FORTHE PEOPLE

FOR EDVCATION

FOR SCIENCE

LIBRARY

OF

THE AMERICAN MUSEUM

OF

NATURAL HISTORY

THE VICTORIAN NATURALIST.

VOL. XXXIV., 1917-lS.

a?i3::B

Victorian Naturalist:

THE JOURNAL & MAGAZINE

OF THE 5,6(o(C(^,6 3E

MAY, 1917, TO APRIL, 1918.
f)On. EOitOr : MR. F. Q. A. BARNARD.

The Author of each Article is responsible for the facts and
opinions recorded.

/lib e I b 0 u r n c :
WALKER, MAY & CO., PRINTERS, MACKILLOP STREET

(off 390 LITTLE COLLINS STREET).
1918.

vq. t "n ;L.^n

THE VICTORIAN NATURALIST.

MAY, i9i7» to APRIL, 1918.

CONTENTS.

Field Naturalists' CLrr. of Victoria; — page

Annual Report - - - - - -25

Exhibition of Wild-flowers . . _ llo, IOj

Proceedings 1, 1:5, 2.3, 4;), 77, 79, 9:3, 109, 129, IGo, 108, LSI

Reports of Excursions 1, 3, i;i, 77, 93, 109, 129, 132, 133, 149,

172, 173, 181

ORIGINAL PAPERS.

Barnard, F. G. A. — Some Account of the Journe^-s of Dr.

George Neumayer in Victoria, 1859-1864 - 185

Chapman, F. , A.L.S. — A Sketch of the Geological History of

Australian Plants — The PaliPozoic Flora - - 140

Daley, C, B.A. , F.L.S. — Notes on a Visit to Mallacoota

Inlet - . . . . 121, 135

Hart, T. S., M.A., R.C.E.— Notes on the Distribution of the

Eucalypts about Creswick and Clunes - - 83, 99

Keble, R. A. — Aboriginal Plant Names : their Etymology - 02

Patox, D. J. — The Buffalo Plateau in January - - 151

Pescott, E. E., F.L.S., F.R.p:.S.— Notes on the Reproduction

of Terrestrial Orchids - - - ifjo, 176

ROSENHAIX, 0. "W.— A Thousand Miles on the River Murray - 49

Searle, J. —The Pond and Its Inhabitants - - -6,19

TOPP, C. A., I.S.O., M.A., LL.B.— Impressions of the Flowers

of South-Western Australia - - - 3"

IN'DEX.

INDEX.

PAQS

Aboriginal Plant Names - G2
Araciit Bynoeun - - - 06

Acanthi/ii, Late Breeding of IS
Altona Bay, Excursion to - 1(5
Afjuatic Insects - - - 1!<
Anuytago, Lieut. E. O. - Kil
Amtral Avian IticiTd - lOS, 17!l
Australia, Flowers of South-

Wostcni - - - 37
Australian Plants, Geological

History of - - - 140
Ballarat and Creswick, Map of 4-1
Barnard, F.G. A. — Some Ac-
count of Dr. Neumayer's
Journeys _ . . IS.j

BaniaiMl. Th(> lato Lieut.

X.F.W. - - - !)2

Beaunians, Excursion to - 1 {i>
Beetles, Wliirligig - - 10

Belgrave, Excursion to - 11. J
Berwii-k, Excursion to - —

liird-Lime, Use of - - 01
linronid jitiiuain - - 110, 111

l!ofri/c/iiinn tfrnnltim - - KJO
Breeding of Acanthiza - 18

Buffalo I'lateau, The - - 1 ol
Bunyip. The - - - :5o
Jiurnliy Gardens, Visit to - ISl
Burns, A. H. — Xotes on
Butterflies of Wandin-
Fcrntri'e Gully District- KiT
Butterflies of Wandin-Feni-

tree Gully District - KiT

Cabl)ag(!tree Creek - - 2
Castlemaine and Kyneton,

Map of - - - 14

Caterpillars, Devastation by 106
Chaiiinan, F., A.L.S., Sketch
of the Geological History
of Australian Plants - I 10
Children's Room, National

Museum - - - 11
Clark-, Mr. A. liutter - so, 93
Cockatoo, Tlu! Black - - 104
Colac, Map of - - - 44

Creswickaud Ballarat, Mai)fif 44
CreHwick and Clunes, Distri-
bution of Eucalypts y3, 90
Croydon, Excursion to - 100

Daley. C, M.A., F.L.S.,
S'otes of Visit to Malla-
coota Inlet - - 121, 1. 'J. j

Daley. C, M.A.,
The Victorian

F.L.S.,
Grani-

PAQX

pians - - - - 1 1 2
Dee Valley, Excursion to - 2
Di'iiisojiia iiiijrofitriata - - 107
Digger's Rest and Sunbury,

Excursion to - - 94

Donnabuang Track - - 2
Emerald Nurseries, Excur-
sion to -
Eucalypts at Creswick and
Chinos - - - s;{
Field Naturalists' Club of Vic-
toria—
Annual Rei)Oit
Excursions —

Altona Ray - - -
Beaumaris - - -

J{elgrave . _ .

