.30 p.m. (assemble 1.00 p.m.) — an evening meeting at 8 p.m., when
Dr. F. R. Moulds has been invited to speak on “Multiple Use of State Forests,
with Particular Reference to Outdoor Recreation in the Grampians”.

Sunday (9.00 a.m.) — Full day excursion in Grampians, returning by 5.00 p.m.,
and a members’ night at the Town Hall at 7.30 p.m.

Monday Morning — A short tour of Stawell then on to Deep Lead Gold Dig-
gings for lunch and farewell.

Thursday, 21 March — Day Group outing will be an inspection of the Port of
Melbourne by Harbour Trust launch. Please book with Mrs. Strong (56-2271)
as a limit to 30 adults applies. Full particulars will appear in the March

Naturalist.

34 Vict. Nat. Vol. 91

the
victorian
naturalist

Vol. 91, No. 2 6 February, 1974
Editor: G. M. Ward
Assistant Editor: G. Douglas

Contents

Articles:
Gippsland Worms By John E. Eve 36

The Origin of Generic Names of Victorian
Flora (Part 2)
By James A. Baines 38

Notes on Peregrine Falcons at Anglesea
By Simon E. Townsend Al

Notes on the Aborigines of the
Wonthaggi District
By Aldo Massola 45

Features:

Nature Notes from the Gold Coast
By Alex N. Burns 43

Field Naturalists Club of Victoria:

Hawthorn Junior F.N.C. Annual Report
51

General Meetings and Group Reports 52
34, 40
Junior F.N.C. Meetings 42

Diary of Coming Events

Front Cover:

The Ringtail Possum in common with its
“cousin” the Brushtail Possum, have not been
overwhelmed by man’s ‘progress’; and it is
delightful to have them about, even in the
suburbs.

The Editor has two which visit his garden
frequently.

photo: John Goode.

February, 1974

Members who use the library will be
pleased to know that by courtesy of Dr. Churchill
it is likely to be back in operation shortly in a
temporary location within the Herbarium. The
long term future siting of the library is not certain,
but its temporary home is expected to serve for
some time.

As the club also has other needs for space
it is watching moves by Conservation Council of
Victoria to set up a State Conservation Head-
quarters which could provide services, and some
accomodation to member bodies.

Funds are being provided by the Common-
wealth Government through the Australian Con-
servation Foundation for the establishment of a
Conservation Centre in each state. In Victoria
the funds for this purpose have been offered to
C.C.V. By March there should be some definite
news of progress towards its establishment.

Also on the conservation front it has been
proposed by our President, Mr. Peter Kelly, that
the club should have a Conservation Group
Proposing this to the Council he said the club
had in the past been most active in conservation,
but over recent years had done little in that field.
He thought it should be active in conservation
and felt the establishment of a special group to
concentrate on it would be the best way of
reviving this work. A committee similar to that
which initiated the Field Survey Group is to be
set up shortly.

35

Gippsland Worms

by JOHN E. Eve

The following article appeared in the December 1973 issue of the Latrobe
Valley Naturalist, and is reprinted here by kind permission of the L.V.F.N.C.

The writer has long thought that
his house (built in 1906) stands on a
hummock which has, over the ages,
been built by worms. These small
rounded hills are a feature of the area
of Lillico, Warragul.

A diagramatic north-south section
of the site is shown (Fig. 1).

The soil in these mounds varies in
a regular manner. The north-facing
slopes are a deep dark brown fertile
loam which carries a good sward of
best grasses and clovers. It shows the
“crumb structure” in the turf which is
typical of a good pasture. The south-
facing slopes are very different. The
mode of change-over is gradual and
the place of change almost impossible
to see. The soil is clayey and hard-
packed, and always rather bumpy on
the surface. Light brown in colour
and having the appearance of sub-soil.
It cracks more than the other in a dry
year on the higher parts, and in spite

of 20 years of effort, it will never
carry a dense sward, nor many of the
best pasture plants. Clover is only
sporadic. It produces generally the
native grasses, flat weed, sorrel and
such like hardy species, and is always
showing open soil. In his early days,
the writer tried to get a man to “disc”
it up for him, but it was said that discs
could make no impression on it, they
would only scratch the surface.

But strangely trees grow well; with

Eucalypt, Blackwood, Cypress and
Radiata Pine being common. Oak,
Ash and shrubs also appear. One

E. globulus, recognised as a fast-
growing tree, planted in the position
shown, grew at a very fast rate indeed
and is now a fine young specimen
with a trunk 8” or 9” through.

Mahogany gums have done well. A
row of young pines at “P” are very
robust indeed on a particularly clayey
area. They had difficulty in penetra-

ames UTOYM ATCQ

Figure 1

36

Vict. Nat. Vol. 91

ting and getting a hold in the first few
years. One was guyed for a year, and
finally had to be cut out as it had no
hope of standing on its own.

As regards pasture, probably the
only thing which would have enabled
it to carry a sward would be a deep
sub-soil ploughing to loosen it all,
followed by liming and _ fertilizing.
This is based on the performance of
garden beds.

It is on the southern slopes where
the worms live. There is, except in a
very wet season when you may find
the odd hole, no sign of them on the
northern slopes. On the south, they
are fairly frequent, even close up to
large trees. The holes are about
16 mm-25 mm diameter and on most
nights the worms will bring up a little
light brown watery soil and push it
out on the surface —a tablespoonful
perhaps each night. They are most
active in wet weather, during the
winter and early spring. The worm
probably pushes its head (or its tail?
—the writer’s wife queries) out a
little when it makes its “cast”, but
this has never been observed. There
is certainly never any sign of its hav-
ing come bodily out on to the surface
as the small earth-worm does. In
winter when there is plenty of water
in the ground, worms seem to rest
near the surface, because footfalls
nearby will cause them apparently to
withdraw downwards, causing suck-
ing watery noises. It seems as if they
are drawing back into water in the
lower parts of their holes. Efforts
have never succeeded in obtaining a
whole worm, but when digging a post-
hole from 0.75 m to 1 m deep, a
piece a few centimetres long and
about the size of a man’s thumb has
been severed.

Early in the spring of 1973 an
attempt was made at following a hole
down, but the worm hole deviated

February, 1974

from the other at 0.75 m, and the
attempt was given up. However, a
small piece of research followed. A
piece of water piping, 25 mm in out-
side diameter was placed in the hole
which was then gradually filled in
around the pipe, filling and ramming
the earth and withdrawing the pipe
a bit at a time until an artificial worm-
hole was made to the surface. For
four days nothing happened; and then
for three or four, the worm used the
artificial hole and deposited quite an
amount of cast. After that there was
no activity for about a month when,
after 3 inches of rain in late October,
more cast was put out.

The layout of the worms’ abode,
as far as has been observed; and the
way they inhabit these hummocks, has
led the writer to hazard several
guesses about them, which may be
useful to record for checking against
other findings.

The worms appear to live in colon-
ies, but each worm may have a hole
which is its own dwelling. How much
communication there is would require
deep and careful excavation to find
out. I think probably water flows
through part of the system and serves
a double purpose—to keep. the
ground moist, particularly in summer;
and to bring food. The food consists
of decaying vegetable matter. It is
doubtful whether they live on living
vegetable or animal matter existing
near the surface and near their holes,
as no sign of any gnawed roots or
other remains exists. During the sum-
mer they retreat to great depths and
are never heard, but during the winter
new holes often appear.

Their activities in bringing up sub-
soil in their casts have the effect of
building out the hummocks on the
south side and probably reducing them
by causing subsidence gradually on
the north. Such low areas as that
between the writer’s house and the

37

hump to the north are thus formed.
The subsided areas may act as catch-
ments for a supply of water via tun-
nels to the south side of the hill.

It is possible that such a process
has gone on for hundreds of years
and that all the small hills in the area
have been built or much modified in
this way. Some of them where very
little, or no worm activity occurs may
have reached a state of becoming un-
inhabitable and thus have _ been
abandoned.

A farm was once visited at Strze-
lecki, where the farmer showed us a
rounded rough hillside on which he
said he could get nothing much to
grow. It was suggested to him —
“It’s a worm bed,” and so it proved to
be.

It has been said that these worms
are found nowhere else in the world.
It is therefore clear that their unique
mode of life and their size are linked
with the soil and climatic conditions
of this area — deep clayey soils, heavy
winter rains followed by warmish
summers and a good supply of animal
and vegetable matter in the soil or
soil water. Their life and tunnelling
systems will have evolved during the
tertiary era. To convert surmise into
certainty about the use the worm
makes of his tunnels would be a
difficult job. Because he works so
deep, a great deal of earth would need
to be very carefully moved. One way
would be to procure a stay of execu-
tion of work, where excavations are
to be made through a known worm
bed.

The Origin of Generic Names of the Victorian Flora
Part 2—Latin, Greek and Miscellaneous
[continued from 91 (1)]

by JAMEs A. BAINES.

*Anagallis. Gk name of the pim-
pernel. Agallis was the Gk name of
the flag iris, but there is no resem-
blance between the two flowers. *A.
arvensis, Scarlet Pimpernel, is often
at home among native vegetation, and
the blue form, var. caerulea, less often.

* Anchusa. Gk ankousa, alkanet or
bugloss. Our introduced species is
*A. capensis (Cape Forget-me-not).

Angianthus. Gk aggeion (pro-
nounced angeion), a vessel (diminutive
of angos, jar); anthos, flower. One of
our species, A. burkittii, has the odd
common name Wires-and-wool,
another, A. tomentosus, is Camel-
grass, although it is a composite, not a
grass.

38

Angophora. Gk angos, jar; phoros,
bearing; alluding to the cup-like fruits
or capless ‘gum-nuts’. The incongru-
ous common name ‘Apple’ still used
in N.S.W. for these cousins of the
eucalypts should be dropped.

Anguillaria. Named by R. Brown
in 1810 after Luigi Anguillara (1512-
1570), an Italian botanist who was
professor of botany at Padua. (Omitted
from Part 1, so included here.) A.
dioica is Early Nancy or Harbinger-
of-Spring.

Anisopogon. Gk anisos, unequal;
pogon, beard. For the reason for the
name, read Willis’s description of A.
avenaceus (Oat Spear-grass), Vol. 1,
p. 180.

Vict. Nat. Vol. 91

Anogramma. Gk ano-, prefix mean-
ing up, upon; gramme, writing; i.e.,
above-writing, from the position of the
sori on this fern.

*Anthemis. Gk anthemis, flower
(= anthos). The Greek name of the
flower, khamaimelon, literally ground-
apple, has given us the common name
of *A. nobile, Chamomile, which has
an apple-like scent and has been much
used medicinally. *A. cotula is Stink-
ing Mayweed.

Anthocercis. Gk anthos, flower;
kerkis, a kind of poplar, and also per-
haps the Judas Tree (Cercis sp.). Pop-
lars are in the willow family, Salica-
ceae, whereas Anthocercis (Ray-
flowers) are in Solanaceae.

* Anthexanthum. Gk anthos, flower;
xanthos, yellow. *A. oderatum is Sweet
Vernal-grass, which when flowering in
the mass would appear yellowish.

*Antirrhinum. Gk anti-, like; rhis
(genitive rhinos), nose or snout. In
Gk the r was doubled when combining
syllables. The meaning ‘resembling a
nose’ is also implied in the common
name Snapdragon, pinching the corolla
sides forcing open the ‘dragon’s snout’.
Our naturalized species is A. orontium
(Lesser or Corn Snapdragon), present
only in Wodonga district in Victoria,
but also in several other States and
New Zealand.

Aotus. Gk a-, not; ous (genitive
otos), ear; because the bracteoles are
lacking. Since botanical descriptions
were (and still are) in Latin, generic
names of Greek origin were put in a
Latin dress, thus Aotos became Aotus,
one of the many generic names doing
duty also as a common name.

Apalochlamys. Gk apalos, soft, ten-
der, weak; chlamys, cloak, mantle.
A. spectabilis (Snowy Cassinia) was
formerly Cassinia spectabilis.

February, 1974

Aphanes. Gk aphanes, invisible, in-
conspicuous (from phanos, light).
Parsley Piert (*A. arvensis), intro-
duced from the north temperate zone,
was formerly Alchemilla. Victoria has
two native species of Aphanes. The
‘invisible’ tag was probably given be-
cause in some species the flowers are
partly covered by leafy stipules.

Aphelia. Gk apheles, literally with-
out a stone, hence level, smooth, plain;
transferred to people, it developed a
metaphorical meaning ‘simple’, which
has relevance re this generic name,
alluding to the pistil with 1 carpel,
1 ovule and 1 style.

Apium. Latin apium, celery, pars-
ley. (Some authorities derive apium
from Celtic apon, water, others sug-
gest a link with Latin apis, bee.) In
addition to the introduced Celery* (A.
graveolens), Victoria has two native
species, Slender Celery and Sea Celery.

*Aponogeton. From the Latin name
of the healing springs at Aquae Aponi
(now Bagni d’Abano), Italy; with Gk
geiton, neighbour, added, on the anal-
ogy of Potamogeton, which means
river neighbour. Originally applied to
a water-plant found here (now Zan-
nichellia), but transferred to the
palaeotropical and South African
genus to which our introduced species,
*A. distachyus (Cape Pondweed or
Cape Water-hawthorn) belongs.

*Aptenia. Gk apten, unfledged, un-
winged; alluding to the absence of
wings on the valves of the capsule
of these plants formerly included in
the genus Mesembryanthemum. *A.
cordifolia is Heart-leaf Ice-plant.

Arabidella. Schulz in 1924 trans-
ferred two species of Blennodia named
by F. Mueller to a new genus, Arabi-
della, forming the name by adding the
diminutive suffix -ella to Arabis (the

39

Rock Cress genus), substituting d for
s for euphony. Arabis is a Latin geni-
tive, meaning from Arabia.

*Araujia. This South ‘American
genus was named by Brotero in 1818
from the Brazilian vernacular name
(there is an estancia named Araujo in
Argentina). Our introduced species,
A. hortorum, White Bladder-flower,
is the weed known sometimes as Cruel
Plant, probably from its capture of
native moths and bees and their im-
prisonment until death in the way
described by Ewart in ‘Flora of Vic-
toria’, page 954.

*Arbutus. Lat arbutus, the name
used by Virgil for the Strawberry
Tree, A. unedo, derived from Celtic
ar boise, rough bush, because of the
granular fruit. The Roman naturalist
Pliny derived unedo from Lat unus,
one, and edo, to eat, i.e. to eat one
only, because of the gastronomic
effects! This Mediterranean species
has an isolated distribution in the
British Isles, being native there only in
Ireland, while in Victoria it is natura-
lized only in the J grid (at Creswick).
Arbutus, like clematis, should be ac-
cented on the first syllable, but in
both cases the common pronunciation
on the second syllable is too wide-
spread to be replaced by the more
correct form.

*Arctium. Gk arktion, name of a
plant, perhaps a mullein, also called
arcturus by Pliny (from Gk arktos, a
bear; oura, tail). *A. lappa, our intro-
duced species, Burdock, derives its
specific name from Lat lappa, a bur.

*Arctotheca. Gk theke, a box, be-
came Lat theca, hence a _ seed-box.
South African botanist Levyns in 1942
transferred Cryptostemma to this
genus (founded by Wendland in
1798). C. calendulacea, Capeweed,
originally named Arctotis calendula
by Linnaeus in 1753, became Arcto-
theca calendula. Arctotis is from Gk
arktos, bear; otos, ear, hence the com-
mon name of our other introduced
species, *Arctotheca prostrata (syn.
Arctotis), Creeping Bear’s-ear. Our
native Australia Bear’s-ear, Cymbono-
tus lawsonianus, was described as
Arctotis australiensis. The scales of
the pappus are said to look like the
ears of a bear.

*Arctotis. See previous entry. *A.
stoechadifolia, White Arctotis, was
named in 1767 when Stoechas (from
Gk stoikhos, a row), now included in
Helichrysum, was still a valid name,
the specific name meaning ‘with leaves
like Stoechas’.

*Arenaria. Lat arena, sand, most of
the species preferring sandy places.
The common name, Sandwort, is also
in allusion to this. (Common names
ending in -wort are often mispro-
nounced as though this syllable is spelt
wart, which is an excrescence on the
skin; wort, pronounced as_ though
spelt wurt (like word, work, worth,
etc.) is an old English word for plant,
spelt wyrt in Anglo-Saxon, and cog-
nate with German Wurz, root. It is
odd that our word root, Lat radix and
Gk rhiza are virtually the same word
as this word wort.)

To be continued.

Sunday, 1 September, to Sunday, 8 September.—Kangaroo Island. This excursion
will start from Adelaide and includes Motel accommodation on the Island, air
travel between Adelaide and Kangaroo Island, and day excursions at the cost of
approximately $135. Starting from Adelaide will enable members to spend extra
time in S.A. if desired but a group booking can be arranged on the train if members
wish to travel on the same day. Bookings for this excursion were already made when
we discovered the National Parks Association considering a trip to Kangaroo Island
also, but we felt both excursions could be successful as the dates differ and the size

of the N.P.A. party is strictly limited.

A $25.00 deposit should be paid to the Excursion Secretary when booking.

z10)

Vict. Nat. Vol. 91

Notes on Peregrine Falcons at Anglesea

by SIMON E. TOWNSEND

During a combined geography and
biology camp to Anglesea, Victoria
with my late school in October of
1973, I was fortunate enough to make
a few short notes and observations on
nesting Peregrine Falcons (Falco
peregrinus). I now feel I can safely
write a little about them, since if they
raised the resultant eyeases with suc-
cess, they will have long since flown
from the nest; safe from itinerant egg
collectors and budding falconers.

On 9 October, 1973 at 7.30 p.m.,
whilst fossicking on the beach directly
below the sandstone(?) cliffs, behind
“Burnside” (on Bass Strait, and one
mile north-east of the mouth of the
Anglesea River), I saw a Peregrine
Falcon glide over the cliff top and out
of sight. I left the beach and ascended
the cliff by a path, hoping to catch
another view of the bird, but with no
result. That evening, I met a com-
panion (a keen hawk man) who told
me he had found a peregrine’s nest,
and asked would I like to see it. I
would and I did.

Next morning the nest was revealed.
It lay half way down or 100 feet up
the sheer cliff below which I had been
the day before. The nest itself was on
a ledge about four feet long and a
little over a foot wide, in which there
was a depression containing eggs and
an incubating female peregrine. She
was not greatly disturbed by our
presence, and occasionly looked up at
us, cocking her head on one side and
holding us wrapt with a single eyed
stare. She lost interest in us fairly
rapidly and pressed lower into her
nest to avoid the strong sea blast
which visibly disturbed her. My com-

February, 1974

panion and I retired to a discreet dis-
tance to the less “heady” vicinity of
the cliff-top heath, and awaited the
return of our peregrine’s mate.

We allowed 15 minutes for his re-
turn, and when he did come back he
did so unheralded; for he made no
call or conspicuous flight above the
cliff top, but was sitting on the edge
of the ledge beside his mate, appar-
ently staring at the cliff. We ventured
to look over the edge again. We
should not have done this so suddenly
for he looked up instinctively and was
put to flight by the sight of us, and
he was instantaneously followed by
his much larger mate. Fortunately
they both returned, screaming and
chittering and swooping towards us
intent on driving us away. We gladly
left, hoping she might cover the eggs
again before they became cold, which
she did.

I had never suspected that the dif-
ferences in the sizes of the sexes of
this species would have been so great,
yet the larger bird was clearly twice
the bulk of the smaller, and a tail-
length longer as well. (Text books
carry average sizes yet they mean
very little until live comparisons are
experienced. )

The eggs were three in number, one
rather smaller and rounder than the
others, but all a beautiful golden
brown mottled with darker tints and
hues. They rested in a slight depres-
sion on the bare rock of the ledge. In
themselves they resembled three
water-worn pebbles.

Having disturbed the birds con-
siderably already, we ventured to the
base of the cliff to search for castings

4l

and tirings (playthings which a hawk
pecks at), of which one of the former
found was made up of the feathers
and bones of a Crimson Rosella
(Platycercus elegans). Of the latter,
some mammal bones, presumably rab-
bit, as well as the end of a rosella
wing, were found. These were amidst
a lot of other litter, mainly mutes or
droppings; yet were discernable due
to wedge-shaped pieces cut out of
them corresponding to the peregrines
beak. Some of the bones had so many
wedges taken out of them, that it was
clear they had been retained and
utilized long since their association
with any food.

Next day my companion procured
another casting we had overlooked.
It was quite old and weathered, but
was clearly composed of Silver-eye
(Zosterops lateralis) feathers, and
contained within it a piece of quartz
a cubic centimetre in size.

We did not see the male kill (since
the female appeared only to incubate)
or return with any prey, nor did we
find any fresh castings or fresh litter,
which was most unfortunate, since I
was eager to see whether any shore
birds were included in their diet.

At the base of the cliff however,
there was much to keep me occupied
apart from the peregrines. Beside the
remains of numerous decomposing
cuttle-fish I found the remains of a
number of Fairy Penguins washed

high up on to the beach above the
high tide mark, and left to dry in the
sun after being dashed to death or
drowned by some previous violent and
stormy sea. Most interesting and un-
usual of all were the remains of two
Black-tailed Wallabies.

I collected the skull and skeleton
of one at the base of the cliff. It may
be reasonable to conclude that both
animals had gone over the cliff at
night, or after having been chased by
local dogs. The heath and bush above
contains a large number of this
species (Wallabia bicolor).

On 12 October, the day before my
departure, I decided to risk disturbing
the nesting peregrines for the last
time, and photograph the incubating
female. I photographed her with little
difficulty, but unfortunately any vestige
of technique on my part was to totally
absent, that the result was unrecog-
nizable, as well as being useless for
reproduction.

In this country we seldom realize
how fortunate we are to still have
resident populations of species so vul-
nerable to human activity as Peregrine
Falcons; not only occurring but breed-
ing within easy reach of a town and
two major cities. This is a species
which is believed to no longer breed
anywhere along the entire east coast
of North America, where once it was
common. We are fortunate indeed!

JUNIOR F.N.C. MEETINGS

Friday, 22 February — Hawthorn meeting in Town Hall at 8 p.m.
Friday, 1 March — Preston meeting at 281 High St., Preston (Rechabite Hall) at

8.00 p.m.

Friday, 8 March — Montmorency and District in Scout Hall, Petrie Park, at 8 p.m.

Friday, 8 March — Black Rock meeting at 8 p.m. in Congregational Church Hall,

cnr. Arkaringa Cres. and Bent Parade.

42

Vict. Nat. Vol. 91

Nature Votes jrom the Gold Coast

by ALEX. N. BURNS.

August

Until two days ago, when almost Z
inches of rain fell, the weather for the
past month had been fine and dry pro-
ducing conditions at the big lagoon at
the Currumbin Sanctuary for the re-
turn of many of the water birds. The
wild duck population again stands at
about four hundred; the Ibises too
have greatly increased in number, and
at present are having a great time
coping with the nymphal short-horned
grasshoppers (Orthoptera-Acridiidae )
which are present in very large num-
bers on the grassy flats bordering the
lagoon. The black swans have again
produced cygnets; five eggs were laid
but three only hatched and one of
these perished. The male swan, notori-
ous for his liking to attack any human
being that came within almost sight of
his domain, has for some unaccount-
able reason become quite docile, in
fact, almost friendly! Throughout the
sitting and rearing of three lots of
cygnets the little wood duck has been
a close and constant companion of the
black swans; this friendship has per-
sisted now for just over three years.

During the past month the preva-
lence of Hawk Moth larvae (Lepidop-
tera-Heterocera-Sphingidae) on some
garden shrubs and many native ones
has been a matter of daily observation.
One large Gardenia bush in the garden
was almost defoliated by larvae of one
of the day flying Bee Hawk Moths of
which three species are recorded for
northern Australia. The species in
question is probably Cephonodes kingi
(Macl.). The Bee Hawks have trans-
parent wings and the body covered

February, 1974

with greenish yellow scales; the males
have brush tails which can be extended
like an open fan. A fully grown hawk
moth larva was collected from a young
Madagascar Tulip tree in a garden;
this specimen was taken home for
breeding out, and in due course it
produced a fine specimen of the
Oleander Hawk Moth. This may prove
to be a new foodplant record for this
species.

In a Paper bark tree swamp (Mela-
leuca leucadendron) near the Currum-
bin Sanctuary, specimens of the Eas-
tern Brown Crow butterfly [Euploea
tulliolus tulliolus (Fab.)] have been
unusually plentiful, and in fact are
still so. The larval foodplant (Mars-
denia sp.) is very plentiful in the area,
and each late summer and autumn one
can get specimens commonly; but this
season has been outstanding in the
number of these butterflies. One small
shrub in shade in this spot had no less
than 46 specimens settled on the twigs.
These could be approached so easily
that it was possible to pick up odd
specimens in the fingers. Other shrubs
nearby had similar numbers resting
on them.

Another interesting butterfly record
comes from the home garden where
an Egyptian Paper tree has just come
into flower. This has attracted bees,
small Diptera and Hymenoptera in
vast numbers, and at 9 a.m. this morn-
ing no less than 14 different species
of butterflies were on the flowers at
one time. These were represented by
five species of Nymphalidae, three
Danainae, three Pieridae, three Ly-
caenidae, and one Hesperid. Although
at times butterflies are plentiful in the

43

garden it is unusual to see so many
species on one inflorescence at the
one time.

The colder nights and evenings are
bringing the Scrub Turkeys in the
national park closer, and in greater
numbers to be fed in the late after-
noons. It is not unusual to have 24
of these accompanied by up to 6 or 7
Rock Wallabies. The turkeys seem to
score best with the stale sliced bread
thrown to them; a timid wallaby will,
by careful manoeuvring, secure a
slice, but often whilst holding it in its
fore-feet a turkey will rudely snatch
it away. The wallabies do not appear
to retaliate in any way, and it is in
fact sometimes quite a job to ensure
that they get a meal.

In the National Park and other rain
forest areas the large Nephila spiders
are unusually plentiful; in fact when
walking through the bush or even
along narrow tracks, one must carry a
stick to clear away the strong and
sticky webs. These large greyish
spiders with yellow at the joints of the
legs construct webs strong enough to
hold a man’s hat. In one distance of
three chains no less than a dozen webs
had to be broken in order to be able
to proceed without considerable dis-
comfort.

September

The white “butterfty eating” spiders
are again active; the first victim being
a Noctuid moth belonging to the genus
Plusia, and was captured by a spider
lurking in the rosette-like inflorescence
of the pretty Pentas bush. This speci-
men was kept under daily observation,
and two days later, much to the
writer’s surprise, a female Richmond
Birdwing (Ornithoptera priamus rich-
mondius Gray.) was dead on a head
of flowers, another victim to the same
spider. A female Richmond Birdwing
is a large big bodied butterfly and

44

was initially handicapped by its legs
becoming enmeshed amongst sticky
threads spun amongst the small indi-
vidual flowers. The spider acted with
great speed in grabbing portion of the
butterfly’s thorax between the legs, and
biting. The spider’s venom acted al-
most immediately, and within a
couple of minutes the unfortunate
butterfly was capable of only very
weak movements, and in less than five
minutes was quite paralysed and help-
less. The butterfly was taken and set
and will be labelled accordingly. Next
day a male Common Jezabel butterfly
(Delias nigrina Fab.) was captured
and eaten; two days later a Common
Pearl White (Elodina egnatia anguli-
pennis Luc.) became the next victim.
Several days elapsed before another
butterfly was captured; this being a
skipper, the Common Greenish Darter
(Telicota ancilla ancilla H.Sch.), and
not being a large insect, was soon dis-
posed of. The last week has produced
showers (some heavy), at night, and
these seem to have slowed down the
activities of the spider. It is still in
almost the same position on the Pentas
bush and is being kept under daily
observation.

Each month since last June, Rich-
mond Birdwing butterflies have ap-
peared in the garden, which is prob-
ably because we had a mild winter
and a good deal of rain which has
kept feeding plants healthy and green.
This caused several species of butter-
flies to appear which normally do not
appear on the wing until September,
so the prospects for a good summer
season are encouraging. Since last
evening and during today almost four
inches of rain have fallen; this will,
even if no more falls for two or three
weeks, keep food plants growing, and
also make conditions right for the
hatching of Lepidopterous pupae.

Vict. Nat. Vol. 91

Notes on the Aborigines of the
Wonthaggi District

Based upon early records

by ALDo MaAssoLa.*

The group name of the Aborigines
who owned the country between the
Bass and the Tarwin rivers was not
recorded, but being the most southerly
group of the Bunurong tribe its mem-
bers are here called “Southern Bunu-
rong’. Their neighbours to the south-
east, across the Tarwin River, were
the Jatowarawara group of the Bra-
tauolung, and those to the north-east,
over the ranges, were the Braiakau-
lung, both of these being clans of the
Kurnai of Gippsland. To the north
and north-west of the Southern Bunu-
rong, across the Bass River, lived the
Bonkoolawol, who, like themselves,
were a group or section of the Bunu-
rong who, collectively, owned the
country around Western Port and
Port Phillip as far as the Werribee
River. The Bunurong and the Kurnai
were traditional enemies.

Almost nothing is known of the
Southern Bunurong, but they survived
the Bonkoolawol, who, according to
a report by William Thomas, the
Assistant Protector of Aborigines, be-
came extinct in 1840.! The reason
for their extinction was not stated,
but it can be safely put down to two
causes, the first of which was the
sealers who raided the coastal camps
killing the men and carrying off the
women; and no doubt introduced
European diseases against which the
natives had no remedies.

Evidence of sealers was found on
Seal Island, in Western Port, by John
Murray on 18 December 1801, when
on his voyage of exploration; and
when the Corinella expedition entered
the Western Passage on 24 November

February, 1974

1826 they saw sealers on Phillip
Island. They had lived there for
several years and kept native women.
It is believed that sealers sporadically
visited Western Port as late as 1844.

The second likely cause for the
Bonkoolawol’s extinction was_ that
being thus weakened both physically
and numerically, they fell easy vic-
tims to their ferocious enemies, the
Kurnai of Gippsland, who, at about
that period, were continually raiding
the Bunurong camps, their war parties
reaching as far as Brighton.”

It was different with the Southern
Bunurong. Although they also must
have suffered sealer’s raids they were,
according to A. W. Howitt,? on
friendly terms with the Jatowarawara
Kurnai across the Tarwin River, and
even intermarried with them. The
reason for this anomaly was not given,
but Howitt was a careful recorder,
and his statement must be accepted as
correct.

Their country, moreover, was pro-
tected, at least from potential Aborigi-
nal enemies, by a Being called Lo-an
and by the superstitious belief that
unless proper precautions were taken
by those who entered it for the first
time, even if on a friendly visit, they
would be attacked by the mysterious
powers guarding it.4 G. H. Haydon,
a member of the expedition which, in
1844, was successful in discovering a
practical cattle route between Mel-
bourne and Gippsland, recorded® the
strange behaviour of the six Native
Police (most likely Bunurong), who
were with the party, though he did

* 4/18 Wolseley St., Mont Albert, V. 3127.

45

not realise the significance of their
actions. He stated:

“I noticed during the whole of the
journey, when they camped in the
evening they invariably cut a num-
ber of boughs and twigs, and made
a kind of leafy throne, on which
they reposed. As I had never seen
this done in their own district, I
enquired the reason, but all the in-
formation I could gather was, that
it was a custom with them to do
this when they visited a tract of
country for the first time. One or
two of them had been here before,
but I noticed they usually went
through the same ceremony, which
they call ‘annert’.”

Regarding the
country, he stated:

nature of the

BRAIAKAULUNG

“gol WX Wi Wy Wally

RAs IMM% Yy &,
YY}

N\ J eZ

Y,

WESTERNPORT

Coringlla

“It was a most difficult matter to
get through it even on foot. It was
like forcing a way through a quick
set edge, with the addition of large
saplings and _ full-grown trees
Springing up in every direction.”

Despite the passing of the years the
country remains one of the most diffi-
cult in Victoria in which to seek for
Aboriginal relics. The terrain is hilly,
intersected with high-banked creeks,
the coastal plains either pastures on
which traces of the Aborigines have
been obliterated, or else swamps or
mud flats covered with heath and
scrub and almost impassable tea-tree
belts.

Haydon’s party met no Aborigines,
but indications of their presence were
found:

COUNTRY \W]
EN NZ
Va \\e a Waal
VAAL lg ul/ K/I// yy
e Lili aly by

MN ¢ 4
Vie MY
Mi T/\|\\

Leongatha
e

SOUTHERN BUNURONG COUNTRY

PHILLIP
ISLAND

e
Wonthaggi

Inverlock

Me Caughan’s Hill
QUAY,
as +
Leongatha Sth.

Ruttles Quarry

e Tarwin
Meadows

Figure 1

46

Vict. Nat. Vol. 91

“6

. . . Many of the trees near the
river (the Tarwin) had _ been
stripped to the height of twenty
feet by the Gipps Land blacks for
the purpose of making canoes.”

And upon crossing and proceeding up

the river:

“.. . We suddenly came upon a
deserted camp of the aborigines; it
contained upwards of a hundred
huts; observing this, the blacks who
were with me (i.e. the Native
Police) worked themselves into vio-
lent passions and commenced
throwing their tomahawks and
knocking down the huts in every
direction. They said, this had been
a camping ground of the Gipps
Land natives, who were their
enemies.”

This could hardly have been a war
partys camp, since no huts were
erected by raiding parties. It was most
likely a Jatowarawara camp, and by
calling them their enemies it shows
that whatever relations were main-
tained with them by the Southern
Bunurong, they were no friends of
those from the north.

This camp on the Tarwin, which
has since been located, and one small
campsite on the Bass River close to
Poowong,® are the only inland ones
known to me. On the other hand
there are middens dotting the shore
line, especially where there are rocks
at sea from which shellfish can be
obtained, from the south side of Pow-
lett River, through Williamson’s
Beach, Harmer’s Haven, Cape Pat-
terson, Honeysuckle Hill and Eagles
Nest to about opposite Petrel Rock in
Venus Bay, and on the south-west
side of Anderson’s Inlet.?

It is obvious that the Southern
Bunurong much preferred to camp on
the coastal sand dunes and on the
more open stretches of country im-
mediately behind these; and it is pos-
sible that the inland camps were only

February, 1974

used during the periodical walkabout
or as places of refuge when _ hard-
pressed by their enemies. Reminis-
cences of early settlers do not help on
this point, though they are sometimes
of great assistance otherwise.

The first European to settle in the
district was Samuel Anderson, who
arrived at the Bass River only a few
weeks after Batman and Fawkner had
entered Port Phillip. By 1842 he was
joined by his two brothers, and it was
they who dismantled the brick huts at
the Corinella Settlement, this in order
to obtain material to build their own
homestead on the banks of the Bass
(or Weandon, as it was known to the
natives).

All that was left of the Corinella
Settlement in 1844, when Haydon
visited it, was the remains of about
fifty houses and huts in the shape of
brick foundations and sawn timber;
the stump of the flag staff; and the
remains of a dam which had been
constructed across the creek both in
order to stop the salt water mingling
with the fresh and to conserve the
latter.

The Anderson brothers encountered
wild cattle on the Powlett Plains and
especially at the Clump Spring (which
is now the town of Wonthaggi). This
at first puzzled them, but later they
learned that they were the progeny of
the cattle left behind by the Corinella
Force. No doubt the Aborigines had
hunted the cattle across the Bass and
Powlett Rivers, and they had found
refuge in the more open and therefore
safer plains country.

It seems that the Aborigines gave
little trouble to the Anderson brothers,
although Hugh Anderson’s hut was
once raided during his absence and
stripped of its contents. Later, how-
ever, a lubra took him to the spot
where the articles had been “planted”
and he was able to retrieve everything
with the exception of three or four

47

red shirts, which must have taken the
Aborigines’ fancy and were nowhere
to be seen.®

South of the Tarwin the country
was first taken up by George Raff in,
or about, 1842. He sold to Edward
Hobson, and he to George Black in
1851. Black gradually extended his
run northwards to the Clump Spring
(Wonthaggi) and on the south to the
head and west side of Waratah Bay,
taking in Cape Patterson, Anderson’s
Inlet and Cape Liptrap. He had a
daughter, Maud, who was born at
Tarwin Meadows in 1872, too late to
remember the Aborigines; but she
was historically minded, and kept a
diary in which she entered all she
could find out about olden times. Her
younger brother, Murray, who lived
to be a very old man, made use of her
diary when preparing a lecture on the
settlement of the district which he
delivered to the Wonthaggi Historical
Society in or about 1960.

Mr. Murray Black was very inter-
ested in the Aborigines, and made
extensive collections of stone imple-
ments, which he donated to the In-
stitute of Anatomy in Canberra, and
of skeletal material which is now in
the Anatomy Department of the Uni-
versity of Melbourne. Most of this
material, however, is from the Darling
River region of New South Wales,
and does not throw any light on the
Southern Bunurong.

His notes on the Aborigines for the
Wonthaggi lecture, on the other hand,
help us to understand some obscure
points.®

He stated that:

“The Tarwin Aboriginals were very

numerous at some time judging by

the extensive camping sites at Cape

Liptrap to Anderson Inlet. The

north Gippsland blacks — or Omeo

— made a raid through Gippsland

shortly before the white man ar-

48

rived. They killed several near the
Meadows Homestead but could not
have practically exterminated the
tribe, who were forced to live in
small family groups in order to
hunt game. There were only six
aboriginals at Tarwin in 1851 when
George Black arrived and they said
their enemies killed some of them.
It is more likely that the Phillip
Island aboriginals caught measles
or some disease from the Sealers
and Whalers from Tasmania and
would desert their camps to escape
the hoodoo, thus spreading the
disease everywhere they went. .

. . . The Tarwin aborigines were
the tomahawk makers for surround-
ing tribes and were all friendly
through a periodic barter. They
secured a red flinty stone from
Mornington Peninsula for instance,
and would exchange axe heads and
flint implements which were made
at Tarwin.

The principal diorite quarries
were about a mile north-west of
Inverloch, Ruttle’s Quarry and near
Pound Creek and McCaughan’s
Hill. The flint was secured along
the Ocean Beach, washed up at-
tached to the roots of kelp and
seaweed. The raiding party of 1840
evidently took a number of axes on
their return journey, but got tired
of carrying them when they reached
Sandy Point as 70 axes were found
there in one heap about four or
five years ago, in 1955.”

This is interesting material. How-
ever, the six “Tarwin’” Aborigines
could have come from either side, or
both sides of the river, since, by 1851,
the tribal organisation had broken
down. They could therefore have
been either Southern Bunurong or
Jatowarawara; and they did _ not
necessarily have to be the entire re-
maining Aboriginal population of the
district. Some could have gravitated

Vict. Nat. Vol. 91

towards the earlier Anderson settle-
ment on Bass River, and it is known
that at least two Aborigines were
employed by the McHaffie brothers on
Phillip Island as late as 1870.

Then, although the
Aborigines were the
enemies of the Kurnai of Gipps-
land, the Tarwin River is a long
way from Omeo, and it is most un-
likely that they travelled all that dis-
tance through such a country to raid
a Kurnai camp when there were
dozens much nearer home. It is more
likely that the attackers of the Tarwin
Meadows group were Bunurong. Ac-
cording to Samuel Rawson!? who had
settled at Yallock station, a party of
Aborigines arrived at his station from
Narre Narre Warren in February,
1840; and leaving the old men,
women and children at the station
went off “to evenge the death of their
companions”. They returned to Yal-
lock on 9 March “bringing immense
quantities of human flesh with them”.

Further, if the “70 axes” were in-
deed dumped by an attacking party,
then it must have been Bunurong and
not “Omeo” since Sandy Point is on
the old track to Narre Narre Warren.

It is also as well to state that in
February, 1967, when I was investi-
gating the feasibility of Red Bluff and
the Stockyard (Sandy Point) being
the starting off point for the Bunu-
rong’s seasonal excursions to French
Island for collecting swan eggs, I was
shown around the locality by a local
land owner, Councillor G. Ridgway.
I have on record in my diary that he
told me that there was an Aboriginal
campsite by a permanent waterhole
about 500 yards inland from Red
Bluff; and that the waterhole was
scooped out to make a dam, and in
the process “a number of axes and
other Aboriginal stones were _ re-
covered, which made quite a little
heap”.

“Omeo”
traditional

February, 1974

These implements could have been
lost over the years by the natives
camping there, and the “little heap”
could easily have become the “70
axes” reported to, and subsequently
by, Black.

Black’s reference to the _ stone
quarries, however, is of real value
since it supplies the reason for the
friendship stated by Howitt to have
existed between the Southern Bunu-
rong and the Jatowarawara Kurnai.
Stone axes were most important in
Aboriginal economy, and any group
having a quarry in its territory would
be friendly with all its neighbours;
nor could they be dispossessed of it
by force, since the aggressors would
lack the necessary “magic” for work-
ing the quarry and the stone would
not make good axes.

These quarries, by analogy with
still existing ones elsewhere in Vic-
toria, were probably outcrops of
diorite from which the natives de-
tached suitable “blanks” and traded
them in the blank state. The quarries’
existence is undoubted because in re-
cent years they were found by
quarriers and worked for road metal;
and all traces of native industry
obliterated in the process. It would
be a futile exercise to describe them
as they are now; but their position is
here recorded.!

Summary

The Southern Bunurong owned
three diorite quarries, and this as-
sured their safety as a group living
on a hostile border. The trade in axes
promoted amicable relations between
the traditional enemies to the point
that intermarriage was taking place.

LITERATURE CITED
AND ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
1. Thomas, W.—Journal, 1840. Ms. in
Mitchell Library.
2. For more details see Massola, A.—
History of the Coast Tribe, in Vic-
torian Nat. 76, Nov. 1959.

49

. Howitt, A. W.—The Native Tribes

of South-East Australia. London,
1904.

. For a full account of the Legend of
Lo-an see Massola, A.—Bunijil’s
Cave. Melbourne, 1968.

Haydon, G. H.—Five Years’ Ex-
perience in Australia Felix. London,
1846.

. I am indebted to Mr. W. R. Hart-

nell, of Morwell, for information
regarding this campsite.

. I wish to record my thanks to Mrs.
Susan Kirk, of Wonthaggi, for tak-
ing me to these middens which she
knows so well.

10.

11.

Peck, H. H.—Memoirs of a Stock-
man. ‘Melbourne, 4th printing,
1972.

Black, G. M.—George Black and the
early settlement of Tarwin Meadows;
from the Records by Maud Black.
Typescript (1960).

Rawson, S.—Journal from Novem-
ber 1839 while forming a New
Station at Western Port on _ the
Southern Coast of New Holland.
Ms. in National Library of Aus-
tralia.

I am indebted to Mr. J. Webb,
mining engineer, of Wonthaggi, for
showing me the locality of these
quarries.

BOOKS FOR ALL FIELD NATURALISTS

Just Released “FLOWERS AND PLANTS OF VICTORIA”

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520 Plants shown, 432 restricted to the State. $16.95.
Brochure on these books posted on request.

““BIRDS OF AUSTRALIA”

A Summary of Information.

J.D. Macdonald.

24 Colour Plates. 552 Pages.

Description of 745 Species, illustrated by Peter Slater.
300 Species. Distribution Maps. $18.50.

“AQUATIC PLANTS OF AUSTRALIA”
Helen Aston.
222 Species (109 in Victoria).
138 Illustrations. 362 Pages. $21.00.

‘“A HANDBOOK TO PLANTS IN VICTORIA”

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Vol. I. Ferns, Conifers and Monocotyledons.
481 Pages. $9.90.

Vol. II. Dicotyledons.
832 Pages. $21.00.

“THE INSECTS. OF AUSTRALIA”
C.S.I.R.O. $19.80.

(A Discount on all above books to Field Naturalist Club Members.)

Postage and Packing Extra.

Information and Orders. Write direct to Sales Officer F.N.C.V.
D. E. McInnes, 129 Waverley Road, East Malvern, 3145.

50

Vict. Nat. Vol. 91

Field Naturalists Club of Victoria
Hawthorn Junior F.N.C.

Annual Report, 1973

Key Office-Bearers 1 January, 1974
President — Michael Coulthard.
Treasurer — Wendy Clark.

Secretary — Robin Sandell.

Editor — Alan Burns.

Perhaps the most outstanding feature
of 1973 was that the Club’s organisation,
for the first time in ten years, was quite
independent of Barry Cooper, a person
who largely shaped it up until his de-
parture from Australia in 1972. Despite
this, the Junior Council rallied together
and, particularly through the outstanding
work of Mike Coulthard as President,
provided a varied array of activities for
Club Members.

The stability of Council was shown in
part by the very small number of
changes in Office-Bearers during the
year. Elizabeth Fearon resigned as As-
sistant Treasurer, and was replaced by
Chris Howes and Ulla Schulz took on
Caroline Durré’s former office of Ex-
cursion Secretary.

Meetings:

Unfortunately, the October Meeting
was cancelled because of a Power Strike.
Meetings over the past year were:

2 February — Members’ Night.

23 February —“Through the Kimber-
leys”, by Mr. A. Morrison.

30 March—“‘The Bushfly and Biting
Flies Found in the Bush”, by Mr.
Wilson.

27 April—‘Kangaroos”, by Mr. M.
Yardy.

25 May —‘“The Ecological Effects of In-
troduced Pest Animals and Plants’,
by Mr. G. Douglas.

29 June —“A Practical Demonstration
of the Collection of Pondlife”, by Mr.
-. McInnes.

27 July — Three nature films.

31 August — 30th Birthday and Mem-
bers’ Night.

28 September —‘‘Wildflowers and Native
Plants’, by Mr. B. Fuhrer.

30 November —“Beetles”, by Mr. P.
Kelly.

It is hoped that more meetings of the
demonstration type will be held in 1974.

Excursions:

An innovation in 1973 was a com-
bined day and overnight excursion to
the Lorne area in September. Although
not very well attended, those who did

February, 1974

go found the week-end a rewarding one.
Excursions held during the year:
11 February — Bushranger Bay — walk-
ing trip.
2 March — East Kew — mammal spot-
lighting.
31 March — Toolangi — invertebrates.
26 May — Keith Turnbull Research Sta-
tion.
7 guy — Alexandra Gardens — pond-
life.
5 August — Powelltown — General.
28-29 September— Lorne area — Wild-
flowers.

6 November — Werribee Gorge —
F.N.C.V. President’s Picnic.
2 December — East Warburton —

Beetles.

Easter Camp:

The 1973 Camp was held at Red Cliffs
and the Boundary Bend area in N.W.
Victoria. A bus was hired and about
60 members attended. The Club was
fortunate in having the assistance of
members of the Sunraysia F.N.R.T. and
the Mid-Murray F.N.T. to arrange
campsites and to act as guides during
the day. Three nights were snent at Red
Cliffs and two at Boundary Bend. A
detailed report of the trip was published
in “The Junior Naturalist”.

A special meeting was arranged on
9 June for the showing of photographs
and slides taken on the Camp. This was
attended by 70 people.

Publications:

Michael Howes filled the vacant
position of Assistant Editor in August.
New inclusions in “The Junior Natura-
list” during the year were a “Look”
column and a back page “Conservation
Thought”. A three-page report on the
Club activities of the previous twelve
months was nublished in the August
issue.

The Club printed a booklet called
“How Too... .”, by Rosalind St. Clair,
which was completely sold out at the
Nature Show.

The Club organised an exhibit at the
S.G.A.P.’s Australian Plants and Nature
Exhibition in September. The theme of
the exhibit was “There’s More in the
Bush than you Think” and consisted of
a typical scene from both a wet and
dry area with specimens of animals
likely to be found in each.

51

Conservation Sub-Committee:

A Sub-Committee was formed in
August to establish a conservation policy
for the Club. In its three meetings in
1973, the education of members in con-
servation and matters arising from other
conservation bodies were discussed.

F.N.C.V. General Meetings
10 December

The final Club meeting for the year
was well attended. Mr. Jim Willis gave
a most interesting and informative talk
on Eucalypts, the full text of which will
be published later in the “Naturalist”.

A large number of exhibits were on
display including Foraminifera collected
in Carnarvon, W.A., and shown under a
club microscope; an Aboriginal grinding
stone from Raymond Island in the Gip-
psland Lakes; pressed plants and a spider
for identification; and some garden
grown native plants. A member also re-
ported having observed ravens feeding
on locusts in a Melbourne suburb.

The usual lists of Club correspondence,
minutes of Council meeting and general
notices were on display. The Secretary
read a letter from Sale Field Naturalists’
Club appealing for speakers who would
be willing to address their Club. Christ-
mas cards were received from Miss Jean
Galbraith and from Mr. and Mrs. Hud-
son, now living in England. Mr. McInnes
reminded members that Mr. Hudson had
at one time been Editor of “The Natura-
list”’.

The President announced that the Her-
barium would no longer be able to
accommodate the Club’s Library, as they
needed the room for their own use, and,
although Council was investigating alter-
natives, it seemed likely to be some time
before the library would be available
again. Mr. Kelly said that the Conser-
vation Council of Victoria expected to
receive a grant to assist in the establish-
ment of a State Conservation Centre and
F.N.C.V. Council intended to co-operate
in the planning of the centre.

A brief report of the work of the Club
Improvement Committee was given, and
the new publicity leaflet which they have
prepared was on display and available
for distribution.

ay

Subscriptions:

Due to increased postal charges, the
Club was forced to raise subscription
fees. In early 1974, family membership
rates will be introduced. Present rates
are—

Junior Members — $1.00 per annum.

Adult Members — $2.00 per annum.

Miss Gwen Piper spoke briefly about
proposals to subdivide Green’s ‘Main
Ridge” estate at Dromana, and suggested
that members interested might sign two
petitions which she had prepared ap-
pealing against the subdivision and urg-
ing the preservation of the area in its
natural state.

14 January

After opening the meeting and wel-
coming members and visitors the Presi-
dent announced the death of Mr. F. P.
(Frank) Morris. Mr. Ros Garnet spoke
briefly about Mr. Morris’s career as a
botanist at the National Herbarium and
his membership of the Club which he
joined in 1918. He was President in
1942/3 and was elected an honorary
member in 1961. Mr. Garnet also said
that shortly before his death Mr. Morris
had made a gift of $300 to the Club.

As usual at the first meeting of the
year the programme was a Members’
Night; the organiser, Mr. Ian Cameron,
presented an interesting and varied selec-
tion by club speakers.

Mrs. North spoke about growing cof-
fee in New Guinea, illustrated with a
few well-chosen slides. Mr. North
showed a few slides of New Guinea
flowers which they had seen on their
recent trip.

Mr. Ian Morrison showed a series of
slides illustrating the life history of a
saw-fly; Mr. Alan Morrison showed the
life history of the Wanderer and Caper-
white butterflies; Mrs. Bennett gave a
report of the Club excursion to Werri-
bee Gorge and showed a few slides of
this and other Club outings; Mrs. Bishop
spoke about the life history of the sea
urchin and Mr. Tom Sault described
and showed slides of the Green’s Bush
area on Mornington Peninsula.

Exhibits at the meeting included
pressed ferns from the Lower Glenelg
area, a small piece of fossil bone from

Vict. Nat. Vol. 91

a beach near Portland, and the skull of
a Short-nosed Bandicoot collected in the
Grampians. The teeth and portion of the
shell of the sea urchin were shown under
the microscopes.

A full list of correspondence was
displayed at the back of the hall; the
Secretary referred to two letters request-
ing club assistance in conservation mat-
ters. The first was a request from the
Rotary Club of Seymour asking for
support for a proposed park in the Tal-
larook forest area and for assistance in
assessing the area. The second letter re-
quested help in opposing a proposed
subdivision of an area adjacent to the
Little Desert and bordering on the Wim-
mera River. A copy was also received
of the Westernport Regional Planning
Authority’s decision to disallow the sub-
division of the Green’s Bush area.

During general business attention was
drawn to a press report which stated
that the government intended to ter-
minate the Tatra lease in Buffalo
National Park. It was agreed that the
Minister of Conservation should be con-
gratulated on this decision for which
conservationists had been pleading for
many years.

Speaker at the February meeting will
be Mr. Dan McInnes whose subject
will be “Between High Tide and Low
Tide”.

Field Survey Group

August

The topic for the August meeting of
the Field Survey Group was “The Fern
Gully Environment”. The speaker, Mr.
Tom Sault gave an interesting, well-
illustrated talk on the typical fern gullies
to be found, with particular emphasis on
the geology and botany of these areas.
A large number of specimens to be
found in areas near Melbourne were on
display, and were of great interest to
the eighteen members and friends who
attended. The evening closed, as usual,
with coffee.

September

As the September meeting coincided
with Show Day, the group met in the
Monash Medical Centre because of the
Conference Room being unavailable.

February, 1974

Despite the last-minute change in venue,
eighteen members and friends attended
to hear F.N.C.V. President, Mr. Peter
Kelly, speak on “Beetles”. The address
was of great interest to members, as
Mr. Kelly gave some insight into the
work he had done with one particular
group of beetles, the Chrysomelids. He
rounded off an extremely well-illustrated
lecture with a number of slides of
Chryptozoic Beetles such as are usually
found under logs. The evening closed,
as usual, with coffee.

Botany Group Meeting — /3 December

The final Botany Group meeting for
the year was well attended. Mr. Leon
Costermans spoke on “Australian
Plants in their Natural Environment’’,
and showed a series of slides demon-
strating the effect of geological forma-
tions and climatic conditions on the
vegetation. He also spent some time
discussing the layout and contents of his
forthcoming book on the flora of south-
eastern Australia.

A report of the group outing to
Starling’s Gap was given and some
pressed plants collected on the trip were
displayed with a list for the immediate
area of the gap. Exhibits included plant
specimens from Lake Mountain and also
the Bog-rush (Schoenus — turbinatus)
collected near Anglesea, the location of
its first discovery in Victoria in 1961.
It occurs also in the Grampians and
in New South Wales and Tasmania.

An election of new group office-
bearers for 1974 was not necessary, as
President, Mr. Ian Cameron and Secre-
tary, Mrs. Margaret Corrick accepted
nomination for a second term. The usual
Christmas supper followed the meeting.

The February meeting will be a
Members’ Night. A programme of out-
ings for 1974 will be drawn up by the
excursion committee who would wel-
come suggestions. It is anticipated that
the collection of material for pressing
and display at subsequent meetings will
continue as a means of helping beginners.
It is suggested that anyone wishing to
study or learn about a particular group
of plants should contact Botany Group,
as we are anxious that our outings and
meetings should provide opportunities
for learning and sharing of knowledge.

53

PHOTOFLORA ‘74

NINETY MINUTES OF TOP COMPETITION SLIDES OF

WILDFLOWERS AND NATIVE BIRDS

Sections Indude— y+ VICTORIAN WILDFLOWERS
%* VICTORIAN ORCHIDS
% VICTORIAN BUSHLAND
te AUSTRALIAN WILDFLOWERS AND PLANTS
% AUSTRALIAN BIRDS IN THEIR HABITAT

presented by the NATIVE PLANTS PRESERVATION SOCIETY OF VICTORIA

in conjunction with local Clubs and Societies.

Screening at 8 p.m.

MORWELL — Wednesday, 13th March,
Morwell Town Hall.

KEW — Thursday, 14th March, Kew
Baptist Church Hall, Highbury Gve.

WANGARATTA — Friday, 15th March,
Lower Town Hall, Ovens St.

SHEPPARTON-— Saturday, 16th March,
St. Augustine’s Hall, Orr St.

RINGWOOD — Monday, 18th March.

MELBOURNE — Tuesday, 19th March,
Theatrette, A.M.P. Building, corner
Bourke and William Sts.

BEAUMARIS—Wednesday, 20th March,

Black Rock Civic Hall, corner Bal-
combe Rd. and College Gve.

BENDIGO — Thursday, 21st March, In-
stitute Technology, McCrae St.

MONTMORENCY — Friday, 22nd
March, West Riding Community Hall,
Petrie Park, Mountain View Rd.

MARYBOROUGH — Saturday, 23rd
March, R.S.L. Hall, High St.
BALLARAT — Monday, 25th March,

Assembly Hall, Sebastopol Technical
School.

Admission: Adults 80 cents, Children 40 cents

CLAYTON — Tuesday, 26th March,
Theatre R 1, Rotunda, Monash Uni-
versity.

GEELONG — Wednesday, 27th March,
McPhillimy Hall, Latrobe Tce.

MALVERN — Thursday, 28th March,
Banquet Hall, Malvern City Hall.

BLACKBURN — Friday, 29th March,
The Avenue Church Hall.

FERNY CREEK — Saturday, 30th
March, Ferny Creek Horticultural
Society Hall, Hilton Rd.

FLEMINGTON — Monday, Ist April,
St. Brendan’s Hall, corner Church and
High St.

CROYDON — Tuesday, 2nd _ April,
Croydon Hall, Mt. Dandenong Rd.

HEIDELBERG—Wednesday, 3rd April,
Scots Church Hall, Burgundy St.

HAMILTON — Thursday, 4th April,
Hamilton Town Hall.
SWAN HILL—Friday, Sth April,

Methcdist Hall, Beveridge St.

MILDURA — Sunday, 7th April, Arts
Centre Theatre.

SSS SSS

Needed Urgently
The Editor is in need of smaller articles to help in making up the normal content

of the Victorian Naturalist.
excursions undertaken by members.

54

Surely something of interest is seen on the many

Vict. Nat. Vol. 91

19022 2

2000. . .
2100. ..
2200...

For today... and the
centuries ahead

THE 5—POINT
FORESTS MULTIPLE USE PLAN

A plan based on scientific forests management...
ensuring that our forests continue to

contribute towards man’s overall survival

and to his individual zest for living.

The multiple use plan

protects the five critical forest values:

WATER WOOD WILDLIFE RECREATION FORAGE

Our State Forests provide abundant leisure enjoyment...
only one of the five big values.

Please help us by cherishing all five values

when you are enjoying the forests

FORESTS COMMISSION, VICTORIA T i

February, 1974 55

Field Naturalists Club of Victoria

Established 1880

OBJECTS: To stimulate interest in natural history and to preserve
and protect Australian fauna and flora.
Patron:

His Excellency Major-General Sir ROHAN DELACOMBE, K.B.E., C.B., D.S.O.
Key Office-Bearers, 1973-1974.

President:
Mr. P. KELLY

Hon. Secretary: Mr. R. H. RIORDAN, 15 Regent St., East Brighton, 3187. 92 8579

Treasurer: H. BISHOP. Address Correspondence to National Herbarium, The
Domain, South Yarra.

Subscription Secretary: Mr. D. E. McINNES, 129 Waverley Rd., East Malvern, 3145.
Hon. Editor: Mr. G.' M. WARD, 54 St. James Road, Heidelberg 3084.

Hon. Librarian: Mr. J. MARTINDALE, c/o National Herbarium, The Domain,
South Yarra.

Hon. Excursion Secretary: Miss M. ALLENDER, 19 Hawthorn Avenue, Caulfield
3161. © (82,2749;)

Magazine Sales Officer: .Mr. D. McINNES
Archives Officer: Mr. CALLANAN, 29 Reynards Street, Coburg 3058. Tel. 36 0587.

Group Secretaries
Botany: Mrs. M. G. CORRICK, 7 Glenluss St., Balwyn 3103. Tel. 857 9937.
Day Group: Mrs. J. STRONG, 1160 Dandenong Rd., Murrumbeena (56 2271).

Entomology and Marine Biology: 'Mr. J. W. H. STRONG, Flat 11, “Palm Court”,
1160 Dandenong Rd., Murrumbeena 3163 (56 2271).

Field Survey: Miss L. BARRACLOUGH, 4-7 Chrystobel, Cres., Hawthorn, 3122
Geology: Mr. T. SAULT.

Mammal Survey: Mr. D. KELLY, c/o 14 Finnigan’s Road, Research, 3095.
Microscopical: Mr. M. H. MEYER, 36 Milroy Street, East Brighton (96 3268).

MEMBERSHIP
Membership of the F.N.C.V. is open to any person interested in natural history.
The Victorian Naturalist is distributed free to all members, the club’s reference and
lending library is available, and other activities are indicated in reports set out in the
several preceding pages of this magazine.

Rates of Subscriptions for 1973.

Ordinary,:Members jaca ey Sk i te) $7.00
Gountry nWembensy rss a ei GBT Ue a each e $5.00
Joint Members .. LYS Meee ype ae ee PU MMB EES CaN os ol ha $2.00
Junior Members (under 18. years) We raed ie, OSU gy ag Sue aaalat Elev ue See NOG WA i $2.00
Junior Members jreceiving’ Vict. Natee on0 30. eh IDG Rn se eee ae $4.00
Subscribers to Vict. Nat. Aust only) a eon an ume er mnumErigNIT MOLT eS $5.00
Overseas Subscribers ; era ee me Ase De gn oo $6.00
Affiliated Societies: cg ities cl ieee iy Soe en hk a Ee lS ae $7.00
Supporting Members . Pr er Mannie Girma 8 SOOO
Life Membership (reducing after 20 years) sett asta b ees EAM abn diy! io Hah OOO

The-cost of individual copies of the Vict. Nat. will be 45 cents (62 cents — overseas requests).
Full-time Students between |8 and 21 years pay at Junior Member rates.

All subscriptions should be made payable to the Field Naturalists Club of Victoria, and posted
to ihe subscnietion Secretary.

c

7) JENKIN, BUXTON & CO. PTY. LTD., PRINTERS, WEST MELBOURNE

F.N.C.V. DIARY OF COMING EVENTS
GENERAL MEETING

Wednesday, 13 March — At National Herbarium, The Domain, South Yarra, com-
mencing at 8 p.m.

Subject for Evening — Annual Meeting and Presidential Address.

New Members —
Ordinary:
Miss S. Anderson, 182 Beaconsfield Pde., Middle Park, 3206.
Mrs. Rose E. Bernadou, 81 Park St., South Yarra, 3141.
Miss Coralie Binmore, 61 McCracken St., Essendon, 3040.
Mr. Peter Carwadine, 2A Victoria Rd., Malvern, 3144 (Entomology and Botany).
Mrs. Robin Collins, 6 Lempriere Ave., Balaclava, 3183 (Mammal Survey and Botany).
Miss Suzanne Griggs, 27 Hoffmans R., Essendon, 3040 (Botany).
Mr. Robert C. McKenzie, 50 Darebin Drive, Thomastown, 3074 (Mammal Survey).

Joint:
Mr. Robert D. Graham and Mrs. Elsie C. Graham, 147 Broadway, Reservoir, 3073

(Mammals and Entomology).
Mrs. Ula Kunert and Miss Carol Kunert, 100 Wells Rd., Beaumaris, 3193 (Marine

Biology).
Mr. Paul Dredge and Mrs. P. Dredge, 3/9 Kelso St., Frankston, 3199 (Mammal Survey).
Country:
Mr. D. G. Jackson, 7/147 Macpherson St., Waverley, N.S.W., 2024 (Mammals).
Junior:

David Saunders, Res. 1, Willsmere Hospital, Kew, 3101 (Mammals).

Monday, 8 April — Mr. Geoff Douglas (Vermin and Noxious Weeds Department).

GROUP MEETINGS
(8 p.m. at the National Herbarium unless otherwise stated)

Thursday, 14 March— Botany Group. “Some Plant Associations in Rushworth
Forest”: Mr. B. Fuhrer.

Wednesday, 20 March — Microscopical Group Meeting.
after lunch to be on board by 1.15 p.m. Bookings now closed. Those on waiting
list please contact Mrs. Strong 56-2271 by 14 March.

Thursday, 21 March — Day Group. Inspection of Port of Melbourne by Harbor
Trust Launch “Commissioner”; leaving No. 7 North Wharf. Proceed to launch

Thursday, 28 March — F.S.G. Meeting in Conference Room, National Museum at
8.00 p.m. Annual Meeting with Chairman’s Address: ‘Micro-anatomical
Methods”. Camp — 9 to 11 March, Warby Ranges — Whitfield area.

Monday, 1 April — Marine Biology and Entomology Group meeting in Conference
Room, National Museum at 8.00 p.m.

Wednesday, 3 April — Geology Group.

Thursday, 4 April— M.S.G. Meeting at Arthur Rylah Institute, 123 Brown St.,
Heidelberg at 8.00 p.m.

F.N.C.V. EXCURSIONS

Sunday, 17 March — Maranoa Gardens. Leader Mr. A. Fairhall. Meet at the Beckett
Park entrance in Parring Rd. at 2 p.m. If travelling by tram alight at stop 54 on
Mont Albert line.

Sunday, 1 September, to Sunday, 8 September.—Kangaroo Island. This excursion
will start from Adelaide and includes Motel accommodation on the Island, air
travel between Adelaide and Kangaroo Island, and day excursions at the cost of
approximately $135. Starting from Adelaide will enable members to spend extra
time in S.A. if desired but a group booking can be arranged on the train if members
wish to travel on the same day.

A $25.00 deposit should be paid to the Excursion Secretary when booking.

58 Vict. Nat. Vol. 91

pear thin and delicate are in fact
difficult to snap off by hand.

A search for an apt term to describe
this kind of rock surface yielded the
adjective muricate, which the Oxford
English Dictionary defines as ‘fur-
nished with sharp points, studded
with short, hard excrescences’. This
is certainly the impression gained from
experience on the _ intricately-pitted
rocks at Jubilee Point, and from it we
may derive the terms muricate texture
to describe the pitted surface and
muricate weathering for the process
(or combination of processes) that
produced it.

Muricate weathering should be dis-
tinguished from honeycomb weather-
ing (also known as alveolar weather-
ing) which is found at higher levels
on the cliffs of the Nepean coast.
Honeycombs develop where a slightly
hardened rock surface has been local-
ly breached to form cavities that open
out in the less resistant underlying
rock. They are typically larger and
more regular than those of muricate
texture, and their internal walls are
smooth, with soft, flaking sandstone,
whereas the pitted surfaces in the
spray zone are rough and hard. More-

Plate 2

March, 1974

over, honeycomb weathering occurs
on a variety of fine-grained rock out-
crops, inland as well as on the coast,
whereas muricate weathering seems
to be confined to the spray zone on
rocky shores of calcareous sandstone
or limestone.

Attemps to explain how pitted rock
surfaces form soon run into difficulties
because of the rich variety of physical,
chemical and biological processes ac-
tive on this rocky coast, many of
which could contribute to this kind of
weathering. Observations and experi-
ments conducted over the past few
years at Jubilee Point will serve as a
basis for further discussion.

The shore platform at Jubilee Point
stands 0.3 to 0.5 metres above mean
low tide level, and as mean tide range
here is about a metre the pitted rocks
are in a zone frequently splashed by
surf and spray, especially at high tide
and when a heavy swell is running.
However, on sectors directly exposed
to storm wave attack (as in adjacent
Diamond Bay, where there is a broad
gap in the shore platform) the cliffs
are cut back to expose fresh dune
sandstone, and the intricately-pitted
rock surfaces are missing. They are

also suppressed wherever wave action
mobilises sand or gravel to produce a
smoothly-scoured abrasion — surface.
Delicately-etched pitting is best de-
veloped where the waves have broken
across a broad shore platform, so that
these rock surfaces are splashed by
surf and spray, but escape the direct
impact of ocean waves. Occasionally
a pinnacle of rock may be snapped
off by wave impact, exposing an out-
crop of fresh, unweathered sandstone,
on which the re-development of a
pitted surface may be observed (see
below), but it is clear that the pitting
is not simply due to wave action: the
pits are not percussion-marks or
impact-craters.

Rock surfaces can be _ physically
weathered as the result of a sudden
change of temperature, especially in
arid regions and environments subject
to frost action. Such rapid heating
and cooling does not occur, however,
on the Nepean coast. As an experi-
ment, pitted rock surfaces at Jubilee
Point, dried and warmed by the sun
on a February day when shade tem-
perature reached 35° C. were sprayed
with sea water (18° C.), but no dis-
integration resulted.

Some form of chemical corrosion
effective in the zone above the level
of the shore platform must contribute
to the development of pitted surfaces.
The dune standstone is rich in calcium
carbonate, present as grains of frag-
mental limestone as well as_ the
cementing material which binds these,
and other grains of quartz sand, to-
gether. This kind of rock can be cor-
roded by rain water, which is acidified
by the presence of dissolved carbon
dioxide, acquired as it falls through
the atmosphere. At Jubilee Point
(which must receive a mean annual
rainfall similar to that reported by the
Bureau of Meteorology for Cape
Schanck — about 750 millimetres) the
dune sandstones wetted by rain can
become pitted as the result of the

62

solution of calcium carbonate and the
telease of insoluble quartz sand grains
from the cement that binds them.

However, this can only be a partial
explanation, for pitting is as well de-
veloped on the roofs of caves and the
under-surfaces of protruding rock
visors as it is on surfaces directly
exposed to rainfall. Rain water that
has percolated through dune sand-
stone becomes saturated with car-
bonates in solution, and thus incap-
able of further corrosion; indeed, such
water percolating out of the roof of a
cave may instead precipitate calcium
carbonate to form small stalactites
(dripstones).

Corrosion of the rocks at Jubilee
Point could be due to the action of
spray and surf to which they are fre-
quently subjected. The problem is
that still sea water is usually already
saturated with dissolved carbonates,
and so not corrosive. It is significant
that the shore platform has developed
at a level where the rocks are kept
almost permanently soaked by sea
water and therefore preserved from
the corrosion taking place at a slightly
higher level. But if still sea water is
usually carbonate-saturated, highly
aerated surf and spray may be richer
in carbon dioxide content, and thus
able to contribute to the corrosion
that produces pitted rocks. This effect
would be enhanced at times when sea
water is superficially diluted and acidi-
fied by rain water after wet weather.

Another contribution may come
from repeated wetting and drying, a
process which leads to disintegration
of certain kinds of rock, notably fine-
grained shale, mudstone, or basalt
(Ollier 1969). Reference to tide
tables shows that rock outcrops at
high neap tide level at Jubilee Point
were washed by the sea during each
of the 705 high tides that occurred
during 1973. They were also wetted
at other times by rainfall and the con-
densation of dew. Drying out could

Vict. Nat. Vol. 91

have occurred for a few hours during
low tide whenever this coincided with
low atmospheric humidity, especially
on warm and windy days. However,
laboratory experiments with samples
of pitted dune sandstone subjected to
50 cycles of wetting (with distilled
water) and drying yielded no evidence
of development or enlargement of
pitting, and it is doubtful if this pro-
cess contributes much to muricate
weathering.

Nevertheless, repeated wetting and
drying of the dune sandstone in the
spray zone could explain the harden-
ing of its surface layers at Jubilee
Point compared with outcrops of the
same formation in the eroding cliffs
at the head of adjacent Diamond Bay:
the former ring when hit with a geo-
logical hammer, the latter crumble.
It is possible that additional calcium
carbonate, dissolved when the rock is
soaked, becomes concentrated and
precipitated in the surface layers as it
dries out in such a way as to toughen
the outcrop in sectors frequently
wetted and dried. If so, this should be
considered a contribution to the de-
velopment of intricately pitted rock,
for the delicately-etched pits and pin-
nacles could not evolve and persist on
soft dune sandstone.

Where sea water collects and dries
out in shallow rock basins salt crys-
tals may form, and these can cause
physical plucking, and perhaps chemi-
cal corrosion, of the adjacent rock
surface. Experiments with samples of
pitted dune sandsone subjected to 50
cycles of wetting and drying using sea
water showed that microscopic salt
crystals can form when the thin film
of sea water adhering to the rock sur-
face evaporates, but no evidence was
found of rock weathering by this
process.

Biological activity can contribute to
rock weathering, either physically, as
when plant roots probe crevices, or

March, 1974

shelly organisms drill, scrape, or pluck
a rock surface, or chemically, as
when plants or animals exude corro-
sive fluids. Marine organisms are
plentiful in the spray zone at Jubilee
Point, and such processes could have
contributed to the development of
pitted rock surfaces. Algae colonise
pores and crevices in the rock to a
depth of 2 or 3 millimetres (sunlight
penetration for photosynthesis being
the limiting factor), and the upper
and supra-littoral zones are inhabited
by shelly organisms such as barnacles,
limpets, chitons and periwinkles. The
small bluish periwinkle Melarapha
unifasciata is abundant in the pitted
zone, being a species that can with-
stand the occasionally hot and dry
conditions (Dakin 1952). It moves
across the irregular surface, browsing
the algae. In thin section the algae
which penetrate the rocks are seen to
have blue-green filaments that darken
towards the surface, thus contributing

Plate 3

63

to the grey colour of weathered dune
sandstone in contrast with the yellow
or light brown of unweathered out-
crops. Other algae form bushy carpets
and outgrowths on the pitted surface,
and these, too, are grazed by shelly
organisms.

Moisture within the rock, whether
derived from rainfall or from the sea,
is acidified as the result of the
presence of algae, particularly by the
carbon dioxide generated as they re-
spire. In the day time much of this
is taken up in photosynthesis but at
night, when photosynthesis stops, an
excess of carbon dioxide acidifies the
moisture, rendering it corrosive and
thus contributing to pitting.

It is possible that the shelly or-
ganisms which browse the algae also
contribute to disintegration or decom-
position of the rock surface. There
is no simple correlation between the
sizes and shapes of pitting and the

Plate 4

64

dimensions of the shells, and it is clear
that the pits have not been simply
‘eaten out’ by the animals that in-
habit the rock surface, but sand
grains may be loosened and carbonate
cement weakened as the result of the
activities of periwinkles and other
shelly organisms.

Separating these physical and
chemical effects of biological activity
from the physical and chemical pro-
cesses at work independently is almost
impossible. To do so would require
long-term observation of changes pro-
ceeding on a natural rock surface,
tenanted by marine organisms, in com-
parison with an equivalent control
plot, from which these organisms
were somehow excluded. Establishing
and maintaining such an abiotic con-
trol plot without using physical or
chemical agencies that would invali-
date the experiment could perhaps
only be achieved by sustained lethal
radiation. This has not yet been at-
tempted at Jubilee Point.

Examination of processes at work
on a rock surface that is already pitted
is one approach to the problem of
deciding how such pitting develops.
Another is to trace the changes that
occur as weathering proceeds on a
freshly-exposed surface of dune sand-
stone. An opportunity to do this arose
early in 1968 when a pinnacle of
pitted dune rock at Jubilee Point
snapped off to expose a small area
(about 1500 square centimetres) of
pale yellow unweathered dune sand-
stone (Plate 4). This has since been
regularly examined and photographed.

By February 1970 the exposed sur-
face had been colonised by algae, and
had changed in colour to a grey only
slightly paler than that of the sur-
rounding pitted rock. Browsing shells
had arrived, but the surface remained
smooth. Early in 1974 the features
were similar (Plate 5), except that the
surface had been slightly roughened

Vict. Nat. Vol. 91

eS

where sporadic sand grains or rock
particles had been loosened and re-
moved, leaving paler scars 1 or 2
millimetres in diameter. Similar scars
were also noticed on the surrounding
pitted rock surface.

Corrosion by chemical processes
(including those resulting from occu-
pation by marine organisms) is the
most likely cause of this patchy dis-
integration. In time, the patches will
widen and deepen, and develop into
pits similar to those on the surround-
ing rock, but it will be many years
before the surface exposed in 1968
becomes indistinguishable topographi-
cally from the intricately-pitted rock
surfaces that surround it. Any sug-

Plate 5

gestion that muricate texture is the
outcome of rapid weathering, with
appreciable changes in the course of
a few years, is thus erroneous. The
evidence from Jubilee Point indicates
that muricate weathering proceeds
very slowly; it could take decades,
perhaps centuries, to develop this kind
of intricate pitting of rock surfaces.

REFERENCES
Bird, E. C. F., 1970. Shore potholes at
Diamond Bay, Victoria, Victorian
Nat.) 877 (419, 273125318.
Bird, E. C. F., 1972. Ancient soils at

Diamond Bay, Victoria, Victorian
Nat., 89 (12): 349-353.
Dakin, W. J., 1952. Australian Sea-

shores, Angus and Robertson.

Ollier, C.D., 1969, Weathering, Oliver

and Boyd.

Notice to Contributors

It is important that material submitted for publication should preferably be
typewritten on foolscap or quarto sheets at double spacing, and with a 2.5-3 cm
(1”) margin on the left. No underlining of words should appear unless abso-

lutely necessary.
e.g. 15 May 1972 not May 15 1972.

March, 1974

Where dates occur, the day should precede the month,

65

Pollination Experiment, Performed on

Cryptostylis subulata

by M.

I. INTRODUCTION

(a) Orchidaceae.

This family of flowering plants
represents the highest development
and specialisation of the monocotyle-
donous flower. It is world-wide in
distribution, has many genera (450)
with over 10,000 species of perennial
herbs which are usually terrestrial in
the temperate zones, and mostly epi-
phytic in the tropics. A few species
are saprophytic. Victoria has 171
listed species (Willis, “A Handbook to
Plants in Victoria,” Vol. I, 1969),
although several new species have
been discovered since, e.g., Corybus
fordhamii, C. hispidus, Calochilus
herbaceous, Pterostylis coccinea.

The leaves are simple and entire.
They may be arranged along the stem
or they may arise from a tuberous
rhizome. Sometimes the leaves arise
from a short side shoot from the base
of the stem as in Pterostylis reflexa.

The flowers are mostly hermaphro-
dite and zygomorphic. The floral seg-
ments, usually all coloured, are six in
number and are arranged in two
whorls of three. Of the three sepals
which form the outer whorl, the two
laterals are paired and similar in
shape and size, while the third is often
modified into a hood. The three
petals of the inner whorl have two
similar laterals, i.e. alike in size and
shape, while the third petal, called the
labellum (or tongue), is often greatly
modified. Frequently, it is covered
with glands; it may be highly irrit-
able, and is the chief organ concerned
in insect pollination. Often “the
ovary or flower is twisted so that the
labellum is at the front and the odd

66

Dacy

sepal at the back of the flower’. This
quotation is from Ewart’s “Flora of
Victoria’, in his section on Orchi-
daceae. Certainly, in most Victorian
species, with the exception of the
genera Spiculaea, Prasophyllum and
Cryptostylis, the dorsal sepal lies next
to the flowering stem while the label-
lum occupies a position furthest from
the stem, and closest to an investiga-
ting insect.

In spite of the great diversity of
structure, colour, texture and size of
orchid flowers, the most constant
feature is the column. The column
consists of the filament of a single
stamen fused with the style, so that
there is a single anther, with the
stigma beneath it, the two often being
separated by a projection or rostel-
lum. There are slight variations in
the number of stamens in about one
per cent. of the species. The pollen
grains of orchids are usually not dry
and powdery, but adhere in masses
called pollinia, which vary in number
from two to eight. Few insect visits
are needed, as one set of pollinia is
sufficient to fertilise thousands of
ovules.

Although the plants are generally
insect-pollinated, the seeds of the
family are mostly wind-dispersed, as
they are very small, and thousands
in number. Each seed has but a
rudimentary embryo with no endo-
sperm.

The ovary is inferior, often with
ridges showing the positions of the
three carpels. There is one loculus
with parietal placentation of the
ovules along three longitudinal ridges.
The fruit capsule is rarely fleshy or

Vict. Nat. Vol. 91

indehiscent. Often the very small
numerous seeds escape through the
openings of the dry dehisced capsule
and are carried away to new situa-
tions by air currents.

It is thought that on germination of
the seed, the young plant becomes
infected with a fungus called a my-
corrhiza, which helps to feed the
young plant saprophytically. (Har-
mon). Fungal mycorrhiza are known
to be in association with the sapro-
phytes Gastrodia sesamoides, the
potato orchid or cinnamon bells
(Ethel I. McLennon, in Aust. J. Bot.,
December, 1959, pp. 225-291, refer-
ence given in Willis), and with the
hyacinth orchid Dipodium punctatum
(Ewart, “Flora of Victoria’). My-
corrhiza are thought to be associated
with all epiphytes and most terres-
trials (Harmon). Work needs to be
done here.

Plate 1

Photo: Author.

March, 1974

(b) Cryptostylis subulata.

(i) Description. This showy red
orchid, a photograph of which is in-
cluded above (Plate 1) is found in
swampy situations. There are five
Australian species, of which four are
found in Victoria. The floral seg-
ments assume the primitive position,
i.e. the labellum is nearest the stem,
and is the most conspicuous organ,
while the remaining five segments are
smaller, pointed, narrow, yellowish in
colour and hardly noticeable. Figure
1 shows a floral diagram (adapted
from Ewart’s “Flora of Victoria”) to
illustrate the relationship between the
positions of the floral parts and the
pedicel.

Plant height is from one to three
feet, the stem is cylindrical, some-
times brittle, while the relatively large
(leaf lamina, up to four inches long
and petiole, three inches), radical,
gum-like leaves have a _ prominent
mid-rib. The leaves are green on
both upper and lower surfaces, not
purple beneath as in the related and
associated species Cryptostylis lepto-
chila. The two or three leaves have
rigid petioles.

Flowers, three to six in number,
arise in the axils of membraneous
bracts, on very short stalks. They are
arranged in a raceme. The lateral
sepals measure about 22 mm in
length, the odd sepal, 2 cm, the lateral
petals 12 mm, and the labellum, near-
ly 2 cm. The large red labellum has
longitudinal dark lines, three long
ones in the centre and shorter ones on
each side, the three long ones termi-
nating in a large red boss. On the
expansion of the lamina, the sides of
the labellum turn upwards, giving the
characteristic tongue-like appearance.
After fertilisation or when withering,
the tongue sides turn down again.
These stages may be seen in the
photograph (Plate 1).

The very short column (about

67

3 mm) is situated in a cavity or
swelling at the base of the labellum
lamina, hence the name “Crypto-
stylis’, which means “hidden style’.
The large green inferior ovary, about
8 mm long, shows the carpel ridges
very distinctly.

The anther, about 5 mm wide and
2 mm high, has four pollinia, which
adhere by their pointed ends to a
brown sticky disc, clearly visible in a
close-up slide of the orchid. The
column is short and broad, and is
produced laterally and posteriorly into
glandular or membraneous margins
behind the anther. The fawn sticky
disc is situated at the upper border of
the large stigma.
ii. Insect Pollination. The method of
pollination of this Australian orchid
is unique and world famous. Mrs.
Edith Coleman, in 1927, published
a paper reporting that the Australian
genus Cryptostylis was pollinated by
a male ichneumon wasp, Lissopimpla.
She was the first to record this ob-
servation, which has been authenti-
cated by many workers since. Mrs.

Ilma Dunn of Melbourne, a photo-

68

grapher and field naturalist, has
movies of the actual pollination pro-
cedure in both Cryptostylis subulata
and Cryptostylis leptochila, in the one
colony. A field naturalist (Mr. Ian
Morrison of Melbourne) told me, that
on carrying some Cryptostylis flowers
from his garage where they were kept
over-night, across an open space to-
wards his house where he hoped to
photograph the pollination process,
wasps zoomed down suddenly as the
flowers were first exposed to the
morning air. This is an indication
that the insects were lured by scent.
A naturalist writing in the Herald,
noted some males were seen to prefer
orchid blossoms to the female wasps,
when all were enclosed in the one jar.
The male wasp, on pollinating a
Cryptostylis subulata flower, clasps
the labellum near the boss or hump
(see Plate 2 for the photograph) so
that it is in a horizontal position. The
tip of the abdomen is then placed
into the hollowed flower base, in
pseudocopulation. The insect, on fly-
ing away to another flower to repeat
the process, has the four pollinia
glued to the tip of its abdomen by

Plate 2.

Photo:
Mrs. I. Dunn

Vict. Nat. Vol. 91

the fawn sticky disc. In this way,
pollinia are carried to another flower,
and cross pollination occurs, Fig. 2.

II. POLLINATION EXPERIMENT
(a) AIM. The aim of this experi-

Posterior
Sepal

Laterea?
Fetal

ORCHIDACEAE
FLORAL DIAGRAM

Pedice/

Labe/lum

Anterior Sepa 2

Bract

ment was to find out if the orchid,
Cryptostylis subulata were self-
pollinated in addition to being cross
pollinated — for which the flower is
specially adapted. Also a question to

Posterior
Sepa iL

Laleral
PeLl2/

( After Ewart )

Figure 1

March, 1974

69

be answered was, “If there is no evi-
dence of self-pollination, how effective
were the necessarily few visits by the
special pollinator, as noted by the
subsequent swelling of the ovary into
fruit?”

(b) METHOD.

(i) Selection of Areas.

Two areas were selected — one at
Lakes Entrance and one at South Bel-
grave. The colony near Lakes En-
trance was in a little-known and un-
disturbed location. The swamp habi-
tat of this group is illustrated by the
photo, Plate 3. The second area was
at South Belgrave in a light forest
habitat, and near a guide camp.

(11) Experiment.

On 1 January, 1970, at the Lakes
Entrance locality, which I will call
Area No. 1, and on 22 December,
1969 at the South Belgrave area,
called Area No. 2, terylene bags were
placed over selected, unopened
flowers whose segments were closely
folded — one bag covered one bud,
and one bag only, was placed on each
selected plant (except in two cases,
mentioned below).

The terylene bags were pale grey in
colour, and of a weave suitable to
allow air to penetrate easily. They
were tailored to fit the buds which
were remarkably uniform in size, in
both areas — being about 14 inches
long. The hood, in each case, was large
enough to allow for the expansion of
the labellum. In the bud stage, the
turned-down edges of the labellum
tightly enclosed the inner parts, which
would prevent insect pollination.
Much liquid, probably nectar, was at
the base of the unopened bud. It is
hoped to investigate this matter, by
means of the refractometer. The
drawstring of each terylene bag was
drawn carefully so as not to behead

70

the flower, and to partially expose the
ovary. In each case, the bud selected
was the first one above the uppermost
open flower.

In Area No. 1 (Lakes Entrance).
Six orchid plants, each had one bud
covered by a terylene bag; and one
plant, the first mentioned in Table 1,
had all the buds above the opened
and fruiting flowers covered.

In Area No. 2. Four plants each
had one bud covered, and one plant
had all its apical buds enclosed in a
larger terylene bag. See Table 3 for
Area No. 2, the third entry in the list,
in the first column. The second
column in both Tables 1 and 3 for
both areas, shows the number of
mature flowers in bloom, the number
withered and the number fruited, if
any, at the beginning of the experi-
ment — the dates are included in the
tables.

One Gippsland plant showed an
ovary developing at the beginning of
the experiment.

Plants were checked to see if hoods
remained on after wind and rain
storms, on 2 January, 1970, at Lakes
Entrance, and at South Belgrave, on
16 January, 1970. Plants were left
until all had flowered and withered,
that is, 6 March in the case of Area
No. 1 at Lakes Entrance, and 21 Feb-
ruary, 1970, for Area No. 2 at South
Belgrave.

(c) RESULTS. On 6 March, 1970, at
Lakes Entrance, and on 21 February,
1970, at South Belgrave, the ovaries
of the hooded flowers were examined.
No fruiting, indicated by the swelling
of the ovary, was observed in any
flower hooded in the bud stage. In
Area No. 1 at Lakes Entrance (see
Table 2) five plants developed fruit
from flowers not hooded, while three
of the experimental plants developed
no fruit at all. In Area No. 2 at

Vict. Nat. Vol. 91

South Belgrave (see Table 4) neither
hooded or uncovered flowers in five
experimental plants, developed fruit.

Referring to Table 2 for Area No.
1 and to Table 4 for Area No. 2, the
last two columns list the number of
fruited and non-fruited flowers (in-
cluding hooded ones) on each of the
experimental plants. At the end of
the experiment on 6 March, 1970, no
expansion of the ovary in the hooded
flower was apparent, but two swollen
fruit appeared above the bag and
two below.

In Area No. 1, the large terylene
bag, which covered the apical buds,
was slit open to show the absence of
any fruit within the bag, while a large
fruit had developed immediately out-
side it.

A census was made of fruit and non-
fruiting ovaries on plants of Crypto-
stylis subulata at Lakes Entrance in
Area No. 1 on 6 March, 1970, and
also at Area No. 2 at South Belgrave
on 21 February, 1970. Hooded plants
were not included in the count. Table
5 is a record of the count.

Twenty plants, numbered 1 to 20 in
the first column of Table 5, were
examined at Area No. 1 at Lakes

Plate 3.

Photo: Author.

March, 1974

Entrance on 6 March, 1970. Beside
the numbered plants, in column two,
is recorded the number of non-
fruiting ovaries for each plant, while
in the third column the number of
fruit. tormed, by?) each 7" plant, 2-18
recorded.

Forty-nine plants were considered
in Area No. 2 at South Belgrave. On
21° February, 1970, the. numbers of
fruits and non-fruits found on each
individual plant were recorded on
columns adjacent to the numbered
plants. From the figures beneath the
chars in: Lables: it,.as clear that: in
Area No. 1, at Lakes Entrance, 33%
of the total number of flowers
examined formed fruit. However, if
the number of plants with some fruit
formed is considered, we notice 18
out of 20 plants fruited in some de-
ehec, sthate ds. 907%: -on) the. plants
fruited.

Again, by noting the figures beneath
Table 5, it is seen that in Area No. 2
at South Belgrave, 10% of the flowers
examined on 21 February, had
fruited. Out of 49 plants of Crypto-
stylis subulata in the area on the same
date, 50% bore some fruit.

In Area No. | at Lakes Entrance,
out of 89 flowers of Cryptostylis
subulata examined, 29 fruited, while
60 did not. For Area No. 2 at South
Belgrave, out of 299 individual
flowers examined, 31 fruited, while
268 flowers developed no fruit.

A contingency table may be drawn
up from data from the Tables 1, 2, 3,
Aoo5),

(d) CONCLUSION

No self-pollination occurred in any
flowers of Cryptostylis subulata,
hooded in the bud stage. The orchid
is dependent on insect pollination,
known to be by a male wasp.

How effective is this specialised pol-
lination of Cryptostylis subulata? The
answer is 33 per cent. in the Gipps-
land area No. 1, and 10 per cent. in
Area No. 2, at South Belgrave. The
lower figure for Belgrave may be due
to passing traffic, horse-riders, and to
the presence of the inhabitants of the
camps close-by. Also the area is well
known to orchid photographers. The
insect pollinators may be frightened
away, or they may be less in numbers
than in country areas, due to lack of
habitat, because of human_habita-
tions, or because of spraying by near-
by farmers and householders.