Btnwick - - _
Burnley Gardens -
Croydon - . -
Emerald Nurseries
Greenvale - - -
Heidelberg - - 100,

Labertouche
Langwarrin .ami Frank-
ston - - - -
Lilydale Quarry -
National Museum
Noble Park - - -
Pakeidiam - - _

liickett's Point
liivei'sdale - - -

lioyal Park Cutting
Toolangi ...
Tt)orak _ - .

You Yangs ...
Zoological Gardens
Exhibition of Wild-Howers
11. J,

Financial StatemeTil - IJO

OHice-bearers, 1017-lS - ;{2
Proceedings, I, 1.'5. 2.j, 4."», 77,

70. o;{, io!», 120, k;.-,, los, isi

Fi.she.s, Flying - - - 92
" Flora of the Northern Ter-
ritory " - - - ISO
Flowers of South -Western

Australia ... ;j7

Flying Fishes - - - 92

Fraukston, Excursion to - 33

12!)

99

25

10
IM)
113
181
ISl
100
129

SO
132
133

172
77
03

129

149

3

13

173
HO
9()

169

10

INDEX.

Fruit Pigeon, Red-Crowned 9o

Gatliff, The late Capt. F. E. !)2

Geelong, Map of - - 44

" Germany, Made ill " - 60

Gift, Another Great - - 15!)

Grampiiins, The Victorian - 112

Grasses. Victorian - - 134

Greenvale, Excursion to - NO

Hall Memorial Fund - - oS

Hall, The late Sergt. T. M. - lOS
Hart, T. S., M.A., B.C.E.,
Notes on Distribution of
Eucalypts about Cres-
wick and Clunes - 83, iU)
Heidelberg, Excursion to

109, 132
Hill, G. F., F.E.S., Natural-
ist in the Northern Ter-
ritory - - - - 78
Honour Roll - - 92, 108
Insects, Aquatic - - - 19
Insects from Northern Ter-
ritory - - - - 4S
Insect Pests - - - 4';
Isurus hastah's (Shark) - 128
Keble, R. A. — Aboriginal
Plant Names : their Ety-
mology - - - G2
Kershaw, J. A., F.E.S. — Two

Snakes New to Victoria- 167

Kookaburra Call - - - 1 7 1
Kyueton and Castlemaiue,

Map of - - _ 44

Labertouche, Excursion to - 133

Langwarrin, Excursion to - 33

Legge, the late Col. W. V. - 184
Lilydale Quarry, Excursion

to - - - - 172

Li>g(inia loiKjifolia - - 170

Macgillivray, Dr. W. - - 164

''Made in Germany" - - 60
Mallacoota Inlet, Visit to 121,138

Map of Melbourne - - 48

Maps, Tourist - - - 44

Marsilea (/uadri/olia - - 170
Melbourne Suburbs, Map

of - - - - 48
^Melbourne Zoological Gar-
dens - - - 00, 169
Micro-Fauna of Botanic Gar-
dens Lake - - - l.'jo
Mistletoes - - - - •,',:•,
Moss Animals - - - 22
Munro-Ferguson, Sir Ronald,

G.C.M.G. - - - 100

PAGE

Murray River, Trip on - 49

Nardoo >. What is - - 170
National Museum - 11, 127
National Museum, Children's

Room - - - - 1 1
National Museum, Excur-
sion to - - - 77
National Park, The - - 36
Nature and War - - - 43
Neumayer, Dr. G., Journeys

of - - . . !«,-,

Noble Park, Excursion to - 93
North, The late A. J.,

C.M.Z.S. - - - 14
Northern Territory, A Nat-
uralist ill - - - 78
"Northern Territory, Flora

of" - - - - ISO
Northern Territory, Insects

from - - - - 48
O'DonoghuG, The late J. G. 1
Onion Weed - - - 98

Orchid, Ch'loglottis Pescottiana 1 1 1
Orchid, Drakea Huiitiana - 130
Orchids, New Victorian 111, 112
Orchids, Reproduction of 160, 176
Ornithological Collection,

The White - - - 127
O.ii/rhinu has(((lis{Shsir'k) - 128
Pakenham, Excursion to - 129
Paton, D. J., The Bufialo

Plateau in January - Ijl
Peach Trees, Early Bloom-
ing of - - - - 78
Pescott, E. E., F.L.S.,
F.K.H.S., Notes on Re-
production of Terrestrial
Orchids - - 160, 176

Pests, Insect - - - 4j
Petherick, The late E. A.,

C.M.G. - - - 108

Plants, Geological History

of Australian - - 140
Plant Names, Aboriginal - 62
Polyzoa - - - - 22
Ponds and Inhabitants 6, 19

Pterostylis, The Genus - 162

Plilinvpiis swainsuai - - i»j
Quail- - 2, d, 16 J, 166, 169
Reproduction of Orchids 160, 176
11/(1/ iic/niiips unstru/is - - 167
Rickett's Point, Excursion to 149
Riversdale, Excursion to - 3
Royal Park Cutting, Excur-
sion to - - - - 13

viii

INDEX.