III. Discussion

Pollination experiments, similar to
the one described above, would need
to be done in many areas, and over a
period of several years, to obtain
sufficient evidence for a firm con-
clusion. However, the evidence I
have collected indicates no_ self-
pollination, since no covered buds of
Cryptostylis subulata developed fruit.
The relatively massive weight of pol-
linia compared with that of individual
pollen grains precludes wind-pollina-
tion in general. Professor Canny men-
tioned that the English bee-orchid is
wind - pollinated. The __ pollinia,
anchored to the anther by a sticky
substance, are ejected from the anther

72

shell and dangle under the influence
of gravity. The wind blows the pol-
linia against the stigma _ situated
near the anther. The extremely
sticky nature of the pollinia cause
them to adhere strongly to the stigma
where self-pollination occurs.

That the Australian native orchid,
Cryptostylis subulata is _ cross-
pollinated by a male wasp, is well
authenticated by many observers. The
bright red labellum with guide lines,
attracts insects, not for pollen, but for
pseudo-copulation. This is a unique
association between an insect, and an
orchid especially adapted to it, by
imitating the scent and appearance of
a female wasp.

Faegri, in his book on “Pollination
Ecology”, lists one attractant for
biotic pollinators, as being sexual. He
suggests that the flower of “the Orchid
Ophrys acts on the sense organs of
sexually unsatisfied male Hymen-
opters, causing them to make the
same instinctive reactions leading to
copulation. This occurs in such a
position that the insect touches the
rostellum with its head and carries off
the pollinia. The sexual urge is not
satisfied because it flies to another
plant and repeats the performance”.

In a colour slide, submitted by
Mrs. Dunn of Melbourne in the 1970
‘“Photoflora”, a photographic compe-
tition, I observed the four pollinia
attached to the tip of the abdomen
of a wasp flying away from a flower
of Cryptostylis leptochila, the small
tongue orchid. It is thought that the
other Victorian species of Crypto-
stylis are similarly pollinated (Ed. in

Nicholl’s “Orchids of Australia’’).
Movies and colour slides show
Cryptostylis subulata and Crypto-

stylis leptochila to be wasp-pollinated.
Cryptostylis huntiana, a rare species
found in East Gippsland, shows a
column of similar size and structure
to that of Cryptostylis subulata. More-

Vict. Nat. Vol. 91

combe, in “West Australian Wild-
flowers’ Page 64, shows’ colour
photographs of the pollination of the
slipper orchid Cryptostylis ovata
(which is very similar to Cryptostylis
subulata), by a wasp.

Studies on insect psychology are
difficult. When the mating instinct is
strong within the wasp, it may be
oblivious to the shape of the orchid,
which in no way resembles the body
of a female wasp. One speculation
(Morecombe), is that the ultraviolet
rays (and others) visible to the in-
sect, may take on the shape of a
female wasp. It is known that insects
visit flowers which are red to us (as
in the Cryptostylis subulata labellum)
but in fact they may be attracted by
the reflected ultra-violet light which
w~ do not see (Morecombe).

The eyes of insects detect a range
of wavelengths of light shifted to-
wards the ultraviolet. It is possible
that the guide lines on the labellum of
Cryptostylis subulata are visually
brighter than the rest of the flower to
an insect. The eyes of an _ insect
are compound, and an image would
not have clear definition. The label-
lum of Cryptostylis subulata may re-

Figure 2

Pollinia is
attached
to tip of
abdomen.

Drawn: Author

March, 1974

semble the body of a female wasp to
an infatuated insect.

Insect mimicry is also seen in the
elbow orchid, Spiculaea huntiana, in
which the end of the jointed labellum
may look like an insect to a flying
predator. The labellum swings to and
fro, by means of a hinge, in the
slightest breeze. I have observed this
many times. Two glistening dark
glands form the “eyes”, hairs are
shaped like wings, and variations in
colour resemble the positions of the
thorax and abdomen.

Experiments similar to the above
have not been performed on the other
species of Cryptostylis to see if self-
pollination occurs. If there is no self-
pollination, and the genus Cryptostylis
is adapted to the visits of one par-
ticular type of insect vector, these
orchids are in danger of extinction, if
the insects are killed by insect sprays.
T. R. Oxlee, in an article called
“Keeping the Earth Fit for Man’, in
the 1970, June-August number of the
periodical ‘“Victoria’s Resources”,
says, “The most destructive Mammal
is Man, who in the last two centuries
has caused the extinction of not less
than 70 other kinds of mammals” (he

is referring to the extinct blue whale),
150 species or sub-species of birds,
and an unknown number of species
of plants, reptiles, amphibians, fishes,
insects and other animals. The result
is that the world community of living
plants and animals is becoming much
less diverse. By this, we mean that
the number of different kinds of
creatures is becoming less, whilst the
number of individuals in a few species
is becoming large.”

Liquid observed at the base of the
bud of Cryptostylis subulata may
have been nectar, and I hope to test
this one summer, by means of the re-
fractometer. If the liquid is nectar,
it may be an evolutionary remnant of
the stage when cross-pollination was
performed by a nectar-drinking in-
sect, the pattern gradually changing,
perhaps due to a shortage of females
at some period. I have not read of
pollination of this orchid by other
insects, but it is possible.

According to Faegri, in ‘Pollina-
tion Ecology”, if the pollination at-
tractant is olfactory, the insect has an
erratic approach to the flower and the
approach is from the windward side.
A naturalist observed, in the Herald,
that the wasp flies criss-cross, back-
wards and forwards, along a_ line
which leads to a sighting of a flower
of Cryptostylis. He then suggests that
the sense of sight comes into play as
the insect now darts down to the
flower. The scent emitted is not per-
ceptible to humans.

Percival, in “Floral Biology’, lists
the functions of the stigmas,

(1) to capture the pollen,

(11) to provide a suitable surface
for the germination of the pollen
grains. He also says that it is not
known which part of the stigmatic
area 1s the receptive region. In Gre-
villea rosmarimfalia the stigmatic disc
to which the pollen grain adheres is
not the stigma. The stigma matures

74

later as a pinpoint in the centre, which
is free from pollen. Grevillea_ros-
marimfalias cross-pollinated and it is
possible that self-pollination occurs
later.

The tentative conclusion gleaned
from the pollination experiment per-
formed on Cryptostylis subulata, is
that the orchid is not self-pollinated,
but depends for its fertilisation on a
few visits by a special type of insect
vector, to which the flower is speci-
ally adapted. About one-third of the
flowers were fertilised in a remote
area (Lakes Entrance), and about
one-tenth of the flowers in an area
near Melbourne (South Belgrave).

The fertilisation rate is not high.
We do not know the percentage ger-
mination of orchid seeds nor do we
know what percentage of germinated
plants survive. Also, we do not know
how many years the Cryptostylis plant
lives. It survives the winter season by
means of its fleshy or tuberous
rhizomes — several of which grow
underground from the stem base.

IV. NoTEs

1. To be effective, pollination experi-
ments must ‘be done with plants in
the native habitat, rather than in
a glass-house, because of the re-
quired association with the insect
vector.

2. Because of the scarcity and rarity
of most native orchids in Vic-
toria, I cannot destroy or even
find too many for experimentation.

3. A> great ‘deal’ of travelling, to
country areas is required.

4. I have kept some of the pressed
hooded specimens of Cryptostylis
subulata used in the experiment.

Acknowledgements
I wish to thank and to acknow-
ledge the help of the people who
generously assisted in the carrying out
and the recording of the orchid polli-
nation experiment, described above.
Miss Ruth Clark of Lakes En-

Vict. Nat. Vol. 91

trance, field naturalist and artist, who
has painted about 130 species of Vic-
torian native orchids in water-colours,
directed me to a conveniently placed
colony of large tongue orchids in a
jntle-frequented locality, close to
Lakes Entrance. She inspected the
experimental plants during the course
of the test.

Mrs. Ilma Dunn of Melbourne,
photographer and field naturalist, pre-
sented me with colour slides of the
wasp pollination of Cryptostylis subu-
lata and Cryptostylis leptochila. She
also permitted me to see her movies
of the same process.

Typing was done by senior students
of the Whitehorse Technical College,
and by Mrs. Margaret Schafer.

Mr. O. Raits, a fellow teacher at
the Whitehorse Technical College, did
some of the hand-printing associated
with the diagrams and the photos.

My husband assisted in the census
count, and set up and illuminated his
small dissection microscope so that I
could see the detailed structure of the
column of the orchid. His interest in
this project was encouraging.

Dr. D. M. Churchill, then of the

enabled me to prepare an improved
version of the original account.

REFERENCES

A. J. Ewart. “Flora of Victoria”, 1930.
Melbourne University Press.

A. J. Ewart. “Flora of Victoria.”
bourne University Press. 1930.
W. H. Nicholls. “Orchids of Australia.”
Thomas Nelson (Aust.) Ltd. 1969.

J. H. Willis. “A Handbook to Plants in
Victoria.” Volume I. Melbourne Uni-
versity Press. 1969.
C. W. Harman. “Orchids of Green
Mountains, Lamington National Park,

Mel-

Queensland.” Smiths & Patterson,
Brisbane. 1968.
N. Wakefield. ‘‘Naturalist’s Diary”’—

Herald. Various.
Herald. Various.

K:, Baeer and Li. van -der Pil. “he
Principles of Pollination Ecology.”
Pergamon Press. 1966.

M. S. Percival. “Floral Biology”. Perga-
mon Press. 1965.

A. J. Bateman. “Cryptic Self Incompati-
bility in the Wall-Flower: Cheiranthus
Cheiri.’”’ Heredity 0:257-261.

A. J. Bateman. ‘“Self-Incompatibility
Systems in Angospers I. Theory.”
Heredity 6:285-310.

M. K. Morcombe. “Australia’s Western

Wildflowers.”” Landfall Press, 164
St. George’s Terrace, Perth, W.A.
6000. 1968.

T. R. Oxlee. “Victoria’s Resources.” 12.

: : No. 2. June-August 1970. Article
Monash University, Botany Depart- called “Keeping ane Bariki Ration
ment, gave careful directions which Man”.
Cryptostylis subulata.
Results:
AREA NO. 1

LAKES ENTRANCE. SWAMP HABITAT.
1 JANUARY, 1970.

TABLE 1
BUDS COVERED FLOWERS OUT BELOW COVERED BUD
All Top Buds 1 out, 1 finished and its ovary swelling.

1 1

1 2 Out,- 3" finished:
1 1 out, 1 finished.
1 1 out, 2 finished.
1 1 out, 3 finished.
1 2 out, | finished.

March, 1974 75

AREA NO. 1
6 March, 1970.

TABLE 2

FLOWERS OUT NON-FRUITS FRUITS

jo)
~

oO -_} =| = NN oC. Cc =

0 6
0 fi
0 2
0 3
0 3
0 3
0 5

Cryptostylis subulata.
Results:
AREA NO. 2
SOUTH BELGRAVE. LIGHT FOREST.
22 DECEMBER, 1969.

TABLE 3
BUDS COVERED FLOWERS OUT BELOW COVERED BUDS
1 1
1 1
All Buds Covered 0
1 0
1 1
21 FEBRUARY, 1970.
TABLE 4
FLOWERS OUT NON-FRUITS FRUITS
z 0 9 0
0 6 0
0 0 0
1 8 0
0 0 0

76 Vict. Nat. Vol. 91

Cryptostylis subulata

TABLE 5

CENSUS OF FRUITS OF CRYPTOSTYLIS SUBULATA

LAKES ENTRANCE

(6 - 3 - 70)
Plant | Bruits | Fruits
1 2 1
2 3 3
3 5 2
4 2 I
5 4 1
6 2 2
7 3 1
8 6 1
9 I 1
10 3 0
11 1 2
12 5 2
13 3 2
14 2 1
15 4 0
16 3 1
17 Di l
18 4 1
19 4 2
20 1 4

No. of

Plant

bee eek | nn —
COHOQIAGRWNDHKHOUARIYDWNWAWNE

NNNNDN W
mn BP WN KS ©

Non-
Fruits

NDNnNAWAANANYUAUMUUHAHQWA DUNN AANADA WANT OH

SOUTH BELGRAVE
(21 - 2 - 70)

No. of
Plant

Non-

wreites Fruits

26
Oy
28
29
30
31
32
33
34
35
36 1
37
38
39
40
4l
42
43
44
45
46
47
48
49

BP cooordcrraococorrnroooor NWF ON
ABR DAWABRUNAKDWwWHoOQHAHAFP FHF WANWO DAH HMAM

Fruits

cooocouorekKe ooooocooeoo fF YON

No. Non-Fruits ..
No. Fruits ..

Total No. Flowers ..

Percentage Fruits . 606) )..

Total. No: Plants... 20.

No. of Plants with Fruit .... .
Percentage Plants with Fruit ..

March, 1974

60
29
89
38)

20
18
90

No. Non-Fruits .. ..

NOME TUdtS eo eis a

Total No. Flowers . :
Percentage Pruats 422). 6.0

Total No. Plants .. ..

, 268

31

Be Pie by)

No. of Plants: with Fruit... 52.)
Percentage Plants with Fruit ..

10
49

29
59

77

TABLE 6

AREA NO. 1. LAKES ENTRANCE 6 MARCH, 1970.

NUMBER OF PLANTS | NUMBER OF PLANTS
WITH SOME FLOWERS | WITH ALL FLOWERS

COVERED UNCOVERED
Number of Plants
with Seed 5 18
Number of Plants 3 7

with no Seed

TABLE 7

AREA NO. 2. SOUTH BELGRAVE 22 FEBRUARY, 1970.

NUMBER OF PLANTS | NUMBER OF PLANTS
WITH SOME FLOWERS | WITH ALL FLOWERS

COVERED UNCOVERED
Number of Plants
with Seed 0 at
Number of Plants
with no Seed 5 29

F.N.C.V. PUBLICATIONS AVAILABLE FOR PURCHASE

THE WILD FLOWERS OF THE WILSON’S PROMONTORY NATIONAL PARK,
by J. Ros Garnet.

9 Colored Plates. 32 Black and White Plates. 150 Drawings. A Check List of
854 Plants. 192 Pages. $4.75. Postage 30c.

THE VEGETATION OF WYPERFELD NATIONAL PARK, by J. Ros Garnet.
Colored Frontispiece. 23 Half-tone Plates. 100 Line Drawings of Plants.
Map of Park. 96 Pages. $1.50. Postage 20c.

VICTORIAN TOADSTOOLS AND MUSHROOMS, by J. H. Willis.

4 Colored Plates. 31 Black and White Plates. 120 Species described. 88 Pages.
90c. Postage 20c.

BIRDS OF THE DANDENONGS, by W. Roy Wheeler.

9 Colored Plates. Map of Area. 52 Pages. A Check List and description of
211 Species listed for the Area. 75c. Postage 20c.

To ensure prompt delivery, order direct from
Sales Officer F.N.C.V.
129 Waverley Road, East Malvern, 3145.
Telephone: 211-2427.

78 Vict. Nat. Vol. 91

Readers Nature Notes

A Hardy Seaside Plant

Coast or Grey Salt-bush (Atriplex
cinerea) has a wide distribution in
coastal areas in all Australian states.
It is a robust shrub about a metre
high, with silvery-grey foliage, which
is to be seen close to Melbourne at
places such as Sandringham and
Rickett’s Point, where it grows
strongly in clumps on the inland edge
of the beach or even on the beach
itself.

Young plants, a few centimetres
high, can be seen growing actually in
the beach sand, perhaps as much as
five metres from the outer edge.

NATURALISTS’

These seedlings appear to be thriving
and it would seem that only ab-
normally rough seas prevent this
plant from becoming established right
on the beach only three or four metres
from the edge of the sea.

As perhaps might be expected of
such a hardy plant, cuttings are very
easy to propagate and this plant has
definite possibilities for seaside gar-
dens where the light-coloured foliage
would provide a definite contrast to
the darker greens of so many other

plants.
A.E.B.

IDENTIFICATION STICKER

The Latrobe Valley Field Naturalist
Club has arranged for the production of
an easily recognisable transfer for fixing
to car windows. An illustration appears
at right, and the Club’s title may be
- added in the space at lower right.

These transfers will be available through-
out Australia, so that any Naturalist
travelling interstate will be readily
recognised by fellow Naturalists.

The price of the transfer will be 30c.
and the minimum number of 20 per
order is required. The Club’s name may
be printed at no extra cost for orders
of more than 100.

To aid the workability of the scheme, it
is asked that Clubs (not individuals)
apply for orders.

The address is -—

Mr. JOHN PUCKEY

Car Sticker Secretary

Latrobe Valley Field Naturalist Club
5 Brown Street, Trafalgar, Victoria, 3824

March, 1974

79

Field Naturalists Club of Victoria

General Meeting
II February.

The prospect of another talk by
Mr. Dan McInnes attracted a_ large
audience to the February meeting. The
subject, “Between High Tide and Low
Tide”, was another in the “Introductory
Talks” series organized by Miss Madge
Lester. The exhibits illustrating the talk
created a great deal of interest. They
included the sea slug Dendrodoris nigra
displayed alive with its eggs and larvae,
and also live Galeolaria under the micro-
scopes. Mrs. Z. Lee had helped with the
collection of exhibits. Also displayed
were large sand worms (family Areni-
colidae) collected at Waratah Bay by
Mr. Dick ‘Morrison, and a collection of
fossil shells from the vicinity of Prince-
town and agates from Phillip Island
shown by Mr. Ken Trotter. Mrs. Bishop
spoke briefly about asbestos mining at
Wittenoom, showing a piece of rock and
a slide of the cliff face at Yampire
Gorge.

Among the correspondence was a letter
from the Victorian Conservation Trust
appealing for donations to a fund es-
tablished for the purpose of purchasing
areas of ecological significance. Also
appealing for financial support was a
Queensland group hoping to purchase
300 acres of land for the preservation of
aboriginal rock paintings in the Quinkan
district.

Pending the re-opening of the library
in a temporary area at the back of the
hall stocktaking is being done, and any
members still holding books are re-
quested to return them as soon as pos-
sible. The Club is also still appealing
for storage space for trestle tables and
boxes of printing blocks. Council would
be pleased to hear from anyone able to
assist.

The President spoke briefly about the
inability of Council to deal adequately
with the many conservation issues which
are brought to the notice of the Club.
He announced that he would shortly be
calling a meeting to discuss this, and he
hoped that it would lead eventually to
the formation of a Club Conservation
Group to operate on similar lines to
other Club groups.

The next meeting will be the Annual
Meeting and will be held on Wednesday,
13. March, not on the usual Monday
because of the Public Holiday on that
day. Following the election of officers

80

and Council the Presidential address will
be given. It is anticipated that Mr. Kelly
will devote the major part of his talk to
some aspect of his special interest,
entomology.

Botany Group
14 February.

Botany Group opened the year with a
well-attended Members’ Night; it was a
particular pleasure to welcome several
new members who have recently joined
the Club.

Miss Madge Lester gave a talk on the
liverwort, Marchantia, illustrated with
slides and some beautiful living material
in fruit. Mr. Tom Sault spoke about
Wingan Inlet and also showed a few
slides of the Green’s Bush area on
Mornington Peninsula. Mrs. Margaret
Corrick spoke about the Rutaceae family
incorporating the “Flower of the
Month”, Crowea exalata. ‘Mr. Alan
Morrison showed slides of some of the
lihes of the Northern Territory. There
were a number of exhibits illustrating
the talks and these stimulated a good
deal of discussion after the meeting.

The Secretary presented the annual
report of the Group, and following dis-
cussion of this it was agreed to organize
a special beginners’ excursion during the
year. Mrs. Webb-Ware also offered to
help anyone who wanted to learn ele-
mentary botany, and suggested they
contact her if interested. The group wiil
continue with a monthly beginners’ seg-
ment, mostly in the form of the ““Flower
of the Month”’.

An excursion sub-committee was
elected and will prepare a programme
to be submitted at the March group
meeting. The first excursion for the year
was on Sunday, 3 March, to the site
of the proposed Yarra Brae dam.
Leaders were members of the Yarra
Brae Action Committee.

Annual Report for 1973.

Attendances at Botany Group meet-
ings were consistent throughout the year
and at about the same level as in 1972.
Eleven meetings were held; apart from
the usual February Members’ night we
had a speaker at every meeting. Seven
excursions were arranged during the year
and in addition a small group made two
trips to Diamond Valley to assist a local
group with a plant survey. We were also
pleased to be able to help with a plant

Vict. Nat. Vol. 91

survey in two small areas on the east
side of the Macedon Range.

Attendances at regular excursions
varied considerably, the most popular
being the Kinglake fungus trip in May
and Rushworth Forest in September.

An effort was made to improve the
excursion reports; plant lists and pressed
specimens of some of the interesting and
unusual plants were displayed at subse-
quent meetings. It has been suggested
that these could form the beginning of a
group herbarium, which would be a
useful adjunct to our activities, but
storage space at present is a problem.

A new feature started during the year
was “The Flower of the Month’’, featur-
ing either one species or a genus. Living
or pressed specimens were displayed, a
sheet of notes was available and on
several occasions the club microscopes
were used to demonstrate the small parts
of the flower. This series was designed
particularly to help beginners to iden-
tify native plants, but proved popular
with most group members.

We look forward to another active
year and extend an invitation to anyone
interested in botany and native plants to
join us at meetings or on outings.

Mammal Survey Group

November and December Camps

On the 17, 18 November, 1973 the
Group surveyed dry stringybark wood-
land in undulating country, approxi-

mately 2 km east of Heathcote. The
number of mammals seen was low, and
a total of four native species were re-
corded for the camp. These were Black
Wallaby (Wallabia bicolor), Grey
Kangaroo (Macropus giganteus), Brush-
tail Possum (Trichosurus vulpecula) and
Echidna (Tachyglossus aculeatus). Trap-
ping results were nil for the camp.

On the 9, 10 December the Group
surveyed several areas of bush near
Arthur’s Seat, on the ‘Mornington Penin-
sula, and although the attendance was
the smallest at any camp for the year, it
was neveriheless quite successful. <A
total of seven native species were re-
corded for the weekend. Species cap-
tured by live-trapping were Swamp Rat
(Rattus lutreolus) and Brown Ante-
chinus (Antechinus stuartii). Species re-
corded by spotlighting were Ringtail
Possum (Pseudocheirus peregrinus).
Brushtail Possum (Trichosurus vulpe-
cula) and Sugar Glider (Petaurus bre-
viceps). Daylight sightings were made
of Echidna (Tachyglossus aculeatus),
Black Wallaby (Wallabia bicolor) and
also one introduced species, Fox (Vulpes
vulpes).

February Meeting

The meeting on the 7 February had a
large attendance with several new mem-
bers. Matters discussed included recent
camps and reports, future camps, and
slides and films of the Group’s activities.

AUDITORS’ REPORT TO THE MEMBERS OF THE FIELD NATURALISTS
CLUB OF VICTORIA

In our opinion:

(a) the attached balance sheet and profit and loss account are properly drawn
up in accordance with the provisions of the Companies Act 1961 of Victoria
as amended and so as to give a true and fair view of:

(1) the state of affairs of the Club at 31 December, 1973 and of the
results of the Club for the year ended on that date; and
(ii) the other matters required by Section 162 of that Act to be dealt

with in the accounts:

(b) the accounting records and other records, and the registers required by that
Act to be kept by the Club have been properly kept in accordance with

the provisions of that Act.

Melbourne, 27 February, 1974.

March, 1974

DANBY BLAND & CO.,
Chartered Accountants.

R. M. BLAND, Partner.

81

REPORT BY EXECUTIVE COUNCIL

The members of the Executive Coun-
cil submit herewith balance sheet as at
31 December, 1973 and income and ex-
penditure account for the year ended on
that date, and report as follows —

1. The Net Deficit of the Club for the
year ended 31 December, 1973 was
$4 which, deducted from the Sur-
plus brought forward at 1 January.
1973 of $8,290, together with a
transfer of $380 from Club Im-
provement Account, results in a
surplus to be carried forward to
next year amounting to $8,666.

The members of the Executive
Council took reasonable steps to as-
certain before the profit and loss ac-
count and balance sheet were made
out, that all known bad debts were
written off and adequate provision
was made for doubtful debts.

The members of the Executive
Council took reasonable steps, be-
fore the profit and loss account and
balance sheet were made out, to
ascertain that the current assets,
other than debtors, were shown in
the accounting records of the com-
pany at a value equal to or below
the value that would be expected
to be realised in the ordinary course
of business.

4. At the date of this report, the mem-
bers of the Executive Council are
not aware of any circumstances
which would render the values at-
tributable to the current assets in
the accounts misleading.

5. No charge on the assets has arisen.
since the end of the financial year
to the date of this report, to secure
the liabilities of another person. No
contingent liability has arisen since
the end of the financial year to the
date of this report.

6. No contingent or other liability has
become enforceable or is likely to
become enforceable within the
period of twelve months after the
end of the financial year which in
the opinion of the members of the
Executive Council will or may affect
the ability of the club to meet its
obligations as and when they fall
due.

7. At the date of this report the mem-
bers of the Executive Council are
not aware of any circumstances not
otherwise dealt with in the report

N

ies)

82

IC.

or accounts which would render any
amount stated in the accounts mis-
leading.

The results of the club’s operations
during the financial year, in the
opinion of the members of the
Executive Council, were not affected
by any item transaction or event of
a material and unusual nature.

Since 31 December, 1973, and to
the date of this report, in the
opinion of the members of the
Executive Council, no item trans-
action or event of a material and
unusual nature, which would affect
substantially the results of the
Club’s operations for the next suc-
ceeding financial year, has occurred.

No member of the Executive Coun-
cil, since the end of the previous
financial year, has received or be-
come entitled to receive a benefit by
reason of a contract made by the
club with the member or with a
firm of which he is a member or
with a company in which he has a
substantial financial interest.

The principal activities and objects
of the Club are to stimulate interest
in natural history and to preserve
and protect Australian Fauna and
Flora. No significant change in the
nature of those activities occurred
during that period.

The names of the members of the
Executive Council in office at the
date of this report are as follows —

Mr. P. G. Kelly
Mr. T. Sault

Mr. J. H. Willis
Mr. L. Winsor
Mr. R. H. Riordan
Mrs. M. Corrick
Mr. H. Bishop
Mr. I. Cameron
Mr. G. Ward

Mr. G. Douglas
Mr. J. Martindale
‘Miss G. Piper
Miss M. Allender
Mr. M. Coulthard
Dr. B. Smith

Mr. R. Gibson

This report is made in accordance with

a resolution of the Executive Council

dated 26 day of February, 1974.

H. BISHOP
R. H. RIORDAN

Vict. Nat. Vol. 91

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March, 1974

FIELD NATURALISTS CLUB OF VICTORIA
BUILDING FUND

Amount of Fund at 31 December, 1972 . oe a we oe aCe hed So
Interest on Investment and Bank Account ; es site a Hs 183
Premium on redemption of Commonwealth Bonds... ee ¢. fs 6
Amount of Fund at 31 December, 1973 .. es ae Ba ie .. $3,462

PUBLICATIONS FUND

Amount of Fund at 31 December, 1972 . e an Ss ois 20,0386
Interest on Investment and Bank Account se fe Bi a 167
Premium on redemption of Commonwealth Bonds... ae me te 28
Surplus for the year from —
Victorian Toadstools and ‘Mushrooms se a es iyo NOW,
Vegetation of Wyperfeld National Park .. ae a 87
Wild Flowers of Wilson’s sie ee! National Park .. a 25
Birds of the Dandenongs ie an a 70
—-- 249
Amount of Fund at 31 December, 1973 ete ie ne NB .. $6,480

CLUB IMPROVEMENT ACCOUNT

Amount of Account at 31 December, 1972 ue a a aie s $573
Sale of Old Library Books .. : : ae me tee a si 24
Book Sales Account Profit . ves hs oe Be Ais aus 47
Share of Profit from Nature Shows —
1972 Ag Be Ae a ae 2: Re ite OOO
1973 ae - a iv a me i ee we 60
a 160
$804
Less —
Amount written off Books and Equipment Account $300
Purchase of Library Books, Furniture and Equipment, transferred
to Surplus Account a Bes a ay i eo) 0)
—— 680
Amount of Fund at 31 December, 1973 .. ne a = a) ve $124

STATEMENT BY MEMBERS OF THE EXECUTIVE COUNCIL

In the opinion of the members of the Executive Council of The Field Naturalists
Club of Victoria, the accompanying Balance Sheet is drawn up so as to give a true
and fair view of the state of affairs of the Club as at 31 December, 1973, and the
accompanying Statement of Income and Expenditure is drawn up so as to give a
true and fair view of the deficit of the Club for the year ended 31 December, 1973.

Signed in accordance with a resolution of the Executive Council on 26 February,

P. G. KELLY, President.
H. BISHOP, Treasurer.

STATEMENT BY THE PRINCIPAL ACCOUNTING OFFICER

I, DANIEL E. McINNES, being the officer in charge of the preparation of the
accompanying accounts of The Field Naturalists Club of Victoria for the year
ended 31 December, 1973 state that, to the best of my knowledge and belief, such
accounts give a true and fair view of the matters required by Section 162 of the
Companies Act 1961, to be dealt with in the accounts.

Signed at Melbourne on the 26 day of February, 1974.

86 Vict. Nat. Vol. 91

1972...
2000...
2100. . .
2200...

For today... and the
centuries ahead

THE 5—POINT
FORESTS MULTIPLE USE PLAN

A plan based on scientific forests management...
ensuring that our forests continue to

contribute towards man’s overall survival

and to his Individual zest for living.

The multiple use plan

protects the five critical forest values:

WATER WOOD WILDLIFE RECREATION FORAGE

Our State Forests provide abundant leisure enjoyment...
only one of the five big values.

Please help us by cherishing all five values

when you are enjoying the forests

FORESTS COMMISSION, VICTORIA

March, 1974

Field Naturalists Club of Victoria

Established 1880

OBJECTS: To stimulate interest in natural history and to preserve
and protect Australian fauna and flora.
Patron:
His Excellency Major-General Sir ROHAN DELACOMBE, K.B.E., C.B., D.S.O.

Key Office-Bearers, 1973-1974.

President:
Mr. P. KELLY

Hon. Secretary: Mr. R. H. RIORDAN, 15 Regent St., East Brighton, 3187. 92 8579

Treasurer: H. BISHOP. Address Correspondence to National Herbarium, The
Domain, South Yarra.

Subscription Secretary: Mr. D. E. McINNES, 129 Waverley Rd., East Malvern, 3145.
Hon. Editor: Mr. G.'M. WARD, 54 St. James Road, Heidelberg 3084.

Hon. Librarian: Mr. J. MARTINDALE, c/o National Herbarium, The Domain,
South Yarra.

Hon. Excursion Secretary: Miss M. ALLENDER, 19 Hawthorn Avenue, Caulfield
3161. 6 (5227492)

Magazine Sales Officer: Mr. D. McINNES
Archives Officer: Mr. CALLANAN, 29 Reynards Street, Coburg 3058. Tel. 36 0587.

Group Secretaries
Botany: Mrs. M. G. CORRICK, 7 Glenluss St., Balwyn 3103. Tel. 857 9937.
Day Group: Mrs. J. STRONG, 1160 Dandenong Rd., Murrumbeena (56 2271).

Entomology and Marine Biology: 'Mr. J. W. H. STRONG, Flat 11, “Palm Court”,
1160 Dandenong Rd., Murrumbeena 3163 (56 2271).

Field Survey: Miss L. BARRACLOUGH, 4-7 Chrystobel, Cres., Hawthorn, 3122
Geology: Mr. T. SAULT.

Mammal Survey: Mr. D. KELLY, c/o 14 Finnigan’s Road, Research, 3095.
Microscopical: Mr. M. H. MEYER, 36 Milroy Street, East Brighton (96 3268).

MEMBERSHIP
Membership of the F.N.C.V. is open to any person interested in natural history.
The Victorian Naturalist is distributed free to all members, the club’s reference and
lending library is available, and other activities are indicated in reports set out in the
several preceding pages of ‘this magazine.

Rates of Subscriptions for 1973.

Ordinary Members) occ 08 ke cee Wey ee ee ae ate ee $7.00
Country Members = 2500 Soe Pee i ete Tak SE ieee rere $5.00
Joint Members .. Oi Ya ; \ RMR eee eT be 0) ) i $2.00
Junior Members (under Ig years) ee renin ey AMEN arias aM, Naa rs Ga ge $2.00
Junior: Members receiving Viet. Nate <4)50 9 2) foe 5.0 ea Se ee $4.00
Subscribers to Vict. Nat. Aus oi) ers ie ha eta ACMI EE SN gy yg $5.00
Overseas Subscribers i Boo AP o> op pe @ ATE ee $6.00
Affiliated “Societies, 06 06.06) die oe SER oe AD le Ze a ee eee $7.00
Supporting Members . i} een etm neiontMiM ME KK i eo = SHG)...
Life Membership (reducing after 20. years) 2) waa) ale SE ese ener Het OPED

The cost of individual copies of the Vict. Nat. will be 45 cents . (82 cents — overseas requests).
Full-time Students between I8 and 21 years pay at Junior Member rates.

All subscriptions should be made payable to the Field Naturalists Club of Victoria, and posted
to the Subscription Secretary.

Ga) JENKIN, BUXTON & CO. PTY. LTD., PRINTERS, WEST MELBOURNE

_ APRIL, 1974

OF VICTORIA

ieroscopical Society of Vicioria

clus

, P i

ission by post as a periodical. ie
fae 5 a , . ;

F.N.C.V. DIARY OF COMING EVENTS
GENERAL MEETING

Monday, 8 April — At National Herbarium, The Domain, South Yarra, commencing
at 8 p.m.

Speaker — Mr. Geoff Douglas (Vermin and Noxious Weeds Department).

New Members —

Ordinary:

Mr. Rod Elphinstone, Flat 1A, 149 Lower Heidelberg Rd., East Ivanhoe, 3079. Field
Survey.

Mr. Gordon Friend, Dept. of Zoology, University of Melbourne, Parkville, 3052.
Mammal Survey.

Mrs. Dorothy J. Fraser, Flat 9, 149 Lower Heidelberg Rd., East Ivanhoe, 3079.
Mammal Survey.

Mrs. Jean Hughes, 8 Livingstone St., Ivanhoe, 3079. Geology and Botany.

Mr. Nigel McGillivray, 6 Eblana Ave., Mentone, 3194. Botany.

Miss Rhyllis J. Plant, C/o Invertebrate Dept., National Museum, Russell St., Melbourne,
3000. Mammal Survey.

Mr. Graeme Smith, 60 Morey Rd., Beaumaris, 3193.

Mr. Graeme J. Foster, 9/10 Khartoum St., Caulfield, 3714. Mammals and Birds.

Joint:

Mr. A. Rust and E. Rust, 8 Douglas St., Hastings, 3195. Mammal Survey.
Mr. R. Ferguson and Miss J. Lackman, ‘‘Allwood’’, 901 Main Rd., Hurstbridge, 3099.
Mammal Survey.

Junior:
Michael B. O’Connor, 13 Graham St., Surrey Hills, 3127. Marine and Entomology.

Monday, May 13 — Speaker Arthur Brookes. Subject “A Year in the Life of a Frog”.

GROUP MEETINGS
(8 p.m. at the National Herbarium unless otherwise stated)

Wednesday, 10 April— Conservation Group. Speakers Mr. Ross Garnet on the
Club’s history in conservation, and Mr. Graham Douglas, on tasks needing to
be done in conservation.

Thursday, 11 April— Botany Group. April meeting cancelled because of Easter
break.

Wednesday, 17 April — Microscopical Group Meeting.

Thursday, 18 April — Day Group. Visit to “Ripponlea’”. Meet at Hotham Street
entrance, Elsternwick, at 11.30 a.m. Bring lunch. Admission to grounds and
garden SOc (pensioners 10c). Admission to House 30c (Pensioners 10c).

Thursday, 25 April— F.S.G. Meeting in Conference Room, National Museum at
8.00 p.m. Camp — 12-16 April.

Monday, 6 May — Marine Biology and Entomology Group meeting in Conference
Room, National Musuem at 8.00 p.m.

Wednesday, 1 May — Geology Group.

Thursday, 2 May — M.S.G. Meeting at Arthur Rylah Institute, 123 Brown Street,
Heidelberg at 8.00 p.m.

F.N.C.V. EXCURSIONS

Sunday, 21 April — Lerderderg Gorge. Leader Mr. J. Myers. The bus will leave
Batman Avenue at 9.30 a.m. and a stop will be made at Lake Merrinal where the
leader will meet the party. Fare $2.00. Bring one meal and a snack.

Sunday, 1 September to Sunday, 8 September — Kangaroo Island. This excursion
will start from Adelaide and includes motel accommodation on the Island on
D. B and B basis, day excursions and air travel between Adelaide and Kangaroo
Island at a cost of approximately $135. A group booking on the train leaving
Saturday evening can be arranged for those desiring it and a concession rate will
apply if sufficient members travel at this time. To obtain the concession it is
necessary to travel together on the forward journey but those wishing to extend the
holiday may return at a later date. A deposit of $25.00 should be paid to the
excursion secretary (cheques to be made out to “Excursion Trust’). Please check if
there are vacancies before sending any money.

90 Vict. Nat. Vol. 91

the
victorian
naturalist

Vol. 91, No. 4 3 April, 1974

G. M. Ward
G. F. Douglas

Editor:
Assistant Editor:

Contents

Articles:

First Record of Forrest’s Mouse in N.S.W.
By S. R. Morton 92

Macropus Rufus, Victorian Fossil Find.

By H. E. Wilkinson 95
Filmy Maidenhair. By Ellen Lyndon 99
Eucalypts. By J. H. Willis 100

Snow Gums on Mornington Peninsula.
By A. E. Spillane 103

Ecology of Woodlands on Holey Plains.
By R. F. Parsons andG. W. Carr 113

Features:
Readers’ Nature Notes 107

Origin of Generic Names of Victorian
Flora (Part 2). By. J. A. Baines 110

Victorian Non-Marine Molluscs —
No. 13. By B. J. Smith 112
Field Naturalists’ Club of Victoria:
Secretary’s Report 1973 118

Diary of Coming Events 90

Front Cover:

Leggodina forresti, Fowlers Gap Station,
New South Wales.

April, 1974

The committee set up to establish a Con-
servation Group within the club has met, and
appointed an interim chairman and secretary.
They are Mr. Barry Callanan, chairman, and
Miss Gwen Piper, secretary. The committee
decided the first meeting of the group will be
held on Wednesday, 10 April. Three
speakers will give the meeting an outline of
the reasons for setting up the group, a brief
history of the club’s past activity in conserva-
tion, and a list of projects the group could
carry out. Those attending will then be
asked to decide which tasks they consider it
would be possible for them to undertake.

The third Fire Ecology Seminar at Monash
University was heid on 23 March. It was
opened by the Victorian Minister of Forests,
the Hon. F. J. Granter, M.L.C. Thirteen
speakers presented papers—three were from
the Forest Commission of Victoria, two from
Forests Department of W.A., four from
C.S.1.R.0., and one each from the Australian
Museum, Land Conservation Council, R.M.I.T.,
and Melbourne University. Professor J. S.
Turner gave the first talk, entitled: “‘Fire and
Conservation, Compatability or Conflict.”’
Other papers covered the role of fire in park,
wilderness, and forest management, its effects
on mammals, litter, fauna, and birds, plus
the properties and nature of smoke from
forest fires. Attendance was three to four
hundred, which shows how interest in this
subject has grown since the first seminar in
1969, when only 78 were present. As usual,
F.LN.C.V. was well represented. The Country
Fire Authority was, however, mainly con-
spicuous by its absence this year, though a
few volunteer rural fire brigade officers were
there.

The absence of C.F.A. from the seminar
may, perhaps, be linked with the fact that
they have shown little concern for the en-
vironmental effects of their fire prevention
work, which has caused considerable concern
to conservationists. It is of interest in this
regard to note that Conservation Council of
Victoria has just adopted a policy statement
on Conservation and Fire Prevention. It will
be published in full later.

91

First Record of Forrest's Mouse

Leggadina forresti (Thomas, 1906) in N.S.W.

by

S. R. MorTON*

Introduction

Leggadina forresti (Thomas, 1906)
is a small native rodent whose biology
and distribution are poorly known.
The species is found in arid regions of
Western Australia, South Australia,
Queensland and the Northern Terri-

* Fowlers Gap
S.A. @

Broken Hill

N.S.W.

VIC.

& Melbourne

fo) o
140 E 145 E

tory (Ride, 1970), but has not been
previously recorded from New South
Wales. It is therefore of interest to
report the discovery of this species in
western New South Wales.

*Department of Zoology, University of Mel-
bourne, Parkville, Vic. 3052.

fo)
30 S
Sydney
fo)
35S
[ee ee
6) 100 200
Miles

oO
150 E

Figure 1. Map showing the location of Fowlers Gap Station.

92

Vict. Nat. Vol. 91

atare

Discovery

The first specimen, an adult male,
was captured at 00.05 hrs. (Central
Standard Time) on 5 May, 1973 at
the Fowlers Gap Arid Zone Research
Station of the University of New
South Wales, 110 km north of Broken
Hill (see Figure 1). It was seen while
spotlighting and captured by hand.
This animal died after two days in
captivity, and was forwarded to
Miss J. M. Dixon of the National
Museum of Victoria for identification,
and thence to Mr. J. A. Mahoney of
the University of Sydney for confir-
mation. It is now lodged in _ the
National Museum of Victoria as a
skull and a body in spirit, catalogue
number C11331.

The second specimen, a _ juvenile
female (Plate 1), was hand-captured
at sunrise (05.25 hrs.) on 4 October,
1973 approximately 1 km north of the
first site. On capture this animal
weighed 10 g, and after 1 month in
captivity had grown to 15 g.

The area where the captures were
made is situated in a zone of approxi-
mately 20 cm average annual rainfall.
It is a flat, red, treeless plain adjacent

to the rocky slopes of the Barrier
Range (Plate 2). The first capture
site is in the Conservation Land Sys-
tem and the second in the Gap Hills
Land System, according to the classi-
fication of ‘Corbett= et al (1972).
Fowlers Creek runs between the two
sites.

The vegetation is an Atriplex vesi-
caria (bladder saltbush) community
which has been degraded by sheep
grazing, resulting in invasion by
Bassia spp. (poverty bush and copper
burr) (Milthorpe, 1972). Patches of
Kochia pyramidata (black bluebush)
are present, and a large number of
other saltbushes and grasses grow
within the community. At the time of
the discovery of the specimens there
was considerable plant growth follow-
ing consistent rains throughout the
year.

Nomenclature
Leggadina forresti (Thomas, 1906)

has been assigned to the genus
Pseudomys (Gray, 1832 by Ride,
1970). However Mahoney (pers.

comm.) believes Leggadina (Thomas,
1910) to be generically distinct from

Plate 2. Atriplex plains on Fowlers Gap Station, with rocky slopes in the background.

April, 1974 73

Pseudomys, with L. forresti being the
type species.

Leggadina messoria (Thomas,
1925), Leggadina waitei (Troughton,
1932), and Gyomys berneyi (Trough-
ton, 1936) are all synonyms of
Leggadina_ forresti (Ride, 1970;
Mahoney, pers. comm.).

Discussion

Leggadina forresti is easily recog-
nised by its small size and by the
length of its tail, which is shorter
than the head and body. The speci-
mens captured at Fowlers Gap are a
sandy grey above and white below.

During the capture of the first
Specimen an attempt was made to
hold it by the tail. However the
distal third of the tail sheath slipped
away, leaving the vertebrae behind.
The naked vertebrae dried and
dropped off during the next day. The
ease with which the tail sheath came
away Suggests that this may be an
adaptive mechanism enhancing escape
from predators, as postulated for
some species of North American
rodents by Layne (1972).

Both specimens were captured on
flat plain dominated by Atriplex and
Bassia. This habitat may be similar to
the grassy plain from which the
species has been reported in _ the
Northern Territory (Parker, 1973). It
appears that the animals shelter in
cracks in the soil as does the fat-
tailed marsupial mouse, Sminthopsis
crassicaudata.

The terrestrial vertebrate fauna of
Fowlers Gap has been listed by Daw-
son and Russell (1973). The only
small mammals recorded from the

saltbush plains were Sminthopsis
crassicaudata and the _ introduced
mouse, Mus musculus. In my ex-

perience the former species is com-
mon, whereas I have collected only
one house mouse. d

In view of the general pattern of

94

distribution of Leggadina forresti its
presence in western New South Wales
is not unexpected, and it is surprising
that it has gone undetected for so
long.

Acknowledgements

I am indebted to the Fowlers Gap
Management Committee for allowing
me to work on the Station and make
use of its facilities. Mr. Ian Auldist
helped capture the first specimen.

A grant from the M. A. Ingram
Trust covered travelling expenses.

Miss J. M. Dixon of the National
Museum of Victoria identified the first
specimen and arranged for its con-
firmation. I am grateful to Mr. J. A.
Mahoney of the University of Sydney
for his advice and information.

Dr. A. A. Martin read and criticised
the manuscript.

REFERENCES
Corbett, J. R., Mabbutt, J. A., Mil-
thorpe, P: L.,.,Ngethe, i. @ and

Sullivan, M. E. (1972). Land systems
of the Fowlers Gap — Calindary area.
In “Lands of the Fowlers Gap —
Calindary Area, New South Wales”’.
Fowlers Gap Research Series No. 4,
The University of New South Wales.

Dawson, T. J., and Russell, E. M.
(1973). The vertebrate fauna of Fow-
lers Gap. In “The Land Systems of
Fowlers Gap”. Fowlers Gap Research
Series No. 3, The University of New
South Wales.

Layne, J. N. (1972). Tail autonomy in
the Florida mouse, Peromyscus flori-
danus. J. Mammal. 53: 62-71.

Milthorpe, P. L. (1972). Vegetation of
the Fowlers Gap — Calindary area. In
“Lands of the Fowlers Gap — Calin-
dary Area, New South Wales’. Fow-
lers Gap Research Series No. 4, The
University of New South Wales.

Parker, S. A. (1973). An annotated
checklist of the native land mam-
mals of the Northern’ Territory.
Rec.S.Aust.Mus. 16 (11): 1-57.

Ride, W. D. L. (1970). “A Guide to the
Native ‘Mammals of Australia.” Ox-
ford University Press, Melbourne.

Vict. Nat. Vol. 91

Macropus Rufus Fossil

Find in Western Victoria

by H. E. WILKINSON

Introduction

There does not appear to have been
any published record of the occur-
rence of the Red Kangaroo, Macropus
(Osphranter) rufus as an endemic
species in Southern Victoria, nor has
there been any record of its presence
as a fossil. Thus the discovery of a
nearly complete fossil skeleton of this
Kangaroo at Lake Gnarpurt is of con-
siderable interest. Coxiella shells as-
sociated with the skeleton gave a
radiocarbon date of 4550 + 120 yrs
B.P., and although this is geologically
very young, it is significant that it falls
within that part of the Holocene
period referred to as the Post Glacial
Thermal Maximum. The specimen
found at Lake Gnarpurt provides the

GNARPURT

April, 1974

LAKE CORANGAMITE

MILES
I 2

2 sil 4 eo
KILOMETRES

first evidence that this arid country
kangaroo extended its range into
Southern Victoria during this time.
Discovery of the skeleton

Dr. P. S. Lang of Lismore, Vic-
toria, has been interested in the fossil
marsupials of the Western District
for a long time, and in 1968 began a
systematic search of the area for new
localities, as well as recollecting from
known ones. The result has been
many new localities, and a large col-
lection of fossil bones from the Colac-
Camperdown area, which has been
donated to the National Museum of
Victoria.

In September, 1968, Dr. Lang and
Mr. H. Stephens were searching for
localities in the Lake Gnarpurt area,

an

Fig. 1

Locality plan
showing the
fossil Red
Kangaroo site.

3 4

95

and found bones protruding from the
bank of the channel connecting Lake
Gnarpurt and Lake Corangamite.
They were in a sticky grey clay just
above water level, and, fearing a
further rise above the already high
level, collected as much as they could.
Dr. Lang took notes, and a sketch of
the occurrence. At the time, I was
Assistant Curator of Fossils at the
National Museum, and Dr. Lang con-
tacted me to inform me of the find.
The following week, R. J. Paton and
myself met Dr. Lang at the site, and
excavated the remainder of the skele-
ton. A concentrate of Coxiella shells
which occurred in abundance in the
matrix of the skeleton was obtained by
careful sieving. This yielded a small
rodent jaw, probably Rattus lutreolus,
and a few small bones from the
kangaroo skeleton.

Identity of the skeleton

The skeleton must have originally
been very nearly complete when
buried, but the excavation work which
revealed it appears to have removed
the left scapula and humerus, and
most of the tail. All other major limb
bone elements are present, and most
are complete. The skull has suffered

96

damage to the rostral region, but the
molar dentition is complete. The
mandible was not found. The material
collected was registered as NMV
P28818, and is listed below:

Skull, right scapula, clavicle and
humerus; radius and ulna (all com-
plete); sternum and four sternal verte-
brae; pelvis (damaged, but both
halves present); femur and tibia (all
complete); left fibula (complete),
right fibula (damaged); calcaneum,
astragalus, metatarsal IV and V,
several phalanges, including one ter-
minal phalanx; numerous ribs and rib
fragments; 16 cervical vertebrae, in-
cluding the axis and atlas; 15 lumbar
vertebrae, the sacrum, and six of the
large, proximal caudal vertebrae.

The above is a brief outline of the
bones preserved, which appear to be
those of an adult animal. When the
first bones sent by Dr. Lang were
compared to those of living kanga-
roos, it was with the preconceived
idea that they would prove to be
those of the Grey Kangaroo (Macro-
pus giganteus). However, it was soon
apparent that the bones did not belong
to that species, and comparisons were
extended further. This revealed that

Plate 1

Skull of fossil
Macropus

(Os phranter)
rufus from
Lake Gnar-
purt (NMV

P 28,818).
Ventral
(Palatal) view.

approx. 3 nat. size

Vict. Nat. Vol. 91

wae

i :

they were in fact Macropus (Osphran-
ter) rufus, an identification which was
confirmed when the skull was found
in the subsequent excavation.

Description of the site

The bones were found just above
the September 1968 water level in the
north bank of the S.R. & W.S.C. chan-
nel which connects Lake Gnarpurt
and Lake Corangamite for flood con-
trol purposes. This channel is cut
through the natural causeway which
separates the two lakes. The bones
were at approximately the same level
as the invert of the culvert which takes
the water under the road along the
causeway, approximately 4 metres
below the road, and about 38 metres
W. of the road fence. Currey (1964)
gives the highest natural level of the
lunette which forms the causeway as
RL 394 (119 m) but the road is
built up above this. The Coxiella shell
bed at RL 387 (117 m) which he
refers to as occurring below the
lunette is probably the shell bed with
which the skeleton was associated.

Plate 2

Skull of fossil
Macropus

(Os phranter)
rufus from
Lake Gnar-
purt (NMV

P 28,818).
Dorsal view
(Note Coxiella
shells in matrix
of rostral area).

approx. 4 nat. size
(Photography by
Mr. F. Guy,
R.M.I.T.)

April, 1974

Geology

The area is underlain by Tertiary
marine sediments of the Heytesbury
Group, believed to be equivalent, in
part at least, to the Port Campbell

Limestone. Hard, metasomatised
limestones with poorly preserved
marine molluscs outcrop around

Struans Dam, north of Lake Gnar-
purt, and Dr. Lang has collected frag-
ments of fossil oysters washed up on
the south shore of the lake. These
beds are probably Miocene in age, and
were succeeded by the non-marine
Moorabool Viaduct Sands, following
regression of the sea. However, much
of the area is covered by the later
Newer Volcanic rocks, and _ the
“Colac” 1:250,000 geological map
distinguishes an older and younger
suite of these. The volcanic activity
modified the pre-existing drainage pat-
tern, and the lake system we see today
began to form. Currey (1964) pro-
vided a reconstruction of the sequence
of events leading to the formation of
a very large lake, and its subsequent

97

contraction to the present lakes and
their associated landforms. Lunette
formation has modified the lakes, and
resulted in a complex Quaternary his-
tory. For further information on this
aspect, see Gill 1953 and references
quoted therein.

The causeway between Lakes Gnar-
purt and Corangamite is a low lunette
which formed at a time of low lake
levels. It is being eroded at the
present time, and has probably had a
complex history due to cyclic oscilla-
tions of lake levels. The south end of
the causeway merges with the high
parna dune known as Bald Hill.

The material containing the skele-
ton is lacustrine clay, redeposited by
wind action, along with Coxiella shells
blown up from the lake bed. An
auger hole at the skeleton site pene-
trated a further eight feet of similar
material, in which Coxiella was much
more sparsely distributed and car-
bonate nodules were common. The
bones were only lightly mineralised,
and appeared to be younger than the
typically heavily mineralised Colongu-
lac Fauna fossil marsupials. Bones
with similar lightly mineralised preser-
vation were found at the east end of
the channel, and also along the east
shore of Lake Gnarpurt, where the
lunette is being actively eroded. The
bones were mostly macropodid, and
included a jaw of Wallabia. It is in-
teresting to note that bones of domes-
tic animals which occur here are also
somewhat mineralised.

The Coxiella sample obtained from
around the skeleton was radiocarbon
dated at Kogyoshin University, Japan,
and gave a radiocarbon age of 4,550
+ 120 yrs. B.P. (GaK—2518) (No.
36, p.74, Gill, 1971). This confirmed
the expectation that the occurrence
would prove to be substantially
younger than the Colongulac Fauna,
which is more than 20,000 years old.
The date obtained strongly suggests

98

that the present causeway is of geo-
logically recent origin, dating back to
the Post Glacial Thermal Maximum.

Present status of Macropus
(Osphranter) rufus in Victoria

Krefft (1866) stated that this
species was already scarce on the Vic-
torian side of the Murray River, even
at this early date in the history of
European settlement, although Braze-
nor (1950) says that it formerly oc-
curred in Victoria in “some numbers’’,
Wakefield (1966a) in his paper on
the Blandowski Expedition of 1956-7
quotes an extract from Krefft’s diary
showing that none were brought in by
the natives to the camp at Gunbower,
and that the range eastward did not
extend much beyond Mt. Hope.
Wakefield (1966b) was able to quote
only two modern Victorian records,
and these were Benetook 1949 and
Neds Corner 1960.

Frith and Calaby (1969) do not
refer specifically to Victorian records,
but state (p. 27) that the species has
a “more or less continuous range in
the drier parts of all mainland states
outside the forest and woodland area”.
On p. 42 they state that “Red Kanga-
roos are very uncommon in deserts,
avoid dense scrubs and stony or rocky
ranges, and are most numerous in
lightly wooded plains”. This last
would probably describe well the
likely ecology of the Lake Gnarpurt
area during the warmer period of the
Post Glacial Thermal Maximum,
when the somewhat higher tempera-
tures, and probably lower rainfall,
would have produced an environment
not unlike that favoured by these
kangaroos at the present time.

Conclusion

A reasonable expectation that Mac-
ropus (Osphranter) rufus might have
extended into Southern Victoria dur-
ing the Post Glacial Thermal Maxi-
mum has been confirmed, and it can

Vict. Nat. Vol. 91

The Filmy

Naturalists who specialise in the
ferns may be interested to hear of two
fairly recent discoveries in the Gipps-
land hills of the Filmy Maidenhair,
Adiantum diaphanum.

This small fern was recorded for the
first time in Victoria back in 1880, on
one of the headwater creeks of the
Lang Lang River, and was not noted
again, so far as we know, until mem-
bers of the Warragul Field Naturalists
Club came across it in the spring of
1972 in a deep gully in the Allambee
area. The fern fronds are short, broad
and dark (not in the least ‘“dia-
phanous’”’), rising from long wiry rhi-
zomes that straggle round the foot of
a steep wet rockface of sandstone. It
was an exciting find for the local fern
lovers who are constantly rummaging
round in the last of the natural fern
gullies that the pioneers and the pine
farmers have left to us.

On 2 April, 1973, the little Maiden-
hair turned up again, quite unex-
pectedly, near Korumburra. Again,

Macropus Rufus Fossil

(continued)

be expected that other fossils of this
species will be found in deposits be-
longing to this period. The occur-
rence at Lake Gnarpurt suggests that
the area had a lower rainfall than at
present, and sparser vegetation. Lake
Gnarpurt was probably drying out
seasonally, allowing the formation of
the marginal lunette, in which the
kangaroo skeleton was incorporated.

REFERENCES

Brazenor, C. W., 1950. The Mammals
of Victoria. National (Museum of Vic-
toria Handbook. Brown Prior Ander-
son, Melb.

April, 1974

Maidenhair

here was a dripping rockface above a
creek, below a steep cleared hillside
well grazed and tramped by sheep and
cattle these many years. Remnants of
a rich gully flora struggle among the
steps and stairs of the exposed rocks
and a few fine Mountain Ash and
Swamp Gum still grace the paddock.
The survival of this small colony in the
scant shelter of a crevice seems a
minor miracle.

As the crow flies, neither of these
two sites is very distant from the heads
of the Lang Lang River, which takes
a wide sweep inland before turning for
Western Port. It is possible that other
colonies of the Filmy Maidenhair await
discovery in some of the hundreds of
gullies and gorges of this rough terrain.
A. diaphanum is rare only in Victoria.
It extends northwards through the
other eastern States and far beyond.
It is also found in New Zealand.

ELLEN LYNDON,
Leongatha.

Currey, D. T., 1964. The former extent
of Lake Corangamite. Proc. Roy. Soc.
Vict. 77(2): 377-386. (See especially

pp. 382-3.)

Frith, H. J., and .Calaby, J. H.; 1969:
Kangaroos. Cheshire, Melb.

Gill, E. D., 1963. Geological evidence
in Western Victoria relative to the
antiquity of the Australian aborigines.
Mem. Nat. Mus. Vict. 18: 25-92.

Gill, E. D., 1971. Applications of radio-
carbon dating in Victoria, Australia.
Proc. Roy. Soc. Vict. 84 (1): 71-85.

Krefft, G., 1866. On the vertebrated
animals of the lower Murray and
Darling, their habits, economy, and
geographical distribution. Trans. Phil.
Soc. N.S.W. 1862-65: 1-33.

Wakefield, N. A., 1966a. Mammals of
the Blandowski Expedition to North
Western Victoria 1856-1857. Proc.
ROy ASSOC. qvVict. 49 (2):7371-391),

Wakefield, N. A., 1966b. Mammals re-
corded from the Mallee, Victoria.
ibid: 627-636.

bey

Eucalypts

by J. H. WILLIS

An address given to the General Meeting of F.N.C.V. on 10 December, 1973.

Many talks at F.N.C.V. have in-
volved our “gum-trees’’, e.g. in June,
1969 when Madge Lester spoke on
“Familiar Plants of the Family
Myrtaceae”, and in February, 1965
when the late Ernie Hanks addressed
the Club on “Trees and Birds’—
Mr. Hanks loved the eucalypts and
could always be counted upon to give
us a whimsical, yet very informative
address.

One makes excuse for introducing
this topic again, at the final meeting
of the year, because eucalypts are tre-
mendously important to us all. These
trees completely dominate the fertile
fringe of the Continent and also many
parts of the arid land; so that in
their absence (e.g. when acacia scrub
or saltbush takes over) the country-
side doesn’t look distinctively Aus-
tralian. No other comparable area
in the world is so completely domi-
nated by one genus of trees, not even
the extensive pine forests of North
America or Eurasia. At the latest
published estimate (in 1971) there are
almost exactly 400 different species of
Eucalyptus, with a good many sub-
species, and only seven of them occur
naturally outside Australia ; these few
are all in New Guinea, a single species
extending north to the Philippines.
One eucalypt (FE. regnans) is the
tallest flowering plant in the world.
This, and a number of other big
Species are the basis of the Australian
timber industry which, in Victoria
alone, provides the State with several
million dollars in royalties every year.
Eucalypt timber is widely used for
building and construction works, as
well as paper pulp.

100

The blossoms of many kinds are
the chief source of Australia’s honey,
while eucalyptus oil and charcoal are
minor products. Such smaller, hardy
species as the mallee and snow gum
play a highly significant role in soil
protection — from wind erosion in
Mallee districts to water erosion in
the Alps.

Apart from these directly economic
advantages, eucalypts provide the
food, shelter and nesting sites for in-
numerable native animals (e.g. koala,
gliders, honeyeaters). They are valu-
able for gardens and ornamental
plantations, have a satisfying and
aesthetic appeal to artists and photo-
graphers, not to mention increasing
numbers of people in search of recrea-
tion. So very important are the gum-
trees to our Australian way of life
that a national Institute of Eucalyp-
tology is being advocated.

The name Eucalyptus, meaning
“well concealed”, refers to the little
cap or operculum, which is a fused
and hardened calyx that protects the
mass of stamens until maturity; it is
one of the peculiar features through-
out the genus. Bark varies astonish-
ingly —even within a single species.
Another peculiarity is the variation in
foliage, from juvenile to adult phase,
and a tree may bear two quite
different-looking types of leaves simul-
taneously. Still another remarkable
feature is the volatile “oil” secreted in
leaf glands —a complex of chemicals
that is reasonably constant for each
species or group of related species ;
there are cineol, piperitone, citrol or
pinene-rich oils, and taste can be a
useful clue to identity.

Vict. Nat. Vol. 91

Classification of this vast assem-
blage has proved a matter of no little
difficulty, and no single character can
be relied on. Probably anthers afford
the most reliable basis for sorting
them into major groups. Hybridism
is of frequent occurrence among cer-
tain species, notably Manna Gum (E.
viminalis), and this aggravates the
taxonomist’s troubles.

As early as 1858, Mueller had de-
vised a rough, arbitrary classification
based on bark. He recognized five
divisions — gum, box, ironbark,
Stringybark and peppermint (where
aroma was also important). With
some modification, and a few ad-
ditional categories, these groups are
still being used by foresters, but the

gum-barked eucalypts are a_ very
mixed “brew”. Bloodwoods are those
eucalypts, chiefly tropical, having

leaves with distinct upper and lower
surfaces, very little aroma, and
crowded lateral veins almost at right
angles to the midrib; they have been
considered more primitive than others
(e.g. the more recently evolved
stringybarks and peppermints). Pol-
len studies show that very few euca-
lypts occurred in southern Australia
during the mid-Tertiary period (20-30
million years ago), although conifers,
beeches, banksias and she-oaks were
frequent in the forests of that time.
Recent research suggests that some
groups of eucalypts are farther apart
in natural relationship to each other
than they are from the currently ac-
cepted genus Angophora.

To conclude on a historical note,
the early investigation of our euca-
lypts seems to have fallen under some
kind of unfortunate “hoodoo” ; it was
a very haphazard and muddled be-
ginning. The first Dutch voyagers
(Abel Tasman and others) certainly
saw and commented upon sundry
eucalypts, but took no _ specimens
home to European herbaria. Collec-

April, 1974

tions were made by Sir Joseph Banks
and his team while Captain Cook was
in Botany Bay during April 1770.
Dr. Daniel Solander took charge of
these eucalypts and, soon after re-
turning to Britain, he became keeper
of the Natural History section of the
British Museum. Although a gifted,
intelligent and good-humoured man,
Solander had an unfortunately indo-
lent, procrastinating nature ; he never
got around to describing a _ single
eucalypt and died at the rather early
age of 46—rumour suggests from a
surfeit of wine and women.

On Cook’s third expedition Daniel
Nelson collected the Messmate
Stringybark (E. obliqua) at Bruny
Island, southern Tasmania, in Janu-
ary 1777. This material was made
accessible to the French botanist
L’Heritier de Brutelle, who visited
London in 1787. Before the still
dallying English had made up their
minds to publish descriptions of the
plants brought home from Cook’s
expeditions, L’Héritier went back to
Paris and wrote a book called the Ser-
tum Anglicum (an “English Gar-
land’) in which he described and
figured the first eucalypt, E. obliqua,
which typifies the whole genus. Soon
after his book was published in 1788,
L’Héritier was mysteriously assassi-
nated in the street outside his home
— so ended his work on eucalypts.

About this time (1792) another
French botanist, T. T. H. de Labil-
lardiére, collected the first eucalypts
from Western Australia ; but when his
expedition reached Java, all the
botanical specimens were confiscated
because Holland was then at war with
France. Miraculously, they were not
destroyed and were eventually re-
stored to Labillardiere through the
generous personal intervention of Sir
Joseph Banks. The great British
botanist Robert Brown took home a
wealth of eucalypt specimens in

101

1805, although his first and finest set
of botanical specimens had _ been
totally destroyed when H.M.S. Por-
poise was wrecked in the Coral Sea
during 1803. In 1810 Brown brought
out the first volume of his famous
Prodromus on the Australian flora,
but the book’s reception was so poor
and lukewarm that he was quite dis-
couraged from proceeding with the
work, so the eucalypt section never
appeared.

The botanical world had to wait
until 1867 — almost a century after
the initial collecting —for the first
proper account of eucalypts, published
in the third volume of George Ben-
tham’s Flora Australiensis. Therein
135 different species are described in
fair detail — only about one-third of
those recognised to-day, but it reflects
the greatest credit on Bentham, who
probably never worked from _ live
material of any eucalypt. During the
last century many famous names ap-
pear in this field, notably Mueller,
Maiden, Bailey, Blakely, Black and
Gardner and living specialists now
continue their work with more sophis-
ticated, modern research techniques.

Eucalypts have been successfuly in-
troduced, as timber and shelter trees,

to many warmer parts of the world,
and Baron von Mueller was the
pioneer of this extensive dispersal
programme. Impressive acreages are
now covered with these trees in the
Americas (e.g. 50,000 acres in Cali-
fornia and 40,000 in Brazil), New
Zealand, tropical Africa and Mediter-
ranean countries. The Pontine
Marshes near Rome were virtually
eliminated a century ago by planta-
tions of Eucalyptus globulus from
seed that Mueller supplied. For this
service the great botanist received a
papal knighthood, and in 1880 he had
this to say about the experiment:
“It was through His Grace, Dr. J.
A. Goold, R.C. Archbishop of Mel-
bourne, that plantations of E.
globulus were first established for
subduing the miasmatic exhalations
of the Pontinian swamps. ‘Thus,
through the enlightened circum-
spectness of our dignified chief of
an ancient church, the sanitary im-
provements on the fever-swamps
were initiated with prospects of that
permanency, for which the plans
and works of drainage since the
time of Appius Claudius (long be-
fore the Christian era) had vainly
striven.”

Congratulations, Jim Willis

from all Field Naturalists, everywhere

J. H. Willis — Joint Honours

On Thursday, 14 March, Mr. J. H. Willis was awarded The Royal Society
of Victoria Research Medal for 1973. At the meeting, Professor John Turner
announced that Jim’s candidature for the degree of D.Sc. had been approved
and will be conferred on 24 August at Melbourne University graduation

ceremony.
D.M.C.

102 Vict. Nat. Vol. 91

The Occurence of Eucalyptus pauciflora

on the Mornington Peninsula, Victoria

by A. E. SPILLANE*

Eucalyptus pauciflora Sieber ex
Spreng, belongs to the snow gum
group of eucalypts, which consists of
only a few species, varying in size
from small to fairly large trees. The
tree usually inhabits the higher alti-
tudes of eastern Australia, from South
Australia to southern Queensland; it
also occurs in Tasmania. Two of its
vernacular names are Snow Gum and
White Sallee.

On the mainland, E. pauciflora
reaches altitudes of about 1670 metres.
In alpine regions, it merges with E.
niphophila Maiden et Blakely, which
attains altitudes of about 1980 metres.
Most botantists now consider that

Le

E. niphophila is a cline form of
E. pauciflora.

Snow Gum is usually about 7 to
18 metres in height, with a crooked
trunk. However, much larger trees
are occasionally observed, but they
continue to retain the distorted trunks,
which are characteristic of the species.
The tree sheds its bark very readily,
and usually keeps some rough pieces
at its base. The leaves are thick and
leathery, with irregular veins, more
or less parallel to the midrib. The
appearance of the tree is greatly en-
hanced by the beautiful patches of
dove grey on the white trunk.

*President, Peninsula Field Naturalists Club.

Plate 1. Snow Gums near the summit of Mount Martha.

April, 1974

103

It is very tolerant of a wide variety
of soils and habitats; while the forests
in which it occurs are sub-alpine, wet
sclerophyll, dry sclerophyll, savannah
woodland, and woodland.

The tree can withstand frost ex-
tremely well, and at high altitudes,
snow is sometimes present for weeks
at a time. Annual rainfall ranges
from 508 to 1270 millimetres.

Although Snow Gums occur in
mountainous and sub-alpine regions;
in Victoria, they are also found in
some unexpected areas, at compara-
tively low altitudes.

An interesting occurrence, is on the
Mornington Peninsula. This part of
the State, consists of an area of about
777 square kilometres of mainly undu-
lating land; the highest point of which
is Arthur’s Seat (314 metres) at
Dromana. The trees occur in prac-
tically pure stands in two localities;
while in other areas, they are asso-

ciated with such species as E. ovata,
E. radiata, and E. viminalis. The an-
nual rainfall in the region is approxi-
mately 736 millimetres.

Areas of occurrence

Travellers to the Peninsula can get
their first sighting of Snow Gums by
journeying south along Overport
Road, Frankston, where sporadic
specimens occur along the roadside.

The trees are very plentiful and
widespread at Mount Eliza; near the
summit (153 metres) some _ large
groups are growing in pure stands.
They can be seen on each side of the
east end of Humphries Road; and
beside Nepean Highway, just west of
Mount Eliza Way. Most of the Snow
Gums in this district are growing on
private land. Fortunately, the majority
of the residents appreciate the beauty
of the trees, and retain them to grace
their gardens.

Plate 2. Buds of Eucalyptus pauciflora.

104

Vict. Nat. Vol. 91

Plate 3. Fruits of Eucalyptus pauciflora.

Plate 4. Bark of Eucalyptus pauciflora, and leaf showing longitudinal venation.

April, 1974 105

They may be observed along the
sides of Hastings Road, near Baxter,
and continue along this road to near
Somerville.

The trees are fairly common in an
area roughly bounded by Eramosa,
Coolart, Tyabb and Derril Roads.
They are most conspicuous in Bun-
gower Road in the same area. A very
pleasant stand can be found growing
in the paddocks around the Morning-
ton Reservoir.

At Tyabb, they are growing by the
roadside at the eastern end of O’Neil
Road. Approaching Hastings a group
of them can be sighted by the road-
side near Barclay Crescent.

They are also found sporadically
along Moorooduc Road, from Bun-
gower Road to just beyond its junc-
tion with Nepean Highway

On the top of Mount Martha (164
metres) Snow Gums are growing in
abundance. They appear to have

reached their optimum development
in this part of the Peninsula, where
some of the trees are magnificent
specimens.

A few nice trees are flourishing by
the side of Boundary Road near its
junction with Hodgins Road, quite
close to Devilbend Reservoir. Another
small patch of them can be seen ap-
proaching Red Hill South, along the
Main Spur Road.

A very interesting occurrence of
Snow Gums is at Rosebud, where a
few sturdy trees are along the side of
Jetty Road about 800 metres from
the beach. They are especially inter-
esting as they are growing near sea
level.

Conclusion

The Mornington Peninsula is de-
veloping at such a rapid pace that it
would be a great pity if these unique
and delightful trees were to be de-
stroyed in the process. It behoves the

Plate 5. A fine specimen of Snow Gum in Mount Martha Park.

106

Vict. Nat. Vol. 91

x

4

. Saat
ee

¥

Readers Nature Notes

A Possum Story

Mrs. Ellen Lyndon of Leongatha in
Victoria writes of the following tragic
story.

Walking around under mature gum
trees on a friend’s property, with an
eye on the birds, a dark object hang-
ing from a limb, about 7-8 metres
from the ground, came into focus. Its
size and shape suggested a roosting
Flying Fox, obviously a long dead
one. The binoculars were fetched for
a closer examination, and a somewhat
tragic story pieced together.

At some time, perhaps years before,
the tree had been blowing about in a
gale and a forked lateral limb had
split at the junction of its two minor
branches, the crack opening and clos-
ing in the wind. A Silver-grey Possum
had been fooling about in the tree.
Its bushy tail had worked into the
split so that the tip was uppermost
and the thicker butt and body dangled
on the down side. Here the poor beast
must have remained trapped, its tail
caught as if in a vice, till it died a
miserable death. In time the front

half of the carcase fell away just be-
hind the forelegs, so that all that re-
mains is the bare bleached rib cage
with the blackened rump and hind
legs still encased in the shrunken hide.

The split in the fork of the branch-
lets has mended till it is barely
discernible. The long curling point of
the possum’s tail is reduced to a black
mark on the green bark above, and
the thick butt of the tail apparently
emerges straight from out of the solid
limb, below. Swamp Gum is a fairly
brittle wood, and, considering the
evidence before us, this is how we
interpreted the story.

Has anyone except myself and the
birds noted the establishment of the
introduced plant Duchesnea_ indica
Focke (1888), Indian Strawberry, in
Sherbrooke Forest in the Dandenong
Ranges? Since I noted it growing
abundantly along some walking tracks
early in 1973 I have seen it produce
bright yellow flowers and small red
strawberry fruits. It is, I believe,
previously unrecorded in Victorian
grid area N.

Snow Gums on Peninsula

(continued)

municipalities in which they occur to
do everything possible to preserve
them.

As most of the Snow Gums on the
Peninsula are growing on_ private
land, or along the sides of roads, the
chances of them being able to repro-
duce and ultimately survive in a large
proportion of the areas noted above
are very slim indeed. However, it is
heartening to know that they are
reasonably safe on Mount Martha, as
most of them are growing on park-
land, and that two reserves in the
park have been set aside principally
for their preservation.

April, 1974

REFERENCES

Costermans, L. F., Trees of Victoria,
Melbourne, 1970.

Forests Commission, Victoria, An Intro-
duction to Victorian Forest Trees,
Melbourne, 1961.

Forestry and Timber Bureau, Forest
Trees of Australia, Canberra, 1970.
Galbraith, J.,. Snow Gums That Left the
Snow, Wild Life, Melbourne, Vol. 16,

No. 3, 1952.

Kelly, S., Eucalypts, Melbourne, 1969.

Millett, M., Australian Eucalypts, Mel-
bourne, 1969.

Patton, R. T., Know Your Own Trees,
Melbourne, 1942.

Willis, J. H., A Handbook to Plants in
Victoria, Vol. 2, Melbourne, 1972.

107

Readers’ Nature Notes (continued)

White Ibis Rookery Near Benalla

In the “Victorian Naturalist” Vol.
78, 1962, a note has been sent in by
a reader which describes a _ small
White Ibis rookery 12 miles (20 km)
north-west of Benalla. This rookery
has been kept under close surveillance
over the past few years, but unfor-
tunately no nesting data has been
taken although rough approximations
have been made. The information be-
low is a summary of nesting data
gathered on the 11 November, 1973
and may interest some readers. Nests
listed are those that were being or had
been used (as indicated by fresh nest
stain) although many un-used nests
from previous years were seen. Num-
bers of eggs in nests and observations
on nest young are included. A count
of juveniles that had left the nest and
grouped on logs was made. Similarly
a count was made of the dead juvenile
ibis floating in the water, and in nests.
Only one abandoned nest was found,
this contained 3 dead down-covered
young. Of the eggs examined all were
approximately 4.1 cm by 6.5 cm
although one nest with two very long
thin eggs measuring 3.5 cm by 7.7 cm
was seen.

During the examination the juvenile
ibis were disturbed as little as possible
by using binoculars to count from a
distance, but often when nests were
grouped together on stumps and logs,
large feathered juveniles dropped into
the water at my approach. These
usually swam away a few metres and
climbed on to a branch or log. As
the observations were done alone it
was a very slow process wading in the
thigh deep swamp, so the water was
left every hour to allow parent birds
to resume nesting activities for
another half an hour.

108

@
<t
Summary of Observations:

1. 160 nests were examined, most of
which were situated on top of low
stumps. Some nests were built on logs
or in trees. One Ibis was observed on
a nest in a tree at a height of 8 metres
from the water.

2. 128 eggs were counted. All nests
contained three eggs or less, except
for three nests which contained four
eggs each.

3. The young ibis observed num-
bered 191. These were divided up as
follows: small down covered 53,
large down covered 27, small
feathered 42, large feathered 54,
juveniles away from nests 15.

Observations planned for the next
few years should throw more light on
the yearly cycle of this swamp. We
can see, though, a significant breeding
potential for a useful bird such as the
White Ibis. A rough approximation
for the increase in population from
the reproduction at this swamp stands
at about 300 individuals assuming a
mortality of about seven per cent.

Bill Osborne, 28 February, 1974
Benalla Field Naturalist Club

SUZANNE GRIGGS

How Aggressive are Butcher Birds?

A pair of Grey Butcher-birds is
frequently heard calling from the trees
which fringe the Reserve opposite our
home in the seaside suburb where we

live, and their delightful warbling can ~

be heard not only early in the morn-
ing, but also at frequent intervals
throughout the day.

Since the breeding season, their
number has increased to four. All of
them have been frequent visitors to
the trees in our garden, and are
pleased to accept scraps of raw meat

Vict. Nat. Vol. 91

ASE VG

Ara eS

Readers’ Nature Notes (continued)

thrown on to the back lawn, or to
peck at bones which have scraps of
cooked meat on them.

Butcher-birds, however, have a
much more sinister reputation where
other birds are concerned; particular-
ly in the case of small brids in nests
and others which unwisely poke their
heads out of cages. Fortunately, there
is some reason to believe that most of
the food of a Butcher-bird consists of
items such as insects and small lizards,
and that it is only on rather rare oc-
casions that they attack other birds.

However, it is true that many other
birds show a definite dislike of
Butcher-birds and harass them at
every opportunity. We have been
very interested to observe the re-
actions of the Butcher-birds when
they have been attacked by Red
Wattle-birds and, believe it or not,
by an Indian Turtle-dove. The tactics
of the attacking bird were usually to

land on a branch, obviously with
aggressive intent, so close to a
Butcher-bird that the latter was forced
to fly to a new position. The same
procedure was then repeated, perhaps
a number of times.

At no time did a Butcher-bird re-
talliate as a result of the unfriendly
treatment which he received, but
simply flew away or flew to a new
position on the same tree. Although
Butcher-birds are said to defend their
territory, an activity in which the
female participates, we are still won-
dering how aggressive Butcher-birds
are.

In the meantime, until we have
confirmation of their nasty habits,
Butcher-birds will be welcome in our
garden and we shall continue to enjoy
their pleasant warbling, not only
throughout the day but also through-
out the year.

A.E.B.

F.N.C.V. PUBLICATIONS AVAILABLE FOR PURCHASE
THE WILD FLOWERS OF THE WILSON’S PROMONTORY NATIONAL PARK,

by J. Ros Garnet.

Price $5.25, (discount to members); postage 20c.

VICTORIAN TOADSTOOLS AND MUSHROOMS, by J. H. Willis.

This describes 120 toadstool species and many other fungi. There are four
coloured plates and 31 other illustrations. Price 90c. Postage 1lc.

THE VEGETATION OF WYPERFELD NATIONAL PARK, by J. R. Garnet.
Coloured frontispiece, 23 half-tone, 100 line drawings of plants and a map.

Price $1.50.

Address orders and inquiries to Sales Officer, F.N.C.V., National Herbarium,

South Yarra, Victoria.

Payments should include postage (15c on single copy).

April, 1974

109

Part 2—Latin, Greek and Miscellaneous
[continued from 91 (2)]

by JAMES A. BAINES.

*Argemone. Gk name of a poppy-
like plant, from Gk argemon, cata-
ract, the plant once being reputed to
cure cataract of the eye. *A. mexi-
cana is Prickly Poppy.

Aristida. Lat arista, an awn, allud-
ing to the trifid awns. Victoria’s three
species are known as Wire-grasses and
Spear-grasses.

* Arrhenatherum. Gk arrhen, male;
ather, awn or beard of wheat or other
grain. Alluding to the awn of the male
flower. *A. elatius is False Oat-grass.

Arrhenechthites. Gk arrhen, male
(as above), prefixed to Gk _ erech-
thites, groundsel. The superseded
genus Erechtites (so-spelt) is now in-
cluded in Senecio. A. mixta (syn. S.
mixtus) is Purple Fireweed.

*Artemisia. Named by L. after
Artemis, Gk goddess of chastity ...
the common names of A. vulgaris,
Wormword, Lad’s Love and Old Man,
have odd relevance here! Our intro-
duced species is A. verlotorum,
Chinese Wormwood or Verlot’s Mug-
wort.

Arthrocnemum. Gk arthron, joint;
kneme, tibia or lower leg; the stems
being jointed. Victoria’s four species
are well known as Glassworts.

Arthropodium. Gk arthron, joint;
podion, a little foot; alluding to the
jointed pedicels. Our two species are
Vanilla Lilies.

*Arundo. *A. donax (Giant or
Danubian Reed) sometimes persists,
but is not really naturalized. Arundo
is the Lat word for reed. Four Vic-
torian native species formerly in-
cluded in Arundo are now Danthonia
(2), Phragmites and Poa spp.

110

*Asclepias. Gk asklepios was the
name of Milkweed and _ Butterfly
Weed, in honour of Asklepios, god of
medicine, who in Lat was called
Aesculapius. Some of the species were
used in medicine. Best-known of our
three introduced species is A. fruticosa
(syn. Gomphocarpus), Swan Plant,
which has become a favourite host
plant of Wanderer or Monarch but-
terfly larvae, the other two species
being known as Cotton-bushes.

*Asparagus. Gk asparagos, the
classical name for the edible species,
*A. officinalis, originally from the
Persian, becoming asparagus in Latin.
The less-accepted vulgar name,
Sparrow-grass, is another amusing
example of folk etymology (cf. Gal-
lant Soldier for Galinsoga, see Part 1).
The species well established in our
coastlands, *A. asparagoides, from
South Africa, is specifically named
‘asparagus-like’ because, although a
true Asparagus, it was previously re-
ferred to Myrsiphyllum then _ to
Medeola. Though not in the same
tribe of the Liliaceae as Smilax, it is
called smilax by florists, hence the
accepted common name, Smilax
Asparagus.

Asperula. Diminutive of Lat asper,
rough, an allusion to the rough stems
of the European species from which
the genus was named, *A. odorata,
Sweet Woodruff, which is now Galium
odoratum and is not naturalized here.
Only some of our nine native species
are rough-stemmed (see Willis),
eight of them known as woodruffs and
one as a bedstraw.

*Asphodelus. Gk asphodelos (ac-
cented on second syllable), the classi-

Vict. Nat. Vol. 91

sae

ee.

The Origin of Generic Names of the Victorian Flora’

2

cal name of the true Asphodel, which
name became Affodill in Old English,
corrupted to Daffodil by 1548, and
applied ever since to the genus Nar-
cissus (the asphodel of the poets),
which is in the family Amaryllidaceae.
The name Asphodel should be re-
stricted to species of Asphodelus
(Liliaceae), our introduced species,
*A. fistulosus, being known as Onion-
weed, Wild Onion or Asphodel. In
Greek legend the asphodel was the
most famous of the plants of the
underworld, Homer describing it as
covering the great meadow, the haunt
of the dead.

Aspidium. Gk aspidion, a_ shield,
referring to the indusium. Our shield-
ferns previously included in this genus
are now in Polystichum and Lastreop-
sis within the family Aspidiaceae.

Asplenium. Gk a-, not; splen,
spleen; a reference to this fern’s tra-
ditional use in treatment of ailments
of the spleen and liver, although
women were warned against it be-
cause it was reputed to cause barren-
ness. Many of these long-standing
beliefs in the curative properties of
plants were irrationally based on
fancied resemblances to the organs
concerned, supposedly put there by
the Creator for the guidance of man!
The common name Spleenwort is a
reminder of this pathetic fallacy. Gk
asplenon (family Aspleniaceae).

Astelia. Robert Brown named the
genus in 1810, adopting the name
given by Banks and Solander, who
collected the first species. Solander
probably coined the name from Gk
aster, a star, changing the r to an |
because Asteria would be confused
with the then existing generic name
Aster. (Flowers star-shaped.)

*Aster. Gk aster, a star, from the
shape of the flowers. Our introduced
species, *A. subulatus, is Aster-weed
or Shrub Aster. The genus is the

April, 1974

basis of the family name Asteraceae,
which is being increasingly used by
botanists who wish to bring out-of-
pattern names like Compositae into
conformity with the -aceae_ suffix
added to the generic name of a key
genus (cf. Lamiaceae for Labiatae,
Poaceae for Gramineae and Fabaceae
for the papilionaceous section of
Leguminosae more often now called
family Papilionaceae).

Asterolasia. Gk aster, star; lasios,
hairy, alluding to the stellate hairs on
the leaves, hence the common name
Star-bush for our three species.

*Asterolinon. Linnaeus named this
Mediterranean plant Lysimachia
linum-stellatum, but in 1820 it was
transferred to a new genus by Link
and Hoffmansegg, who translated the
Lat specific name, which means starry
flax, into Gk (aster, star; linen, flax,
also net). Naturalised only in the
Bendigo district.

Astroloma. Gk aster, star; loma,
fringe, referring to the hairs inside
the flower. Our three species are Pine
Heath, Flame Heath and Cranberry
Heath.

Astrotricha. Gk aster, star; thrix,
trichos, hair (trichos is the genitive).
The foliage and stems are ‘stellate-
tomentose’, hence the common name
Star-hair given to all our five species,
a literal translation of the generic
name.

Atherosperma. Gk _ ather, awn;
sperma, seed; in reference to the hairi-
ness of the seeds. A. moschatum is
Southern Sassafras, its specific name
being in allusion to the musky per-
fume.

Athrixia. Gk a-, no; thrix, hair;
some species being glabrous. Our
species, long known as A. ‘tenella,

Wirewort, is now A. athrixioides, be-
cause named Panaetia athrixioides by
Sonder and F. Mueller in 1853.

To be continued

111

Victorian Non-Marine Molluscs — No. 13

by

BRIAN J. SMITH,

Curator of Invertebrates,

National Museum of Victoria.

Austrosuccinea australis Ferussac, 1821

This very unusual land snail, which
lives in damp _ places in_ widely
scattered areas of the State and ap-
pears at first sight to be very similar
to a freshwater snail is one of the
biggest puzzles in the Victorian non-
marine mollusc fauna. The species is
puzzling for two reasons. Firstly it
appears to be able to survive and
thrive in a wide diversity of habitats,
over such an extended area. Secondly,
the family to which it belongs, the
Succineidae, is itself an enigma. Ex-
perts still do not agree about its re-
lationship to other groups and _ its
position in the classification scheme of
non-marine molluscs.

The shell is thin, fragile, often
transparent, horn colour reaching
about 7-9 mm in length (Figure ).
The spire is short and acute, with few
whorls, the body whorl being much
enlarged and comprising approxi-
mately 5/6 of the length of the
shell. The animal appears large and
flaccid but does not protrude far out
of the shell. The eyes are borne at the
tips of short tentacles. In most cases
large dark pigment blotches on the
mantle are visible through the shell of
the body whorl.

The species is usually found in
damp areas and found living close to
the ground on the undersides of thick
vegetation. In the very sheltered
coastal areas it is found associated
with a saltmarsh environment on the
landward fringe of the marsh. It has
been found in such environments in

112

localities such as Mallacoota Inlet,
Lake Reeve, Westernport and the
Glenelg River. It is also known from
similar habitats in South Australia,
New South Wales and ‘Tasmania.
However it has also been found far
inland in the Mallee and Wimmera in
damp environments.

Much more material and accurate
habitat data is needed of this very
unusual snail before it can be clarified
as to what factors control its distribu-
tion and survival or indeed whether
we have a single species or a group of
very closely similar but ecologically
distinct forms.

A. australis x 4

Drawing by Miss R. Plant

Vict. Nat. Vol. 91

Ecology of some Eucalyptus Woodlands
in the Holey Plains, Gippsland, Victoria

by

R. F. PARSONS* and G. W. CARR*

Introduction

Native vegetation is rapidly being
cleared all over Victoria, especially on
relatively flat terrain, even though in
many areas nothing is known of its
ecology or even its floristics. One
such area which may be cleared is the
northern part of the Holey Plains near
Rosedale (Figure 1), an undulating
sandy area of Crown Land whose
future is uncertain. The only avail-
able botanical data for the Holey
Plains area are the general floristic
lists of Beauglehole (1972; 1973),
which omit substantial parts of the
northern edge (such as the Eucalyp-
tus viminalis woodlands), and the
brief ecological summary of Thornley
(1972).

The northern and western edges of
the uncleared Crown Land of the
Holey Plains carry small fragments of
Eucalyptus viminalis var. racemosa
(Figure 1) woodlands. They are the
only surviving remnants of a formerly
widespread community. Going to-
wards the centre of the Holey Plains,
all these fragments rapidly give way
to the widespread E. nitida woodland
(Thornley, 1972).

In the present study, we describe
transects (area A in Figure 1) from
pure E. viminalis woodland through
an ecotone to “pure” E. nitida wood-
land, determining the vascular plant
species present and their relationship
to varying soil and elevation. These
results are then compared with those
from a briefer study of a very similar
area (area B in Figure 1) which
differs mainly in that Prteridium escu-
lentum (bracken) is much more pre-
dominant throughout the understory.

April, 1974

Such bracken-rich understories are
very common throughout the Holey
Plains. The reasons for this are dis-
cussed and the effect of bracken domi-
nance on other understorey species is
investigated.

Mean annual rainfall for both
study areas is about 63 cm (25 in.).
Other regional data is given by Thorn-
ley (1972). Elevation in both areas
ranged from 38.1 m to 70.1 m above
sea level.