■AGE

PAGE

Rosella, The Fleurieu Pen-

77i( lUtiuc Gardener

76

insula - - - -

IJO

Thornbill, Late Breeding of

18

liosenbain, 0. W. — A Thou-

Toolangi, Excursion to

17:5

sand Miles on the Kiver

Toorak, Excursion to -

80

Murray . - -

4!)

Topp, C. A., I.S.O., M.A.,

Eoscnhain, The late 0. AV.

LL.B. — Impressions of

7!

. ■'^2

Flowers of South-West-

Ruppia maritima, Linn.

111

er n Australia

;J7

Searle. J. — The Pond and its

Tourist Maps _ - -

44

Inhabitants - - G

, li»

l'ullis)i<'ria spi7-ulis

171)

Shark, Change of Name

I2S

Victoria, Magnetic Survey of

18o

Shephard.J.. 8earle, J., and

Victoria, Survey of -

200

Sliekland, J. — A Year's

Victorian Grasses

134

Culleeting of the Micro-

War Casualties - - !»•_>,

108

Fauna in the Botanic

War, Nature and

43

Gardens L;ike

lod

Water Fleas

8

Sherbrooke Falls, Excursion

Wattle I'ark

• 1

to . - - -

10! »

Wattles. Silver -

43

Snail, Introduced

171

Whirligig Beetles

10

Snakes New to Victoria

1(57

White, Mr. H. L. - 127,

loJ)

Sohinum riolaceum

170

Wilson's Promontory -

36

Spencer, Prof. Sir Baldwin,

You Yangs, Excursion to -

96

K.C.M.G.,F. U.S., What

Zoological Gardens, Mel-

is Nardoo !' -

170

bourne - - - 60,

169

Spiders, Gossamer

los

Zoological Gardens, Visit to-

169

The Gam 'free - - o'^.

lliO

ILLUSTRATION.

Water Fleas

P.VGE

11

ERRATA.

Page 43, line 4 from bottom should read — " I suppose that's how."

Page 131, line 29— For " CVotfca ( Erivdemon) sali'tjnu" read "C.
r.ridut't,"

I'age 131, line 30— For '' Bruchylmnn drjircssa " read '' Lcucojimjon
riij'ne."

Page l<i2, line Jj — For " above from" read " from above."

Cbe Uictorian Daturalisi

Vol. XXXIV.— No. 1. MAY 10, 1917. No. 401.

FIELD NATURALISTS' CLUB OF VICTORIA.

The ordinary monthly meeting of the Club was held at the
Royal Society's Hall on Monday evening, i6th April, 1917.

The president, Mr. F. Pitcher, occupied the chair, and about
forty members and visitors were present.

THE LATE MR. J. G. O'dONOGHUE.

The president referred to the great loss the Club had sustained
l)y the death of Mr. J. G. O'Donoghue, who had occupied the
position of hon. secretary for the last three years. He said that
Mr. O'Donoghue had shown great interest in his work, and had
never spared himself when he could be of service to the Club.
He had also been an excellent field worker, and had contributed
several valuable papers to the Club's proceedings. His illness
had been a serious one from the commencement, but it had been
hoped that with skilful attention and nursing he would have
been restored to health.

Messrs. Barnard, Hardy, St. John, Rosenhain, and Wise would
spoke feelingly with regard to the late Mr. O'Donoghue, and
recounted his many good qualities, especially as a companion
in the field.

The president moved — " That this Club places on record the
great and lamentable loss it has sustained by the death of its
highly esteemed and respected hon. secretary and active field
naturalist, Mr. J. G. O'Donoghue, at Malvern, on Good Friday,
6th April, 1917, and that the resolution be conveyed to his
aged mother and relatives, together with an expression of the
deepest sympathy, on behalf of the members of the Club."

The resolution was seconded by Dr. C. S. Sutton, and passed
in silence, all standing.

CORRESPONDENCE.

From chairman Hawthorn Tramways Trust, stating the
Fisheries and Game Department had agreed to proclaim the
land near Burwood, purchased for park purposes, a sanctuary
for native birds and animals.

REPORTS.

A report of the excursion to the Tramway Park, near Bur-
wood, since named Wattle Park, on Saturday, 24th March, was
made by the leader, Mr. F. G. A. Barnard, who said that,
favoured by a fine day, there was a very good attendance of
members and friends. A fair amount of the land was found to

2 Field \ alio alists' Club—Proceedings. [^ vict'l^ n^'.^'

be almost in its original state, and especially the eastern portion
should afford good shelter for native birds. The little Autumn
Orchid, Eriochilus autumnalis, was blooming freely, but neces-
sarily wild-flowers were scarce. He suggested that the Club
should considt-r the question of endeavouring to get a small area
set aside to which native shmbs, &c.. might be introduced from
other districts.

A report of the excursion to the Dee Valley on Saturday, 7th
April, was given by the leader, Mr. C. A. Nethercote, who said
that owing to the very bad weather only four members left town
for Millgrove. Owing to the sodden state of the groimd it was
found impossible to ascend Ben Cairn as had been intended.
The party therefore returned to West Warburton, and spent the
following tlay in the Britannia Creek district.

ELECTION OF MEMBERS.

On a ballot being taken. Miss G. V. Buchanan, D.Sc, Biology
School, University, was duly elected an ordinary member ; Mr.
Wm. D. M'Phee, State school, Rochester, a country member ;
and Mr. Dudley Dickison, Rock Brook-road, East St. Kilda, an
associate member of the club.

GENERAL BUSINESS.

The chairman stated that, as president of the Club, he had
been invited to attend the opening of Wattle Park, Riversdale,
on Saturday, 31st March, and plant a memorial tree. He stated
that Acacias had naturally been selected for the purpose, and
some fifty specimens, comprising about eighteen varieties, had
been planted.

Mr. St. John suggested that the land offered a good op-
portunity for the formation of a suburban forest on similar lines
to those of France.

Mr. St. John read a letter from Mr. Geo. French, of Queen-
street, Melbourne, with regard to the destruction of palms, more
especially the seedlings, at Cabbagetree Creek, East Gipi)sland.
The reservation was made at the instance of the Clui) many
years ago.

It was resolved, on the motion of Messrs. Barnard and Rosen-
hain, to forward a copy of the letter to the Lands Dei)artment,
with a request that steps be taki-n to secure the i)rotection of
the seedling palms.

Mr. St. John read a newspaper paragraph stating that some
persons had been fined at Benalla for shooting quail out of
season .

Mr. J. Shephard stated that he had recently been along the
Donnabuang track, and spoke (enthusiastically of the splendid
forest growth in the vicinity of Cement (reek. He mentioned

^j^^' I Field NatiiraHsis' Club — Proceedings.

'9'7

that he had seen three Lyre-birds crossing the track. He also
suggested that a Ckib excursion should be made to the
O'Shannassy Weir

PAPER READ.

By Mr. 0. W. Rosenhain, entitled " A Thousand Miles on the
River Murray."

The author recounted some of the incidents of a steamer trip
from Echuca to Murray Bridge, giving many interesting
particulars regarding the timber along the banks, the effects
of floods, &c. He also gave some details of the scheme for
locking the river, the works for which are now in progress at
Blanchetowh.

His remarks were illustrated by an excellent series of nearly
one himdred lantern slides.

EXHIBITS.

By Mr. J. W. Audas, F.L.S. — Specimens of the Autumn
Orchid, Eriochilus aittumalis, collected at Nar Nar Goon, i6th
April.

By Mr. C. J. Gabriel. — Marine shells, Murex tenuispina. Lam.,
Ceylon ; M- palma-rosa. Lam., Ceylon ; and M cervicornis.
Lam., North Australia.

By Mr. P. R. H. St. John. — Herbarium specimens of Euca-
lyptus maidenii, F. v. M , Spotted Blue Gum, collected by Dr.
W. H. Green at Phillip Island, yth April ; also sample of crude
oil distilled from Eucalyptus fastigata, Deanc and Maiden, at
Laboratory, Botanic Gardens, Melbourne, 14th April, 1917.

After the usual conversazione the meeting terminated.

EXCURSION TO RIVERSDALE.