Methods

A series of quadrats (6 m x 2 m)
were laid out along a number of line
transects, and the soil profile described
(by augering) and species cover deter-
mined in each quadrat. For area A
all 180 quadrats were within an area
300 m x 41 m. In area B 18 quadrats
were done in “pure” E. viminalis
woodland spread over about the same
altitudinal range as the first (lowest)
30 m of the transects in area A
(which also carried E. viminalis wood-
land), and 18 more were done in
“pure” E. nitida woodland at similar
altitudes to those of this community
in area A.

Determination of relative elevation
was made by dumpy levelling (area A
only), and soil pH of the surface
3 cm by C.S.I.R.O. soil pH test kit
(Inoculo Labs., Surrey Hills, Vic-
toria). The bulk of the work was
done in May 1973, with supplemen-
tary plant collections in December
1973. Consequently some spring an-
nuals may be omitted from the species
list.

*Botany Dept., La Trobe University, Bundoora,
Vic. 3083.

113

Results

All soils examined had A, horizons
of greyish brown to very dark grey
sand with organic matter, over A»
horizons of greyish brown to pale
brown sand. B, horizons were of pale
brown to light yellowish brown sand
faintly mottled with light grey patches.
At the lowest elevations in both areas
this continued unchanged to at least
140 cm except for a slight increase in
strength of colour. At higher eleva-
tions in area A, the B, horizon over-
lies a layer predominantly of fine and
coarse gravel (up to 6 cm diam.) of
rounded ironstone and quartz with
pink sand. The gravel layer overlies
reddish yellow sand (all colours are

146° 50’

Munsell colours of air-dry soil). At

high elevations in area B the By,
horizon grades into reddish yellow
sand at 100 cm, and sand continues
to at least 130 cm, becoming paler in
colour, with no gravel layers being
found. Surface soil pH was in the
range 6.0 to 6.5 throughout both
areas, except for the highest parts of
area A (pure Eucalyptus nitida)
where pH declined to 5.0 to 5.5.
Vegetation was eucalypt-dominated
woodland throughout. Going upslope,
the size of trees gradually decreased,
while composition of the _ tallest
stratum changed from pure E. vimi-
nalis to E. viminalis—E. nitida to
pure E. nitida (Figure 2). In the

Longford ___

arpa

38° 10’

Scale-Km

Fig. 1. Location of study areas A and B in the western section of the Crown Land
of the Holey Plains Block. Line marked with dashes shows boundaries of Crown
Land, dotted areas show Eucalyptus viminalis var. racemosa woodlands (after
Thornley 1972).

114 Vict. Nat. Vol. 91

understory in area A, Brachyloma
daphnoides was very common
throughout. Pteridium esculentum
was very common at low elevations
but became much less common at the
higher elevations, where Leptosper-
num myrsinoides became very promi-
nent (Figure 2). Imperata cylindrica
and Scirpus nodosus were confined to
the pure E. viminalis zone, and the
herbs Dichondra repens, Hydrocotyle
spp., Pterostylis concinna and P.
nutans became less common going
upslope. A number of sclerophyllous
shrubs, including Banksia marginata,
Bossiaea_ cinerea, Grevillea chryso-
phaea, Hibbertia stricta, Leucopogon
ericoides and L. virgatus were virtu-
ally confined to the highest elevations
under pure E. nitida.

All these shrubs were absent from
area B, where cover of Pteridium
esculentum throughout was usually
much higher than in area A. A num-
ber of herbs apparently absent from
area A occurred throughout area B,
including Chiloglottis reflexa, Hyperi-
cum gramineum and Themeda aus-
tralis. In area B, Leptospermum
myrsinoides was absent and Brachy-

loma daphnoides was rarer than in
area A.

The pure E. nitida zone in area B
lacked the diverse sclerophyllous
understory of this zone in area A. If
the two zones had occurred in identi-
cal physical environments, it could
have been argued that vegetation
differences between them were at least
partly due to a more severe fire his-
tory in area B, as suggested by its very
high Pteridium esculentum abundance.
However the higher pH of the pure
E. nitida zone in area B than in area
A, and the complete absence of a
gravel layer in area B soil profiles
raises the possibility that some vege-
tation differences may be partly due
to soil factors, so no detailed com-
parisons are attempted here.

In contrast, soils under the pure
E. viminalis zones in the two areas
appear very similar, as do the other
environmental factors. Under E. vimi-
nalis in area A, Pteridium esculentum
cover is usually less than 60%, and
falls as low as 5%, while in area B
it is usually greater than 90% and is
never less than 50%. Such a cover
difference in two very similar areas

Leucopogon virgatus
be 4

Leptospermum myrsinoides

Imperata cylindrica
+ a

ELEVATION (m)

a 4
200 400
61-0 122-0

SOIL DEPTH (cm)
[Seen ser Ens aaa
|

Eucalyptus nitida ars
Eucalyptus viminalis Gy)

-A_ Horizon

-B_ Horizon

Eui-Coarse gravel

Feet
183-0 244-0 Metres

DISTANCE ALONG TRANSECT

Fig. 2. A typical transect in area A, showing soils, relative elevation and the exact
location of the Eucalyptus viminalis, E. viminalis — E. nitida and E. nitida com-
munities, as well as the distribution of selected understory species. The direction in
going from the lowest end to the highest is south west.

April, 1974

115

may reflect a more severe fire history
in area B. If so, it is important to
know whether this has reduced the
plant species diversity of the com-
munity; that is, whether any species
have disappeared as the result of firing
itself or of the increased abundance of
P. esculentum which may ensue. In
fact, the average number of species
per quadrat in pure E. viminalis in
area A is 13 and of the same com-
munity in area B is 17 (average from
18 quadrats in both cases), so there
is no evidence whatever for a reduc-
tion of diversity in the bracken-rich
area.
Discussion

Obvious vegetation changes were
observed with increasing elevation. In
area A reduction in stature and change
in species composition of the tree
stratum was accompanied by changes
in the understory from Pteridium
esculentum — Brachyloma — daph-
noides dominance to Leptospermum
myrsinoides — B. daphnoides domi-
nance, while in general herbs de-
creased in importance and _sclero-
phyllous shrubs increased. In_ this
area, the lower elevations are likely
to be wetter than the higher ones due
to movement of water downslope
through the sand by gravitational
drainage. Nutrients may be carried
downslope in solution in the same
way, so that water, nutrients or both
may contribute to the observed vege-
tation changes. The changes in pH
and depth to gravel with altitude show
that soils are not uniform throughout
the sequence studied; there may be
significant changes in fertility even
ignoring the possible movement of
nutrients downslope. The increase in
sclerophyllous shrubs with altitude
suggests that fertility is more likely to
decline with increasing altitude than
the reverse.

A striking feature of the Holey
Plains is the very widespread occur-
rence of understories dominated by

116

very dense bracken. It can be argued
that these result from severe and/or
frequent fires as in other areas (Ash-
ton 1969), or that they are related to
particular levels of various site factors
like water and nutrients. The occasional
occurrence of bracken-poor communi-
ties like the E. viminalis zone of area
A on sites apparently identical to
bracken-rich ones (the E. viminalis
zone of area B) suggests to us that
fire is at least partly involved. In-
creased bracken dominance has not
reduced plant species diversity in the
E. viminalis area looked at here. How-
ever, assuming that fire may be in-
volved in producing bracken-rich
understories, a study is badly needed
of E. nitida areas which compares
bracken-rich stands with bracken-poor
ones on identical sites to see if fre-
quent firing has adverse effects on
diverse sclerophyllous understories
like those found under E. nitida in
area A.

Of the plant species recorded, the
presence in E. nitida woodland of an
undescribed species of Prostanthera
related to P. linearis deserves special
mention. This species is known only
from the Holey Plains, and was first
discovered by Beauglehole in 1972.
In addition, 200 m north of the north-
east corner of the Crown Land around
study area A, Eriocaulon scariosum
was found in a roadside ditch. This
is only the second record of this
species in Gippsland, and is a con-
siderable range extension (see Willis
1970).

Acknowledgements

Our co-authors are the Botany II
students at La Trobe University in
1973, whose interest and enthusiasm
made the work possible. We thank
A. Thornley, F. Noble, R. Russell,
D. Simmons and D. Cameron for
assistance.
APPENDIX 1 opposite:—
Reference list on page 118.

Vict. Nat. Vol. 91

Vascular plants found in the study
areas. Nomenclature follows Willis
(1970; 1972). Voucher specimens held
at La Trobe University Botany Depart-
ment Herbarium.

V = found in E. viminalis woodland.

M= found in E. viminalis — E. nitida
woodland.

N = found in E. nitida woodland.

T = found throughout all three com-
munities.

A = found in area A.

B = found in area B.

(If not specified then found in both.)

DENNSTAEDTIACEAE

Pteridium esculentum T.

POACEAE

Aira caryophyllea T, Danthonia (in-

cluding D. geniculata and D. setacea)

T, Imperata cylindrica V, Microlaena

stipoides T, Poa _ labillardieri M,

Themeda australis BVN, Vulpia bro-

moides BV.
CYPERACEAE

Carex sp. V, Lepidosperma concavum

T, Scirpus antarctica A, S. nodosus V.
CENTROLEPIDACEAE

Centrolepis strigosa A.
ERIOCAULACEAE

Eriocaulon scariosum (just outside

Crown Land in roadside ditch — see

text).
LILIACEAE

Burchardia umbellata T, Dichopogon

strictus T, Laxmannia sessiliflora AN,

Lomandra filiformis T, L. glauca T,

L. longifolia AV, BVN, Thysanotus

patersonii T, Tricoryne elatior AN,

Xanthorrhoea minor T.
ORCHIDACEAE

Acianthus exsertus T, A. reniformis T,

Calochilus sp. AN, Chiloglottis re-

flexa BVN, Diuris sp. T, Eriochilus

cucullatus T, Glossodia major T,

Pterostylis concinna T, P. nana T, P.

nutans V, P. parviflora AMN, P. re-

voluta T.

CASUARINACEAE

Casuarina littoralis AVM.
PROTEACEAE

Banksia marginata AN, B._ serrata

AVM,
AN.
LORANTHACEAE
Amyema pendulum AM.
DROSERACEAE
Drosera glanduligera T, D. planchonii
AMN.
CRASSULACEAE
Crassula sieberana BV.
FABACEAE
Bossiaea cinerea AN, Dillwynia_ gla-
berrima AN, D. sericea AN, Glycine

BVN, Grevillea chrysophaea

April, 1974

clandestina T, Gompholobium hue-
gellii AN, Hovea heterophylla AN,
Kennedia prostrata AMN, Platylobium
obtusangulum AM.
OXALIDACEAE
Oxalis corniculata AVM.
RUTACEAE
Correa reflexa AN.
EUPHORBIACEAE
Phyllanthus hirtellus T, Poranthera
microphylla BV.
RHAMNACEAE
Cryptandra tomentosa AN.
DILLENIACEAE
Hibbertia acicularis AVMN, H. stricta
AN

HY PERICACEAE
Hypericum gramineum BVN.
VIOLACEAE
Viola hederacea AM.
THY MELAEACEAE
Pimelea humilis T.
MYRTACEAE
Eucalyptus melliodora AVM, E. nitida
AMN, BN, E. viminalis var. racemosa
AVM, BV, Leptospermum myrsinoides
AMN, L. phylicoides AVM, BVN.
HALORAGACEAE
Haloragis sp. T.
APIACEAE
Hydrocotyle laxiflora T.
EPACRIDACEAE
Acrotriche serrulata AMN, BV, Astro-
loma humifusum T, Brachyloma daph-
noides T, Epacris impressa T, Leuco-
pogon ericoides AN, L. virgatus AMN,
Monotoca scoparia AMN.

GENTIANACEAE

Centaurium minus AVM, BVN.
CONVOLVULACEAE

Dichondra repens AVM, BN.
BORAGINACEAE

Cynoglossum suaveolens AV.
LAMIACEAE
Prostanthera sp. nov. AN.
SCROPHULARIACEAE
Veronica plebeia AVM.
RUBIACEAE
Opercularia varia T.
CAMPANULACEAE
Wahlenbergia stricta AVM, BVN, W.
tadgelliti AVM.
ASTERACEAE
Cirsium vulgare T, Conyza bonariensis
BVN, Cotula australis V, Gnaphalium
candidissimum BV, G. involucratum
V, G. japonicum BV, G. purpureum
BV, Helichrysum scorpioides BN,
Hypochoeris glabra T, Lagenophora
stipitata T, Leontodon taraxacoides T,
Microseris scapigera AMN, Senecio
lautus BVN, S. sp. AVM, BVN, Son-
chus oleraceus B.

117

Field Naturalists Club of Victoria

Secretary's Annual Report

1973-74

1973 has again been a reasonably satis-
factory year with a full programme of
general and group meetings and excur-
sions.

The Club Improvement Committee has
prepared a new publicity leaflet giving
information on the various groups and
has completed the revision of the Articles
of Association and By-Laws, but legal
delays have prevented these being ready
for adoption in 1974. ‘Miss Kathleen
Hall had virtually completed the monu-
mental task of preparing the subject in-
dex to “The Victorian Naturalist’ be-
fore her recent sudden death. The index
is now being typed and it is hoped to
have it published later in the year. It is
hoped also to re-issue “Ferns of Victoria
and Tasmania” which has been out of
print for some time but is still in
strong demand. Mr. Willis is at present
making the necessary corrections to the
old edition.

Bairnsdale Field Naturalists Club has
suggested that a National Park could be
established in the Genoa area as a
memorial to Norman Wakefield, and the
Club is giving this proposal its full
support.

On the debit side, lack of involvement
by members remains a problem, and
although the Secretary attended the re-
cent National Conservation Study Con-
ference in Canberra, the Club has had
no effective voice in the many conser-
vation issues which are of vital concern
to members. It is hoped to establish a
conservation group this year so that the
Club can play a more active role in these
issues in future.

We have been able to balance our
books this year only with the aid of
grants of $1,000 from the Victorian
Government, and $605 from the Ingram
Trust towards the cost of publishing
“The Victorian Naturalist’. With con-
tinuing rapid increase in prices, it seems
inevitable that subscriptions will have to
be increased fairly soon. Membership
has remained virtually static, increasing
by only eleven, to 777 members during
the year. An increase in membership
would assist substantially in offsetting
rising prices.

118

The secretarial procedures have been
greatly streamlined and most of the
routine work of running the Club is
now undertaken by Mrs. Pat Herman,
paid Assistant to the Secretary, without
whose capable help the system would
have broken down completely by now.
Nevertheless the Secretary still does not
have the time to give the Club affairs the
attention they deserve, and would be
happy to hand over to any member who
felt they could do a better job.

The Australian Natural History
Medallion for 1973 was awarded to
Edmund Gill who has had a long as-
sociation with the Club and has con-
tributed many articles to “The Victorian
Naturalist”.

In conclusion, we feel that although
there have been no outstanding achieve-
ments, the Club has continued to pro-
gress in 1973.

ROGER RIORDAN,

Honorary Secretary.

REFERENCES

Ashton, D. H. (1969). The effects of fire
on vegetation. In “Symposium papers
presented at a fire ecology symposium
held at Monash University, 3 May,
1969”. Forests Commission, Victoria.

Beauglehole, A. C. (1972). Holey Plains
floristic list including records of
Thompson and Galbraith. Land Con-

servation Council, Victoria. Unpub-
lished manuscript.
Beauglehole, A. C. (1973). Vascular

flora of eight areas in Holey Plains
and Stradbroke Blocks. Land Con-
servation Council, Victoria. Unpub-
lished manuscript.

Thornley, A. (1972). Report on the
south Gippsland study area (district
1). Land Conservation Council, Vic-

toria.
Willis, J. H. (1970). A handbook to
Vol. 1, 2nd ed.

plants in Victoria.
Melbourne University Press, Mel-
bourne.
Willis, J. H. (1972). A handbook to
plants in Victoria. Vol. II. Melbourne
University Press, Melbourne.

Vict. Nat. Vol. 91

Annual Meeting — /3 March

The attendance at the Annual Meeting
was considerably smaller than is usual at
general meetings; it is unfortunate that
so many usually regular attenders missed
hearing the President’s address. (Mr.
Kelly returned to the practice of some
of the earlier Club Presidents and spoke
about his own studies in natural history;
in this case beetles of the genus Paropsis.
He gave a most interesting insight into
the history of the study of the genus and
the complexities of its taxonomy.

Nominations for Council did not ex-
ceed the number of positions to be filled
and the following were declared
elected :—

President — Mr. Peter Kelly.

Vice-Presidents — Mr. Leigh Winsor,
Mr. Michael Coulthard.

Secretary — Mr. Roger Riordan.

Asst. Secretary —'Mrs. Margaret Cor-
rick.

Treasurer — Mr. Harry Bishop.

Asst. Treasurer — Mr. lan Cameron.
Editor — Mr. G. Ward.

Asst. Editor — Mr. G. Douglas.
Librarian — Mr. Jon ‘Martindale.
Asst. Librarian — Mrs. May Hampton.

Excursion Secretary — Miss M. Allen-
der.

Residual Council—'Mr. R. Gibson,
Mr. T. Sault, Dr. B. Smith, ‘Mr.
J. H. Willis.

At the opening of the meeting mem-
bers paid tribute to the memory of
Miss Kathleen E. Hall who died sud-
denly on 15 February. Miss Hall was
the daughter of Dr. T. S. Hall, Lecturer
in Zoology at Melbourne University.
She was herself a graduate of that Uni-
versity and spent most of her working
life as a teacher of Biology. Shortly
before her death she completed the
mammoth task of indexing the whole of
the Victorian Naturalist and prepara-
tions are in hand for this to be pub-
lished by the Club.

The President announced that the in-
augral meeting of the new Club Con-
servation Group would be held in the
Herbarium Hall on Wednesday, 10
April. Guest speaker will be Mr. Ross
Garnet who will speak on the history
of the F.N.C.V. in the conservation
movement in Victoria.

April, 1974

Exhibits at the meeting included some
microscopic green algae collected from
Lake Lonsdale; an Apanteles wasp; eggs
of the green Lace-wing and some Posi-
donia balls collected from the shore on
Flinders Island. Mr. Kelly also ex-
hibited some larvae of Paropsis beetles
in connection with his talk.

Speaker at the April meeting will be
Mr. Geoff Douglas of the Vermin and
Noxious Weeds Department.

Botany Group — 1/4 March

It was pleasing to see another good
attendance at this month’s Botany Group
meeting. The speaker, Mr. Bruce
Fuhrer, gave a most interesting talk on
“Some Plant Associations of Rushworth
Forest”; his slide collection included
some outstanding shots of the area at
peak flowering time, as well as close ups
of some of the more uncommon species.
Of particular interest were the photo-
graphs of the tiny ephemeral plants
which had flowered so prolifically during
the wet periods of 1973. Mr. Fuhrer
reported that the Forests Commission
had recently declared a square mile of
the area a Forest Park for the preserva-
tion of several rare species, including
Eremophila gibbifolia, Phebalium obcor-
datum and Stipa breviglumis. During
his study of the forest during the last
two or three years the list of plant
species recorded has been almost
doubled; it is apparent that Mr. Fuhrer’s
investigations and representations to the
Forests Commission played an important
part in the recognition of the area for
special conservation.

Two staff members of C.S.I.R.O. Can-
berra were present at the meeting and
appealed for assistance in their search
for records of the original vegetation of
the basalt plain between Melbourne and
Bacchus Marsh.

The Group’s excursion committee has
planned several trips for the forthcoming
months. Outings will be held on the last
Saturday of the month, beginning with
a trip to Westernport on 30: March. It
is planned to visit Green’s Bush in April
and Tonimbuk in ‘May. It is expected
that a weekend trip will be organised
for the spring.

It has been decided to cancel the
Group’s April meeting as it falls on the
Thursday evening prior to Good Friday.
Guest speaker at the meeeting on 9 May
will be Mrs. Winifred Calder who will
speak on some aspects of the vegetation
of the Westernport region.

119

Field Naturalists Club of Victoria

Established 1880

OBJECTS: To stimulate interest in natural history and to preserve
and protect Australian fauna and flora.
Patron:
His Excellency Major-General Sir ROHAN DELACOMBE, K.B.E., C.B., D.S.O.

Key Office-Bearers, 1973-1974.

President:
Mr. P. KELLY

Hon. Secretary: Mr. R. H. RIORDAN, 15 Regent St., East Brighton, 3187. 92 8579

Treasurer: H. BISHOP. Address Correspondence to National Herbarium, The
Domain, South Yarra.

Subscription Secretary: Mr. D. E. McINNES, 129 Waverley Rd., East Malvern, 3145.
Hon. Editor: Mr. G.'M. WARD, 54 St. James Road, Heidelberg 3084.

Hon. Librarian: Mr. J. MARTINDALE, c/o National Herbarium, The Domain,
South Yarra.

Hon. Excursion Secretary: Miss M. ALLENDER, 19 Hawthorn Avenue, Caulfield
3161. ($2. 2749.)

Magazine Sales Officer: .Mr. D. McINNES
Archives Officer: Mr. CALLANAN, 29 Reynards Street, Coburg 3058. Tel. 36 0587.

Group Secretaries
Botany: Mrs. M. G. CORRICK, 7 Glenluss St., Balwyn 3103. Tel. 857 9937.
Day Group: Mrs. J. STRONG, 1160 Dandenong Rd., Murrumbeena (56 2271).

Entomology and Marine Biology: 'Mr. J. W. H. STRONG, Flat 11, “Palm Court”,
1160 Dandenong Rd., Murrumbeena 3163 (56 2271). ;

Field Survey: Miss L. BARRACLOUGH, 4-7 Chrystobel, Cres., Hawthorn, 3122
Geology: Mr. T. SAULT.

Mammal Survey: Mr. R. J. GIBSON, 7 Cook Street, Abbotsford, 3067.
Microscopical: Mr. M. H. MEYER, 36 ‘Milroy Street, East Brighton (96 3268).

MEMBERSHIP
Membership of the F.N.C.V. is open to any person interested in natural history.
The Victorian Naturalist is distributed free to all members, the club’s reference and

lending library is available, and other activities are indicated in reports set out in the
several preceding pages of this magazine.

Rates of Subscriptions for 1973.

Ordinary -Memibers jog he Pe SC ai NS aah Ci Pai $7.00
Country "Members. 250.7 Be I $5.00
JolntwaMembens re: vake.w wayne oe tae wa eT ES Saat chen te nae $2.00
Junior Members (under I8 years) ... .... PR et ae ee et IE uo: ty g.5 $2.00
Junior, Memberssneceiving Niet. Nato a 208) a te A a $4.00
Subscribers ito. Viet. INat.. (Aust: sony) 28) ber ve. OS ee 2 ke en $5.00
Overseas Subscribers Gado Beek hergtne Wea enn RE Ae a she TG Beg Wen and $6.00
Affiliated? Societies. iis 0) a ee ee Ee ae er a eT A sce pete te $7.00
Supporting Members . ee ee er ss ols gS NOU)
Life Membership (reducing after 20 years) aa, ‘ ES Op Db i i Siar eee ene OLE ORO el

The cost of individual copies of the Vict. Nat. will be 45 cents 1 cents — overseas requests).
Full-time Students between 18 and 21 years pay at Junior Member rates.

All subscriptions should be made payable to the Field Naturalists Club of Victoria, and posted
to the Subscription Secretary.

Ga) JENKIN, BUXTON & CO. PTY. LTD., PRINTERS, WEST MELBOURNE

F.N.C.V. DIARY OF COMING EVENTS
GENERAL MEETING

Monday, 13 May — At National Herbarium, The Domain, South Yarra, commencing
at 8 p.m.

Speaker — Mr. Arthur Brook: “A Year in the Life of a Frog”.

New Members —

Ordinary:
Miss Ros Crompton, 1 Dunraven Ave., Toorak, 3142. Botany.
Mr. Alan G. Haintz, 37 Phillip Ave., Doncaster, 3108. Geology.
Miss Elizabeth Kerr, 6 Clifton St., North Balwyn, 3104. Botany and Geology.
Mr. Tim Thwaites, C/o Janet Clarke Hall, Royal Pde., Parkville, 3052. Mammal Survey.
Mr. Douglas Jinks, 11 Downes St., Strathmore, 3041.
Dr. Peter R. Milne, 1/278 Brunswick Rd., Brunswick, 3056. Mammal Survey and Botany.

Joint:
Mrs. Florence Ottrey and P. J. Otirey, 12 Baker St., St. Kilda, 3182.
Mr. D. R. Martin and Mrs. S. B. Martin, 14 Rangeview Ave., Chadstone, 3148.

Country:
Mr. John Scoles, Mr. Ian Scoles and Mrs. Joy Scoles, Harmony Lodge, High Camp,
via Kilmore, 3601. General.

GROUP MEETINGS
(8 p.m. at the National Herbarium unless otherwise stated)

Wednesday, 15 May — Microscopical Group Meeting.

Thursday, 16 May — Day Group. Bird Observing trip to Blackburn Lake. Leader,
Mr. Roy Wheeler. Bring lunch. Ringwood train leaves Flinders Street 10.53 a.m.
Meet at Blackburn Station 11.30 a.m.

Thursday, 23 May — F.S.G. Meeting in Conference Room, National Museum at
8.00 p.m.

Saturday, 25 May — Botany Group Excursion to Tonimbuk, transport by private
cars, final arrangements at May meeting.

Monday, 3 June — Marine Biology and Entomology Group meeting in Conference
Room, National Museum at 8.00 p.m.

Wednesday, 5 June — Geology Group.

Thursday, 6 June — M.S.G. Meeting at Arthur Rylah Institute, 123 Brown Street,
Heidelberg at 8.00 p.m.

F.N.C.V. EXCURSIONS

Sunday, 19 May — Macedon area. Coach leaves Batman Avenue, 9.30 a.m. Fare $2.30
bring lunch.

Sunday, 1 September to Sunday, 8 September — Kangaroo Island. This excursion
will start from Adelaide and includes motel accommodation on the Island on
D. B and B basis, day excursions and air travel between Adelaide and Kangaroo
Island at a cost of approximately $135. A group booking on the train leaving
Saturday evening can be arranged for those desiring it and a concession rate will
apply if sufficient members travel at this time. To obtain the concession it is
necessary to travel together on the forward journey but those wishing to extend the
holiday may return at a later date. A deposit of $25.00 should be paid to the
excursion secretary (cheques to be made out to “Excursion Trust”). Please check if
there are vacancies before sending any money.

122 Vict. Nat. Vol. 91

the
victorian
naturalist

Vol. 91, No. 5

8 May, 1974

G. M. Ward
G. F. Douglas

Editor:
Assistant Editor:

Contents

Articles:

More on Gippsland Worms.
By Brian J. Smith

F.N.C.V. Excursion to Warrumbungles.

By Jean Zirkler

The Blue Wren Saga

Features:

Readers’ Nature Notes

Origin of Generic Names of the
Victorian Flora.
By James A. Baines

Nature Notes from the Gold Coast.

Victorian Reptiles — No. 12.
By Hans Beste

Field Naturalists’ Club of Victoria:
General and Group Reports.

Country and Junior Clubs.

Front Cover:

The New Holland Mouse (Pseudomys
novaehollandiae). This little animal
was first recorded from Victoria in
May 1970, near Tyabb, 35 miles

south east of Melbourne.

May, 1974

124

126

138

134

136

143

138

145

150

The long-awaited report of the Land Con-
servation Council of Victoria on the Mel-
bourne Study Area has at last been published,
in two volumes. It went on sale early last
month. Those who wish to make submissions
to L.C.C. on matters relating to the report
have until the 18th June to lodge them.
Most groups in the club are looking at those
aspects of the report which concern their field
of study. It is hoped many members will
obtain copies of the report, and make sub-
missions on those areas with which they are
most familiar. The report can be obtained
from the L.C.C. Office, 464 St. Kilda Road,
Melbourne, for only $2. It is well worth the
price.

The first volume contains 444 pages of text
describing in general terms the public land
in the areas if covers, and their natural
history, together with comments on _ their
value and use. There are also extensive
sections on the resources of the area as a
whole, and the various demands being made
on Crown Land in this most populous part of
Victoria. The study area extends along the
coast from Lorne to Wonthaggi, while inland
it goes East to include the Thompson River
catchment then runs North as far as Avenel,
including the Eildon, Strathbogie, and Lod-
don districts.

The second volume is a book of maps. The
first map shows the extensive tracts of Crown
Land there are in the study area. The other
sheets present the population distribution,
geology, physiography, topography and rain-
fall, vegetation, recreation facilities, water
supply resources, and power distribution in
the area. This is the fifth report published
by L.C.C., and is without doubt the most?
important yet brought out.

It is of interest to note that among candi-
dates for the Senate election this month are
two standing as the Victorian Environment
Group. They are Mr. Keith Tarrant and Mr.
Paul Palmos. Mr. Tarrant is a Councillor of
both A.C.F. and C.C.V., and director of the
Port Phillip Environment Centre. Mr. Palmos
is administrator of the Seaford Foreshore
Committee.

123

More on Gippsland Worms

by BRIAN J. SMITH*

The recent article by Eve (Victorian
Naturalist, 91 pp. 36-38) on the pos-
sible effects on the ecology of South
Gippsland of the Gippsland Giant
Earthworm brought to light some
very keen and interesting observa-
tions. This species is a very unusual
earthworm, unique to this small
region of southern Victoria and I
thought it might be of interest to re-
mind members of some of the other
interesting facts about this species.

The Giant Gippsland Earthworm,
Megascolides australis was first de-
scribed by McCoy in 1878 from a
specimen collected by land surveyors
from the Brandy Creek district.

The worm is probably the largest
species in the world, specimens having
been recorded up to 6 feet (1.8 m)
in length. As noted by Eve, they
appear to favour damp soil and are
found close to the surface in winter
when the ground is wet; but going
deep in summer. They are amongst
the very few species of earthworms
which have a permanent burrow sys-
tem. One way their presence can be
detected is by the vibration and slight
sucking noises they create when pass-
ing through the burrow near the sur-
face of the soil. Most earthworms
form their burrows by ingesting the
soil in front of them but do not ap-
pear to re-use the burrow formed by
this activity.

Reproduction is also unusual in
this species. The behaviour during the
act of copulation has not been re-
corded as it probably occurs below
ground. However, the egg capsule laid
is very unusual as it is encased in a
tough dark brown chitinous outer

124

case. Capsules have been recovered
up to 2 inches (50 mm) long.

The following is an extract from
the original description in the Prod-
romus of the Zoology of Victoria
Vol. 1 — Decade 1 page 24:—

“On the first entry of the sur-

veyors into that paradise of land

selectors, the Brandy Creek district,
on the new Gippsland line of rail-
way, I received from them numer-
ous specimens of this gigantic
earthworm with queries as to
whether it were a snake or a worm,
etc. All of them, from the great
diameter of the digestive tube,
were almost like small membran-
ous sausage-skins filled with earth,
and from their great brittleness
each individual was usually re-
ceived divided into several pieces,
the broken ends of which con-
tracted strongly as almost to close
the wound, and decomposition set-
ting in so rapidly that very little of
the essential characters could be
made out. Although I have more
recently examined numerous per-
fect examples, both living and in
spirit, I cannot find any male or
female genital pores, such as are

SO conspicuous in Perichaeta, the

former between some rings on the

ventral surface in front of the

“cingulum”, and the latter behind

it.

“The living worms emit an
odour resembling that of creosote.
Like the ordinary earth-worms they
burrow in the earth, swallowing
the portion in front as they bore

*Curator of Invertebrates — National Museum of
Victoria.

Vict. Nat. Vol. 91

downwards, casting the portions

from which they have abstracted

the nutrient particles on the surface
of the ground, renewing the sur-
face by a kind of natural trenching
which tends to bury the surface
beneath a continual top dressing of
fresh soil from below.

“I have recently received from

Mr. Search several examples from

Queensferry of the oval, tough,

horny case or capsule, 2 to 3

inches in length, half an inch wide,

and terminated by a bunch of fila-
ments at one end, and a shorter
pointed extension at the other, in
which the young worm of this
species is enclosed, nearly agreeing
with that of the common earth-
worm of Europe, except in size.

These capsules are greenish and

translucent when fresh, but soon

become dark-brown and hard in
spirit.”

However, perhaps the most impor-
tant aspect of the biology and general
knowledge of this species from the
land utilisation and survival of the
species point of view is that although
this is a native animal unique to a
small area of Victoria and for which

we are famous all over the world, we
still have no idea of the population
size or distribution of this very un-
usual species. The original locality
and the locality quoted by Eve are
both north of Warragul while speci-
mens in the Museum collection are
from as far away as Loch and
Korumburra.

It would be very useful to have as
many authentic records of this species
as possible from many different locali-
ties to see if a complete picture can be
built up of the distribution of this
unusual animal.

Figure 1: Egg capsule of the Giant
Gippsland Earthworm showing the semi-
transparent wall through which the de-
veloping worm can be seen. Drawing by
Miss Rhyllis Plant.

An Item of Concern to You and the Club

Subscriptions for the year 1974 are due on 1 January —
It is now April, have you paid your subscription?

If you have, continue enjoying the Victorian Naturalist with the satisfaction
that you have helped by a prompt payment.

If you have not, please get to work and send that cheque or postal order for
your overdue subscription. The rates of subscriptions are on the back page of

this magazine.

Please post direct to The Subscription Secretary, Mr. D. E. McInnes,
129 Waverley Road, East Malvern, Vic., 3145.

May, 1974

125

F.N.C.V. Excursion to the
Warrumbungle Ranges, N.S.W.
August — September, 1973

by JEAN ZIRKLER

A party of 33 members left Mel-
bourne on 25 August, travelling north-
ward by coach with a short stop at
Shepparton by the lake, and passing
over the Murray River by the bridge
shared by road and rail at Tocumwal.
This was an ideal place for a stop for
the birdwatches, and there were items
of interest for naturalists in general.
Beautiful River Red Gums (Eucalyp-
tus camaldulensis) and a large pepper-
corn tree (Schinus molle) reputed to
be the oldest planted along the Mur-
ray, were admired. Through northern
Victoria the commonest eucalypts seen
were Grey Box (E. microcarpa), and
these were still dominant as we made
our way to Finley, our overnight stop.
An interesting note was made that in
this part of N.S.W. Yellow Box (E.
melliodora) often has the appearance
of being gum-barked, because of the
loss of box-type bark.

Daylight saving made it easy for
some to visit the new historical
museum at Finley, while others went
to the lake to watch birds (including
Eastern Swamp Hen, Black-faced
Cuckoo-shrike and. Crested Pigeon).
Before breakfast next morning several
keen enthusiasts returned to the lake
to make tape recordings of the Reed
Warbler and the calls of a surprising
number of other birds; the splendid
recording (by Rob Cross) being
played later to the other members of
the party.

The journey continued along
Newell Highway, with Grey Box still
prominent, and, towards Narrandera,
plenty of Murray Pines (Callitris colu-
mellaris), sometimes known as White

126

Cypress Pines. We made our lunch
stop among these native pines just
south of Ardlethan, where the botan-
ists put the time to good use finding
and discussing the varied species of
wildflowers. Still along the Newell
Highway, passing through a _ large
forest of Murray Pines, we became
excited by a gorgeous display of Wya-
long Wattle (Acacia cardiophylla)
growing in profusion along both road-
sides and blooming in masses across
paddocks; known and loved as a gar-
den specimen, this species has its main
habitat in this area, and it was not
surprising that we soon arrived in
West Wyalong, but not before we had
enjoyed a walk for quite some dis-
tance through this wonderful display
of Nature. Many other beautiful
flowering plants exist here, along with
patches of ironbarks and _ mallee
eucalypts.

We passed through Forbes, and on
to Parkes for an overnight stop. There
had been heavy and persistent rain,
and district roads were flooded in
parts, and a deep “lake” threatened to
prevent our inspection of the Parkes
Radio Observatory. This was a dip in
the road with water foaming as it
rushed through one flooded paddock
to another, complete with “Warning”
notice. One of our staunch helpful
members, shoes and socks removed
and trousers rolled high, was into it
without hesitation, to test the depth.
This convinced our otherwise cautious
driver that all was well, and he safely
took the bus through, with several
stranded car passengers as extra load.

This Australian National Radio As-

Vict. Nat. Vol. 91

aa] create

OND

tronomy Observatory is run by
C.S.I.R.O., Division of Radio Physics,
and is situated 15 miles from Parkes
in the Alectown district, on a 400-acre
site in the floor of a large valley
chosen because of the protection of
the surrounding hills from electrical
interference. It is concerned with in-
vestigations into the structure and evo-
lution of the universe. In a large
visitors’ display centre one hears a
recorded commentary on the purpose,
the workings, the performance and
research achievements up-to-date. The
64-metre radio telescope is the largest
in the Southern Hemisphere. A
framed Group Achievement Award
from N.A.S.A. to C.S.I.R.O. was in
recognition of the valuable help given
during four Apollo flights of the moon
exploration programme.

Next stop was the old gold-mining
town of Peak Hill at the site of the
open-cut mines, which look almost
terrifying in their size and depth.
Perched far down on the shaft wall
were about a dozen Blue Check
domestic pigeons! Another stop was
made to enjoy the native plants and
bird life of the Dubbo National Ar-
boretum, established many years ago
by George Althofer and other en-
thusiasts, who planted and cared for
species from many parts of Australia.
There were many species of Acacia,
Eucalyptus, Grevillea, Hakea, Pros-
tanthera, masses of Stypandra glauca
and Hardenbergia violacea, Calytrix
tetragona and Diuris sulphurea, and
the remarkable Hakea recurva, a West-
ern Australian species with very long,
strong, rigid spines, as well as many
other wildflowers. We were shocked
to be told later that this area has been
handed over by the N.S.W. Govern-
ment to the Taronga Park zoo as open
range for some of their animals (it is
to be hoped, only their native species).
Only a brief stop was made in the fine
inland city of Dubbo.

May, 1974

Proceeding along the Oxley High-
way few were prepared for the dra-
matic first glimpse of the Warrum-
bungles, the outline of which against
the late afternoon sky of a lovely
sunny day revealed the almost gro-
tesque structure of this unique range
of volcanic mountains. A stop was
demanded, and the photographers
really went into action. (Our attempt
to reach a Flora Reserve four miles
along a dirt road was defeated by a
flooded creek flowing fast and deep
across the road, with a tantalizing
glimpse of massed wattle blooms be-
yond.) Arriving in Coonabarabran,
the town nearest to the Warrum-
bungles and our base for the next
week, we passed the new Coonabara-
bran High School, built at a cost of
a million dollars, and there were other
signs that this town will develop much
further when more visitors know
about the tourist attractions of ‘the
ranges.

The next day we found that because
of the unusually great rain, flooding
of the access roads was inevitable, and
we were temporarily unable to travel
into the National Park. Club Presi-
dent, Peter Kelly, who had travelled
with his family in his own car, reached
Coonabarabran a day before we did,
and suggested that we should go out
along the Baradine Road, where wild-
flowers were plentiful. Hardenbergia
violacea in large masses of bright
purple was the first to catch the eye
at the roadside, with pink Boronia
ledifolia and B. glabra, both very
plentiful, Xanthorrhoea australis in
flower, Brachyloma daphnoides, Cala-
denia carnea and C. caerulea, Diuris
sulphurea, Grevillea floribunda, Hovea
lanceolata, Daviesia latifolia, Acacia
cardiophylla, A. spectabilis (Mudgee
Wattle), A. cultriformis (Knife-blade
Wattle), A. gladiiformis (Sword
Wattle), Indigofera australis var.
signata, Ricinocarpos bowmanii (Pink

127,

Wedding Bush, very different from the
Victorian Wedding Bush), Dampiera
lanceolata and _ Callitris endlicheri
(Black Cypress Pine). Later we
moved to the Narrabri road, where
again was seen a wonderful show of
species already listed, in glorious dis-
play of colourful flowers. Still most
conspicuous was the rich purple of
False Sarsaparilla or Purple Coral
Pea, in such large clumps climbing
trees and over shrubs, showier than
any of us had seen it before — what
a good wet season can do! Eucalypts
noted included E. crebra (Narrow-leaf
Ironbark), E. rossii (White Gum, also
known as Scribbly Gum, because when
the old red-tinted bark of these lovely
trees falls away the new bark is white
with scribbly markings) and E.
blakelyi (Blakely’s Red Gum). Ango-
phora floribunda __(Rough-barked
Apple-gum) was also noticed.

Our second day in Coonabarabran,
and still unable to go into the War-
rumbungle National Park, it was
decided to make a visit to the Sand-
stone Caves, again led by Peter Kelly.
The caves are located a short way in
from the Narrabri road, and the walk
along a track rich with wildflowers was
most enjoyable. Puffballs up to five
inches in diameter resembling cattle
dung were quite common on this trail.
Among the plants observed were
Prostanthera saxicola (Rock Miuint-
bush), Pimelea curviflora, Hybanthus
monopetalus, much more of the most
attractive Pink Wedding Bush,
Boronia ledifolia and B. glabra, Blood-
woods, native pines and Macrozamia
sp. (the last-named quite stunted).

The sandstone caves are deeply
gouged out caverns in a large outcrop
of sandstone in intriguing forms and
patterns, and showing almost brilliant
colours. They would make a splendid
shelter for wallabies and other ani-
mals. Young members enjoyed pass-
ing through a “tunnel” from one cave

128

to the next. Added to our plant list
here were Leptospermum _trivalve,
Olearia microphylla, | Cryptandra
amara, Melichrus urceolatus (Urn
Heath), Cheilanthes tenuifolia, Bur-
Saria spinosa, Acrotriche rigida, Dam-
piera sp. and Blanket Fern. A Purple-
backed Wren was seen, and a Wedge-
tailed Eagle was watched soaring.

The afternoon was spent fossicking
for gemstones (opals, black jasper)
and petrified wood at Tooraweenah,
near the junction of the Mendooran
road with Oxley Highway, but this
was a rather fruitless search, only a
few small specimens of good quality
jasper and some petrified wood being
found. At night a few members of
the party joined a group from the
New England University (on nature
and art courses in the Warrum-
bungles) at a lecture in Coonabara-
bran Shire Hall by Professor John Le
Gay Brereton on zero population
growth.

The next day, 30 August, the flood-
waters had receded sufficiently to
allow our vehicle into the Warrum-
bungle National Park. The Warrum-
bungle Range rises very abruptly and
ruggedly from otherwise featureless
plains (except that it is linked to the
south-east with the Liverpool Range,
an outlier of the Great Dividing
Range). It supports flora and fauna
from both the dry western plains and
the moist east coast. Geologically in-
tensely interesting, it is an ancient
volcanic centre, active 13 million
years ago, and what we see now are
great dramatic spires and domes of
trachyte. Volcanic features from with-
in the Park include dykes in vertical
sheets of igneous rocks exposed by
erosion. One spectacular example is
a high natural wall (300 feet) only
10 feet thick known as the Bread-
knife (an irresistible challenge to
climbers until a ban was imposed to
protect this unique feature for all

Vict. Nat. Vol. 91

le eee

time) — it is a powerful magnet for
all fit walkers. Other impressive vol-
canic plugs are Belougery Spire and
Crater Bluff. Wind and weather have
eroded away most of the surrounding
cones, leaving these solid plugs as
mighty vertical pillars towering high
towards the sky. Crater Bluff, Needle
Mountain, Tonduron Spire and others
are all cones of old volcanoes.

From Camp Pincham (the Park
headquarters — Ranger, information
centre, kiosk, camp facilities), we
took a short walk that was confined
to the immediate precincts, as Wom-
belong Creek, wide and fast-flowing,
prevented our going further afield.
Here we sighted Maidenhair Fern
(Adiantum aethiopicum) for the first
time on this trip, Blanket Fern (Pleu-
rosorus subglandulosum), Pimelea
petraea, Tree Violet (Hymenanthera
dentata), Eucalyptus blakelyi and E.
camaldulensis, Acacia buxifolia and
A. armata, A. cultriformis, Pimelea
microcephala and fine specimens of
River Oak (Casuarina cunninghami-
ana). We were delighted to see Red
Kangaroos here. Lunch was taken
under Split Rock, after having moved
on to Canyon Camp.

A good walk of two-and-a-half
miles followed, during which were
noted Sydney Golden Wattle (Acacia
cunninghamii), Golden Everlasting
(Helichrysum bracteatum), Homor-
anthus flavescens (with its strange
green flowers in clumps), Austral
Bear’s-ear (Cymbonotus lawsonianus ) ,
Podolepis longipedata, Acacia deal-
bata, Kurrajong (Brachychiton popul-
neus), Blunt Greenhood (Prerostylis
curta), known as Green Goblins in
N.S.W., Drooping Cassinia (Cassinia
arcuata), Grevillea ramosissima, Bert-
ya gummifera (with male and female
flowers on same bush, and greenish
berries ripening at top of stem first),
masses of Pultenaea foliosa, Indigo-
fera australis var. signata, again the

May, 1974

magnificent Hardenbergia voilacea,
Eucalyptus rossii (dominant), Five-
corners (Styphelia triflora), Wedge-
leaf Hop-bush (Dodonaea cuneata)
and Ruby Urn-heath (Melichrus
erubescens). All of these shrubs and
lowly plants, and more, were in
flower, aided in their striking beauty
by the rocky ravines, sheer cliffs of
rock and fast-running streams.

On Friday, 31 August, our second
day in the park, the main object was
to do some mountain climbing, to the
Breadknife and the High Tops, and it
proved to be just as invigorating and
strenuous as expected. We went by
way of the Pincham Trail, on which
everything has been done to make
walking and climbing as easy as
possible by well-defined wide path-
ways. Spirey Creek was running very
fast, wide and deep in some parts,
shallower in other places, and it was
at these places that the path made
frequent crossings of the creek by
means of stepping stones or logs
bridged between banks. Negotiating
some of them was rather disconcerting
to some of the female members; but
never worry, for here the intrepid
male members, perhaps again shoes
and socks off and trousers rolled up,
gave a helping hand to those who
feared what could have been a good
wetting. All was well, and fortunately
the higher we climbed the narrower
and shallower the creek became. Be-
tween crossings there was plenty to be
seen — kangaroos, a few koalas, and
birds everywhere. (This report makes
little mention of the bird life, as a full
bird list for the various places visited
throughout the trip, compiled | by
Dorothy Dawson, will be printed at a
later date.) Among the trees and
shrubs were a group of Grass Trees
(Xanthorrhoea australis) in flower,
Acacia caesiella (a wattle new to us,
which varies in size from a _ small
shrub to a small tree, has l-veined

129

phyllodes, abruptly hooked at the tip,
and covered with a very fine, bluish-
white pubescence), Asterolasia hexa-
petala, Correa reflexa, Clematis micro-
phylla and C. glycinoides, Exocarpos
cupressiformis, Showy Violet (Viola
betonicifolia), Common _ Everlasting
(Helichrysum apiculatum) and Snow
Gum (Eucalyptus pauciflora) .

At Spirey View Lookout some good
specimens of orchids -were found:
Caladenia patersonii, Thelymitra aris-
tata, Acianthus reniformis and Ptero-
stylis mutica. There was a _ lovely
show of Phebalium ralstonii and Dar-
ling Pea (Swainsona galegifolia), also
S. oroboides, and masses of Dillwynia
retorta. Actinotus forsythii was
noticed, but it was not in flower, Pul-
tenaea spinosa and Hovea longifolia.
After stiff climbing most stopped at a
lookout point (Sreng Bos) for a
breather and photographs (there are
seats of logs and stones, with a view
up left to Belougery Spire and to the
Breadknife up right). The climb from
there on was through native pines,
cherry ballart and eucalypts, past the
Dagda Gap turn-off, up to Lugh’s Gap
hut (one of the many names from
Celtic mythology given to features in
the national park). Close up, The
Breadknife was most impressive; after
resting there at its base, there was a
further climb to the Grand High Tops
to reach an extensive view. We won-
dered whether the two trees standing
silhouetted on the summit of The
Breadknife were Kurrajongs or native
pines. On the return walk, some
clambered over a rocky scree to have
a closer look at a Rusty Fig (Ficus
rubiginosa), one of the few survivors
of an earlier rain forest vegetation
when the climate was much wetter.
A big Grey Kangaroo stopped as
though petrified, not Knowing in
which direction to leap away, with
people on the track above and below.
Later, from the bus on the way out of

130

the park, several groups of wallabies -—-

were watched, including a mother
with her joey, in grassy paddocks and
along a creek. Most members of the
party arrived back in Coonabarabran
more than ready for a hearty meal;
after which some visited the Shire
Hall for the exhibition of paintings
done in the Warrumbungles by mem-
bers of the University of New Eng-
land courses who had joined the art
group rather than those for geology
or botany. It was a pleasure to meet
again Veronica Parry, the American
researcher on the behaviour of kooka-
burras (who gave a talk on them to
the F.N.C.V. before her successful
book on these birds was published);
now married to an Australian, and
lecturing on ecology at that university.

Saturday, 1 September was our
third and last day in the Warrum-
bungles. Again favoured by beautiful
weather, we paid a visit to Quinlan’s
Lookout, where one takes in a won-
derful view of the whole volcanic sys-
tem. The highest peak, now called
Mt. Exmouth (formerly Wambelong),
is 3,954 feet above sea level, but the
flooded road leading to the track up,
and the delay in reaching the park,
meant we were unable to visit this key
point of the Warrumbungles. (The
peak named Mt. Exmouth by Oxley
in 1818 is the most westerly height,
now known as Mt. Bullaway; he
named the mountains “Arbuthnot’s
Range”, later superseded by the
aboriginal word Warrumbungle, said
by some to mean small mountain, and
by others crooked mountain.) Crater
Bluff, Bluff Mountain and Bluff Pyra-
mid are separate features, as are
Belougery Spire and Belougery Split
Rock. Siding Spring Mountain stands
out because of the silvery (40-inch)
telescope building on its summit. The
150-inch telescope now being erected
will be the largest in the Southern
Hemisphere. Tonduron Spire is the

Vict. Nat. Vol. 91

most southerly feature, and Timor
Rock the most easterly.

At Quinlan’s Gap we were delighted
to see a forest of Tree Hovea (Hovea
lanceolata), White Box (Eucalyptus
albens) and Mountain Grey Gum
(E. cypellocarpa, called Spotted
Mountain Gum in N.S.W.). Daviesia
ulicifolia was also seen.

We moved out of the ranges and
up the road into the Pilliga Scrub,
dense with trees and shrubs. This is
a huge area, but the part we entered
was dominated by Angophoras, with
much Acacia spectabilis and A. gladii-
formis. One member reported seeing
a Blue-faced Honeyeater feeding
young at nest. Other plant species
noted included Acacia decora, Isopo-
gon petiolaris, Hibbertia stricta, Silky
Geebung (Persoonia sericea), Leuco-
pogon attenuatus, Acacia polybotrya
and a trailing Goodenia. One plant
that puzzled us was later identified as
a species of Philotheca, a genus not
found in Victoria. In other parts of
the Pilliga Scrub the dominants are
Callitris and Casuarina.

Sunday, 2 September we set out for
Wellington by a different route, pass-
ing through Mendooran and Goonoo
State Forest. Again a few exciting road-
side stops, lured by the dense bush and
vibrant colours. Some plants not yet
listed were added here, such as Cassia
nemophila, a prostrate Wahlenbergia,
Turkey Bush (Myoporum deserti),
Eriostemon myoporoides and a lovely
Phebalium stenophyllum (plenty of

it). There were also quantities of
Prostanthera_ rotundifolium, Indigo-
fera australis var. signata, Purple

Dampiera, Acacia spectabilis (lining
both sides of the road), Eucalyptus
crebra and native pines. It was en-
joyable to walk into a large stand of
Spur-wing Wattle (Acacia triptera),
in spite of its rigid, prickly nature; so
far as is known, this occurs in Vic-
toria only in the Warby Ranges, and

May, 1974 |

only a few specimens at that. A
species of Phyllanthus and Grevillea
triternata were also seen. We passed
through Dubbo, and proceeded along
the Mitchell Highway to Wellington,
reaching there in mid-afternoon, in
time for a quick visit to Wellington
Caves.

These are fossil caves, and impor-
tant because they were discovered in
1830 when Sir Thomas Mitchell,
surveyor-general, made a collection of
fossil bones, which he sent to Pro-
fessor Richard Owen at the Hunterian
Museum, London. Owen, after study-
ing the bones, published the first re-
port of the extinct marsupial fauna of
Australia — the first systematic de-
scription and illustrations of the Di-
protodon australis, the earliest figure
of the characteristic pre-molar tooth
of the Marsupial Lion (Thylacoleo
carnifex), and also a record of the
fact that the Thylacine or Tasmanian
Wolf (Thylacinus cynocephalus) pre-
viously existed on the mainland.
(Much later the first full skeleton of
Diprotodon was found at Lake Calla-
bonna, South Australia.) The animals
have been preserved in red earth de-
posits of limestone coloured with oxide
of iron. Mitchell’s Cave is no longer
open to the general public, but the
Cathedral and Gaden Caves are. A
nearby enclosure (alongside a large
aviary) is almost entirely covered
with docks, horehound and nettles —
hardly a natural environment for the
kangaroos and wallabies it contains!

Next morning, 3 September, after
having a look at the Bell River near
its junction with the Macquarie (it
was in high flood recently), we met
by arrangement, Mr. George Althofer
(formerly of ‘“Nindethana” native
plants nursery at Dripstone, but who
now lives in Wellington). He and his
brother and other helpers have since
1964 planted in the Burrendong Ar-
boretum, near the shores of the lake

131

formed by the Burrendong Dam at the
junction of the Cudgegong River with
the Macquarie, 34,000 native plants
from many parts of Australia (includ-
ing 12,000 N.S.W. plants). It was
remarkable to see in one area no
fewer than 200 species of Acacia, 90
species of Hakea, and 45 species of
Prostanthera. (P. cruciflora was re-
cently described as a new species by
J. H. Willis, the specific name being
suggested by Mr. Althofer.) The
many Grevillea species are not so
close together, as they need a variety
of micro-habitats.

One of the most interesting plants
shown to us was Kennedia retrorsa,
which, lost to science for over 100
years, was rediscovered in the Widden
district and is now doing well here.
George and Peter Althofer were
pleased when a number of _ the
F.N.C.V. visitors, during lunch at the
picnic ground beside the lake, paid
subscriptions to join the Burrendong
Arboretum Association as an _ en-
couragement of a job well done. There
has been much discouragement, as the
N.S.W. Government originally pro-
claimed a Burrendong National Park
and then revoked it, and the Althofers
and others had fought for two years a
proposal to construct a road (for more
direct access to the National Fitness
Camp on the lake shore) right through
the planted area of the Arboretum —
it is good to know that a decision has
now been made not to proceed with
this damaging scheme. Brown Tree-
creepers, White-winged Trillers and
Hooded Robins had added to the in-
terest here; but we indulged a different
kind of interest during an afternoon
visit to the historic old gold-mining
town, Stuart Town, almost, but not
quite, a ghost town. It was at one
time known as Ironbark, and is en-
shrined in the well-known poem by
Banjo Paterson, ‘““The Man from Iron-
bark”. We _ pressed on, through

132

Euchareena (where Bosches Creek
Flora Reserve has just been estab-
lished) and on to Orange for a brief
stop in the public gardens, and on to
the historic city of Bathurst.

We had time to inspect the faith-
fully and proudly preserved humble
home of former Prime Minister Ben
Chifley, the monument to the dis-
covery by Evans of the Bathurst
Plains, and the plaque in Caddy Park
commemorating the terminal point of
the only inland journey made by
Charles Darwin during his visit to
Sydney in January, 1836.

Tuesday, 4 September, was spent
travelling to Canberra via Cowra,
where a visit was paid to the War
Memorial Cemetery, where Austra-
lians and Japanese lie in adjacent
areas . . a reminder of the fanatical
“break-out” of soldiers and airmen
from the P.O.W. camp there. Many
Japanese tourists visit this place.
Lunch was taken at Boorowa, beside
the swimming pool and park, then the
coach took us on through Yass into
the Australian Capital Territory, ar-
riving in Canberra in time to drive up
the slopes (still clothed with wild-
flowers and native trees) of Mount
Ainslie. From the lookout on the
summit a splendid view of the layout
of the city and suburbs is obtained,
including the War Memorial Museum
and the unique All Saints’ Church,
both of which were also visited.

The following day we went out via
Mt. Stromlo and Casuarina Sands,
with views of snow on the Brinda-
bella Ranges, past the tracking station
of the Tidbinbilla Deep Space Com-
munication Project, and into Tidbin-
billa Nature Reserve, which with its
wonderful plans for the conservation
of fauna and flora is very impressive.
Since its beginning in 1936 the re-
serve has been extended to an area of
13,620 acres, so it now covers the
whole of the Upper Tidbinbilla Val-

Vict. Nat. Vol. 91

ental stip : pied oA

ley. Brushtail and Ringtail Possums,
Greater, Sugar and Pigmy Gliders and
Swamp Wallabies are known to exist
here. But it has been necessary to re-
introduce Emus, Red and Grey
Kangaroos and Koalas (kept in large
fenced areas). Wombats, Spiny Ant-
eaters, Grey Kangaroos and Red-
necked Wallabies graze in the open
grassy parts in early morning and
evening. In the fern gullies the Superb
Lyrebird may be seen and _ heard.
Water birds are protected by fenced
enclosures, happy with their lagoon
and natural habitat.

There is much of geological interest
too within the reserve, but, quite
rightly, no hammering or disturbance
of rocks is allowed. The Tidbinbilla
area was covered by shallow seas
about 450-500 million years ago (Or-
dovician period), but was lifted by
volcanic action above sea level to
form land. Further volcanic erup-
tions, glaciers and earthquakes, and
processes of erosion, have given us
what we have today. This is only a
small part of the full story (folders
are available in the information centre
about the geology, the nature trails,
and the general data on the park, and
we also heard a recorded commentary,
illustrated by colour slides, on the bird
life). Native trees and flowers all
abound here, and the areas formerly
devoted to cattle and sheep-raising are
being brought back as far as possible
to their pristine appearance.

Canberra Botanic Gardens was the
venue for the afternoon. These gar-
dens are entirely devoted to native
Australian species, from all States,
and the lower slopes of Black Moun-
tain have been transformed, even to
the remarkable achievement of con-
verting a watercourse of dry sclero-
phyll vegetation into a moist rain-
forest environment to enable the
growing of subtropical and _ even
tropical species of shrubs, orchids and

May, 1974

ferns; this is done by a piped misting
system that regularly and _ auto-
matically showers the plants with the
moisture essential to their survival.
Walter Burley Griffin’s original plan
for the gardens was to establish them
near the lake, with representation of
the world’s flora on a continental sub-
division basis, but the present gardens
are a great improvement on that con-
cept. There is a herbarium and a new
botany building, and it is to be hoped
that a new up-dated “Flora Austra-
liensis” may eventually result from
work done by Canberra botanists. The
information centre, adjoining the her-
barium, is playing a worthy educa-
tional role, set up to be helpful where
and whenever needed, including
school visits.

On Thursday, 6 September, before
leaving Canberra, a visit was paid to
historic St. John’s Church, built by
Robert Campbell of Duntroon, in the
grounds of which lies buried Viscount
Dunrossil, a former Governor-
General. Of special interest to natura-
lists was a tablet in the church to the
memory of Robin John Tillyard, the
famous entomologist whose book,
“Insects of Australia and New Zea-
land”, was the standard text until the
C.S.1.R.O. published “Insects of Aus-
tralia” in more recent years. The
journey back to Melbourne, via North
Albury (where an overnight stop was
made) is too well-known to require
any description, but a short visit was
made to the War Memorial hill-top
at Albury to view the extent of the
flooded Murray River, the course of
which was hardly distinguishable be-
cause of the formation of the vast
temporary “lake”. Despite a flooded
access road, a number got wet feet
walking over to the “Hovell Tree”, a
River Red Gum inscribed by William
Hilton Hovell on 17 November, 1824
— Hume Inn opposite completes the
duo, Hume and Hovell.

133

Readers Nature Notes

Mrs. Ellen Lyndon of Leongatha in
Victoria has sent these notes on fungi.

Some Fungi Notes

The mild and moist conditions of
late spring, 1973, stimulated the fruit-
ing of some of the larger fungi. In
the middle of November some fine
specimens of the Fly Agaric were
noticed under conifers at Koonwarra.
Perhaps this Amanita pops up when-
ever conditions are right for it.
Mr. R. D. Lee, writing in the Vic-
torian Naturalist of April, 1961, re-
corded these toadstools in hundreds
at Shoreham, as late as 10 December.

On 17 November, at Bear Gully
near Cape Liptrap, we found many
large clumps of Pleurotus nidiformis
sprouting from the butts of dead and
dying Coast Banksias (B. integrifolia).
A cluster of these luminous toad-
stools was collected for later inspec-
tion in the darkroom. Half a dozen
medium-sized fungi, branching from
a common base, provided a useful
torch. Their illumination was suffici-
ent for us to distinguish objects in the
room and to recognise pictures on the
walls. Perhaps someone can tell us
if our Ghost Fungus is confined to
Australia? I can find no mention of
luminous’ properties among _ the
Pleurotus of other lands, although
America seems to have a Clitocybe
that warrants the common name of
“Jack-o-Lantern Fungus’’.

Up on the Bogong High Plains, on
26/27 January, 1974, on snow plains
unaffected by heat or drought this
summer, the handsome red and black
Stinkhorn, or Starfish Fungus (Aseroé
rubra), was much admired and photo-
graphed. Its namesake odour is not
apparent in the open air; the plant
needs to be hatched from the egg
stage in a confined space like a tent

134

to derive the full benefit from its
flavour. Our party saw at least six
of them, some at each stopping place,
which indicates that this is a very
good year for Aseroé, for we must
have missed many more. They were
robust specimens, loaded with several
species of flies, so that much of the
malodorous spore-bearing mucus was
removed by early afternoon. The
curling red arms varied in numbers
from six to eight pairs.

Again the question arises. Are our
strange and beautiful Stinkhorns con-
fined to Australia? Lilian Hawker in
“Fungi” partly answers this question.
She mentions a few species that occur
occasionally in Britain that were prob-
ably introduced with the soil on plants
imported from the Southern Hemis-
phere, naming Clathrus, Aseroé and
Dictyophora. Can anyone add to
that?

More on Caper Whites

Dr. Eric Sims of Adelaide, South Aus-
tralia, makes some comments on an
earlier note published in these columns.

Jean Galbraith’s note in the Vic-
torian Naturalist 90 (1974) about the
numerous Caper White butterflies
(Anaphaeis java teutonia) that were
seen in the Warby Ranges and at
Power’s Lookout in October 1973,
prompts me to report that my wife
and I saw this species, in larval, pupal,
and adult stages, in considerable num-
bers on 18 November 1973 whilst
motoring from Hay to West Wyalong
in New South Wales. The larvae and
pupae were using Apophyllum
anomalum as their host tree. This is
a small tree with almost leafless
branches rather resembling Exocarpos

Vict. Nat. Vol. 91

aphyllus, although not so intricately
twiggy as the latter, and not, of
course, botanically related to it. Ac-
cording to Anderson (1968) and the
Australian Encyclopaedia (1965) A.
anomalum is variously known as “cur-
rant bush’, “warrior bush’, or “mus-
tard bush”. It is widely distributed
throughout the Western Plains of New
South Wales, as defined in the map
in Anderson’s book, and is one of the
genera of the family Capparidaceae so
it presumably is as suitable a host
tree for the Caper White larvae as are
the various species of Capparis, the
genus in our arid inland that is the
usual favourite.

Some of the Apophyllums were in
flower so we were able to appreciate
that they are dioecious, the fragrant
little yellow flowers of the female
trees manifesting the stalked ovaries
(gynophores) typical of the family.
After we had realised that the trees
were heavily infested with the butter-
fly larvae, we then became more keen-
ly aware as we drove on that virtually
every Apophyllum tree we subsequent-
ly saw for many miles had a halo of
adult Caper Whites fluttering around
them, indicating a very healthy “birth-
rate:

As Jean Galbraith points out, it is
curious that Caper White butterflies
migrate in such large numbers to
areas where there are likely to be no
suitable host trees for their eggs and
larvae. However, our observation
suggests that the butterfly may be able
to use other genera within the family
Capparidaceae for these purposes.
Various genera of this family, like
some other related families in the
same botanical Order such as Cruci-
ferae (Brassicaceae) and Resedaceae
(the mignonette family), produce
mustard oil glycosides in their meta-
bolism. This presumably explains one
of the popular names of Apophyllum
anomalum, and also suggests that the

May, 1974

Caper White favours this family be-
cause its larvae can tolerate these
substances. Moreover, any _ such
chemical substances that the larvae
ingest are likely to remain in the adult
butterfly after metamorphosis, thus
rendering it unpalatable to predators
(Brower, 1969), which obviously
would have survival value for the
species. Indeed, one therefore sus-
pects that the Caper White could, if
necessary, use various crucifers and
mignonettes, which produce similar
mustard oils, as hosts if necessary. In
this regard it is perhaps significant
that the cabbage white butterfly
(Pieris rapae) which is in the same
family (Pieridae) as the Caper White,
does use these host plants, whilst
another northern butterfly of the same
family, the Chalk White (Elodina
parthia) is also adapted to trees of
the Capparis genus (McCubbin,
1971).

However, I assume that if Caper
White larvae had ever been found on
plants of these other botanical fami-
lies, the fact would be well docu-
mented by now, but certainly our ob-
servation would suggest that the Caper
White is not confined to just the
genus Capparis.

Incidentally, the Australian Ency-
clopaedia states that there are six
genera of the family Capparidaceae,
comprising 35 species, indigenous to
Australia, even including some native
cleomes, so the Caper White could
have quite a choice if it did not fancy
a crucifer! Nevertheless, in Adelaide
we have seen their larvae only on the
large specimen of Capparis mitchelli
in our Botanic Gardens on North
Terrace.

The writer would be interested to
hear of other readers’ observations,
and would also be very interested to
know if the Caper White appears to
be unpalatable to most birds because

continued on page 137

135

The Origin of Generic Names of the Victorian Flora

Part 2—Latin, Greek and Miscellaneous
[continued trom 91 (4)]

by JAMES A. BAINES.

Athyrium. Gk athyros, without
door, open (a-, without; thyreos, door,
shield), the indusium at first covering
sorus like a pointed hood, then lacer-
ated and remaining attached only at
base of sorus. Name _ species for
Athyriaceae. One of our native species
is Austral Lady-fern, and the other
A. japonicum, Japanese Lady-fern
(because named by Thunberg from
Japan) is just as indigenous.

Atriplex. The Gk name for Orach,
a herb that can be used like spinach
but is usually regarded as a weed, was
atraphaxys, which in Lat became atri-
plex, which at first sight looks like
‘black plaits’. Orach, *A. hortensis, is
sometimes spelt orache, as it came
into English through Italian then
French, but basically it is the same
word as the original Greek one. In
any case, dark hair would be inappro-
priate for Old Man Saltbush, A. num-
mularia! Victoria has 21 native
species and three introduced species.

Australina. Lat australis, southern,
doubtless applied because this Forest
or Shade Nettle was an antipodean
member of the family Urticaceae. Our
common species, A. muelleri, one of
many plants commemorating Baron
von Mueller, is sometimes called
Smooth Nettle because it lacks the
barbs of the introduced Stinging
Nettle.

* Avena. The classical Lat name for
the oat. Victoria has five introduced
species.

*Axonopus. Gk axon, axle; pous,
foot. The tropical American species,

136

A. affinis, appears in lawns from time
to time, being known as Carpet Grass.

Azolla. Gk azo, to dry; olluo, to
kill; in allusion to the fact that these
aquatic plants live in water and suc-
cumb when away from this element.
The common names of our two
species, Ferny Azolla and Red Azolla,
constitute an excellent example of a
generic name appropriately used in
this way.

*Ballota. The Gk name for Black
Horehound, *B. nigra, which is loca-
lized in Victoria only at Williamstown.
The Gk name, ballote, probably came
from the verb ballo, to emit.

Barbarea. Named after St. Barbara,
patron saint of artillerymen and
miners, the Yellow Rocket, B. vul-
garis, having once been known as
Herb of St. Barbara. Our only species
is native, B. australis, Austral Winter-
cress.

Batrachium. Gk batrachos, a frog.
B. trichophyllum is correctly named
Ranunculus trichophyllus, Water But-
tercup, as Batrachium has _ been
lowered to sub-generic rank under
Ranunculus’ (which means ‘little
frog’).

*Bellis. Lat bellus, pretty. English
Daisy, *B. perennis, is the common
daisy that covers many of our lawns
with its dainty flowers. Daisy is the
day’s eye, i.e. the sun, which it re-
sembles. The famous woman spy,
Mata Hari, bore a Malay name that
has the same origin: mata, eye; hari,
day; mata hari, the sun.

Vict. Nat. Vol. 91

SWE wish | ta

*Berberis. Medieval Lat berberis or
barbaris, classical Lat barbarus,
foreign, ultimately from Barbar, the
Arabic name for the Berber race of
North African people (who are of
course no longer ‘barbarians’). Smith
and Stearn state that the Arabs also
used the term for the fruit, known as
Barberry in English, a word first ap-
pearing in the language in 1533,
although O.E.D. quotes 1440 for a
Scots recording of Berber as the name
of the fruit. Our species, naturalized
in the Dandenongs, is *A. darwinii.

*Beta. The classical Lat name for
*B. vulgaris, the Wild Beet growing
on parts of the Victorian coast being
subspecies maritima. Red Beet, Sugar
Beet, and Swiss Chard are varieties of
the same species.

Bidens. Lat bis, twice; dens, a
tooth; in reference to the two teeth on
the so-called seed which is really the
cypsela or dry one-seeded fruit. Called
Tickseed, Beggar’s Ticks, Stick-tight

Readers’ Nature Notes (continued)

of its presumed content of mustard
oils. A. B. Rose (1973) did find the
remains of a Caper White in the crop
of a willie wagtail (Rhipidura leuco-
phrys) in New South Wales in
November 1968, but perhaps other

REFERENCES

Anderson, R. H. (1968). The Trees of

New South Wales. N.S.W. Department
of Agriculture, Fourth Edition, p. 14.

Australian Encyclopaedia (1965). “Cap-
paridaceae’”’, Volume 2, p. 263.

Brower, L. P. (1969). “Ecological Chem-
istry” Scientific American, February,
pp. 22-29.

May, 1974

or Bur-marigold, our native species,
B. tripartita (literally 3-part 2-tooth)
is the Erect Bur-marigold.

Blechnum. Gk blechnon, the classi-
cal name for a fern, probably not this
one. Victoria has 8 native species of
Blechnum, which gives its name to the
family Blechnaceae. Most of them are
known as Water-ferns, but one, B.
cartilagineum, inspired the obvious
common name of Gristle Fern.

Blennodia. Gk _ blennodes, slimy
(blennos, slime or mucus), alluding to
the fibrous mucus that exudes from
the testa of the seeds when soaked.
Our species previously in Blennodia
are now in several genera: Arabidella,
Drabastrum, Harmsiodoxa and Pachy-
mitus, mainly as a result of ‘splitting’
in 1924 by O. E. Schulz. The 7th
edition of ‘A Dictionary of the
Flowering Plants and Ferns’, by J. C.
Willis, retains Blennodia as a _ valid
genus of 15 Australian species; this
was published in 1966.

to be continued

observers have noticed other birds en-
joying the feast during one of the
periodic migrations of these butter-
flies to the Eastern Coast from their
breeding grounds west of the Main
Divide?

‘*Readers’
Victorian

Galbraith, Jean (1974).
Nature Notes: Butterflies”’’.
Naturalist, 91, p. 24.

McCubbin, Charles (1971). Australian
Butterflics. Thomas Nelson (Austra-
lia), pp. 124-134.

Rose, A. Barclay (1973). “Food of Some
Australian Birds”, The Emu, 73, pp.
177-183.

137

reptiles of victoria -— 12

by Hans BESTE

Plate 23
Denisonia superba — Copperhead Snake
A robust, poisonous species, growing to at least five feet.

Length: There are two forms in this State, the largest one growing to five
feet.

This species, which can be dangerous to man, is dark brown to black
dorsally, with the scales being rather dull in appearance. Young specimens
often have light coloured scales, which are quite distinct, around the mouth.
The under or ventral surface can be pale greenish to fawn or orange. There is
usually some orange wash on the lateral surface, blending in gradually with
the back and belly of the snake.

Habitat: grassland and forest country from alpine to coastal areas.

Best distinguishing features:from other large snakes in Vic.: 15 mid-body
scales (single anal and sub-caudal scales).

Plate 24
Delma impar — Spinifex Snake Lizard

A snake-like lizard, which is seldom seen due to its
secretive habits.

Length: to about twelve inches.

Similar to Delma frazeri in appearance, but has blunter
snout and more rounded head. General colouration putty-
grey, often marked with vertical black stripes, on whitish
background, behind ear opening. Rudimentary hind leg
(flat scale—movable) present.

Habitat: usually hiding in Triodea sp. bushes (err. called
porcupine grass) in mallee type habitat.

Best distinguishing features: shape, markings, but best by
head shields.

138 Vict. Nat. Vol. 91

Plate 23

Plate 24

39

1

1974

May,

The Blue Wren Saga

The following are extracts from
letters written by Miss N. T. Rossiter
for a friend in hospital. (The bold sub-
heads have been added by the editor.)
The account of the blue wrens seemed
far too fascinating to be confined to
personal letters and I asked her permis-
sion to send it to the Victorian Natura-
list. Miss Rossiter has since drawn the
sketch map showing location of the vari-
ous nests.

Miss Rossiter lives in the country on
the eastern slopes of the Warby Ranges
eight miles south of Wangaratta. As well
as being a keen and systematic bird
observer, she is an ardent grower of
Australian plants and the Hardenbergias
mentioned in her letter are a wonderful
show in the spring. The house “Nak-
kala” (aboriginal for “facing east’) has
superb views to Mt. Buffalo, and is
placed on the only extensive flat area in
her two-acre block; from a few feet in
front of the house the land falls at
about 45° for several yards, then slopes
more gently to a dam about 75 yards
distant.

On 23 December, 1973 Miss Rossiter
wrote:

I shall now relate the blue wren
saga. I shall not start at the begin-
ning, which was in October, 1972
when two blue birds and one brown
built their first nest at ““Nakkala” in
the creeper just outside the kitchen
window.

I shall start at the end of August,
1973 when the tally was three males
(blue) and one female.

First nest — two fledglings

A nest was built in the Harden-
bergia (Purple Coral-pea) on _ the
front bank, and two fledglings came
out of the nest on 25 September. A
week after this, I saw the female
finishing another nest in another
Hardenbergia. At this stage there
were six birds—three males, one
female, two fledglings.

140

Second nest — three fledglings

On 5 November three fledglings
came out of the second nest (nine
birds in all). At some stage between
the first and second fledgling appear-
ance, I discovered there were now
only two blue birds but one more
adult brown; presumably one of the
males had reverted to his immature
plumage as they do every year for the
first three years. I now found it ex-
tremely difficult to count and be sure
there were still seven brown _ birds
around.

Third nest — three fledglings

On 2 December I found a third
nest in yet another Hardenbergia with
young birds in it. These were out of
the nest (three fledglings) on 9
December (total 12 birds). It is im-
possible to count 10 brown birds all
at once, but the two blues are still
about.

Fourth nest — three eggs

On 20 December I found a fourth
nest, in a Hakea this time, and there
were three eggs in it. In the storm on
Friday, 21 December this nest was
partially dislodged and one egg lost.
I don’t know whether the parent birds
have gone back to it, but I rather
think it will be deserted as the side
opening has now become a _ top
opening. ;

The interesting points in this story are
that there is only one breeding female
(as even the oldest fledgling would be
only three months old —three blues
and one brown at end of August) ;
and the fact that four nests were built
in four months. I am keeping notes
because I could never remember or

Vict, Nat, Vol. 91

keep up with their dizzy reproduction
rate.

It will be interesting to see if
another breeding female crops up, but
I rather doubt if a second breeding
pair would be allowed in this terri-
tory. The theory is that as soon as
the female hatches out the young, she
leaves the feeding of them to the
brothers, sisters, uncles and aunts;
and she and her mate start another
family.

In a letter of 30 December ‘Miss Rossi-
ter wrote:

I have been thinking about the blue
wrens’ breeding capacity, and another
possibility has occurred to me.
Although I know there was only one
female at the end of August, by the
time the second lot of fledglings were
indistinguishable from the adult
female and there were too many
brown birds to be sure of a total
count, it is possible that one of the
males brought in another breeding
female from outside. But, until I can
find two nests with eggs or young in
each, I have to assume that one
breeding pair is producing all the
fledglings.

Continuing the story from where I
left off, I looked at the dislodged nest
after posting my last letter to you and
found it had disentegrated and the
other two eggs fallen out. That was
on 23 December.

Fifth nest — three eggs

On Thursday, 27 December I found
another nest in a Daisy-bush. I put
my finger in and could not feel any-
thing, but the next day I could feel
two eggs; and on the following day
three eggs.

I have not seen any birds about the
nest at all, but all day yesterday the
two males and four or five browns
have been very active about the
creeper on the trellis outside the
kitchen window. Working on the idea

May, 1974

that there might be another breeding
female, P've looked in vain for any
sign of another nest there, nor have I
seen them taking any building material
into it. I have also gone around the
likely places looking for another nest,
but with no luck so far. I usually find
a nest by the excessive twittering that
goes on if I happen to be getting near
it, and as I move about the whole
block every day I should be aware of
any nests in use. I think there are no
suitable nest sites outside the block for
them to be frequenting my area so
regularly.

On 6 January, 1974 Miss Rossiter

wrote:

Several times, including today, I
have seen the female sitting on the
latest nest, since establishing (29 De-
cember, 1973) that there were three
eggs in it laid between 27 and 29.
I shall be interested to see how long
they take to hatch.

/ cate 2x r Purple
te oat Rea). ay
/ ee i /
Worel wee! oS
oe 5

: GRAVEL SURROUNDING HOUSE ges
hoe <1. Darsu=
-/ bush

EDGE oF VERANDA K ee

KITCHEN : INEST 72 ‘
WINDOW ---%| 7 te
CREEPER,

ON TRELL(S 6

Figure 1

Plan showing location of nests about
garden.

141

In spite of what I wrote in my last
letter about one of the males possibly
bringing in another female from out-
side, I’m reasonably sure this hasn’t
happened. Certainly, if two lots of
fledglings were about at the same time
I couldn’t miss them because there is
a terrific commotion among the family
when the young birds first come out.

And from a letter of 13 January:

Three fledglings from fifth nest
hatched in two weeks.

Well, the latest batch of blue wren
chicks are out of the eggs, probably
hatched on 11 January. I’m not abso-
lutely sure of that date because I’m a
bit squeamish of putting my finger in
the nest where there may be young
birds in case I hurt them (as well as
just squeamishness).

I must keep watch for further nest-
building activities because, now the
young are out, the female may start
again and I would like to know how
soon after the “birth” she does this.

From a letter of 22 January: :
The latest fledglings came out of
the nest this morning, three weeks
and three days after I counted the
three eggs. I saw them still in the nest
before I started on my daily plant
inspection, but as I was returning
from the dam bank, I heard a terrible
commotion on the bank in front of
the house and saw a flurry of little
birds. I thought —“‘those sparrows are
after my wrens’, and hastened to pro-
tect them, but instead found the three

infants were out and about.

They are comical-looking little
things. Their tails stick up like an
adult wren’s but are only about an
inch long; so at this stage they are
easy to distinguish from the others as
well as by their fluffiness and inexpert
flight.

I don’t think the breeding female
has started another nest yet, but I'll
keep a sharp lookout now for signs of
the pair mating or for the female
carrying building material.

'M.J.L.

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142

Telephone: 211-2427.

Vict. Nat. Vol. 91

VYature Notes jrom the Gold Coast

by ALEx. N. BURNS.

December

With the coming of summer weather
the White Spiders have become very
active amongst the flowers of Budd-
leyia and Lantana, and many butter-
flies and other insects have been cap-
tured and eaten by them. Most
noteworthy amongst the butterflies
were the Blue Triangle (Graphium
sarpedon choredon Feld.), the Pale
Green Triangle (Graphium eurypylus
lycaon West.), the White Nymph
(Mynes geoffroyi guerini Wall.), the
Regent Skipper (Euschemon rafflesia
rafflesia Macl.), Orange Palmdart
(Cephrenes augiades sperthias Feld.),
Green Awl (Hasora discolor mastusia
Fruhs.) and the Australian Gull
(Cepora perimale_ scyllara Macl.).
Other insects caught included a large
Robber Fly (Asilidae-Diptera) and
the Bee Hover Fly (Eristalis tenax
Diptera-Syrphidae).

Other active predators too have
been observed; a large greyish Pray-
ing Mantis has taken up its abode on
the Buddleyia, and to my astonish-
ment its first noted victim was a fresh
specimen (female) of the Monarch or
Wanderer butterfly. These butterflies
are regarded as being distasteful to
birds and other predators, but the
Mantis had eaten quite a large por-
tion of the butterfly’s thorax when
observed.

On a small orange tree on which
were larvae in various stages from
very small to fully grown of the
Orchard Swallow Tail Butterfly (Papi-
lio aegeus aegeus Don.) one fully-
grown larva was found impaled on
the proboscis of a large Reduviid or
Assassin Bug. Nearby on the same
tree was a pupa of the same butterfly;
this was being attacked by several

May, 1974

very small parasitic wasps belonging
to the Family Chalcididae (order
Hymenoptera). Apparently the Chal-
cids were effective in their work be-
cause the pupa turned black within a
couple of days.

These records are still not all the
observations related to creatures
maintaining the “balance of Nature”.
One evening last week at dusk, a
neighbour discovered on the road near
our house, a large Carpet Snake esti-
mated to be 9-10 feet in length, well
and truly wrapped round one of the
Scrub Turkeys. When observed, the
Turkey was dead and its body in the
process of being crushed into a con-
dition suitable for swallowing. An
appropriate time for such a nice meal
— right on Christmas.

The large Nephila Spiders are be-
coming active in the rain forest and
many large yellowish sticky webs are
to be seen in open spaces and adjacent
to the tracks. Strangely enough, al-
though many webs came under ob-
servation, very few contained the re-
mains of insects. Possibly these large
spiders consume the whole of their
victims, with exception of wings and
other dry members of the body; even
then only small pieces of insects’
wings have been observed, and these
appeared to be from Dragon Flies.

Young Scrub Turkeys are begin-
ning to emerge from the nesting
mounds; they are extremely active and
can fend for themselves almost as
soon as they leave the mound. One
very large mound about 70 metres
from our house should produce a
large number of chicks, because no
less than eight females have been ob-
served on and near it.

143

The garden is very well stocked at
present with young lizards of a num-
ber of species, mainly skinks, but also
many young Blue-tongued of both the
long- and short-tailed species. The
latter are very pretty little creatures
and show no signs of fear when ap-
proached; they can be picked up quite
easily. Many young skinks come on
to the concrete veranda, and some
often enter the house where they find
small insects that have been attracted
to the lights. Brief but heavy rain
showers are frequent at present, and
it was interesting to observe that the
lizards on the concrete dashed for
cover under the ledge of the double
doors. As soon as the rain stopped
and the sun shone, they came out
although the concrete was still very
wet.

Currumbin Bird Sanctuary

Mr. Alex. Griffiths, who owns the
Currumbin Bird Sanctuary, has just
produced a very fine book with 56
colour plates, all dealing with the de-
velopment of the Sanctuary since its
commencement about 20 years ago.
This fine publication sells for $2.95,
and should be of great interest, especi-
ally to bird lovers.

x * * *

Some weeks ago one of the Scrub
Turkeys which come to be fed each
late afternoon suffered a broken leg
just below the knee joint; the injury
however did not prevent the unfor-
tunate bird from coming to be fed
with the others. The leg has now
healed, the lower portion having been
removed, and the turkey seems little
worse for its experience. It hops on
one leg, and readily flies high into the
“roosting trees”. On account of its
mobility being less than that of its
fellows, it has learned to come to be

144

fed early each morning when it can
feed undisturbed.

Last year a Currawong nested in a
large gum tree across the road from
the garden; the old nest still remained
almost intact until now, but the birds
decided to build another nest in the
Same tree only a few feet away from
the old one. At the present time the
bird is sitting and can be easily seen
from the ground. This white barked
gum tree is a great favourite with the
Koalas, and several times weekly one
or two will feed on it very much to
the disgust of the Currawongs which
attack the Koalas almost without let-
ting up. Although the animals con-
stantly shift positions they get no
peace from the Currawongs. Fifty
yards down the road from this tree is
another large gum also much favoured
by the Koalas. Each season Crows nest
in this tree, and at present are active;
they do not however appear to dislike
the animals’ presence so much as the
Currawongs, but one can always be
pretty sure when a bear is in the tree
because the Crows keep up a persis-
tent “carking”’ whilst it is there.

The advent of warmer weather is
creating great activity amongst the
local lizard population; many small
skinks of several species are very plen-
tiful, in fact sometimes one or two
specimens will enter the house to pick
up insects which have been attracted
to lights. Several Frill-necked Lizards
have taken up their positions on the
road embankment; and in the garden
both Long- and Short-tailed Blue-
tongued Lizards are common. Two
specimens camp under the house regu-
larly. At the bend of the road two
beautiful Land Mullet Lizards camp
under a pile of debris. These beautiful
large skinks have been familiar friends
now for at least three years, during
which time they have grown con-
siderably.

Vict. Nat. Vol. 91

Again, Congratulations to Jim Willis

The Council of Monash University has appointed Mr. Willis a Fellow of the
Faculty of Science in recognition of his distinguished contributions to Australian
Botany. He will be able to make what use he wishes of the facilities of the Botany
Department, and take part in teaching, research and decision-making activities in the

Faculty.

Field Naturalists Club of Victoria

General Meeting — 8 April

Guest speaker at the April meeting
was Mr. Geoff Douglas of the Vermin
and Noxious Weeds Destruction Board,
who spoke on “Ecological Problems
caused by Introduced Animals and
Plants”. Copies of the text of the
talk were available at the meeting as a
reprint of an article in the periodical
“Victoria’s Resources”; an appendage to
the article is a very comprehensive set of
references to the literature on the sub-
ject. Mr. Douglas gave an interesting
insight into the far reaching problems
associated with the thoughtless intro-
duction of alien species, and showed a
number of slides depicting various as-
pects of the Board’s work.

The meeting agreed to support the
nomination of Miss Ina Watson for the
1974 award of the Natural History
Medallion. Miss Watson was recently
elected an honorary member of the Club,
having previously served at various
times both as President, and Editor of
“The Victorian Naturalist”.

Mr. Ros Garnet announced that the
Conservation Council of Victoria, of
which the Club is a member body, had
opened offices at 15 Drummond Street.
Carlton. This had been made possible by
the allocation to C.C.V. of a portion of
a Commonwealth Grant made for the
assistance of conservation bodies. Mr.
Garnet said it was hoped that this grant
would be renewed annually, and that the
office, when fully established, would be
able to offer many facilities to member
bodies.

The Club library is once again open
to members and the President expressed
gratitude to Dr. Churchill, Director of
the Herbarium, for making the present
temporary arrangement possible.

May, 1974

The Treasurer, Mr. Harry Bishop,
spoke briefly about the rising cost of
printing ‘““The Victorian Naturalist” and
anticipated that an increase in Club fees
would be inevitable.

The next meeting will be on Monday,
13th May, when Mr. Arthur Brook will
speak on “A Day in the Life of a Frog”.

Conservation Group

The first meeting of the Conservation
Group was held at the Herbarium on
Wednesday, 10 April. Seventeen mem-
bers were present and the interim com-
mittee consisted of Mr. Barry Callanan.
chairman, and Miss G. Piper, secretary.
Mr. Callanan opened the meeting by
speaking on the need to assemble the
information which is available to, or
held by club members. He pointed out
that people concerned with conservation
must have the courage to express their
love for the wild things through action.
It is necessary that the conservation
group be a working group and not a
lecture-entertainment one, and he hoped
that the group will be centred about,
and with individuals attached to, specific
projects.

Mr. Ros Garnet reviewed the history
of the F.N.C.V. in conservation. In the
early years of the club the members in-
cluded leading citizens, reports of meet-
ings appeared in the “Age” and
“Leader” and the experts in natural his-
tory in Victoria were members of the
club. The Victorian Naturalist then con-
tained much useful information and
even nowadays these records are valuable
to geologists and conchologists. The
F.N.C.V. members took part in pressing
for conservation of such areas as Fern-
tree Gully, Wilson’s Promontory, Mt.
Buffalo, Tower Hill and Kinglake. Ex-
tensions to Wyperfeld were due to efforts

145

from members in opposition to locals

who wanted the park eliminated.

He recommended that the F.N.C.V.
could guide public opinion if it accumu-
lated information from newspapers, went
through Hansard and kept in close touch
with governmental organisations such as
the Country Roads Board, the Depart-
ment of Fisheries and Wildlife, the En-
vironmental Protection Authority, the
S.E.C. pylon advisory committee, the
Forestry Commission and the Soil Con-
ervation Authority. The role of the
Conservation Council of Victoria in
exerting influence, and in presenting a
balanced view is important to the
F.N.C.V. and hence we should feed the
C.C.V. with information and be strongly
associated with it as well as acting in-
dependently. Indeed, the F.N.C.V.
should be involved in every small con-
servation move. It is vital to study the
Land Conservation Council study areas
and particularly the Melbourne area.

Mr. Graham Douglas discussed the
various approaches to fighting for con-
servation. Publicity is important, but
the mass media is not particularly in-
terested in the unsensational, and the
type of publicity obtained by militant
obstruction is not always an advantage.
Formal objection by submission must be
based on facts, but the problems are
those of difficulty in obtaining informa-
tion and of time; particularly if a de-
cision upon an issue may be made by a
government body or a local council
within a few days. A decision may be
gazetted even though all objections have
not yet been heard, and any conserva-
tionist desirous of presenting a statutory
document, must collect information on
many aspects and within a most inade-
quate time. Such data as exists 1s
scattered throughout government depart-
ments and universities, which may guard
it jealously; as well as being scattered
throughout the journals of professional
and amateur bodies. A store of readily
obtainable facts is vital to the conserva-
tion movement as it is facts not emotion
which can be most influential in pre-
senting a case for conservation.