A PARTY of about forty, including several members of the
Microscopical Society, journeyed to the terminus of the Rivers-
dale tramway line on Saturday, 24th March, in order to visit
the land recently secured by the Hawthorn Tramways Trust for
park purposes. This land, having an area of about 137 acres,
has a frontage to Rive rsdale -road of nearly three-quarters of a
mile, with a depth along Boundary-road and Elgar-road of
rather more than a quarter of a mile, and thus affords ample
space for the intended purpose. Approaching the park from the
terminus, it is seen to be intersected by a deep valley, which
offers great possibilities to the landscape artist for improvement
by tree-planting, &c., as it is now very bare. On the further
side of the valley, and extending through to Elgar-road for a
distance of nearly half a mile, the land is well timbered with its

4 Excursion to Riversdale. j voi."^xxxVv.

original vegetation in the shape of eucalypts of several species,
which, though not large trees, are very picturesque. The
highest portion of the land, which, according to the military
survey map (Ringwood), is slightly over 300 feet above sea-
level, has been cleared and put under crop at some earlier date.
The gums met with on first entering the park were chiefly
E- amygdalina. Common Peppermint Gum, but as the soil
changed from loam to a more sandy character on the eastern
slope of the hill, E. viminalis. Manna Gum, became the pre-
dominant species. Here and there odd specimens of E.melli-
odora. Yellow Box, E. macrorrhyncha. Red Stringybark, E.
cimrea var. multiflora, Silver-leaved Stringybark, and E. ovata
(£. paiudosa). Swamp Gum, were met with. Acacias were
represented by A . armata, Kangaroo Thorn, probably spread by
birds from an originally planted hedge ; A . mollissima. Soft-leaved
Black Wattle, of which young seedlings were coming up in many
places; and an odd plant or two of A. oxycedrus. A singl(.'
specimen of Casuarina, and two or three small Exocarpos
cupressiformis were also noted. Of other shrubs, Bursaria
spinosa and Lepiospermum scoparium were the most prcmincnt.
Of course, it was not the season for a display of wild-flowers,
still a few plants were found in bloom, among them the first
orchid of the season, Eriochilus autumnalis, which occurred in
considerable numbers near the Elgar-road (eastern) boundary.
The other plants noticed in bloom were Convolvulus eruhcsccns,
Minuria, sp., Bursaria spinosa, and Erythrcea ausiralis. A few
plants of the Maiden-hair Fern were seen in a small gully
near Elgar-road. The eastern portion of the land should prove
a good sanctuary for numbers of our smaller birds, and on
Saturday last the following species were noted : — Rosehill
Parrakeet, Kookaburra, White -shafted Fantail, Black-and-White
Fantail, Superb Warbler, Yellow tailed Tit-Warbler, Sordid
Wood-Swallow, Magpie Lark, White-backed Magpie, Yellow-
breasted Shrike-Tit, White-plumed Honey-eatur. For the names
of the eucalypts noted, and the birds seen, I am indebted to Mr.
St. John. From the highest part of the land a fine view is
afforded of the Dandenong Ranges, and on Saturday the positions
of Olinda and Sassafras could be easily made out, but southerly
and westerly the view was somewhat obscured by haze ; however,
Arthur's Seat, near Dromana, and, due west, the Icng, level ridge
of the Brisbane Range, were just discernible. Through a break
in the trees Mt. .Monda, near Healesville, and, further round, the
Warburton ranges, were visible. Those members desirous of
securing pond-life specimens and microscopic material went
further afieUl, as there is at present little water in the park
suitable for their requirements. Unforttmatcly, the party got
separated, and thus returned from Burwood at different times.

^^y- 1 Excursion to River sdale. <

19*7 J -'

The pond-life devotees report that the park contained very little
water, and that very muddy, and did not look very promising in
the way of specimens, but examination showed that many of the
well-known forms were present. The list included : — Euglena
oxyuris, (?) Holophrya, Asplanchna sp., Notops clavulatus,
Triarthra sp.. Monostyla sp., Syncheta sp., Brachionus (2 spp.),
Simocephalus gibbosus, Moina australiensis, Pse itdomoina lemnce,
Chydorus sp., Alona sp., Cyclops albidus, C. (?) fimbriatus var.,
C. (?) strenuus var., Cypridopsis minna. CypHs sp., also the
larger forms of life, as Water-bugs and Beetles. Seeing
that it is the intention of the Tramways Trust to beautify
the land by tree-planting, &c., and, if possible, to use only
Australian trees, it might be suggested that these should be
planted in masses rather than single specimens, which often fail
for want of mutual protection. However, little can be done in
this way if grazing is allowed on the land ; even the young gums
and wattles now springing up will speedily vanish before the
cows and horses which were seen there on Saturday, 24th. It
is gratifying to learn that the land has been proclaimed a
sanctuary under the Game Act, and it would be well if members
of this Club would take upon themselves the duty of acting as
honorary guardians of the place. In fact, it might be a further
inducement to members to take an interest in the park if an
acre or so of the eastern portion was set aside and enclosed, in
which meml>3rs could plant shrubs, &c., brought from other
parts of the State. — F. G. A. Barnard.

The Quail Season. — A letter appeared in the Age of 3rd or
4th of April, signed " Preston," complaining that quail-shooting
liad started too soon, as there were great numl)ers of young
birds and brooding hens about. I was out on the opening day
(2nd April), and got a nice; bag of birds, and had the ojiportunity
of examining five others. These six bags contained about sixt}'
brace of quail, and among them there was not one immature
bird. All these birds were obtained in the neighbourhood oi
Preston. I consider our Club is entitled to some credit for its
efforts during the past fifteen years to protect the birds until
April. If there are young birds in April, surely shooting should
not commence in March, as so many of our opponents desired.
Possibly this season is somewhat later than usual, but birds are
unusually plentiful all over the State. A friend in the Goulburn
Valley says birds are plentiful there. That is one of the
districts from which birds were said to depart before the end of
February. — G. A. Keartland. Preston, i6th April, 1917.

6 Searlk, The Pond and its Inhabitants. [v<I"^xNx'i\

THE POND AND ITS INHABTrANTS.

By J. Searle.

{Read before the Field Naturalists' Club of Victoria, i^ih Jan., 1917.)

To the student of nature, whether he be a botanist or a
zoologist, there is nothing that affords so much interest as a
well-filled pond shaded by a few trees, or perhaps overhinig
by a willow. The variety of living things that spend the
greater part of, if not their entire existence, in such places is
very great, and their life-histories and transfoiTnations are
most wonderful. It is this fact that makes pond-hunting such
a fascinating pursuit. The expectation, so often realized, of
finding something new, makes the pond-hunter visit again and
again, at all seasons of the year, some favourite pool, and its
inhabitants afford him a never-ending course of instructive
study and recreation.

The pond-hunter's implements arc very simple. All that
he requires for the collecting and carrying home of his
specimens is a small net made of fine muslin and a few wide-
mouthed bottles or corked tubes. For the examination of
most of his captures a pocket lens is all that is required, but
for the smaller organisms or for the finer details of larger
specimens a microscope^ is needed ; but such a lot of useful
work can be done, and such a store of information gathered,
with the aid of a good pocket lens that the non-possession of
a microscope need not deter anyone who is a stranger to the
charms of pond-life study from making an excursion into this
entrancing realm.

For the guidance of tho>e uhoiit to take uj) this study, the
following hints will l)e useful, and may save disap]iointment
at the earlier stages of their work ; and the apparatus descrilKcl.
though simi)le and sometimes even crude, will be found just
as serviceable and effective as the most elaborate outfit pro-
curable from tjie shops of dealers in natural history stores —
indeed, the whole of the collecting work of the writer has been
done with similar a])i)aratus.

The most indispensable part of the outfit is the net. To
make this, take a piece of stout wire (brass is best, as it does not
rust, but ordinary galvanized fencing wire does very well),
twenty-two inches in length; at one iiich from each end bend
this at right angles ; the length between these bands is then
formed into a ring, bringing the two-inch pieces parallel to
each other (see figure). These may be soldered to a metal
socket, made to fit over the end of a walking stick, or they may
simply be bound tightly to the stick. A cone-shaped bag of
fine muslin is then made, six inches in diameter and seven
inches in depth ; this is sown to the wire ring, and a glass tube

''^^^■' 1 ?>T.\-Ri.v., The Pond nnd its hihahitavfs. 7

igi7 J /

or small vial fastened at the apex of the net completes it. In
use the net is moved backwards and forwards through the water
a few times, then raised up out of the water ; the water will
escape through the meshes of the muslin, and anything
captured by the net will remain in the tube at the bottom, and
can be transferred to a bottle for future examination.

Often it is desired to examine weeds growing at the bottom
of a pond or beyond our reach from the bank ; these can readily
be secured by the aid of a pond hook, easily made as follows : —
Take two pieces of wire, about 14 gauge, one nine inches in
length, the other four inches. Dou])le the longer piece in half,
like a hairpin, making a loop in the middle about J-inch in
diameter, place the short length against the doubled wire, see
that the ends are even, and twist the three together just below
the loop. Around the twisted part cast a lump of lead, just as
you would in making a sinker for an eel line. When" cold trim
the lead to an oval shape and then bend each of the projecting
wires into a hook. A strong line attached to the loop completes
this handy addition to our outfit. Glass bottles with screw-
metal tops, such as vaseline and boot creams are sold in, are
generally to be found in most households : these, when
thoroughly cleaned, are very useful for bringing our captures
home in, while one or two small preserving jars with similar
tops serve well for larger specimens. A box or bag to hold
these various items completes our outfit (a waterproof camera
bag is very useful for the purpose). Thus equipped, and with
our lens in our pocket, we are ready to investigate any pool
in our vicinity with the certainty of securing in half an hour
enoug'h specimens to provide material for many an evening's
study.