The suggestions given by Mr. Douglas
for ways by which the F.N.C.V. group
could assist are listed below:—

(a) Collecting and indexing informa-
tion of specific areas including
that hidden in the records of the
groups in the F.N.C.V. This in-
cludes areas not being dealt with
by any local conservation group.

146

(b) Researching an area of immediate
conservation interest.

(c) Preparing a dossier of experts
within the club.

(d) Sending out a questionnaire to
other groups or institutions asking
if they can assist e.g. research
groups in the university.

(e) Asking members of conservation
groups in particular areas for
information.

One particular value of an index of
such data readily available to the
F.N.C.V. is that in some instances only
the corporate bodies like the F.N.C.V.
can lodge objections and not individuals
or small societies.

After question time the chairman
asked the meeting for suggestions on
projects. Ones put forward included the
study of a bridge in Kallista; a review
of quarries — as to which are being used
and what are the proposals for rehabili-
tation; the value of various railway sid-
ings and cuttings and the group study of
the L.C.C. study areas. It was proposed
that at the next meeting, members have
their copies of the L.C.C. Melbourne
Study Area, and that specific tasks in
dealing with the sections be allotted to
members. Mr. Kelly offered to collect
maps of Melbourne for the evening.

It was agreed to hold meetings on the
third Thursday of the month, and appli-
cation be made to the C.C.V. for the
use of their meeting room in the head-
quarters at 15 Drummond St., Carlton.

A request was made to members by
the chairman that they consider how the
particular disciplines to which they be-
long could assist in collection and index-
ing of data from their records.

At the next meeting it is proposed that
elections for a permanent committee be
held.

The urgency of the conservation issue
in the present era of rapidly expanding
urban areas, increased industrialisation,
increasing population and increased utili-
zation of forests and bushland by saw-
millers and agriculturists, is perhaps not
realised fully even by members of the
F.N.C.V., but it did come through to
the audience from the speakers at this
meeting. It is to be hoped, therefore,
that members of the F.N.C.V. will be
able to assist by taking on even a small
task in any of the projects in the future.
A further method by which conservation
can be assisted is volunteer work for the
CCN:

Vict. Nat. Vol. 91

wer

aka

Botany Group
ANNUAL REPORT 1974

Attendances at Botany Group Meet-
ings were consistent throughout the year
and at about the same level as in 1972.
Eleven Meetings were held with an
average attendance of 22. Seven excur-
sions were arranged during the year, and
in addition a small group made two
trips to Diamond Valley to assist a local
group with a plant survey. We were
also pleased to be able to help with a
plant survey in two small areas on the
east side of the Macedon Range.

Attendances at regular excursions
varied considerably, the most popular
being the Kinglake fungi trip in May
and Rushworth Forest in September.

An effort was made to improve the
excursion reports and plant lists, and
pressed specimens of some of the inter-
esting and unusual piants were displayed
at subsequent meetings. It has been
suggested that these could form the be-
ginnings of a group herbarium, which
would be a useful adjunct to our activi-
ties. but storage space at present is a
problem.

A new feature started during the year
was “The Plan of the Month’, featuring
either one species or a genus. Living or
pressed specimens were displayed, a
sheet of notes was available and on
several occasions the Club microscopes
were used to demonstrate the small parts
of the flower. This series was designed
particularly to help beginners to identify
plants but proved popular with most
group members.

We look forward to another active
vear and extend an invitation to anyone
interested in Botany and native plants to
join us at Meetings or on outings.

Day Group Report
21 March

A group of 30 members boarded the
Harbor Trust launch ‘“‘Commissioner”’ at
1.39 p.m. as guests of the Harbor Trust,
and joined another group to make the
journey round the Port of ‘Melbourne.

The weather was fine but overcast as
we left No. 7 North Wharf. During the
two-hour journey, with a short break
for afternoon tea, an excellent commen-
tary was given by two hostesses from
the Harbor Trust.

Passing down the river we first visited
Victoria Dock, and heard most interest-

May, 1974

ing information about the vessels berthed
there and of the activities going on
around the area. The Port handles more
than 16 million tons of cargo annually,
the principle imports being motor
vehicles, machinery, drugs, chemicals,
paper, iron and steel. The exports in-
clude wool, meat, hides, fruit, vehicles
and parts and dairy produce.

Moving down to the junction of the
Yarra and Maribyrnong Rivers the
“Columbus Australia” container ship
was busy at work. 11,000 crates can be
handled at one time, and the ship is in
and out of the Port in 48 hours. We
passed dredges clearing the river bed.
They work 24 hourly in order to keep
the river bed clear for the huge amount
of shipping which comes in and out of
the Port.

Eventually we passed under the West-
gate Bridge, a gigantic undertaking, and
finally reached Gellibrand Pier, Wil-
liamstown, passing the Floating Dry
Dock and then back to our embarkation
point, No. 7 North Wharf, at 3.30 p.m.

Space does not permit a full account
of installations in the busy port, which
will, in the future, become one of the
largest in Australia. Several bird ob-
servers on board noted Gannets (busily
fishing), Pacific and Silver Gulls, Black
Swans, Crested Terns, Pied and Black
Cormorants, and Spur-winged Plovers.
Hundreds of large jelly-fish were also
observed.

Everyone agreed it was a most inter-
esting and enioyable afternoon trip,
which we hope to repeat for many mem-
bers who missed out because of a limita-
tion of passengers.

Geology Group
ANNUAL REPORT

Chairman: Mr. G. Love.
Acting Secretary: Mr. T. Sault.

Only eight monthly meetings were held
during the year. Power restrictions
caused the cancellation of two meetings
and on another occasion the uncertainty
of power caused a greatly reduced atten-
dance. However, despite these frustra-
tions, there was an average attendance
on meeting nights of 17 members. All
the speakers for the year came from
within the Group. The speakers and
their subjects were as follows :—

147

Mr. R. Davidson: “Opals and Opal
Mining”.

Mr. D. Myers: “Geology of Kangaroo
Island”.

Mir A:
Drift”’.
Mr. D. McInnes: ‘“‘Conodonts”’.

On several occasions a panel of mem-
bers spoke on a specific subject. These
included ‘Tertiary Fossils’, “Rock For-
mations” and “Weathering”.

A book night was also held. This in-
cluded Geological literature from _his-
torical to present-day publications.
Mr. G. Love was the main contributor
on this occasion.

The discussion on exhibits is still a
feature of Group Meetings. The num-
ber of excursions was greatly reduced
during the year; members being unable
to attend or insufficient transport being
just two of the factors. However, it is
hoped this situation would improve dur-
ing 1974.

Blackburn: ‘Continental

Mammal Survey Group
Annual Report

Due to extraordinary circumstances
the Mammal Survey Group of the Field
Naturalists Club of Victoria did not
publish an annual report for the year
June, 1971—June, 1972. This report
covers the period from February, 1972
to June, 1973.

Early in 1972 a break-away group,
the Mammal Survey Group of Victoria
was formed, drawing most of its found-
ing members from the F.N.C.V., and
retaining survey records. This meant
that M.S.G.— F.N.C.V. was virtually
starting afresh, with group survey work
commencing again in May, 1972.

Survey camps have been held at 14.
localities and a summary of survey de-
tails is given in table 1. Attendance at
monthly camps has averaged 15. The
highlights of the field surveys were the
capture of ‘Mitchells Hopping-mouse,
Notomys mitchellii, at WHattah, and
White-footed ‘Marsupial-mouse, Smin-
thopsis leucopus, at Main Creek on the
Mornington Peninsula, both uncommon
species. The group has provided infor-
mation from field surveys to the Land
Conservation Council, National Parks
Authority and Fisheries and Wildlife De-
partment.

Monthly meetings have been attended
by an average of 18 members and five
visitors. Several guest speakers have
addressed the group on topics related to
the study of mammals. Members nor-
mally contribute with talks, recent re-
ports of mammals, and slides.

The group wishes to acknowledge the
financial assistance received from the
‘M. A. Ingram Trust, and thank the
Fisheries and Wildlife Department for
use of the meeting room in the Arthur
Rylah Institute, Heidelberg.

TABLE 1
Number Total Number
cas eae! of Number Nunes of
Locality O Spot- of Intro-
Surveys tar light | Specimens ey ative 1 duced
ea hours | Identified | >P°°!S | Species
Mt. Tallarook 2 132 D>) 93 12 5
Mt. Disappointment 1 180 12 100 7 1
Mornington Peninsula 3 290 1 166 10 jy
(Main Creek)
Murrindindi River 1 80 17 38 7G 2
(Siberia Rd.)
Cape Liptrap 1 100 16 80 8 8
Acheron Way 1 80 19 54 8 0
Bellarine Peninsula 2 205 21 112 8 5)
Stony Rises 1 80 6 59 8 3
(Near Colac)
Licola 1 703 41 209 13 3
Aberfeldy 230 14 66 8 1
Latrobe River 1 182 11 67 8 0
(Neerim East)
Hattah 1 538 pap 410 3 5
Cathedral Range 1 116 17 46 2) 1
Glenaladale 1 251 23 41 9 v

148

Vict. Nat. Vol. 91

COMMITTEE FOR 1974-75
Chairman—Robert Lawson.

Secretary—Raymond Gibson,
Street, Abbotsford, 3067.

Minute Secretary—Wendy Clark.
Records Officer—Lindsay Jolley.
Equipment Officer—Richard Forse.
Specialist Adviser—Stephen Morton.

Residual—Peter Homan, Tom _ Sault,
Brian Burbage, Barry Callanan.

7 Cook

Camp Dates:
18, 19 May
15, 16, 17 June
20, 21 July
17, 18 August
14, 15 September
19, 20 October
16, 17 November
7, 8 December

Christmas Camp

From 24 December, 1973 to 3 January,
1974 members of the Group camped at
Wingan Inlet National Park, and carried
out survey work in a variety of habitats
in the region. Small ground mammals
seemed plentiful in most areas, species
recorded being Bush Rat (Rattus
fuscipes), Swamp Rat (Rattus lutreolus),
Brown Antechinus (Antechinus stuartii)
and Dusky Antechinus§ (Antechinus
swainsonii). Several species of possums
and gliders were seen. Brushtail Pos-
sums (Trichosurus vulpecula) and Yel-
low Bellied Gliders (Petaurus australis)
were seen frequently in the campnig
ground, and provided a great deal of in-
terest. Ringtail Possums (Pseudocheirus
peregrinus) were recorded from several
places, and there was one record each
of Sugar Glider (Petaurus breviceps)
and Pigmy Possum (Cercartetus nanus).
Other mammals seen were Wombat
(Vombatus ursinus), Black Wallaby
(Wallabia bicolor) and Fox (Vulpes
vulpes). As well as mammals, frequent
sightings of reptiles and the prolific bird
life helped make this an _ enjoyable
Christmas camp.

Marine Biology and Entomology Group
3 March

Twenty-one members attended the
meeting. The Speaker for the evening
was Dr. Brian Smith, Curator of Inverte-
brates at the National Museum, who
spoke on “Deep-Water Dredging in Bass

May, 1974

Strait”. He prefixed his talk by giving
a few details of his trip, which was made
possible due to a grant to the National
Museum by the Technical Commission
for Oceanography, as a result of pro-
longed request for such work in Vic-
torian waters.

The objectives were to obtain syste-
matic deep-water dredgings from the
Continental shelf and slope of Eastern
Bass Strait.

The survey ship “H.M.A.S. Kimbla”,
actually a converted boom defence ves-
sel, was at sea for eight days, during
which time dredging was carried out at
71 stations, ranging in depth from 19
fathoms to 600 fathoms, as well as mag-
netometer work carried out for the Uni-
versity of New South Wales. There were
four scientists on board, Dr. Smith as
Cruise Leader, a second staff member of
the Museum and two Associate workers,
and members of the Marine Study
Group. Dredging transects were carried
out at Cape Horne, Point Hicks, Flinders
Island and Wilson’s Promontary, with
particular attention being given to a
dredging station first sampled in 1870's
by “The Challenger” off East Moncur
Island. Dr Smith commented on the
invaluable assistance given by members
of the crew, with the heavy equipment;
and the intense interest shown by them.

Fourteen drums of material were
dredged, much of which was fairly rare.
Numerous excellent slides taken by Dr.
Smith gave members an idea of the
vast undertaking, and it will be many
months before the material is sorted. At
the conclusion of the talk, Mr. Kelly
thanked Dr. Smith for a most interesting
and informative talk. This interest was
shown by the many questions put to
Dr. Smith.

Exhibits:

1. Wanderer butterfly larvae found by
Mrs. Lee on a swan plant at Reser-
voir.

2. Pupa of Butterfly (Papilio anactus)
Dingy Swallowtail found at Box Hill
North by Mr. Condron.

3. Cocoons from Apanteles Wasps
found at Toorak by Mr. K. Strong.
These wasps are only about 4 to
5 mm in size and described as Micro-
gasters. They lay one or two eggs
in the egg of a moth. When the
caterpillar emerges it carries within
it the egg or eggs which may develop
into one or hundreds of wasps.

149

Current List of Office-Bearers for Country and Junior Clubs
May, 1974

Ararat Field Naturalists Club
Secretary: Miss Z. Banfield, 7 Ligar
Street, Ararat, 3377.

*Bairnsdale Field Naturalists Club
Secretary: Mr. E. V. Barton, 13 Turn-
bull Street, Bairnsdale, 3875. Phone:
52 3792.

*Ballarat Field Naturalists Ciub
Secretary: Mr. Peter Fry, 19 Stawell

Street, Ballarat, 3350. Phone:
32 6454.

President: Mr. H. Hooper, Gracefie!d
Road, Ballarat, 3350. Phone:
34 7440.

*Benalla Field Naturalists Club
Secretary: Mr. E. Perkins, 11 Salisbury
Street, Benalla, 3672.
President: Mr. P. Kelly, Flat 2, 1
Riverview Road, Benalla, 3672.

Bendigo Field Naturalists Club

Secretary: Mr. P. N. Ellis, 27 Reginald
Street, Bendigo, 3550. Phone:
43 2679; Bus. 43 1877 Extn. 297.

President: Mr. M. Hopkins, 134
McDougall Road, Bendigo, 3550.
Phone: 43 9865.

*Colac Field Naturalists Club
Secretary: Mr. Peter Dorman, “Burn-
gul”, Lorne Road, Deans Marsh,
3235)
President: Mr. Robert
““Flowerfield’’, Beeac, 3251.

Missen,

*Creswick Field Naturalists Club
Secretary: ‘Miss J. Wilson, 204 Clyde
Street, Ballarat, 3350. Phone:
32 7386.
President: Mr. H. Barclay, 32 Raglan
Street, Creswick, 3363. Phone: 120.

*Donald History and Natural History
Society

Secretary: Mrs. R. Falla, Box 111,
Donald, 3480. Phone: Litchfield
98 5531.

President: Mrs. J. W. Golding, 9

Napier Street, Donald, 3480. Phone:
346.

*Geelong Field Naturalists Club

Secretary: Mr. G. McCarthy, 26 Fair-
brae Avenue, Belmont, 3216.

150

Goulburn-Murray Field Naturalists

Club

Secretary: Mr. R. O'Malley, Katunga,
3640.

President: Mr. John Fordyce, 54
Wyndham Street, Shepparton, 3630.

*Hamilton Field Naturalists Club
Secretary: Mr. D. McKenzie, French
Street, Hamilton, 3300.

*Horsham Field Naturalists Club
Secretary: Mrs. Jean Hill, 16 Rose
Street, Horsham, 3400.

King Island Field Naturalists Club
Secretary: Mrs. P. F. Barnett, Private
Bag 111, Currie, King Island, 7256.

Kowree Field Naturalists Club

Secretary: Miss Irene Marshall, P.O.
Box 81, Edenhope, 3318. Phone:
Edenhope 197.

President: Mr. P. Abbey,
Street, Edenhope, 3318.
Edenhope 217.

11 Amas
Phone:

*Latrobe University Conservation
Society
Secretary: C/o Latrobe
Bundoora, 3083.

University,

*Tatrobe Valley Field Naturalists Club
Secretary: Mrs. I. Peterson, 14 Barry

Street, Morwell, 3840. Phone:
34 2129.

President: Mr. T. Moretti, 130 Princes
Street, Traralgon, 3844. Phone:
714 2423.

* Maryborough Field Naturalists Club
Secretary: Mrs. M. L. Courtney, Car
rick Street, Maryborough, 3465.
Phone: 61 2249.
President: Mr. Brian Jones, Argyle
Road, Maryborough, 3465S.

* Mid-Murray Field Naturalists Trust
Secretary: Miss G. Willoughby, Gray
Street, Nyah West, 3595.
President: Mrs. M. Irvin, Wood Wood,
3596.

*Native Plants Preservation Society
Secretary: Mrs. A. Faithful, 67 Athel-
stan Road, Camberwell, 3124.

Vict. Nat. Vol. 91

*Peninsula Field Naturalists Club
Secretary: Mr. P. Bulfin, 189 Jones
Road, Somerville, 3912. Phone:
(059) 77 $271.
President: Mr. A. Spilfane, 99 Rutland
Avenue, Mount Eliza, 3930. Phone:
787 1372.

*Portland Field Naturalists Club
Secretary: Mr. Adrian Cram, 178 Hurd
Street, Portland, 3305. Phone:
23 1706.
President: Mr. Maurice Streete, Alex-
andra Street, Portland, 3305. Phone:
23 306S.

*Ringwood Field Naturalists Club
Secretary: Mr. A. F. Le Rossignal,
74 Loughnan Road, Ringwood,
3134. Phone: 870 8063.
President: Mr. F. J. C. Rogers, 108
Wantirna Road, Ringwood, 3134.

Robinvale Field Naturalists Club

Secretary: Mr. J. R. Curr, Box 471,
Robinvale, 3549. Phone: Robinvale
South 26 6254.

President: Mrs. K. Grose, Box 85,
Robinvale, 3549. Phone Robinvale
179.

Sale Field Naturalists Club

Secretary: Mrs. K. H. Newnham, P.O.
Box 302, Sale, 3850. Phone: 44 1406.

President: ‘Mr. J. Smith, P.O. Box 302,
Sale, 3850. Phone: 44 1772.

*Stawell Field Naturalists Club
Secretary: Mrs. E. J. Hughes, 9
Oriental Street, Stawell, 3380.
Phone: 58 2031.
President: Mr. I. R. McCaw, “Bim-
bimbie’”’, Crowlands Road, Stawell,
3380. Phone: 58 1402; Bus. 58 2314.

Sunraysia Field Naturalists Trust
Secretary: C/o Box 763, Mildura, 3500.

Timboon Field Naturalists Club
Secretary: Mrs. F. Negrello, ‘““Glen-
fyne’’, Cobden, 3266. Phone: (055)
95 0353.

President: Mr. K. McQuinn, 62 Walker
Street, Cobden, 3266. Phone: Cob-
den 102.

*Traralgon Field Naturalists Club

Secretary: Mr. J. Wall, #56 Kay
Street, Traralgon, 3844. Phone:
74 1948.

President: Mr. A. Chambers, 5 Hickox
Street, Traralgon, 3844. Phone:
74 2706.

May, 1974

Warragul Field Naturalists Club

Secretary: Mr. J. M. Brooks, 3 Nobel
Street, Warragul, 3820. Phone:
2A1S63,

President: Mrs. E. Algie, “Balgowan”,
Neerim South, 3831. Phone: 8 1491.

*Wimmera Field Naturalists Club
Secretary: Miss A. M. Jordan, “Lister
Vale’, Kiata, 3415.

Wodonga Field Naturalists Club
Secretary: Mr. A. W. Bullock, 12
Murphy Street, Wodonga, 3690.

*Wychitella Forests Protection League
Secretary: Mr. R. Johnston, Wychi-
tella, 3522:

Yea Field Naturalists Club
Secretary: Mr. J. G. Alberton, C/o Yea
High School, Yea, 3717. Phone:
117; A.H. 2164.
President: Rev. E. A. Eames, Sacred
Heart Presbytery, Box 61, Yea, 3717.

Hawthorn Junior Field Naturalists Club

Secretary: Robin Sandell, 39 Rubens
Grove, Canterbury, 3126. Phone:
83 8009.

Montmorency Junior Field Naturalists

Club

Secretary: Mrs. J. Cookson, 21 Wilson
Avenue, Montmorency, 3094.
Phone: 43 1712.

Preston Junior Field Naturalists Club

Secretary: Mrs. E. Tenner, 9 Foch
Street, Reservoir, 3073. Phone:
478 1284.

Ringwood Junior Field Naturalists Club

Secretary: Miss C. E. Gray, 30 Mont-
vue Street, Lilydale, 3140. Phone:
735 1233:

Black Rock Junior Field Naturalists
Club:

Secretary: Mark Bailey, 31 Potter
Street, Black Rock, 3193. Phone:
98 1137.

President: Mrs. S. Stevens, 4 Love
Street, Black Rock, 3193. Phone:
98 4268.

Victorian Field Naturalists Clubs

Association

Secretary: Mrs. D. W. Lyndon, P.O.
Box 80, Leongatha, 3953.

President: Mr. Alex Fisher, Private
Bag, Piangil, 3597.

Western Victorian Field Naturalists

Clubs Association

Secretary: Mr. L. M. Williams, 15
Camp Street, Creswick, 3363.

*Denotes affiliation with the F.N.C.V.

151

Field Naturalists Club of Victoria

Established 1880

OBJECTS: To stimulate interest in natural history and to preserve
and protect Australian fauna and flora.
Patron:
His Excellency Major-General Sir ROHAN DELACOMBE, K.B.E., C.B., D.S.O.

Key Office-Bearers, 1973-1974.

President:
Mr. P. KELLY

Hon. Secretary: Mr. R. H. RIORDAN, 15 Regent St., East Brighton, 3187. 92 8579

Treasurer: H. BISHOP. Address Correspondence to National Herbarium, The
Domain, South Yarra.

Subscription Secretary: Mr. D. E. McINNES, 129 Waverley Rd., East Malvern, 3145.
Hon. Editor: Mr. G. M. WARD, 54 St. James Road, Heidelberg 3084.

Hon. Librarian: Mr. J. MARTINDALE, c/o National Herbarium, The Domain,
South Yarra.

Hon, Excursion Secretary: Miss M. ALLENDER, 19 Hawthorn Avenue, Caulfield
31612) 3(52 2749,)

Magazine Sales Officer: Mr. D. McINNES
Archives Officer: Mr. CALLANAN, 29 Reynards Street, Coburg 3058. Tel. 36 0587.

Group Secretaries
Botany: Mrs. M. G. CORRICK, 7 Glenluss St., Balwyn 3103. Tel. 857 9937.
Day Group: Mrs. J. STRONG, 1160 Dandenong Rd., Murrumbeena (56 2271).

Entomology and Marine Biology: 'Mr. J. W. H. STRONG, Flat 11, “Palm Court”,
1160 Dandenong Rd., Murrumbeena 3163 (56 2271).

Field Survey: C/o National Herbarium, The Domain, South Yarra, 3141.
Geology: Mr. T. SAULT.

Mammal Survey: Mr. R. J. GIBSON, 7 Cook Street, Abbotsford, 3067.
Microscopical: Mr. M. H. MEYER, 36 ‘Milroy Street, East Brighton (96 3268).

MEMBERSHIP
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The Victorian Naturalist is distributed free to all members, the club’s reference and
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several preceding pages of ‘this magazine.

Rates of Subscriptions for 1973.

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7) JENKIN, BUXTON & CO. PTY. LTD., PRINTERS, WEST MELBOURNE

JUNE, 1974

Published by the
FIELD NATURALISTS CLUB OF VICTORIA

in which is incorporated the Microscopical Society of Victoria

Registered in Australia for transmission by post as a periodical.
Category “B”

F.N.C.V. DIARY OF COMING EVENTS

GENERAL MEETING

Monday, 10 June — At National Herbarium, The Domain, South Yarra, commen-
cing 8 p.m.

Speaker—Dr. Brian Smith: “Environmental Survey of Dartmouth Dam”.

New Members:

Ordinary:

Miss Elsie J. Hutchinson, 5 Kerferd Road, Albert Park 3206. Entomology.

Mr. Mark N. Hutchinson, 91 Whittens Lane, Doncaster 3108. Reptiles and Ecology.

Mrs. Ella Marsh, 1 Denvet Crescent, Mulgrave 3170. General.

Mr. pres Heys, 12 Belmont Ave., Upwey 3158. Field and Mammal Survey. Botany and
eology.

Junior:
Richard Howes, 32 Jennings Street, Curtin, Canberra City. General.

Monday, 8 July — Miss Madge Lester, “The Alternation of Generations in Green
Land Plants’.

GROUP MEETINGS
(8 p.m. at the National Herbarium unless otherwise stated.)

Thursday, 13 June — Botany Group —‘“‘Wildflowers of the Sydney Sandstones”: Mr.
A. Stirling.

Wednesday, 19 June — Microscopical Group.

Thursday, 20 June — Conservation Group meeting at 15 Drummond Street, Carlton,
at 8 p.m.

Thursday, 20 June — Day Group Meeting in Conference Room, National Museum,
Little Lonsdale Street entrance. Meet 11.30 a.m. Bring lunch. Dr. Brian Smith,
Curator of Invertebrates, will give a talk on his Section.

Thursday, 27 June — F.S.G. Meeting in Conference Room, National Museum, at 8
p.m. Specialist topic: “Data Collection and Storage”.

Monday, 1 July— Marine Biology and Entomology Group Meeting in Conference
Room, National Museum, at 8 p.m.

Wednesday, 3 July — Geology Group.

Thursday, 4 July — M.S.G. Meeting at Arthur Rylah Institute, 123 Brown Street,
Heidelberg, at 8.00 p.m.

F.N.V.C. Excursions

Sunday, 16 June — Mornington Peninsula. Leader: Mr. T. Sault. The coach will
leave Batman Avenue at 9.30 a.m.; fare, $2.50. Bring one meal.

Sunday, 1 September, to Sunday, 8 September — Kangaroo Island. The balance of
the payment for this excursion ($135 less deposit already paid) should be for-
warded to the excursion secretary by 8 July, and members requiring berths on
the train leaving Melbourne, Saturday evening, 31 August, should send the train
fare in addition. Sleepers per person $32.07, or first class seats $21.67. Members
wishing to extend their stay in Adelaide should indicate this. It is necessary to
travel in a group on the forward journey to obtain this concession but not
necessary to return together. Those not travelling by train should meet at
Adelaide Railway Station at 8.45 a.m., where the bus will wait for the members
arriving on the Overland and take the party to Mt. Lofty and Cleland Wildlife
Reserve, then on to the Adelaide Airport by 3.15 p.m. to board the plane to
Kangaroo Island. See earlier Naturalists for other details. All cheques should be
made out to Excursion Trust.

154 Vict. Nat. Vol. 91

the Vol. 91, No. 6 5 June, 1974

e @
victorian he eee
naturalist Assistant Editor: G. F. Douglas

Contents

Articles:

Flinders Island Nature Notes.
By Elizabeth K. Turner 156

Importance of the Mount Napier
Volcanic Complex near Hamilton.
By Edmund G. Gill

and L. K. M. Elmore 167
Due to the Assistant Editor, Graham Douglas
Additions to the family being ill, there is unfortunately no news
Kokiriidae. | .
th th.
By A. Neboiss 175) See ee

However, Graham is certain he will be able

Puperand Pearly Nautilus. to continue the column in July.

By Rhyllis J. Plant 179

Features:

The Origin of the Generic Names of
the Victorian Flora.
By James A. Baines 164

Field Naturalists’ Club of Victoria:

General Meeting and Group.
Reports 181 € oo

Front Cover:

The Lyrebird never ceases to enchant
the nature lover —and now is the
time of the year when they are to
be seen to best advantage.

June, 1974 155

Flinders Island Nature Notes

(22 February — 2 March 1974)

by ELIZABETH K. TURNER

It seemed appropriate to visit Flin-
ders Island in March 1974, as this
month marks the bi-centenary of the
birth of the extraordinary navigator
and explorer Captain Matthew Flin-
ders R.N.

It was Captain Tobias Furneaux in
the ‘Adventure’ who first saw the
islands in 1773 when his ship became
separated from Captain James Cook
in the “Resolution” during Cook’s
second voyage to the Pacific. Fur-
neaux named Cape Barren Island to
the south of Flinders Island, and also
the Sisters Islands to the north, but he
did not explore the area nor anchor
or land, and he was unable to deter-
mine whether or not Flinders Island
and Cape Barren were joined.

Matthew Flinders in the colonial
schooner “Francis” was ordered to
Preservation Island south of Cape
Barren in 1798 to rescue the survivors
of the “Sydney Cove” wrecked there
in 1796, and Flinders began his chart-
ing and exploration of the area now
known as Bass Strait.

Nowadays one flies to Flinders
Island in a small plane, passing over
Wilson’s Promontory and then out to
sea over a large number of rocks and
islands forming part of the 126 visible
pieces of land in Bass Strait of which
only seven pieces are inhabited per-
manently. Fifty of these islands lie in
Eastern Bass Strait; their rocks are the
remnants of the old land bridge which
connected southern Victoria to Tas-
mania until around the close of the
Pleistocene era, when there occurred
a general submergence of the south

156

coast of Victoria due in part to the
melting of the ice-caps and glaciers of
the Northern Hemisphere, and the
rising of the sea level. Over this
bridge some of the now extinct Tas-
manian Aboriginals must have mi-
grated south.

The rounded, streaked granite rocks
of Flinders Island resemble the hills
of Wilson’s Promontory, and the clear
white sands and turquoise green of the
sea in the bays and inlets is reminis-
cent of Wineglass Bay on the Frey-
cinet Peninsula on the east coast of
Tasmania.

Our first impression, after landing
at the drome three miles north of
Whitemark, and travelling nineteen
miles south to Lady Barron, was that
we were again on the Isle of Skye off
the Scottish coast; the farmlands were
brown and bare except for clumps of
tea-trees and melaleuca and occasional
hills clothed with Casuarina littoralis
(Black Sheoke) and for some days
we persisted in calling the Strzelecki
Range (2,481 feet) the Cullins!, but
the resemblance was _ superficial —
there were no crofters’ cottages and
the sheep looked to be the usual Aus-
tralian type, merino or merino-cross.
In several of the grassy fields we saw
to our delight, flocks of Cape Barren
Geese (Cereopsis novaehollandiae)
varying from about 8 to 40 in num-
ber, and easily visible from the road.
These birds remained apprehensive
while the car was stopped, but con-
tinued grazing after a few minutes.

The terrain became sandy, as we
took the coast road, with large areas

Vict. Nat. Vol. 91

of bracken-fern and some fields of
heath, rushes (Lepidospermum sp.),
Gahnia psittacorum and Xanthorrhoea
australis (grass tree), most with burnt
and blackened butts and about four
feet high. Banksia marginata in flower
bordered the road, interspersed with
bushes of Acacia diffusa and tea-tree
(Kunzea ambigua) a few rare sprigs
of which were still in flower. On the
heath lands, there appeared to be
several species of epacrids, Pultenaea
not in flower, Leucopogon virgatus in
flower and many Helichrysum species
and Olearia with the bracts of many
flowers still intact. Stylidium gramini-
folium seemed to grow well in the
sandy soil and some were still in
flower near the coast. Stunted euca-
lypts seemed to be mainly E. globulus,
the southern Blue gum.

We were dismayed by the number
of Red-necked Wallabies (Wallabia
rufogrisea), Pademelons (Thylogale
billardieri) and Brush-tailed Possums
similar to those in the Tasmanian
north-east, lying dead on the road-
side; this, in spite of the sparse num-
ber of automobiles on the island. In
the days to come, we were to note
fresh marsupial casualties daily, whilst
we saw three live marsupials only, in
500 miles of driving about the island.

Plate 1

From Flinders
Island looking
across Franklin
Sound to

Mt. Munro,
2,348 ft., Cape
Barren Island.

June, 1974

The road reached the south coast
at Adelaide Bay and we enjoyed the
views of the islands in Franklin Sound
with the backdrop of Mt. Munro
(2,348 feet) and the mountains of
Cape Barren Island to the south (Plate
1). The tide was low exposing rich-
looking mud-flats on which were
Black Swans, Silver Gulls, Black-
faced and Pied cormorants, Sooty and
Pied Oyster Catchers and an Eastern
Swamp Hen. A noisy band of Yellow-
tailed Black Cockatoos heralded our
entry into Lady Barron, the second
largest town on the island with a
population of 150. Near the local
tiny store, a pair of Green Rosellas
with yellow bellies announced their
presence by chattering in a clump of
melaleucas.

Our house was on a sand hill at the
foot of Vinegar Hill, from where a
superb view over the Franklin Sound
could be obtained; this lookout is used
by the local fisherman to estimate the
ferocity of the sea at the Eastern out-
let of the Sound, known as the Pot
Boil, near which lie the Vansittart
Shoals. Vansittart (or Gun Carriage)
Island has a prominent hillock at its
eastern end, and on this island there
are still remains of convict graves.
On the eastern shore, one can see the

157

wreck of the “Farsund”, which oc-
curred in 1912, looking as though it
were ready to sail at any time.

In the bush surrounding the house,
we discovered a bush of Boronia
anemenifolia with a few pink flowers,
and noted a family of Superb Blue
Wrens and many Honeyeaters.

Early next morning we heard a
Kookaburra, and a Magpie carolling;
apparently these latter are the white
backed variety introduced from Vic-
toria.

Our first excursion was to Trouser’s
Point beach (Plate 2). The sea water
there has been said to be sapphire in
colour and there are large granite
outcrops surrounding the bay,
splashed above sea level with a thick
line of vermillion lichen. Casuarinas
grow over the sand dunes to the level
of the intensely white sand. This bay
seemed to be a nursery for handsome
black and white Pacific Gulls (Larus
pacificus) and their great brown off-
spring; and Hooded Dotterel were also
seen on the beach. Further out from
the beach, a flock of Fairy Terns was
seen fishing.

Australian Pipits frequently
streaked off ahead of the car, especi-
ally in the agricultural areas on the

east of the island, where intensive

Soldier Settlement has occurred; and
we frequently disturbed seven or
eight Spur-winged Plover near the
roadside.

Back at Lady Barron deep sea
wharf, the “Joseph Banks”, an island
supply ship, had unloaded into nearby
yards a mob of cattle which bellowed
most of the night. Some of the cray-
fish boats had also returned and that
evening we were able to buy an
enormous flathead for our evening
meal. Here also, we were able to
meet and talk with Cape Barren
Islanders, whose forebears were nine
British seamen, six Tasmanian and
three Australian female Aborigines
and one Maori woman. This hybrid
race of persons, of whom there are
less than one hundred now, have a
distinctive dialect. They omit explo-
sives such as “t’, “d” and “p” from
their speech; for instance Cape Barren
is always “Kay Barren’; Wednesday
is Wen’y. During our short sojourn,
we encountered only male Cape Bar-
ren Islanders, whose skin colour
varied from coal-black (typified by
tall, friendly Eric Maynard), to vary-
ing degrees of swarthiness, associated

Plate 2

Trouser’s Point.
Mountains of
Cape Barren
Island in
Background.

Vict. Nat. Vol. 91

a

f° iin ' dae

with varying degrees of Aboriginal
facial characteristics.

Next day, we were surprised at the
rain-forest type of vegetation, and tall
eucalypts (E. viminalis) in the gullies
and on hillsides of the Darling Range
which runs north and south, almost
in the centre of the island. This has
one outstanding “sharp edged” granite
peak near the centre. We ascended
Walkers Hill (1,400 feet) and noted
the handsome, black-fruited tea-trees
and narrow-leaved Bedfordia linearis
and the Soft (Dicksonia antarctica)
and Rough (Cyathea australis) Tree
Ferns in the gullies. Later, on Strze-
lecki Peak, we saw these Tree Ferns
again, and the Austral King Fern
(Todea barbara) in the stream bed.

That day, we also visited the lonely
chapel at Wybalenna, now undergoing
restoration at the hands of the local
branch of the National Trust (Plate
3). This chapel is the only building
still standing which was actually used
by the last of the Tasmanian Aborigi-
nals, when Wybalenna was made an
Akoriginal reserve near Settlement
Point. George Augustus Robinson, an
amazing Englishman, tried unsuccess-
fully to succour what was left of the

Plate 3

Wybalenna
Chapel.

June, 1974

Tasmanian blacks by gathering them
together at this point on Flinders
Island. The graveyard nearby con-
tains a plaque commemorating the
passing of over 100 Aborigines, and
a gravestone dated 1835 bears an in-
scription recording the death of the
last chief of the Portland Tasmanian
Tribe — Mannalargenna. The tombs
are empty, the bodies having been
conveyed to secret burial places to
prevent “body snatching” (Plate 4).
Flinders Island, during our stay,
had not had any rain for about one
month, the ground was very dry, and
domestic water supplies restricted.
Most mornings were cloudy and oc-
casionally a soft, woolly sea-mist
settled in layers over Franklin Sound.
The afternoons were sunny and warm,
but not as hot as the weather ex-
perienced in Victoria at the same time,
according to reports on our radio.
Next day we visited the home of
Mr. D. Smith in Whitemark; who has
a small private museum and zoo. Here
we photographed a small, appealing
wombat called “Doris” (Phascolomys
platyrhinus), Flinders Island being ap-
parently the only island in Bass Strait
where wombats have not been exter-

159

minated by man; but even here they
are unpopular with the farming com-
munity. This young animal, not much
longer than twelve inches had already
made an excavation in the ground of
the enclosure which she shared with
a young Brush-tailed Possum. In one
small enclosure eight Potaroos had
concealed themselves so well under
grass tussocks, that we were unable to
see these bandicoot-like creatures until
they were flushed out.

A family of Cape Barren Geese
strutted about the yard, headed by a
rather resentful and aggressive female
named “Gordon”; her mate known as
“Gotch’”, seemed less concerned. A
Bennett’s Wallaby and a Pademelon
also occupied the back-yard enclosure.
There was also a rather dilapidated
specimen of a Blue-winged Parrot
(Neophema_ chrysostoma) with a
large Wedged-tailed Eagle, who was
fed on fresh marsupial carcasses from
the roads.

In our own house, we caught a
large black rat, which had been pilfer-
ing the food stores; this appeared to be
the ordinary ship rat (Rattus rattus).
One spiny ant-eater (Tachyglossus

setosus) was seen dead on the road.

Next day, we determined to ascend
the Strzelecki Range, along a well-
marked track beginning opposite Mr.
Rhodes farm at Locotta (Plate 5).
However, it was a hot day and only
one member of the party finally
reached the top of this range, to be
threatened by a cloud.

The views out over the agricultural
flat lands bordering the west coast
were rewarding, and one could see the
mountains of the north-west coast
almost fifty miles distant.

Although we had been warned
about the prevalence of tiger, copper-
head, and brown snakes, we did not
encounter any living specimens, al-
though two dead tiger snakes were
seen on the road. From the range we
had a splendid view of Chappel Island
with its conical hill (Plate 6), named
by Flinders for his friend Annette
Chappel, whom he afterwards married
and who waited so many years for his
return to England, whilst he lan-
guished imprisoned in Mauritius with
failing health, which unquestionably
brought about his early death at the
age of 40 years.

Chappel Island is indicated on the
maps as —“the place where Eric Wor-

Plate 4

Empty tombs
of Tasmanian
Blacks at
Wybaelenna
with monument
to Manna-
largenna.

Vict, Nat. Vol. 91

rell catches his big snakes”. Appar-
ently, the tiger snakes have evolved to
enormous size and number on this
island. Lizards and small skinks were
commonly encountered.

The track up the range passed
through Manuka Tea-tree (Lepto-
spermum scoparium) and Malaleuca
squamea thickets. It then wound
through Casuarina stands, over bare
granite rocks, and into fern gullies
with numerous Zieria smithii trees.
Near an almost dry waterfall, some
large Grey Currawongs gave a rather
raucous concert; and a flame-breasted
robin was seen, along with some
thornbills.

Eucalyptus globulus, E.nitida and
E. viminalis grew on the slopes, but
there were very few flowers at this
season. We saw some Goodenia
ovata, plus a small lilac Scaevola sp.,
and a blue Lobelia ? alata. We passed
through a stand of Hakea epiglottis,
and the climber who reached the top
was rewarded with a fine specimen of
Lycopodium varium.

On our return to Lady Barron, we
visited Miss Barrett, whose father Bill
Barrett settled on Long Island close
to Cape Barren Island. Miss Barrett,

Plate 5

Strzelecki
Peaks 2,481 ft.
Ascent route
visible right
of centre.

June, 1974

who is a source of much local infor-
mation, lives in a green painted, cor-
rugated iron cottage, set back deeply
in a tall tea-tree thicket, the lower
storey of which is impenetrably fes-
tooned with introduced Asparagus
fern covered with small red _ berries.
She mentioned that the temperature
inside her cottage on hot days reaches
10>: FB;

Our next excursion was to
Cameron’s Inlet on the east coast; the
track was rather sandy in patches, but
passable to a car because of the criss-
crossing roots of the tea-tree and the
mats of Carpobrotus rossii, Origium
sp. and near the coast Salicornia aus-
tralis. The inlet, which is long and
shallow, is barred from the ocean by
wide, white sands and is the home of
many birds, including Swans, Pelicans
and many gulls. West of Babel Is-
land, which is visible from the ocean
beach at this spot, is Cat Island on
which there is a Gannet rookery, de-
pleted by crayfishers as bait for their
pots. This was once one of the largest
Gannett rookeries around the Aus-
tralian coast.

Ocean bathing off this inlet proved
rather difficult because of strong,
under-tow currents. One of us dis-

161

covered a green glass trawling ball
covered with rope netting, fully twelve
inches in diameter. The carcasses of
several Fairy Penguins and a Tas-
manian Mutton-bird were also found
entangled in the sea-wrack. Fibres of
the marine fibre-plant, Posidonia aus-
tralis, a Marine angiosperm, were also
found rolled up in various sizes on
most of the beaches, but were preva-
lent here. The grass wracks Zostera
sp. were also seen, and the vegetation
along the sand dunes was so dense
that it was quite difficult to find shade
for our picnic lunch. i
Here, and later also at North-East
river, we saw and heard the Eastern
Curlew on the tidal flats. Hooded and
Red-capped Dotterels ran along the
ocean beach ahead of us as we walked.
We did not see their nests, and we
hoped we had not walked on them
inadvertantly as they are so small and
so well camouflaged. A Black-faced
Cormorant sat on a dead tree branch
in the inlet and White-faced herons
seemed abundant on the reefs.
Correa alba was in flower near the
coast; also the green bells of Correa
reflexa were abundant. Acacia ver-
niciflua was in flower further inland.
The red heads of Acaena anserinifolia

162

and A. ovina covered our socks after

a bush scramble during which the
spines of Busaria sp. and Acacia ver-
ticillata proved a deterrent to extensive
exploration.

The ocean beach proved a treasure
trove for shells; a large rock-whelk
shell being picked up, and also many
large crenulated limpets, abalone and
scallop shells in various rose tints, as
well as small cowries and turbos.

Inland in all areas of the island,
especially near the farmlands, there
was an abundance of birds of the
hawk family, including:— pairs of
Swamp Harriers, a Goshawk, several
Nankeen Kestrels and some Little Fal-
cons in the north. Brown Hawks were
common, and one insisted on sitting
on the motor road in the north, rising
lazily when a car approached to re-
turn persistently to the same area
when the car had passed; a rather
hazardous hunting ground we con-
sidered!

Ravens were seen and heard in the
agricultural areas, but were not preva-
lent. An Australian Grey Thrush sang
frequently near our house, and on
one occasion, we heard a Grey
Butcher-bird calling. We frequently
encountered Swifts on the wing along

Plate 6

Fotheringate
Bay from
Strzelecki Peak.
Chappel Island
in background.

Vict. Nat. Vol. 91

the east coast, and at Barrow Point,
the south-west corner of Adelaide
Bay, we encountered a male Musk-
duck.

Along the inland roads were fine
stands of Lasiopetalum dasyphyllum
interspersed with Manuka and Mela-
leucas, also some bushes of Coprosma
hirtella and Boobialla (Myoporum in-
sulare). The blue flowers of Dam-
piera stricta and Scaevola pallida were
also found along the road verge. Here
we also found Bauera rubioides. In-
troduced birds such as the Blackbird,
Skylark, House Sparrow, Goldfinch
and Starling were not difficult to see,
especially around the settlements. The
purple flowers of a small Mazus pu-
milio were found on the cliff above
the sea at Trouser’s Point. Beside the
road at the northern end of the island,
we found a Native Cypress Pine
(Callitris rhomboidea) .

Our next day’s excursion was
almost fifty miles to the north, where
we visited Killicrankie Bay and Palana
beach where a hedgerow of pink
Belladonna lilies lined the road into
the small settlement; from here the
East and West Sister Islands seemed
quite close. We then took the north-
ern track marked “Danger, Road Im-
passable”, over dry swamp lands to
the North East River, where a num-
ber of fishing huts had been erected in
the tea-tree between the road and the
sandy river beach. Again many and
varied sea-birds and swans were in
evidence.

On our return, we visited the topaz
mine near Tanner’s Bay, having been
lent spades and sieves by Mr. Worth.
At first, we had little success in finding
these so-called ‘“Killicrankie Dia-
monds”, but after watching three men,
who had dug an excavation down
below water level in the creek bed,
and who offered us several sieve fulls
of their diggings, we were able to col-

June, 1974

lect a handful of small, clear topaz
crystals; this is a mineral of granites
and other igneous rock and is an
alumino-fluoro-silicate. These gentle-
men, who had been working at their
diggings all day, had some quite large
crystals, some of them gem quality,
which they intended selling.

A swim at Tanner’s beach, which
faces south, completed the day. Here
there is a small headland of limestone
on the northern shore; there are also
some limestone cliffs and reefs at
Settlement Point below Emita.

On our last day on the island, we
visited a widow who lives alone at
Lady Barron and grows an amazing
variety of exotic fruits and flowers on
a thirteen acre property facing Frank-
lin Sound. She has three or four huts
in which she sleeps or eats, and two
wheel-less buses in which students or
others may stay rent free if they assist
with some of the work in her garden.
We then visited our favourite
Trouser’s Point bay and later White
Sands, also known as Possum Boat
Harbour east of Lady Barron, Pre-
parations were then made for our
early morning departure by plane from
Whitemark next day.

We were pleased to observe the
notice at the airport which prohibits
the entry of rabbits to Flinders Island.
The islanders were waiting expectantly
for the opening of the mutton-bird
season, which begins on 27 March and
ends on 30 April. This activity takes
place at night on the islands in Frank-
lin Sound and surrounding islands. To
the Cape Barron Islanders, this is the
season in which most of the work is
done, and most of the yearly income
is made. The harvesting of the young
mutton-birds (Short-tailed Shear-
waters), formerly held pride of place
as the mainstay of the Flinders Island
economy, but has now been super-
seded by farming and fishing. On

163

Fischer Island, near the Lady Barron
wharf, the C.S.I.R.O. and the Tas-
manian Animals and Birds Protection
Board have set up a station for investi-
gation and banding of the mutton-
birds. At present, that station is
manned by a Victorian woman who
makes Radio Telephone contact with
Miss Barrett at Lady Barron each
evening.

While this article does not pretend
to offer a complete list of fauna or
flora of the island, nor offer a brochure
for tourists, it is submitted as an ac-
count of the things that amateur
naturalists may see and enjoy “with-
out tears” during a one-week holiday
at this, as yet, peaceful paradise —
Flinders Island.

The Origin of Generic Names of the Victorian Flora

Part 2—Latin, Greek and Miscellaneous
[continued from 91 (5)]

by JAMEs A. BAINES.

*Borago. Late Lat. for B. officinalis,
Borage, possibly from Lat. burra, a
hairy garment, or borra, rough hair;
in allusion to the hairy leaves. Skeat
derives it from French bourrache,
which came through Spanish borraja
from Arabic abu_ rashh, literally
“father of sweat”, the borage plant
being a sudorific. The common name
is pronounced as if spelt like the sur-
name Burridge, but the first syllable
of the family name Boraginaceae is
sounded like bore.

Bothriochloa. Gk bothrion, a little
pit (from bothros, hole); khloe or
chloe, grass, or the young shoots of
herbage. B. ambigua is Red-leg Grass
or Pitted Beard-grass.

Botrychium. Gk botrys, a bunch of
grapes; referring to the bunchlike for-
mation of the spore-bearing organs of
these deciduous ferns, an alternative
name of the European Moonwort
being Grape Fern. Our native species
are B. lunaria, Moonwort (lunaria of
course meaning moon-like) and B.
australe, Austral or Meadow Moon-
wort, the former being identical with
the species found in English meadows,
and in North America, where it is
also Known as Moon Fern.

164

Brachychiton. Gk brakhys, short;
khiton, an undergarment or tunic;
alluding to the loose outer covering
of the seed or the overlapping scales.
Our species is B. populneus, the
Kurrajong.

Brachycome. Gk _ brachys, short;
kome, hair; alluding to the short
bristles of the pappus. Eichler has re-
stored the form Brachyscome used in
the original naming of the genus by
Cassini (1817), which Cassini himself
corrected in 1825. Victoria has 32
species of these attractive daisies.

Brachyloma. Gk _ brachys, short;
loma, fringe, edge; alluding to the
hairs or scales in the throat of the
corolla tube. Our four species include
Daphne Heath and Brush Heath.

*Brachypodium. Gk brachys, short;
podion, a little foot; the pedicels of
the spikelets being very short. Our
introduced species is B. distachyum,
False Brome. ;

Brasenia. The genus Brasenia in-
cludes a tropical American species
(family Cabombaceae takes its name
from Cabomba, an indigenous word
from Guyana), so Schreber could
have named Brasenia from Brasil, the

Vict. Nat. Vol. 91

oid

older form of Brazil, but the origin of
the name is quite obscure. Our species,
B. schreberi, is an aquatic plant known
as Water-shield. (Brassen is one Ger-
man word for carp.)

*Brassica. The classical Lat. name
for cabbage. Six introduced species
have become naturalized in Victoria:
*B. oleraceus, Cabbage (the specific
name means “pertaining to kitchen
gardens’, for pot-herbs), *B. rapa
subsp. sylvestris, Wild Turnip, *B.
napus, Rape (rapum was the classical
Lat. name for turnip), B. nigra, Black
Mustard, as well as the Mediterranean
Turnip and Twiggy Turnip.

*Briza. Gk name of a rye-like grain
growing in Macedonia (from Gk
brizo, to nod, be sleepy). Linnaeus
probably adopted the name because
the flower-heads of B. maxima (Shell
Grass or Large Quaking-grass) and
B. minor (Shivery Grass or Lesser
Quaking-grass) nod in the breeze. It
is just a coincidence that the English
word breeze came from old Spanish
briza.

Bromus. Gk bromos, the ancient
name for the oat. Victoria has nine
introduced species, mostly known as
brome grasses, and one native species,
B. arenarius, the only indigenous
species of the genus in Australia (it
has become naturalized in western
U.S.A., including California); its
common name is Sand Brome.

*Buglossoides. Gk, meaning “like
Buglossa’ (another boraginaceous
genus), the name of which means ox-
tongue. Lithospermum arvense, Corn
Gromwell, is placed in this genus by
Eichler in his “Supplement to Black’s
Flora of South Australia’.

Bulbine. Lat. name for some kind
of bulbous plant (bulbus, a bulb).
Our two native species, Bulbine Lily
and Leek Lily, have been placed in a

June, 1974

separate genus, Bulbinopsis (meaning
“with the form of Bulbine’) by Borzi,
the rest of the species, 55 in number,
being from tropical and _ southern
Africa. This has been accepted by Hj.
Eichler (in the work cited in previous
entry).

*Bupleurum. Gk boupleuros, mean-
ing ox-rib, a name for another plant.
*B. rotundifolium (Hare’s-ear or
Modesty), was included in Ewart’s
“Flora of Victoria” on the strength
of a Loddon River collection, but J.
H. Willis has removed it from the flora
because of the absence of further
records.

Bursaria. Lat. bursa, a pouch or
purse; alluding to the fruit. (Cf. Cap-
sella bursa-pastoris, Shepherd’s Purse,
named for similar reasons.)

Caesia. Feminine form of the
classical Lat. adjective caesius, bluish-
grey, used by the Romans in describ-
ing the colour of eyes. The word is
familiar also to those who grow the
Western Australian Eucalyptus caesia
(Gungurru). Those who use the tra-
ditional English pronunciation of
Latin should pronounce the first syl-
lable as in Caesar; those who prefer
the presumed classical pronunciation
(as used by Julius Caesar) should
pronounce it as in Kaiser (the Ger-
man word for Emperor that is a
modern form of Caesar, as is Tsar in
Russian). The pronunciation com-
monly heard, with the first syllable
kay, must be wrong.

Cakile. Arabic qaqulleh, which is
the Arabic name of Sea Rocket, C.
maritima, a cosmopolitan plant found
on most sea coasts around the world.
As the Arabic vowel in the first
syllable is long, it probably should be
pronounced with the first syllable
either kahk or cake, but Black accents
the second syllable.

165

Caladenia. Gk _ kalos, beautiful;
aden, gland. Victoria has 22 species
of these beautiful terrestrial orchids,
most of them known as Spider Or-
chids, but some lovingly named Pink
Fingers, Pink Fairies, Blue Fairies,
Hare Orchid, etc.

Calamagrostis. Gk kalamos, a reed;
agrostis, a kind of grass. C. quadriseta
is now Deyeuxia quadriseta (Reed
Bent-grass). Our grasses at one time
included in this genus are classified
variously in Deyeuxia, 5 species, and
Agrostis, 1.

Calectasia. Gk _ kalos, beautiful;
ektasis, development; alluding to the
blue spreading perianth-lobes. C.
cyanea, Blue Tinsel Lily, is a mono-
typic species that fully justifies the
meaning of its name, and cyanea
means blue.

*Calendula. Lat calendae, the first
day of the month; alluding to the long
flowering period of some of the
species. Our two introduced species
are the Garden or Pot Marigold and
the Field Marigold.

Callistemon. Gk _ kallos, beauty;
stemon, a stamen. It is the attractive
stamens of the bottlebrush flowers
that prompted this name, the pronun-
ciation usually heard in Australia on
the second syllable being in defiance
of all reference book accent recom-
mendations, but nevertheless in ac-
cordance with the usual shifting of
accent in compound Greek nouns.
Victoria has seven species.

Callitriche. Gk _ kalos, beautiful
(kallos, beauty); thrix, trikhos, hair.
Known as Water Starworts, Victoria
has six native species and two intro-
duced. The accent recommended is on
the second syllable (justifying the
comment under the previous item
above).

Callitris. Gk kallos, beauty; the
second element, -tris, “has no mean-

166

ing” (says Jaeger), but Black derives

it from Gk treis, three (there being
“leaves usually in whorls of 3”). It is
possible that Ventenat, who named the
genus, saw a resemblance in the
foliage of these Cypress Pines to
“beautiful hair”, with the origin iden-
tical with Callitriche, the second ele-
ment being softened both for euphony
and differentiation. Black accents the
first syllable, but others the second —
take your pick, as both are commonly
heard.

Calocephalus. Gk kalos, beautiful;
kephale, a head; alluding to the
massed flower-heads of such species
as C. brownii, Cushion Bush. Our four
other species are known as Beauty-
heads, a literal translation of the
generic name.

Calochilus. Gk kalos, beautiful;
cheilos, lip, margin or brim; alluding
to the colourful labellum of these
Beard Orchids, of which Victoria has
SiX species.

Calomeria. Gk meris or meros, a
part; kalos, beautiful. C. amaran-
thoides had very little priority over its
better-known synonym, Humea ele-
gans, Incense Plant or Plume Humea.
(The plume of flowers resembles an
amaranth. )

Calorophus. Gk kalos, beautiful;
strophos, twisted; Labillardiere’s Calo-
rophus was “corrected” to Calostro-
phus by F. Mueller because the Rope
Rush, C. lateriflorus, lent itself to the
“twisted” derivation. Robert Brown
named the species Restio lateriflorus
four years after Labill founded the
genus Calorophus.

Calostemma. Gk kalos, beautiful;
stemma, a crown or garland; alluding
to the inner crown (corona) of the
perianth. Our species, C. purpureum,
is known as Garland Lily.

to be continued

Vict. Nat. Vol. 91

Importance of the Mount Napier Volcanic Complex
near Hamilton, Victoria, Australia

by EDMUND D. GILL and
L. K. M. ELMORE.

Mount Napier is one of the out-
standing volcanoes of Victoria. If we
had a National Geologic Trust, it
would be classified A (“to be pre-
served at all costs’). The reasons for
this are many, but the following will
give some idea of what is involved.

Complex of Volcanic Wonders
Mount Napier is not simply an in-
teresting eruption centre—it is a
whole complex of volcanic phenomena
of world importance (Plates 1-2).
Tourists are paying millions of dollars
each year to see exactly the same
kinds of features in other parts of the
world. It is time we realized the
volcanic marvels that exist in Vic-
toria, including the Mount Napier
complex. In 1945 fifty overseas, inter-
state and Victorian geologists and
geomorphologists made a_ four-day
tour of the vast basalt field of Western
Victoria. It is one of the largest vol-
canic landplains in the world (some
say the third largest), covering over
10,000 km.? On the final day an
“Au revoir” dinner was held at Balla-
rat, and the late Professor Griffith
Taylor made a speech. He stressed
One point in particular. As far as his
words can be recalled, they were, “I
have visited all the main volcanic areas
of this globe. . . . What impresses me
so much is that there is such a diver-
sity of volcanic features in this one
lava field in Victoria. There are at
least two bigger lava plains, and there
are places where there are very much
higher piles of volcanic ejectamenta
such as in Hawaii, but I know of no
basaltic field in the world that has so
great a range of volcanic phenomena

June, 1974

in so limited an area.” That was a

significant statement.

Your Notebook Entry

So the people in Victoria in general
should take note, and the people of
the Hamilton region in particular
should recognise, that we possess a
volcanic field that will certainly be-
come a great scientific and tourist at-
traction. The trouble is that the place
is as yet barely known, and little
understood. We owe a great deal to
the Field Naturalists’ Clubs for watch-
ing over this irreplacable asset until
its great value for science is made
Known by publication, and something
done to develop its potential.

Local action saved some _ excep-
tionally fine parasitic cones that
would otherwise have been bulldozed
for road metal. There is no necessary
conflict between the needs of industry
and the preservation of important
national monuments. Both can con-
tribute to the Quality of Life. We will
take up this point a little later.

Mount Napier Known Overseas

Some of our volcanic features are
more famous overseas than they are
here. In San’ Francisco, E> DG:
stood in a line of people waiting to
register for a meeting of the Geologi-
cal Society of America, and found
himself next to a famous Professor
interested in volcanoes. He knew
about Mount Napier, its parasitic
cones, the lava barriers to the west,
and the Byaduk lava caves (Skeats
and James 1937). He had read of the
Red Rock complex north of Colac,
and the Dreeite tumuli. He knew of
the maars (such as Lake Keilambete)

167

Plate 1

1. Aerial view of Mount Napier.

2. Mount Napier from scoria cone at Menzel’s Quarry.
3. Aerial view of Byaduk Caves.

168 Vict. Nat. Vol. 91

Plate 2

2 Cave, Byaduk.

2. Eucalyptus tree roots in cave at Site 21

Harman’s No.

ih

Fig. 2.

b]

Lava stalact

Bids

tes at Site 4, F

i

a

1g

169

, 1974

June

of Western Victoria (Grayson and
Mahony 1910), and the Tower Hill
Caldera (Gill 1967). These remark-
able features (Figs. 1-2) deserve
greater attention, and in the future
will certainly receive it.

Present Literature

Hundreds of literature references
exist to Mount Napier and its galaxy
of volcanic features. Probably James
Bonwick (1866), the celebrated
school master of early Victoria, was
the first writer to describe the Western
District volcanic field. He _ wrote,
“The lava flow from Napier flowed
fifty miles southward.” Perhaps he
thought that the basalt of the plain
extending south towards Warrnambool
came from Mount Napier. Skeats and
James (1937) provided the first scien-
tific account of the geology and geo-
morphology of Mount Napier, the
Harman Valley, the Byaduk caves and
Condah Swamp. Hills (1938) con-
siderably advanced our knowledge of
the lava plain, and commented par-
ticularly on the Mount Napier-
Byaduk - Harman Valley - Condah
Swamp sequence of features.

The Royal Society of Victoria con-
ducted a Symposium on the basalt
plains of Western Victoria, wherein
Gill (1964) dealt with stratigraphy,
Ollier and Joyce (1964) the geomor-
phology, and Gibbons and Gill
(1964) the soils in relation to chrono-
logy. Gibbons and Downes (1964)
made a careful study of the land
systems in this area. Mount Napier
and its lava flows form part of the
Eccles land-system. The ancient
basalt plain of the surrounding
country belongs to the Hamilton sys-
tem, while the extensive ponded
stream area north of the Mount Eccles
volcanic assemblage is called the Con-
dah Swamp land-system.

While the foregoing constitutes the
main literature on the geology, soils

170

and geomorphology of the Mount
Napier volcanic complex, there are
hundreds of other references. Even
so, we know next to nothing of this
fascinating wonderland of recent vol-
canic activity. No systematic scien-
tific study has been made of it, and
no detailed study of any unit. A great
deal that has not been published is
known by the Field Naturalists and
others, but still the place is relatively
unknown from a scientific point of
view. Obviously it has vast potential,
and to protect it should be the en-
deavour of every citizen interested in
understanding our world.

Conservation

This brings us naturally to the sub-
ject of conservation. A great deal of
unnecessary strife occurs on this mat-
ter. The hot-gospeller of conservation
(as he is often called in U.S.A.) says
everything must be conserved. The
practical engineer says we must have
materials for making roads and
bridges, homes and hospitals. The
problem is that many fight their point
of view before getting the scientific
data. No rational rapprochement of
any problem can be achieved if basic
data are not collected first.

For many years people worked to
prevent the destruction for road metal
of the Tower Hill volcano near Warr-
nambool (Gill 1967), which is of
about the same age as Mount Napier.
The authorities concerned said they
had to have the road making material.
This was accepted, but it was pointed
out that the same material could be
obtained nearby without destroying an
irreplacable caldera.

The same principle applies to
Mount Napier. It would be a civiliza-
tional sin to destroy those parasitic
cones, for example. The same material
can be obtained nearby without de-
stroying the scientific and scenic won-
ders which one day will be a signifi-

Vict. Nat. Vol. 91

cant part of the educational attraction,
the recreation, and the tourist wealth
of the region.

The Better Way

We believe that for a national park
to be viable, it needs to be strongly
based scientifically, scenically, and
financially. To be viable, it needs to
be big enough to operate as an eco-
system. To preserve the lakes at
Mount Eccles, and have the same
small mountain being dug away from
below is ineffective. A larger park

Lyne Creek

@MURROA

there is necessary if it is to survive.
The removal of scoria needs to be
controlled.

Modern means of transit make it
easy for people to travel considerable
distances in a short time at low cost
(relative to modern standards of liv-
ing). Instead of each city and town
trying to have a museum of natural
history, a technological museum, and
an historical museum (for example),
there could be at some place a major
centre which is so large and strong as

Buckleys Swamp
School

“|
CO
3 MILES

a=

~~

‘\
\
t !
i]
/
iy Ar Zi,
LB /
J
BUCKLEY'S /’
SWAMP va

a
hoes
re

2 bed Lava area or plateau
Main roads
Yi, ———-— Rough but passable tracks
—/— Stone fence
Figure 1

June, 1974

1/1

to be definitely viable. We therefore
envisage the gradual development of
an enlarged Napier National Park
with a permanent staff that would
largely pay for itself. It could do
much good in educating children and
older people on their environment, it
could provide a variety of types of
recreation (now recognized in U.S.A.
as a necessary escape from the pres-
sures of modern life), it could give
endless pleasure to young and old,
and it could provide work for many
people.

The Dream

We dream a dream. We see at
Mount Napier a big regional museum
providing interesting information on
that major section of Western Vic-
toria, thus aiding people to understand
and to love their environment. Human
beings were evolved to fit into a

natural world of soil and rock and
forest, and not in relation to concrete
cities. It is for our health, happiness
and also for our hope for the future
to get back in touch with our proper
environment (Gill 1970, pp. 60-65).

We dream a dream. We see a
museum describing the pioneering of
this country, an historical house that
lets people identify themselves with
their forebears of yesteryear, their
struggles and their far more difficult
way of life. They made the present
possible.

We dream a dream. We see camp-
ing areas for young and old such as
are provided, e.g. at Yosemite
National Park and many _ smaller
places in California, where the trees
are not destroyed to accommodate a
camp. The last figures we heard were
2,000,000 visitors a year at Yosemite,
and 25,000 campers accommodated in

-_

a
VA 50)]032

3
4
HD. oO SCORIA
PIT
224

i
26 \S

Oz

Figure 2

172

Vict. Nat. Vol. 91

7

8

five camps, yet the natural environ-
ment is still preserved by good man-
agement. The necessary buildings are
not brick/iron structures out of keep-
ing with their environment, but build-
ings that naturally fit into their back-
ground.

We dream a dream. We see primi-

tive areas kept strictly in their natural
state but in addition all manner of
classified areas grading gradually to
parks and picnic grounds, rock shel-
ters and playgrounds. We visualise
walking tracks up the mountain
(down too if you wish) by various
routes, bush-walks through the forests

Figure 2

Enlargement of part of Fig. 1 to show features of interest around the Mt. Napier

eruption centre:

. Scoria cone (summit 1,453 ft.) and crater.

. Explosion crater larger than 1, 35 ch. in circumference, rim 95-125 ft. above
floor, breached each side with short lava channel. Lava flows N.E. and S.E.

. Crater wider but shallower than above, c. 13 ch. diameter. Walls 20-60 ft. high.

Very mobile flow to N.E.

Lava tunnel, open both ends, 200 yd. below breach in crater 1. Lava stalactites.

' Site on line in Fig. 2 N. of 35.
-6. Small lava fountain craters.

. Very large basalt boulders, possibly hurled from 2.
. Hill of scoria quarried by Menzel Bros.

1
Z
3
4
5
7. Eruption point — hill of scoria and basalt.
8
9
10

“Devil’s Hole” explosion crater. Height of rim 100-130 ft.

11. Hill with eruption point on one side.

12. Scoria crater on opposite (S.E.) side of same hill.
13. Scoria probably carried on surface of lava flow.
14. Four spatter craters, one with gas vents.

15. Negative structures in lava.

16. Large sinkhole formed by draining of lava.

17. Sink holes and barriers.
18. “The Great Barrier.”
19. Byaduk Caves.

20. Large shallow crater (apparent eruption point), and lava flows.

21. Truncated scoria cone c. 80 ft. high with crater 50-60 ft. deep. Near cone base
is smaller crater with basalt flow. A lava canal, starting as a lava tunnel 30 ft.
long, can be traced for 400 yd. Natural bridge c. 50 yd. from cave. Tunnel
section at bridge 16 ft. in diameter and almost symmetrical. Lava cave 60 ft.
long lies parallel to canal W. of bridge. Third cave lies half way between crater

lip and canal cave.

22. Slightly crescentic band of scoriaceous lava c. 150 yd. long and 40 ft. high with
small cave near lowest point containing bat guano. With 200 yd. on N. side are

two small shallow craters.

23. Lava canal partly covered by scoria.

24. Possible sink hole or crater covered by scoria.

25. Small lava cave near stone fence = ‘““The Forge”’.

26. Two small blister caves near summit of 1 on N.W. face.
27. Point of eruption. Low hill of blocky basalt.

28. Do. Low hill of basalt and scoria.

28. Point of eruption. Low hill of basalt and scoria.

29. Shallow crater 250 yd. diameter with low scoria ring.

30. Point of eruption. Small hill of scoriaceous lava.

31. Crater c. 100 yd. wide and 40 ft. deep, 60 yd. N. of Public Reserve boundary.

32. Point of eruption. Low basalt hill.

33. Site is between 34 and 6. Massive complex dyke extending W. from near
summit for 26 ch. then continuing as fissure as far again with at least four

points of eruption.
34. Small crater with scoria ring.

35. Concentric lava layers between 4 and 25, and on same level.
Features in Figures 1 and 2 recognized and mapped by L. K. M. Elmore.

June, 1974

173

tracks, winding among the rock rivers
formed by the volcanic flows, trails
through the big lava rifts and over the
Miniature mountain ranges of lava
that were pushed up in ridges just
before they congealed into solid
basalt. Trails also to the famous
Byaduk lava caves and beyond to the
curious collapsed features, diatom-
phytolith fields, ponds and peats of
the Condah Swamp. This could be
elaborated in the tourist season with
rides along donkey trials for children,
horse trails for adults, and such like
to help make the place a financial
success.

In our dream we see roads which
many conservationists want to keep
out of National Parks. Absence of
roads means that only the physically
fit can enjoy the park. Why not also
the old folk, and why not teach the
little ones to love the Nature Parks?
It is a matter of zoning, then good
management. One of the impressive
things at Yosemite is that you can
drive great distances in comfort on
asphalt roads but the roads are almost
out of sight. Instead of cuttings there
are (where possible) overgrown re-
graded areas. In the tourist season
guides are available, and many of
them are scientists who teach in Uni-
versities during the year, so that the
best of information is available. If a
park is big and attractive enough,
people will come in large numbers and
it can to a large extent pay for itself.
In U.S.A. there are small parks with
no one in attendance (but plenty of
guide posts and information labels)
up to major’ undertakings like
Yosemite.

Napier National Park

So we dream a dream of an en-
larged National Park big enough to
be viable, wide enough in its interests
to attract large numbers of people,
used as part of the regular education
of thousands of school children from

174

100 km around, a natural history
centre where farmers get help or find
new interest in their area, where the
history of the region is displayed, and
above all where the volcanic wonder-
land is made an open picture book
for all to read and enjoy.

A dream does not become realised
overnight, but let us recognise the
priceless possession we have in Mount
Napier and get a programme started.
Many service organizations would as-
sist and many individuals would be
glad to help build such a dream into
a successful reality.

REFERENCES

Bonwick, J., 1886. The volcanics of
Rome and Victoria compared. Trans.
Proc. R. Soc. Vict. 7:149-165.

Gibbons, F. R., and Downes, R. G.,
1964. A study of the land in south-
western Victoria. Soil Cons. Auth.
TC3.

Gibbons, F. R., and Gill, E. D., 1964.
Terrains and soils of the basaltic
plains of far Western Victoria. Proc.
R. Soc. Vict. 77: 387-395.

Gill, E. D., 1964. Rocks contiguous with
the basaltic cuirass of Western Vic-
toria. Proc. R:Soc. Vict die 631-355.

Gill, E. D., 1967. Evolution of the
Warrnambool-Port Fairy coast, and
the Tower Hill Eruption, Western Vic-
toria. Ch. 15 Landform studies from
Australia and New Guinea. Ed. J. N.
Jennings and J. A. Mabbutt, A.N.U.,
Canberra.

Gill, E. D., 1970. Rivers of History.
A.B.C., Sydney.

Grayson, H. J., and Mahony, D. J.,
1910. The geology of the Camper-
down and Mt. Elephant Districts.
Mem. Geol. Surv. Vict. 8.

Hills, E. S., 1939. The age and physio-
graphic relationships of the Cainozoic
volcanic rocks of Victoria. Proc. R.
Soc. Vict. 52: 112-139.

Ollier, C. D., and Joyce, B., 1964. Vol-
canic physiography of the Western
plains of Victoria. Proc. R. Soc. Vict.
TAS 357-316.

Skeats, E. W., and James, A. V. G.,
1937. Basaltic barriers and other sur-
face features of the newer basalts of

western Victoria. Proc. R. Soc. Vict.
49: 245-292.

Vict. Nat. Vol. 91

MPS

fnfck

Additions to the family Kokiriidae
(Trichoptera)

by A. NEBorss*

Abstract

The family Kokiriidae is charac-
terized, and for the first time recorded
from Australia. The New Caledonian
genus Mecynostomella with its only
species fusca Kimmins (1953) is
transferred from the Family Serico-
stomatidae to Kokiriidae. Tanjisto-
mella verna (new genus and species)
is described from Victoria.

Introduction

The extensive collecting of insects
along Victorian watercourses as part
of the ecological surveys undertaken
during the last two or three years has
added not only interesting distribu-
tional data of caddis-flies in Victoria
but also numerous entirely new
species. The investigations carried out
in the Latrobe River valley brought
to light a very interesting new caddis-
fly species belonging to the family
Kokiriidae, previously unknown from
Australia. Its existence in Tasmania
was known to the author for several
years, and the description of the three
species occurring there will appear in
a publication dealing with the Tas-
manian fauna.

Histoy

Schmid (1955) described the genus
Rhynchopsyche from Chile in the
family Brachycentridae, but explicitly
noted a certain resemblance to the
Australian genus Plectrotarsus.
McFarlane (1964) described a new
monotypic genus Kokiria from New
Zealand and placed it in a separate
subfamily Kokiriinae within the family
Plectrotarsidae. Ross (1967) recog-
nized the close relationship between
the Chilean Rhynchopsyche and the

June, 1974

New Zealand Kokiria, and joined
them together to form a new family
Rhynchopsychidae which he _ con-
sidered to be closely related to the
family Lepidostomatidae. Riek
(1968), in his key to the limnephiloid
families, elevated the Kokiriinae to
family status. The two family names
are synonymous, and _ Kokiriidae
(McFarlane, 1964) has priority over
Rhynchopsychidae (Ross, 1967).

Family diagnosis

Ocelli absent; antennae about as
long as the anterior wing, basal seg-
ment longer than broad but not
bulbous; mouth parts elongate in the
form of a proboscis; maxillary palpi
cylindrical, 3-segmented in male, 5-
segmented in female. Scutum and
scutellum each with pair of warts.
R, of the anterior wing curved sharp-
ly toward costa basad of pterostigma,
connected or joined to Sc for a short
distance before running with an even
curve to the wing margin. No cross
vein connecting R, and discoidal cell
(it was erroneously shown as present
by McFarlane (1964) fig. 59; this
was checked and its absence confirmed
by that author in personal communi-
cation). Posterior wing with discoidal
cell open (aberrantly closed in some
Kokiria miharo specimens), R, end-
ing blindly, becoming untraceable dis-
tally, or joining Sc shortly before
wing margin; 3-5 frenular bristles at
the humeral angle.

Spurs 2:4:4 covered with fine hairs.
Riek (1968) (adopted by Malicky
(1973)) erroneously stated that they

*Curator of Insects, National Museum of

Victoria.

75

are bare; re-examination of K. miharo
specimens revealed the opposite.

In the search for the family rela-
tionship of the Australian species, it
was noticed that the New Caledonian
species Mecynostomella fusca Kim-
mins (1953) has all the diagnostic
characteristics of the family Kokiriidae
rather than those of the family Seri-
costomatidae where it was originally
placed. It has been described as having

striking prolonged mouth parts, 3-
segmented maxillary palps in the male;
ocelli absent; anterior wings with R,
joining Sc for a short distance basad
of pterostigma; and spurs 2:4:4.
These key characters, together with
the wing venation in general, and the
basic structure of the genitalia are
considered sufficient to justify trans-
ferring this monotypic genus to the
family Kokirtidae.

KEY FOR SEPARATING GENERA
(Males only)

1. Large patch of modified hairs on the lower basal

half of the anterior wing ..

—, Anterior wing without large patch of modified hairs

on basal half .

2. Maxillary palp . with segment 3 shorter than segment
yD

Mecynostomella Kimmins
Z

Rhynchopsyche Schmid

—. Maxillary ‘palp with segment 3 as long as or longer

than segment 2

3

3. Discoidal cell in anterior wing very short, less than

half the length of fork 2 ..

—. Discoidal cell in anterior wine long, ‘as long as or

slightly longer than fork 2 .

Genus Tanjistomella gen. n.

Ocelli absent; mouth parts extended
to a slender proboscis, which at rest is
folded back beneath the head into a
special groove; maxillary palp 3-
segmented in male, terminal segment
slightly longer than second. The head
dorsally with only the posterior pair
of warts present; eyes large. Pronotum
with lateral warts distinctly larger
than the middle pair, not touching
each other. Scutum and_ scutellum
each with a pair of elongated warts.
Anterior wing with R, curved and
connected with Sc basad of ptero-
stigma, then diverging into concave
curve toward the wing margin; dis-
coidal cell as long as or slightly longer
than fork 2; thyridial cell slightly
shorter than discoida cell; forks 2, 3
and 5 present. In posterior wing dis-
coidal cell open; forks 1, 2 and 5
present.

Spurs 2:4:4, covered with fine hairs.

Type species: Tanjistomella verna
gen. et sp.n.

176

Kokiria McFarlane
Tanjistomella gen. n.

Tanjistomella verna sp. n.
Figs. 1-8.

Insect of moderate size, dark brown,
legs and abdomen yellowish-brown.
Head rather narrow, eyes large, black;
frons extended forward to a narrow
distally rounded snout. Warts on
scutellum narrow, elongated, almost
parallel, about half the length of
scutellum. Tibiae slender, evenly and
densely covered with fine hairs, the
posterior tibia with a few small spines;
spurs slender, apically pointed,
covered with fine hairs. Several small
spines on tarsal segments, more so on
basal than the terminal ones.

3 genitalia with segment x pro-
duced to a narrow, posteriorly trun-
cate lobe; superior appendages short,
broad, interior angles pointed; inferior
appendages single segmented, short,
pointed apically; phallus terminating
with a pair of large rounded dorsal
lobes and a downturned finger-like
median process ventrally.

@ unknown.

Vict. Nat. Vol. 91

June, 1974

177

Length of anterior wing: 4 9 mm. _ served in alcohol, National Museum Lg
Type material: Holotype of Victoria.
(T4544), paratype G (T4545) Acknowledgements.
(genitalia preparation PT-446). Tan- The author is indebted to Dr. G.
jil River, Walhalla Road, Victoria, Ettershank, of Monash University,
22 Oct. 1973. Light trap. C. McCub- Clayton, Victoria for his very helpful
bin and A. Morison. Specimens pre- comments on the manuscript.

Figures 1-8

Tanjistomella verna gen. et sp. n. (1) — Wing venation; (2) — head lateral;
(3) —head and pronotum dorsal; (4a) — anterior tibia, (b) — mid-tibia, (4c) —
posterior tibia; (5) — 4 genitalia dorsal; (6) — ¢ genitalia lateral; (7) — ¢
genitalia ventral; (8) —scutum and scutellum dorsal.

178 Vict. Nat. Vol. 91

REFERENCES

Kimmins, D. E., 1953. Miss L. E. Chees-
man’s expedition to New Caledonia
1949. Ann. Mag. Nat. Hist. (12)6:
241-257.

McFarlane, A. G., 1954. A new endemic
subfamily, and other additions and
emendations to the Trichoptera of
New Zealand (Part 5). Rec. Cant.
Mus. 8: 55-79.

Malicky, H., 1973. Trichoptera’ in
“Handbuch der Zoologie’” 4(2) 2/29
(Berlin) 114 pp.

Riek, E. F., 1968. A New Family of
Caddis-Flies from Australia (Tri-
choptera: Tasimiidae) — J. Aust. ent.
Soc. 7: 109-114.

Ross, H. H., 1967. The Evolution and
Past Dispersal of the Trichoptera. Ann.
Rev. Ent. 12: 169-206.

Schmid, F., 1955. Contribution a la con-
naissance des Trichoptéres néotropi-
caux. Mem. Soc. Vaudoise Sci. Nat.
11) > 117-160:

Paper and Pearly Nautilus

by RHYLLIS J. PLANT*

Both the Paper and the Pearly
Nautilus fall into the Cepalapod
group, which includes squids, octopus
and cuttlefish but the “shells” of each
animal serve a completely different
purpose.

The shell of the Pearly Nautilus is
an actual shell which the animal lives
in continuously and never leaves,
similar to most shell bearing molluscs.

The “shell” of the Paper Nautilus
is not a shell at all, but only a case
made by the female in which she lays
her eggs. The female grips and makes
her egg-case with two flat tentacles
adapted for this purpose. When no
egg case is present, the animal looks
rather like an octopus.

The case is not chambered, but
thin, fragile and hollow. Several
legends exist about the egg case; one
being that they appear on the beach
every seven years. This is not correct,
for the currents and wind control the
time at which anything is beached;
also eggs would be laid more regu-
larly than this.

June, 1974

The Paper Nautilus animal feeds on
small animals floating on the surface,
such as crustacea. Little is known
about the animals’ life-cycle, and until
further observations are made, the
above is all we know.

The common Victorian Paper Nau-
tilus is known as Argonauta nodosa.

More information however is avail-
able about the Pearly Nautilus and its
habits.

The shell of this animal is cham-
bered and each separate partition has
a hole in the centre (see figure 1).
The animal lives in the last and big-
gest chamber, and as it grows, moves
forward and lays down another par-
tition behind it. A slender extension
of the body remains down through the
holes and serves to fill and empty the
chambers with liquid which acts as a
weight controller to enable the animal
to sink, or float to the surface at will.

The Pearly Nautilus swim by jetting

*Assistant, Dept. of Invertebrates, Nat. Museum,
Melbourne.

179

water through the funnel, and steer by
touch only. They are carnivores, and
although observations have not been
made in the wild, captive animals eat
fish, crabs and meat.

180

Animals have been found at depths
of from 58 m to 240 m, and possibly
deeper. These nautilus do not seem
to have the ability to change colour
like other octopus-type creatures.

Figure 1.
Cross section of
Pearly Nautilus
showing chambers.
Figure 2.
Typical pattern of
Pearly Nautilus.
Figure 3.

Paper Nautilus.

Drawings by Author.

Vict. Nat. Vol. 91

THE PASSING OF MR. FRANK HILL

Many members of The Field Naturalists Club of Victoria will remember
Mr. Frank Hill, who was a member till two years ago. He attended all the
excursions and helped whenever assistance was needed. He was a member
of the Anthropological Society, the Archaeological Society and the Bread and
Cheese Club. He died on the 28th April, 1974, a few weeks before his

seventy-fourth birthday.

Field Naturalists Club of Victoria

General Meeting — /3 May

The speaker at the May meeting was
Club member Mr. Arthur Brook, whose
talk, entitled “A Day in the Life of a
Frog”, was another in the introductory
series organized by Miss Madge Lester
who also introduced the speaker. Mr.
Brook devoted most of the talk to de-
scribing his studies of the Spotted Marsh
Frog, which have already extended over
a number of years, and have involved
continuous observations over long
periods. An electronic device, designed
by Mr. Brook, for reproducing a frog’s
call, was displayed and demonstrated,
creating considerable interest and amuse-
ment. It was pleasing to see a number of
younger members at the meeting and
their contributions to the lively question
time added to the interest of the talk.

At the opening of the meeting the
President announced with regret the
death of Mr. Frank Hill, who had been
for many years a very regular attender at
Club excursions. On a happier note Mr.
Kelly reported that Mr. J. H. Willis had
been appointed an Honorary Fellow in
Monash University Botany Department,
and also that Mr. Leigh Winsor, senior
vice-president of the Club, had accepted
a position in the Biological Sciences De-
partment of James Cook University,
Townsville. Mr. Winsor has been a very
active Club member, particularly as con-
venor of the Club Improvement Com-
mittee and president of the Field Survey
Group. Whilst congratulating him on his
appointment Mr. Kelly expressed regret
that the Club would be losing such an
energetic member.

Included in the correspondence was a
reply from the Minister for Conservation
to a Club submission urging land ac-
quisition to enlarge and integrate the

June, 1974

Bendigo Whipstick Forest Reserves. Mr.
Borthwick said that the Victorian Con-
servation Trust was actively pursuing the
matter.

A report was received from the newly-
formed Club Conservation Group, who
have settled on the third Thursday of
the month as their reguiar meeting night,
which this month will be in the new
Conservation Council rooms at 15 Drum-
mond Street, Carlton.

The President also reported that a
record number of twenty-seven nomina-
tions had been received for this year’s
award of the Natural History Medallion,
and that the six members of the Award
Committee had commenced the big task
of studying the submissions.

Exhibits at the meeting included some
red algae of the family Sphaerellaceae
shown under a microscope. Also on the
exhibit table was a new book, “Prin-
ciples of Physical Geology”, by Arthur
Holmes, which had been presented by
Mr. Graeme Love in appreciation of the
Club. The book is available on loan from
the library.

Nature notes were given reporting a
colony of Bell-birds near The Boulevard
in Kew, and also notes and a query as
to the species of phosphorescent marine
invertebrate at present plentiful on the
shore at Chelsea.

The book stall, which is open at the
back of the hall at every general meeting,
continues to do good business, and stocks
have been increased to include some im-
portant reference works and _ specialist
publications. Mr. Dan McInnes will
shortly be issuing stock and price lists
and would be happy to receive enquiries,
particularly from country members who
may not have easy access to good book
shops.

181

FIELD SURVEY GROUP
Annual General Meeting — March 1974

At the Annual General Meeting of
F.S.G., the following members were
elected as the 1974-75 Committee :—

Chairman — Arthur Brook.

Secretary — Leigh Winsor.

Asst. Secretary — Rob. Sandell.

Minute Secretary — Ros St. Clair.

Records Officer — Mike Hares.

N.M.V. Rep. — Dr. Brian Smith.

Residual — Max Campbell,

Gus Fabris, Alan Burns,
Wendy Clark.

The former secretary, Linda Barra-
clough, has taken up duties in Bairns-
dale. The group thanks Linda for her
services in the club and wishes her all
the best in her new position.

The chairman’s address was on Micro-
anatomical Methods in which Leigh Win-
sor outlined various techniques that
could be used for microscopical studies
in some animals. The meeting concluded
with supper as usual.

GeneralMeeting — April 1974

At this meeting, reports on surveys
conducted in the Macalister River area,
Tower Hill Reserve and Yarra Brae Dam
area were prepared.

F.S.G. Camps
Recent F.S.G. camps have been held in
the following areas:
January — Dargo High Plains, N.E.
Victoria.
February — Mornington Peninsula.
March — Jamieson — Connor Plain
Transect.
April — Dartmouth Dam Site, Bogong
High Plains.
May — Whitfield area.

Notes on New Policies Formulated by
F.S.G. Committee:

(a) Meetings: It has been resolved
that future meetings will alternate be-
tween specialist nights and meetings of
general interest. Future notices of F.S.G.
meetings as appear in the Victorian
Naturalist will indicate whether the topic
is specialist or general.

(b) Camps: Because of the low num-
ber of members attending camps, and
transport difficulties, future F.S.G. camps
may be held in conjunction’ with
F.N.C.V.-M.S.G. Therefore, no notices
of camps will appear in the Victorian
Naturalist and members wishing to at-
tend camps should obtain details of in-
tended camps from the secretary or at
an F.S.G. meeting.

182

Mammal Survey Group, F.N.C.V.

Camp Reports

The camp on the 26, 27, 28 January in
the Barmah Forest was greatly hampered
by high floodwaters, restricting access to
the edges of the forest. The only native
species recorded for the camp was the
Brushtail Possum (Trichosurus vulpe-
cula).

On the 16, 17 February the group sur-
veyed areas of bush in the vicinity of
Mt. Baw Baw. Undoubtedly the highlight
of the camp was the capture of Broad-
toothed Rat (Mastacomys fuscus), an
uncommon species. Other species cap-
tured were Bush-rat (Rattus fuscipes),
Brown Antechinus (Antechinus stuartii),
and Dusky Antechinus (Antechinus
swainsonii). Spotlighting added 4 more
native species to the tally: Bobuck (Tri-
chosurus. caninus), Greater Glider
(Schoinobates volans), Sugar Glider
(Petaurus breviceps) and Ringtail Pos-
sum (Pseudocheirus peregrinus). Other
wildlife of concern to the group was the
large number of Copperhead snakes in
the large clearing chosen as the camp-
site. An alternative was used, and the
snakes were observed several times dur-
ing the week-end, without disturbing
them unduly.

On 9, 10, 11 March we visited the Mt.
Pilot region, about 9 km north of Beech-
worth. The habitat was dry stringybark,
box open forest. The 2 native species
trapped were Yellow-footed Antechinus
(Antechinus flavipes) and _ Bush-rat.
Native mammals seen while spotlighting
were Ringtail Possum and Brushtail Pos-
sum, while Black Wallaby (Wallabia bi-
color) and Echidna (Tachyglossus acule-
atus) were recorded from daylight sight-
ings.

The Easter camp was spent in one of
the most scenic and rugged areas of the
State, around Mt. Cobbler and Mt. Spec-
ulation, and including the upper reaches
of the King and Wonnangatta Rivers.
The habitat varied from peppermint,
candlebark forest on the King to alpine
ash on the upper Wonnangatta, with ex-
tensive snow gum forest at higher alti-
tudes. About 400 trapnights were
achieved, resulting in 3 native and 1
introduced species being recorded; Bush-
rat, Brown Antechinus, Dusky Antechi-
nus and feral cat. All native specimens
were released except for regional speci-
mens returned to the Fisheries and Wild-
life Department. The spotlighting at this
camp was given a boost with the use of

Vict. Nat. Vol. 91

_—

a petrol generator for charging batteries
in the field. It was built by Richard Forse
and will be most useful at long camps.
The spotlighting produced Greater
Glider, Sugar Glider, Brushtail Possum,
Ringtail Possum, Bobuck, Black Wallaby
and Wombat (Vombatus ursinus). Al-
though not seen, Yellow-bellied Gliders
(Petaurus australis) were heard on
several occasions, and _ one _ heavily
scarred feeding tree was found. An un-
usual incident was the observation at close
quarters of a Greater Glider sitting in the
middle of the road. It had apparently
landed there between two parties setting
out in cars to spotlighting areas.