Melbourne is particularly favoured with respect to i)oncls
of easy access for an afternoon excursion. On either side of
the River Yarra, from Richmond to Heidelberg, there are
numerous pools that delight the heart of the pond-hunter.
Some of these, particularly those at Heidelberg, near the bridge
over the river, have been visited by naturalists for many years,
and are still yielding new specimens in response to our closer
investigations and thirst for knowledge. The ponds at Wills-
mere are also famous, but I am afraid they are doomed for
destruction to make way for a Chinese vegetable garden.
Nearer town the Albert Park Lake is well worth a visit, while
the nunn-rous pools on the heath grounds of Cheltenham and
Sandringliam afford rare material when at their best.

I will now endeavour to describe some of the inhabitants
of these ponds, together with their habits and life-histories
and such other information as may be of interest to the
student who takes up this subject, and enable him to identify

8 Skarle. The Pond avd its Inhahitants. [voT.^'xxxVv.

some of his captures — not always an easy thing to do, owing
to the absence of Hteraturc on the subject.

Water Fleas.

One of the commonest inhabitants of our ponds is the
water flea. It received this name not because it was
related in any way to the lively insect which at times
proves so irritating to man, l)ut because of the jerky manner
in which it jirogresses through the water. The water flea
belongs to that division of animals called Crustacea, of which
the shrimp and crayfish are familiar examples, and is placed
in that group of the Entomostraca called Cladocera. The
water fleas were among the first of the pond animals in Aus-
tralia to receive the attention of natm^alists, several forms
being described and figured by the Rev. Robt. L. King as early
as 185X. ■ One of these, which he named Daphnia carinata,
is of great interest to biologists on account of the variability
in the form of its carapace. Seven distinct varieties have
lieen recognized by specialists, one of which, var. lamcllata,
possesses the additional distinction of being the largest known
Daphnia, its measurements being 8.3 mm. in length and
7 mm. across the cephalic part of the carapace. It is accordmgly
nearly twice as large as D. magna, which hitherto has been
considered as the largest of all Daphnias.

For the micr()scoi)ist there is no more beautiful object for
examination than Daphnia. It is so Ix-autifully transparent
that we are able to examine through the carapace every
function of its existence. We see the rhythmic beat of its
leaf-like legs drawing fresh streams of water into its carapaci'
so that the blood is aerated and regenerated l)y the oxygen
dissolved therein : and it might be said with truth that Daphnia
breathes through its feet. Its heart, placed in the middle of
its back, can be seen in rapid pulsation ; we can see the slit-
like valve open and close as the blood is tlrawn into and
forced out of that organ, and by observing the cor])uscles
floating therein we may follow its course as in turn it Inithes
the brain, stomach, respiratory organs in the legs, circulating
through the carapace, and flowing back to the pericardial cavity
to be again drawn into the heart, and once more sent circulating
through its body.

Furthermore, if wc have tlu- patience of a true lover of
nature, we can watch with interest the formation of the eggs
in the ovary, and study the development of the young Dai)hnia
from the segmentation of the egg to the exj)ulsion of the
fully-developed young from the brf)od chamber of the mother.

Daphnia, in common with the rest of the Cladocera, possesses
a single eye, of a compound nature, placed in the front of the

'^'•'^V' I Searle, The Pond and its Inhabitavts. o

head. In shape it resembles a blackberry, having a number
of lenses surrounding a mass of black pigment. It is well
supplied with muscles, and is connected by an optic nervT.
with the ganglia, or brain.

Not the least remarkable feature in the life-history of Daphnia
is the mode of reproduction. In the ovary of the female
parthenogenetic eggs are formed — that is, eggs that have the
power of segmentating and developing into a new animal
without having first been impregnated and fertilized by
spermatozoa from a male. These eggs develop into female
Daphnias, and they in turn produce parthenogenetic young ;
and the process may go on for quite a number of generations
without ever a male being seen. Then through some unknown
cai;se — it may be through food becoming scarce — some males
are hatched, and copulation between the sexes takes place.
The eggs resulting from this union differ in a remarkable way
from the parthenogenetic eggs. These latter were numerous,
perhaps twenty or thirty being laid at a time, and these were
carried about in the brood chamber of the carapace of the
mother until the young were hatched. On the other hand,
the fertilized eggs — two only in number — are enclosed in the
ephippium, or saddle, of the carapace, which gradually thickens
around them, and remain there until the next moult, when
the ephippium with its embedded eggs are cast off. These
ephippial or resting eggs, as they are called, are enclosed in a
horny shell, and possess remarkable vitality. They may be
dried up for years, and be blown about by the wind during
long periods of drought ; and yet, when the wet season
returns, and the pools again fill with water, these eggs hatch
out as female Daphnia, and the life-cycle is again carried
through.