Marine Biology and Entomology Group
— 5 May

Thirteen members attended this meet-
ing which, in the absence of Mr. R. Con-
dron, was chaired by Mr. P. Kelly.

Speaker for the evening was ‘Mr. John
Zimmer, his subject being ““Wing Vena-
tion in Insects”. This was a subject about
which members knew very little and
great interest was taken by this talk on
the subject.

Mr. Zimmer started by describing an
insect wing as an outgrowth from the
thorax which contains tubes often fol-
lowed by trachae. On final emergence the
wing sac expands to become a flattened
structure with the veins compressed be-
tween the upper and lower membranes.
The wing surface is corrugated with

some veins situated on ridges (convex),
and others in furrows (concave). By
studying the incidence of occurrence of
locations of the major veins, Comstock
& Needham (1918) arrived at a general-
ized wing-venation system indicating a
probable common phylogenic origin of
the variety of forms we have today.

The principal veins are Rg. and Cu.,
which are usually strong convex veins
situated on ridges. All other veins can
be related to these.

In some orders extensive modification
and fusion had occurred. In more primi-
tive insects of the various orders the
venation was often close to the typical
original pattern. Even the complicated
cellular system in wasps can be related
to the Comstock-Needham — system
through fossil specimens. In some groups
rows of bristles, or a strong fold in the
membrane may indicate where a vein had
disappeared, e.g. some Chalcids. Wing
venation is seen in the elytra of fossil
coleoptera.

The use of wing venation nomencla-
ture is seen in identification of insects
where, frequently, the arrangement and
form of wing venation is used to differ-
entiate between species of winged insects,
e.g., Diptera.

Mr. Zimmer illustrated this talk with
slides showing different wing venation
in different species of insects.

At the conclusion of his talk, Mr.
Zimbmer was thanked, after many ques-
tions were asked.

An Item of Concern to You and the Club

Many members have still overlooked their
Current Subscription— Are You One?

If you have renewed your subscription, continue enjoying the Victorian
Naturalist with the satisfaction that you have helped by a prompt payment.

If you have not, please get to work and send that cheque or postal order for
your overdue subscription. The rates of subscriptions are on the back page of
this magazine.

Please post direct to The Subscription Secretary, Mr. D. E. McInnes,
129 Waverley Road, East Malvern, Vic., 3145.

June, 1974 183

Field Naturalists Club of Victoria

Established 1880

OBJECTS: To stimulate interest in natural history and to preserve
and protect Australian fauna and flora.
Patron:
His Excellency Major-General Sir ROHAN DELACOMBE, K.B.E., C.B., D.S.O.

Key Office-Bearers, 1973-1974.

President:
Mr. P. KELLY

Hon. Secretary: Mr. R. H. RIORDAN, 15 Regent St., East Brighton, 3187. 92 8579

Treasurer: H. BISHOP. Address Correspondence to National Herbarium, The
Domain, South Yarra.

Subscription Secretary: Mr. D. E. McINNES, 129 Waverley Rd., East Malvern, 3145.
Hon. Editor: Mr. G.'M. WARD, 54 St. James Road, Heidelberg 3084.

Hon. Librarian: Mr. J. MARTINDALE, c/o National Herbarium, The Domain,
South Yarra.

Hon. Excursion Secretary: Miss M. ALLENDER, 19 Hawthorn Avenue, Caulfield
3161. (52 2749.)

Magazine Sales Officer: Mr. D. McINNES
Archives Officer: Mr. CALLANAN, 29 Reynards Street, Coburg 3058. Tel. 36 0587.

Group Secretaries
Botany: Mrs. M. G. CORRICK, 7 Glenluss St., Balwyn 3103. Tel. 857 9937.
Day Group: Mrs. J. STRONG, 1160 Dandenong Rd., Murrumbeena (56 2271).

Entomology and Marine Biology: 'Mr. J. W. H. STRONG, Flat 11, “Palm Court”,
1160 Dandenong Rd., Murrumbeena 3163 (56 2271).

Field Survey: C/o National Herbarium, The Domain, South Yarra, 3141.
Geology: Mr. T. SAULT.

Mammal Survey: Mr. R. J. GIBSON, 7 Cook Street, Abbotsford, 3067.
Microscopical: Mr. M. H. MEYER, 36 Milroy Street, East Brighton (96 3268).

MEMBERSHIP
Membership of the F.N.C.V. is open to any person interested in natural history.
The Victorian Naturalist is distributed free to all members, the club’s reference and
lending library is available, and other activities are indicated in reports set out in the
several preceding pages of this magazine.

Rates of Subscriptions for 1974.

Ordinary: Members 2-7 gn a ek i $7.00
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The cost of individual copies of the Vict. Nat. will be 45 cents (52 cents — overseas requests).
Full-time Students between 18 and 21 years pay at Junior Member rates.

All subscriptions should be made payable to the Field Naturalists Club of Victoria, and posted
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Published by the
FIELD NATURALISTS CLUB OF VICTORIA

in which is incorporated the Microscopical Society of Victoria

Registered in Australia for transmission by post as a periodical.
Category ‘‘B”

JULY, 1974

eae

F.N.C.V. DIARY OF COMING EVENTS
GENERAL MEETING

Monday, 8 July — At National Herbarium, The Domain, South Yarra, commencing
8 p.m.

Speaker — Miss Madge Lester: “The Alternation of Generations in Green Land
Plants.”

New Members —
Mrs. E. Cochrane, 254 North Road, East Brighton, 3187 (Botany).
Miss Ingrid Hillman, 32 Dorrit Street, Carlton, 3053 (Marine Biology).
Miss Rosemary Lade, C/- 38 Uvadale Grove, Kew, 3101 (General).
Miss D. Moroney, 19 Lysander Street, East Brighton, 3187 (Birds).
Mr. Neville Rosengren, Dept. of Geography, University of Melbourne, Parkville, 3052.

Ordinary:
Mr. Anthony J. Rough, 199 Elder Street, Greensborough, 3088 (Animals).
Mr. Robert Simmons, 5 Backous Way, Noble Park, 3174 (Field Survey, Mammal Survey).

Joint:
Mrs. Denise Purdue, 4/372 Toorak Road, South Yarra, 3142 (Mammal Survey).

Country:
Dr. P. R. Bird, 133 Lonsdale Street, Hamilton, 3300.
Mr. B. H. Vardy, Maiden Gully P.O., Vic. 3550.

GROUP MEETINGS
Thursday, 11 July — Botany Group, speaker Mr. Rex Filson, “Lichens”’.
Wednesday, 17 July — Microscopical Group Meeting.

Thursday, 18 July — Conservation Group Meeting at 15 Drummond Street, Carlton, at
8.00 p.m.

Thursday, 18 July — Day Group Meeting. Meets at the Great Hall of the Arts Centre
at 1.30 p.m. for a guided inspection.

Thursday, 25 July — F.S.G. Meeting in Conference Room, National Museum, at
8.00 p.m.

Thursday, 1 August — M.S.G. Meeting at Arthur Rylah Institute, 123 Brown Street,
Heidelberg, at 8.00 p.m.

Monday, 5 August — Marine Biology and Entomology Group Meeting in Conference
Room, National Museum at 8 p.m.

Wednesday, 7 August — Geology Group Meeting.

Thursday, 8 August — Botany Group, “Looking at Nature — Winter”, Mrs. Ilma
Dunn (note that this will be before the August General Meeting).

F.N.C.V. EXCURSIONS

Sunday, 21 July — Sherbrooke Forest and Lyrebirds: Leader — Margaret McKenzie.
Coach leaves Batman Ave., 9.30 a.m. Bring one meal. Fare $2.00.

Saturday, 27 July — Botany Group excursion, “Lichens in the Field”, leader Rex
Filson.

Sunday, 1 September, to Sunday, 8 September — Kangaroo Island. The balance of
the payment for this excursion ($135 less deposit already paid) should be for-
warded to the excursion secretary by 8 July, and members requiring berths on
the train leaving Melbourne, Saturday evening, 31 August, should send the train
fare in addition. Sleepers per person $32.07, or first class seats $21.67. Members
wishing to extend their stay in Adelaide should indicate this. It is necessary to
travel in a group on the forward journey to obtain this concession but not
necessary to return together. Those not travelling by train should meet at
Adelaide Railway Station at 8.45 a.m., where the bus will wait for the members
arriving on the Overland and take the party to Mt. Lofty and Cleland Wildlife
Reserve, then on to the Adelaide Airport by 3.15-p.m. to board the plane to
Kangaroo Island. See earlier Naturalists for other details. All cheques should be
made out to Excursion Trust.

186 Vict. Nat. Vol. 91

the Vol. 91, No. 7 3 July, 1974

@ e@
victorian ie Late
naturalist Assistant Editor: G. F. Douglas

Contents

Articles:

An Aboriginal Campsite at Portsea.
By A. E. Spillane 188

Bird Notes from F.N.C.V. Trip to It is with regret that this issue is reduced to
24 pages. Cost rises have reached such a

Warrumbungles. scale that it became essential to make savings

By Dorothy Dawson 194 somewhere. Council has therefore decided

that except where necessary for some special

purpose future editions of the ‘‘Victorian

Features: Naturalist’’ will be the same reduced size as

Reptiles of Victoria — 13. this one.

By Hans Beste 192 Some two years ago a motion was passed
at a members’ night calling for complete
revision of the Club By-laws and its Articles
of Association. This mammoth task was re-
ferred to the Club Improvement Committee.
By James A. Baines 198 Recommendations for revision of the By-laws
were submitted to Council some time ago.
After further slight modification a new set of
By-laws were adopted. These have now been
typed, and will shortly be published. It is
realised that those who called for this to be
Readers’ Nature Notes 202 done expected it would be carried out much
sooner. It is hoped when they see the new set

of By-laws and realise that every item in them

Personal: has been subjected to detailed scrutiny, and in
many cases repeated re-writing, just how much

The Origin of Generic Names of the
Victorian Flora.

Nature Notes from the Gold Coast.
By Alex N. Burns 201

More Honours for J. H. Willis 195 voluntary time and effort has gone into this
job. It is because of the care with which they

The Late P. F. Morris. were examined that it has taken so long to
By J. H. Willis 205 update them. The few changes recommended

for the Articles will, it is hoped, be ready for
implementation at the next annual meeting.
Field Naturalists’ Club of Victoria:

General and Group Meeting Reports 206

Cover Photo:

The male of the Gum Emperor Moth,
showing the intricate construction of

the antennae.
Photo: Graham Pizzey.

July, 1974 187

An Aboriginal Camp Site at Portsea

Victoria
by A. E. SPILLANE

Illustrations by A. E. Spillane.

Portsea, Victoria, is situated a few
kilometres from Point Nepean, on the
Mornington Peninsula. Long white
breakers thunder ashore on to its
magnificent surf beaches that face
Bass Strait; while sparkling seas,
brought in from the Strait with each
new tide, play upon its golden sands
that fringe Port Phillip Bay.

It is an area steeped in history; not
far away is Sullivan Bay, where in
1803, Colonel David Collins estab-
lished Victoria’s first settlement.

Discovery of the camp site

In 1963, Mr. K. G. Begg, purchased
“Warrener’, a 3.237 hectare property
on the Portsea Downs Estate, for the
establishment of a carnation farm.
The property is situated in Elizabeth
Avenue, roughly halfway between
Port Phillip Bay, and Portsea Back
Beach. Mrs. Begg, being very in-
terested in natural history, was in-
trigued with the number of sea shells
scattered around the area; and after
finding several stone artifacts, realized
that a large former Aboriginal camp
site had been discovered.

Natives of the Bunurong tribe in-
habited the Peninsula at the time of
the arrival of Collins and his party;
and presumably, it would have been
people from that tribe who used the
site at Warrener.

It is not difficult to imagine why the
natives occupied this particular camp.
The area consists of undulating land,
made up of Pleistocene sands; it is
nicely cupped, and consequently would
have been used for sheltering from
cold winds during inclement weather.
Nearby, are several high vantage

188

points, from which they could have
observed their game, and kept a look-
out for enemies. The site possesses a
waterhole, that still contains water in
summer.

At the time of the landing of Col-
lins, the area abounded with native
animals, such as Emus and Kangaroos,
traditional sources of food for the
Aborigines. Also, being so near Bass
Strait and Port Phillip Bay, shellfish
and fish would have been plentiful.

The midden

Upon moving soil on the property,
for the erection of buildings; very
large quantities of sea shells were re-
vealed, indicating that the midden
must have been used for a very long
period of time.

Some of the shells recovered from
the midden, included Ophione Hidden
Bubble Shell (Lamellaria ophione),
Duckbill (Scutus antipodes), Common
Mud Oyster (Ostrea angasi), Mussel
(Mytilus planulatus), Warrener (Subni-
nella undulata), Dog Winkle (Dicathais
textilosa), and Tall-ribbed Limpet
(Patelloida alticostata).

A fascinating discovery from one
section of the midden, was a quantity
of Emu egg pieces.

Although old kitchen middens have
been found in various localities on the
Peninsula, permanent camp sites simi-
lar to Warrener are rare. The number,
and types of artifacts found, indicate
that it was a major site. Its discovery
is of special significance, because it
was at this type of camp, that native
craftsmen manufactured the more
specialized types of stone tools, that
were so necessary for the general well-
being of the tribe.

Vict. Nat. Vol. 91

Plate 1. Geometric microliths from Warrener.

Plate 2. Pieces of Emu egg from the midden at Warrener.

July, 1974 189

Stone implements

Since discovering the first artifacts,
Mrs. Begg has collected assiduously on
the site; and today possesses an out-
standing collection of stone imple-
ments, ranging from beautifully made
microliths, to crude knapped pebble
axes.

Pride of the collection is a very
large array of geometric microliths,
the “mystery stones” of the Abori-
gines. Included in this group are seg-
ments, triangles, and trapezes; ranging
in size from 10 to 30 millimetres.

Bondi points are represented by a
very fine range; the largest specimen is
43 millimetres in length.

There is also a collection of micro
“thumbnail” and end scrapers; the
largest implement in the first group, is
20 millimetres in diameter.

The main types of stone used in the
manufacture of the above implements,
were tachylite, jasper, fine grained
quartzite, and chert.

Until comparatively recently, micro-
lithic implements were a puzzle, as
even present day Aborigines were un-
sure of their functions. However, in
recent years, archaeologists working at
several sites in Australia, have found
microliths with resin still adhering to
them, which suggests that perhaps
some of them were used as spear
barbs. A number of them are still a
puzzle; it is hard to imagine what the
diminutive segments, only 10 milli-
metres in length, could possibly have
been used for. Perhaps they were set
in wooden handles, and used as en-
graving tools for carving intricate pat-
terns on wooden implements.

Another interesting find, was a ham-
merstone; it is 76 millimetres long,
with depressions on each side, sug-
gesting that it had also been used as
an anvil (Plate 5).

The knapped pebble axe (Plate 6) is
basalt, and is characteristic of the type
usually found on Peninsula camp sites;
it is 97 millimetres long.

Plate 3. Points from Warrener.

190

Vict. Nat. Vol. 91

A ie

The large amount of artifacts col-
lected by Mrs. Begg, is a tribute to her
perserverence, and unflagging interest
in the Stone Age people, who once

inhabited this delightful part of
Victoria.
ACKNOWLEDGEMENT:

I am indebted to Mrs. Begg for her
kindness in placing at my disposal,
for the purposes of inspection and
photography, all of the artifacts col-
lected at Warrener.

Hammerstone from Warrener.

July, 1974

REFERENCES

Keble, R. A., 1928. “Kitchen Middens
on the Mornington Peninsula,” Vic-
torian Naturalist, XLV (6).

Massola, Aldo, 1959. “History of the
Coast Tribe,” Ibid, 76 (7).

Mitchell, S. R., 1948. “A Set of Abori-
ginal Stone Tools,” Ibid, 64, 235-237.
Mulvaney, D. J., 1969. “The Prehistory
of Australia,’ Thames and Hudson,

London.

Spillane, A. E., 1971. “Aboriginal Relics
on the Mornington Peninsula,” Vic-
torian Naturalist, 88 (12).

Tindale, N. B., 1968. “Nomenclature of
Archaeological Cultures and _ Asso-

ciated Implements in Australia,” Rec.
S. Aust. Mus., 15 (4).

Plate 6
Knapped pebble axe from Warrener.

191

reptiles of victoria - 13

by HANS BESTE

Plate 25

Lialis burtonis — Burton’s Legless Lizard
A large snake-like lizard, with a wide distribution.
Length — to over 2 feet.

A large lizard, easily identified by its pointy head and eyes, which have
vertical slit-like pupils. Colour variable, from dark brown to grey, with bold
markings. Usually grey in this state with horizontal lines of brownish spots.
Under light grey to pink. Ear opening distinct. Rudimentary hindlegs present
in form of movable flap, lying along body.

Habitat — in different types of habitat from mallee areas to coast; hides
among Triodea bushes in desert areas, when it is hard to observe.

Best distinguishing features — from snakes —ear opening, rudimentary
hindlegs, dentition. As species — eyes, shape of head.

Plate 26

Phyllodactylus marmoratus — Marbled Gecko
Probably the most common gecko in this state.
Length — to 5 inches.

This medium size gecko is usually some basic shade of chocolate-brown
to purplish-brown, with a darker marbled pattern, covering the upper surface.
Orange spots on both sides of the tail are often present, especially in smaller
specimens. Can assume almost translucent appearance when subjected to bright
daylight. Feet very distinctive, with large enlarged toe pads.

Habitat — under debris and bark.

Best distinguishing features — general appearance, toes.

Phyllodactylus
marmoratus
Toe
Structure

192 Vict. Nat. Vol. 91

Plate 25

Plate 26

July, 1974 193

Bird Notes from
F.N.C.V. Trip to Warrumbungles

August — September, 1973

by DoroTHy DAwson

Tocumwal

A party of Pied Currawongs (Stre-
pera graculina) with their inimitable
calls jockeyed for positions on a tree
trunk log extending out into the river.

Black-chinned Honeyeaters (Meli-
threptus gularis) and Striated Thorn-
bills (Acanthiza lineata) fed busily in
the Red Gums along the river. Two
Grey Thrushes (Colluricincla har-
monica) called beautifully; together
with a Golden Whistler (Pachycephala
pectoralis ) .

Swimming upstream were a pair of
Grey Teal (Anas gibberifrons), with
fifteen young ones who skittered
rapidly across the surface of the water,
and kept up easily with the parent
birds against the strong flowing cur-
rent. A couple of Yellow Rosellas
(Platycercus flaveolus) were also re-
corded.

With the season being an excep-
tionally wet one, water lay every-
where, and water birds were plentiful
along our route. Those listed included
White Ibis (Threskiornis molucca),
Straw-necked Ibis (Threskiornis spini-
collis), White-faced Heron (Ardea
novae-hollandiae), White-necked Heron
(Ardea pacifica), Yellow-billed Spoon-
bill (Platalea flavipes), Plover (Lobi-
byx novae-hollandiae), Stilts (Himan-
topus leucocephalus), Chestnut-breasted
Shelduck (Casarca tadornoides) and
Black Duck (Anas superciliosa) .
Finley

Reedbeds within Finley itself were
made gay with the cheerful calls of
Reed Warblers (Acrocephalus aus-

194

tralis); Dusky Moorhen (Gallinula
tenebrosa), Eastern Swamphen (Por-
phyrio melanotus) and Coot (Fulica
atra) were also in the same area.

Just outside the Motel Little Friar-
birds (Philemon citreogularis) and
White-plumed Honeyeaters (Meli-
phaga penicillata) were active in a
flowering eucalypt, as were many
Silvereyes (Zosterops lateralis).

Nankeen Kestrels (Falco cench-
roides) were numerous, and this use-
ful species of hawk was seen to ad-
vantage as the miles went by. Crested
Pigeons (Ocyphaps lophotes), Red-
rumped Parrots (Psephotus haema-
tonotus) and Eastern Rosellas (Platy-
cercus eximius) were also recorded
regularly.

Galahs (Kakatoe _ roseicapilla),
though commonly seen, either feeding
in the paddocks, flying in flocks or in
ones and twos overhead, always de-
lighted with their lovely silver and rose
plumage.

Ardlethan — West Wyalong — Forbes
— Parkes

Birds added to our list along this
stretch included Noisy Miners
(Myzantha melanocephala), White-
rumped Miners (Myzantha flavigula),
Ringneck Parrots (Barnardius _ bar-
nardi), White-winged Chough (Cor-
corax melanorhamphus) and Brown
Hawk (Falco berigora).

Dubbo — Sanctuary

Several varieties of Grevillea were
in flower, and many species of
honeyeater busily sought the nectar
provided. They included Fuscous

Vict. Nat. Vol. 91

i /\ sigh re

(Meliphaga fusca), White-plumed
(M. penicillata), White-eared (M. leu-
cotis), Yellow-faced (M. chrysops),
Spiny-cheeked (Acanthagenys rufo-
gularis).

As we reluctantly prepared to leave
this pleasant spot, that little gem the
male Mistletoe-bird (Dicaeum hirun-
dinaceum), was seen perched on a
bare branch.

Coonabarabran — Baradine —
Gemstones Area — Apex Lookout

Further additions to the Bird List
were Sulphur-crested Cockatoos (Kaka-
toe galerita), Chestnut-tailed Thorn-
bills (Acanthiza uropygialis), Sacred
Kingfisher (Halcyon sanctus), Dusky
Wood-swallow (Artamus cyanopterus),
White-naped and Brown-headed
Honeyeaters (Melithreptus lunatus and
M. brevirostris), Grey Fantail (Rhipi-
dura fuliginosa). Yellow Robin (Eop-
saltria australis) and the Brown Fly-
catcher (Microeca leucophaea) gener-
ally known as Jacky Winter.

Recorded in the Gemstones area
were Pied and Grey Butcher-birds
(Cracticus nigrogularis and C. tor-
quatus), Apostle-birds (Struthidea
cinerea), Cockatiel (Leptolophus hol-
landicus), Grey-crowned Babblers
(Pomatostomus temporalis), Little
Grebe (Podiceps novae-hollandiae).
Black Cormorant (Phalacrocorax
carbo), Welcome Swallow (Hirundo
neoxena), Kookaburra (Dacelo gigas).

Birds from Apex Lookout area in-
cluded Red-capped Robin (Petroica
goodenovii), Fantailed Cuckoo (Caco-
mantis pyrrhophanus), Brown Tree-
creeper (Climacteris picumnus ) ,
White-throated Treecreeper (Climac-
teris leuocophaea).

Sandstone Caves Area
Seen here were Red-winged Parrot
(A prosmictus erythropterus), Rufous

Whistler (Pachycephala_ rufiventris),
Grey Thrush (Colluricincla _har-
monica), and Wedge-tailed Eagle
July, 1974

(Aquila audax) soaring high in the air
with tip-tilted wings. Orange-winged
Sittellas (Neositta chrysoptera), Brown
Weebill (Smicrornis brevirostris),
Little Thornbill (Acanthiza nana)
were also recorded.

Walking around the Sandstone
Caves bird song was all around, and
the first sighting for the trip of Double-
barred Finches (Stizoptera bichenovii)
was made. These finches, in flocks of
30 or more individuals, were subse-
qently seen many times around Coona-
barabran.

From among purple showers of
flowering Hardenbergia came the tre-
mulous notes of Fairy Wrens, and in-
vestigation afforded splendid views of
both the Purple-backed Wren (Malurus
assimilis) and the Superb Blue Wren
(Malurus cyaneus).

One member of our party observed
a Blue-faced Honeyeater (Entomyzon
cyanotis) feeding nestlings.

Warrumbunegles

Black-backed Magpies (Gymnorhina
tibicen) were nesting in the Park, and
the birds attacked all who went near
the vicinity of their nest — two of our
members came in for some vicious
dive-bombing, in one instance drawing
blood from injury to an ear lobe.

A party of twenty Spotted Parda-
lotes (Pardalotus punctatus) feeding
on the ground near a camp tent was
a charming sight, and viewers were
able to approach within a few feet of
these colourful little birds.

via Mendooran to Wellington
Recorded in this area were Yel-
low-plumed Honeyeater (Meliphaga
ornata), Black-shouldered Kite (Elanus
notatus), Emu (Dromaius novae-hol-
landiae), Singing Honeyeater (Meli-
phaga_ virescens), Little Lorikeet
(Glossopsitta pusilla), Peaceful Dove
(Geopelia placida), Olive-backed
Oriole (Oriolus sagittatus), Fairy Mar-
tins (Hylochelidon ariel), Musk Duck

195

(Biziura lobata), Little Black Cor-—

mant (Phalacrocorax sulcirostris) .

Arboretum and Burrendong Dam

The Pallid Cuckoo (Cuculus_pal-
lidus), Western Warbler (Gerygone
fusca), Little Falcon (Falco longi-
pennis), Pipit (Anthus australis), and
Restless Flycatcher (Seisura inquieta)
were all recorded here. A White-
winged Chough (Corcorax melanor-
hamphus) was observed sitting on its
bowl-shaped mud nest.

Stuart Town — Orange — Bathurst
Crimson Rosella (Platycercus ele-

gans), Magpie-lark (Grallina cyano-

leuca), Banded Plover (Zonifer tri-

color), Maned Goose (Chenonetta
jubata), and Black-faced Cuckoo-
shrike (Coracina novae-hollandiae)

were all listed from these towns.

Canberra— Tidbinbilla Fauna Reserve

As we listened to a recorded talk by
the Ranger of the Reserve, we saw
through the long glass windows, just
outside the building, Flame Robins
(Petroica phoenicea), Red-browed
Finches (Aegintha temporalis), Pipit
(Anthus australis), Superb Blue Wrens

(Malurus cyaneus), Crimson Rosellas
(Platycercus elegans), and Yellow-
tailed Thornbills (Acanthiza_ chry-
sorrhoa) —a delightful combination
of our feathered friends. Observed at
other times were Chestnut Teal (Anas
castanea), White-eyed Duck (Aythya
australis), Pink-eared Duck (Malacor-
hynchus membranaceus), Black Swans
(Cygnus atratus) nesting and with
cygnets, and a Cape Barren Goose
(Cereopsis novae-hollandiae) .
White-browned Scrub Wrens (Seri-
cornis frontalis), Striated Thornbills
(Acanthiza lineata), and Wedge-tailed
Eagles (Aquila audax) were also seen.

Canberra Botanic Gardens

From these gardens the following
birds were observed: Eastern Spinebill
(Acanthorhynchus tenuirostris), Cres-
cent Honeyeater (Phylidonyris pyr-
rhoptera), Yellow-winged Honeyeater
(Meliornis novae-hollandiae) and a
Bronzewing Pigeon (Phaps_ chalcop-
tera).

Note: Scientific names taken from
Cayley’s “What Bird is That?” (revised
edition) and Brigadier Hugh R. Officer’s

“Australian Honeyeaters” and ‘“Aus-
tralian Flycatchers”’.

APPENDIX 1.

WARRUMBUNGLE NATIONAL PARK
Birp LIST

Common Bronzewing Pigeon
Crested Pigeon
Spur-winged Plover
Wedge-tailed Eagle
Whistling Eagle
Black-shouldered Kite
Little Falcon

Brown Hawk

Nankeen Kestrel
Sulphur-crested Cockatoo
Galah

Crimson Rosella

Eastern Rosella
Red-rumped Parrot
Turquoise Parrot
Laughing Kookaburra
Golden Bronze Cuckoo
Welcome Swallow

Tree Martin

196

Phaps chalcoptera

Ocy phaps lophotes
Lobibyx novae-hollandiae
Aquila audax

Haliastur sphenurus
Elanus notatus

Falco longipennis

Falco berigora

Falco cenchroides
Kakatoe galerita
Kakatoe roseicapilla
Platycercus elegans
Platycercus eximius
Psephotus haematonotus
Neophema pulchella
Dacelo gigas

Chalcites plagosus
Hirundo neoxena
Hylochelidon nigricans

Vict. Nat. Vol. 91

Jacky Winter

Hooded Robin

Southern Yellow Robin
Grey Fantail

Willie Wagtail

Golden Whistler

Rufous Whistler

Grey Shrike-thrush
Magpie-lark

Black-faced Cuckoo-shrike
Little Cuckoo-shrike
Brown Weebill

Striated Thornbill
Buff-tailed Thornbill
Yellow-tailed Thornbill
Superb Blue Wren
Purple-backed Wren
Dusky Wood-swallow
White-browed Scrub Wren
Orange-winged Sittella
Brown ‘Tree-creeper
White-throated Tree-creeper
Mistletoe-bird

Spotted Pardalote
Silvereye

White-naped Honeyeater
Brown-headed Honeyeater
Eastern Spinebill

Fuscous Honeyeater
Yellow-faced Honeyeater
White-eared Honeyeater
Yellow-tufted Honeyeater
White-plumed Honeyeater
Noisy Miner

Red Wattle-bird
Spiny-cheeked Honeyeater
Noisy Friar-bird

Little Friar-bird

Diamond Firetail
Red-browed Finch
Olive-backed Oriole
Starling (intro.)

Raven

Pied Currawong
Black-backed Magpie

Microeca leucophaea

Petroica cucullata
Eopsaltria australis
Rhipidura fuliginosa
Rhipidura leucophrys
Pachycephala pectoralis
Pachycephala rufiventris
Colluricincla harmonica
Grallina cyanoleuca
Coracina novae-hollandiae
Coracina robusta
Smicrornis brevitostris
Acanthiza lineata
Acanthiza reguloides
Acanthiza chrysorrhoa
Malurus cyaneus
Malurus assimilis
Artamus cyanopterus
Sericornis frontalis
Neositta chrysoptera
Climacteris picumnus
Climacteris leucophaea
Dicaeum hirundinaceum
Pardalotus punctatus
Zosterops lateralis
Melithreptus lunatus
Melithreptus brevirostris
Acanthorhynchus tenuirostris
Meliphaga fusca
Meliphaga chrysops
Meliphaga leucotis
Meliphaga melanops
Meliphaga penicillata
Myzantha melanocephala
Anthochaera chrysoptera
Acanthagenys rufogularis
Philemon corniculatus
Philemon citreogularis
Zonaeginthus guttatus
Aegintha temporalis
Oriolus sagittatus
Sturnus vulgaris

Corvus coronoides
Strepera graculina
Gymnorhina tibicen

More Honours for Jim Willis

I noted that in the most recent issue of the taxonomic journal “Persoonia”

7 (4) 443-581, in his work entitled “Studies in the genera Jrpex and Stec-
cherinum”, that the author R. A. Maas Geesteranus in 1974 has published
on page 527 of this work, the species entitled Steccherinum willisii n.sp. which
he states is named after Mr. J. H. Willis (South Yarra, Australia), indefatigable
contributor of interesting fungi.

Dr. D. M. CHURCHILL,

Director and Govt. Botanist,

Royal Botanic Gardens, Melb., Aust.

July, 1974 197

The Origin of Generic Names of the Victorian Flora

Part 2—Latin, Greek and Miscellaneous
[continued from 91 (6)]

by JAMEs A. BAINES.

Calotis. Gk kalos, beautiful; ous,
otos, an ear; alluding to the two ear-
shaped pappus-scales of C. cuneifolia,
Blue Bur-daisy or Bindi-eye. We have
eight species.

Caltha. Gk kalathos, a goblet; allud-
ing to the form of the flower (A. T.
Johnson & H. A. Smith); Lat. name
for a plant with a yellow flower (W.
T. Stearn and A. W. Smith).

*Calycotome. Gk kalyx (genitive
kalykos), a calyx or cup (chalice
comes from the same word); tome, a
part left after cutting; a cut; in these
deciduous shrubs the upper part of
the calyx dropping after the flower
opens. *C. spinosa is Spiny Broom.

Calystegia. Gk kalyx, cup or calyx;
stegon, cover; with reference to the
large bracts concealing the calyx. For-
merly included in the genus Convol-
vulus, as established by Linnaeus in
1753, Robert Brown’s 1810 name is
used for our three native species,
which are cosmopolitan, both genera
being known as bindweeds. *C. sil-
vatica, Greater Bindweed, is intro-
duced.

Calytrix. Gk kalyx, calyx, thrix, a
hair; the divisions of the calyx ending
in long bristling hairs. This name is a
good example of the paramountcy
of priority of nomenclature: Labil-
lardiére spelt it Calytrix (1806), De
Candolle “improved” the Greek with
Calythrix (1828), a spelling variant
still seen in some of the literature,
Meissner combined the two elements
as Calycothrix (1838) and Schauer
reversed their order in Trichocalyx
(1840). All of these are now Caly-
trix, our three species of which are

198

known as Fringe-myrtles. (Cf. the
derivations given under Callitriche and
Callitris.)

*Camelina. Gk khamai, on _ the
ground; linon, flax; the plants some-
times grow in flax fields, and the com-
mon name of *C. sativa, our species,
is False Flax or Gold of Pleasure. It
is used as a source of fibre in southern
Europe, hence the name sativa, which
means sown or planted for crops.

Capsella. Lat. capsa, box, with the
diminutive -ella added; the “little box”
being the seed-pod that gives the in-
troduced weed, *C. bursa-pastoris the
common name of Shepherd’s Purse,
which is a literal translation of the
specific name. (The usual Latin word
for little box was capsula, hence our
word capsule, a term also used in
botany.) Our other species, C. pilo-

sula, Hairy Shepherd’s Purse, is
native.
Cardamine. Gk kardamine, the

name given by the ancient Greek
botanist Dioscorides for a species of
cress. Victoria has five native species,
all known as different kinds of Bitter
Cress, in addition to the introduced
*C. hirsuta, Common Bitter-cress. The
spice cardamom got its name from
Lat. cardamomum, formed from Gk
kardamon, cress, plus Amomum, the
ginger-family plant whose capsules
provide this spice. Cardamine is in the
family Cruciferae.

*Cardaria. From Gk kardia, heart,
referring to the cordate pods. *C.
draba, Hoary Cress, was long known
as Lepidium draba, the specific name
probably coming from the cruciferous
genus Draba, Gk drabe meaning

Vict. Nat. Vol. 91

acrid, bitter, from the taste of the
leaves.

*Carduus. Lat. carduus, thistle,
from Gk kardos, of same meaning.
Slender Thistle and Musk or Nodding
Thistle are our two introduced species.

Carex. The classical Lat. name for
sedges. Victoria has 30 species, of
which 26 are native, including the
peculiarly named C. iynx, the specific
name being the Gk name of the bird
Known as the wryneck, which has the
habit of writhing the neck and head.

Carpha. Gk karphos, a splinter,
twig, chaff, straw; no doubt named
because of the plumose hypogynous
bristles. Our two species, both native,
are known as Flower-rushes.

Carpobrotus. Gk karpos, fruit; bro-
tos, edible; *C. edulis literally (and
tautologically) meaning “the eatable,
edible fruit”, its common name, Hot-
tentot Fig, proving that it was accept-
able to the palate in South Africa. Our
other introduced species, *C. aequi-
laterus, is known as Angled Pigface,
and we have two native species also.
All were formerly included in Mesem-
bryanthemum.

*Carrichtera. The entry in Part 1
should be supplemented by this ad-
dendum: Named after Dr. Bartholo-
maeus Carrichter, of Reckingen, Ger-
many, who was personal physician to
Kaiser Maximilian II and Ferdinand I,
and author of ‘“Kraeuterbuch’, an
astrological herbal, i.e. all plants are
listed under various signs of the
Zodaic not such an obscure
character after all!

*Carthamus. Arabic quartam, Saf-
flower, C. tinctorius (according to
Jaeger); from an Arabic word mean-
ing to paint—an allusion to the
brilliant saffron colour yielded by the
plants (according to Smith and
Stearn).

July, 1974

Cassia. Gk name of the leguminous
plants that provide the senna leaves
and pods used by pharmacists. Cassia
was the latinized form of the Gk
kassia used by Linnaeus in 1753 when
naming the genus. Only two of Vic-
toria’s four recorded species are
reasonably widely distributed, because
these are plants of the hot inland
areas. They are in family Caesal-
piniaceae, formerly regarded _ as
merely a subfamily of Leguminosae
(like Mimosaceae and Papilionaceae).

Cassytha. Formed by Linnaeus
from Gk kasytas or kadytas, the
classical name of a parasite supposed
to be Dodder (Cuscuta), to which
these plants bear a strong resem-
blance, superficially, our four species
of Dodder-laurel being in _ family
Lauraceae, whereas the true Dodders
are in a family of their own, Cus-
cutaceae, named after the genus.

Casuarina. Lat. casuarinus, like a
cassowary (Casuarius), because the
long, drooping branches resemble the
feathers of this bird. The word casso-
wary came into the English language
in 1611 from the Malay name, kasu-
ari, and Casuarina was named by
Linnaeus (ex Adanson) in 1763. Vic-
toria has nine species, various kinds
of she-oaks, as well as Bull-oak and
Belar. The species widely spread be-
yond Australia, C. equisetifolia, has a
specific name meaning “with leaves
like Equisetum”’, Horsetail, literally
horse bristle.

*Catapodium. Gk _ kata, down,
downwards, inferior; pous, podos,
foot; put in the form of a Latin neuter
noun. *C. rigidum, Fern Grass or
Rigid Fescue, has been included, in
turn, in Poa, Festuca, Scleropoa and
Catapodium.

Caustis. Gk kaustikos, burning
(from which our adjective caustic
comes); probably from a burning taste

199

when sampled (the test of taste is
often used by botanists as an aid to
determination of plant specimens).
C. flexuosa gets its common name,
Curly-wig, and its specific name, from
the ultimate branches, which Willis
describes as “extremely flexuose,
usually coiled in almost a complete
circle; ‘Our other ‘two species’ “are
known as Twist-rushes.

Celastrus. Gk kelastros, from kelas-
tron, used by Theophrastus (died c.
287 B.C.) in his works “History of
Plants” and “Theoretical Botany” for
either privet (according to Jaeger),
an evergreen tree (Smith and Stearn)
or ivy (Gilbert-Carter). Staff Climber,
our native species, is C. subspicatus,
but the old world species known as
Bittersweet has not been naturalized
here. The genus gives its name to the
family Celastraceae.

*Celsia. Named by Linnaeus after
Olaf Celsius (1670-1756), professor
of theology and Oriental languages at
Uppsala in Sweden, who was also a
botanist (an authority on the plants
of the Bible), teacher and financial
helper of Linnaeus in his student days.
He was the uncle of Anders Celsius
(1701-1744), primarily an astrono-
mer, but chiefly known to fame (es-
pecially in these days of metrication)
from the Celsius thermometer, which
he described in 1742 as the centigrade
thermometer. *C. cretica, our intro-
duced species, is Cretan Mullein, the
true mulleins being in the genus Ver-
bascum. (Omitted from Part 1, so
included here.)

*Cenchrus. Gk kenchros, millet,
anything in small grains, seeds. *C.
pauciflorus is Spiny Bur-grass, known
in U.S.A. as Field Sand-bur.

Centaurea. Gk kentauros, a centaur
(half man, half horse); originally the
word meant piercer or spearman, and

200

was applied to a race of savage horse-
men, dwelling between Pelion and
Ossa in Thessaly, extirpated in a war
with their neighbours the Lapithae,
their horses appearing to be part of
them giving rise to the mythical
creatures called Centaurs. The plant
called kentaureion by Hippocrates
(after Chiron the centaur, who had
great knowledge of herbs, and was
said to have discovered it, and to have
used it to heal a wound in his foot
inflicted by Hercules with an arrow)
is known botanically as *Centaurium
minus, Common Centaury. The genus
Centaurium Hill (1756) is in family
Gentianaceae, and should not be con-
fused with Centaurea, EaGi53)):
which is in Compositae (Asteraceae),
despite their common derivation. Vic-
toria has six introduced species of
Centaurea, including Malta Thistle,
St. Barnaby’s Thistle, Star Thistle and
three kinds of Knapweed, while our
sole native species, C. australis, is
known as Austral Cornflower.

Centaurium. For derivation see
previous entry. The accent falls on
the first syllable in Centaury, on the
second in Centaurium, and on the
third in Centaurea. In this State we
have three introduced species of Cen-
taurium, and one native species, C.
spicatum, Spike Centaury.

Centella. Gk kenteo, to prick or
pierce (cf. kentauros, above), from
which also the word centre comes,
because a pair of compasses had to
pierce a hole in the middle to draw a
circle. Our native species, C. cordifolia,
was once thought to be identical with
C. asiatica, Indian Pennywort, and was
included in Ewart’s “Flora of Vic-
toria” as Hydrocotyle asiatica. The
common name of our species is Cen-
tella, or Heartleaf Pennywort.

to be continued

Vict. Nat. Vol. 91

ie a |

Nature Motes jrom the Gole Coast

by ALEX. N. BURNS.

February-March

Despite the several cyclonic dis-
turbances and periods of torrential
rain (Mt. Tamborine recorded 48
inches for 24 hours), wild life has
been very active and plentiful over the
last couple of months. The white
spiders have been very much in force,
and many butterflies and other insects
have fallen victims to them. Most
noteworthy among the captured but-
terflies were examples of the Common
Jezabel (Delias nigrina Fab.), several
specimens of the Australian Leafwing
(Doleschallia bisaltide australis Feld.)
which is a very strong flier and a
robust insect, and many individuals of
the Green Awl Skipper (Hasora dis-
color mastusia Fruhs.). These pretty
skippers are active at flowers mainly
in the early morning and late after-
noon right up until dusk, and they
favour particularly, flowers of the
Buddleyia in the racemes of which
the white spiders love to lurk. These
predators act with amazing speed;
firstly they spin a series of short
threads amongst the individual
flowers, the butterfly’s legs become
impeded in movement which enables
the spider to seize the ventral portion
of the thorax, mainly between the
second and third pair of legs. Almost
immediately the butterfly becomes
paralyzed and is rendered immobile
within seconds; the spider then feeds
on its body juices.

Spiders of many kinds have been
extremely plentiful both in the gar-
den and on buildings. One species
similar in appearance to an Orb Web
Spinner (Araneus sp.) constructs a
very sticky web which is able to hold
large creatures even other than insects.

July, 1974

No less than two quite large Skink
Lizards (each about 5 inches in
length) were rescued from these webs
in the last couple of weeks. Another
very large species of Orb Web Spinner
which constructs huge webs suspended
between trees in the garden has ac-
counted for such powerful and rapid
moving insects as Hawk Moths. A
couple of days ago a large example
of the Convolvulus Hawk Moth (Herse
convolvuli L.) was found in one
of these webs. The spider apparently
realized that the moth was strong and
active and lost no time in completely
enveloping it with web to the extent
of giving it a cocoon-like appearance.
Quite large Dragon flies and cicadas
are quite commonly seen trapped in
these webs.

With the flooding and consequent
overflowing of the Currumbin lagoons
the water bird life has become really
scarce; so much so that the wild duck
population at the big lagoon at the
Bird Sanctuary sank to some 40-50
individuals. This however has been
offset by the visitation of up to 300
seagulls which took up their abode on
the big lagoon. No doubt this visita-
tion was brought about by the ex-
treme roughness of the sea when the
cyclones struck at the times of king-
tides. The last couple of weeks have
given fine and mild weather with
fresh nights and occasional night
showers. The seagulls still remain and
the wild duck population has increased
to about 200.

In the Burleigh National Park the
hatching of Scrub Turkeys from the
nesting mounds has been excellent,
and from observations made, I would
estimate that at least 75 per cent. of

201

the young had survived. The floods
drove the rock wallabies to the highest
and most rocky parts of the park;
even now only less than half the usual
number are coming to be fed at the
usual spots. During the period of
heavy and constant rains the Rainbow
Lorikeets and other keets greatly in-
creased their numbers at feeding
times at the Bird Sanctuary, no doubt
on account of the nectar being washed
out or greatly diluted from the blos-
soms of the flowering Paperbarks
(Melaleuca leucadendron) and Euca-
lypts. At present, of the latter, the
principal flowering ones are Blood-
wood (Eucalyptus corymbosa) and
two species of white barked gums.
Specimens of the White Nymph
Butterfly (Mynes geoffroyi guerini
Wall.) have been very plentiful

Readers Nature Notes

A Meal for a Silver Gull or a Tern?

At about the end of last summer,
whitebait were plentiful in many parts
of Port Phillip Bay. Numerous sea-
birds were pleased to have this item
on their menu and there was some-
times considerable competition for this
food.

At Rickett’s Point on one occasion,
a Crested Tern was seen carrying a
rather large whitebait in his beak,
when he was pursued with great deter-
mination by a Silver Gull. The Tern,
who was equally determined to retain
the prize, repeatedly swooped,
climbed, banked, turned (no pun in-
tended), changed direction, flew back
the other way and, in fact, indulged
in just about every type of diversion-
ary tactic possible.

The Gull, apparently with a better
turn of speed, kept up the pursuit and
harassed the Tern in every way that
he could devise, except possibly by

202

throughout the last couple of months. = 3

Many specimens have been observed
in every month since last June, and
close observations made of the feed-
ing trees (Laportea sp.) in the rain
forest of the National Park have re-
vealed the presence of eggs, larvae
(which are gregarious) in several
stages, and several lots of pupae in
each month since last June. At the
present time I have noted with great
interest that some quite large trees
(up to 15 feet high) are almost now
defoliated. I have not seen or heard
of this before with this butterfly which
is normally regarded as being local
and not really common. Other feeding
trees near Mt. Warning (N.S.W.) and
on the Tweed River are _ similarly
affected at the present time.

*

actual body contact. Both birds con-
tinued to show equal determination
with the Gull attacking so strongly
that he appeared likely to be the one
who would consume the fish. How-
ever, after the chase had lasted
possibly for about ten minutes the
Gull gave up to join a number of his
kind who were being fed by a person
sitting in a car. This, he must have
decided, was an easier way to obtain
a meal! |

The Tern flew off to join a group of
others on the rocks and attempted to
feed a well-developed young bird but,
as there was still competition for the
fish, he flew to a part of the beach
where the remainder of the meal was
consumed.

The above incident was probably
due to the fact that a Silver Gull is
not a good diver whereas a Tern
dives from the air when fish are near
the surface. However, the Gutlis do

Vict. Nat. Vol. 91

not always miss out as, on another
occasion, one of them was seen carry-
ing a small flounder about three
inches long. How this was consumed
we were, unfortunately, not able to
find out. AEB.

Peanut Worms in the Bay

This note comes from J. C. Le Souéf
of Blairgowrie, in Victoria.

With the low tides of summer, and
the many hundreds of small children
searching the shallows, some know-
ledge may be gained of the local
Marine population from specimens
brought in for identification to the
Rosebud Aquarium and Museum.
Each year comes a procession of star-
fish, sea cucumbers, jellyfish and sea
urchins with the occasional swimming
anenome. Large numbers of crabs
and small fish appear with the occa-
sional rare specimen for the National
Museum. Of the larger fish, a surpris-
ing number of stargazers are brought
in, unrecognised by the normal rod
and line fisherman because of their
habitat being in the shallower water.

This year for the first time in 14
years, a number of the Peanut Worms
(Physcosome japonica), one of the
many wormlike creatures found along
the coastline, were brought in. From
200 mm to 300 mm in length, a
thickness of about 15 mm greater in-
creasing towards the anterior end,
they were grey in colour and longi-
tudinally ribbed.

Of quite some public concern was
the appearance in some numbers of
the Blue-ringed Octopus (Octopus
maculosus). Despite wide publicity at
the time several children were seen to
pick them up by hand. Octopus
cyaneus is common along the sand
bars while O. maculosus has been
relatively rare, with perhaps a dozen
or so reported each year until the last
summer when there were far more
than usual.

July, 1974

Fluffy Gliders
abroad in Daylight

Tom Sault and Mavis Taylor con-
tributed this most interesting note on the
Fluffy Gliders at Wingan Inlet, which
were observed during daylight at a
M.S.G. (F.N.C.V.) Camp in December,
1973.

The Christmas camp at Wingan In-
let was an enjoyable affair in many
ways but perhaps the most memorable
event was the daytime sightings of the
Fluffy Glider (Petaurus australis), gen-
erally known along with the other glid-
ing species as a nocturnal mammal.
Its distinctive calls were heard often
at night, but its presence during day-
light hours (up to 1 p.m. DS.T.)
caught members by surprise.

The following is a detailed descrip-
tion of sightings by one of the M.S.G.
members:

Wandering around the camp area
about 11 p.m. a couple of evenings
after arrival at the camp, I heard a
heavy plop on to the trunk of a tree
a few feet away; I flashed my hand
torch in the direction of the sound,
and saw what might have been a
Brushtail possum (there were several
almost tame _ Brushtails wandering
around the camp area looking for
food scraps), but it was definitely not.
I called one of the other members to
bring a spotlight, and as the animal
scampered up the trunk from about
12 feet, we could easily see it was a
Fluffy Glider — dark stripe down the
back of a brownish grey body and a
long fluffy dark tail. As it moved
around the tree trunk we caught a
glimpse of its creamy coloured belly.
It was the first time I had seen a
Fluffy Glider at such close range, but
there were better things to come. A
couple of mornings later (27 Dec.) at
about 10 a.m., a member of a party
camped next to us asked if I could
help them identify an animal climbing
a tree trunk some 30 yards up the

203

track leading into the camping area.
Unbelievably, it was another glider —
in broad daylight. It had just reached
the end of one of the top branches. It
made a couple of forward movements
as though to take off; then swish, a
beautiful glide right over our heads to
the accompaniment of several “ooh-
aahhs” of amazement from the several
delighted spectators. The Glider
landed on a Bloodwood tree some
150 ft. away, climbed about three-
quarters of the way to the top, and
started nibbling and licking at the
bark. We watched for 15 minutes or
so, and as the Glider did not appear
to be in a hurry to move off again, we
returned to camp for binoculars, chair
and mosquito repellent. One of the
campers set up his movie camera.
We kept watch until 1 p.m. D.S.T. Up
until about 12.30 the glider changed
position a few times, moving up a
little way and around the tree trunk,
with the beautiful long tail waving
slightly in the breeze. This glider, un-
like the one sighted a couple of nights
previously, was more brown in colour,
with a dark cream belly. At 12.30 he
moved out to the end of one of the
highest branches, readied himself like
a diver about to dive from a spring-
board, took off and glided almost over
our heads (showing his _ beautiful
creamy belly), to a tree about 50 ft.
away. It stayed nibbling for about 10
minutes, then back to the original tree
which was well marked from many
previous feedings, stayed another 10
minutes, then up to the top branches,
and a beautiful glide down towards
the gully, out of sight; presumably,
home to its nesting hollow. It was then

1 p.m. We had had the glider under —
observation for three hours in broad
daylight. Two days later (29 Dec.), I
was about at 6 a.m., and wandered up
to the “Glider tree” hopefully. There
it was, nibbling away. It made a
couple of short glides during the half-
hour I watched, then glided off in the
same direction as previously.

During the following week a Fluffy
Glider was disturbed from a cosy
sleep amongst papers in one of the
camp rubbish bins. He bounded up
the nearest bloodwood tree and started
feeding, quite oblivious to the enthusi-
astic photographers below.

In “Nature Notes” in the Age news- —
paper for 23 May, 1966, the late Nor-
man Wakefield wrote of the associa-
tion of the Fluffy Glider (Petaurus
australis) with the Bloodwoods (E.
gummifera), and again later wrote
that the favourite food tree was Apple
Box (E. bridgesiana). This species is
common in East Gippsland, but out-
side the Wingan Inlet National Park.
Other species of eucalyptus food trees
listed by Norman Wakefield included
E. st. johnii, E. viminalis and E.
rubida. It is worthwhile noting that
many other species of Eucalypt in the
Bloodwood group as well as E. gum-
mifera occur along the whole east
coast of Australia, and the Fluffy or
Yellow-bellied Glider is known to
occur from near Cairns, Qld., to Port-
land, Vic.

It would be interesting to hear from
interstate readers who may have made
observations of food trees linked with
Petaurus australis in their respective
States.

Corrections

In the article “Eucalypts’, by J. H. Willis (Vict. Nat.,

Vol. 97, Apr. 1974) :

Page 100, par. 2, line 1 — before ‘excuse’ insert ‘no’.

Page 100, par. 2, line 7 — for ‘land’ read ‘inland’.

Page 100, 3rd last line — for ‘citrol’ read ‘citral’.

Page 101, par. 4, line 1 — for ‘Daniel’ [Nelson] read ‘David’.
Page 101, par. 5, line 2 — for “T. T.’ [Labillardiére] read ‘J. J.’

204

Vict. Nat. Vol. 91

The Late Patrick Francis Morris (1896 —1974)
by J. H. WILLIs

Frank Morris died at Lynn Private
Hospital, Armadale, on 11 January
last, only five days short of his 78th
birthday. The first nine months of his
babyhood had overlapped the life of
Baron von Mueller, who died on 10
Oct., 1896. At 17 years of age (28
Aug. 1913), young Frank joined the
staff of the National Herbarium of
Victoria, remaining with this institu-
tion for the next 48 years—until re-
tirement on his 65th birthday (16 Jan.
1961). During almost half a century
of botanical work in the place where
Mueller had laboured for 39 years,
something of the spirit and many of
the traditions of his great forerunner
were naturally absorbed. Early in his
professional career he worked under
Professor A. J. Ewart (obit Aug.
1937) who occupied simultaneously
the first botanical chair in Melbourne
University and the office of Govern-
ment Botanist, sharing time between
the University and Herbarium. At re-
tirement Frank was the Senior Botani-
cal Officer of Melbourne Herbarium.

Daniel Morris, his father, was a
South Yarra veterinarian, who, in
common with other local residents,
used to graze his milking cows in
Fawkner Park. Most probably this
early contact with animal health and
husbandry served to shape Frank’s
lifelong interest in grasses, pasture
plants and weeds. He never married,
but lived for many years with his
widowed mother and single sister,
Celia, at 6 Mandeville Crescent, Too-
rak, until they successively died and
his own failing health over the past
two years made hospitalization a
necessity.

In view of Frank’s long period of
botanical service, he published rela-
tively little; but, with only two or at

July, 1974

most three on the Herbarium. staff
(and with no technical or library as-
sistance whatever) for many years, it
is understandable that there would be
very little official time for research or
writing. Nowadays, much of the ad-
visory service previously expected
from and given by officers of the
National Herbarium has passed _ to
agrostologists and other specialists in
the ever-expanding Department of
Agriculture, to the Forest Products
Division of C.S.I.R.O. and the various
biological research units of our three
universities.

It is unfortunate that most present
members of the F.N.C.V. know little
or nothing of him, for he joined the
Club in June 1918, was President in
succession to the late P. Crosbie Mor-
rison during a difficult war year (July
1943 - June 1944) and was elected to

P. F. Morris [photo: 1930]

205

honorary membership in April 1959.
He wrote a number of interesting
articles and notes for the Victorian
Naturalist, two of his more important
papers being “Grasses of the Mel-
bourne District” (Jan. 1927) and
“Native and Introduced Aizoaceae’’,
with a colour plate, that appeared in
the special jubilee volume, 50, of the
journal (Sept. 1933); his last contri-
bution was “Notes on Xanthium
Species, ‘Cockleburrs’” (Sept. 1957)
—resulting from researches in British
herbaria during his term as Botanical
Liaison Officer at the Royal Botanic
Gardens, Kew, in 1956.

I worked in close association with
Frank for 23 years at Melbourne Her-
barium and found him invariably a
jovial, outgoing companion, ever pre-
pared to aid other people and to speak
his mind in a loud voice — however
embarrassing the circumstances may
have been! Outside office hours, he
was a most enthusiastic member of the
Banks Rowing Club, regularly coach-
ing crews on the Yarra River. A large

chiffonier in his home was stacked -

with cups and trophies he had won at
rowing and sculling. His knowledge of
Port Phillip Bay, its channels, sand-
banks, tides, weather and fish popula-
tions was surprisingly extensive and
doubtless gleaned from long acquain-
tance as part-owner of a pleasure
yacht.

Latterly he concentrated on bowl-
ing, where his expertise in turf culture
and green-keeping was widely sought.
Always interested in youth welfare
work, he would annually collect toys
and do them up for distribution to
children’s homes. Only a month before
his death, P. F. Morris made a gift
of $300 to the funds of our Field
Naturalists Club. It is fitting that the
name of this kindly, extrovert botanist
should be perpetuated in those of a
handsome downy tussock-grass (Poa
morrisii) and a_ delightfully elfish
midge-orchid (Prasophyllum morrisii)
having dark purplish-brown flowers
with exceedingly mobile and _ hairy
labella.

Field Naturalists Club of Victoria

General Meeting —- 10 June

At the June meeting the speaker was
Dr. Brian Smith of the National Museum
who gave us a fascinating insight into
“The Environmental Study of the Dart-
mouth Dam’. The Museum has had a
team working on the invertebrates of the
area and Dr. Smith showed slides of the
Mitta ‘Mitta River and the inundation
area at various seasons, as well as de-
scribing the techniques used to collect
insects and aquatic life, often working
under difficult and unpleasant conditions.
He said that this was the first study of
its kind that had been done in Victoria,
and the information gathered would be
valuable in assessing the effects of the
dam on downstream rivers.

The Secretary tabled a letter from the
Westernport Regional Planning Auth-

206

ority advising that an appeal had been
lodged against the decision to disallow
subdivision of Green’s “Main Ridge Es-
tate’ on Mornington Peninsula. Mr.
Riordan said that the Club was entitled
to present a further submission when the
appeal is heard.

Mr. Dan McInnes spoke about the
effects of rising costs on the Club, par-
ticularly in regard to the Victorian
Naturalist, and pointed out that each
issue priced at 45 cents was now costing
the Club 70 cents. Council had appointed
a sub-committee to review the situation
and its recommendations would be put
into effect as soon as possible.

Miss Ivy Dixon, who has been a mem-
ber for forty years, was elected to honor-
ary membership in accordance with the
by-laws of the Club.

Vict. Nat. Vol. 91

Ee ee ee

Exhibits at the meeting included a dis-
play of greenstone collected near Dookie,
Victoria, an exceptionally large specimen
of Cordyceps gunnii, a vegetable cater-
pillar; and a specimen of the butterfly
Euploea core corinna, the Common Aus-
tralian Crow, collected at Box Hill North
but a rare visitor to Melbourne.

A vote of thanks was carried to retir-
ing Vice-President Mr. Leigh Winsor,
who is leaving Melbourne to take up a
position at the James Cook University in
Townsville. Mr. Winsor has been a very
active Council Member and also Presi-
dent of the Field Survey Group; although
we congratulate him on gaining this posi-
tion and wish him well in the new sur-
roundings, his energy and enthusiasm will
be greatly missed in the Club.

Botany Group — /3 June

A good attendance of members and
friends at the June meeting enjoyed Mr.
Alex Stirling’s talk on the ‘Wildflowers
of the Sydney Sandstones”. His collec-
tion of slides gave a wonderful overall
impression of this colourful area, and
the close-ups of many species illustrated
the botanical details of flowers and leaves
very clearly.

A report was received on the May
excursion to the Gembrook-Tonimbuk
area. As well as the expected vegetation
of the forest and fern gully habitats a
large number of fungi were observed, in-
cluding three species of Cordyceps. Un-
fortunately there is no one in the group
at present with a thorough knowledge of
fungi, and our records are therefore very
inadequate in this field.

The ‘flower of the month’ was Nardoo;
two species were exhibited, Marsilea
drummondii and M. angustifolia. As the
genus is well covered in Helen Aston’s
book, “Aquatic Plants of Australia’, no
sheet of notes was issued.

The following list of talks and excur-
sions for the next few months may be
helpful to members wanting to plan
ahead. On Thursday, 11th July, Mr. Rex
Filson will speak on ‘“Lichens’”’, and on
Saturday, 27th July, he will lead an ex-
cursion to look at them in the field. On
Thursday, 8th August, Mrs. Ilma Dunn
will speak on a slide series, “Looking at
Nature — Winter’. Mrs. Dunn is a very
skilful photographer and _ this series
touches on several areas of natural his-
tory, as well as botany. On Sunday, 25th
August, ‘Miss Pat Carolan will lead an

July, 1974

excursion to the Macedon Range to
study Eucalypts. Miss Carolan has made
a special study of gum trees and we
expect this trip to interest the beginners
as well as the more knowledgeable in
the group. On the week-end of 28th-29th
September, we are going to the Seymour
district; on October 27th there will be a
day trip to the Blackwood district and
on 23rd-24th November another week-
end trip is planned, although the destina-
tion has not yet been decided.

Conservation Group F.N.C.V.

The second meeting of this newly-
formed group was held on Thursday,
16 May, at 15 Drummond St., Carlton.
The group was informed that correspon-
dence and publications on areas of con-
servation interest at present had been
received from the secretary of the
F.N.C.V. for their consideration. The
problem of ready access to publications
on areas of immediate interest that are
in the library was brought up, and it was
suggested that the librarian be ap-
proached on the feasibility of an index of
such information being made. Mr. Doug-
las recommended that the group compile
a list of experts in various fields of
natural history. It was decided to start
first of all by obtaining a list of experts
within each group of the F.N.C.V.

The botany group had offered their
book of plant records for areas visited
since July, 1966, for reference by our
group. A list of the areas given in the
book has been recorded by the conserva-
tion group and the book returned to the
Botany Group with thanks for their
offer of assistance.

The Land Conservation Council’s re-
port on the Melbourne study area was
the subject for discussion for most of
the evening. Mr. Callanan had prepared
a submission on the Dandenong block
plus an introductory review of the
general reasons for decision on use of
crown land which could be applied to all
blocks. This was discussed thoroughly
by the group.

The number of blocks in the Mel-
bourne study area (24) was more than
could be coped with by the small num-
ber of members in the group; hence each
member present chose one or two for
investigation of the L.C.C.’s report and
using this, plus their own knowledge of
the area, prepared submissions on the
blocks for discussion by the group at the
next meeting, held on Wednesday, 29
May.

207

Field Naturalists Club of Victoria

Established 1880

OBJECTS: To stimulate interest in natural history and to preserve
and protect Australian fauna and flora.
Patron:
His Excellency Major-General Sir ROHAN DELACOMBE, K.B.E., C.B., D.S.O.

Key Office-Bearers, 1973-1974.

President:
Mr. P. KELLY

Hon. Secretary: Mr. R. H. RIORDAN, 15 Regent St., East Brighton, 3187. 92 8579

Treasurer: H. BISHOP. Address Correspondence to National Herbarium, The
Domain, South Yarra.

Subscription Secretary: Mr. D. E. McINNES, 129 Waverley Rd., East Malvern, 3145.
Hon. Editor: Mr. G. M. WARD, 54 St. James Road, Heidelberg 3084.

Hon. Librarian: Mr. J. MARTINDALE, c/o National Herbarium, The Domain,
South Yarra.

Hon. Excursion Secretary: Miss M. ALLENDER, 19 Hawthorn Avenue, Caulfield
3161.:.(((52:2749.)

Magazine Sales Officer: Mr. D. McINNES
Archives Officer: Mr. CALLANAN, 29 Reynards Street, Coburg 3058. Tel. 36 0587.

Group Secretaries
Botany: Mrs. M. G. CORRICK, 7 Glenluss St., Balwyn 3103. Tel. 857 9937.
Day Group: Mrs. J. STRONG, 1160 Dandenong Rd., Murrumbeena (56 2271).

Entomology and Marine Biology: Mr. J. W. H. STRONG, Flat 11, “Palm Court’,
1160 Dandenong Rd., Murrumbeena 3163 (56 2271).

Field Survey: C/o National Herbarium, The Domain, South Yarra, 3141.
Geology: Mr. T. SAULT.

Mammal Survey: Mr. R. J. GIBSON, 7 Cook Street, Abbotsford, 3067.
Microscopical: Mr. M. H. MEYER, 36 Milroy Street, East Brighton (96 3268).

MEMBERSHIP
Membership of the F.N.C.V. is open to any person interested in natural history.
The Victorian Naturalist is distributed free to all members, the club’s reference and
lending library is available, and other activities are indicated in reports set out in the
several preceding pages of this magazine.

Rates of Subscriptions for 1974.

Ordinary: Memibers) i ee el Sa a I) Se RISO ec $7.00
Gountry “Members: (i2). Soo ee ae oO, $5.00
Joint Members .. zs eo eres Be AE aoe te ime tN one w ott $2.00
Junior Members (under 18. years) Se UN UR OSS pS EEL OD hate 1) CU Re erg ee $2.00
Junior Members receiving Vict. Nat. ee eer MOM ar A am. aie a Sg $4.00
Subscribers to Vict. Nat. aust: only)’ en ek ae oe ER, $5.00
Overseas Subscribers ; SRE Vp aloe Glade Tek ie RR i = SO $6.00
Affiliated)’ Societies: wit ket si ee. -telsig cage ks TR ee 0 ten Sl oe $7.00
Supporting Members . rn Heri y Mm Mitre cn dg LOL
Life Membership (reducing after 20. years) ee Ser me renner mee re Ce Buia fal

The cost of individual copies of the Vict. Nat. will be 45 cents (52 cents — overseas requests).
Full-time Students between I8 and 21 years pay at Junior Member rates.

All subscriptions should be made payable to the Field Naturalists Club of Victoria, and posted
to the Subscription Secretary.

) JENKIN, BUXTON & CO. PTY. LTD., PRINTERS, WEST MELBOURNE

AUGUST, 1974

e _ Published by the
FIELD NATURALISTS CLUB OF VICTORIA

in which is incorporated the Microscopical Society of Victoria

eae : 45c

Registered in Australia for transmission by post as a periodical.
rae Category ‘B”

yr
we

F.N.C.V. DIARY OF COMING EVENTS

GENERAL MEETING

Monday, 12 August— At National Herbarium, The Domain, South Yarra,
commencing 8 p.m.

New Members —

Ordinary:

Miss Fiona Bell, 127 Atkinson Street, Oakleigh, 3166 (Mammal Survey).

Miss Janine Craig, 88 South Road, Brighton Beach, 3186 (Mammals, Reptiles).

Mr. Heinrich Hauf, 48 Finch Street, Burwood, 3125 (Botany).

Mr. Robt. C. Anderson, 43A Cookson St., Camberwell, 3124 (Mammal Survey and Botany).

Mrs. Ildiko Fuessel, Flat 2, 27 Balmoral Ave., East Brunswick, 3059

(Marine Biology and Entomology).

Country:

Mr. A. G. Atchison, 41 Mansfield Road, Euroa, 3666.

Miss M. H. Christie, P.O. Box 488, Swan Hill, 3585.

Mrs. Margaret Doherty, Point Hicks, Cann River, 3889 (Geology).

Mr. David Hart, Wyperfeld National Park, c/- P.O. Yaapeet, 3424.

Junior:

Katrina Blake, 12 Little John Court, Vermont, 3133.
Michael Schwarz, Devonshire Lane, Mt. Macedon, 3441 (Native Bees).

GROUP MEETINGS

Wednesday, 14 August — Day Group. Visit to Planetarium. Mect at 1.45 p.m. ct
Information Office, Swanston Street entrance.

Wednesday, 21 August — Microscopical Group meeting.

Thursday, 22 August — Conservation Group meeting at 15 Drummond Street, Carlton,

8.00 p.m.

Thursday, 29 August — F.S.G. meeting in Conference Room, National Museum,
8.00 p.m.

Monday, 2 September — Marine Biology and Entomology meeting in Conference

Room, National Museum, 8.00 p.m.
Wednesday, 4 September — Geology Group meeting.

Thursday, 5 September — M.S.G. meeting at Arthur Rylah Institute, 123 Brown Street,
Heidelberg, 8.00 p.m.

Monday, 9 September — “Naked-eye Astronomy”: Dr. M. Beadnell.

F.N.C.V. EXCURSIONS

Sunday, 18 August — Glenburn. This excursion is to the area described in the film
“Birth of a Sanctuary’, to be shown at the August General Meeting. The coach will
leave Batman Avenue at 9.30 a.m. Fare, $2.50; bring one meal and a snack.

Sunday, 1 September-Sunday, 8 September — Kangaroo Island. Members travelling
independently to Adelaide should meet at 8.45 a.m. at Adelaide, where a coach
will await the party. Those travelling by train should be at the station in ample
time to catch the “Overland” to Adelaide, departing from platform 2 at 8.55 p.m.
on Saturday, 3lst August. Luggage allowance on plane is one normal sized suit
case.

Saturday - Sunday, 19-20 October — Weekend at Bendigo and Maryborough. Saturday
will be led by Mr. Frank Robbins who has been uncovering new glacial evidence
in the Heathcote-Derrinal area and it is hoped that geologists in the club will turn
up in full force. Sunday, members of the Maryborough F.N.C. will lead the
excursion which will include a visit to the Cosstick Reserve. Accommodation has
been booked at the Oval Motel, Bendigo, for Saturday night on a D.B.B. basis.
Cost for weekend, $21.

December - January — Boxing Day — 2 January — Falls Creek — details later.

210 Vict. Nat. Vol. 91

the | Vol. 91, No. 8 7 August, 1974

e e
victorian oe ee
naturalist Assistant Editor: | G. F. Douglas

Contents It is only one month since if was an-

nounced in this column that the ‘‘Victorian

Naturalist’’, due to tremendous rises in print-

ing costs, would in future contain 24 pages

thrtigles: instead of the past 32 pages. It has also

been necessary to explore other methods of

rinting, which while not quite of the appear-

eee (esteriport Report No. 1, an ot the past method, wil be Lontiteraely
Part | cheaper.

By William A. Davis and All this involvement in change has given
Alani J. Reid 212 the editor a great deal of extra work, and
members and readers are asked to co-operate
in understanding if for any inadvertent rea-
son they are inconvenienced by late arrival

of their ‘‘Naturalist’’ over the next issues.

It will also be noticed that this issue con-
tains 28 pages — this is because both articles
By G. B. Pritchard 223 were felt to be of such value, and could not

be cut conveniently; together with the fact
that they had been previously scheduled for
August publication, that it was decided to
publish them even though it involved run-
ning four pages over the proposed number.

Geology of Royal Park

In future, because of the proposed de-
crease in number of pages, it will, un-
fortunately, be necessary to curtail Group
reports and similar material, leaving the
maximum amount of space for articles. We
feel that Secretaries and members of these
Groups will understand the necessity of this
decision.

With the current forecast of inflation rising
to a rate of 20 per cent within 12 months,
it may be necessary to consider other methods
of coping with the probable future increase in

Cover Photo: printing costs.

Ibis Rookery, Coolart Lagoon. Bi-monthly publication?
Photo: J. A. Reid. Perhaps members may have some ideas!

August, 1974 211

Victorian Ornithological Research Group
Westernport Report No. 1
Part 1

The Birds of the Somers, Sandy Point, Hastings Districts,
Westernport Bay, Victoria, Australia.

by

WILLIAM A. Davis and ALAN J. REID

Introduction

This paper, to be published in parts,
is the culmination of the activities of
“Survey Somers”, a Victorian Ornitho-
logical Research Group project car-
ried out by the authors assisted by a
number of V.O.R.G. and Bird Ob-
server Club members.

The period of systematic survey ex-
tended from 1959 to 1968 and at that
time probably represented in man
hours the most intensive bird status
survey ever attempted in Victoria.

In the light of industrial pressures
and the current series of biological
studies of the Westernport region,
“Survey Somers” would seem to be a
valuable background study particularly
that section conducted on the Sandy
Point Peninsula. Government botanist,
J. H. Willis, in a letter of 30/3/1971
to A. J. Reid suggests “that because
of its extent and excellent state of pre-
servation the Sandy Point area is a
good example of the coastal woodland
which has almost disappeared from
the Mornington Peninsula or exists
only in a damaged state’.

Also included in the systematic
study and regular census was the his-
toric “Coolart” property. The man-
made lagoon represented a highly pro-
ductive waterfowl habitat and breeding
area of proven educational value.
Early Ornithological Records

When one considers the close proxi-
mity to Melbourne of the Mornington
Peninsula, it is surprising to find little

212

of significance in the available early
literature. Indeed the entire Western-
port region received only scant at-
tention until recent times.

Westernport was discovered by
George Bass. On entering the bay on
5th January, 1798, he wrote “Black
swans flew by in hundreds”!. This is
the first recorded reference to the
avifauna of the region. Black swans
were also mentioned three years later
in 1801 by Captain Grant surveying
the bay in the Lady Nelson. His crew
captured many cygnets.

For the next five decades the bay
was frequented mainly by sealers and
whalers and seal rocks on Phillip Is-
land provided a rich harvest of skins
and oil. There was_ indiscriminate
slaughter of the pups and the seals
diminished in alarming numbers. Us-
ing the ships’ boats the callous sealers
chased black swans for food during
the moulting season. Mutton birds
which also abounded were dragged
from their burrows and roasted?.

In 1850 Thomas Charles King,
Master of the schooner “Red Wings’,
went into Westernport. He sent the
ships’ crew to Yalloch Creek. They
returned with no less than 32 dozen
swan eggs®.

H. W. Wheelwright recorded during
the years 1853 to 1859, 190 species
of birds between Mordialloc and
Westernport. This appears to be the
first bird list for the district although
it was not published in full. Around

Vict. Nat. Vol. 91

%

1860 he recorded the Native Com-
panion. He obtained sustenance by
shooting fauna to be sold at the Mel-
bourne market. Birds included quail,
snipe, native pigeons, waders, herons,
egrets, ducks, swans, parrots, etc.?.

Foundation R.A.O.U. member,
G. E. Shepherd, lived at Somerville for
many years. During 1880 around
Westernport his observations included
King Quail, Painted Quail, Little
Crake, Spotless Crake, Red-kneed Dot-
terel, Eastern Curlew, White Egret,
Plumed Egret, Purple-crowned Lori-
keet, Yellow-tailed Black Cockatoo,
Ground Parrot, Dollar Bird, Rainbow
Bird, Brush Cuckoo, White-winged
Triller, Southern Emu Wren, Masked
Woodswallow, Horsefield Bush Lark.
He mentions the Jardine Caterpillar
Eater (Cicada Bird) breeding at
Oliver’s Gully (near Mooroduc) as
late as 1890°.

His notes on the Eastern Curlew are
interesting. He states “Towards the
end of November thousands are to be
seen at high tide perched on mangrove
scrub waiting for the water to recede,
at which time they pounce on crabs
hooking them out of their holes with
their long curved bills’®.

Lindsay Clarke in 1880 noted the
Satin Bower bird at Bass River. Re-
cords of the Great Knot and Reef
Heron appeared about 1890*.

Another R.A.O.U. foundation mem-
ber, S. P. Townshead (also a F.N.C.V.
member) lived for a_ period at
Mornington. He collected extensively
around Westernport during 1901 and
1902. Some noteworthy specimens
included Marsh Tern, Golden Plover,
Turnstone, Banded Stilt, Gang Gang
Cockatoo, Leaden Flycatcher, Hooded
Robin, White-winged Triller, Spotted
Quail Thrush, Grey-crowned Babbler,
Tawny-crowned Honeyeater, Spiny-
checked Honeyeater®.

There is nothing of importance re-
corded for a further three decades

August, 1974

until the mid 1930’s when Jack Jones
(R.A.O.U.) spent a deal of time at
Coolart, Bittern and Sandy Point. He
prepared a _ systematic list for the
owner of Coolart around 1936. It
contained 103 species (76 native
species at Coolart, 26 actually noted
breeding). Records of considerable
interest were Marsh Crake, Brown Bit-
tern, Blue-billed Duck, Hooded Robin,
Spotted Quail Thrush, Grey-crowned
Babbler, Chestnut-tailed Ground Wren,
Olive-backed Oriole?®.

B.O.C. member, Phillip Brooke,
while serving at the naval depot re-
corded 102 species between 1949 and
195232:

W. Roy Wheeler (R.A.O.U.) com-
piled an early list about 1957 for Alan
Reid of the birds of the Mornington
Peninsula containing 203 species (the
current Peninsula list contains over
270 species) !!.

This brings us to 1958 and the com-
mencement of Survey Somers.

Survey Background

Alan Reid was nature study in-
structor at the children’s education
camp at Somers from 1959 to 1966.
In addition to background ecological
notes, he kept a bird list for the dis-
trict and also carried out bird banding
studies on the Red-capped Dotterel
and Yellow Robin. Coolart was fre-
quently visited and used as a subject
for student nature studies. Alan’s
original list formed the basis for Sur-
vey Somers.

Bill Davis became interested in the
area during a family holiday in 1960.
On meeting it seemed logical to com-
bine forces and commence a systema-
tic study of the birds of the district.
Permission was obtained from _ the
naval authorities to include Hanns
Inlet and the Sandy Point Peninsula
on a regular visit basis.

Regular fortnightly trips com-
menced on 18th August 1962 and con-

213

tinued until August 1966. Since that
time trips have continued but not on
the systematic base. During 1962 the
Victorian Ornithological |Research
Group (V.O.R.G.) was formed and
Survey Somers became a V.O.R.G.
project under joint leadership with
Bill Davis acting as recorder.

The assistance of other V.O.R.G.
and B.O.C. members was gratefully
accepted and our thanks are hereby
recorded to the following — Frans
Fehrer, Fred Smith, Ian May, Murray
Boucher, Mare Gottsch, Don Bowry,
Don Townshend, Des Quinn, Howard
Jarman, Gordon Cameron, Neil
Wetherill and Roy Wheeler. Frans
Fehrer, Fred Smith and Ian May
deserve special mention as they at-
tended over half the total of 93
systematic survey trips.

Survey Methods

Alan Reid lived at Somers during
the survey period and, as a conse-
quence, observed birds from Hastings
around to Merricks on the coast and
inland. His duties at the education
camp involved various aspects of out-
door nature study and bushcraft. Asa
result, opportunities were ever present
for bird study. Most areas thus re-
ceived constant attention especially the
Somers, Balnarring and Coolart fore-
shore scrub, the Tulum Creek and
Coolart Lagoon.

The systematic survey involved a
regular pattern of visits to carefully
selected and varied habitats at specific
time slots each fortnight. The survey
run commenced along South Beach
Road at 8.30 a.m. then proceeded to
Sandy Point via Hanns Inlet. The ex-
tensive tidal flats and the dunes were
then visited. The run concluded at
Coolart with a check of the Lagoon
and as dusk set in, birds returning to
roost were counted.

On every survey trip weather and
tidal conditions were recorded, a
species list was compiled and an esti-

214

mate made of the numbers of indivi-
duals present. The resulting informa-
tion was transferred to large master
charts.

The following water bird popula-
tions were graphed in order to esta-
blish regular migratory patterns or

changes in population strength: Black ©

Cormorant, Little Pied Cormorant,
Crested Tern, Silver Gull, Pacific Gull,
Spur-winged Plover, Hooded Dotterel,
Double-banded Dotterel, Red-capped
Dotterel, Eastern Curlew, Red-necked
Stint, White Ibis, Straw-necked Ibis,
White-faced Heron, Black Swan,
Chestnut-breasted Shelduck, Black
Duck, Chestnut Teal, Grey Teal and
Hardhead.

Biological studies at Coolart related
to the Ibis species and Little Pied
Cormorant. Populations and breeding
performance were considered in rela-
tion to rainfall and lagoon water
levels. The size, time and direction of
returning flocks to Coolart each even-
ing were noted and graphed. All these
factors will be considered in the syste-
matic list under each species.
Habitat.Descriptions

The survey area included the natural
bushland and swamps of the Sandy
Point area, the dunes, mangroves and
foreshore scrub along the coast from
Hastings to Merricks, the townships of
Somers, Balnarring, Balnarring East,
Bittern, Hastings, Stony Point and
Crib Point, and the surrounding farm-
lands to a distance of five miles from
the coast. These farmland areas in-
cluded some orchards, scattered rem-
nants of Messmate-Peppermint Wood-
land and regrowths of non-saline
heaths.

1. COASTLINE, COLES BEACH TO
SANDY POINT
An unbroken broad sandy beach ex-
tends the full length of the coastal
system except for the Balnarring rock
platform. Tidal energy throughout the

Vict. Nat. Vol. 91

system is generally weak but increases
strongly towards Sandy Point. Some
alongshore drift of material does
occur between Balnarring and Western
Park. Vast banks of Leafy Sea Wrack,
Amphibolis antarctica, and sand form
during winter months. Large areas of
typical coastal dunes occur west of
Sandy Point and east of Balnarring.
These contain vigorous growths of the
Sea Rocket, Cakile maritima and
Spinifex, Spinifex hirsutus. The survey
included observations approximately
half a mile out to sea.

2. SALT MARSH, MANGROVES AND
TIDAL MupD FLATS

These extend intermittently from
Sandy Point northward to Denhams
Beach with occasional intrusions of
rocky headlands. Large pure stands
of the White Mangrove, Avicennia
marina occur. The dominant vegeta-
tion of the salt marshes consists of the
Glass Wort, Salicornia sp. and Sam-
phire, Arthroenemum sp. Much of
the exposed tidal flats zone is covered
with the Sea Grass, Zostera nuelleri.
On the permanently covered flats, it is
displaced by Heterozostera tasmanica.
Hanns Inlet was typical of the salt
marsh mangrove association.

3. SANDY POINT

Vegetation Associations. This area
of approximately 4 sq. ml. carries a
most interesting diversity of vegetation
associations. These are as follows:—

(a) Fresh water swamp. This one
acre area of shallow water
abuts the Southern side of
Hanns Inlet. It featured sub-
stantial reed beds of Carbungi
and Junkus grass, Malaleuca
thickets and grassy fringes. It
was a prime habitat for waders,
especially during high tide.

August, 1974

(b) Messmate-Peppermint Wood-
land which occurs in the vici-
nity of the Rifle Range and
south of it.

(c) Peppermint Grassy Woodland
which occurs south of the
above association and extends
to the Western Park northern

boundary.

Manna Gum Woodlands —
covering an area approximately
half a mile wide, extending
north-eastward from the north-
eastern corner of Western Park.
Under these trees Bracken is
associated with an assortment
of heath plants.

(e) Paperbark Thickets on inland
side of Salt Marsh.

(f) Wet non-saline Heath — small
area between the Peppermint
Grassy Woodland and_ the
Manna Gum Woodland.

(g) Coastal Banksia, Banksia inte-
grifolia, occurs in a belt run-
ning east to west. This is the
finest stand now existing on
the Mornington Peninsula and
includes trees over 100 years
old.

Coastal Tea ~ Tree, - Lepio-
spermum laevigatum, occurs in
a belt immediately south of
the Banksias and extends to
the southern coastal beach.
Examination of this belt pro-
vides interesting evidence of
alteration in the southern
coastline.

(d)

(h)

4. FORESHORE SCRUB

For seven miles west from Sandy
Point runs an almost unbroken belt
of Coastal Banksia with Coastal Tea
Tree, Leucopogon parviflorus and
Coast Acacia, Acacia longifolia, flank-
ing it on the seaward side.

An understory of Swordgrass, Lom-
andra longifolia and Tetragonia sp. is

215

216

Plate 1

mie

Habitat 1.

Coles Beach,
Balnarring,
Dec., 1962.

Photo: A. J. Reid.

mle
me

Habitat 2.

Mangroves and
Tidal Flats,
Sandy Point,
1974,

Photo: W. A. Davis.

Habitat 3(b).

Messmate,
Peppermint
Woodland,
Sandy Point,
1974.

Photo: W.A. Davis.

%
+

Vict. Nat. Vol. 91

Plate 2

1)

Habitat 3(f).

Non-saline
Heathland,
Sandy Point.

Photo: W. A. Davis.

mie
ime

Habitat 3(g).

Banksia Belt,

Sandy Point,
1974.

Photo: W. A. Davis.

ie
mae
ue

Habitat 5.

Coolart
Lagoon, 1964
(Aerial photo).

Photo: A. J. Reid.

August, 1974

217

a feature of a large portion of this
foreshore scrub.

This pattern is interrupted at
Somers by the outflow of the con-
joined Tulum and Merricks Creeks
which break through the blocking
sandbar each winter to become tidal
until the following summer.

Remnants of this type of foreshore
scrub exist intermittently north of
Sandy Point especially in the vicinity
of Crib Point.

5. COOLART LAGOON

This man-made lagoon of approxi-
mately 11 acres is surrounded by in-
troduced Oaks and Willows and a
natural swamp regrowth of Malaleuca
species. Several man-made islets also
carry Malaleuca thickets. Periodic
blooms of Azolla water weed coat the
surface. Sheep were allowed access
to the North Eastern shoreline until
1964. A spillway controls the upper
limit of the water level and natural

Figure Number 1

GENERAL SURVEY AREA

From

Melbourne

Hodgins |Road
Bittern
Reservoir
7: 7
6 9
Z 2
vw
uw
0
et
°
8

Balnayring

1
'
'
'
'
r)
’
’
’
i Coolart
1
'
,
1
1
D
1
'

f°
T plumCree
Balnarring a
4 Poe Somers
} Beach
Coles Beach !
1)
i)
1
1
1
Scale

218

Industrial
Area

Hastings *
\

2

Long Island
Point
Sandstone
| Island
Bittern 2
Industrial Crib Point
Area
Naval
Depot Systematic
SET tral See Oe ee ee Survey Area
ke Stony Point
2
eee eae 'S 2
Go 2 222,
3 9%, <
c Ses :
»'
TS Ss) iN ‘ eo (os
> )
SS ’
Western ~> & ! % 5
Park /
z, Par j ese :
” % Se
eae. Sandy
h bs
1 ‘ n Point
hy

1 inch to 1 mile.

Vict. Nat. Vol. 91

:
Ra
4

bas

drainage from the Northern paddocks
provides the bulk of the water. An
extensive exotic garden adjoins the
historic Coolart homestead just 100
yards from the lagoon. The original
drive to the homestead is heavily
planted with Eucalyptus and Pinus
species.

6. FARMLANDS

Over the survey period sheep graz-
ing was the major farming pursuit.
On the hill slopes to the West there
are some orchards and poultry farms.
Dams and water holes for stock water-
ing must also have an influence on
bird populations. Some small stands
of dry sclerophyll forest still remain.

7. ROADSIDE VERGES AND REGROWTH
HEATHS
These are particularly evident along
Coolart and Stump Gulley Roads and
about the Balnarring racecourse. Dur-
ing the early survey period, they were
more extensive.

8. BITTERN RESERVOIR

A substantial water storage scrub-
lined on two sides but essentially
featureless.

9. HUMAN SETTLEMENT AREAS

These include the children’s school
camp, Lord Somers Camp, Balnarring,
Balnarring Beach, Bittern, Stony Point,
Crib Point, Hastings and the Naval
Depot grounds.

SYSTEMATIC SPECIES LIST

The classification is that of H. T. Condon, “A Handlist of the Birds of
South Australia”, 1969, published by the South Australian Ornithological
Association. For habitats, refer map and habitat descriptions.

1. Eudyptula minor, Little Penguin.

Beach-washed specimens found all months of the year. Occasionally an old
bird washed up still alive. Heard calling all months around coastline of survey

area. Habitat 1(H1).

2. Podiceps novaehollandiae, Little Grebe.
Often seen at Coolart, two to six birds noted most months. Also listed for
Hanns Inlet freshwater lagoon. H3 (a), 5.

3. Podiceps poliocephalus, Hoary-headed Grebe.
Recorded at Bittern Reservoir. First seen at Coolart during July 1963 and

occasional visitor thereafter. HS, 8.

4. Podiceps cristatus, Great-crested Grebe.
Permanent resident at Bittern Reservoir. H8.

5. Diomedia melanophrys, Black-browed Albatross.
Often observed out to sea during June, July and August. H1.

6. Diomedia cauta, White-capped (shy) Albatross.
Beach-washed specimen November 1962. Noted out to sea during June and

July. H1.

7. Macronectes giganteus, Giant Petrel.

Recorded twice only. A single bird on Somers beach July 1964. Second
sighting a month later at Sandy Point. H1.

8. Daption capense, Cape Petrel.

On 6th July, 1961, a Cape Petrel was identified flying past old pier at

Somers. H1.

August, 1974

219

9. Halobaena caerulea, Blue Petrel.

Beach-washed specimen collected on Ist August, 1973, by Neil Wetherill
was the eighth Victorian record.
10. Pachyptila turtur, Fairy Prion.

Beach-washed specimens collected August 1961, August and September
1962, and again during February 1965 and August 1966. H1.

11. Pachyptila desolata, Dove Prion.
Single beach-washed specimen collected August 1966. H1.

12. Pachy ptila salvini, Medium-billed Prion.
Beach-washed specimens August 1966 and 3rd July 1969. H1:

13. Puffinus carneipes, Fleshy-footed Shearwater.
Beach-washed specimen collected by A. J. Reid on 11th May 1963 was fifth
Victorian record. H1.

14. Puffinus griseus, Sooty Shearwater.
Beach-washed specimen collected on 21st February, 1965. H1.

15. Puffinus tenuirostris, Mutton Bird (short-tailed Shearwater).

Often collected as beach-washed specimens along survey beaches September
to May each year. Sightings at Sandy Point February and March — up to
200 birds seen. H1, 2.

16. Pelicanoides urinatrix, Diving Petrel.
During June 1961 many beach-washed specimens found. Further specimen
collected on 28th February 1969. H1.

17. Pelicanus conspicillatus, Australian Pelican.
Consistently recorded in varying numbers all months of the year from Naval
Base mud flats. Largest count 20 birds during September 1962. H2.

18. Sula bassana serrator, Australian Gannet.

Often observed out to sea during winter months. Single records for
November and December 1962. Beach-washed immature specimen collected on
26th May 1967. H1, 2.

Plate 3

Eudyptula
minor,

Little Penguin,
Phillip Island.
1973:

Photo: W. A. Davis.

220 Vict. Nat. Vol. 91

19. Phalacrocorax carbo, Black Cormorant.

Common resident species noted from Naval Base mud flats, Somers sea-
shore and Coolart lagoon. Recorded nesting at Coolart November 1962 and
again in December 1963. Peak populations at Coolart during October,
November and December each year. Counts during these months averaged
eighteen birds. H1, 2,5.

20. Phalacrocorax sulcirostris, Little Black Cormorant.
Recorded during all months from beach locations and Coolart. Numbers

never exceeded six birds per survey trip. H1,2, 5.

21. Phalacrocorax fuscescens, Black-faced Cormorant.
Consistently recorded along the Somers seashore especially on old pier all
months of the year. Usually two to six birds. H1, 2.

22. Phalacrocorax varius, Pied Cormorant.

Occasional records only. An influx at Coolart December to March 1962/
1963 when up to 20 birds were resident. Records of single birds from beach
locations most months. H1, 2, 5.

23. Phalacrocorax melanoleucos, Little Pied Cormorant.

Present in large numbers throughout beach locations, also at Coolart and
most dams within general survey area. Roosting counts at Coolart indicated
a resident population of from 100 to 300 birds. Breeding commenced September
each year and continued to early January depending on lagoon water level.
Breeding activity showed a steady increase from six nests in 1962 to over 150
nests in 1966.

During the 1967 season the breeding cycle was filmed for “The Coolart
Story”. After hatching the young retained the all black plumage until approxi-
mately eight weeks old when white breast feathers appeared. The young left
the nest area approximately twelve weeks after hatching. The birds often use
old ibis nests, but generally they preferred higher nest sites. H1, 2,5, 6, 8.

It is interesting to note that on numerous occasions all five Cormorant
species were observed on the old Somers pier.

24. Anhinga anhinga novaehollandiae, Australian Darter.
Single bird noted along Tulum Creek during 1961. H4

25. Ardea novaehollandiae, White-faced Heron.

The most common representative of the family ARDEIDAE (Herons,
Egrets, Bitterns) throughout the general survey area. At Coolart from two to
six birds always present. During June 1964 an influx of over 30 birds spent
several months around the lagoon. A pair nested along the Coolart drive during
September 1962. Systematic counts along Hanns Inlet and the adjoining mud
flats revealed a definite pattern. Population peaks of up to 100 birds, often in
flocks, were noted from January to June each year. Dispersal for breeding from
July to December was indicated by a fall in numbers to less than ten birds. At
this time these were always recorded singly. The species was also observed
nesting in pine trees along Hanns Inlet. H1,2, 3, 4, 5, 6.

26. Ardea pacifica, Pacific (white-necked) Heron.

Rare visitor to survey area. First listed during February 1965, a lone bird
along Hanns Inlet. During June 1965 two birds were seen on several occasions
along Tulum Creek.

August, 1974 221

27. Egretta garzetta, Little Egret.

Two records for the district. At Coolart on 28th June 1964, a lone bird
was identified. During June 1965 a single bird was noted on several occasions
along Tulum Creek. H4, 5.

28. Egretta intermedia, Plumed Egret. :

The occurrence of this rare Egret around the mud flats of Westernport
has already been mentioned under early records. On 5th January 1963, a single
medium sized Egret was noted feeding along Hanns Inlet. The bird was still in
partial breeding plumage. A close approach was effected and through binoculars,
it was apparent the species was not a Little Egret as first thought. The bill was
distinctly reddish and the legs carried a strong reddish tinge above the knees.
The bird still carried rather ragged plumes on the back and breast. In view of
these diagnostic features the Egret was identified as the Plumed. Almost a year
later to the day in the same location a lone Egret was noted, this time in eclipse
plumage. The bird appeared like a miniature White Egret with a noticeably
stout bill. It is probable that this bird was also a Plumed Egret. H2.

29. Egretta alba, White Egret.

Consistent records of from 1 to 5 birds along Hanns Inlet and the mud flats
all months of the year through the systematic survey period. The species was
first recorded at Coolart during July 1963 when a single bird took up residence
for several months. During March 1964 three birds were listed and later in
June 1965 six birds were seen. Single birds occasionally noted feeding along
Tulum Creek. H2, 4, 5.

30. Nycticorax caledonicus, Nankeen Night Heron.

Often noted by naval personnel in the pines along Hanns Inlet. Only two
occurrences at Coolart. A single mature bird during December 1963 and an
immature during March 1965. A further bird was seen along Tulum Creek on
4th February 1969. The species breeds extensively in pine trees on a property
near the industrial area at Denhams-Beach. H2, 4, 5.

31. Botaurus poiciloptilus, Brown Bittern.

In spite of extensive suitable habitat throughout the survey area, the only
records came from the Tulum Creek area. These were interesting in that a
single bird was noted during June of 1964, 1965 and again in 1966. H4.

REFERENCES:
(1) A. J. Campbell (1853-1929). “Nest (6) A. J. Campbell. “Nest and Eggs of
and Eggs of Australian Birds” Australian Birds,” p. 805.
(1900), p. 1015. (7) A. J. Campbell. “Nest and Eggs of

(2) K. Bowden, ‘‘Westernport Settle-

ment and its Leading Personalities”’ BES:

(1970), Halstead Press. (8) S. P. Townshead. Original manu-
(3) A. J. Campbell (1853-1929). “Nest script in the R.A.O.U. archives.

and Eggs of Australian Birds” (9) Jack Jones. Original manuscript in

(1900), p. 1015. the R.A.O.U. archives.

(4) H. W. Wheelwright (1815-1865). dicles phy “
“Bush Wanderings of a Naturalist” (10) Phillip Brooke. “Bird Observer,

(1861). October and November 1953.

(5) A. J. Campbell. “Nest and Eggs of (11) W. Roy Wheeler. Early list in pos-
Australian Birds”. Many of G. E. session of the authors. Recent list
Shepherds’ (died 1932) records are in Wheeler’s own possession.

contained in this work.

222 Vict. Nat. Vol. 91

a he

Geology of Royal Park

by G. B. PRITCHARD

Editor’s Introduction
by Thomas A. Darragh*

Those of you interested in the geo-
logy of areas in and around Melbourne
have probably read The Geology of
Melbourne, an exceptionally readable
little book, written by Dr. George B.
Pritchard and published in 1910.
G. B. Pritchard was a well known Vic-
torian geologist and lectured in geo-
logy at the Working Men’s College,
now the Royal Melbourne Institute of
Technology, from 1892-1934. He was
a member of the Field Naturalists’
Club of Victoria from 1902, contri-
buting 14 articles to The Victorian
Naturalist. An outline of his career
is given in an obituary published in
January 1957 (Victorian Naturalist 73:
142-143) and a bibliography of his
published writings was compiled by
F. S. Colliver in 1947 (Victorian
Naturalist 64: 33-36).

In February 1959 the National
Museum of Victoria received a collec-
tion of his correspondence and papers
and amongst these was an almost com-
pleted manuscript of a small book
entitled Old Port Phillip History as
told by the geology of Royal Park.

Evidently it was a sequel to The
Geology of Melbourne and Old Yarra
History (1944). From internal evi-
dence and associated papers it appears
that it was written about 1947, when
he was in his seventy-eighth year, how-
ever much of the information for it
and some of the photographs were
gathered by Pritchard in the period
between 1890 and 1910. Some of the
information therein is not available in
any published work because many
localities he examined are no longer
available to us due to housing develop-

August, 1974

ments and land reclamation. As there
is not a great deal of literature on the
localities he describes available to the
interested amateur, and because of the
importance of the information in the
manuscript, it was felt that it might
be appropriate to publish the chapters
of his book which still have value at
the present time. Particularly as his
style of writing and approach to the
subject are such that his text can be
easily followed by any interested per-
son without a geological background.

In order to ensure that the text is
clear, minor corrections have been
made in his geological and_ strati-
graphical terminology, but these are
few and the work is substantially as he
wrote it.

* % *

HISTORICAL BACKGROUND

The original area of Royal Park was
692 acres; it extended from Mount
Alexander Road over to Sydney Road.
The Sydney Road frontage was early
cut off and subdivided for residential
purposes to satisfy some early specu-
lators. An area of 55 acres was en-
closed as the Zoological Gardens. A
further area of 140 acres was taken
up by an experimental farm. The
Railway running through the Park
took off another 24 acres, and later
the Electric Tramways absorbed seven
acres. So the original parklands have
been whittled away for some time.
The most recent alienation has been
the entire occupation of the area by
troops to the exclusion of the general

*National Museum of Victoria.

223

G t
GEGEEG
GEEGEE
CEEEE A
Gopn€ G Ch FLEMINGTO
CaGEE sit /
CEEGFE /
aKace
CGecyY |
Gc EEF |
GEG

GEE - |
Ec eG A |
CEEE

GEC

GEG} jo if
CEG iH
G EG |
ECEE
EGEC \\
jc EEERY

SUTLEN af (ea

OLDER
BASALT

(TA 1 ALLUVIUM

[StS] LEAPBEDS 282 SILURIAN

Q QUARRIES IN FERRUGINOUS SANDSTONES
io ~ FIGURES MARK HEIGHTS ABOVE SEALEVEL
Fig. 1 — Geological Map of the Royal Park Area.
224 Vict. Nat. Vol. 91

/

public, followed by the use of military
buildings for the temporary housing
of certain civilians. (Now removed,
Ed.)

Based on the strongest recommenda-
tion by Robert Hoddle, Governor
Latrobe reserved from sale a belt of
land around the original city which
included Royal Park and Princes Park
in addition to the Flagstaff Gardens,
the Carlton and Fitzroy Gardens, the
Yarra and Fawkner Parks and the
Botanic Gardens. The _ public is
awakening to the value of these
breathing spaces and a recent move
has been taken to acquire a further
50 acres in the Royal Park area from
Brunswick Road downstream to with-
in a quarter of a mile of Flemington
Bridge.

Fossils were found in this area in
the early fifties in the Tertiary Rocks
on both sides of the Moonee Valley,
but it was not until the Railway cut-
ting was made through the Royal Park
in 1882 that the fact became generally
known and collectors soon began to
multiply.

One of the earliest building stones
of Melbourne was quarried in Royal
Park as well as from the valley face
on the opposite side of Moonee Ponds
Creek on the property of Mr Glass,
and to the south of Madden’s old
home on Mount Alexander Road. The
stone was a dark brown ferruginous
sandstone and was a strong durable
type. Our early architects and civilians
were not very favourably impressed
with it judging by some of the remarks
printed in some of our early records.
Its earliest use for jails and churches
seemed to strike an unpopular note
with the civilians of that period.

Iron ore was another early record
from this locality, but although quite
a good collection of iron minerals
from a student’s viewpoint can still be
gathered including hematite, limonite,

August, 1974

turqite, geothite, it is absurd in the
extreme to think for a moment that
any commercial use could be made of
these from the iron point of view. An
early analysis of a brown hematite,
otherwise limonite, is recorded from
Moonee Ponds as containing 50-68 per
cent iron. Such an analysis would
seem to point to an ore of some value
and here a point might be made out
about the difference between a mineral
record and a record of workable quan-
tities of an ore.

Royal Park overlooks Moonee
Valley and the origin of this name as
well as Moonee Ponds may be worth a
few thoughts. If you take the trouble
to examine some of Mr. Hoddle’s
earliest maps of this area you will find
that J. Mooney owned property ad-
joining this valley not very far from
the present Moonee Valley Race-
course, and I was always familiar with
the fact that this valley was called and
locally known as Mooney’s chain of
Ponds, a very apt description of the
ordinary condition of this creek. In
several works already published about
place names in Victoria, this origin
appears to have been unknown, and a
very trivial one given in its place.

GEOLOGY

This locality may be reached by the
Essendon electric tram from Elizabeth
Street to Flemington Bridge, or by
train from Flinders Street to Fleming-
ton Bridge railway station. Proceed
easterly towards the Royal Park and
the cutting and other excavations and
infillings will be reached in a few
hundred yards.

I have memories of an old almost
effaced quarry on the northern slope
from the present Royal Park railway
cutting overlooking the Moonee Valley
which could have been in the closer-
grained ferruginous sandstones of the
upper beds of this area.

225

Mr. J. G. Knight, one of Mel-
bourne’s early architects, in 1859,
stated, “Several buildings were raised
with a sandstone principally obtained
from a quarry on the Saltwater River,
near the Melbourne Racecourse”. St.
James’ Cathedral originally on the
block of land between Collins Street
and Little Collins Street adjoining Wil-
liam Street, had its foundation stone
laid on the 9th‘ November, 1839. “The
whole building was ultimately of the
ugly brown stone” was the description
given by a later author. The Race-
course in 1839 was on the flat between
Batman’s Hill and the present position
of the North Melbourne Railway Sta-
tion, and was approximately parallel
to the Saltwater River and no great
distance from it, for there was only
the Swamp intervening. I have no
doubt that this old quarry supplied the
stone of which St. James’ Cathedral
was built; it may also have supplied
some, if not all the stone for the Mel-
bourne gaol in Russell Street in 1840,
which building commenced in 1841,
though it was described as not open-
ing for business until Ist January,
1845. There can be no question
about the durability of this stone,

226

although opinions may vary about its
colour and architectural effect, its re-
sistance to weathering can still be
studied in situ, and the facts that the
old cathedral has been pulled down
and re-erected elsewhere, and some of
the gaol wall blocks have been trans-
ported to St. Kilda foreshore to fight
against marine erosion, surely speak
volumes about a good building stone.
Other quarries in this stone were near
Glass’s place and on the other side of
the Mount Alexander Road, south of
Madden’s old home.

It is the railway cutting through the
crest of the valley slope that has
opened up much of our more ancient
history, therefore I would like in this
place to record the following parti-
culars about the railway work:—

1882 Single line — Melbourne

to Coburg.

1885-86 Melbourne to Clifton Hill.
Opened 8th May, 1888.

March 1887 to December
1888. Line duplicated.
Excavated material used
to build up the gravitation
yards between Spencer St.
and North Melbourne.

1887-88

Plate 1

Royal Park
Railway
Cutting from
West end,
shortly after
widening.

Vict. Nat. Vol. 91

Plate 2

Royal Park
Railway Cutting
from East end,
about 1900,
shortly after
widening.

This railway cutting through the
Royal Park, a little to the east of
Flemington Bridge, is, perhaps, one of
the best known and most frequented
localities by collectors and school and
University classes in Melbourne. This,
no doubt, is primarily on account of
the ease with which many interesting
fossils may be gathered from certain
of the beds. Nearly every beginner in
geology makes a collection of these
Royal Park fossils, as they are of such
a type as will readily appeal to anyone
at the outset of his studies in this
subject. The fossils obtainable here,
however, have to be studied and pieced
together with the utmost caution, for
their usual form is but that of the
hardened mud which filled the in-
teriors of various animal remains, or
an impression of the exterior mark-
ings or sculpture of these remains. The
important part of the fossil to the
popular imagination is the hardened
mud or fine sand which filled the in-
terior of these shells and other organic
remains; but, in reality, that which is
usually of most value to the expert is
the impression of the external char-
acters, though it is often necessary to
have internal characters as well.

Collectors of fossils at this locality
should, therefore bear in mind, the

August, 1974

importance of taking every care to
preserve the external sculpturing of
the various remains found, as well as
the more easily collected casts. Casts,
at the best, may be regarded as some-
what unsatisfactory; but, when they
are the only remains available, full
collections may usually be made to
yield a fair amount of the episodes of
the past, and they must on no account
be entirely overlooked or ignored, for
in careful hands their story is a true
one, and should receive the attention
which is its due. The mere collecting
of fossils at this locality may not seem
to be of much use, but careless and in-
discriminate collecting will at this sec-
tion, be attended by many misleading
conclusions, and if carried to extremes
may even be regarded as throwing
some doubt on the practical utility of
fossils. Therefore each collector should
be warned to keep a proper record of
the particular bed or level in the cut-
ting from which his specimens were
obtained. Under these circumstances
every collection is of the highest value,
and may add considerably to our
knowledge of the life forms which
once existed in this region. This cut-
ting, then, apparently so simple, con-
tains a number of complex and rather
difficult problems, and if the whole of

227

the facts available are not taken in
conjunction with one another, very
misleading views may be adopted.
There is evidence in this cutting of
at least four sets of conditions: First,
a very small outcrop of the bed-rock
or oldest rock of the Melbourne dis-
trict, which outcropped at the south-
western end at about the level of the
rails at one time, but is now masked by
material which has washed down from
above. This was a stratified series of

mudstones and shales which were not
known to be fossiliferous at this out-
crop. If we pass for a moment to the
northern slope of the valley side falling
away from the cutting and overlooking

228

the Moonee Valley, recent excavations ©
started in 1937, will be found that will
well repay examination.

The work on this slope was carried
out to supply material for filling up
and levelling off a new playing field
for this area, but the recent war pre-
vented the completion of the job.
Here a fine face of the Silurian sedi-
ment is exposed some 25 feet in height
by some chains in length with a dip of
from 17 to 25 degrees (now wholly
covered by a stone wall — Ed.).

These sediments have already
yielded more than one species of
Monograptus, crinoids probably frag-
ments of Helicocrinus, Lingulella and

Vict. Nat. Vol. 91

other Brachiopods, Keilorites and other
worm burrows and tracks. Digressing
a little further over to the north in the
Moonee Valley on the other side of
Ormond Road, the mudstone and
sandstones are very rich in fossil re-
mains. These remains enable us to fix
the age as Upper Silurian, or as this
series is typically developed in the
Melbourne area, the term Melbournian
is applied to it as a _ sub-divisional
name for a portion of Silurian time as

developed in this part of the world.

Again, these remains give conclusive
evidence of a marine origin for these
rocks.

Another important point that has
been exposed by this new cut is a
patch of leaf-bed clay with ironstone
concretions overlying the decomposed
remnants of the older Basalt. This was
formerly masked entirely by hill slip
rubble and soil. It can be seen here
to contain plant remains. An excep-

Plate3 Some

4 characteristic
Royal Park
Fossils —

1. Cerithium
flemingtonense

McCoy (Internal
mould).

2. Cerithium
flemingtonense

(enlarged
external
sculpture)

3. Haliotis
naerosoides

McCoy (Internal
mould).

Plate 4

»

Excavations
(1937) on
north side of
Railway
Cutting.

August, 1974

tionally valuable piece of evidence
has also been found here in the top-
most layer of the ironstone concre-
tionary bed in the presence of marine
shell impressions, perfect and frag-
mentary of a species of Nuculana. On
careful examination the Nuculana
proves to be WN. acinaciformis Tate
and associated with it is the gastropod
Leiopyrga quadricingulata Tate. This
would indicate a Kalimnan age for the
ironstone beds and is discussed below
in more detail. The old Silurian rocks,
after they had been raised above sea-
level must have been subjected to the
various actions of many denuding
agents through vasts periods of time,
for we find the surface of the rocks
levelled off, cut into, and hollowed
out, over considerable areas. Into

b)

some of the deepest of these hollows
lake conditions developed which per-
mitted of the accumulation of gravels,
grits, sands, clays and vegetable mat-

229

ter. Leaf impressions can be found in
the finer sands and clays. As _ sub-
sequent developments in these beds,
ferruginous concretions, as well as sili-
ceous concretions in the form of flint
or chert can be found. These leaf-
beds, from an examination of their
plant remains and stratigraphical posi-
tion, would appear to be of very early
Tertiary or Cainozoic age. The equi-
valent of these beds instead of only
carrying plant impressions, in some
places carry beds of lignite and even
considerable and valuable thicknesses
of brown coal. This lacustrine or old
lake series is missing from the section
as exposed in the Royal Park, but up a
small gully that runs past the Zoo and
Mount Royal, and at the west end of
Sutton Street, North Melbourne, out-
crops can now be examined, and leaf-
bed evidence collected. South from
Royal Park and running from St.
Kilda to Williamstown, Altona Bay
and Werribee, may be seen the other
aspect of this series in an important
Brown Coal deposit yet to be fully ex-
ploited. So here is one little leaf of
past history that can be reasonably
intercalated with the particulars of
Royal Park Cutting.

The second set of conditions to
which attention may be drawn is in
the interpretation of the several humps
of a clay-like material to be seen at
intervals along the banks of the sec-
tion. It does not require a very de-
tailed examination to show that this
material is the result of the very com-
plete decomposition of some rock.
The isolation of the various knobs
shows that its old surface has under-
gone a great amount of erosion, and
at the west end of the section the
original character of this rock can still
be made out. It was, in fact, once a
basalt, and every stage in its decom-
position, from the hard, compact
undecomposed cores, through the suc-

230

cessive layers of the spheroidal
weathering, to the completely altered
rock, is still here; but in the northern
side of the cutting much better ex-
amples of this rock in its undecom-
posed state can be collected, and
though at first it may seem hard to be-
lieve that such a rock could be cap-
able of such marked changes, the
successive stages are so easy to follow
that no one can have any reasonable
doubt about the matter. —

These basaltic rocks vary quite a
lot in texture, and though usually holo-
crystalline the minerals are so fine as
not to be detected by the unaided eye.
The characteristic minerals present
are a strongly basic felspar, that is,
one rich in lime and ferromagnesian
silicates such as augite and olivine, but
the latter varies quite a lot in amount
sometimes being rather scarce while
at others it is quite abundant.

BASALT COMPOSITION
Plagioclase Felspar
1. Oligoclase — Silicate of Alumina,
Lime and Soda.
3Na2O, Ca O, 4Al203 (Si02) 20.
Ferro-Magnesian Mineral
2. Augite — Lime, Magnesia, Iron,
Silicate often with Alumina, Soda or
Potash.
RO, SiOz.
3. Olivine — Magnesia, Iron, Silicate.
2(Mg0O, FeO), SiOz.
4. Magnetite — Oxide of Iron.
Fes04
Or some form of Titaniferous Oxide of
Iron such as I|menite.

The chief mineral in this rock being
a soda-lime felspar, the soda and the
lime is the weak part and it will be
attacked by natural waters carrying
carbon dioxide. This acid attack will
form sodium carbonate and calcium
carbonate which may be carried away
in solution. Then hydration plays its
part on the silicate of alumina, adding —
water to it and corroding it into clay;
but under some conditions the alumina

Vict. Nat. Vol. 91

and the silica are hydrated separately
giving rise to bauxites on the one
hand, and opaline minerals such as
hyolite, opal and opal jasper on the
other.

Then the chemical breakdown of
the ferromagnesian mineral is just as
important, and as this usually is augite,
a more or less complicated silicate
which may be expressed by the general
formula — RO, SiOe, where R is the
lime, magnesia and iron, or it may
take the general formula, RO, R2Os,
SiO2 where there is alumina in addi-
tion. Here one of the most noticeable
points is the hydration and oxidation
of the iron making limonite or some
allied form, and this stains or dis-
colours the rock, concentrates along
the natural cracks, and on the outside
of the surface blocks or boulders.
To this burnt appearance the popular
imagination immediately applies the
idea of an original molten mass but
the view and reasoning are bad, as it
is really evidence of the chemical
breakdown of a mineral. The lime and
magnesia are converted to carbonate,
sometimes to exist separately as calcite
and magnesite, sometimes together as
dolomite; and again the residue may
become clay or different hydrates.

The olivine is likewise due to lose
its iron as oxide or hydrated oxide or
possibly even to some extent car-
bonate, which the silicate of magnesia
becomes hydrated and is often respon-
sible for the greasy feel to be noticed
in decomposed basaltic remains. The
magnetic oxide of iron, especially if
titaniferous remains unchanged, and
may give rise to black iron sands so
common in the wash from basaltic
country, but under some conditions
the magnetite may convert to hematite
and give rise to red ochre deposits
when associated with clay.

Thus the rock may be entirely
changed and numerous new minerals

August, 1974

formed some of which are carried
away in solution to be deposited else-
where later and some of which re-
main behind in the position of the
rock.

The products of decomposition
most frequently noticed will be—clays
limonite, hematite, bauxite, impure
limestone or travestine, magnesian
limestone and when the iron oxides
become rather more concentrated,
laterite. Then the drainage from the
decomposed parts may precipitate in
suitable cavities in the decomposed
rock such minerals as — calcite, ferro-
calcite, arragonite, magnesite, or some
of the group of minerals known as
zeolites, including such as—chabazite,
phacolite, phillipsite, mesolite, analcite,
and others. The sediment derived from
a basaltic area is clayey, so that only
argillaceous rocks would be derived
in this case. The soils of basaltic
areas are well known clay soils, not-
ably disagreeable when wet, very
tenaceous and retentive of moisture,
and liable to become water-logged.

These soils are often referred to as
Volcanic soils and are much sought
after from the agricultural point of
view on account of their richness.
They may be red or chocolate from
oxide of iron colouring, they may be
black from vegetable or other organic
matter, or they may be grey in colour.
They evidently still contain some solu-
able mineral matter, as well as other
conditions suitable for the sustenance
of plant life.

Note the rich potato and onion soils
of Port Arlington and Bellarine which
have been derived from the decom-
position of the “Older Basalt” of those
localities.

The age of this old Tertiary lava
flow must be very great indeed for on
its weathered and worn surface it has
a marine deposit of Balcombian Age
(Middle Miocene). Underlying it

231

there are very old Tertiary leaf beds
as well as older marine Tertiary sedi-
ments. The thickness of this old basalt
in this section is now only very trifling
and very variable, but as it is un-
doubtedly a part of the same old lava
flow which extends up to Broadmea-
dows and forms the core of the
Kensington and Newmarket ridge to
the west and extends to Keilor and
forms the North Melbourne hill the
high land of West Melbourne and
South Melbourne, it is obviously only
a small remnant of a very considerable
lava flow. This is known as _ the
“Older Basalt” in Victoria, and as to
the period of its outpouring the sec-
tions under consideration help to
some extent to fix its antiquity. The
immediately overlying Balcombian
sediment contain angular and_ sub-
angular fragments of decomposed
“Older Basalt”. Thus we reach the
third set of conditions in this sec-
tion representing the thin edge of a
marine series. Resting in the hollows
of the eroded surface of this old lava
flow there are deposits of coarse grit
and sand and clay, with the top bed of
a foot or so in thickness of sandy and
gritty material, cemented with oxide
of iron usually of a red ochreous
character. These upper cemented
layers are apparently inseparable from
the white beds immediately underlying
as the surface of contact is very irregu-
lar; the binding iron oxide penetrating
to different depths, is apparently due
to the rather more porous character of
the upper sands, and when the lower
clays or sandy clays were reached,
free percolation of the iron solutions
would be checked or entirely stopped.
This appears to be the most feasible
explanation for the striking difference
and irregularity seen. As everyone
knows, who has collected fossils at
this locality, it is from this red ochre
seam that the best fossils may be

232

obtained, and the staining of hands -
and clothes of those who have been at
all energetic in working in these beds
is quite a familiar feature.

On one occasion whilst collecting
fossils from the lowest ferruginous
band I picked up a specimen of a bi-
valve shell, known under the name of
Dosinia johnstoni, which had evidently
been washed down from some of the
overlying beds, as judged by the char-
acter of the matrix with which it was
associated. The whole of the cal-
careous matter of the shell had been
washed out, and a complete pseu-
domorph of limonite had taken its
place. Now, this shell is elsewhere a
characteristic late Miocene to Pliocene
species and its discovery gave the first
hint of the possibility of the existence
of two sets of beds amongst these
sediments. Following up this clue it
was found that the characteristic
Middle Miocene or Balcombian fossils
were confined to the lowest bed of a
foot or so in thickness. Above this
level, though fossils are much scarcer,
only Upper Miocene-Pliocene forms
are obtainable. The material of which
these upper beds consists varies‘from a
coarse quartz gravel to very fine sand,
with a large proportion of clay. The
lowest layers of this series are usually
well cemented by limonite, but to-
wards the top of the section this fer-
ruginous cement occurs in a_ very
patchy, irregular, and concretionary
form. In many places near the top
there is the appearance, as if the fer-
ruginous cement had been removed,
but it is often found that the patches
deficient in iron oxide are distinctly
composed of clay, and it is well known
that when clay becomes wet it acts as
a very efficient check to free percola-
tion, and, consequently, it would seem
reasonable to say that these upper
patches, which are now devoid of fer-
ruginous cement, were always in that

Vict. Nat. Vol. 91

condition, rather than that it should
have been subsequently removed from
such a type of material.

Thus the fourth set of conditions
presents itself. Fossils are compara-
tively scarce in these upper beds, and
no doubt many have been entirely
removed owing to the highly porous
character of the sediments. It is only
in the finer bands, and patches of
limonitic sandstone, that there is a
reasonable hope of finding these all-
important remains, and when a series
of these is once obtained, it requires
little more than a glance to satisfy
anyone that there is evidence of the
existence of two distinct faunas in
this section. The impressions of fossil
leaves and fruits are also recorded
from this locality, and this, taken in
conjunction with the coarseness of the
sediments and the character of the
marine shells associated with them, is
very clear evidence of the littoral or
shore-line character of these deposits.
In the first place, then, fossils pointed
to the necessity for discrimination be-
tween these beds; in the second place,
the- hthological characters, the nature
and arrangement of the sediments and
the Hematitic cement, marks off in a

Plate 5

Characteristic
weathering of
Tertiary rocks,
Royal Park
Railway
Cutting,

east end.

August, 1974

distinctive manner, the highly fossili-
ferous band of the lower beds from
the more limonitic beds above; and
thirdly, there is the stratigraphical evi-
dence of an unconformity, in the form
of an overlap, for the lower beds with
their characteristic fossils do not rise
over the bosses of decomposed vol-
canic rock, but lie in its eroded hol-
lows, while the upper series have not
only completed the infilling of these
hollows, but completely overlap the
older series, contacting the “Older
Basalt” as well as the Silurian, and
thus cover a much more extended
superficial area in the Melbourne dis-
trict than the Balcombian deposits.

The Railway cutting measures
twenty-one chains in length, and in
this distance there is a very heavy rise
to the east, as may be gauged by the
difficulties of heavily laden trains
which have to negotiate this part of
the track. The cutting is made on the
curve, and the southern face is cut
back on a considerable slope, so every
care must be taken in the determina-
tion of the true thickness of the beds
exposed, for, as the section is exposed,
each bed appears to be of a slightly
greater thickness than its true thick-

233

ness. If you turn to the northern
side of the cutting there will be a
better opportunity of examining the
geological section, for here the side
cutting is practically vertical, and as
we are dealing mainly with horizontal,
or nearly horizontal beds, there is no
exaggeration of thicknesses, nor ob-
scurity of relationships.

In this section the lithological dif-

ferences between the lower
(Balcombian) and the Upper beds
(Kalimnan) are well marked, but the
hematitic band is more extensive, as
it ranges along almost the whole length
of the cutting and drops down to rail
level to the east owing to the steep
grade of the floor. This bed is very
full of fossils and will always well
repay anyone who may care to in-

Roe

(aaa
Miocene Eocene Older Basalt

or Kalitmnan or Balcombian Eocene

x Silurian

ROYAL PARK RAILWAY CUTTING

HILLWASH

KALIM NAN

O.BASALT

SOUTH SIDE

SILURIAN

KALIMN AN

O.BASALT

EXCAVATION NORTH OF CUTTING

Fig. 2 — Sections shown in Royal Park Railway Cutting.

1.0LO BEDROCK — SILURIAN

Z. TERTIARY LEAF-BEDS

3. OLDER BASALT

4. BALCOMBIAN ~ MARINE

5. KALIMNAN - MARINE

6. RECENT. ALLUVIAL TERRACES
T " HILLWASH

ROYAL PARK

Sy
:
wR
2
O
>
<
=
=
<
Ns

EERE eS dy
Ties Greve iG faKe3
Cee

Fig. 3 — Diagrammatic Section, Royal Park.

234

Vict. Nat. Vol. 91

beds —

vestigate its contents. The Balcom-
bian band is comfortably accessible,
but fortunately the Kalimnan beds are
out of reach, and it is thus possible for
any student to collect from the nor-
thern side without fear of obtaining a
mixed fauna — a state of affairs which
might easily happen by indiscriminate
work on the southern face. It will be
clear, therefore, that we can fall back
on our examination of the northern
side to prove the interpretations of the
southern. Further points may also be
obtained on the “Older Basalt” and
the mode of deposition of the succes-
sive shore-line accumulations of
Balcombian, and _ subsequently of
Kalimnan times.

Fossil collecting at Royal Park may
yield evidence in many directions,
First, it will show us the remains of
invertebrate creatures ranging from
the lowest to the highest forms of life,
starting with the foraminifera, passing
through the sponges, corals, sea-eggs

or sea-urchins, lace corallines, lamp-
shells, bivalves, univalves and higher
mollusca of the nautilus type.

Second, shallow water or shore-line
conditions are indicated by _ the
numerous fragmentary remains as
well as the presence of such forms as
limpets, mutton-fish-shells and_ the
common long spirals, cones, whelks
and periwinkles. Third, these fossil
remains are all extinct and very an-
cient, even though some may at first
sight appear very similar to living
forms. Thus the age of rocks can be
fixed, the conditions under which the
rocks were deposited, and the types of
animal life which existed at the time.

Then as evidence of further sub-
sidence of this area (after Balcom-
bian) there is the definitely over-
lapping marine Kalimnan series with
its distinct suite of fossils and the
presence of leaves, fruits and logs
showing the nearness of the old land.

F.N.C.V. PUBLICATIONS AVAILABLE FOR PURCHASE
THE WILD FLOWERS OF THE WILSON’S PROMONTORY NATIONAL PARK,

by J. Ros Garnet.

9 Colored Plates. 32 Black and White Plates. 150 Drawings. A Check List of
854 Plants. 192 Pages. $4.75. Postage 30c.

THE VEGETATION OF WYPERFELD NATIONAL PARK, by J. Ros Garnet.

Colored Frontispiece.

23 Half-tone Plates.

100 Line Drawings of Plants.

Map of Park. 96 Pages. $1.50. Postage 20c.

VICTORIAN TOADSTOOLS AND MUSHROOMS, by J. H. Willis.
4 Colored Plates. 31 Black and White Plates. 120 Species described. 88 Pages.

90c. Postage 20c.

BIRDS OF THE DANDENONGS, by W. Roy Wheeler.
9 Colored Plates. Map of Area. 52 Pages. A Check List and description of
211 Species listed for the Area. 7Sc. Postage 20c.
To ensure prompt delivery, order direct from
Sales Officer F.N.C.V.
129 Waverley Road, East Malvern, 3145.

Telephone: 211-2427.

August, 1974

—-

235

Field Naturalists Club of Victoria

Established 1880

OBJECTS: To stimulate interest in natural history and to preserve
and protect Australian fauna and flora.
Patron:

His Excellency the Honorable Sir HENRY WINNEKE, K.C.M.G., O.B.E., Q.C.
Key Office-Bearers, 1973-1974.

President:
Mr. P. KELLY

Hon. Secretary: Mr. R. H. RIORDAN, 15 Regent St., East Brighton, 3187. 92 8579

Treasurer: H. BISHOP. Address Correspondence to National Herbarium, The
Domain, South Yarra.

Subscription Secretary: Mr. D. E. McINNES, 129 Waverley Rd., East Malvern, 3145.
Hon. Editor: Mr. G. M. WARD, 54 St. James Road, Heidelberg 3084.

Hon. Librarian: Mr. J. MARTINDALE, c/o National Herbarium, The Domain,
South Yarra.

Hon. Excursion Secretary: Miss M. ALLENDER, 19 Hawthorn Avenue, Caulfield
S161 (62 27493)

Magazine Sales Officer: Mr. D. McINNES
Archives Officer: Mr. CALLANAN, 29 Reynards Street, Coburg 3058. Tel. 36 0587.

Group Secretaries
Botany: Mrs. M. G. CORRICK, 7 Glenluss St., Balwyn 3103. Tel. 857 9937.
Day Group: Mrs. J. STRONG, 1160 Dandenong Rd., Murrumbeena (56 2271).

Entomology and Marine Biology: 'Mr. J. W. H. STRONG, Flat 11, “Palm Court”,
1160 Dandenong Rd., Murrumbeena 3163 (56 2271).

Field Survey: C/o National Herbarium, The Domain, South Yarra, 3141.
Geology: Mr. T. SAULT.

Mammal Survey: Mr. R. J. GIBSON, 7 Cook Street, Abbotsford, 3067.
Microscopical: Mr. M. H. MEYER, 36 ‘Milroy Street, East Brighton (96 3268).

MEMBERSHIP
Membership of the F.N.C.V. is open to any person interested in natural history.
The Victorian Naturalist is distributed free to all members, the club’s reference and
lending library is available, and other activities are indicated in reports set out in the
several preceding pages of this magazine.

Rates of Subscriptions for 1974.

Ordinary -Memibers. ose) |! 8 sic yee A ee eh aoe = eee ee $7.00
Country, Members - yu SS Ph a OE a Aes $5.00
Joint Metabers eis Bul geet ye ele sii uch el ately al eee ee ER ANE ag. SI 3g. ao $2.00
Junior: Members. (under, 18 years) 2c cut A ie ae ee $2.00
Junior Members«receiving), Viet. Nat, co oR eee ee 2 a ree i $4.00
Subscribers to Vict. Nats. (Aust: ‘onlly) i) o8 So Nb ee ee i) RII hin ae ene $5.00
Overseas Subscribers et er ane on CMU Ns ec $6.00
Affihtated: Societiesi: oe Sons Se eho a es Bega SSM Po ec nr a $7.00
Supporting Members . en i nu Man ie) 8 Tk ee AAI
Life Membership (reducing after 20 years) .. . thas nme AR le 8 sichiel

The cost of individual copies of the Vict. Nat. will be 45 cents (52 cents — overseas requests).
Full-time Students between 18 and 21 years pay at Junior Member rates.

All subscriptions should be made payable to the Field Naturalists Club of Victoria, and posted
to the Subscription Secretary.

fe) JENKIN, BUXTON & CO. PTY. LTD., PRINTERS, WEST MELBOURNE

i in HR

Vol. 91, No. 9 | SEPTEMBER, 1974

Published by the
FIELD NATURALISTS CLUB OF VICTORIA

in which is incorporated the Microscopical Society of Victoria

Registered in Australia for transmission by post as a periodical.
Category “B”

F.N.C.V. DIARY OF COMING EVENTS

New Members -
Ordinary:
Miss Suzanne Smart, 14 Stanley Grove, Canterbury, 3126 (Marine Biology and Entomology)
Country:
Mr. Ian D. Try, P.O. Box 27 Monbulk, 3793 (Botany and Mammal Survey)
Mr. H. F. Olsen, 134 Englefield Road, Oxley, Qld., 4075 (Mangroves)

Junior:
Marc Nicholls, 24 Bowen Road, East Doncaster, 3109.

GROUP MEETINGS
(8 p.m. at the National Herbarium unless otherwise stated)

Wednesday, 18 September — Microscopical Group meeting.

Thursday, 19 September — Conservation Group meeting at 15 Drummond St., Carlton at
8.00 p.m.

Thursday, 19 September — Day Group meeting, Maranoa Gardens. Stop 54 on Mont Albert
tram, then via Parring Road at 11.30 a.m. Bring lunch.

Wednesday, 25 September — F.S.G. meeting in Conference Room, National Museum, at
8 p.m. “‘Leaf-litter Ecology’, Mr. B. Leonard.

Thursday, 30 October — M.S.G. meeting at Arthur Rylah Institute, 123 Brown St., Heidelberg
at 8.00 p.m.

Monday, 7 October — Marine Biology and Entomology Group meeting in Conference Room,
National Museum at 8.00 p.m.

Wednesday, 9 October — Geology Group meeting.
Thursday, 10 October — Botany Group meeting.

F.N.C.V. EXCURSIONS
Sunday, 15 September — Yellingbo B.O.C. Centre. This excursion will be to the area where the
Bird Observers Club has a survey centre for the study of the Helmeted Honeyeater and
other birds of the district. There is a hut on the property where plant and bird lists are
displayed, 3 barbecues and plenty of tank water. Those planning to walk around the
survey circuit will need gumboots as there is a swampy area to cross. The coach will leave
Batman Avenue at 9.30 a.m., fare $2.00, bring one meal and a snack.

Saturday-Sunday, 19-20 October — Bendigo-Maryborough weekend excursion. Saturday the
excursion will be led by Mr. Frank Robbins who has uncovered new evidence of glacial
activity in the Heathcote area, Saturday night will be spent at the Oval Motel in Bendigo
D.B.B. and Sunday we will proceed to Maryborough where the Maryborough F.N.C. will
show us around including a visit to the Cosstick Reserve. The coach will leave Flinders
Street from the Gas and Fuel Corporation at 8.30 a.m. Bring picnic lunches. Cost for fare
and motel is $21.00 which should be paid to the Excursion Secretary by the end of
September, cheques being made out to Excursion Trust. Any geologists or other members
wishing to join the party could meet at the Spring Plains turn off on the Lancefield-Mia
Mia Road approximately 66 miles from Melbourne.

Thursday, 26 December — Friday, 3 January — Falls Creek Excursion. The party will travel to
Falls Creek on Boxing Day remaining there with day trips in the area until Thursday, 2
January when it will travel to Alexandra stopping there overnight and reaching
Melbourne on Friday, 3 January. Accommodation with full board has been booked at
Spargo’s Motel at $14.50 per day and this should be paid for individually but the cost of
the motel at Alexandra dinner bed and breakfast is included in the fare of $50.00 which
should be paid to the Excursion Secretary by the end of October.

238 Vict. Nat. Vol. 91

the
victorian
naturalist

Contents

Articles:

Landslides in Victoria
By R. S. Evans and
E. B. Joyce 240
Mammals of the Cardinia
Creek Reservoir Site
By D. Munro 246
A Comparison of the Colonizing
Abilities of Native and
Introduced Bird Species
By lan Abbott 252
Aboriginal Axe-stone Quarries
near the Howqua River
By A. M. Schmidt 255
Feature:

The Origin of Generic Names
of Victorian Flora

By James A. Baines 245

Front Cover:
The Sugar Glider
(Petaurus breviceps)
see text p 246

Photo: J. Wallis

September, 1974

Vol. 91, No. 9 4 September, 1974
Editor: G. M. Ward
Assistant Editor: G. F. Douglas

With the late arrival of this issue of the
Victorian Naturalist come apologies from the
Editor.

As mentioned last month, some delay was
to be expected due to the change in printing
methods from letterpress to offset.

Unfortunately, more problems occurred
than were anticipated; but these should not
recur, so that the October issue should not be
delayed.

It is hoped that members and readers have
not been inconvenienced too greatly.

The Land Conservation Council has
recently released its Report on the East
Gippsland Study Area. This area consists of
the land in the Shire of Orbost, bounded on
the west by the Snowy River and the
boundary between Shires of Orbost and
Tambo from the Snowy River to the sea, on
the north-east by the Victoria-New South
Wales border, and on the south by Bass
Strait. It covers just over 4% of the area of
Victoria, of which eighty-eight per cent is
public land.

The Council invites written submissions as
to how this public land may be better used to
meet the needs of the people of Victoria.

These submissions should be received by
the Council before the 21 October, 1974, after
which they will be considered, before any
recommendations are made concerning the
use of this land.

Copies of the Report cost $3.00, and may
be obtained at L.C.C. office in St. Kilda Rd.,
Melbourne.

239

Landslides in Victoria, Australia

by

R. S. EVANS* and E. B. JoYcE*

Introduction

An almost complete spectrum of land-
slide types is found in Victoria. Early
Cretaceous arkose and mudstones and
Tertiary sandstones and mudstones are
the most susceptible rock types. Many of
the landslides listed have occurred in
these rocks.

The Otway Ranges, the South Gipps-
land Hills and the Coleraine area show
predominantly translational and
rotational slides with an element of rock
fall. Lobate earth flows also occur. In the
Eastern Highlands earth and block flows
and falls on very steep slopes are
frequent. The unconsolidated Tertiary
sediments in the Parwan Valley and
Werribee Vale fail primarily by flowing
as do similar sediments at Bullenmerri
near Camperdown.

Important Areas of Landslide Activity

The notable instability of the Early
Cretaceous arkose and mudstones of the
Otway Ranges is due to the strong
jointing, youthful topography, active
undercutting by the ocean and rivers,
and most significantly, the mechanism of
weathering along bedding and joints,
which largely dictates the type of failure.

Numerous flow and slide failures have
occurred in the South Gippsland Hills
in a similar geological environment to
that of the Otway Ranges. The only
difference is that Older Volcanics,
usually heavily weathered, cap many of
the hills, and montmorillonite from
weathering of the basalt would aid the
formation of landslips. Terracette
formation and soil creep downslope are
especially common.

Major Mitchell (1839) commented on
landslides in the Glenelg River Valley
near Coleraine. This observation was

240

made before any land clearing and
farming took place and illustrates how
landslides are a natural process in the
degradation of the landscape. Failures in
the Coleraine area occur in Early
Cretaceous arkose and mudstones
beneath a laterite capping. The lower
part of the slope collapses causing
retreat of the plateau edge of the Dundas
Tableland.

Slope failures in the Parwan Valley
and Werribee Vale area are due
primarily to the high clay content of the
poorly-cemented Tertiary sediments.

Relationship between Landslides and
Rainfall

The location, intensity and frequency
of rainfall are key factors in landslide
distribution in Victoria. The Otway
Ranges and the South Gippsland Hills
have high annual rainfalls. In contrast,
the Parwan Valley and Coleraine areas
have only an average rainfall. Of far
greater importance is the frequence and
intensity of rainfall. Two exceptionally
wet periods occurred around 1916 and
1952 and many of the landslides noted
below took place during these periods.

Conclusion

The location of landslides in Victoria
appears to be predominantly controlled
by rock or soil type, with petrology,
structure and the mechanism of
weathering playing major roles. For rock
type alone, observations in Victoria in-
dicate that broadly the susceptibility to
failure can be expressed — sedimentary

* School of Geology University of Melbourne

Vict. Nat. Vol. 49

> volcanic >metamorphic > plutonic,

with sedimentary rocks being most liable
to slipping. Topography is of secondary
importance but still significant. The
presence of specific clay minerals,
chlorite, montomorillonite and less im-
portantly, illite, markedly reduces
stability and so flow failures predomin-
ate. Rainfall distribution over Victoria
can be broadly related to landslide

location and frequency, but rainfall is
usually only a trigger, and its effect is
secondary to that of rock or soil type.

NOTE

This review of landslides in Victoria formed
part of a B.Sc. (Hons) report prepared in 1973
by R. S. Evans under the supervision of E. B.
Joyce in the School of Geology at the Univer-
sity of Melbourne.

TABLE 1

Location and Brief Description of Landslides in Victoria
The landslides listed here are given in order of approximate age, either known or estimated.
The ages of landslides No. 1 to 11 are unknown, but they are presumed to have occurred before

1900.

No. Location Description

1 Lake Tarli Karng, Large rock slide in
Eastern Highlands. Devonian rhyolites

and rhyodacites.

2 Bogong and Dargo High Rock Rivers in Tertiary
Plains, Eastern basalt.
Highlands.

3 Cobberas-Wombargo Rock Rivers in Devonian

area, Eastern Highlands.

rhyodacites.

4 Parwan Valley, Bacchus Mud flow in Tertiary
Marsh. sediments.
B) Dundas Tablelands, Mud flows and slides in
Coleraine. Tertiary sediments.
6 Valley of Moorabool Slides and flows in
River (West Branch), weathered granite and
Bungal. Tertiary sediments.
7 Cathedral Ranges, near Mud flow in Silurian
Buxton. siltstones.
8 Curdies River, Port Flows and slides in
Campbell. Tertiary sediments.
9 Olivers Hill, Frankston. Slides in Tertiary sedi-
ments overlying Older
Volcanics and Devonian
granite.
10 Soapy Rocks, Anglesea. Block slides in Tertiary
sediments.

September, 1974

Source

Hills (1940), and Spencer-
Jones (1971).

Talent (1965).

Talent (1965).

Evans (1973), and Forbes
(1948).

N. Rosengren (pers.
comm.).

Currey & Cox (1972), and
McDonald (1972).

Hills (pers. comm.).

E. B. Joyce (pers. comm.).

E. S. Hills (1940), and
(pers. comm.).

E. B. Joyce (pers. comm.).

241

11

12

13

14

15

16

17

18

19

20

21

242

Location

Lake Bullenmerri,
Camperdown.

Johanna River, Lavers
Hill, Otway Ranges.

Coranderrk Creek,
Healesville.

West side of Mt. Dande-
nong, Montrose.

Balcombe Bay,
Mornington.

Eastern View.

S.E.C. No. 4 Power
Station, Kiewa, Eastern
Highlands.

On railway line between
Hamilton and Coleraine.

Yallourn North Open Cut,
Gippsland.

Cardinia Creek, Ferntree
Gully.

Werribee Vale, Bacchus
Marsh.

TABLE 1 CONTINUED

Description

Flows and rotational
slides in Tertiary sedi-
ments below Newer
Volcanic capping.

Slides in Early Cretaceous
arkose.

Slide in Devonian silt
stones; approximately
1916.

Large landslip in Devonian
dacite; approximately
1916.

Slides in Tertiary Bal-
combe clay; approxim-
ately 1916, and continu-
ing.

Rotational slides in Ter-
tiary sediments and
Early Cretaceous arkose;
1916 and 1952.

Slide in Ordovician
orthogneiss.

Rotational slide in Ter-
tiary sediments; 1948.

Large translational slide
in Brown Coal Open
Cut; 1950.

Rotational slide across
Puffing Billy Railway
Track — 100 m of track
covered; December 1952
and August 1953.

Rotational slide in Tertiary
sediments; 1952.

Source

Evans (1973).

Medwell (1971).

E. S. Hills (1940), and

(pers. comm.).

E. S. Hills (pers. comm. ).

E. S. Hills (pers. comm.).

Evans (1973), and
Spencer-Jones (1952).

Thomas (1946).

Thomas (1948).

Urie (1950).

Downs (1963).

Evans (1973), and
Harding (1952).

Vict. Nat. Vol. 91

No.

22

23

24

26

2

28

29

31

32

33

Location

5 km south of Forrest,
Otway Ranges.

Foster to Fish Creek road,

South Gippsland.

Metung, Chinaman’s
Creek, East Gippsland.

4 km north-west of Colros-
sie, South Gippsland.

Warragul to Korumburra
road, South Gippsland.

1.6 km north of Carrajung,
South Gippsland.

1 km south of Carrajung,
South Gippsland.

Windy Point, Great
Ocean Road, Lorne.

Ben Cruachin, Eastern
Highlands.

Freestone Creek, Eastern
Highlands.

Stoney Creek, Shoreham,
Western Port.

Eglington Cutting,
Maroondah Highway,
Alexandra.

September, 1974

TABLE 1 CONTINUED

Description

Large translational slide in
Early Cretaceous arkose;
June, 1952.

Slip in Silurian siltstones
and mudstones; 1963.

Compound rotational slide
in Tertiary clays, 1964.

Major slip in Tertiary
sediments and weathered
Older Volcanics; 1964.

Slip in Early Cretaceous
sediments, across road;
1965S.

Major rotational slide in
Early Cretaceous arkose
with “‘sinkholes’’ formed
on the slide; 1969.

Slip in Early Cretaceous
sediments, across road;
1969.

Translational rock slide in
Early Cretaceous arkose;
from 1968 to 1971.

Rock flows in Silurian
siltstones; 1971.

Complex slip, mainly in
Ordovician siltstones,
1971.

Failure in weathered Older
Volcanics, with older
slides reactivated by pres-
ence of dam; February
to March, 1973.

Rock fall in road cutting,
Devonian siltstones;
7 August, 1973.

Source

Knight (1953).

C.R.B. (1963).

M. Williams (pers. comm.).

C.R.B. (1964).

C.R.B. (1965).

C.R.B. (1969a).

C.R.B. (1969b).

Evans (1973), and Williams

and Muir (1972).

Evans (1973).

Evans (1973).

D. T. Currey (pers. comm.).

M. Ervin (pers. comm. ).

243

SCALE IN KILOMETRES

VICTORIA

Figure 1

Location of landslides in Victoria, Australia. See Table 1 for details of numbered

localities.

REFERENCES

Country Roads Board, 1963. Internal Report.
Traralgon District. 8/1/1963.

Country Roads Board, 1964. Internal Report.
Traralgon District. 5/10/1964.

Country Roads Board, 1965S. Internal Report.
Traralgon District. 25/1/1965.

Country Roads Board, 196%a). Internal
Report. Traralgon District. 20/1/1969.
Country Roads Board, 196%b). Internal
Report. Traralgon District. 18/4/1969.
Currey, D. T., 1952. Landslide on the East

Barwon. Aqua. 3 (11): 18.

Currey, D. T. and Cox, F., 1972. The Geology
of Bungal Dam, Victoria. West Moorabool
Water Board.

Downes, E. A., 1963. Speed limit 20. Pub.
Aust. Railway Historical Society.

Evans, R. S., 1973. Slope Stability Studies in
Victoria with particular emphasis on the
Eastern Otway Ranges. Unpublished B.Sc.
(Hons.) report. School of Geology, Univer-
sity of Melbourne.

Forbes, I. G., 1948. Erosion on the Melton

Reservoir Catchment. State Rivers and

Water Supply Commission, Victoria.

244

Harding, A., 1952. Extensive Landslide at
Bacchus Marsh. Aqua, 4 (2): 110.

Hills, E. S., 1940. The Physiography of Vic-
toria. Whitcombe and Tombs, Melbourne.

Knight, R. G., 1953. Landslide Lake — East
Barwon at Forrest; Breaching of Natural
Dam. State Rivers and Water Supply
Commission, Victoria, Investigations and
Designs Branch. Internal Report.

McDonald, M. J., 1972. Mass-Wasting at Lal
Lal. The Ballarat Institute of Advanced
Education Studies Geological Society
Newspaper, 22nd June, 1972.

Medwell, G. J., 1971. Structures of the Otway
Ranges, in Wopfner, H. and Douglas, J. G.
(eds). The Otway Basin of South Eastern
Australia. Special Bulletin, Geol. Survs. S.
Aust. and Vict.: 339-359.

Mitchell, T. L., 1839. Three expeditions into
the interior of Eastern Australia. 2nd ed.
London, T. and W. Boone.

Spencer-Jones, D., 1952. Landslides on the
Ocean Road near Eastern View.
Unpublished Report, Mines Dept., No. 2.

Spencer-Jones, D., 1971. Unpublished Report,
Mines Dept. No. 5.

Vict. Nat. Vol. 91

Talent, J. A., 1965. Geomorphic forms and
processes in the Highlands of Eastern
Victoria. Proc. Roy Soc. Vict., 78: 119-135.

Thomas, D. E., 1946. Landslip Near State
Electricity Commission’s No. 4 Power
Station Area, Kiewa. Unpublished Report,
Mines Dept., No. 14.

, 1948. Landslides on the
Railway Line between Hamilton and
Coleraine. Unpublished Report, Mines
Dept., No. 27/27A.

Urie, R. L., 1950. Yallourn North Open Cut,
Investigation into the cause of the
Landslide adjacent to the camp area. State
Electricity Commission of Victoria,
Internal Report.

Williams, A. F. and Muir, A. G., 1972. The
stabilization of a large moving rock slide
with cable-anchors. 3rd South East Asian
Soil Mechanics Conference. Hong Kong,
November, 1972.

The Origin of Generic Names of the Victorian Flora

Part 2 — Latin, Greek and Miscellaneous
continued from 91(7)

by JAMES A. BAINES

Centipeda. Latin for centipede,
meaning 100 feet. Loureiro gave the
name in 1790 because of the creeping
stems of some species. Buchsbaum in
‘Animals without Backbones’ states
that the number of legs in different
genera of centipedes varies from 30
to 346, but the average is 70 (35
pairs). They belong to the class Chilo-
poda (which is Greek for 1000 legs),
whereas millipedes (= 1000 legs)
have only about twice the number of
legs as centipedes, and belong to the
class Diplopoda (=double-legged).
Victoria has 3 native species of Centi-
peda, all known as Sneezeweeds. C.
cunninghamii was formerly in_ the
genus Myriogyne, the name of which
means 10,000 women!

*Centranthus. Gk kentron, a spur;
anthos, flower; from the _ spurred
flower of C. ruber, Red Valerian, for-
merly called Valeriana. The spelling
variant Kentranthus is incorrect, de-
spite its being nearer to the Gk deriva-
tion.

Centrolepis. Gk kentron, a spur (cf.
kenteo, to prick, see the entry Cen-
taurea); lepis, a scale; the two floral

September, 1974

bracts having long points. This generic
name (source of the family name Cen-
trolepidaceae) is also used as a com-
mon name, but a name such as Spur-
scale would seem to be preferable,
especially as I have heard Centrolepis
accented on the first, second and third
syllables! Victoria has six species of
this mainly Australian genus.

*Centunculus, Latin name of a plant
in Pliny, the identity of which is ob-
scure. The word also means a small
patch, diminutive of cento, patchwork
covering, and Dillenius chose the
name (according to Gilbert-Carter)
because of the plant’s insignificance,
though the author citation is L.
(1753). *C. minimus, Chaffweed, is
very close to Anagallis, Pimpernel.

*Cerastium. Gk kerastes, horned,
from keras, a horn; in allusion to the
horned shape of the seed capsule. Vic-
toria has 4 introduced species, all
known as various kinds of Chickweed,
3 of them with the adjective Mouse-
ear.

245

Mammal Survey Group Contributions VII
Mammals of the Cardinia Creek Reservoir Site

by

D. MUNRO*

INTRODUCTION

A new reservoir has been constructed
on the upper reaches of the Cardinia
Creek, mear Emerald, some 44
kilometres south east of Melbourne.
When filled it will form a sheet of water
some 1,200 hectares in area. This
reservoir will provide storage for waters
diverted from the Upper Yarra and
Thompson River catchments and will
have only a small local catchment.

To determine what species of
mammals were present in the area before
it was flooded, the Mammal Survey
Group of F.N.C.V. carried out two
sample surveys late in 1969. This paper
reports the results of those surveys. The
names of metnbers who took part are
given in the authot’s acknowledgements.

DESCRIPTION OF THE AREA

At the time the surveys were carried
out most of the farms, small holdings
and ‘‘weekenders’’ had been abandoned
and partly dismantled giving the area a
most unprepossessing appeafance.

The first survey was centred on Bishop
Road and covered an area most of which
will be submiérged. The second was
céntred on Redhill Road and covered an

area which will form part of the margin

of bush on the southern edge of the
reservoir. The areas covered by the
surveys are shown in Figure 1.

The first survey appeared to contain
the richest vegetation that was then
accessible from the northern boundary
of the reservoir site. Much of the land
had previously been cleared for
agricultural use but there were areas

246

sparsely covered with native vegetation.
A few isolated tall trees were found,
mostly along the roads.

On the western slope of the valley to
the east of Bald Hill there was a fairly
large block of natural bush. !

At the site of the second part of the
sutvey (north of Redhill Road from
McMillans Road to about 1.5 kilometres
east of the Beacon Hill Golf Club House)
the natural bush was taller and well
developed. Near the road there was a
strip of exotic trees and shrubs mixed
with natural bush. Part of this area had
been cleared for grazing but a portion of
the hillside (which had been selectively
logged), the creek beds arid the roadside
contained natural vegetation.

A description of the vegetation of the
study afea is given in Appendix IT.

The soils, geology and rainfall of this
atea have been described (Melbourne
and Metropolitan Board of Works,
1969).

METHODS

Methods of trapping arid spotlighting
have been described previously (Seebeck,
Frankenberg and Hampton, 1968). Mist
nets were not used.

RESULTS

A systemati¢ Jist of the mammal
species recorded is givén in Table I and
the extent of the survey effort with all
trapping, spotlighting and other results
is given if Table II.

- * Mammal Survey Group of Victoria,.C/- Horf. Secretary.

11/104 The Avenue, Parkville, Victaria, 3052.

Vict. Nat. Vol. 91

MAMMAL SURVEY

CARDINIA CREEK
1969

LEGEND

BOUNDARY OF WATER RESERVE
AREA TO BE FLOODED

<> CREEKS
SURVEY AREAS

Figure 1

Reference specimens which have been
retained by the Fisheries and Wildlife
Division, Victoria, are listed in
Appendix I.

NOTES ON THE SPECIES RECORDED

Echidna, Tachyglossus aculeatus.

Many Echidna diggings were seen at
each of the survey sites though no live
specimens were encountered. This
species appears to be common and its
presence was also reported to us by local
residents.

Common Wombat, Vombatus ursinus.

Characteristic scats and burrows were
found in the Bishop Road survey, and
local residents said these animals were
common there. No evidence of wombat
was found on the southern slopes of the
reservoir site.

September, 1974

Eastern Grey Kangaroo, Macropus
giganteus.

Skeletal material of an animal not
long dead was found in the bush off
Redhill Road. This was subsequently
identified as Macropus giganteus by the
Fisheries and Wildlife Division. No live
animals were seen.

Black Wallaby, Wallabia bicolor.

Two were seen by spotlight near
Westland Road, one near Redhill Road
and two more during the day north of
Redhill Road. At the time of the survey
this species appeared to be relatively
common there.

Southern Bush Rat, Rattus fuscipes.

This species was common in both
areas and was present in most of the
available habitats. The numbers caught
were close to the average number
trapped during surveys in similar habitat
elsewhere in southern Victoria.

247

Black Rat, Rattus rattus.

The only specimen trapped was in
thick tea-tree and hakea 90 metres north
of the Beacon Hills camp.

Platypus, Ornithorhynchus anatinus.

Fresh Platypus tracks were found on a
mudbank in a creek near the western end
of Bishop Road.

Brown Antechinus, Antechinus stuartit.

Ten individuals were trapped in
surroundings which varied from dense
tangles of wiregrass and bracken near a
running creek, to more open tea-tree
regrowth and fallen logs on the dry
hillsides. All specimens caught were
female and those caught in November
were lactating. This species appeared to
be common in both areas.

Brush-tailed Possum, Trichosurus
vulpecula.

Though no specimens were seen the
presence of this species was confirmed by
the discovery of many fresh droppings in
an abandoned farmhouse on Redhill
Road.

Sugar Gilder, Petaurus breviceps

One individual, thought to be
immature, was observed in a peppermint
eucalypt during spotlighting along
Redhill Road.
Common Ringtail, Pseudocheirus
peregrinus

This species did not appear to be as
abundant as in other comparable areas
studied by this Group. Four were seen
adjacent to Westland Road and four

others near Redhill Road.

TABLEI

A systematic list of the mammals recorded from the Cardinia Creek Reservoir site.

Order MONOTREMATA

Family TACHYGLOSSIDAE

1. Echidna
Family ORNITHORHYNCHIDAE
2. Platypus

Tachyglossus aculeatus (Shaw, 1792)

Ornithorhynchus anatinus (Shaw, 1799)

Order MARSUPIALIA

Family DASYURIDAE

3. Brown Antechinus
Family PHALANGERIDAE

4. Brush-tailed Possum
Family PETAURIDAE

5S. Sugar Glider

6. Common Ringtail
Family VOMBATIDAE

7. Common Wombat
Family MACROPODIDAE

8. Eastern Grey Kangaroo

9. Black Wallaby

Antechinus stuartii Macleay, 1841
Trichosurus vulpecula (kerr, 1792)

Petaurus breviceps Waterhouse, 1839
Pseudocheirus peregrinus (Boddaert, 1785)

Vombatus ursinus (Shaw, 1800)

Macropus giganteus Shaw, 1790
Wallabia bicolor (Desmarest, 1804)

Order RODENTIA

Family MURIDAE
10. Southern Bush Rat
11. Black Rat*
12. Eastern Water Rat

Rattus fuscipes (Waterhouse, 1839)
Rattus rattus (Linnaeus, 1758)
Hydromys chrysogaster Geoffroy, 1804

Order LAGMORPHA

Family LEPORIDAE
13. Rabbit*

*Introduced species

248

Oryctolagus cuniculus (Linnaeus, 1758)

Vict. Nat. Vol. 91

Eastern Water Rat, AHydromys
chrysogaster

Footprints of an Eastern Water Rat
were found near the platypus tracks
referred to earlier, in a creek near the

western end of Bishop Road.

Rabbit, Oryctolagus cuniculus
Rabbit warrens, scats and digs were
common throughout the reservoir site.

DISCUSSION

In two brief surveys, eleven native
species were recorded. Of special interest
were the Eastern Water Rat, Platypus,
Sugar Glider and Eastern Grey
Kangaroo which are less frequently

recorded in similar areas studied by this
Group. It is to be hoped that the area
surrounding the reservoir, which will be
securely fenced, will provide sufficient
suitable habitat for these and other
species.

While it is unlikely that there will be a
sufficiently large residual population of
Eastern Grey Kangaroo it is possible
that the species may be reintroduced.
Once the lake is established the many
shallow stretches should favour both
Platypus and Eastern Water Rat
provided that the residual populations
can adapt to the changing water regime.

The other native species recorded are

TABLEII

Summary of Survey Results

SURVEY BISHOP ROAD REDHILL ROAD TOTAL
NUMBER

Date October 1969 November 1969
Number of trap nights 95 78 173
Number of spotlight hours NS) 10.5 25.9
(a) Number of animals caught per 100 trap-nights.

Brown Antechinus 3.2 9.0 10

Southern Bush Rat ail 9.0 19

Black Rat* — 1.3 1
(b) Number of animals seen per spotlight-hour.

Sugar Glider — 0.1 1

Common Ringtail 0.27 0.38 8

Black Wallaby 0.13 0.1 3
(c) Number of animals seen during daylight.

Black Wallaby — y) y
(d) Species recorded from other evidence.

Echidna al

Platypus ar

Bush-tailed Possum

Wombat ati

Eastern Grey Kangaroo

Black Wallaby ts

Eastern Water Rat te

Rabbit* Sc

*Introduced species.

September, 1974

249

fairly common in south central Victoria.
Whether any will remain in the area
after the inevitable noise, extensive
clearing and general disturbance of
habitat associated with development
works is open to conjecture.

It is known that the densely vegetated
slopes of the Dandenong Ranges to the

notth of the dam site hold substantial
numbers of Southern Bush Rat, Brown
Antechinus and Common Ringtail.

Those species should therefore have the
potential to recolonise the environs of the
Cardinia Reservoir provided enough
suitable habitat is retained.

It would be of interest to conduct
follow-up surveys in this area to
determine the effect of such an immense
change of environment on the mammal
fauna.

Acknowledgements

The following members of the
Mammal Survey Group took part in the
surveys which provided the data upon
which this paper is based: — A.

Borsbaum, R. Dale, J. Hampton, A.

Howard, J. Jackson, H. Janssen, D. Lee,
D. Munro, P. O’Connor, D. Reeves, J.
Seebeck, A. Simon, M. Taylor, J.
Wolfenden.

We wish to acknowledge the co-
operation of the Melbourne and
Metropolitan Board of Works which
granted permission for us to work in the
area. The equipment used was
purchased from a gtant made by the M.
A. Ingram Trust. Protected species were
handled under the provisions of a permit
issued by the Fisheries and Wildlife
Division, Victoria.

Liki Muceniekas drew the map for
Figure 1.

REFERENCES

Melbourne and Metropolitan Board of Works
(1969). ‘‘Preliminary Information on
Contract No. 7619, Cardinia Creek Dam’’.

Seebeck, J. H., Frankenberg, Judith and
Hampton, J. W. F. (1968) ‘““The Mammal
Fauna of Darlimurla” Vict. Nat. 85, 184-
193.

Wood, J. G. and Williams, R. J. (1966) in
‘“‘The Australian Environment’.
C.S.1.R.O., London. Cambridge
University Press.

Appendix I

Reference specimens collected by the Group from the Cardinia Creek Reservoir site and lodged
in the collection of the Fisheries and Wildlife Division, Victoria.

SPECIES SURVEY AREA REG. No. SEX
Antechinus stuartii Bishop Road 5567 9
Redhill Road 5245 Q
Rattus fuscipes Bishop Road R.4046 oy
Bishop Road R.4084 Q
Redhill Road R.4086 oe
Redhill Road R.4087 oy
Redhill Road R.4088 fe)
Redhill Road R.4089 Q
Rattus rattus Redhill Road R.4052 oc
Macropus giganteus Redhill Road M.2048 —~

250

Vict. Nat. Vol. 91

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September, 1974

A Comparison of the Colonizing Abilities of Native
and Introduced Bird Species onto Islands around
Australia and New Zealand

by

IAN ABBOTT*

Abstract

Only twelve definite cases of native
land bird species successfully conolizing
temperate islands around Australia and
New Zealand exist. Six of these involve
Zosterops lateralis, a species that moves
in flocks.

In contrast, eleven introduced British
species have made a total of 78
successful colonizations since the 1860s.
It is argued that a basic difference in
behaviour (flocking v. non-flocking) is
responsible for the difference in
colonizing success.

Introduction

Even on ornithologically well known
islands such as Kangaroo Island,
Tasmania or New Zealand, the arrival of
straggling native land birds from the
nearest mainland is a relatively rare
event (Abbott, 1972, 1973, in press;
Kinsky 1970). As might be expected,
establishment of such stragglers is even
more infrequent, with 12 definite cases
and 17 others of varying likelihood. The
definite cases are : Tasmania, one
species; Kangarroo Island, one; Rottnest
Island, one; Bald Island, one; New
Zealand, two; Norfolk Island, two; and
Chatham, Snares, Auckland and
Campbell Islands, one each. These are

discussed in detail below, where
necessary.
Native species

Dacelo novaeguinae, Bald Island
(Western Australia). Established when
Storr (1965a) visited the island.
Kookaburras were introduced into
Western Australia at Perth in 1897
(Serventy and Whittell 1967).

252

Cacatua roseicapilla, Kangaroo Island.
Established after 1930. Details in Abbott
(in press).

Hirundo tahitica, New Zealand and
Norfolk Island. Before 1958, this species
had been recorded in New Zealand only
three times, presumably having
straggled from Australia (Kinsky 1970).
In that year it first bred, and is now
widespread (Falla et al. 1967,
Tunnecliffe 1968). Established on
Norfolk Island about 1969 (Smithers and
Disney 1969). Ten individuals reached
Chatham Island on 11 June 1970 (Hollay
1971), but their fate is not recorded.

Ephthianura albifrons, Tasmania.
Although Legge (1902) summarized the
facts known on this species, Sharland
(1958) makes no mention of its recent
history in Tasmania. Gould (1865: 377)
recorded this species as breeding on
some of the islands in eastern Bass
Strait, but he specifically stated that it
was not present in Tasmania when he
visited the island (1838-9). Ewing (1855,
but not 1842) recorded it, presumably as
a casual species. The first breeding
record was at Cornelian Bay, near
Hobart (Swan 1869). The species then
spread northwards, reaching Ross in
1885 and Falmouth in 1892 (Legge
1902). Littler (1910) records it from the
north-west coast. Gerygone fusca,
Rottnest Island (Western Australia).
Established about 1950 (Storr 1965b:
178).

*Zoology Department, University of Western Australia,
Nedlands, Western Australia 6009.

Vict. Nat. Vol. 91

Zosterops lateralis, New Zealand and
surrounding islands. This species
apparently reached the South Island
shortly after New Zealand was settled by
Europeans, but the evidence is
unsatisfactory (Mees 1969). The first
reliable record was in 1856 (Oliver 1955).
It quickly spread to the North Island
where it first bred in 1865 (Mees 1969).
Chatham Island was colonized on or
before 1865 (Mees 1969), Campbell
Island between 1840 and _ 1873
(Westerkov 1960) and Norfolk Island in
1904 (North 1904). The species has also
established on Auckland Island (date
unknown) and Snares Island (after 1888)
(Warham 1967). Z. lateralis is only
vagrant to Raoul Island (Kermadec
Group) and Macquarie Island, and
curiously has never been recorded from
Lord Howe Island.

The 17 doubtful cases are: Cacatua
roseicapilla on Tasmania, probably
introduced by man (Abbott 1973); Falco
cenchrodies on Lord Howe Island,
regular breeding not proven (Disney and
Smithers 1972) and on Flinders and
King Islands; Dacelo novaeguinae on

Maria Island (Tasmania), possibly
introduced; Coturnix pectoralis,
Accipiter cirrocephalus, Zoothera

dauma and Pardalotus quadragintus on
Flinders Island; Acanthiza ewingi,
Meliphaga_ chrysops, Phylidonyris
fulvifrons, Paradalotus punctatus,
Acanthornis magnus and Pachycephala
pectoralis on King Island. In the case of
the records from Flinders and King
Islands, it is quite likely that most of
these species were simply overlooked in
the first thorough surveys of 1912 and
1887 respectively. It is possible that
Rhipidura leucophrys and Grallina
cynaoleuca on Kangaroo Island are on
the threshold of establishment (Abbott,
in press).

Six of the ten cases of passerines
definitely establishing on islands involve
one species, Zosterops lateralis. This is a
species that moves in flocks except when
nesting. The Tasmanian population,

September, 1974

trom which the New Zealand population
is thought to have originated (Mees
1969), migrates to the Australian
mainland each autumn.

British species introduced

The above ten cases of successful
colonization by native passerines
markedly contrasts with 78 cases
involving up to 11 species of British
passerines successfully introduced by
man into New Zealand and southern
Australia since the 1860s. Of 11 such
species established in New Zealand, the
following numbers are established on the
outlying islands (references as above,
and Williams 1953): Raoul, 4; Chatham,
8; Norfolk, 6; Lord Howe, 3; Snares, 4;
Auckland, 9; Campbell, 8; Antipodes, 1
(but no modern list); Macquarie, 2. Of
the eight European passerine species
successfully introduced into southern
Victoria (Wheeler 1967), up to six have
successfully colonized the islands in Bass
Strait as follows: King, 6; Rodondo, 2
(Bechervaise 1947); Hogan, 1; Curtis, 1;
Deal, 5. Seven such species are
established on Tasmania, but six of them
may have been separately introduced by
man. Of nine species of British
passerines established near Adelaide
(Condon 1969), five have colonized
Kangaroo Island successfully (Abbott, in
press). No European passerines have
colonized Rottnest Island from
mainland Western Australia (Storr
1965b).

Discussion

Is the difference in number of
successful colonizations between native
and British bird species a result of
behavioural differences or simply a
result of native bird species having had
thousands of years in which to colonize
the islands (in that all that remains are
the highly sedentary species)? This last
appears unlikely. There are over 30
passerine species in southern Victoria
and South Australia that have never
been recorded from the offshore islands.

253

Also, over 100 species of passerines in
eastern New South Wales have never
been recorded from New Zealand.

It seems more likely that a basic
difference in behaviour between most
native passerine species and most British
ones is responsible for the differing
colonization successes. Most of the
British passerines introduced are partial
migrants in Britain where large flocks
are formed at least twice a yer
(Witherby et al. 1938). Most Australian

and New Zealand passerines do not do
this. Although many Australian native
species are nomadic, this cannot be
regarded as a preadaptation to coloniz-
ing islands. Nomadism involves irregular
movement to more _ favourable
environments, usually those more
coastally placed. On the other hand,
species that flock for migration are
preadapted for getting to islands in
sufficiently large numbers to establish a
viable population.

REFERENCES

Abbott, I. J. (1972). The ecology and evolution
of passerine birds on islands. Ph.D. thesis,

Department of Zoology, Monash
University.
Abbott, I. (1973). Birds of Bass Strait.

Evolution and ecology of the avifauna of
some Bass Strait islands, and comparisons
with those of Tasmania and Victoria. Proc.
R. Sov. Vict. 85: 197-223.

in press. The avifauna of Kangaroo
Island and causes of its impoverishment.
Emu.

Bechervaise, J. (1947). Plant and animal life
on Rodondo Island. Wildlife, Melbourne
9; 129-137.

Condon, H. T. (1969). A handlist of the birds
of South Australia. S. Aust. Orn. Assoc.:
Adelaide.

Disney, H. J. de S. and Smithers, C. N. (1972).
The distribution of terrestrial and
freshwater birds on Lord Howe Island, in
comparison with Norfolk Island. Aust.
Zool. 17: 1-11.

Ewing, T. J. (1842). A catalogue of the birds of
Tasmania. Tas. J. nat. sci. 1: 52-58.

Ewing, T. J. (1855). List of the birds of
Tasmania. Pap. Proc. R. Soc. Van
Diemen’s Land 3: 141-155.

Falla, R. A. et al. (1967). A field guide to the
birds of New Zealand and outlying islands.
Houghton Mifflin Co: Boston.

Gould, J. (1865). Handbook to the birds of
Australia. Priv. publ.: London.

Hollay, F. G. (1971). Welcome swallows at
Chatham Islands. Notornis 18: 54.

Kinsky, F. C. (ed.). (1970). Annotated
checklist of the birds of New Zealand. Orn.
Soc. N.Z. Reed: Wellington.

Legge, W. V. (1902). Notes on various birds
found in Tasmania. Emu 1: 82-86.

Littler, F. M. (1910). A handbook of the birds
of Tasmania and its dependencies. Priv.

254

publ.: Launceston.

Mees, G. F. (1969). A systematic review of the
Indo-Australian Zosteropidae (Part III).
Zool. Verh. Leiden 102: 1-390.

North, A. J. (1904). Ornithological notes. Rev.
Aust. Mus. 5: 337-338.

Oliver, W. R. B. (1955). New Zealand birds.
Reed: Wellington.

Serventy, D. L. and Whittell, H. M. (1967).
Birds of Western Australia. Paterson
Brokensha: Perth.

Sharland, M. S. R. (1958). Tasmanian birds.
Angus and Robertson: Sydney.

Smithers, C. N. and Disney, H. J. de S. (1969).
The distribution of terrestrial and
freshwater birds on Norfolk Island. Aust.
Zool. 15: 127-140.

Storr, G. M. (1965a). Notes on Bald Island
and the adjacent mainland. W. Aust. Nat.
9: 187-196.

(1965b). The avifauna of Rottnest
Island, Western Australia. III. Land birds.
Emu 64: 172-180.

Swan, E. D. (1869). (Untitled) Pap. Proc. R.
Soc. Tasm. 1870: 7.

Tunnecliffe, G. A. (1968). Distribution and
breeding records of Welcome Swallow ...
Notornis 16: 228-233.

Warham, J. (1967). Snares Island birds.
Notornis 143 122-139.

Westerkov, K. A. J. (1960). Birds of Campbell
Island. N.Z. Dept. Internal Affairs Wildl.
Publ. 61: 1-83.

Wheeler, W. R. (1967). A handlist of the birds
of Victoria. VORG: Melbourne.

Williams, G. R. (1953). The dispersal from
New Zealand and Australia of some
introduced European passerines. [bis 95:
676-692.

Witherby, H. F. et al. (1938). The handbook of
British birds. Vol. 1. Witherby: London.

Vict. Nat. Vol. 91

Aboriginal Axe-stone Quarries near the
Howdqua River, North-eastern Victoria

by

A. M. SCHMIDT*

In a paper on the geology of the
Howqua River area in North-eastern
Victoria, Teale (1919) states: “*... platy
diabase was favoured by the natives for
making their stone axes and several
small quarries occur close to the road
about half a mile north of the old road
terminus.’ Since Teale’s publication, the
Howqua axe-stone quarries have been
briefly referred to by three authors
(Mitchell 1961, Massola 1969 and
Crichton 1964) but none has published a
detailed account of them. A Mr. D.
Stone (1961) in a newspaper article also
makes mention of the quarries.

The note published by Crichton is the
most significant, because it arose out of
first-hand investigations and indicates
that he found what he describes as a
“hand artefact with partly ground
edges’ (ibid. p. 105) in one of the
quarries. The comments of Mitchell are
acknowledged by,him as a direct
quotation from Teale while Massola’s
remarks paraphrase the original writer.
Massola’s statement that ‘‘the most
characteristic (quarry) is on an outcrop
of diabase on Lickhole Creek, about a
mile above Malcolm’s Creek junction’,
is based on a misreading of Teale. Teale
was referring not to a quarry at this
location but to an outcrop of platy
diabase.

Teale mentions ‘“‘several small
quarries”’ (ibid. p. 48) but after a careful
investigation of the area, with the help
and co-operation of K. Gibson, G.
Stoney and J. Ware, only two quarries
were located. This paper describes these
quarries.

A type of stone highly favoured by the
Aborigines for axe-making is a dense,
greenish rock sometimes referred to as

September, 1974

‘greenstone’ — an imprecise term for a
wide range of metamorphosed basic
igeneous rocks. Earlier workers have
described this rock as ‘diabase’, a term
used with different meanings in several
different countries but no longer widely
accepted and to avoid confusion will not
be used here. Greenstones commonly
have a fine grained interlocking texture
and when fresh (that is, unweathered)
tend to take subconchoidal fractures and
develop sharp edges. The majority of
reported Aboriginal quarries in Victoria
consist of this type of material (Mitchell
1961. p. 71-4). The most extensive and
well-known quarry is at Mt. William near
Lancefield (Howitt 1904, Casey 1971).
The greenstone at the Howqua sites is
derived from a metamorphosed basaltic
lava and will be referred to as a
‘metabasalt’. This metabasalt is closely
joined and breaks easily into tabular
multi-faceted pieces. Fresh pieces show a
distinct subconchoidal fracture. The
Howqua sites are located in a belt of
Cambrian greenstones running in a
south-easterly direction in the Howqua
River valley. The river passes through a
deeply dissected valley with steep slopes,
rising to narrow ridges. (Teale 1919, pp.
37-9).

The predominant trees in the vicinity
of both sites are Eucalyptus pauciflora
(White Sallee) and Eucalyptus radiata
(common or Narrow-leaved Pepperment)
with an occasional stand of Acacia
decurrens (Black Wattle). Mainly
introduced spiecies of ‘scrubby’ type
vegetation surround the quarries, namely
Hypericum androsaemum (Tutsan),

*Assistant Curator of Anthropology, National Museum of
Victoria.

255

Hypericum perforatum (St. John’s Wort),
Rosa rubiginosa (Briar Rose) and Pteri-
dium aquilinum (Bracken Fern).

Site one is located on the north-
eastern side of a steep spur about 470
metres north of the Howqua River (Plate
1). In plan, the quarry area is roughly
circular, approximately fifteen metres in
diameter and situated on a 1000 foot (487
metre) map contour line. Fragments of
metabasalt are densely concentrated
over this area to an unknown depth (plate

2). They vary in size from about 18 x 10 x
10 cm to quite small, thin pieces a few
cm in length. At one place, the
fragments fifteen to twenty cm below the
surface were noted to be consistently
smaller than the surface blocks but it is
not known, at present, whether this
feature extends throughout the quarry.

On the southern perimeter of the main
concentration of fragments there is a
patch of chippings possibly resulting
from the flaking of blocks into axe
blanks. Five metres to the west of this
area of small chippings, there is a second

7

apparent working area. At the site, there
is a marked circular depression 0.5
metres in depth and roughly nine metres
in diameter with a linear extension of
five metres.

Site two (Plate 3) is similar in many
features to No. one. It is situated 640
metres west of Site one on a north-
east/south-west spur, has a north-east-
erly aspect, and similar-sized stone
fragments occupying approximately the
same area as Site one. As with Site one,
there are a number of apparent working
places with concentrations of quite small
fragments, many of which are no longer
than four cm in length.

Immediately to the west of the quarry,
there are three shallow depressions.
Each covers an area of approximately 20
sq.. metres and is about 0.5 metres in
depth. A fourth depression immediately
above the concentration of rocks closest
to the track, has a similar depth but
covers a larger area of about 50 sq.
metres.

Samples taken from outcrops of rock
situated on the same contour line as Site

Plate 1. Howqua Quarry. Site one.

256

Vict. Nat. Vol. 91

one and only 150 metres distant were
examined by the Museum’s mineralogist
and classified as diorite. This is an
igneous, plutonic rock which, because of
its generally coarse grain size, fractures
unevenly and would appear to be unsuit-
able for making stone axes.

Problems were encountered in
accepting the sites as Aboriginal
quarries. The following considerations
caused some difficulty: — the scarcity of
axe blanks with typical parabolic-shaped
‘blades’, the absence of rocky outcrops,
the depressions on the sites, the tabular
nature of the stone and accessibility to
the sites.

Interest in the Howqua area was
revived recently when a former local
resident, Mr. K. Gibson, brought into
the Museum in March this year, some
fragmented pieces of stone from Site
one which looked like axe blanks.
During a visit to the area, only a few
possible blanks were found, contrary to
what might be expected from knowledge
of the Mt. William and Berrambool
quarries. Axe blanks can be difficult to

identify and most of those collected were
in the ‘‘doubtful’ category. However,
later, after an examination of a large
number of axe blanks, now in the
possession of Mr. G. A. Crichton and
taken from the two sites some years ago,
it was apparent that the stones in the
“doubtful’’ category were axe blanks. It
is now known that the sites have been
picked over a great deal by various
collectors and as the two areas of
fragmented stone are not extensive it is
reasonable to postulate that over the
years most of the best specimens have
been removed.

Other Aboriginal quarries in Victoria
are characterised by outcrops of stone
but no such outcrops exist at the two
Howqua sites. There are, however, the
depressions referred to above. There is
no evidence to suggest that these two
quarry sites were worked by goldminers
who operated in the Howqua area from
the 1860’s into the early twentieth
century.

It is quite conceivable, however, that
the Aborigines may actually have

ae. ih

g PRS ste
~ ss

ee

Plate 2. Fragments of metabasalt. Site one.

September, 1974

257

quarried for stone at Howqua, in the true
sense of the word ‘quarry’ and caused
the depressions. On the other hand, if
limited outcrops once existed, they may
have been completely worked down
below ground level by the Aborigines.
The tabular metabasalt in the two
rock concentrations has something of the
appearance of naturally fragmented
stone. Much of the material at Mt.
William, in contrast, has obviously been
shaped and bears the marks of
deliberate flaking. Only a small amount
of the Howqua metabasalt fragments
have these characteristics. In view of
other evidence leading to the conclusion
that Aboriginal man was responsible for
the two heaps of fragmented stone, a
reasonable explanation of the tabular
appearance of the metabasalt is found in
the nature of the material. Teale’s
description of the Howqua metabasalt
emphasizes its ‘platy’ or closely jointed
nature. When such stone is struck a
blow, it tends to fragment into tabular

pieces along the jointing planes, in
comparison with the Mt. William stone,
which tends to break into more irregular
fragments.

Teale’s comment about ‘platy diabase’
being favoured by the Aborigines for the
making of stone axes is somewhat
dubious because of its closely jointed
nature as mentioned above. For the
Aborigines who made visits to the
Howqua area, however, it was possibly
the only source of reasonable axe-stone.
Aborigines who made use of the quarries
would almost have certainly come from
the well-watered plains to the north and
west of the Howqua valley. At the time of
European settlement, this area was
occupied by the Taungurong tribe. The
distance involved for Aborigines
travelling to the quarries would only
have been in the vicinity of fifteen to
twenty miles. Access would have been
difficult due to the fairly rugged
mountainous terrain of the area, and
would possibly have been restricted to

Plate 3. A farm track exposing quarried stone.
Site two.

258

Figure 1. Ground-edged axe found in quarry
fragments at Site one.

Vict. Nat. Vol. 91 |

routes either along the river from the
Jamieson direction or south along the
ridges west of Mt. Buller.

The most important evidence
confirming the use of the site by
Aborigines is the implement found by
Mr. G. A. Crichton (Fig. 1). This is a
flaked ground-edged axe 8.5 x 5.2 x 2.5
cm and weighing 165.5 g. Bifacial
grinding extends 2.5 cm from the cutting
edge.

The blade is damaged and uneven and
there is the possibility that the axe may
have been used as a hammerstone. It was
found beneath the surface of the stone
fragments on Site one and may most
reasonably be accounted for by the
proposition that it was left behind by an
Aboriginal quarry user. A thin section
has been taken from this axe and from
27 other axes found at various places in
North-Eastern Victoria for petrological
analysis. This is being done as part of a
wider study to trace the source and
distribution of axe-stone used by
Aborigines in the area now known as
Victoria.

Acknowledgements

For helpful comments on _ this.
manuscript I wish to thank Mr. D. A.
Casey and the following staff members of
the National Museum of Victoria: —
W.D. Birch, I.R. Stewart, C.B. Tassell
and A.L. West.

I am also grateful to Mr. R.N. Miller,
Education Officer at the National
Museum of Victoria who supplied the
drawings of the stone axe.

The photographs were kindly provided
by Mr. A.L. West.

Mr. G.A. Crichton made available the
stone axe referred to above and his
collection of axe blanks from the two
sites and I wish to thank him for his
willing co-operation.

REFERENCES

Brough Smyth, R. (1869). “The Gold Fields
and Mineral Districts of Victoria, with
notes on the modes of occurrence of gold
and other metals and minerals.”’
Melbourne.

Casey, D. A. (1971). ““The Aboriginal Axe-
stone Quarry at Mt. William near
Lancefield.”’ Vict. Nat. 88: 273-6.

Crichton, G. A. (1964). ‘‘Aboriginal
Quarries.” Vict. Nat. 81: 105.

Flett, J. (1970). ‘‘The History of Gold
Discovery in Victoria.”’ p. 110. Melbourne.

Harris, W. J. & Thomas, D. E. (1938). ‘“‘Notes
on the Geology of the Howqua Valley.”’
Min. geol. J. 1: 81-4.

Howitt, A. W. (1904). ‘‘The Native Tribes of
South-Eastern Australia’. p. 311. London.

Massola, A. (1969). ‘Journey to Aboriginal
Victoria."’ p. 145. Adelaide.

Mitchell, S. R. (1961). “Victorian Aboriginal
Axe Stone.”’ Vict. Nat. 78: 71-S.

Stone, D. (1961). “The History of Howqua
Hills.”” The Mansfield Courier Oct. 6.

Teale, E. O. (1919). ‘‘The Diabases and
Associated Rocks of the Howqua River
near Mansfield, with Reference to the
Heathcotian Problem in Victoria.’’ Proc.
R. Soc. Vict. (n.s.) 32: 33-66.

Tindale, N. B. (1940). “‘Distribution of
Australian Aboriginal Tribes: A Field
Survey’’. Trans. R. Soc. S. Aust. 64: 199.

Natural History Medallion Award
1974
Vincent Noel Serventy, B.Ed., Editor of ‘‘Australian Wildlife’, and well known for
his television series ““Walkabout’’, has been awarded the Natural History Medallion
for 1974. Formerly of Western Australia, he now resides at Hunters Hill, N.S.W.

September, 1974

259

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New Members —
Ordinary:
Mr. Max William Boyce, 1 Neera Court, Gfen Waverley, 3150 (Botany)
Mr. A. Chmielski, 86 Grandview Grove, Rosanna, 3084
Mrs. Barbara Pleasance, Lot 73 Reserve Road, Nth. Warrandyte, 3113 (General)
Miss Josephine E. Scholtz, 6 Tiuna Grove, Elwood, 3184(Mammal & Field Survey, Botany)
Miss Carolyn S. Philpot, 26 Prosper Parade, Burwood, 3125 (Botany)

Joint:
Mr. Michael D. Cusack, Mrs. Susan Cusack, 10 Haughton Parade, Rosanna, 3084.

Junior:
Ian Robson, 116 Victoria Road, Hawthorn, 3123.

Country:
Lynda Schaller Dye, 8 Dodgson St., Hopetoun, 3396
Mr. W. R.*Archer, 11 Somers Ave., Mt. Martha, 3934 (Mammal Survey)

GROUP MEETINGS

Thursday, 17 October — Conservation Group meeting at the Herbarium. All future meetings
will be held there, and not at Drummond St. Carlton.

Thursday, 24 October — Field Survey Group meeting in Conference Room, National Museum at
8.00 p.m. Specialist night: “Biological Illustration’.

Saturday, 9 November — Geology Group. Meet at Royal Park Railway Station at 2 p.m. Geology
of the Royal Park area.

F.N.C.V. EXCURSIONS

Thursday, 17 October — Rickett’s Sanctuary, Mt. Dandenong. 10 a.m. Lilydale Train to
Croydon Catch. Mt. Dandenong bus at station to Sanctuary. Meet 11.30 a.m. Entrance
fee 40 cents. Bring lunch.

Saturday, 19 October-Sunday, 20 October — Bendigo-Maryborough weekend. See October
Naturalist for details including meeting place for members wishing to join the party for
Saturday only.

Tuesday, 5 November (Cup Day) — Mt. Blackwood. This is the President’s Picnic excursion and
will be held by Mr. P. Kelly and Mr. J. Myers on similar lines to the excursion last year
and again we extend a welcome to all junior members to attend. Walks will be arranged
including one into the Lerderderg gorge. The coach will leave Batman Avenue at 9 a.m.
(note time) and a stop will be made at Bachus Marsh at 10 a.m. where members travelling
by private cars can join the party. Coach fare $2.50. Bring a picnic lunch and a snack for
tea. Bookings for the coach should be made with Miss M. Allender, 19 Hawthorn Avenue,
North Caulfield, 3161.

Sunday, 17 November — Labuertouche. Leader, Mr. J. Brooks of Warragull. Details next
month.

December 26-January 3 — Falls Creek. Accommodation has been booked at the new motel at
Falls Creek until Thursday, 2 January at a cost of $14.50 per day, full board and this
should be paid by members individually while the coach fare, including the dinner, bed
and breakfast at the Alexandra Motel on the way back, totalling $50, should be paid to
the excursion secretary by 25 November.

262 Vict. Nat. Vol. 91

the
victorian
naturalist

Vol. 91, No. 10 9 October, 1974
Editor: G. M. Ward
Assistant Editor: G. F. Douglas

Contents

Articles:

Victorian Ornithological Research

Group Westernport Report
No. 1, Part 2
By William A. Davis and
Allan J. Reid
Nats on the Buffalo
By Max W. Boyce
The Pollination of
Acianthus caudatus
By David L. Jones
A Versatile Personal
Literature Index
By George Ettershank
Spring Collecting in
Central Queensland
By J. C. Le Souef

Feature:
The Origin of Generic
Names of Victorian Flora
By James A. Baines

F.N.C.V.:
Group Reports

Front Cover:
Ibis Rookery, Coolart (see p 264)

October, 1974

264

270

272

275

277

281

283

Only two readers have replied to the editor
in respect of the comment made in this
column of the August issue, regarding the
Critical cost of printing the magazine.

Perhaps, in order for readers to evaluate the
position more easily, the following two alter-
native statements should be made.

Either the magazine will be printed monthly
with an increase in Ordinary Membership fee
to $14 p.a. or —

The magazine will be printed bi-monthly
with an increase in Ordinary Membership to
$10.

Any comment should be sent either to the
Hon. Secretary or Editor.

Following on the announcement last month’
in this column of the publication of the
L.C.C.V. “East Gippsland Study Area’’ report,
it is now appropriate to advise of the next and
current release. This is the report on the
‘Mallee Study Area’, which lies in the north-
western corner of Victoria, and is bounded by
the 26th parallel south, the Loddon River and
the State borders with South Australia and
NSW.

Written submissions as to how public land
within this area may be used to better the
needs of people should be lodged with the
L.C.C.V. on or before 13 November 1974.

263

Victorian Ornithological Research Group
Westernport Report No. 1
Part 2
“The Birds of the Somers, Sandy Point,
Hastings Districts, Westernport Bay”
Victoria

by WILLIAM A. DAVIS
ALAN J. REID

Continued from Vol. 91, p 212

32. Threskiornis molucca, White Ibis

This species was the subject of a biological study at Coolart. Throughout the survey
area it was very common resident found in habitats 1, 2, 3A, 5 and 6. Often flocks
were observed crossing the main channel indicating interplay between Coolart, the
Rhyll Swamp on Phillip Island and Little Heifer Swamp on French Island.

COOLART LAGOON

Mr. Luxton reported that White Ibis
had frequented the lagoon in varying
numbers ever since its completion in the
late 1930’s. During the drought year of
1958, when the lagoon dried out, several
island were created. Over the next four
years rapid regrowth of melaleuca etc.
provided optimum conditions to
promote breeding. This first occurred in
1961 with six nests. Conditions at
Coolart are unique in as much as the
high water level is controlled by a weir so
as to allow about 6 inches to 1 foot of free
board for the islands. These are never
submerged so there is no risk of nests
being washed out during exceptionally
wet seasons. The winter rains fill the
lagoon to capacity usually no later than
early September. During spring and
summer the water level slowly drops
until by late summer it is usually 2 to 3
feet below the weir. This provided a
relatively stable set of conditions and
during the survey little variance was
noted until the severe drought of 1967-
1968. The birds were then forced to
accept a much lower water level and bred
in unprecedented numbers. As the Rhyll
Swamp was dry, the Coolart population
was obviously supplemented by breeding

264

birds trom Phillip Island. Considerable
mortality occurred at the end of the
season when the lagoon dried out for the
second time.

(1) Population

The population build-up at Coolart
over the survey period is dramatically
illustrated in figure 1. From 1969 to the
present, the peak population has
remained stable at about 1,200 White
Ibis. This indicates the lagoon has
reached its optimum carrying capacity.

(2) Feeding

A quite definite seasonal feeding
pattern existed. This was established by
the following procedure —_ firstly,
general observations throughout the
survey area and secondly, by noting the
direction and size of returning flocks to
roost at Coolart. Over 90 roosting counts
were carried out. Each count was
recorded on a compass dial type graph
which indicated the total number of
birds returning from each direction.
Weather and tidal conditions were also
noted. Figure 2 indicates typical results
showing seasonal variations. During late
winter, spring and early summer, feeding
flocks were well spread over farmlands
obviously due to an abundance of food.

Vict. Nat. Vol. 91

During this period very few birds were
seen on the tidal flats. As summer
progressed and food became scarcer in
the fields, more and more birds were
noted on the tidal flats until, during late
summer and autumn large numbers
were seen. A corresponding decline
occurred in feeding observations on the
farmlands. Often the birds were seen
feeding on the small soldier crabs which
existed in tremendous numbers on the
tidal flats.

(3) Roosting

Apart from noting size and direction
of returning flocks, the time of arrival of
each flock was recorded and graphed in
an endeavour to detect any definite
patterns. As before stated, these results
confirmed feeding behaviour, but there
appeared no obvious correlation between
flock size and arrival time. During
winter and early spring flocks tended to
roost right on dusk. On long summer
evenings, flocks often arrived before
dusk and fed for up to one hour around
the lagoon before roosting. Obviously
during this period when the birds were
feeding extensively on the tidal flats, the
position of the tide influenced the time of
return to Coolart.

1200
1000
800
600
400

200

(4) Breeding

Seven complete cycles were recorded
from 1961 to 1967. The first six were very
similar. In each case breeding was
triggered by the lagoon reaching
maximum capacity. This is illustrated in
figure 3 which shows the relationship
between rainfall, lagoon water level and
commencing date of breeding. It also
indicates the dramatic increase in
nesting activity. The drought years of
1967-1968 were the first exception when
the lagoon did not fill at all. The birds
were forced to accept a much lower water
level almost 2 ft. below the weir.

It appeared during August and early
September that no breeding would
occur. However, on 24 September, after
90 points of rain had fallen, breeding
commenced. Two weeks later it became
apparent a bumper season was pending.
The birds colonised many new areas and
the main and_ secondary rookeries
carried record occupancies. Over 400
pairs nested. No further rain of any
substance fell and by late November the
water level was falling rapidly. As a
result the first substantial mortality was
noted, many late breeding birds
deserting their young despite the fact

Season & 8 2 = a A 2 =
Year 1962 | 1963 | 1964 1 1965 | 1966
FIGURE 1. Coolart Lagoon. White Ibis.

Average roosting count per season.

October, 1974

265

that sutticient water remained to afford
protection from land based predators.
Mortality observations were carried out

at the end of each breeding season by
inspecting the rookeries. Results are
tabulated in figure 3.

Build up in numbers noted. Birds commenced feeding in paddocks

Lagoon fills. Birds carry nesting material. Reconstruct old nests,

Copulation often noted, usually on nest, male on top, flaps rapidly

to maintain balance, bills entwined, mutual preening.

Hatching occurs, incubation period approximately 22 days.
Young develop. After approximately four to five weeks they

Typical Breeding Cycle
Late June
early July. around the lagoon.
Mid-July. Birds commenced roosting on rookeries.
Late July
early August. build new nests.
Mid-August.
Mid to late Laying commences.
August.
Early September.
September
October. move around the nest area.

Early November.

Young at flying stage, leave the nest area approximately eight

to ten weeks after hatching.

November Breeding activity tapers off.
December.
January. All breeding firiished for the season.

During the study period no evidence of double brooding was noted. Colour banding
would need to be employed to prove this, however no such banding is permitted at

Coolart.

Changeover Pattern

Many were observed and during
incubation and brooding, generally
occurred as follows:—

Relieving bird arrives, stands on edge
of nest. Birds engage in noisy entwining
of bills with heads held high, then
mutual preening. The sitting bird leaves
the nest, flies to a branch usually close at
hand, preens, attends to toilet, then flies
away presumably to feed. Relieving bird
moves on to nest, stands for one to two
minutes sometimes giving a_ gentle
shaking action to the nest, fluffs out
feathers, then slowly squats to
incubating position. On some occasions
the relieving bird returned with nesting
material which was presented to the
sitting bird, who placed it in position
around the nest before the actual
changeover. There appeared no regular
time period between changeovers during
incubation, variations from 30 minutes

266

to three hours being recorded. After
hatching, the parents returned at more
frequent intervals for feeding and
brooding. As the food requirements of
the developing young increased, parents
had a continual task returning at very
frequent intervals, in some cases as short
as five to ten minutes.

Polygamous behaviour was noted. On
several occasions a male bird was seen
mating with different incubating
females.

During the 1964-1965 season an
Albino young was reared to maturity. It
lacked any black feathers and had pink
eyes, bill and legs.

Since completing the systematic study
in 1968, breeding activity has been
relatively stable to the present time,
between 350 and 450 nests each season:
From our studies at Coolart the
following conclusions can be drawn
concerning water level:-

Vict. Nat. Vol. 91

(a) Given normal rainfall breeding ficient water may remain to

commences when the lagoon is afford protection from foxes

full. (d) Once the young birds reach flying
(b) Maintenance of the water level is stage water level ceases to be im-

essential during the breeding portant.

cycle. (e) Birds will accept lower levels

under conditions of drought
with great increase in mortality
suf- rate.

(c) A sudden lowering of the level
will almost certainly lead to nest
destruction even though

Sunday

Sunday
O 12th April fe) 17 12th July
1964 1964 a

0 46
Tide Receding

Tide Receding
Weather Fine cold.

Weather Fine mild.

FIGURE 2. Typical seasonal variations in direction of returning Ibis
flocks to Coolart. Note that N.E. is the direction of the mud flats.

SS
(points) Lagoon Full commenced Nests
ee ee ee
i Se Me cl NEED
Se lea a (Beto
ee ee ee |
Boe
Pam

2428 1st week Aug. 15th Aug.
3922 Mid July 24th July

1786 Drought year 24th Sept.
Lagoon did not fill

Figure 3. Coolart Lagoon. White Ibis.
Summary of breeding results.

267

October, 1974

(S) Predation

Land predation was not a problem at
Coolart. On only three occasions were
dead adult Ibis found with heads bitten
off, indicating possible predation by
foxes. Remains of dead Ibis were found
at other times, but we were not able to
ascertain the cause of death. Foxes were
often seen throughout the survey area.
Mr. Luxton reported an _ occasional
snake around the lagoon yet, during
countless hours of filming from a hide
for ‘‘The Coolart Story’’, absolutely no
evidence of predation by snakes or water
rats etc. was recorded.

Avian Predation

The lagoon was often visited by the
Swamp Harrier, Circus approximaus
and Australian Goshawk, Accipiter
fasciatus but, here again, no predation
was observed. The presence of these
raptores caused considerable noisy
panic, adult Ibis often taking to the air,
some non-flying young jumping to the
water, others flattening themselves on
the nests. This behaviour indicated that
predation may have occurred on occas-
ions during our absence.

A most interesting sequence of events
involving a Peregrine Falcon, Falco
peregrinus occurred. Extracts from our
behaviour log provide a_ graphic
description.

Sunday, 17 March 1963. On arriving at
Coolart for the Ibis count, a Peregrine
Falcon was flushed from the carcass of a
freshly killed adult White Ibis. The
falcon flew to a post apparently awaiting
the returning flocks. He harassed each
flock of Little Pied Cormorants, diving
clean through the flock from a
considerable height. On one occasion the
entire flock of some 30 birds plunged
headlong to the ground in an attempt to
evade the falcon. It appeared the
harassment was for sheer enjoyment as
no attempt was made to make a killing.
For the first time no Ibis returned to
Coolart to roost.

Sunday, 24 March 1963. Peregrine
Falcon still present. No Ibis returned

268

and considerably fewer Little Pied
Cormorants. The falcon made no —
attempt to harass the flocks.

Sunday, 31 March 1963. Falcon still
present. No Ibis roosted and few
Cormorants. The following Sundays the
falcon was absent and the Ibis and
Cormorants gradually returned to
normal numbers.

Population remained stable until
Sunday 9 June 1963 when the count was
down to only 20 Ibis and 57 Cormorants.
The Peregrine Falcon was once again
present. He stayed for two weeks. He was
not seen again until 6.45 p.m. on Sunday
8 December 1963 when a falcon (possibly
the same bird) completed several sweeps
of the lagoon then perched on the same
fence post. He made no attempt to
harass the birds.

The Peregrine Falcon has not been
recorded at Coolart since. It can be
concluded the presence of the falcon
caused such fear in the Ibis that they
roosted elsewhere.

Obviously Coolart is a vital link in the
chain of Ibis roosting and breeding areas
in the Westernport area. It is a viable
conservation unit of untold benefit to the
farmers of the Mornington Peninsula.
Its value as an education area cannot be
over-emphasised. Its close proximity to
the children’s education camp provides
nature study lessons for thousands of
children from all over Victoria each year.
The potential for further biological
studies on a great variety of waterfowl
species is tremendous when _ one
considers the relatively stable conditions
existing. Also the fact that water level
could be manipulated manually to
ascertain optimum conditions to
promote breeding. The Coolart property
would make a unique environmental
studies centre. Its preservation is a
matter of utmost importance. Further
industrial and urban pressures in the
Westernport region will place the future
of Coolart and indeed of many other
natural areas in great jeopardy.

Vict. Nat. Vol. 91

33. Threskiornis spinicollis, Straw-necked Ibis

First occurred during May 1961, ten birds noted at Coolart. They stayed until early
August. In 1962 during September, 20 birds seen. Twelve months later in 1963, 53
birds appeared. A further increase in 1964 when 80 straw-necks frequented the
lagoon June to September. Exactly the same period 1965 numbers reached a peak of
over 100. It was hoped the species would breed but each year they dispersed during
September to return in May or June the following year. It has remained to this day a
mystery as to why the straw-necked Ibis will not breed at Coolart in spite of the fact
that excellent low scrubbed islands exist that the White Ibis will not use. The species
was never recorded on the tidal flats. Often they joined the Whites in the paddocks to
feed. H.5,6.

34. Platalea regia, Royal Spoonbill

These magnificent birds made their first appearance at Coolart on 18 November
1962, when three birds stayed two months. During this period 10 to 20 consistently
noted from Hanns Inlet. In August 1963, six took up residence at Coolart. By 20
October were present. It was a high point of the survey when during mid-October
1963, two nests with freshly hatched young were discovered. During later months four
further nests found. Birds stayed until March 1964 then left to return again in
increased numbers during July. Six pairs again nested commencing in November and
concluding January 1965. 20 birds were permanent residents during that year until
September when numbers swelled to over 100. Again six pairs bred. This pattern was
almost exactly repeated during 1966 and 1967. During the drought the Coolart
population was supplemented by an influx of birds probably from Phillip Island as
the Rhyll Swamp was dry. Over 200 birds were counted including several banded
birds. However only six pairs appeared to nest.

It was noted that the Spoonbills nest consistently later than the Ibis. Often they
used old Ibis nests. They generally started during November and nested through to
January and February. The receding water level seemed to affect them less than the
Ibis. Often their mating displays were observed, their majestic breeding plumes being
used to advantage. Like the Ibis they engage in bill entwining and mutual preening.
They are far more aggressive during mating and breeding than the Ibis. The species
was frequently seen along Hanns Inlet and the fresh water swamp. Records exist for
all months of the year. H.2, 3a, 5.

35. Platalea flavipes, Yellow-billed Spoonbill
Occasional records. Single bird at Coolart 24 March 1963. Single records June,
July 1964, three September that year. February and May 1965 single records for
Hanns Inlet. March 1966, ten birds spent a week at Coolart, H.2, 3a, 5.
To be continued.

Field Naturalists Club of Victoria

Notice to Contributors

Contributions should preferably be typed on quarto or foolscap sheets, double
spaced, and with 1'%” left hand margin. Any dates should be shown with the day
preceeding the month — e.g. 25 October. . .

October, 1974 269

Nats on the Buffalo

by

MAX W. BOYCE

It is one hundred and fifty years since
Mount Buffalo was first reported and
named by white man. On 25 November,
1824 Hune and Hovell, on their epic
journey south to the Port Phillip District,
saw the mountain in the distance to the
south-east and named it, presumably for
its shape.

Probably the first person to explore
the mountain was that great botanist,
and one time patron of the F.N.C.V.,
Baron von Mueller. Accompanied by
John Dallachy, Superindendent of the
Melbourne Gardens, he travelled the
Buffalo Ranges in early 1853 on a
collective expendition, He was the first to
ascend Mount Aberdeen (now known as
the Horn). Willis (1949) suggests that
Mueller was responsible for naming it
Mount Aberdeen, but it appears that the
name was shown on maps prepared by
Major Mitchell following his 1836
expedition.

The F.N.C.V. was founded in 1880,
and the first issue of its journal, The
Victorian Naturalist, appeared. three
years later. Some of the articles in early
volumes of the journal are of interest in
that they show the effort required to
reach the Buffalo in those days. Amongst
the earliest references is that of Charles
Walter (1899). Having caught the 5 a.m.
train from Bright to Porepunkah, he
followed the track to Manfield’s Buffalo
Fall’s Temperance Hotel and thence to
the Eurobin Falls, arriving in time for
breakfast. The next day, accompanied
by one of Manfield’s sons, he made the
ascent. The climbing commenced soon
after leaving the banks of the Eurobin,
‘‘ ,. the spur being of so steep a gradient
that for over a mile the track is in a
continuous zig-zag, each part from 10 to
30 yards long to the next turn.” After
much more climbing, still scrambling
through between piles of rocks, they
eventually reached the plateau.

270

Barnard and Sutton (1903) report a
visit to the mountain the company of Mr
G. Weindorfer (later of Waldheim —
Cradle Mountain fame). The route they
took for the ascent, known as Staker’s
Track, had been constructed for the
Bright Alpine Club and named after its
first president. The track commenced
opposite Manfield’s Hotel and
approximated the route taken by the
present road. Barnard and Sutton were
so enthralled by their visit that they
suggested the F.N.C.V. should hold one
of its periodical excursions there.

As a result of this suggestion, the first
F.N.C.V. ‘‘Camp-out’”’ on the Buffalo
was held from 24 December, 1903 to
4 January, 1904. The party of 24,
having as their leaders Messrs G. Coghill
and G. Weindorfer, arrived at
Porepunkah by rail from Wangaratta in
a covered truck which had proved to be
“rather dirty and decidely rough.”’ They
were then coveyed in an imposing array
of traps to “‘Ernani’’, the home of James
Manfield (Jnr), at the foot of the
mountain, where 20 of them were
accommodated for the night, the
gentlemen sleeping in the barn on
improvised beds of wire netting stretched
over logs. Climbing the mountain on
Christmas Day they set up camp within
fifty feet of the Gorge. The camp
consisted of a slab hut in which seven
ladies slept (probably the Alpine Lodge
belonging to Manfield), a canvas tent-
house for eight men, a dining tent, two
bell tents and two small tents —’’ a really
imposing settlément, excellent in fine
weather, but somewhat leaky, excepting
the bell tents, in wet weather.’’
(Unfortunately they had an abundance
of wet weather.) As in the barn in the
valley below, they slept on beds of wire
netting stretched between logs.

Attitudes change over the years.
Hodgson (1927) mentions, without a hint

Vict. Nat. Vol. 91

of reproach, that on his recent visit to the
mountain he had discovered just behind
Bent’s Look-out an interesting record of
the 1903-04 Camp-out — “‘a well blazed
Eucalypt with the names . . . and the
date ‘1903’ deeply scored thereon, and
quite clear, except that the encroaching
bark is gradually closing over the edges
of the old wound . . .”’ One cannot
imagine this being one of the accepted
activities of club members today.

Invariably the early field naturalists
on the mountain appear to have been
enthralled by the plant life they found,
and in particular by the number of
plants they, found in bloom in the
summer months.

Of the 445 species of vascular flora
that have been recorded on the Buffalo,
three are endemic, viz. the Buffalo
Sallow wattle (Acacia phlebophylla),
Fern leaf Baeckea (Baeckea crenatifolia)
and Buffalo Sallee (Eucalyptus
mitchelliana). Baeckea crenatifolia is the
rarest of these. Although its present
distribution is not known (Rowe, 1970),
it was reported both by Walter (1899),
who saw it in full bloom on the banks of
Eurobin Creek, and also by Barnard and
Sutton who reported ‘Making
Manfield’s Temperance Hotel, within
sound of the Eurobin Creek, our
headquarters, we were soon enjoying a
dip in the clear stream, and admiring the
bushes of Baeckea crenatifolia F v.M..,
covered with sprays of beautiful white
flowers, along the banks of the creek.

The Blotchy Mint Bush (Prostanthera
walteri) is a shrub that seems to have
always. excited the interest of early
visitors. Found first by Walter on Mount
Ellery, Croajingalong, in East Gippsland
in December 1869, and named after him
by Mueller, it was recorded first on the
Buffalo by Barnard and Sutton.

Interestingly, although Walter was on
the mountain some years previously, he
does not appear to have found it there.
The members of the 1903-04 party found
the plant growing ‘‘in great profusion”
near the Gorge in the locality where
Barnard and Sutton had recorded their

October, 1974

find in the previous year. No other plants
had been discovered elsewhere, but by
1939 Stewart was able to record it along
the road to Lake Catani, at the Horn and
on the eastern slopes of Mount Macleod.

Although P. walteri is relatively rare in
its distribution, being restricted to
Mount Buffalo, W Tree, Mount Kaye,
Mount Ellery and nearby N.S.W., and
although Stewart (1939) wrote that **...
the plant cannot thrive away from its
natural setting of tumbled _ granite
boulders’’, it is now reasonably common
in the suburban gardens of native plant
enthusiasts who have found it to be an
easy grower for rockeries (See Mac-
donald, 1971).

Finally, the beautiful Royal Grevillea-
(Grevillia victoriae) discovered and
named by von Mueller in honour of
Queen Victoria during his 1853 visit, is
another plant which seems to thrill
visitors. Writing of a visit in the Alps
district in 1887, Walter commented “‘I
never can forget my delight when I saw
the first tree of Grevillia victoriae
covered with one mass of bright crimson
flowers, and I am sure the Baron must
have experienced the same when he
named the plant in honour of Her
Majesty.”

REFERENCES
Barnard, F. G. A. and Sutton, C. S. Among
the Alpine Flowers. The Victorian

Naturalist. 1903, 20, 1, 4-12.

Coghill, G. et al. The Buffalo Mountains
Camp-Out. The Victorian Naturalist.
1904, 20, 11, 144-159.

Dunn, E. J. Mount Buffalo — A Geological
Survey. Memoirs of Geological Survey of
Victoria. 1908, 6.

Hodgson, L. L. On the Buffalo Plateau. The
Victorian Naturalist. 1927, 44, 7, 188-196.

Macdonald, R. Mint Bushes. Australian
Plants. 1971, 6, 48, 170-171.

Rowe, R. K. A Study of the Land in the Mount
Buffalo National Park. Soil Conservation
Authority. 1970.

Stewart, H. C. E. Flower and Feather at
Mount Buffalo. The Victorian Naturalist.
1939, 55, 190-194.

Walter, C. A Trip to the Victorian Alps. The
Victorian Naturalist. 1899, 16, 6, 81-87.

Willis, M. By their Fruits. A&R 1949.

271

The Pollination of Acianthus caudatus R.Br.

by DAVID L. JONES

The pollination of Acianthus caudatus
R.Br. provides another fascinating link
in the ecology of Australian orchids.
Unlike many of our species, if the
weather conditions are favourable, the
process occurs quite actively and can be
readily observed. My wife and I have
watched the pollination on several
occasions in our bushouse at Bayswater,
and this paper is based on notes made
during these times.

For those who are not familiar with
the features of Acianthus caudatus, it
has been well delineated by Nicholls in
Australian Orchids (complete edn) PI.
191 (1969). Fig (a) of the accompanying
drawing gives a general idea of its habit.

Briefly it is a diminutive orchid
forming loose colonies in open forest
country of N.S.W., Vic., Tas., and S.A.
Generally few members of the colonies
flower but massed flowering may occur
in good seasons, or following the
stimulation of bushfires. Its flowering
period is spring, and the flowers are a
dark red-black. This colouring
combined with the filamentous nature of
the perianth segments and the gloomy
habitat renders these orchids very incon-
spicious.

The species advertizes itself to
pollinators by a scent which diffuses
readily into the air and provides quite a
remarkable attraction to microdipterous
insects. These may be found on the
flowers at any time, but become more
active and abundant during conditions
which favour release of the scent. On
warm days they can be observed quite
readily. The approach to the flowers is
always the same, with the insects flying
into the wind as if they are following a
perfume trail. The attraction must be
very strong, for on windy days, sudden

DH 2.

gusts may carry the insects backwards
and the flowers may not be reached for
several minutes; but they still persist.
Once on the infloresence, they scramble
actively around until a suitable flower is
found on which to feed.

Several species of insect, all Dipterans,
have been observed to feed on the
flowers, but of these only three are large
enough to affect pollination. Of the
three, only one has been found
consistently bearing pollinaria. This
species behaves very purposefully and
seems to be the major pollinating agent.
It is illustrated in the accompanying
drawing. The other two insect species
have not been illustrated. Although they
may occasionally pick up _ pollinaria,
their role seems relatively minor in the
overall pollination ecology of Acianthus
caudatus.

The pollinating agent illustrated has
been identified by Dr. D.H. Colless of
CSIRO, as a female of the Mycoma
genus, family Mycetophilidae.
Unfortunately insufficient is known
about these insects to take identification
further. The two other larger visitors
were also identified. These were females
of Sylvicola dubius Macq. family
Anisopodidae and a Female Sciara sens.
lat., family Sciaridae. Several specimens
of each were collected.

The scent of Acianthus caudatus is
quite obnoxious, and is very noticeable
when a group of flowers is examined on a
warm day. The smell resembles
something dead, and there is no doubt
about the effectiveness of its attraction.
It is detectable under any conditions, but
becomes particularly strong during
humid weather or with a rise in
temperature up to about 18 deg. c. On
showery Spring days it is still quite

Vict. Nat. Vol. 91

FIGURE!

a. Acianthus d. Column and labellum g. Transverse section
caudatus from side of a mature through base of labe-
(Indicated Scale) flower. (SxI.S.) Ilum. (10x1.S.)

b. Mycoma sp. (10xI.S.) — e. Column from front. h. Pollinarium from side.

c. Column and labellum (10xI.S.) (20xI.S.)
from side of a young f. Longitudinal sectionof i. Pollinarium from end.
flower. (SxI.S.) labellum. (10xI.S.) (25x1.S.)

October, 1974 273

obvious, seemingly becoming stronger
just before the rain. It can also be
detected quite late into the evenings
following mild days when insect activity
can be observed, but to a lesser extent.

A study of the flowers of Acianthus
caudatus reveals the mechanisms
adopted by the species to ensure
pollination. As is usual with orchids the
labellum plays the major role. In the
young flower the relative positions of the
column and labellum prevent the
withdrawal of the pollinia. The flower
takes about two days after opening
before it is mature enough for
pollination. The changes during this
period involve arching of the column so
that the rostellum comes into a position
where it can be brushed by a visiting
insect; and a downward movement of the
whole labellum so that the gap between
the column and labellum becomes
sufficiently large to admit the pollinating
agent. Coinciding with this downward
movement is 4 change in labellum shape.
The upper third becomes recurved and
the margins rolled under. The overall
result is that a small basin is formed at
the base of the labellum. These changes
are shown in the accompanying
illustration.

The importance of the relative
movements of the column and labellum
will be shown later when we consider the
actions of the pollinating insect, however
the importance of the change in shape of
the labellum is immediately obvious. The
basin formed is for the collection of
droplets of nectar. This is secreted by
two small, erect glands situated on the
upper posterior margin of the labellum.
In the young flower these are hidden, but
become exposed by the downward
movement of the labellum as the flower
matures. The nectar streams from the
glands and collects into small droplets in
the basin. It is prevented from running
further by a mass of minute calli sited on
the anterior edge of the basin.

The nectar apparently proves very
delectable to the visiting insects because
it is avidly sought by them. By studying

274

the insects behaviour it can be seen that
the nectar plays two important roles.
Firstly it brings the insect into line with
the column. After landing on the raceme
the insect moves across to a labellum and
then upwards probing as it goes, until it
finds the pool of nectar. Here it feeds on
the nectar in the same manner as a
mosquito drawing in blood. This
involves an upward movement of the
insects body each time it draws in some
nectar. It is during this upward
movement that the insects thorax contacts
the rostellum and the pollinia are
withdrawn. Here the second function of
the nectar becomes apparent for it
stupefies the insect. This intoxication
only lasts for a short period but is
sufficient time to allow the glue of the
rostellum to cement the pollinarium
firmly to the insect.

The pollinarium of Acianthus
caudatus is divided into two equal
halves. Each consists of two pollinia
attached directly to a viscidium, thereby
giving the orchid two chances to secure
successful pollination from each other.
On a few occasions insects have been
observed to pick up both parts at once.

The removal of pollinaria and the
deposition of pollinia on the stigma are
both facilitated by exsertion of the
organs involved. The column is curved
over the labellum with the anther and
stigma situated at the apex. The
triangular viscidia jut out on _ the
rostellum above the stigma and are
easily picked up by the insect brushing
against them. The stigma also protrudes
at an angle that facilitates deposition of
the pollinia. As there is no caudicle
involved there is no subsequent
movement of the pollinarium on the
insect, hence these adaptations ensure
maximum effeciency of the pollination
process. That they are successful is
illustrated by the large number of
swollen ovaries one sees on this species
late in the season.

The author wishes to thank Dr. D.H.
Colless, Curator of Diptera, CSIRO, for
identification and notes on the insects.

Vict. Nat. Vol. 91

A Versatile, Personal Literature Index

by GEORGE ETTERSHANK*

Abstract

A simple, rapid method for indexing,
cross-referencing and _ retrieving
references to reprints and other scientific
literature is described.

Mannetje (1972) recently described an
excellent personal literature index
system, based on edge punched cards,
which was readily adaptable for
computer sorting. He noted the
disadvantages associated with systems
based: on plain cards, in that an extensive
cross index is usually required — this
involves duplication of cards several
times over. Such a system becomes
bulky, cumbersome and tedious to
maintain and search.

In Mannetje’s system, edge punches

are used to index the first author’s initial
and up to 70 categories. Multiple
punching for single categories’ is
discussed and rejected. There are,
however, two failings of the system,
applicable to all edge punch systems
seen by the present author, that
Mannetje does not mention:
i. Whether single or multiple punches for
each category are used, whether the
categories are unique or hierarchical, the
research worker must have a very clear
idea of exactly what categories he wants
before he punches the first card; as a
corollary to this,

li. Once launched, the system is
virtually immutable,
punches cannot be restored (except with
flimsy and impractical paper tabs).
Cards with punching errors (for whatever
cause) must be retyped.

The established worker can probably
define his sorting categories confidently

October, 1974

because edge

when he embarks on an edge punch
system, provided (in fact, or by artificial
lumping) the number of categories is
reasonable in size — 70 in Mannetje’s
system. For students starting to work in
a new field, this is simply impossible.

After a couple of abortive attempts
(including one simple and one complex
edge punch system), the present author
has devised an index system (based in
part on a simple one used by his
colleague, Dr. J. Nelson), that overcomes
these difficulties. It contains a simple
but efficient cross-index, is easily
maintained, references reprints as well
as literature citations, and is cheap and
compact.

The main component of the system is
the author cards, one only for each
author or co-author. These carry the
data for each publication, typed near the
top of a plain, 127 x 76 mm (5 x 3 inch)
index card, using the usual form adopted
for journals — further notes may be
placed on the lower half of the card —
thus:

342

Brown, W.L. 1968. An hypothesis
concerning the functions of the
metapleural gland in ants.

Am. Nat. 102: 188-191.

A single serial number is then given to
this (and any co-author) cards, and also
to the corresponding reprint if it is in the
user’s collection — in this case, the serial
number is 342.

As a batch of cards is completed, the
cards are photocopied using a special
holder. This is made of heavy paper
folded to form a series of parallel

*Dept. of Zoology, Monash University. Clayton, Vic. 3168.

275

pockets and reinforced with tape; it
holds seven cards, one above the other,
which are then copied onto quarto
paper. These sheets are assembled in a
stout binder to form a shelf list.

The principal author cards are then
taken singly, and the number only is
noted onto cross-reference cards, after
which the author cards are filed
alphabetically.

‘Ihe cross reference cards comprise
two, alphabetically ordered series — a
subject index and a taxonomic index. By
use of cards with flags, categories that
are referred to frequently are easily
found. The greatest reduction of effort
may be achieved, however, by intelligent
use of subcategories. Thus a series of
cards may be:

HARVESTER ANTS — Ecology

HARVESTER ANTS — _ Food
Preferences

HARVESTER ANTS — Nest
Structure

HARVESTER ANTS — Physiology
HARVESTER ANTS — Taxonomy

While categories and subcategories
should, preferably, be unique, the same
reference number may appear on more
than one card, either because of overlap
in categories, or because one paper
covers more than one topic.

In practice, the author and cross
reference indexes may be used in a
number of ways.

1. Simply as an index to the reprint
collection, in which reprints are stored
serially, in filing cabinets or boxes.

2. To obtain only those titles relevent to a
particular subject — the appropriate
numerical entries in the shelf list are
consulted, after obtaining the numbers
from the card(s).

3. To obtain specific references — for
example, titles on the ecology of one
particular species of harvester ant,
Pogonomyrmex rugosus. Obtain the

276

numbers in common on the two cards
“HARVESTER ANTS — Ecology”’ and,
from the taxonomic index,
‘““Pogonomyrmex rugosus'’. As the
numbers on the cards are in sequence,
this is quickly done.

4. To construct quick bibliographies,
either to send to colleagues or for the
draft of papers — withdraw the
appropriate author cards, assemble
them in sequence in the _ holder
mentioned above, and photocopy them.

Discussion
This system has
advantages:

the following

1. It may be used from the outset of a
student’s career in his chosen field.

2. It indexes and cross-references both
reprints and literature citations.

3. Categories are open-ended — they
may be changed, lumped or sub-divided
at any time, or new categories added as
ones interests broaden, with a minimum
of effort.

4. Quite sophisticated literature searches
may be easily done.

Initially, there may seem to be a
disadvantage in not having ones reprints
stored by authors. This turns out to be
more of a traditional carryover, and in
fact individual reprints can be found
more quickly by this method as they are
filed systematically rather than under a
category such as an author or in a box
marked “*B’’, etc.

One point that should be remembered
with all cross-index systems is that
category names sometimes have
synonyms — thus a paper on venoms
could be indexed under VENOMS,
TOXINS or POISONS.

REFERENCES
Mannetje, L. t’. (1972). Personal literature
index. Search 3: 158-161.

Vict. Nat. Vol. 91

Spring Collecting in Central Queensland

by J. C. LE SOUEF

In recent years I have written some
notes on winter insect collecting in
northern Australia, this being the only
time available to take extended trips. As
my wife and I had not been to
Queensland in early Spring we decided
on a shorter visit than usual, as far as
Rockhampton, in September 1973.

Normally this is a little early for
coastal insects as they do not appear in
numbers until November. On this
occasion, the main object of our journey
was to see some of the southern
butterflies in a new locality west of
Rockhampton recently found by Mr.
Andrew Atkins of Rockhampton.

As we were a few days earlier than

expected, because of inland rain closing
some roads, we decided to spend a few
days at Yeppoon. Always a mecca for
entomologists, we could not resist the
opportunity of again visiting this delight-
ful spot.
With a sea breeze the weather was
mild, with cool evenings, although the
sun was hot enough in sheltered places.
We stayed at the nearby Emu Park
Caravan Park among the foreshore
greenery of sub-tropical vegetation.

At Yeppoon the main area of interest
was the Close Vallis Reserve overlooking
the town. With its wide variety of fuana,
it is a fitting memorial to this widely
known naturalist who spent his life in the
Rockhampton district.

Making our way up the rough and
steep track to the southern end of the
Reserve, we were treated to an
unexpected variety of butterflies and
other insects. This is a perfect collecting
spot, with masses of lantana and a
backdrop of the deep blue waters of

Keppel Bay. There were many of the

October, 1974

larger swallowtails and whites as well as
smaller whites and blues, feeding and
flitting about with a _ constant
kaliedescope of movement. We tallied 34
species here. Although mostly common
and widespread, some were in unusual
numbers for this time of the year. In this
category were the Skipper, (Toxidea
peron), the Blue Triangle Swallowtails,
(Graphium sarpedon choredon), (G.
eurypylus lycaon Westw.), the Orchard
Swallowtail (P. aegeus egeus) and the
Lycaenid (Candalides absimilis Feld.).
The unusually wet winter had apparently
brought out many species earlier than
normal.

The high scrub with which the reserve
is covered is difficult to negotiate, with
the many woody vines and sharp
scratchy shrubs over a ground surface of
loose rocks.

In the small open spaces along wallaby
pads, we had the pleasure of seeing for
the first time two of the gems of the
butterfly world. Here we found the
Fourbar Swordtail (G. Jeosthenes
leosthenes) and the Cornelian (Deudorix
epijarbas diovis Hew.), probably the
world’s most ancient swallowtail, it was
indeed a delight to watch them flying
about apparently very conscious of the
tails trailing behind them, so different in
flight from the larger Blue Traingles
feeding on the lantana out in the open.
High on a leaf tip on one of the trees we
were intrigued by a small butterfly
darting at any other insect that
appeared. There was a brilliant red spot
on the upper side of the wings glinting in
the sunlight as they were opened and
closed. This was the Cornelian, a
Lycaenid butterfly well known along the
coast, the larvae of which feed in the

277

yellow fruits of Tulipwood (Herpullia
pendula).

There were many birds about in the
scrub including Scrub Turkeys with a
large mound nearby. People living in the
vicinity of the Reserve have trouble in
keeping cage birds because of the
depredations of small snakes which
abound there, but we only saw two
goannas on this occasion. We did not
find any of the larger ground spiders or
scorpions among the rocks although
there were several tarantulas (/sopeda
sp.) with egg sacs on the under sides of
larger rocks.

On an aboriginal campsite at Emu
Park, I was interested to find pieces of
very soft local mudstone used as crude
implements. Among some 50 of these
were two discoidal scrapers, one of schist
and one of quartz. These latter were
referred to Dr. Norman B. Tindale then
in Canberra. He was interested to
observe that this was the first record of
their being found east of the Dividing
Range.

While the time spent here at Yeppoon
was a highlight of many years of
collecting, it was a visit to the Expedition
Range 160 km west of Rockhampton
that was the main object of this trip.

On Friday, 21 September, 23 left Emu
Park for Rockhampton and Expedition
Range. A call at the beautiful
Rockhampton Gardens on the way
provided an example of the great
fluctuations there are in _ insect
emergences. In July 1962 there were
hundreds of butterflies on the wing of a
number of species when we had lunch
there. Ray and Nola Manskie recorded
many species too, in May of last year.
This time we made straight for the big
patch of buddlea, the focal point of
collecting in the gardens only to find the
clump had gone and the ground bare
with scarcely a dozen butterflies to be
seen anywhere.

Not far out on the Capricorn Highway,
Andrew Atkins had found a small flat
topped hill which was the playground of’

278

a number of species of butterflies. We
were rewarded from toiling up the steep
slopes by finding a number of butterflies
playing about in the sun on the top.
While we, in Victoria, have looked for
some butterflies on hilltops in the hills

and the Grampians, in New South Wales

and Queensland, many species are to be
found in this way.

Having spent some time as a jackeroo
in 1928 on the cattle station,
Coomooboolaroo near Duaringa, the
home of the Barnard family of
naturalists, it was a pleasure to again
visit this part of Queensland and recall
some of the experiences of younger days.

Expedition Range was first mentioned
in Natural History literature by A.S.
Meek in “A Naturalist in Cannibal
Land’’, when he and G. Barnard made a
packhorse trip there in 1890 from
Coomooboolaroo. Nothing more of ““The
Range’’, as it was locally known, until in
1969 Andrew was struck by its likeness
to the Grampians when flying over it on
a TV assignment. A year or so later a
road was built so that the timber
resources of the Blackdown Plateau of
the Expedition Range could be
exploited. With a means of access he was
able to satisfy his curiosity as to the
butterfly fauna to be found there. His
hunch paid off, with a list of 97 species
being recorded since his first trip to the
plateau.

Mr. Ernest Adams of “‘Mourangie’’,
Edungalba, the central Queensland
coleopterist whose cattle property is
within sight of ““The Range’’ has also
recorded a number of species of beetles
from this area.

Botanists will be very interested in the
results of the Canberra CSIRO list of
flora taken there recently.

We set up camp near the edge of the
escarpment in a picnic area set aside by
the Forest Department under the giant
Blackdown stringy-bark and Ango-
pheras. Of the many camping spots
we have had in various parts of
Australia, this was one of the most

Vict. Nat. Vol. 91

satisfying, with its view to infinity to the
north.

On Saturday morning we could see a
cloud of dust away down on the plain
below which soon materialised into
Andrew’s vehicle. He was coming up to
join us at our cup of morning coffee.
Shortly afterwards we were also joined by
Ernest Adams with a party on a log
rolling expedition searching for ground
beetles.

With so many southern plants and
shrubs about, it was difficult to realise
that this was central Queensland. While
some time was spent on Andrew’s
original collecting area along the
escarpment, it was found that the
concentration of insects on this occasion
was on a patch of teatree in a shallow
gully not far from the picnic area. As the
flowering shrubs were only 1m _ high,
collecting was a simple matter. Here in a
couple of hectares were dozens of
butterflies, wasps, flies, moths and
beetles. It was, indeed, one of the
collecting spots a southern entomologist
dreams about, but very rarely sees. Not
only was there a great variety of insects
about but there was the added zest that
here too, were species as yet not
scientifically described. This in itself was
a surely a very rare treat for the most
blase entomologist.

Apart from 18 species of Skippers,
there were many other butterflies
common to the north. Of the moths were

the clicking Ggaristid, Jdalima
tetrrapleura (Meyr.) and the bustling
Clear-wing Hawk Moth, Cephonodes
hylas L. There were three species of
small Stigmodera and one Melobasis
among the beetles; and many hover flies
and other insects.

The Blackdown Plateau is a
fascinating place for the naturalist with
such a variety of flora and spectacular
views over the surrounding country.
Heavily timbered with big Eucalypts and
Angopheras there is a ground flora of
many flowering shrubs and plants. There
are waterfalls and high and low rock

October, 1974

pools with their associated flora and
fauna.

As one would expect, this country is
subject to bush fires. Andrew took John
Landy to see the results of a fierce fire
which devastated the country in 1971.
They expected a great depletion in the
insect fauna but despite the damage, the
flora has quickly regenerated and there
is now little evidence of the conflagra-
tion.

Even in the short time the plateau has
been accessable, the vandal has been
busy defacing aboriginal paintings to be
found there. If only for this reason, we
must be thankful that the Forest
Department now insists that permission
must be sought before entering the
reserve. Application must be made to the
Forest Dept. (Rockhampton) Forester,
P.O. Box 344, Rockhampton, Qld, 4700.
It is hoped that a fifty square mile
National Park will shortly be declared.

Because of the success of the trip, we
decided to return home a week earlier
than planned, three weeks instead of
four. We leisurely packed up and made
our way down the road towards the
lowlands, collecting along the roadside
as we went. Further down the road, we
were reminded of the stamina of the
keen naturalist. We had heard from the
policeman in charge of the Timber Creek
station in Northern Territory of his
worry about the party of elderly
enthusiasts from our Club, toiling up the
steep and stony gully in the heat to the
rock paintings on the escarpment above.
We had also heard from Ernest Adams,
of his taking his lunch up a large gum at
Cooktown in a determined effort to
capture the rare jewel beetle Calodema
regalis. And here again was another
example as we met Andrew on the road
coming up the escarpment at 9.15 in the
morning, having driven the 160 km from
Rockhampton for an hour’s collecting
before returning to start his day’s tasks
at 2 p.m.!

On the way towards the Newell
Highway, we stopped at the Isla Gorge

279

Lookout near Taroom. This provided
another spot for hilltopping, with a
number of species of butterflies flying
round the crest of the ridge. Among
them was the newly described Proeidosa
polysema, one of Andrew’s locaclities for
this small skipper which he has just
described in the J. Aust. ent. Soc.

We had been looking forward for
years to be in the Pilliga Scrub in the
spring with its variety of flora. However
we were not prepared for the many
square miles of gums, mallee and shrubs
in full flower. The air was alive with the
hum of insects with a number of
apiarists making good use of the honey
flow.

With so much flower about, there was
little hope of doing much insect

collecting with the short time at our
disposal. We made our way to the only
eminence in the area, Salt Caves, visited
earlier by our President, Mr. Peter Kelly.
Apart from one Tailed Emperor
(Polyura P. sempronius Fab.) a couple of
common white butterflies and some
small blues, the only thing of interest was
a large Jewel Beetle which had for some
reason decided to settle on the top of the
rocky hill. A little further along the road,
a check was made for Ogyris barnardi,
taken earlier in the year, and the skipper
Herperilla donnysa sp, but it was a
little late for either of them.

We returned with some 800
Specimens, many of which were of
particular interest in the distribution of
their particular group.

He Seeks to Snap a Rare Wren

Australian photographer, Mr. A. G.
Wells, of Perth, is to make a visit to a
remote corner of the Kimberleys in
search of the rare black-grass-wren.

The wren is known to live only in the
almost inaccessible Prince Rupert River
of the north-west Kimberleys. Mr. Wells
will be taken in by helicopter and there
join a scientific survey group at present
operating in the area.

It has only rarely been reported by
ornithologists, and has never yet been
photographed.

Mr. Wells is making his trip under a
special grants scheme sponsored by the
Bank of New South Wales over a period
of four years for the National
Photographic Index of Australian Birds.

To make his safari to photograph the
rare bird possible Mr. Wells has been

280

granted $300 cash, and provided. with
$90 worth of film, and the loan of special
camera equipment valued at more than
$2,000.

Last year Mr. Wells visited Dirk
Hartog Island on another rare bird
expedition. He found and photographed
the black-and-white wren, which lives
only on the island.

The shots he took of this bird are now
in the National Photographic Index.

Other grants from this year’s
allocation of funds for the project are
now being considered, and will be
announced soon.

The project aims eventually to
establish a comprehensive national
reference collection of outstanding
colour photographs of Australia’s 700
(approx.) species of native birds.

Vict. Nat. Vol. 91

The Origin of Generic Names of the Victorian Flora
Part 2 — Latin, Greek and Miscellaneous
(continued from 91(8))
by JAMES A. BAINES.

Ceratogyne. Gk keras, keratos, a
horn; gyne, a pistil (female part of
flower, see reference to Myriogyne
under Centipeda above). C. obionoides
has horn-like appendages on _ the
achene, hence its common name,
Wingwort. The genus was founded in
1851 by Turczaninow for this species,
which is the only species in this solely
Australian genus. He bestowed the
specific name because it reminded him
of Obione, a genus founded by Gaert-
ner from a specimen originating from
the Obi River in Siberia (now the
Ob). Obione is in family Chenopodia-
ceae, whereas Ceratogyne is in Com-
positae.

Ceratophyllum. Gk keratos, horn;
phyllon, leaf; despite this derivation, it
is the fruit (a nut) that is horny, hence
the common name, Hornwort, for our
species, C. demersum, which is a cos-
mopolitan plant that grows rootless
and submerged in shallow stagnant or
slow-moving waters. Lat demersum
means submerged. Fish fanciers use in
their aquaria plants of Ceratophyllum,
which gives its name to the family
Ceratophyllaceae.

*Cestrum. Gk kestron, name of a
different plant, thought to be Betony
(Betonica officinalis), the name being
put in Latin form. *C. parqui is Green
Poisonberry, and is found in the N and
R grids in Victoria. A now invalid
genus, Parqui, set up by Adanson for
a species of Cestrum, is the origin of
the specific name.

*Chamaecytisus. Gk khamai, dwarf;
kytisos, used by the Greeks for several
kinds of woody legumes. *C. prolif-

October, 1974

erus is Tree Lucerne or Tagasaste,
known to many as Lucerne Tree. It
was described as Cytisus proliferus by
the son of Carl Linnaeus in 1781, who
was also Carl.

Chamaescilla. Gk khamai, dwarf;
skilla, squill; the squill of the British
Pharmacopeia is the bulb of Urginea
scilla divested of its dry membranous
outer scales, cut into slices, and dried.
Our species, C. corymbosa, is known
as Blue Squill or Blue Stars, and is in
family Liliaceae.

Cheilanthes. Gk cheilos, lip; anthos,
flower; alluding to the form of the
indusium of the spore-bearing parts.
C. tenuifolia, Rock Fern, is widely
spread in and beyond Australia, while
Victoria’s other two species are known
as Cloak-ferns. Fern fanciers call them
all Lip-ferns.

Cheiranthera. Gk cheir, hand; an-
thos, flower (antheros, flowery); be-
cause the petals spread out like the
fingers of a hand. C. linearis, Finger
Flower, is a vividly blue flower fully
justifying Brongniart’s specific name
cyanea, but Willis proved the priority
of A. Cunningham’s linearis (despite
Hj. Eichler’s restoration of cyanea),
see ‘Handbook to Plants in Vic.’, Vol.
II, p. 200.

Chenolea. Gk chen, goose, with di-
minutive added. Plants formerly in-
cluded in this genus (which is now
restricted to the Mediterranean and
South African regions) are classified
under Bassia, Kochia and Malacocera.

281

Chenopodium. Gk. chen, goose;
podion, little foot; referring to the
shape of the leaves. Victoria has 9
native species, and 6 introduced, most
known as various kinds of Goosefoot.
but *C. murale is Sowbane, *C. al-
bum, the oddly named Fat Hen, and
*C. ambrosioides, Mexican Tea. *C.
bonus-henricus, Good King Henry,
was included in Ewart’s ‘Flora of Vic-
toria’, but has been excluded by Willis.
The genus gives its name to the family
Chenopodiaceae.

Chiloglottis. Gk cheilos, lip; glottis,
tongue; in allusion to the form of the
labellum. Victoria has 5 species, all
known as different kinds of Bird-
orchid.

Chloris. Gk chloros, green; alluding
to the leaves. Victoria has 3 native
species, all known as Windmill Grass,
and one introduced species, *C. gay-
ana, indigenous to Rhodesia, as its
common name, Rhodes Grass, implies.

*Chondrilla. Gk chondrile, a name
given by Dioscorides for a related
plant which exudes gum, ultimately
from chondros, gristle, something
granular, grit. *C. juncea is Skeleton
Weed, a_ Eurasian noxious weed
spreading in eastern Australia and
parts of North America.

Choretrum. Gk choris, separate;
etron, abdomen; the extended torus
(receptacle) being separated from the
perianth by a faintly toothed rim at
its summit. Our 3 species are known
as different kinds of Sour-bush, the
Common Sour-bush (C. glomeratum)
being known in S.A. as Berry Broom-
bush.

Choristemon. Gk choris, separate;
stemon, stamen. H. B. Williamson in
1924 discovered a new plant (previ-
ously overlooked because of its re-
markable outward resemblance to Leu-
copogon virgatus) in the Brisbane

282

Ranges, and in Vict. Nat., vol. 40, pp.
231-5, set up this new genus on the
basis of the principal character being
the stamens fixed below the ovary
(hypogynous), hence the name. He
concluded that Baron von Mueller
never botanically explored these
ranges, but Willis’ss comment on
Olearia iodochroa is relevant here.

Chorizandra. Gk chorizo, I separ-
ate; aner, andros, a male; referring to
the separate male flowers. Victoria’s 2
species are known as Bristle-rushes.

*Chrozophora. Gk chros, colour;
phoros, bearing; because *C. tinctoria,
Dyer’s Litmus Plant, provides the
purple dye called turnsole. The specific
name tinctoria means ‘used for dyeing’
(cf. tincture), and Turnsole (== ‘turn-
ing with the sun’) is another common
name of the plant (also formerly used
for the Sunflower, Helianthus annuus,
the Sun-spurge or Wartwort, Euphor-
bia helioscopia, and the Heliotrope,
Heliotropium europaeum). The blue
litmus paper turned red by acids, and
turned blue again by alkalis, is derived
from various lichens, especially Archil,
Roccella tinctoria.

*Chrysanthemoides. The generic
name Chrysanthemum, with the New
Lat suffix -oides, a contraction of Gk
—o +t eidos, denoting likeness of
form, a thing that is like. The vivid
yellow flowers of this troublesome
composite resemble those of Chrysan-
themum (Gk chrysos, gold; anthos,
flower). *C. monilifera is South Afri-
can Jungleweed or Boneseed, the lat-
ter name being an exact translation
of Osteospermum, the generic name
from 1753 until 1943. The latter name
is still valid for *O. clandestinum
(Tripteris or Stinking Roger), which is
also in the Victorian flora. The ram-
pant spreading of *C. monilifera is
one of the greatest current threats to
our native bush; the other would be
the Cinnamon Fungus, Phytophthora
cinnamomi.

Vict. Nat. Vol. 91

Field Naturalists Club of Victoria

Botany Group
8 August

This month we enjoyed a slide series
prepared by Mrs. Ilma Dunn _ entitled
“Looking at Nature-Winter.’’ A well spoken
and informative commentary on tape
accompanied Mrs. Dunn’s beautiful slides
which covered many aspects of the winter
scene.

Mr. Dick Morrison showed a few slides of
lichens collected on the last excursion and
there was also a number of collections on
display. This trip to Coranderk to study
lichens was very successful and a large
number of different types were seen. Members
much appreciated Mr. Rex Filson’s leadership
and help in explaining and _ identifying
collections.

Arrangements were completed for a trip to
the Macedon area at the end of August to
study Eucalypts, which Miss Pat Carolan will
lead.

On the week-end of 28 and 29 September
the group will visit Seymour where Dr. Colin
Officer of Seymour Rotary Club Environment
Committee has arranged an inspection of the
bushland on the Puckapunyal Firing Range.
Any other club members interested in joining
the trip for the week-end or on either day
should contact the Group Secretary, Mrs. M.
Corrick (tel. 857 9937) or the President, Mr.
Ian Cameron (tel. 86 7035).

The next meeting on 12 September will be a
members night; contributions to the evening
will be very welcome. If you have a few slides,
nature notes, exhibits or questions bring them
along and share them with the group.

F.N.C.V. LIBRARY

Conservation Group
July and August

The Bendigo F.N.C. are needing support in
their submission to the government for
purchase of the Whipstick area as some
blocks recommended for inclusion have
already been sold during the delay. The
mining lease of Alcoa for the area between
Anglesea and Angahook has been changed to
an extractive one and the local conservation
group “‘Angair”’ is concerned for the flora and
kangaroos and the possibility of scars on the
landscape.

Three members of the club attended a
meeting of ski, bushwalking and _ field
naturalist clubs which recommended the
formation of an ‘‘alpine society’. The
objective which seemed to crystallize after
long discussion was the integration of the
various interests in planning for the Alps.

The billabongs at Seymour face extinction
by future road building and we have
endeavoured to obtain information on their
conservation value and details of proposed
and alternate road plans. A request for
support for reservation of the ninety odd acres
of bushland around the Moorooduc quarry
was received from ‘“Mefak’’ particularly in
view of the damage by trail bikes.

Our big job for this month is_ the
preparation of a submission to the L.C.C. on
the East Gippsland study area. The next will
be the Mallee and our group does need more
help from members to cope with these
submissions.

The Library will be open on the first and third Tuesday of the month from 1.30 p.m. to 3.30
p-m. Mrs M. Hampton and Miss Gillies will be in attendance to help those members who find it
convenient to use the library during these hours.

I hope as many people as possible will make use of this facility.

J.G. MARTINDALE,
HON. LIBARIAN

October, 1974 283

Field Naturalists Club of Victoria

Established 1880

OBJECTS: To stimulate interest in natural history and to preserve
and protect Australian fauna and flora.

Patron:
His Excellency the Honorable Sir HENRY WINNEKE, K.C.M.G., O.B.E., Q.C.

Key Office-Bearers, 1973-1974.

President:
Mr. P. KELLY
Hon Secretary: Mr. R. H. RIORDAN, 15 Regent St., East Brighton, 3187. 92-8579
Treasurer: H. BISHOP. Address Correspondence to National Herbarium, The Domain,
South Yarra.
Subscription Secretary: Mr. D. E. McINNES, 129 Waverley Rd., East Malvern, 3145.
Hon. Editor: Mr. G. M. WARD, 54 St. James Road, Heidelberg, 3084.
Hon. Librarian: Mr. J. MARTINDALE, c/o National Herbarium, The Domain, South Yarra.
Hon. Excursion Secretary: Miss M. ALLENDER, 19 Hawthorn Avenue, Caulfield, 3161.
(52-2749).
Magazine Sales Officer: Mr. D. McINNES.
Archives Officer: Mr. CALLANAN, 29 Reynards Street, Coburg, 3058. Tel. 36-0587.

Group Secretaries
Botany: Mrs. M. G. CORRICK, 7 Glenluss St., Balwyn, 3103. Tel. 857-9937.
Day Group: Mrs. J. STRONG, 1160 Dandenong Rd., Murrumbeena (56-2271).
Entomology and Marine Biology: Mr. J. W. H. STRONG, Flat 11, “Palm Court’, 1160
Dandenong Rd., Murrumbeena, 3163 (56-2271).
Field Survey: Mr. R. D. SANDELL, 39 Rubens Gve., Canterbury, 3126 (83-8009).
Geology: Mr. T. SAULT.
Mammal Survey: Miss Wendy CLARK, 97 Faraday Street, Carlton, 3053.
Microscopical: Mr. M. H. MEYER, 36 Milroy Street, East Brighton (96-3268).
MEMBERSHIP
Membership of the F.N.C.V. is open to any person interested in natural history. The Victorian
Naturalist is distributed free to all members, the club’s reference and lending library is available,

and other activities are indicated in reports set out in the several preceeding pages of this
magazine.

i“ ie...
Rates of Subscriptions 1G 1974. ~*~

Peat Members a imac se nor kon eae bs jc Ne tie: Desee eae \ g sdeacti igh ore $7.00
Country, Membetsie 02. se ee lie rf eh Pde i one aa cea asa cota $5.00
NomteMembersi.ctt wee rs, ce ts bate YAN ae a 600 eee $2.00
iS é : nw
Junior Members (under 18 years) .............. 06 oe A Gin iH 2 Shekel 1 Re aa ae $2.00
é ae : & OW
Junior Members receiving Vict. Nat. ...........4 Pat penne on ecw ae if ee eR aR $4.00
Subscriptions to Vict. Nat. (Aust. only). ....... 73 Ps SC: GR Pon y/ 6 ta Sosa Pees $5.00
Overseas Subscribers ............ 0.00252 ws east scat Peers cy wv /f ce 1 Sa Shae ee ge $6.00
Affiliated Societies ..................000% oat a: Lert Soy fi RO eee $7.00
Supporting.:Members. 5.5.00 ate eo ae ae As 8 Sa... .. odes Yara 7 2g 00 $10.00
Life Membership (reducing after 20 years) ..... Rae = os ele WO: Ben eee $140

The cost of individual copies of the Vict. Nat. will be 45 cents (52 cents — overseas requests).

Full-time Students between 18 and 21 years pay at Junior Member rates.

All subscriptions should be made payable to the Field Naturalists Club of Victoria, and posted to the
Subscription Secretary.

JENKIN, BUXTON & CO. PTY. LTD., PRINTERS, WEST MELBOURNE

(505, G45 \

Published by the
FIELD NATURALISTS CLUB OF VICTORIA

NOVEMBER, 1974

_ in which is incorporated the Microscopical Society of Victoria

=

Category “B”’

Registered in Australia for transmission by post as a periodical.

F.N.C.V. DIARY OF COMING EVENTS

GENERAL MEETING

Monday, 11 November — At National Herbarium, The Domain, South Yarra, commencing 8 pm
Speaker — Miss Penny Goldin (The Victorian Public Interest Research Group)
Subject — ‘‘Dandenong Ranges Studies”’.

Monday, 9 December — At National Herbarium, The Domain, South Yarra, commencing 8 pm
Speaker — Mr. R. D. Kent
Subject — ‘‘Some Fundamentals of Weather and Climate’.

New Members —
Ordinary:
Miss Rosemary Adam, Lot 5 Warringah Cres.. Eltham 30985.
Sr. Maree Henderson, Sancta Sophia College, William St., Glenroy 3046 (Botany and Geology).
Mr. Tom C. Moore. 7 Williams Road, Mooroolbark 3138.

Joint:
Mr. Sam Ginsberg and Mrs. Fiona Ginsberg, 23 Amess St.. North Carlton 3054 (Marine and Entomology).
Mr. Gerard M. Vaughan and Mrs. Teresa Vaughan, 69 Mast Gully Road, Upwey 3158 (Botany).
Junior:
David G. Andrew, 8 Clendon Road. Armadale 3143 (Field Survey).
Philip Ricketson, 13 Hargreaves St.. Mornington 3931 (Mammal Survey Microscopy).

GROUP MEETINGS
(8 pm at the National Herbarium unless otherwise stated)

Thursday, 14 November — Botany Group Meeting: “‘Using a Botanical Key'’. Study and prac-
tice in small groups — 3 leaders.

Wednesday, 20 November — Microscopical Group meeting at the Herbarium at 8 p.m.

Thursday, 21 November — Day Group meeting: Bird observing trip to Blackburn Lake. Leader
— Roy Wheeler. Bring lunch. Ringwood train leaves Flinders St. Station at 10.53 a.m.
Meet at Blackburn Station 11.30 a.m.

Thursday, 21 November — Conservation Group meeting at the Herbarium at 8 p.m.

Thursday, 28 November — Field Survey Group meeting in Conference Room, National
Museum, at 8 p.m. Members’ Night.
Monday, 2 December — Marine Biology and Entomology Group meeting in Conference

Room, National Museum at 8 p.m.
Wednesday, 4 December — Geology Group meeting at Herbarium at 8 p.m.

Thursday, 5 December — Mammal Survey Group meeting at Arthur Rylah Inst., 123 Brown St.,
Heidelberg, 8 p.m.

Thursday, 12 December — Botany Group Christmas meeting.

F.N.C.V. EXCURSIONS

Sunday, 17 November — Labertouche. Leader: Mr. J. Brooks of the Warragul Field Naturalists
Club. The coach will leave Batman Avenue at 9.30 a.m. stop at the corner of Hawthorn
and Balaclava Roads at 9.45 a.m. then continue on to the junction of Princes Highway
and the Labertouche Rd. which is about 100 yards east of the Longwarry North School
making a brief stop in Dandenong on the way. Mr. Brooks will meet the party there at 11
a.m. Bring two meals fare $2.60.

Sunday, 8 December — Torquay. Marine Biology and General. The coach will leave from Bat-
man Avenue at 9.30 a.m. Fare $3.00, bring two meals.

Thursday, 26 December — Friday, 3 January — Falls Creek. The party will leave Flinders St.
from outside the Gas and Fuel Corporation at 8.30 a.m. on Boxing Day and should take a
picnic lunch. Any outstanding fares should be paid by 25 November. Other details were
in the September Naturalist but as this excursion has been well booked a few members

may be accommodated in Sparo Lodge instead of the motel.
cont. p307

286 Vict. Nat. Vol. 91

the
victorian
naturalist

Vol. 91, No. 11 6 November, 1974
Editor: G. M. Ward
Assistant Editor: G. F. Douglas

Contents
Articles:
Bell-Miners in the Melbourne

Area
By Ellen M. McCulloch and

Frank Noelker 288
Feature:
The Origin of Generic Names

of the Victorian Flora

By James A. Baines 304
F.N.C.V.:
Diary of Coming Events 286

307

Front Cover:
Home garden, including some lawn and

eucalypts; understorey mainly Australian
shrubs. This illustration, together with Plate 1
in leading article, gives some indication of dif-
ferent habitats of Bell-miners.

Vict. Nat. Vol. 91

At its October meeting Council had to make
decisions regarding the future of the Victorian
Naturalist, and the subscription rates to the
Club. As mentioned in this column over the
last few months inflation has dramatically in-
creased the cost of printing the magazine. In
1970 the cost of publishing twelve 32 page
issues was $5463. This year, even with the
reduced number of pages over the last few
issues, the cost is expected to reach $8333. As
administrative and other costs of running the
Club will this year be just over $3500 the total
expenditure for 1974 will be in excess of
$11,800. To meet these costs we have an in-
come this year of $6300 from subscriptions, a
possible maximum of $2200 in the grants from
the Victorian Treasury and the Ingram Trust,
plus $1300 from other sources — a total of
$9800. This means a deficit of $2000. Last year
the Club had a deficit of $54. Obviously Coun-
cil could not allow this situation to continue.

Council has therefore decided to increase
all subscription rates. It is seven years since
the last increase — so it is hoped members
will not feel that too bad a job has been done
in combating inflation. The new rates to apply
in 1973 are — $10 for metropolitan and over-
seas members and affiliated clubs; $12.50 for
a joint metropolitan membership; $8 for coun-
try and retired members and juniors receiving
Vic. Nat.; $10 for a joint country membership;
$2.50 for a junior membership without Vic.
Nat.

While Council explores means of obtaining
assistance to cover the cost of publication the
Victorian Naturalist will continue to be issued
monthly — except that the January and
February issues will be merged. As the
magazine has been a monthly throughout its
history of over 90 years every means of
retaining this frequency of publication will be
examined before a change is made. However,
if inflation continues at an increasing rate the
situation may have to be reviewed after some
months.

287

Bell-Miners in the Melbourne Area
V.O.R.G. Report No. 38

by

ELLEN M. MCCULLOCH AND FRANK NOELKER

Survey Aims

The idea of mapping the occurrence of
Bell-Miners in the Melbourne Area
originated one evening at the home of E.
M. McCulloch, where a number of
people met to discuss the ecology of
various honeyeater species in suburban
areas.

Mr. G. W. Swainson, who was
studying co-operative breeding of Bell-
Miners at the time, was instrumental in
the original planning of the survey,
which was aimed at recording the
location and history of every colony of
Bell-Miners in the Melbourne
metropolitan area (see Map 1).

It was impossible to trace the history
of each colony, as in many cases colonies
existed when residents in the area came
to live there.

Search of literature showed that Bell-
Miners once had a more extensive range,
and information has been included to
show this, (see Map 2).

Introduction

Little has been published in Australia
of the effect of urbanisation on bird
species, apart from recording the obvious
retreat by some species unable to
withstand change of habitat, or
statements that some _ species have
adapted to suburban gardens.

The eastern suburbs of Melbourne are
the south-western limit of the range of
Bell-Miners in Australia. The survey
covered this area to the Dandenong

Bell-Miners are Australian honey-
eaters of the family Meliphagidae.
honeyeaters of the family Meliphagidae.
The species was first named in 1801 by
the English ornithologist, John Latham,
based on a Lambert drawing (Watling

288

no. 149). Like so many other honeyeaters
it had a varied taxanomic career, being
firstly described as a thrush.

The calls of some other species e.g.
Crimson Rosella Platycercus elegans and
Indian Mynah Acridotheres tristis can
sound deceptively like some Bell-Miner
notes, so records based only on single
calls should be verified.

The scientific name in “‘An Index of
Australian Bird Names Division of
Wildlife Research Technical Paper no.
20”’ 1969 compiled by _ the
Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial
Research Organization, Australia is
Manorina melanophrys.

The birds are 72 ins (190mms) long,
and are olive-green which is lighter on
the underparts, with orange beak and
legs. They live in colonies and their
attractive, if monotonous, bell-like call-
notes are conspicuous and readily draw
attention.

Methods

Recording forms briefly outlined the
aims of the survey and asked for a sketch
map showing the position of each colony
and how long it had been there, and had
space for additional information such as
habitat, and proximity to water. A
separate form was required for each
colony, or for an area where a colony had
formerly existed within recent years.

During 1970 these forms were widely
distributed at meetings of the Victorian
Ornithological Research Group, and the
Bird Observers Club, and the existence
of the survey was publicised in
newsletters and journals of the Victorian
Field Naturalists Club, the Ringwood
Field Naturalists Club, the Blackburn
and District Tree Preservation Society,

Vict. Nat. Vol. 91

the Queensland Ornithological Society,
the Queensland Wildlife Preservation

Society and by other’ interested
naturalists on a personal basis. Local
suburban newspapers published

requests for information; three official
V.O.R.G. trips were organised in
different areas, and requests were made
to people living near colonies. All of
these methods produced information.

A few of the reports gave conflicting
evidence, but in the great majority of
cases, they complemented each other.

In 1972 it was decided to check
colonies recorded in 1970. Each colony
was given a number, and _ was
correspondingly plotted on a map, witha
numbered star, red for existing colonies
and yellow for colonies now absent.
Checksheets with sketch maps endorsed
were sent to those people who had
previously completed forms, and they
were asked to compare them with
previous records. Additionally, slightly
amended general record forms were
again made available to obtain
information on new or _ previously
unrecorded colonies.

Within the City of Nunawading, all
colonies were checked again in October,
1973 and in January, 1974.

Ornithological journals and other
literature dealing with natural history
subjects were searched for references.
Unpublished MSS of the diaries of F. W.
Howe and J. A. Ross were made
available from the Archival Collections
in Ornithology at the National Museum
of Victoria.

Over 120 people provided
information, largely by filling in survey
forms, and their names are included in
Appendix 1. Without their help it would
obviously have been difficult to map the
metropolitan area, and we thank them
sincerely for their contribution.

If we have inadvertantly omitted the
name of any contributor, we apologise.

General Distribution
In “What Bird is That?’ (N. W.
Cayley, 1967, revised A. H. Chisholm

Vict. Nat. Vol. 91

and others, Angus & Robertson, Ltd.)
p.110, the distribution of the Bell-Miner
(or Bellbird) is given as — *‘Coastal and
mountain areas of eastern Australia
from south-eastern (Mary Valley)
Queensland to south-western Victoria.”’
The notes following state — ‘Large
colonies of these birds establish
themselves on timbered ridges or beside
creeks (especially in Gippsland) and
remain in the one locality for years.”’

“Distribution of Australian Honey-

eaters” G. R. Cannon, Emu_ 62:
145-166, 1962, gives the distribution
(p.162) as ‘‘Queensland — A_ few

colonies in the McPherson Range and as
far north as the valley of the Mary River.
New South Wales — a number of
colonies are known between Sydney and
the Queensland border. Very common in
the Gosford district. Numerous south of
Sydney. Victoria — colonies through the
Dandenongs, their foothills and
adjoining eastern ranges. Also recorded
on the Glenelg River, in the south-west
of the State (Emu 24: 157).”

H. R. Officer in ‘‘Australian
Honeyeaters’”” (1964 Bird Observers
Club) p.69, writes — “Distribution —
McPherson Range of Southern
Queensland to Victoria, as far as the
Glenelg River.’ In the third impression
with amendments, 1971, the Glenelg
River is omitted and it would seem that
confirmation of this western fecord 1s
lacking. The 1971 edition gives the
distribution as — ‘‘From about Gympie
in Southern Queensland to the eastern
suburbs of Melbourne, Victoria”’ (p.71).

Recorded Historical Distribution in
Victoria, particularly the Melbourne
Area.

From the relatively meagre published
data available it is impossible to be
absolutely sure of early distribution and
status of any of our birds. We have
selected the following references to show
the changing status of this species over
the years.

289

1801 Emu 31: p.175-196, 1932, D. J.
Dickison ‘‘History and Early Records of
Ornithology in Victoria,’ records this
species in Westernport Bay, when the
Lady Nelson, under the command of
James Grant, explored the area. On
March 31, Grant and Bareillier went up
the freshwater river (unspecified). It is
recorded that ‘the sides of the river have
trees of a large size growing on them,
with much underwood, and we observed
a number of birds settling on them.
Among these we noted the bird called
the Bellbird, which has no remarkable
plumage, but a note not unlike the
tinkling of a bell; so that when a number
of these birds are collected together, the
noise is similar to that made by the bells
of a team of horses.”

l657-Vic, Nat--68: p.Vi5-1 781952,
Lionel A. Gilbert — ‘‘Visit of an Early
Naturalist to Victoria’ records notes by
James Backhouse of the species on ‘‘the
Yarra Yarra during his journey by boat
up the river to Melbourne.”’

hood Vic) Nabe4d: pi213-221, 1932;
A. S. Kenyon — “From Port Phillip to
Sydney in 1839”’, records notes from the
diary of Edmond Charles Hobson. The
exact route near Melbourne Is not given,
but the quotation for April 7, 1839,
P-216r sis: —, “. ten miles from
Melbourne we came upon the temporary
stock station of Mr. Darlot ... We
proceeded on our road but the country
between this station and Thornloe’s was
inferior to that we had passed in the
morning. A great deal of barren forest
land covered with gravel and broken
pieces of agate. Before arriving at the
station we passed a creek where I heard
the peculiar sound as if from a small
bell. This was the note of the bellbird in
New Holland. It is never found anywhere
save on the banks of rivers or large ponds
of good water... Before tea we made a
strong party to see the bellbirds.”’

As two days later the party arrived in
the morning at Pyalong, it seems logical
to suppose that the Bell-miners were

290

seen enroute around the Whittlesea/
Wallan/Kilmore area.

April. 18th, 1839) diame” vas. ahe
beautiful and clear note of the bellbird
(Myzantha flavirostris) is heard
incessantly.”’ This records the species
close to Springhurst, near the Ovens
River outside the present range. (It
would appear that this early Victorian
reference has been overlooked by
ornithologists, as D.J. Dickison does not
include it.)

1840 Emu 31: p.175-196, 1932, D. J.
Dickison ‘‘History and Early Records of
Ornithology in Victoria’’ gives a number
of references. P.186 — “‘Howitt, at the
land sale of 1840, purchased an
allotment of 95 acres near the junction of
the Merri Creek and the Yarra. In
describing this locality he says, “‘The
windings of the Yarra in full prospect,
both near and far, are beautiful. Some
twenty or thirty bellbirds are ringing a
merry peal within hearing.’’ This is the
present suburb of Clifton Hill.

1843 A. R. McEvey in John Cotton’s
“Birds of Port Phillip’? (MS) 1973. John
Cotton records this species in the area of
the King Parrot Creek, ‘““The note of the
bellbird is heard from morning to night .

1840-1854. Emu 7: p.1-17, T9077, J:
Batey, ‘‘On Fifteen Thousand Acres; it’s
Bird life Sixty Years Ago.’ — p.9 “Very
common on Jackson’s Creek in 1846;
gradually diminished and the last half
dozen flew up stream as if bent on a
journey, about March, 1854. From that
date this bird has never revisited the
region. Met with it on lower Campaspe
in November, 1861. Heard on Hughes
Creek, at Avenel, in 1844. Mr. W.
Westgarth says it was on the Yarra at
Richmond in 1840. I did not meet it
again until in Gippsland recently.”
Jackson’s Creek is in the Sunbury area.

1850s. Bird Observer, May 1950. W.
R. Wheeler ‘‘Notes on the Bell Miner”’
— ‘Wheelwright recorded them in the

Vict. Nat. Vol. 91

ti-tree and gums by the side of creeks
and waterholes in the Mordialloc district
in the 1850s.”’

1874 Letter from N. Wakefield (file),
May 31st. 1972, re Olinda Creek area...
‘“Bell-Miners were evidently not there in
November, 1874, when a von Hugel
collected birds there.”’

1895 Vic. Nat. 14: p.123-128, 1898,
Robert Hall — ‘‘Notes on the Bird
Fauna of the Box Hill District’, p.127 —
“In 1895 and 1896 a young friend at
Bayswater advised me of seeing the
greenish-hued birds, and hearing the
single calls which are like the notes of a
cattle-bell . . . It seemed to me during a
late tour in the Grantville locality that
the adult birds owned the bell note...
Beyond Bayswater to the south, two or
three little flocks were seen.’’ Grantville
is on the south-eastern coastline of
Westernport Bay.

1900 ‘‘Handbook Australasian
Association Melbourne.’’ G. A.
Keartland “Birds of the Melbourne
District’’ — “‘Although Gippsland is the
stronghold of this species, they are
occasionally met with at Ringwood and
Bayswater.’’ ‘‘Nests and Eggs of
Australian Birds’, A. J. Campbell, 1900,
pp.417-418 — ‘In the early days of the
State of Victoria, Bellbirds used to exist
in the tea-tree (Melaleuca) tracts in the
neighbourhood of Mordialloc and in the
timber along the course of the Werribee
River and on the Yarra above Hawthorn.
The birds were never destroyed, yet they
have mysteriously disappeared —
probably removed to other forest retreats
— notably to Gippsland...”

1904-5 Unpublished MSS in Archival
Collections in Ornithology, National
Museum of Victoria. Diary of F. E.
Howe.

1905-1922 Unpublished MSS in
Archival Collections in Ornithology,
National Museum of Victoria. Diary of J.
A. Ross. Both diaries include notes
recorded on extensive egg-collecting on

Vict. Nat. Vol. 91

creeks in the Ringwood area and did not
once mention Bell-Miners there. It
seems most unlikely that the species, if
present, would have been overlooked. It
is noted in the diaries that eggs of this
species were collected at Pakenham.

1907 Emu 7: p.41, 1907, D. le Souef
recorded species at Mount Buffalo,
March 1907 at 4,500’.

1909 Emu 92 pp.234-236, 1909,E aE:

Wilson ‘‘The Bell Miner (Manorhina
melanophrys).’’ Note’ refers to
Beaconsfield as having the nearest

colony to Melbourne at that date.

1920s Unpublished survey material. J.
Greenwood, “‘At Bellbird corner area in
early 1920s. corner Canterbury Road
and Blackburn Road. (Heard when he
cycled to and from tennis). Gradually
spread from there to Canterbury
Road/Springvale Road area about 12-13
years ago, i.e. about 1958-59, before
subdivisional explosion, e.g. Parkmore.”’

(This contradicts other reports saying
birds were not there in 1927 and visitors
seeking them had to be taken to
Montrose in the 1930s.)

1925 Emu 25: pp.239-242, 1926;
Robert Hall ‘‘The Birds of Port Phillip’,
p.242, lists Bell Miners as being one of
the species characteristic of the silurian
ridge east of Melbourne in a paper
discussing species ‘‘in the outer suburbs
of Melbourne.”’

1927 Unpublished survey material,
from Mrs. Carol Lawrence, quoting Mr.
Whittaker, re Laurel Grove area;
Blackburn, that there were no Bell-
Miners there then.

1927 Emu 27: pp.252-265, 1928, F. E.
Howe ‘‘Notes on Some Victorian Birds’’
— ‘‘Plentiful and on the increase.”’

1929-1932 Unpublished survey
material, from Mrs. Carol Lawrence,
“Colony at Fern Tree Gully, near the
junction of the Belgrave and Mt.
Dandenong Roads.’’ (picnic
remembered.)

291

1930 Emu 30: p.239, “Report of the
Bird Observers Club’’ — ‘‘This species . .
it is interesting to note, is increasing in
numbers.”

1930 Unpublished survey material, via
Mrs. Barbara Garrett from Mrs. Peeke
re Wonga Park/Ringwood area, near
Oban Road, ‘‘Bell-Miners were in the
area where power lines now cross Oban
Road in the 1930s when she was there.
She was grown up by 1939, and she can
always remember them being there when
she was a girl.”

1930s Unpublished survey material.
(Letter, H. Reynolds). During the 1930s
there were no Bell-Miners on property at
Canterbury Road, Vermont — “.. . city
visitors taken out to Montrose along the
Swansea Road, to hear these birds. In
1952, in approximately the middle of the
year, a large colony .. . descended on the
property.”’

1934 Emu 34: pp.147-148, 1934,
Report of the Bird Observers Club. **...
proceeded to Kilsyth and Mooroolbark.
At the bend of Olinda Creek the silver
wattles flooded on the valley with waves
of glorious colour. This is the one reserve
near Melbourne where Bell-Miners are
to be found, and the establishment there
must be of very recent years because in
the writings of some of the earlier
naturalists who knew the place well, they
are not mentioned.”’

1936 Emu 36: p.107. G. R. Gannon
‘Bird Observations on a Southern Trip
from Sydney’? — (re Mallacoota area)
‘It would appear that there has been an
extension of range since the last
excursion.’ This is after noting early
records of Capt. White, “birds not
plentiful around Mallacoota and restrict-
ed to a small area’’ and after discussion
with a local person.

1939 Unpublished survey material re
Laurel Grove area from Mr. Whittaker
and Mrs. Grant, per Mrs. C. Lawrence
and Mr. Owen Lawrence. Mrs. Grant
has lived in the area for 48 years. Mr.

292

Whittaker ‘‘went to live in the area in _

1927 when there were no Bell-Miners
there. They first came in after the 1939
fires, settling at first in the area on the
creek, east of Blackburn Road, then
gradually spreading over the whole
part.”’ Mr. S. F. Sherlock made a similar
observation about this colony.

1950 Bird Observer, May 1950, W. R.
Wheeler ‘‘Notes on the Bell-Miner’’. ‘At
the present time large colonies exist
along the Cardinia Creek, the Olinda
Creek, Wilson’s Creek and Woori-
Yallock. Other colonies occur at
Belgrave, Belgrave South, Blackburn,
Healesville, Mitcham, Mt. Evelyn,
Officer, Pakenham, Tecoma,
Warrandyte and Wonga Park districts.
Small colonies are to be found at Fern
Tree Gully, Bayswater and near Wattle
Glen. This last-named colony was first
noted by the B.O.C. on a trip there on 18
April, 1948. This was a definite
movement away from the wetter forest
areas of the Dandenongs and the
foothills, into the drier country about
Hurstbridge. On 2 January, 1950, a
colony of at least two dozen birds was
noted at Scrubby Creek about a mile
west of Wattle Glen, and still another
party on Diamond Creek between
Eltham and North Eltham.

‘What are the causes of this invasion
into the drier areas, and will these
colonies become more _ or less
permanent?”

1954 Unpublished survey material. T.
Martin re colony Terrara Road — creek
tributary to Dandenong Creek. ‘‘Birds
arriving in large numbers in the summer
of 1954 at the south-east boundary at
least. I presume that this colony came up

along this unnamed creek from the
Dandenong Creek area where, as far
back as my memory goes, I can
remember Bell-Miners being around
there:

1955-1965 From survey material, it
would appear that during this period a
decline in the birds’ suburban status

Vict. Nat. Vol. 91

Map No. 1 show.

ing distribution

of Bell-Miners in

the metropolitan >
Melbourne area z
1974. BY

\
fk

S Ven]
i
A

commenced, although it is difficult to
pinpoint precisely. It coincides roughly
with the great expansion of home-
building in Melbourne’s eastern
suburbs.

1966-1973
From the commencement of. this
survey in 1970, it was obvious that this

decline continued until mid-October
1973.

Vict. Nat. Vol. 91

TO
Yarrambat eS,
LO? \/
ATA bridge wae
3 Christmgs thy Sit
aa

With some surprise it was then noted
that there was a general expansion of
colonies and an increase in numbers of
birds in the City of Nunawading area (for
details see section dealing with this).

No general survey over the whole
Melbourne area was undertaken at this
time but from the small amount of
evidence available, it seems probable
that the increase in numbers was fairly
general.

293

SUMMARY

Historical Distribution

From the information available it is
known that prior to 1850, the species was
more widespread (see Map No. 2) than it
is now.

It is extended as far westward as
Sunbury and Werribee and further north
(though there are few records of this) to
Springhurst, only 16 miles (25.7 km)
south of the Murray River. Early records
include Mt. Buffalo, Avenel (near Euroa)
and ‘‘the lower Campaspe’’. The birds
were also at Westernport Bay in 1801
and 1895S.

From data covering the period from
approximately 1850 to 1920, we have
found nothing to suggest that Bell-
Miners existed in metropolitan
Melbourne, except for the second-hand
report by Robert Hall that the birds were
recorded in Bayswater in 1895 and 1896.

It seems that in the study area the
Species was rare at the beginning of this
century, that by the 1920s it was
becoming more common in the outer
eastern suburbs and that this expansion
continued in the 1930s.

It is probable that this change of
suburban range accelerated in the late
1930s and early 1940s, and a suggestion
has been made that instead of being a
natural increase in numbers, it was a
result of the disastrous 1939 bushfires.
This is not proven, but it is an interesting

294

hypothesis, as we have definite records of
movements of some colonies when fire
destroyed their area.

By the early 1950s colonies were
present in most of the general areas
where they are now found.

From 1960 to 1970, the number of
colonies in the Melbourne area was
declining.

We have not attempted a complete
coverage outside the Melbourne area,
but judging from available records it
seems probable that the general pattern
of fluctuation in status was repeated
elsewhere.

Survey Map and Present Metropolitan
Distribution. Map No. 1.

Within the Melbourne area, colonies
are found on the Yarra River and its
tributaries, and along Gardiner’s Creek
and the Dandenong Creek and their
drainage systems.

The colony at Kew would appear to be
the most westerly at the moment.

Outside the actual suburban
Melbourne study area, the birds are
particularly numerous along the
Diamond Creek nearly to Kinglake
National Park, on Arthur’s Creek, near
Hurstbridge, along Watson’s Creek and
to a lesser extent, on the Plenty River as
far upstream as Janefield. All other
tributaries of the Yarra have extensive
colonies.

The isolated colony at Baxter on the
Mornington Peninsula is of interest.

Map No. 2. Present distribution of the Bell-
Miner in Victoria (hatched) 1974. X shows
previous records referred to in text.

Vict. Nat. Vol. 91

Bell-Miners in the City of Nunawading

Introduction

Colonies reported in 1970 and others
found since have been visited regularly.
During March 1972, the whole of this
area was systematically searched for
colonies not previously recorded. All
areas were surveyed again in October
1973 and in January 1974, when it
became immediately apparent that a
major expansion had taken place since
October 1973.

Several colonies had increased so
substantially that it seemed impossible
to attribute this solely to a good breeding
season. However, as 11 out of 15 colonies
hes 75) percent, were numerically
Stronger, it is unlikely that an influx
from other districts would simply be
absorbed into existing colonies. Seasonal
breeding changes have not been
recorded to account for this variation,

although breeding occurs throughout
most of the year.

A search for nests at Blackburn Lake
revealed only one, yet several very
immature Bell-Miners were being fed by
adults.

The two new colonies, N15 and N24,
recorded in late 1973, are relatively
large, from 30 to 40 birds each, and their
origin is unknown.

The accompanying table shows
rainfall figures recorded at Mitcham for
1971, 1972 and 1973, plus an annual
average compiled over 16 years. It is not
known whether this can be related to the
sudden expansion of numbers.

The presence of Bell-Miners (or their
habitat) in the City of Nunawading and
more particularly, in the suburb of
Blackburn, has a marked effect on real
estate. Frequently one notes ‘‘in the

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Vict. Nat. Vol. 91

295

heart of the Bell Bird area’’ or “‘on the
verge of Blackburn’s prestige Bell Bird
area”’ in real estate advertisements. It
is said that houses in such areas sell well
above the price of similar houses
elsewhere. Estate agents speak in jest of
tape-recordings of Bell-Miner calls in the
boots of their cars. An area at Wheeler’s
Hill, Glen Waverley, has a _ similar
attraction. |

A summary of each colony within the
City of Nunawading is given to clarify
detail of the changing status. See
locations on Map 3.

Colony N1

The area occupied is in 6 acres of
natural bushland including a damp
gully. The property’s owner intends to
maintain its present condition. He has
owned the property from 1955 and
advises that Bell Miners were present
only during 1966 to 1968 and from 1970
to date. The colony doubled to an
estimated 50 birds in late 1973.
Previously a gradual decline was evident,
and this was particularly noticeable in
March 1973 and October 1973.
Colony N2

The arrival of this colony in August,
1971, co-incided with another leaving
two miles downstream on the Koonung
Creek during bulldozing operations. It is
not known if it is the same colony. A
local resident of twenty years had not
seen Bell-Miners before at this location.
Upon arrival they were thinly spread
along a 600-yard strip on the western
side of Springvale Road, between two
branches of the Koonung Creek. The
colony gradually became depleted in
numbers and constricted during the
following year, and became confined to
an area of 200 square yards, on a small
gully. There are now only 6-i0 birds
present and this number has remained
constant during the 15 months prior to
January, 1974.
Colony N3

This colony (or colonies) covers a
much larger area than is normal in an

296

urban area. It is on two gullies which
join then run into the Mullum Mullum
Creek. Recent subdivision of the
Summerhill Estate has split the colony
into four parts, even though Bell-Miners
have been seen flying for approximately
300 yards over cleared areas. The four
areas occupied are

(a) In a gully on Moresby Street,

(b) at the intersection of Moresby
Street and Quarry Road, and 150 yards
southwest and uphill on Quarry Road,

(c) along the creek in Cassella Street
and Quarry Road,

(d) at the end of the new subdivision in
Summerhill Court.

Although substantial filling of a gully
and road-making has recently taken
place, numbers appear to be greater in
January, 1974, than in October, 1973.
The area at the end of Summerhill Court
was not occupied in October, 1973, but
20-30 birds were present in January,
1974. Apart from an absence of 18
months after the 1961 bushfires, which
devastated the district, Bell-Miners have
been present for at least 14 years.

Colony N4

The area occupied is in a gully on
residential and uncleared private land.
The age of the colony is 11 years but
local residents claim numbers have
declined despite little habitat change.
Personal observation over the last 2 years
has shown no variation of an estimated
25-35 birds.

Colony N5

This is an unusual habitat, as the large
eucalypts are isolated by comparison to
those in other colony territories. The
birds are concentrated in Cherry Court
where eucalypts are denser; they spread
along Burnett Street to the east and as
far as Thomas Street wherever habitat is
suitable. No fluctuation in numbers has
been noted during the survey. The colony
has been there for at least 14 years.

Colony N6
Until late 1973, this colony was
located downstream from the Quarry

Vict. Nat. Vol. 91

Road bridge for 300 yards along the
Mullum Mullum Creek. This area of
relatively undisturbed bushland retained
a constant number of Bell-Miners during
the period of observation until late 1973.
However, between October and
December, 1973, a major extension of
range occurred, resulting in a minor
expansion in territory downstream and a
substantial increase upstream from the
bridge. The occupied area now extends
upstream to opposite the junction of
Nara Road and Wattle Valley Road and
for 200 yards along the gully towards
colony N4. The proposed F.19 freeway, if
it proceeds, would probably eliminate
this colony.

Colony N7

This colony is situated on both sides of
Deep Creek Road along the Mullum
Mullum Creek. A_ gully along the
unmade section of Rangeview Grove,
near the creek, is also occupied. The two
territories are only 100 yards apart and
could be treated as separate colonies
as Bell-Miners do not appear to
integrate. Numbers have also increased
in late 1973. The F19 freeway could
destroy this area also.

Colony N8&

The area occupied was on industrial
land adjacent to Mitcham Reservoir in
Simla Streét. During construction of a
warehouse on part of the colony territory
during 1972, the birds left the area. Mr.
K. Richards reported that numbers were
declining in June, 1972. They had been
present from at least 1954.

Colony N9

Like colony N8, this colony left about
August, 1972, after remaining for at
least 15 years. The territory was in an
established residential area along the
western side of Heartherdale Road,
Mitcham, 150 yards south of Forster
Street. Eucalypts have been retained in
gardens and no obvious change to
habitat or disturbance to Bell-Miners
was evident prior to the birds leaving.

Vict. Nat. Vol. 91

According to local residents who arrived
15 years ago, vast numbers of Bell-
Miners were present in 1957. They
declined to an estimated 20 birds over
the last few years, before their departure.
The only water present was in swimming
pools and bird-baths.

Colony N10

When visited in March, 1972, there
were about 10 Bell-Miners left, and they
were confined to number 36, The
Avenue, Blackburn. These birds are
probably a remnant of the formerly
enormous colony mentioned in_ the
following paragraph. The habitat was in
good condition and it appears that other
unknown factors caused their departure
in May, 1972.

Colony N11.

This colony gives Blackburn’s real
estate agents the opportunity to claim a
house is ‘‘in the heart of the Bellbird
area.’’ Records show that this was once a
vast colony extending to Blackburn
Railway Station from Acacia Avenue. It
has now contracted to around the
junction of Linum Street and Laurel
Grove. It has been claimed that the
colony arrived after the 1939 bushfires.
Bell-Miners are still numerous, although
many eucalypts are over-mature and
dying. Even so, the expansion of late
1973 was also evident with this colony.

Colony N12

Records indicate that this large colony
on a branch of Gardiner’s Creek tends to
expand and contract its territory. There
is no obvious reason for this occurrence
as it is in a settled residential area with
little habitat change. Recently the colony
has contracted from Naughton Grove at
the southern end of the territory and
expanded at Jeffrey Street to the north.
Unlike other colonies in the City of
Nunawading, numbers’ remained
constant during 1973. It has _ been
established there for at least 12 years.
Colony N13

The age has never been clearly
established but this was probably the

297

oldest colony in suburban Melbourne. It
was there before 1939 and possibly was
present’ in 1927. The ‘junction (of
Canterbury and Blackburn Roads has
been affectionately known as “‘Bellbird
Corner”’ for many years. It is not known
if Bell-Miners have occupied the corner
continuously. The number of eucalypts
has declined since construction of
Windemere Drive and subsequent
housing development. Bell-Miners
gradually declined in numbers over
recent years until the last dozen left in
August, 1973.

Colony N14

This colony has existed for a number
of years at the north eastern corner of
Blackburn Lake, and, according to Mr.
K. Richards, had been declining in
numbers. On Christmas Day, 1970, the
colony was absent; however, two weeks
later this area was re-occupied. No birds
were present the following weekend. The
area was vacant until August, 1973,
when about 12 Bell-Miners occupied an
adjacent but not identical territory. It is
interesting to note that colony N13
vacated their territory in August, 1973.
We have no evidence to show whether the
birds at Blackburn Lake came from N13.
By December, 1973, the colony had
expanded fourfold in numbers and
territory. Immature Bell-Miners were
present but only one nest was found.

Colony N15

Until October 1973, Bell-Miners were
not in Glen Ebor Avenue, Blackburn. An
estimated 30-40 birds now (March, 1974)
occupy an area on both sides of this
street between Game Street and SO yards
east of Gwenda Avenue. The only water
in this established residential district is
in bird-baths and swimming pools. The
origin of the colony is unknown.

Colony N16

Records of this colony are incomplete
daswathe last” few birds Jet) at; the
commencement of the survey in late

298

1969. Intormation supplied by local
residents indicates that there was a vast
colony for at least 15 years prior to
departure. It was situated on a branch of
Gardiner’s Creek that flows through
Winlaton and the Seventh Day
Adventist’s Camp and Home.
Destruction of habitat along the creek
probably caused the disappearance of
this colony.

Colony N17

The subdivision of Anjaya Court
caused a drastic reduction in habitat and
numbers of Bell-Miners in the Dickens
Street colony. When visited in March,
1972, the colony was thriving on both
sides of the street. However, the
subdivision appeared to unsettle the
birds and by May, 1972, the colony was
greatly reduced. By October, 1973, only
6 Bell Miners were counted and they
were totally absent in January, 1974. As
nearby colony N14 _— increased
substantially and N15 commenced at
this time, it is possible that the Bell-
Miners transferred to either of these
areas. Numbers in Dickens Street were
not sufficient to make the significant
alteration to these colonies. The colony
was in the area for 11 years.

Colony N18

From 1970 to 1973, this colony, on the
unmade northern section of Stanley
Street, gradually declined. Unlike others
it has not increased since October, 1973.
Youths on mini bikes have been
prevalent and the noise and general
disturbance may be the cause of the
decrease. The undergrowth is almost
entirely blackberry, Rubus spp. and
Gorse. Ulex europaeus. Its future is
limited as it is in the path of a freeway
and bird numbers have declined to about
10. Records show that colonies of this
size do not survive. The age of the colony
is not known; however, 30-40 birds were
present in 1971.

Colony N19
Information supplied indicates that
this colony situated along a small creek

Vict. Nat. Vol. 91

has existed for 25 years and was once
very extensive. Bell-Miners were
recorded to the verge of Terrara Road
during the term of the survey but they
grew mow. restricted to near the
appropriately named Bellbird Crescent
and Glenora Drive. Despite subdivision
and clearing of the creek prior to
barrelling, a minor expansion took place
during 1973.

Colony N20

“Cleaning up’ of the Dandenong
Creek has considerably reduced suitable
habitat for this colony, which extends
downstream for 350 yards (320m) from
Boronia Road. The colony was declining
until late 1973 when it also increased.
Blackberries form a major part of the
undergrowth.

Colony N21

This colony is the only large one that
we know of, to leave an undisturbed
habitat virtually “‘overnight’’. The
territory was in a council owned reserve
near Arcady Grove and Abbey Walk,
Vermont. Bell-Miners were numerous
when the area was visited in July, 1971
but left in September, 1971. The habitat
appeared to be in good condition.

Colony N22

The pattern of decline then expansion
was obvious in this colony in View Street,
Vermont. From July, 1971, when the
colony was visited, to October, 1973, the
numbers had reduced to such an extent
that its continued existence was in
doubt. It is now back to its former
strength even though many eucalypts are
in poor condition. The colony was
established in 1952.

Colony N23

Numbers have fluctuated during the
term of the survey. Like N22, across
Canterbury Road, Bell-Miners were
plentiful in July, 1971. They extended
along the northern side of Canterbury
Road and on both sides of Glenburnie

Vict. Nat. Vol. 91

Road to opposite Fiona Court. They
retreated during construction of
Canterbury Road and by October 1973,
were restricted to a gully running into
Gleburnie Road. A recovery was
apparent by January, 1974, but not to
the extent of former numbers.
Destruction of trees on Canterbury Road
has restricted expansion. The establish-
ment date of this colony is probably
similar to colony N22.

Colony N24

The arrival of this colony in October,
1973, was our first indication of the
general increase in numbers. Bell-
Miners are on the eastern side of Surrey
Road, between Junction Road and
Springfield Road in the large building
blocks which have retained much of the
endemic habitat. The majority of these
blocks have been sold as flat sites and in
some instances, the houses have been
removed. It is unlikely that the estimated
30-40 Bell-Miners present will be able to
withstand this development. Residents of
twenty years’ standing cannot recall Bell-
Miners in the area before. Like colony
N15, the origin of the colony is unknown.

SUMMARY

Before the increase in late 1973, of the
22 colonies recorded during the survey
from 1970, 13 remained in their original
locations. One new colony became
established, eight areas were vacated and
one of these vacated areas was re-
colonised after an absence of 2'” years.
In late 1973, two large new colonies
became established. There has,
therefore, been a net decrease in colony
numbers from 21 to the existing 17.

Adaption to Suburban Habitat

Colonies in natural bush areas do not
appear to be recorded away from
creeksides. The only suggestion found
which conflicts with this is that by N. A.
Wakefield (1941, Vic. Nat. 58:103) ‘‘The
Bell-Miner is particularly abundant in
dense tea-tree and eucalypt forest,

299

generally near water, but often away
from it.’’ No examples are given and the
distance from water is not indicated.
Colonies in suburban areas _ largely
follow the accepted habitat preference of
gullies by creeks, but some adaptation is
evident. All colonies recorded so far have
an overstorey of various endemic
Eucalyptus species, and a_ varying
understorey. It is generally accepted that
the main food of the Bell-Miner is
insects, particularly scale insects of the
Family Psyllidae. K. C. Campbell and K.
M. Moore, 1957 (Proc. Roy. Zool. Soc.
INES. W.2- 1955-56 pp 72-73) “An
Investigation of the Food of the Bell Bird
Manorina melanophrys Latham’’ state—

“The examination of the stomach
contents revealed that the bell birds in
the Ourimbah State Forest area, at
this time of the year, feed on various
insects, lerps and spiders. Beetles and
psyllids (both mature and immature)
together with their lerps, form the
main portion of their diet.’

Stomach contents of 3 birds only were
examined, and details of what
constituted the food of each bird are
listed.

G. W. Swainson 1970 (Emu 70:185)
states — ‘‘. . . birds arriving to feed
juveniles generally had the mandibles
closed, and food items could not be seen,
although lerps were often noted near the
tip of the bill. In 239 visits where these
details were recorded, only three larger
items were seen. These were a brown
moth, a large insect and a small insect.”
They have also been seen eating
mosquitoes and visiting flowering mistle-
toes (E. M. McCulloch).

E. M. McCulloch has watched a bird
running the needles of a Radiata Pine
(Pinus radiata) between its mandibles.

H. Reynolds states in litt. “. . . the
birds seem to be busy in any kind of
shrub at any time of the year. Much of
the growth here is exotic . . . cypress,
plum and maple.”’

Some rather unexpected adaptation to
food available in surburban habitat has

300

been noted. In at least three known areas
in Blackburn, Mitcham and Vermont
the birds visit garden-feeders containing
a sweet liquid honey/sugar and water
mixture, and they also on occasion eat
moistened bread at tables, as they do at
the Sir Colin McKenzie Sanctuary at
Healesville.

They visit garden flowers for nectar,
including Australian shrubs such as
hakeas and grevilleas not native to the
area, and exotics such as Flowering
Currant (Ribes sp.)

In 1972 several students from Monash
University Zoology Dept. studied
suburban habitats of Bell-Miner colonies
(A. Gilmore, P. Cheal, P. Biggs & F.
Bell unpub. MS.) Their comments on
eucalypts are quoted, as they co-incide
with our own study results. ‘‘Preference
was not shown by the Bell-Miners for any
particular species of eucalpyt amongst
the several species native to each
location, but at Site 6 where Eucalpytus
botryoides and E. citriodora were
planted in gardens, Bell-Miners did not
go into them, although White-plumed
Honeyeaters (Meliphaga penicillata)
were seen eating psyllids off the leaves of
E. citriodora.’’ Eucalpytus species
identified were —

E. goniocalyx Bundy

E. melliodora Yellow Box
E. bridgesiana Apple Box
E. baxteri Brown Stringybark
E. viminalas Manna Gum
E. polyanthemas Red Box
E. obliqua Messmate Stringybark

We can give no explanation for the
preference of one area against a similar
nearby area which is not colonised.
Seemingly suitable areas can be ignored,
and obviously much more detailed study
would be required to determine all the
factors involved.

Some habitat variations within the
study area are illustrated. The shrub
layer can vary from heavy to sparse
natural vegetation, bush mixed with
exotic garden shrubs such as maples and
rhododendrons or mainly Australian

Vict. Nat. Vol. 91

shrubs not endemic to the area, to open
lawns under large trees.

At the Kew colony the land slopes
steeply down to the Yarra river and there
is scattered Eucalypt cover, while the
understorey consists largely of a heavy
growth of South African Boneseed
Chrysanthemoides monoliferum, a
noxious weed, in which the birds nest.

We have tried to check on the
proximity of suburban colonies to water.
Although they certainly survive away
from the immediate vicinity of flowing
creeks, some source of surface water
appears to be necessary. This can be
found in bird-baths either at ground
level or higher, swimming-pools, ponds
and dams.

Breeding

In the Melbourne area Bell-Miners
breed during most of the year.

Nests have been found in_ the
understorey in both evergreen and
deciduous trees, shrubs and creepers, in
foliage ranging from small (hawthorns)
to large (rhododendrons).

Nests are typical of honeyeaters, being
rather frail, cup-shaped and suspended
from fine twigs or leaves. Nest-sites
include hibiscus, Japanese maple Acer
sp., Lilac, Syringa, Magnolia, Lemon
and other citrus trees, Apricot, Haw-
thorn, Tecoma vine, Azalea, Lilly-pilly
Eugenia sp., Prosthanthera, Walnut,
Pittosporum, Japonica, Chaenomeles sp
and Paperbark Melaleuca sp.

Data cards were made available from
the Nest Record Scheme of the Royal
Australasian Ornithologists Union, and
we would like to acknowledge their co-
operation.

57 records from the Melbourne area
(55 G.W. Swainson, 1 E. Dover, 1 D.
Thyer) showed that eggs or nestlings
were recorded in every month except
July, and even then nests were being
built.

10 cards from New South Wales
include one record (S. G. Lane per C.
Broadhead) of eggs in July, and it is
probable that future records will extend

Vict. Nat. Vol. 91

known breeding in Melbourne to cover
this month.

The records suggest that there are
three breeding peaks, in August, Octo-
ber and April, but the available sample
is too small to be sure of this.

Height of nests varied from 2ft.3ins. to
26ft. above ground, with an average of
gate

It is obvious that the birds adapt
readily to nesting in garden shrubs.
During the survey we were shown many
nests which had been previously used,
and it was often commented that
particularly when nesting the birds were
quite fearless, and would mob cats, dogs
and humans, as well as other bird
species.

Discussion on statement ‘‘Bell-Miners
kill trees.”’

The statement ‘‘Bell-Miners kill trees”’
is frequently repeated when discussions
arise with the general public. This
appears to be due to the fact that the
birds feed on the leaves of Eucalypt trees
which may be diseased, and it is thought
that the birds carry disease to the trees.
It is sometimes suggested that the visible
whitish discoloration of the leaves is a
fungus or mould which can _ be
transferred, but in fact it is usually the
“‘lerp’’ or covering of insect species
feeding on the leaf sap.

K. M. Moore 1962, Research Note No.
11 of the Forestry Commission of New
South Wales, Division of Forest
Management, wrote on ‘Entomological
Research of the Cause of Mortalities of
Eucalyptus saligna Smith (Sydney Blue
Gum).’’ On investigation it was found
that trees heavily attacked by various
species of Glycaspis (Family Psyllidae)
suffered severe damage. Moore, p.4,
states — ‘During the early stages of an
incipient large population, damage is
not readily discernible from the ground
and the initial attack may be indicated
by the presence of bell-birds which feed
on the psyllids and lerps.”’

Later “*. . . the vitality of trees which
have been almost defoliated many times

301

over a number of years is thus affected,
so that attack on these trees by a number
of other insect species may occur.”

If trees finally die as the result of
debility and heavy insect attack under
optimum conditions, the Bell-Miner may
be quite incorrectly blamed for the death
of the trees.

On the other hand a number of Bell-
Miner colonies are known to have existed
in the same area for up to 40 years.

Many tree losses in suburban areas are
due to road-making, sewerage
construction and like disturbances, or
alteration to the water table, and the fact
that Bell-Miners are also present may
mislead.

During a discussion with a resident a
dead tree was pointed out as an example
of tree-killing by Bell-Miners.
Examination showed that, in fact, it had
been ringbarked!

Colonisation and Movements.

Bell-Miners are generally regarded as
being sedentary, and results of the survey
show that recorded colonies tend to
remain unless their habitat is extensively
altered or destroyed, or unless they are
greatly disturbed as, for example, when
noisy roadmaking machinery is
employed nearby.

Banding did not form part of this
survey, and little published data is
available. G. W. Swainson’s colour-
banding (Emu 70: 183-188) did not
suggest movement between colonies. S.
G. Lane 1969 (Aust. Bird Bander 7: 27-
32) ‘““Tumbi Umbi Banding Summary’’
states —

“The usually accepted view as to the

sedentariness of this species is not

evident from the relatively low retrap

figures. (392 banded, 29 re-trapped a

total of 31 times). Only two individuals

have been retrapped more than once

— twice each. The total number

banded for a species is second to that

of the Red-browed Finch yet the
number of individuals retrapped is
only 10 per cent. The longest elapsed
time was four years after banding and

302

that was the first time the bird has
been retrapped.

It is not expected that Bell-Miners
would suffer greatly from natural or
artifical predation and their numbers
appear to be increasing in the area.
From personal observations, their
colony locations certainly are being
extended and local residents have
confirmed this observation. Why then
should the retrap figures be low? Is it
entirely due to their habits, or do they
move further and more often than is
expected? Their habits may have some
effect on the retrapping rate, but
generally this should be relative to the
banding figure.”’

Lane, in litt. affirms his view that
some birds move, but that there has not
been sufficient banding done to know
whether these are young birds, or adults
outside their breeding season.

On p.43 of the same issue of the
A.B.B. is a report of an adult bird
retrapped (alive) at the banding-place
over 6 years and 7 months after banding.

D. Mules (unpublished survey data)
writes, ‘‘they fly backwards and forwards
between trees overhanging the creek and
those around the base of the hill — over
a stretch of open paddock between
trees:

F. Noelker (unpublished survey data)
“Colony seems to make use of all
timbered areas. Birds seen flying three
blocks from one tree to another — 250
yards.”’

There are several records E.M.
McCulloch and A.R. McEvey (pers.
comm.) of a single bird appearing briefly
in an area away from an established
colony but within (about) half a mile
(0.8km.) of it, then disappearing. This
type of visit may last for only a few
minutes.

Lane (op cit) states that in another
part of New South Wales three banded
birds were retrapped one mile away from
the banding-place. It may well be found
that although a colony will occupy one
particular area for a long time, there

Vict. Nat. Vol. 91

may be movement of some individuals,
particularly if colonies are in fairly close
proximity. It is impossible to take this

suggestion any further until more
banding is done.
F. Noelker reported that in two

instances when birds first moved into an
area, they were scattered separately in
trees some distance away from where the
colony was finally established. Birds
were also seen 250 yards from another
colony. Did they die, move on, or return?

SUMMARY OF SUBURBAN STATUS

Before the survey was commenced it
was suggested that future motor
freeways would go through many Bell-
Miner colomies, and thatthe
metropolitan range of the species could
be greatly curtailed. In April, 1973, the
proposed plan for suburban freeways
was reduced from 307 miles to 157, and
it is felt that their construction will not
widely affect existing colonies. If,
however, Freeway F19 along the Mullum
Mullum Creek proceeds, part if not most
of Melbourne’s best Bell-Miner
stronghold will undoubtedly be severely
decimated.

We feel that in general the numbers of
Bell-Miners in the Melbourne area were
declining quite rapidly until mid-
October, 1973.

From 1970 until mid-October 1973,
notes record decreasing territory areas,
fewer birds present, or total absence
from a previously occupied location. We
cannot always give reasons for this
decline, as in many colonies numbers
decreased gradually without any
noticeable habitat change. On the other
hand, we have one record of a
numerically strong colony leaving its
territory virtually ‘‘overnight’’ for no
obvious reason.

The expansion recorded in October,
1973, 1s detailed: for the City of
Nunawading. Limited data from
elsewhere in the metropolitan area
indicates similar increases.

Numerous records show colonies
disappearing when habitat is largely

Vict. Nat. Vol. 91

cleared, whether for housing, general
‘tidying’, creek channelling or when
creeks are barrelled in for flood control,
clearing of areas for roads or clearance
of under-growth as a fire hazard.

When carrying out work in an area,
some authorities remove every vestige of
undergrowth for a considerable distance,
and often there appears to be little real
effort to encourage plant regeneration or
planting programmes.

It is probable that habitat of some
existing colonies in Doncaster, Mitcham
North and Glen Waverley will be
considerably depleted before this paper
is published, as land has been
subdivided and advertised as building
blocks.

It would seem that a possible way to
keep colonies existing in suburban areas
would be the group planting of endemic
Eucalypts to replace some of the many
trees now over-mature, and the provision
of undergrowth and some surface water.
Acknowledgements

Colonies were marked on base maps
supplied by Mr. Reg. Johnson. Rainfall
figures were supplied by the Melbourne
and Metropolitan Board of Works.

sf St
Ps yy,

3

be
‘4
3
i

Plate 1
Gully in natural bush.

303

TABLEI
Rainfall figures taken in points at Mitcham, within the City of Nunawading, Victoria.

Average

1973 1972 1971 1953-1970
Jan. 135 149 265 215
Feb. 746 633 Dig. 198
March 464 76 135 226
April 309 437 260 266
May 433 212, 503 429
June 239 64 320 235
July 196 199 193 292
August 356 759 1S3 332
Sept 251 165 308 77.
Oct. 361 190 564 334
Nov. 320 229 563 316
Dec. 217 11 332 299

Appendix
Information was received from — Mrs. B. Huygens, J. Hyett, Mrs. F. James, H. F. J.

L. Adams, J. Addie, Ms Aird, C. R. Amiet, C.
Austin, Mrs. R. P. Balabanski, A. V. Balhorn,
J. N. Beale, I. J. Bennet and family, G. E.
Billing, P. A. Bourke, D. Bowrey, A. Brown,
M. Brownrigg, G. P. Butt, G. A. Campbell, M.
Campbell, A. W. Caporn, Mrs. M. Chapman,
Mrs. J. Chismon, R. H. Colpus, Mrs. M.
Costello, G. Coutts, J. Crowley, M. Darragh,
R. Davies, T. Daws, T. Debney, L. Delacca,
Mrs. J. Dover, Mrs. P. C. Downie, K. Drayton,
J. Debert, F. Dwyer, R. Eaton, Mrs. G. Elijah,
EF: Eageetter, J. B. Faulkner, (Ms. C-.
Falkingham, Mrs. A. Fleming, Mrs. E.
Fullarton, Forests Commission of Victoria, A.
Gaines, Mrs. B. Garrett, L. Goldson, Mrs. D.
Goulding, J. Greenwood, B. Halifax, B. P.
Hamilton, K. Harrison, A. B. Hedding, R. N.
Hinchey, Keith Hindwood, Bird Recording
Service, E. S. Hoskin, Mrs. K. Hough, J. M.
Howlett, C. Humphries, T. Hunt, Mrs. J.

Jansses, Mr. & Mrs. E. E. Jones. D. Kelly,
Mrs. B. Keown, J. Kettle, Mrs. L. D.
Kermond, Mr. & Mrs. S. Lawrence, Mrs. J. R.
Lawry, Mrs. B. Lew, Misses J. & K.
McCulloch, A. R. McEvey, A. R. McGill, R. S.
McNaught, R. Macklin, Mrs. R. Magnus, M.
J. Mann, R. J. & T. Martin, Mrs. P. Mitchell,
Mrs. W. Mitchell, C. Mitting, Mr. & Mrs. B.
Moore, J. R. Moore, A. Morris, Mrs. W. R.
Morris, Miss D. M. Mules, Mrs. E. B. Murlis,
K. Myer, M. O’Callaghan, H. R. Officer, F. J.
O’Loughlin, J. A. Paphazy, Mrs. Peeke, Mrs.
M. Pryce, E. Reynolds, H. Reynolds, K. A.
Richards, Mrs. S. Ruhsam, W. Shhulz and
family, E. F. Shannon; S. F. Sherlock, K. G.
Simpson, P. J. S. Smith, Mrs. & G. Snowball,
Mrs. L. Sourry, G. W. Swainson, G. Thies,
Mrs. D. Thyer, R. S. Thyer, B. H. Tonkin, N.
A. Wakefield, W. R. Wheeler, G. Wilson, A.
Yen, Mrs. H. Young.

The Origin of Generic Names of the Victorian Flora
Part 2 — Latin, Greek and Miscellaneous
(continued from 91 (10) )
by JAMES A. BAINES

*Cichorium. Gk kichorion or
kichoreia, chicory (Jaeger); Latinized
version of Arabic name for one species
(Smith & Stern); Greco-Latin name of
Chicory, *C. intybus (Black, who thus
agrees with Jaeger). Intybus is a now
invalid genus absorbed in Crepis, which
is in the same tribe (Cichorieae) within

304

the Compositae as Cichorium, and as a
specific name was formerly capitalized.
Gilbert-Carter states that kichorion
appears as a plant-name in both
Theophrastus and Dioscorides.
*Cirsium. Gk kirsion, a kind of
thistle, latinized in the usual way. As
used in Dioscorides, thought to be

Vict. Nat. Vol. 91

Carduus pycnocephalus, southern
European but called Plymouth Thistle in
England because well established there.
Victoria has 4 introduced species of
these thistles.

Cissus. Gk kissos, ivy, in allusion to
the climbing habit. Our species, C.
hypoglauca, Jungle Grape, is found in
Victoria only in East Gippsland.

*Citrullus. New Lat from Old Fr
citrulle, any cucurbit, ultimately from
Lat citrus, the citron. *C. lanatus is Wild
or Bitter Melon; *C. colocynthis, Bitter-
apple, provides the purgative drug,
colocynth.

Cladium. Gk kladion, a small branch;
club, baton (klados, branch); alluding to
the panicled inflorescence. No fewer
than 14 taxa in Cladium have now been
reduced to one, C. procerum, Tall Twig-
rush, the others being included in
Machaerina, Gahnia and Tetraria, these
remarks of course referring only to
Victoria’s flora.

Clematis. Gk klematis, twig, young
shoot, tendril, diminutive of klema,
branch. This generic name is used as a
common name for our 3 native species,
but the European name Old Man’s
Beard is often used here too, especially
when the massed plumose awns of the
achenes trail decoratively over bushland
shrubs. There are 250 species in the
world.

*Clinopodium. Gk klinopodion, name
of a plant in Dioscorides, diminutive of
klinopous, from kline, bed; podion, little
foot. The inflorescences resemble the
knobs on the feet of beds. Our
introduced species, *C. vulgare, Wild
Basil, or, as Keble Martin’s ‘Concise
British Flora in Colour’ has it, Cushion
Calamint; it was formerly named
Calamintha clinopodium. Calamintha
means beautiful mint, the flowers being
typical members of Labiatae.

*Cnicus. Gk knekos, a thistle. *C.
benedictus, Blessed Thistle, was
included in Ewart’s ‘Flora of Victoria’
because of its occurrence in the
Wangaratta area, 1904-16, but it

Vict. Nat. Vol. 91

appears to have died out, and Willis has
removed it from the flora.

Codonocarpus. Gk kodon, bell;
karpos, fruit; alluding to the shape of the
fruits, C. cotinifolius being known as the
Bell-fruit Tree for the same reason. The
specific name has no reference to cotton,
meaning ‘with leaves like Cotinus’, a
shrub closely allied to Rhus; any more
than Cotoneaster has, despite the crude
mispronunciation sometimes heard:
cotton-easter!

Colobanthus. Gk kolobos, mutilated,
stunted; anthos, flower. Colobus is a
genus of Central African monkeys
distinguished by the almost complete
suppression of the thumb, giving it a
‘mutilated’ appearance, hence the name.
(See Gerald Durrell’s ‘Catch me a
Colobus’.) Bartling may have chosen the
name Colobanthus because the leaves
are connate (fused together) at the base,
impossible to separate without
mutilation, or merely from the low habit
of growth of these herbs, of which
Victoria has 2 species (New Zealand has
13):

Comesperma. Gk kome, hair; sperma,
seed; alluding to the tufts of hair on the
seeds. Victoria has 7 species, the best-
known being C. volubile, Love Creeper,
and C. ericinum, Heath Milkwort. The
other five are known as various kinds of
milkwort. This genus, formerly included
in the South American’ genus
Bredemeyera, is in family Polygalaceae.

Commersonia. Named by the Forsters
after the French naturalist, Philibert
Commerson (1728-1773), who as a
member of the Bougainville expedition
discovered many new species, but his
premature death on Ile Bourbon in the
Mauritius group meant that his
herbarium had to be worked on and the
results published by others. (Omitted
from Part 1, so included here.) C. fraseri,
our sole species, is known as
Blackfellows’ Hemp.

*Conium. Gk koneion, the classical
name for *C. maculatum, Hemlock, the
species that is a noxious weed here. It is

305

the same plant that killed Socrates.
Conospermum. Gk konos, cone;
sperma, seed; referring to the shape of
the nut. Western Australia is the
headquarters of this genus, with more
than 30 species, all known as Smoke-
bushes from the appearance of the

flowers. Victoria has 3 species, the
commonest being C. mitchellii,
Victorian Smoke-bush or Mountain
Conosperm.

*Conringia. Named by Adanson after
Dr. Hermann Conring, 1606-1681,
professor of medicine, philosophy and
jurisprudence at Helmstedt, West
Germany. Often a weed in crops, *C.
orientalis is known as Treacle Mustard
or Hare’s Ear. (Omitted from Part 1.)

Convolvulus. Lat, little twiner, from
convolvo, twine around. Our native
species, C. erubescens, is Pink
Bindweed, or, as the specific name
indicates, Blushing Bindweed, while the
introduced species, *C. arvensis, is
Common or Field Bindweed; it is called
Lesser Bindweed in South Australia. The
word bindweed came into English in
1548, with the i pronounced long, as in
bind, not short, as it is often heard (the 1
is short in German, as it was in Old
English).

*Conyza. Gk konyza, name in
Theophrastus for a _ strong-smelling
plant, probably fleabane. Victoria has 3
species, of which only two are widely
distributed: *C. bonariensis, Tall
Fleabane (the specific name meaning
‘from Bonaria’, i.e. the Lat form of
Buenos Aires, which is Spanish for “good
air’), and *C. canadensis, Canadian
Fleabane. Both these appeared in
Ewart’s ‘Flora of Victoria’ as Erigeron, a
closely related genus of fleabanes.

Coprosma. Gk kopros, dung; osme,
smell; alluding to the fetid smell of many
species when bruised. An unpleasant
meaning (or sound) can be avoided in
common names, as when Faires’ Aprons
replaced Purple Bladderwort for
Utricularia dichotoma, but nothing can
be done about botanical names such as

306

Coprosma or names like Phallus
impudicus and quite a number of others.
Where ignorance is bliss, ‘tis folly to be
wise, hence Coprosma is used as the
common name for most of the 8 species
in Victoria, but C. quadrifida is Prickly
Currant-bush, and the Maori names
Taupata and Karamu are used for 2
species introduced from New Zealand,
which is the headquarters of the genus
with 45 species.

*Coronopus. Gk koronopous, name of
a plant in Theophrastus, perhaps
Plantago coronopus, Buck’s-horn or
Crowfoot Plantain, from korone, crow;
pous, foot. *C. squamatus is Swine’s-
cress, and *C. didymus, Lesser Swine’s-
cress. The accent should fall on the
second syllable.

*Corrigiola. Lat diminutive of
corrigia, shoe-string, boot-lace, or
horse’s rein, from corrigo, make straight
or correct. Our species, *C. litoralis, is
one of 10 cosmopolitan species, and
found in only the N and R grids. It is in
family Caryophyllaceae, and is known as
Strapwort.

Corybas. Gk korybas, one of the
dancing priests of Phrygia (plural,
korybantes). They worshipped Cybele or
Rhea by dancing and performing wild,
ecstatic orgies to the accompaniment of
drums and cymbals. The Greek accent
fell on the second syllable (as given in
Black), but the generic name is usually
stressed on the first syllable in Victoria.
Willis lists 5 species of these Helmet
Orchids, but a new species, C. hispidus,
was described by D. L. Jones last year
(Vict. Nat. 90, p. 96). The common name
is derived from the shape of the flower
(see Corysanthes, next entry).

Corysanthes. Gk korys, helmet;
anthos, flower. All our species of
Corybas were listed in this genus
(founded by R. Brdwn in 1810) by Ewart,
but Corybas, Salisbury’s genus of 1805,
had priority. Perhaps the Phrygian
dancers wore helmets during their
frolics!

Vict. Nat. Vol. 91

* Corydalis. Gk koridallis, also
koridos, the crested lark; from the shape
of the flower (cf. larkspur). *C.
capnoides, apparently present at one
time in the Wimmera, has not persisted,
and Ewart’s inclusion of it has not been
accepted by Willis, there being no
specimens in Melbourne’s herbarium. It
is a close cousin of Fumitory (family
Fumariaceae).

Cotula. Gk kotyle, cup-shaped, from
kotile, the graduated liquid measure
used for medicines in ancient times, but
Gilbert-Carter rejects this origin in
favour of medieval Lat cotula,
diminutive of cota, the Italian name of
Anthemis cota. Smith & Stearn give the
meaning as ‘a small cup’, given because
the bases of the leaves form cups; Black
however considers it is in allusion to the

shape of the flowerhead.

F.N.C.V. EXCURSIONS (continued from p286)

Tuesday, 12 August — Thursday, 28 August, 1975 — Would any members be interested in a
block booking on a standard tour from Darwin to Perth which includes Katherine Gorge,
Ord River, Falls Creek, Geiki Gorge, Fitzroy Crossing, Broome, Port Hedland, Dales,
Yampire and Wittenoon Gorges, Tom Price, Harratha, Exmouth, Cape Range, Charles
Knife, Canyon, etc., Cainarvon, Geraldton, Perth. This would not be like our usual ex-
cursions where we charter our own bus but it would be an opportunity to see these places
with friends. The cost of such a trip is $829 including air fare to Darwin, overnight ac-
commodation in Darwin, coach travel, accommodation and meals Darwin to Perth, over-
night accommodation in Perth and airfare to Melbourne, if 15 or more members went
there would be a reduction of at least $50 per person. Members wishing to do so could
leave earlier and have extra time in Darwin or extend their stay in Perth. Will anyone in-
terested let the excursion secretary know as soon as possible so arrangements can be
made.

The Alps at the Crossroads

A book written by Dick Johnson with a
foreword by Sir Garfield Barwick and
published by the Victorian National Parks
Association. The theme of the book is that the
conservation of the high country is best
realised in the creation of a large contiguous
Alpine National Park.

The book describes the early days of explor-
ation, settlement, cattle grazing and the gold
rushes. It details the origins of those land
managing Government departments with
interests in the Alps and the forces that led
them into the region. It also examines the
growth of adventure recreation in the moun-
tains (such as skiing, bushwalking and climb-
ing) and relates the efforts of conservationists

to create an Alpine National Park. The book
describes the alpine environment and
discusses problems and conflicts in the
current management of the region’s resources.
Further the idea of wilderness and the
function of national parks are discussed and a
concept of an Alpine National Park is present-
ed together with recommendations for
management through which the values of the
region may be best conserved for man in
perpetuity.

A book of 208 pages with 25 maps and
diagrams and more than 200 photographs on
high quality art paper. Measures 28 x 2112 cm
x 13 mm thick (11 in. x 18% in. x % in.) and
weighs 660 grams (1% lb.).

Pre-Publication Offer (sight unseen) $3.00 each postage included

Any order for single, or less than ten copies received on or before 30th November 1974 will be
filled at a price of $3.00 each inclusive of postage and packaging.

For Further Information
Ring the Executive Secretary, VNPA Office

347-8977

Write to VNPA Alpine Book Sales, P.O. Box 785F, G.P.O. Melbourne 3001.

Vict. Nat. Vol. 91

307

Field Naturalists Club of Victoria

Established 1880

OBJECTS: To stimulate interest in natural history and to preserve
and protect Australian fauna and flora.

Patron:
His Excellency the Honorable Sir HENRY WINNEKE, K.C.M.G., O.B.E., Q.C.

Key Office-Bearers, 1973-1974.

President:
Mr. P. KELLY
Hon Secretary: Mr. R. H. RIORDAN, 15 Regent St., East Brighton, 3187. 92-8579
Treasurer: H. BISHOP. Address Correspondence to National Herbarium, The Domain,
South Yarra.
Subscription Secretary: Mr. D. E. McINNES, 129 Waverley Rd., East Malvern, 3145.
Hon. Editor: Mr. G. M. WARD, 54 St. James Road, Heidelberg, 3084.
Hon. Librarian: Mr. J. MARTINDALE, c/o National Herbarium, The Domain, South Yarra.
Hon. Excursion Secretary: Miss M. ALLENDER, 19 Hawthorn Avenue, Caulfield, 3161.
(S2-2749).
Magazine Sales Officer: Mr. D. McINNES.
Archives Officer: Mr. CALLANAN, 29 Reynards Street, Coburg, 3058. Tel. 36-0587.

Group Secretaries
Botany: Mrs. M. G. CORRICK, 7 Glenluss St., Balwyn, 3103. Tel. 857-9937.
Day Group: Mrs. J. STRONG, 1160 Dandenong Rd., Murrumbeena (56-2271).
Entomology and Marine Biology: Mr. J. W. H. STRONG, Flat 11, “Palm Court’, 1160
Dandenong Rd., Murrumbeena, 3163 (56-2271).
Field Survey: Mr. R. D. SANDELL, 39 Rubens Gve., Canterbury, 3126 (83-8009).
Geology: Mr. T. SAULT.
Mammal Survey: Miss Wendy CLARK, 97 Faraday Street, Carlton, 3053.
Microscopical: Mr. M. H. MEYER, 36 Milroy Street, East Brighton (96-3268).

MEMBERSHIP
Membership of the F.N.C.V. is open to any person interested in natural history. The Victorian
Naturalist is distributed free to all members, the club’s reference and lending library is available,
and other activities are indicated in reports set out in the several preceeding pages of this
magazine.

Rates of Subscriptions for 1974.

Ordinary: Members’ 00288 a ak cee AER Sk aye ie i acy ee lo eye eg ce ee $7.00
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Overseas Subscribers < fe ke od ah laces esheets bee ae eae ae eee eS $6.00
Affiliated: Societies: 20) cs tee es ee sn Fae ee Bec eeiee a) > Senet oihegke eee he ene $7.00
Supporting Members 2.2 e250 cet Ee oR cee Ph eR ne ye ee a $10.00
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The cost of individual copies of the Vict. Nat. will be 45 cents (52 cents — overseas requests).
Full-time Students between 18 and 21 years pay at Junior Member rates.

All subscriptions should be made payable to the Field Naturalists Club of Victoria, and posted to the
Subscription Secretary.

JENKIN, BUXTON & CO. PTY. LTD., PRINTERS, WEST MELBOURNE

December, 1974

Published by the
FIELD NATURALISTS CLUB OF VICTORIA

in which is incorporated the Microscopical Society of Victoria

Registered in Australia for transmission by post as a periodical.
Category “B”

F.N.C.V. DIARY OF COMING EVENTS

New Members —
Ordinary:
Mr Mare Gottsch, 20 Glengarrie Avenue, Burwood 3125. Birds
Dr A.B. Owen, Box 44, Northland P.O. 3072, Etnomology & Marine
Mr Thomas Roberts, 37 Raglan Street, South Melbourne, 3205 Mushrooms

GROUP MEETINGS
(8 p.m. at the National Herbarium unless otherwise stated).

Thursday, 12 December — Botany Group. Mr. I. Morrison will speak on his recent

visit to New Guinea. The meeting will conclude with supper. Please bring a plate
with a small contribution.

The other groups will not meet between the second week in December and the
January General Meeting unless announced at the group meeting previous, normal
group meetings will resume after the second week in January.

GENERAL MEETINGS
Monday, 9 December
Subject **Some Fundamentals of Weather and Climate’’ — Mr R.D.Kent
Monday 13 January

Subject ‘‘Members Night” + Organiser Mr lan Cameron
Monday 10 February
Subject ‘‘Naturalist in North West Australia’? — Dr Jim Willis

F.N.C.V. EXCURSIONS

Sunday, 8 December — Torquay. Marine Biology and General. The coach will leave
from Batman Avenue at 9.30 am. Bring two meals fare $3.00.
Thursday, 26 December — Friday, 3 January — Falls Creek. Details in last month's
Naturalist.
Sunday, 19 January — Bus excursion led by Mr D. McInnes on Geology toward the
Coast. The coach will leave Batman Avenue at 9.30 am. Fare $2.50. Bring two meals.

Tuesday, 12 August — Thursday, 28 August, 1975 — Would any members be interested in a

310

block booking on a standard tour from Darwin to Perth which includes Katherine Gorge,
Ord River, Falls Creek, Geiki Gorge, Fitzroy Crossing, Broome, Port Hedland, Dales,
Yampire and Wittenoon Gorges, Tom Price, Harratha, Exmouth, Cape Range, Charles
Knife, Canyon etc., Cainarvon, Geraldton, Perth. This would not be like our usual ex-
cursions where we charter our own bus but it would be an opportunity to see these places
with friends. The cost of such a trip is $829 including air fare to Darwin, overnight ac-
commodation in Darwin, coach travel, accommodation and meals Darwin to Perth, over-
night accommodation in Perth and airfare to Melbourne, if 15 or more members went
there would be a reduction of at least $50 per person. Members wishing to do so could
leave earlier and have extra time in Darwin or extend their stay in Perth. Will anyone in-
terested let the excursion secretary know as soon as possible so arrangements can be
made.

Vict.Nat.Vol.49

Sa a na a a a a I pI

the
victorian
naturalist

Vol.91, No.12 December, 1974
Editor G.M.Ward
Assistant Editor: G.F.Douglas

Contents

Articles:

F.N.C.V. Excursion to Kangaroo
Island, S.A.
By Elizabeth K. Turner

A New Caddis-fly Genus from
Victoria and Tasmania.
By A. Neboiss

Personal:
Australian Natural History
Medallionist for 1974
Field Naturalists Club of Victoria:
Notice of Annual General
Meeting, and Amendments to
Memorandum and Articles of
Association
Front Cover:
Female Hair Seals lolling on

the beach at Seal Bay.
Photo: Author.

312

322

by2//

326

The report issued this month by Sir Henry
Bland to the Victorian Government on
administration of conservation,
environmental, and land use planning matters
should be read carefully by all concerned. It
correctly points out many of the defects in the
present system. However, serious doubts
have been expressed by some eminent
persons involved with conservation and
natural history about the recommendations
made in the report. Were it adopted in full
much of the present administrative structure
established to deal with conservation, the
environment, and planning would be
abolished. Bodies that would then disappear
include the Land Conservation Council, the
Environment Protection Council, and the Port
Phillip Authority. Others would also go, or be
merged, or changed in character or name.

Some proposals in the report undoubtedly
have merit. The proposal to establish an
Environmental and Planning Appeals Tribunal
by merging the present Town Planning
Appeals Tribunal and the Environment
Protection Appeal Board may be considered
good. The suggestion that administration of
the Wildflowers and Native Plans Protection
Act be taken out of the hands of the Forest
Commission may or may not be favoured by
botanists. Certain it is that persons working as
either amateurs or professionals in almost any
field of conservation or natural history within
Victoria will be affected in some way by
proposals in this report.

How much of the report will be
implemented by the Government has, it is
understood, yet to be determined. It seems
there is therefore an opportunity for those
outside official circles to make some effective
comment on the report to their Parliamentary
representatives, and the Government. It
would appear advisable that many members
obtain for themselves a copy of this “Second
Report of the Board of Inquiry into the
Victorian Public Service’, and study its
possible impact on their interests. The report,
of 57 pages, is complex and far reaching in
scope — you should not rely on press reports
to assess its effect.

311

F.N.C.V. Excursion to Kangaroo Island S.A.
1-9 September, 1974

by

ELIZABETH K. TURNER
in collaboration with

E. COSTERMANS. 1. JACKSON. L. M. WHITE(Flora),
B. & F. DENTON (Avifauna) and M. TAYLOR (Fauna).

Captain Mathew Flinders, R.N.,
sailing east in the ‘‘Investigator’’,
discovered and named Kangaroo Island
in 1802. He landed on the eastern
portion of the island, the Dudley
Peninsula (see Map) and is alleged to
have had his Christmas dinner at
Christmas Cove (see Plate 1).

Thirty nine Field Naturalists from
Victoria rediscovered the island to their
own Satisfaction in 1974 — most of their
dinners were had at a comfortable Motel
in Kingscote, in the north-eastern
portion of the main island.

During the week they were conveyed
by bus over the routes marked on the
map, with many prolonged stops for
walking and observation; the procession
usually being led by the ‘““BIRDOS”,
with arms up and field glasses at the
ready; and whose vigilance and keen-
sightedness collected for them 85 species
(see Appendix 1).

Next in the procession came straggling
conglomerations of botanists, mostly
with heads lowered or peering through
hand lenses (see Appendix 2). Finally, a
few roving geologists zig-zagged about,
hammering rocks!

In one respect it was unfortunate that
Flinders did not circumnavigate the
island first, as meeting up with Baudin
in ‘‘Le Geographe”’ at Encounter Bay, it
was left “to” the.) Frenchmianis
cartographer, Freycinet, to sail around
the island giving French names to many
Ol the. coastal” features. 7. The
pronunciation of these names by the
local inhabitants bears little
resemblance to the original French, and

312

one must interpret the colloquial name
for identification of the locality.

Physiography

The island lies with its 90 mile long W-
E axis, like a barrier across the southern
entrance to St. Vincent’s Gulf. Its
average width is 25 miles and Kingscote
is some 70 miles south of Adelaide. The
party comfortably travelled this distance
by plane in 20 minutes or so.

The northern coast consists of steep
bold cliffs of old rocks, sometimes
capped by limestones and blown sands
and is separated from the Yorke
peninsula by the shallow Investigator
Strait. The north-east coast is separated
from Cape Jervis on the mainland by the
deep. Backstairs Passage which
represents the bed of the ancient St.
Vincent’s river which flowed when the
island was part of the great south-
eastern Australian continent.

The central plateau running W-E
across the island is part of the Adeladian
geosyncline and was at one time
continuous with the Mt. Lofty Horst
prior to the last rise in sea level. This
occurred in recent times, perhaps 8,000
to 10,000 years ago, thus isolating the
flora and fauna from the mainland
which evolved often with particular
insular characteristics. :

The island now consists of 1680 square
miles and is the second largest island off
the south-eastern Australian coast. It
has no mountains but from elevated
areas, such as depicted in (plate 2) an
excellent view may be obtained. The
island consists basically of deep-seated

Vict.Nat.Vol.49

Plate 1. Christ-
mas Cove, where
evidence of Per-
mian glaciation is
found. The post
in the foreground
points to a large,
smooth outcrop
of Cambrian
quartzite, grooved
by ice.

granite overlain by a thick formation of
ancient marine’ limestones and
windblown sands. On the western and
southern coasts the sandhills have often
consolidated into sand-rock and there
are prominent headlands of granite;
often decomposed and eroded into
fantastic shapes as at Admiralty Arch
(plate 3) and Remarkable Rocks (plate
4). In some places there are extensive
belts of blown sand bordering the coast
where the sand dunes are hundreds of
feet high and devoid of any vegetation.
We visited such a place as this, known
locally as the Little Sahara, west of Cape
Gantheaume where, behind the dunes,
the lilac-blue flowers of the Olearia
rudis were prolific.

The eastern side of the island is more
irregular with lower cliffs, and offers
more shallow coves and sand bays to
Stelter boats, except ‘for Cape
Willoughby where we visited the
lighthouse which is perched on a bold
granite headland 173 feet high. Along
the littoral of Antechamber Bay, Pelican
Lagoon (where we saw two pelicans only),
and Nepean Bay it was possible to note
evidence of recent elevation of the
coastline above high water mark. Also
along the cliffs of the north-east coast
there was evidence of old glacial clay

December, 1974

(said to be excellent for agriculture); this
contained ice-scratched erratics (see

plate 1). These ‘travelled’ stones in
various sizes were found on some of the
beaches.

The Dudley Peninsula, which
represents the western extremity of the
recent volcanic area of Southern
Australia was, until a recent date,
entirely surrounded by water. Gypsum (a
sedimentary rock precipitated from
evaporating sea water) was being mined
at Ballast Head, north of American
River.

We were informed that the rainfall
varies from 22”’ in the east to 30”’ in the
west, but this seemed to us an under-
estimate as rain occurred each afternoon
of our visit and the fields were full of
water pools when viewed from the air.

Fauna

No aboriginals were found on the
island at the time of discovery but later
camp sites of very primitive pre-
Australoid man have been discovered at
the eastern end.

The island is free of foxes, dingoes and
rabbits but there are wild pigs,
descendants of those released by Baudin;
and only one species of snake, the Black
Tiger (Notechis scutatus niger), a live

313

specimen of which was found by our
party. This tendency to melanism was
seen in other island species — the sooty-
brown coat of the Kangaroo was much
darker than the mainland form, the Grey
Kangaroo. We also noted darker
markings on the Crimson Rosellas.

A list of mammals seen alive appears
in Appendix 3, but it was unfortunately
common to see some of the smaller
mammals dead on the road.

There are said to be twelve species of
mammals indigenous to the island
excluding Cetaceans — we found six.
Professor Wood Jones and others
introduced the Victorian koala to
Flinders Chase (see Map) in 1923 and
later, in 1946, the platypus was
introduced to the Rocky River, also in
the Chase; both species appear to be well
established there.

It was a special delight to be able to
walk among the Hair Seal families at
Seal Bay, especially after reading of the
countless thousands slaughtered for
their skins at the beginning of the 19th
century; and quite pathetic to hear the
howls of a frustrated yearling pup who
tried desperately and unsuccessfully to
suckle from several sunbaking females,
only to receive a rebuff in the form of a
growl or a bite. Many of the enormous
old bulls had rocked themselves up the

steep sand dunes and across the roadway
into the natural shrubbery of the cliff to
sunbathe, their subcutaneous fat
quivering as they rolled about and
yawned.

We saw one goanna (Varanus varius)
only, about 2’ 6” in length crossing the
road and a few small unidentified skinks
and frogs.

The Natural Vegetation

This has been severely eroded in
recent times for agriculture but there are
still large natural areas and reserves
including the famotis Flinders Chase of
212 square miles at the west end, which
was declared a sanctuary in 1919 and has
been maintained in its natural state due
to the initial efforts of the Adelaide Field
Naturalists’ Club, and the Fauna and
Flora Preservation Board.

The most ubiquitous of the natural
trees was the narrow-leafed mallee (E.
cneorifolia) which grew in the hedges
surrounding farmlands and along the
roadsides (see Plate 2) together with
wattles, melaleucas and casuarinas.

Near rivers and streams and at the
western end of the island there were
often tall ecualypt forests including the
White Gum (E. leucoxylon), Sugar
Gums (E. cladocalyx), Pink Gum (E.

Plate 2. Photo-
graph taken from
edge of Cygnet
"=~ fault, overlooking
. fertile Cygnet
River valley.

Vict.Nat.Vol.49

rugosa) and a few River Red Gums (E.
camaldulensis). Koalas seemed to
appreciate the planting of E. viminalis at
the back of the Rocky River homestead.
The Swamp Gum /(E. ovata) and
Messmate (E. obliqua) were also seen, as
well as the Cong Mallee (E. conglobata),
The Cup Gum (E. cosmophylla), E.
diversifolia, E. fasiculosa, E. fecunda, E.
remota, which extends into the Victorian
Mallee, and many stunted E. baxteri
were seen along the coastal headlands.
This species must surely have been
named for William Baxter, a gardener
sent from England to Kangaroo Island
to collect seeds and roots in 1823 ? — He
also collected Correa pulchella.

Along most roadsides the gardens of
wild flowers were a delight; ranging from
blue of the Scaevolas and Dampieras, to
gold of the Asterolasias and Hibbertias,
white of Logania, to palest pink of
Eriostemon and darker pink of Boronia,
to lilac of Baeckea. In some areas it was
impossible to tread without bruising a
flower. We were greatly helped with our
identification of species by the small

book on wildflowers written by Mrs. Ida
Jackson who accompanied us on several
of the excursions. Her book lists the
wildflowers under four headings :

1. Limestone areas,

2. Coastal areas and salt marshes,

3. Plants of the ironstone rubble,

4. Lilies, Iris, Insect-eaters and others.

A list of the flora appears in Appendix
2, and includes Wattles, Tea-trees,
Native Pines, Casuarinas and orchids
which are not included in Mrs. Jackson’s
first book.

The Avifauna

Mathew Flinders in 1803 and later
Captain George Sutherland in 1819 saw
the dwarf emu but it disappeared before
the arrival of white settlers in 1836,
possibly due to some _ natural
catastrophe, although there was a small
community of settlers at Cygnet River in
1816.

The mainland emu was introduced
into the Chase and is well conditioned to
the tourist. It was hilarious to see the
instantaneous reaction of several emus

Bx.
Kangaroo Island ocr.
oe

STRAIT

Figure 1. Map showing routes taken by F.N.C.V. members.

35

grazing quietly in the Chase, when our
bus rattled over the cattle-grid. With
heads down they padded swiftly along in
a bee-line and arrived with open beaks
awaiting the crusts which were brought
in an old bucket. Mrs. George Lonzar,
nee Hansen, daughter of the second
ranger of the Chase and wife of the
present ranger, supplied some of our
party with hot scones while the others
guarded their lunches from the snapping
beaks of the emus.

Plate 3. Admir-
alty Arch. Note
the hard, dark
grey Cambrian-
quartzine floor
and ‘stalactites”’
in the dune lime-
stone (calcrete;
above.

Birds were mainly of the South
Eastern open forest and woodland
forms; however galahs seemed to have
arrived lately in hundreds, and _ black-
backed and white-backed magpies
appeared in almost equal numbers in the
fields. Flocks of Yellow-tailed Black
Cockatoos seemed to live happily though
noisily almost in the centre of Kingscote,
the largest town.

To complete the list of fauna and flora
I should perhaps include a virulent,

Plate 4. Remark-
able Rocks (South
coast). Eroded
granite rocks on a
bold granite
headland.

316

Vict.Nat.Vol.49

unidentified micro-organism, perhaps
not endemic to the island, which struck
down eleven of our party simultaneously
on the fifth day. However, as a
recompense for the inconvenience we
had another excursion to the northern

coastline, including Western River and
the Middle River Reservoir (which
supplies the water for Kingscote) and
this trip was probably the most
spectacular and scenic of them all.

Appendix 1

LIST OF BIRDS OBSERVED ON KANGAROO ISLAND FROM 1 SEPTEMBER TO 8 SEPTEMBER,
1974 INCLUSIVE

(Reference for Names and Sequences — Handlist of the Birds of South Australia by H. T. Condon, 1968).

The attached list contains 85 species,
including the introduced Emu and three
species introduced from overseas.

For the pruposes of recording, Kangaroo
Island was split up into five sections —
(1) Kingscote — Within 10 kilometres of
Kingscote plus road to airport,and
airport.

(2) Eastern — Area east of line drawn
from Kingscote south to Pennington
Bay.

(3) Northern — North of Playford
Highway, excluding areas covered in (1),
(2) and (5).

(4) Southern — South of Playford
Highway, excluding areas covered in (1),
(2) and (5).

(5) Flinders Chase — Flinders Chase
National Park and sightings seen from
road on eastern boundary of Flinders
Chase.

Highlights were sightings of six Wedge-

Kingscote

Dromains novaehollandiae
Emu

Eudyptula minor
Little Penguin
Podiceps novaehollandiae

Podiceps novaehollandiae
Little Grebe

Pelecanus Conspicillatus
Australian Pelican

Phalacrocorax fuscescens
Black-faced Cormorant

Phalacrocorax varius
Pied Cormorant

December, 1974

tailed Eagles together on eastern edge of
Flinders Chase, and an Osprey flying in
and then sitting on a nest on a rocky
outcrop on the south coast of Flinders
Chase. The nest, built from sticks was at
least 7 feet high.

One common Sandpiper was seen at
mouth of Middle River. A pair of
Peregrine Falcons were seen flying up
and down the valley at the mouth of
Western River, vigorously calling,
together with a White-breasted Sea
Eagle in close proximity. For sheer
beauty, a small sand bank at Reeves
Point was occupied at the one time by
one Eastern curlew, 80 Pied Oyster-
catchers, 25 Sooty Oyster-catches, 2
Caspian Terns, 25 Crested Terns, two
Little Pied Cormorants and 10 Black-
faced Cormorants, all framed by the
waters of the Bay of Shoals, on which
Pelicans and Cormorants were searching
for food.

Flinders
Chase

Eastern Northern Southern

X

Sil,

Phalacrocorax melanoleucos
Little Pied Cormorant

Ardea novaehollandiae
White-faced Heron

Egretta sacra
Reef Heron

Threskiornis molucca
White Ibis

Cereopsis novaehollandiae
Cape Barren Goose

Cygnus atratus
Black Swan

Anas superciliosa
Black Duck

Anas castanea
Chestnut Teal

Chenonetta jubarta
Maned Goose

Elanus notatus
Black-shouldered Kite

Aquila audax
Wedge-tailed Eagle

Haliaetus leucogaster
White-breasted Sea Eagle

Circus approximans
Swamp Harrier

Pandion haliaetus
Osprey

Falco berigora
Brown Hawk

Falco peregrinus
Peregrine Falcon

Falco cenchroides
Nankeen Kestrel

Haematopus ostralegus
Pied Oyster-catcher

Haematopus fuliginosus
Sooty Oyster-catcher

Vanellus miles novaehollandiae

Spur-winged Plover

Vanellus tricolor
Banded Plover

Charadrius rubricollis
Hooded Dotterel

Charadrius bicinctus
Double-banded Dotterel

Arenaria interpres
Turnstone

318

Kingscote

Eastern

Northern

Southern Flinders”

Chase

xX X

x
x
XxX

», 4

x

X

X
x x
x

X
X X
X

Vict.Nat.Vol.49

Field Naturalists Club of Victoria
APPLICATION FORM

To be used by new members or subscribers.
(Cross out pparts which are not applicable)

I wish to subscribe to the Victorian Naturalist for 1975. Please post it monthly
to the address below.

Ordinary
I wish to apply for Country membership of the Field Naturalists Club
Junior
of Victoria
My full name and address is:
Mr.
TYAS ORME ast ees FC ie S50 Ae a gd ae alt aperd e, 0 allele tet ao DED © ecg enema age ORS
Miss
I enclose the sum of $ in payment of the year’s fee.
Date / AWSYISY
STETRZUTUECS, sc, Sone ln ne nO er CNS aro ER ran ana RN ReGen. fcr ond

folie) retried elm. ebve ie fieielhieive: 0, ‘6 ,e) (e..8 10 6. eve 'e @ @ © .© 6 "e je © © e © 0 (e ‘e |e 0 © © ‘e):6 ©. © @) © @. @ “eo “6 6.10 6) 0 <0 /4, 50: ee oF emeleisie. io

(Cut along this line)

The Field Naturalists Club of Victoria
ELECTION OF OFFICE-BEARERS

Under the terms of the Articles of Association, nominations for elections to
Council at the Annual General Meeting must be received by the Secretary two
calendar months before the Annual General Meeting, 1.e., by the January General
Meeting. I therefore call for nominations for the following positions: -

President Vice-Presidents (2)
Secretary Treasurer

Assistant Secretary Assistant Treasurer
Editor Librarian

Assistant Editor Assistant Librarian
Excursion Secretary Residual Councillors (5S)

Any financial member may nominate for any of the above positions. Nominations
must be proposed and seconded by financial members, and nomination forms must
be signed by the nominee, the proposer and the seconder.

It is most important that nominations be received for all positions as the Club
cannot function effectively without a complete, enthusiastic and effective Council.

R. H. RIORDAN,

Honorary Secretary

(see over)

The Field Naturalists Club of Victoria
AN INVITATION TO PERSONS INTERESTED IN AUSTRALIAN

FAUNA, FLORA AND COUNTRYSIDE

If you have not already an affiliation with the F.N.C.V., you may apply to the club
either for membership or for regular subscription to the Victorian Naturalist.

These are some of the club’s activities:

e General meetings each month, with informative, illustrated talks by prominent
naturalists. These are held on the second Monday of each month, at the National
Herbarium, South Yarra.

e Meetings of study groups comprising those with specialized interests such as
geology, botany, microscopy, entomology, native fauna, etc.

e Organized excursions led by nature experts, to places of interest, both near and
far.

The maintenance of a large lending library of nature books and magazines.

The publication monthly of the Victorian Naturalist a well-illustrated nature
magazine produced for the general reader as well as the expert. This is issued free
to all members.

Membership is available to any person interested in nature; it is not necessary to
have any specialized knowledge.

Membership Fees for the year 1975 are:
Ordinary members (living within 20 miles of G.P.O. Melbourne)..............

Country members (living over 20 miles from G.P.O. Melbourne)..............
Junior members (under 18 years of age). =... 2... oe ct ee

Non-members may subscribe to the ‘“‘ Victorian Naturalist”

If you are interested in either membership of the club or subscription to the
Victorian Naturalist, please complete the appropriate parts of the form on the reverse
side of this leaf and post it to:

Honorary Secretary, F.N.C.V.,
National Herbarium, South Yarra, Victoria 3141.

Ce , ]

(Cut along this line)
The Field Naturalists Club of Victoria

ELECTION OF OFFICE-BEARERS

Normination Form

forthe position of. .).2..0 ska a a a,

SOCOM oer his cace ccepeie bi Riaste Su obrel-a: coms eueneeee ee jane en Oem a a Of fe eae

eo «© e@ © © © © © © © © © © © © © © © © © © © © © © © ew © we © © ew we © ew © © ew © eo © ew ee we we ee we we ew ee eo ee we we ew ee ee

(To be removed)

Subscriptions Now Due

The Field Naturalists Club of Victoria is administered by a relatively small
number of honorary office-bearers.

The growth of the club and the expansion of its activities, particularly in
connection with the production of the Victorian Naturalist, are continually
adding to the burden of work.

It is therefore requested that fees and subscriptions be paid as promptly as
possible, in order to help lighten some of this burden. The financial year
commences on 1 January, 1975.

If you will not be paying your fees at one of the forthcoming general
meetings, please remit them by post, using the form provided on the reverse
side of this leaf.

This procedure will save office-bearers’ time, and expense, in sending out
reminder notices.

PLEASE ATTEND TO THIS MATTER NOW

You may help further by passing the following leaf on to an acquaintance
who is not a member of the F.N.C.V. or a subscriber to the Victorian
Naturalist but who might be interested in either.

NOTES:

1. Membership fees for the year 1975 are as follows:
AVA ROM OM UA Be a8 oe cd Cota aM a chcaee asl ctralbe ehetRircucal we sealers Gueae aan eee $10.00
NGA NAELE@ POMERAT: 05 5c sic cca enka lO elas aS. 6 we ara lela ois dudnn oe eearenons $12.50
Country subscribers, and retired persons over 65................-000- $8.00
NoiMMOOUMUBV C2. ecco Ce Sd cco Oo. ews ae ere 4 Ry eee $10.00
Aus otras tee IN, bn Sa we ease ce Mase hone! Scbaa eae) o- =) Soon > eae eee $2.50
OvCTSCAS Beye istveee. 32 marines ehe eis dl ow eee SSeS wares oe hoe $10.00
UommioOrwath Naturalist "i... cece oi ge ek wis, 4 Pet ae SRO eee $8.00
MACAU ALMIACAZANIES 2.075 os Bs eecace oak sinks s, 08a Bk ws oe be en $0.75

(Ordinary, and country members receive the Victorian Naturalist free of any
further charge).

2. The scheme of supporting membership was introduced so that those who are able
and willing to do so might help club finances. You are invited to become a
supporting member by making a voluntary addition to the normal annual fee of
any sum you choose, from $10 upward. Details relating to supporting members
and their payments are regarded by the treasurer as confidential, and no distinc-
tion or extra privilege is bestowed on the members concerned.

(To be removed)

Field Naturalists Club of Victoria

FORM FOR RENEWAL OF MEMBERSHIP OR OF
SUBSCRIPTION TO THE “VICTORIAN NATURALIST”

(To be used by existing members or subscribers for payment of fees)

Name(s) hee ie ls a ok we Se ad ON

INGGGESS i le ce oi ee hace Ww nn Bee eR lS

Oe) 10) le: ‘oF eve je je @ fe 0 e@ (0) 6,0 e © © @ @. 0 @. © © 0 0.0 (ee © cei @: “0 ‘e):.0. Je) ‘eo Hevea) le-/4e) eles) eimiemie tiolmentetiveran

Soe = Cine @! OD ON 4@) | 0) Le iene) “lee, (0! eile! Fesn.@, ie) ie! jet ee) Ue! 0 Ke! <@: [ei sie; (ee se, 0) (a't"oleres sia) Jed jodie ofete Mi onieliteltnotn stake anteii eis ante

(Please indicate if there is a joint member)

Mr. D. E. McINNES
Hon. Treasurer, F.N.C.V.
129 Waverley Road, East Malvern, 3145

Dear Sir,

Please find enclosed the sum of $ , to cover annual
membership fees
subscription to the Victorian Naturalist for the year 1975. Please enter this
sum as follows:

Mien bershipst€es es... cos ena! Mey wn a ee $
Supporting membership. . 2... 0.006 6. 80% a ek scan, 0
Subscription to. Victorian Naturalist. ..00 6.5.60 66 5 os oes or

ep een ie) (ome tiie. 0 4e) 6." 0)! 16 vie! ee vei te: jel ee! je) Je” 10) en ve:.).@ ie tie. © ‘eo ie:V 6, fe. ie

Numenius madagascariensis
Eastern Curlew

Tringa hypoleucos
Common Sandpiper

Burhinus magnirostris
Southern Stone-Curlew

Larus novaehollandiae
Silver Gull

Larus pacificus
Pacific Gull

Hydroprogne tschegrava
Caspian Tern

Sterna bergii
Crested Tern

Sterna nerets
Fairy Tern

Phaps elegans
Brush Bronzewing

Calyptorhynchus funereus

Yellow-tailed Black Cockatoo

Cacatua galerita
White Cockatoo

Cacatua roseicapilla
Galah

Platycercus elegans melanoptera

Crimson Rosella

. Glossopsitta porphyrocephala
Purple-crowned Lorikeet

Trichoglossus haematodus
Rainbow Lorikeet

Cacomantis pyrrhopanus
Fantailed Cuckoo

Chrysococcyx basalis
Horsfield Bronze-Cuckoo

Chrysococcyx lucidus
Golden Bronze-Cuckoo

Ninox novaeseelandiae
Boobook Owl

Hirundo tahitica
Welcome Swallow

Petrochelidon nigricans
Tree Martin

Anthus novaesellandiae
Pipit

Coracina novaehollandiae
Black-faced Cuckoo-Shrike

Ephthianura albifrons
White-fronted Chat

December, 1974

Kingscote

Eastern

Northern

Southern

Flinders
Chase

319

Kingscote Eastern Northern Southern Flinders

Acanthiza nana Chase

Little Thornbill xX
Acanthiza lineata

Striated Thornbill xX X
Acanthiza pusilla

Brown Thornbill xX x xX x x
Sericornis frontalis osculans

Spotted Scrub Wren x x x xX
Malurus cyaneus

Superb Blue Wren xX x x x x
Rhipidura fuligonosa

Grey Fantail x X x x x
Rhipidura leucophrys

Willie Wagtail X X
Myiagra inquieta

Restless Flycatcher x xX X
Petroica multicolor

Scarlet Robin X X X X
Pachycephala pectoralis

Golden Whistler X
Colluricincla harmonica

Grey Strike-Thrush x x x

Pardalotus xanthopygus
Yellow-tailed Pardalote x x

Pardalotus substratius
Striated Pardalote x

Zosterops lateralis

Silver Eye xX x x x
Meliphaga gratitia

Purple-gaped Honeyeater X X

Meliphaga leucotis
White-eared Honeyeater x

Melithreptus brevirostris
Brown-headed Honeyeater x xX

Phylidonyris pyrrhoptera
Crescent Honeyeater xX X X

Phylidonyris novaehollandiae
Yellow-winged Honeyeater X X xX xX

Phylidonyris melanops
Tawny-crowned Honeyeater x

Acanthorhynchus tenuirostris
Eastern Spinebill xX x x

Anthochaera caranculata
Red Wattle-Bird x x x x

Aegintha temporalis
Red-Browed Finch xX x x

Passer domesticus
House-Sparrow x

320 Vict.Nat.Vol.49

Sturnus vulgaris
Starling

Grallina cyanloeuca
Magpie-Lark

Artamus cyanopterus
Dusky Wood-Swallow

Streptera versicola melanoptera

Black-winged Currawong

Gymmnorhina tibicen hypoleuca

White-backed Magpie

Corvus coronoides
Australian Raven

Alauda arvensis
Skylark

FLORA

Pteridophyta
Cheilanthes tunuifolia
Pteridium esculentum

Gymnospermae
Callitris rhomboidea

Liliaceae
Dianella revoluta
Burchardia umbellata
Anguillaria dioica
Chamaescilla corymbosa
Bulbinopsis semibarbata
Xanthorrhoea tateana

Iridaceae

Orthrosanthus floribundus

Amaryllidaceae
Hypoxis glabella

Orchidaceae
Thelymitria leaves
Corybas leaves
Ancianthus caudatus
Acianthus reniformis
Leptoceras fimbriatus
Caladenia patersonii
Caladenia filamentosa
Caladenia latifolio
Caladenia deformis
Diuris longifolia
Pterostylis nana
Pterostylis barbata
Pterostylis longifolia

Casuarinaceae
Casuarina striata

Kingscote Eastern Northern Southern

Appendix 2

X
x
X X
X X
X X
X
Proteaceae

Petrophila Multisecta
Isopogon ceratophyllus
Adenanthos sericeae
Adenanthos terminalis
Conospermum papens
Hakea rostrata

Hakea meulleriana
Hakea vittata

Banksia marginata
Banksia ornata
Grevillea tlicifolia
Grevillea halmaturina
Grevillea pauciflora
Grevillea quinquenervis
Grevillea rogersii

Polygonaceae
Muehlenbeckea adpressa

Santalaceae
Choretrum glomeratrum

Chenopodiaceae
Atriplex cinerea
Rhagodia baccata
Salsola kali
Suaeda australis
Enchylaena tomentosa

Arthrocnemum halocnemoides

Phytolaccaceae
Gyrostemon australasicus

Aizoaceae
Carprobrotus rossei
Disphyma australe
Tetragonia amplexicoma

Flinders
Chase

Note: Due to insufficient space in this issue, the continuation of Appendix 2, together with
Appendix 3, will be published in the next issue.

December, 1974

32)1

A New Caddis-fly Genus from Victoria and
Tasmania

(Philorheithridae: Trichoptera)

by A. NEBOISS*

Abstract

A new genus, Ramiheithrus, is
described to fnclude two species, R.
virgatus sp. n. from North-eastern
Victoria, and R. kocinus sp. n. from
North-western Tasmania. The
characteristic feature of the genus is the
pectinate antennae.

Introduction

Investigations on invertebrate fauna in
the Dartmouth dam inundation area and
Mitta Mitta River catchment area in
North-eastern Victoria have yielded
many interesting distributional records
and undescribed insect species. Among
them are several specimens of a caddis
fly of the family Philorheithridae having
unusual antennae which are pectinate on
the basal half and which resemble those
of another undescribed species captured
earlier at Corinna, North-western
Tasmania. The two species were found to
be closely related, but could not be
attributed to any of the described
genera. A new genus, Ramiheithrus, is
here erected to contain the two species.
Riek (1970) recorded a genus with
plumed antennae.

The family Philorheithridae Mosely
(1936) has an entirely southern
distribution. Several genera are known
from Australia and Tasmania, but the
fauna is far from being fully
investigated. A few other genera occur in
New Zealand and South America.

Adult Philorheithridae have a wing
span of 15-30 mm; an indistinct but
rather constant wing pattern. The adults
adopt a characteristic resting pose with
wings and abdomen positioned at an
angle to the substrate.

322

Genus Ramiheithrus gen. n.

Type species: Ramiheithrus virgatus
gen. et sp. n.

Ocelli absent. Antennae about as long
as anterior wing, basal half pectinate in
male; first segment stout, as long as
vertical diameter of eye, second segment
very short, both simple, the following 15
or 16 segments with long lateral
branches, becoming shorter distally, the.
segments of apical half simple. Male
maxillary palp five-segmented; there are
no pilifers in front of the face. Scutum
and scutellum each with a pair of
rounded warts. Anterior wing without
longitudinal fold, apex broad obliquely
truncate; forks 1, 2, 3 and 5 present,
sclerotized area on the anal margin
produced to a distinct lobe. Posterior
wing with Sc and RI merged for a short
distance before separating and
diverging; RI terminates into R2 shortly
before wing margin; forks 1, 2 and 5
present. Male genitalia characterized by
dorsally produced hood-like seg. 9 and a
short bilobed plate representing the
inferior appendages. Lateral pores
present on sternites 2 - 8.

Spurs 2:4:4

This genus resembles
Aphilorheithrus, but is distinguished by
the wing venation, well developed anal
lobe on anterior wing, and the absence of
pilifers in front of the head in the male.
So far only two species are known to
belong to this genus.

*Curator of Insects, National Museum of Victoria

Vict.Nat.Vol.49

KEY FOR SEPARATING SPECIES
(males only)

1. The trilobed plate above phallus with median lobe laterally compressed, much longer than

lateral lobes; anterior wing fork 1 sessile ....

Sf aCe Uae Ni He Camden ORCL A virgatus

The trilobed plate above phallus with median lobe semicircular, shorter than lateral lobes,

anterior wing fork 1 with footstalk.........

BAe gee ORS A Cy Rae OMEN ML. ti thlu are suit, hag Pt kocinus

Ramitheithrus virgatus sp. n.
sp.n.
Figs. 1-4, 6-9

Greyish brown species with irregularly
mottled anterior wings, a distinct pale
oval spot close to wing margin within
fork 3, smaller and less conspicuous ones
between the veins above and below it.
Usually there are 15-16 branched
antennal segments, although in some
specimens there are two branches on seg.
3; the base of each lateral branch dark
brown, all unbranched apical segments
pale, yellowish. Maxillary palp_five-
segmented; seg. 1 short, apically with
well developed nodule, the subsequent
segments slender.

d genitalia withseg. 9dorsally
produced into large centrally clefted
hood, inner surface on either side of the

cleft densely covered with short pointed
spines. A trilobed hood-like plate covers
the phallus dorsally; the median,
laterally compressed lobe, longer than
the lateral lobes. Phallus in lateral view
triangular, pointed apically. A broad,
bilobed plate constitutes fused inferior
appendages, each lobe in lateral view
evenly rounded.
? — unknown.
Length of anterior wing: f# 10-11 mm.
Type material: Holotype & (T4558), 8
S paratypes (T4559 -T4566) McKay:
creek, Sassafras Gap, Vic. 2 Feb. 1974.
A Neboiss (NMV). AIl specimens -
preserved in alcohol.
Distribution: North-eastern Victoria

Ramiheithrus kocinus sp. n.
Figs. 5, 10-12

Blackish species with faint paler
irregular mottling on anterior wings, of
which the most conspicuous is a pale
area at, and just behind the distal end of
discoidal cell. Antennae dark greyish-
brown throughout with 15 to 16
branched segments. Maxillary palp five-
segmented, seg. 1 short with well
developed apical nodule.

& genitalia with seg. 9 dorsally produced
into a large deeply clefted hood, inner
surface of each side covered with a group
of short pointed spines. A trilobed hood-
like plate above the phallus; the median
lobe broad semicircular, shorter than the
lateral lobes. Phallus broad, apex

December, 1974

rounded. A _ broad bilobed plate
constitutes fused inferior appendages;
each lobe in lateral view somewhat oval
with acute upper angle.

2 - unknown.

Length of anterior wing: ¢ 9 mm.

Type material: Holotype ¢ (T4567), 1

3 paratype (T4568) Corinna, N.W. Tas.

(small creek in forest), 5. Nov. 1972 A.
Neboiss and G. Kocins (NMV).
Specimens preserved in alcohol.

Distribution North-western
Tasmania.

The species is named after Mr. G.
Kocins, a friend and companion on field
work over many years.

323

Acknowledgements: Ss.

The author is indebted to Dr. T. New
of LaTrobe University, Bundoora, and
Dr. G. Ettershank of Monash University,
Clayton for their constructive criticism
and comments.

REFERENCES

Mosely, M.E. (1936). Tasmanian Trichoptera
or Caddis-Flies.
Proc. Zool. Soc. Lond. 1936 395-424.
Riek, E.F. (1970) Chapter 35. Trichoptera
in ‘Australian Insects’: 741-764.

324

Figure A

Vict.Nat.Vol.49

Figure B

Figure A

Figs. 1-4: Ramiheithrus virgatus gen. et sp. n.d
1. Wing venation; 2. Scutum and scutellum

showing warts and base of anterior wing with

position of anal lobe;

3. Sternite 6 showing lateral pore; 4. Maxillary

palp. S. Ramiheithrus kocinus sp. n. 8 wing

venation.

December, 1974

Figure B

Figs. 6 - 9 - Ramtheithrus virgatus gen. et sp.
n. 6. - Male genitalia ventral; 7. - male
genitalia lateral; 8. - antenna; 9. - antenna;
enlarged basal section; 10-12 -Ramiheithrus
Kocinus sp. n. 10. - male genitalia ventral; 11.
- dorsal outline of segment 9.; 12.- male
genitalia lateral.

325

Notice of Annual General Meeting

of

The Field Naturalists Club of Victoria

To be held at The National Herbarium, South
Yarra, on the 12 day of March One thousand
nine hundred and seventy-five at 8 p.m.
Business

1. Approval of Minutes of Annual General
Meeting held on the 13 March, 1974.

2. Presentation of Reports

3. Alteration of Memorandum and Articles of
Association. To consider and if thought fit
pass the following special resolution:

A. That the Memorandum of
Association of the Club be amended as
follows:-

1. By deleting Article 2(b) and
substituting the following new Article:

‘““2(b) To take all steps as may be
considered most effective to conserve
and protect the natural environment of
Australia and its environs and in
particular of the State of Victoria’.

B. That the Articles of Association of the
Club be amended as follows :

1. By inserting the words “‘or full-time
students under the age of twenty-five
years’ between the words “‘years’’ and
“at” in lines 1 and 2 respectively of
Article 6(c).

2. By deleting Article 20 and
substituting the following new Article:

“20. An annual general meeting of the
Club shall be held during the second
week of March in every year at such
place as the Council may determine.”’

5-953, deleting “Article: 29> and
substituting the following new Article:

“29. The members shall at each
Annual General Meeting elect as
hereinafter provided out of their own
body the members of Council. Council
shall consist of the President, Vice-
President, immediate past President
(who shall hold office till the next
Annual General Meeting only) and ten
other members. The meeting shall also
elect the following Office Bearers,
namely Secretary, Treasurer, Editor,
Librarian, Excursion Secretary and
other Office Bearers as determined by

326

Council. These Office Bearers may be
honorary, or may _ receive such
remuneration as Council considers
proper, and need not necessarily be
members of the Club. Members of
Council may hold any position but shall
not receive any remuneration. The
Secretary and Treasurer shall, and other
Officers may, attend Council Meetings,
but shall not be eligible to vote on any
motion unless they are members of
Council. In the event of any of the
foregoing offices or places not being
filled or of any vacancy occurring therein
between two Annual General Meetings
the vacancy may be filled by the Council
and the person so appointed may hold
office until the next and subsequent
Annual General Meeting. Subject to the
general control of the Club the
management of the business and affairs
of the Club shall be vested in the
Council.”’

4. By inserting the sentence “If no
nomination has been received for any
position, nominations for that position
may be accepted at or before the Annual
General Meeting”’ after the first sentence
of Article 30 and by deleting the word
“any” in line 6 of Article 30 and
substituting the word “‘either” therefore
and by deleting the words “‘of five
Members”’ in line 7 of Article 30.

5. By deleting the word “‘nine”’ in line
S of Article 32 and substituting the word
“SEVEN «

6. By deleting Article 40.

7. By inserting the words ‘‘or other
officer duly appointed by Council,
provided that at least one signatory must
be a financial member of the Club”’ after
the last word in Article 63.

8. By renumbering Articles 41 to 80
inclusive as Articles 40 to 79 respectively.

4. Election of Council and Office
Bearers. ROGER RIORDAN,
Hon. Sec.

Vict.Nat.Vol.49

Australian Natural History Medallionist for 1974

Vincent Noel Serventy

The Award Committee has announced
that the winner of the Australian
Natural History Medallion for 1974 is
Mr. Vincent N. Serventy, whose name
has long been familiar to naturalists and
indeed most Australians as that of an
outstanding conservationist, editor and
telecaster in the field of natural history,
and news of his success in winning this
coveted award will be welcomed far and
wide.

Vincent Noel Serventy was born at
Armadale, Western Australia, on 6
January, 1916, twelve years after his
brother, Dr. Dominic Louis Serventy, the
distinguished ornithologist whose name
already appears on the list of
Medallionists. Like his brother, Vincent
has specialised in the study of birds, his
first contributions, on the birds nesting
in the Abrolhos, appearing in Gould
League Notes (W.A.), Wild Life
(Melbourne) and Emu (R.A.O.U.) in the
years 1941-2-3. Papers in these and other
publications, including the Western
Australian Naturalist (which he founded)
continued over the years, and in 1971
appeared Handbook of Australian Sea
Birds, in which he collaborated with his
brother and J. Warham.

V. N. Serventy has extended his
interests to the whole range of Australian
natural history, as those who have
enjoyed his long-running television
series Nature Walkabout will not need to
be reminded. His editorship, since 1967
(2 years after he moved to Sydney from
Perth), of the noted conservation
quarterly magazine Wildlife in
Australia has provided him with another
excellent means of furthering the love
and appreciation of our native flora and
fauna, as does his current editorship of
Australia’s Wildlife Heritage being
published in weekly parts. He edits a

December, 1974

weekly nature column in the Sydney
Sunday newspaper ‘Sun-Herald’. His
authorship of Landforms of Australia
(1968) and Australia’s National Parks
(1969) extended this to the conservation
of the physical environment. Another
notable book, A Continent in Danger,
has played a part in arousing a better
awareness of the importance of ecology,
and two others, Southern Walkabout
and Dryandra, the Story of an
Australian Forest, are entertainingly
discursive and nostalgic. There is no
place to mention numerous other
products of his pen, but Vincent
Serventy has by no means been content
to be merely a writer — he has been a
doer, a man who has ventured far off the
beaten track, leading expeditions that
have added to scientific knowledge,
revivifying the numerous societies and
clubs of which he has been an active
member, and in many of which he has
held important offices. For example, he
is currently President of the Wildlife
Preservation Society of Australia, which
is one of the societies that nominated
him for this Medallion, the others being
the W.A. Naturalists’ Club, W.A. Gould
League, Field Naturalists’ Society of
South Australia, and the Gould League
of New South Wales.

Mr. Serventy prepared a long, well-
researched submission which he gave as
evidence before the Select Committee on
Conservation of the House of
Representatives. in - 1971. > lhiv dine
Australian Government adopted some of
his major recommendations, there would
be a much more hopeful future for
conservation in this country.

The Medallion was presented at the
50th Anniversary Meeting of Western
Australian Naturalists’ Club this
December.

S27,

Field Naturalists Club of Victoria

Established 1880
OBJECTS: To stimulate interest in natural history and to preserve
and protect Australian fauna and flora.

Patron:
His Excellency Major-General Sir ROHAN DELACOMBE. K.B.E.. C.B.. D.S.O.

Key Office-Bearers, 1973- 1974.
President:
MiP. KELLY

Hon.Secretary: Mr. R. H. RIORDAN, 15 Regent St., East Brighton, 3187. 92 8579
Treasurer: H. BISHOP, Address Correspondence to National Herbarium, The
Domain, South Yarra.

Subscription Secretary: Mr. D. E. McINNES, 129 Waverley Rd., East Malvern, 3145
Hon.Editor: Mr. G. M. WARD, 54 St. James Road, Heidelberg 3084

Hon.Librarian: Mr. J. MARTINDALE, c/o National Herbarium, The Domain,
South Yarra.

Hon.Excursion Secretary: Miss M. ALLENDER, 19 Hawthorn Avenue, Caulfield
3151 (S2 2749)

Magazine Sales Officer: Mr. D. McINNES

Archives Officer: Mr. CALLANAN, 29 Reynards Street, Coburg 3058. Tel. 36 0587

Group Secretaries
Botany: Mrs. M. G. CORRICK, 7 Glenluss St., Balwyn 3103. Tel. 857 9937
Day Group: Mrs. J. STRONG, 1160 Dandenong Rd., Murrumbeena (56 2271)
Entomology and Marine Biology: Mr. J. W. H. STRONG, Flat 11, “‘Palm Court’,
1160 Dandenong Rd., Murrumbeena 3163 (56 2271)
Field Survey: c/o National Herbarium, The Domain, South Yarra, 3141.
Geology: Mr. T. SAULT.
Mammal Survey: Miss Wendy CLARK, 97 Faraday Street, Carlton, 3053.
Microscopical: Mr. M. H. MEYER, 36 Milroy Street, East Brighton (96-3268).

MEMBERSHIP
Membership of the F.N.C.V. is open to any person interested in natural history.
The Victorian Naturalist is distributed free to all members, the club’s reference and
lending library is available, and other activities are indicated in reports set out in the
several preceding pages of this magazine.

Rates of Subscriptions for 1975

MIStiO@MOllitame ais = awe ae eee ok ES ee on ie OE Nae BO Tn 2 Be ey as Aa ee $10.00
Vomenmietiopolitam: FF. Bik Cacti Myce Oe a ks Oe SAS sete ee Re IT a 12.50
ZA Countny subscribers, and retired persons over65...... ..8. ge a Se a Se 8.00
WOMMEGOUW Me cos eae et A a aN 8 BAe SY fT oe a 10.00
JVIMOES + Sin tee ee i eR eee ce LN He a NY oe ee a, CRP MN MNMR NETS OE ge gg 2.50
@WENSCAS as Lua ON MMe. lbw kc ge 2A NOR eee ein UNS SR WS tae A ee ei ne a 10.00
humMonunnthyaNaturalist,, orl wel eae ke MeN Oe dl esate a Gee PEW coo ST A A 8.00
In@ividiall mmagaZiMmeS:ccakless oso yo SAS Pek Ph IS Mg ao Ma SR ah REAR Sr nr 0.75

All subscriptions should be made payable to the Field Naturalist Club of Victoria, and posted to the
Subscription Secretary.

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