As a recorded instance of the vitaHty of these eggs, it may
be mentioned that some years ago a number of Daphnia eggs
w^re gathered up with the dry sand on the shore of Lake
Burrumbeet, and stored in a glass bottle fitted with a screw
metal top. Every year a portion of this material was placed
in a vessel filled with clean water, when a number of the eggs
would hatch out. These hatching operations were repeated
with success for five years. The following year the remaining
portion of the material was divided into two parts. One of
these was sent to a scientist in Norway, while the other was
placed in a vessel of water, as on previous occasions. From
both of these samples young Daphnia were hatched. The
experiment proved that the eggs of Daphnia could remain
dried for a period of at least six years, withstand a voyage
through the tropics, and still retain their vitality, so that when
placed in water they hatched out as young Daphnia at the

lO Searle. The Pond avd its Inhabitants. [voT'^xxxiv.

other side of the world. A number of aquatic animals produce
resting eggs, or have resting stages, wherein they retain their
vitality for lengthy periods, and this explains why pools that
have been dry for a considerable time, on again being filled
with water are soon swarming with animal life.

There are a great many species of Cladocera in the pools
around Melbourne, and all are objects of extreme interest.
Some, like Daphnia, are found in open water ; these belong to
the genera Ceriodaphnia, Moina, Pseudomoina, Bosmina, &c.
Others are found amongst the water weeds ; these are Simo-
cephalus, Chydorus, Alona, &c., and all arc parthenogenetic.

The Whirligig Beetles — GYRiNiDiE.

Anyone who has visited a pond ox a quiet nook on a stream
must have seen the Whirligig Beetles engaged in their amazing
dances, making all manner of curves and crossing each other's
course without ever a collision, rushing madly in and out in a
very frenzy of excited movement, full of complexity and grace.
But. make an attempt to sweep some of them into your net,
and they scatter in an instant, diving and swimming out of
reach of danger, assembling again when all is quiet to resume
their surprising evolutions. Members of this remarkable family
are found all ovc-r the world, from sea-level to sno\\-line, and all
indulge in these peculiar gyrations.

A most remarkable feature in this beetle is its eyes. These
are large, and nearly spherical, but are each divided by a ridge
of chitinous material into two, so that the beetle appears to have
four eyes, an arrangement of great use to the insect, for, as it
swims about, two of the eyes are searching for food below the
water, while the other two keep a lookout above. Their food
consists of dead insects, which they find in the water, or
disabled ones that happen to fall on the surface of the pond.

In leaving the pond for nocturnal flight, this beetle has to
climb out of the water iip the stem of some plant a few inches
before it can usi- its wings. It flies with a rapid, whirring flight,
and often to a great distance from water, as may hv observed
from their presence around the electric light globes of the city.
Though such excellent swimmers and capable fliers, when they
come to earth they are anything but graceful insects. Their
first pair of legs arc long, and are used for climbing out of the
water, while tlif other two pairs arc very short, and while they
are admirably adaj^ted ff)r swimming, are not of great service
for walking on earth; their motion is a series of hops and
wriggles, and, unless they can climb to an elevation, they are not
able to again take to flight, so many perish by being crushed
under foot on the sidewalks.

The female beetle lays her eggs on the leaves of a water
plant ; they arc placed end to end in parallel rows. The eggs

THE VICTORIAN NATURALIST.— Vol. XXXIV.

Plate I.

May, 1917.

J. lEABI.E, ■/'•/

WATER FLEAS.

^'ay'l Searle, The Pond and its luhabttauts. ii

1917 J

are small and cylindrical in shape, and in about eight days the
young larvae are hatched.

The larvae are long and narrow, provided with a strong pair
of jaws, and three pairs of legs of equal length; the other nine
segments 01 the body are provided with branchial processes, or
gills, well supplied with air tubes, which connect with tracheae
that pass right along the body. Though the larvae must be
very numerous in our ponds, they are not often observed ; being
long and thin, and whitish in colour, they easily escape notice.
I do not remember ever taking a whirligig larva in a pond,
though on rare occasions I have captured them on the long
ribbon-like leaves of the Triglocliin, floating at the surface on
the River Yarra.

When mature the larva leaves the water, and, selecting a safe
resting-place on some water plant, several inches above the
water, it spins a cocoon in which it pupates, and from which,
in due course, the pertect beetle is hatched. Fully 300 species
are known ; they are generally distributed, though wanting in
most of the islands of the world, except those of large size.

Description of Plate.
Plate I. — i, Moina australiensis ; 2, Pseudomoina lemnae ; 3, Chydorus
globosus ; 4, Ilyocryptus sordidus ; 5, Simocephalus gibbosus ; 6, Sim-
ocephalus acutirostratus ; 7, Camptocercus, sp. ; 8, Alona pulchella ;
9, Scapholeberis kingi ; 10, Daphnia carinata, forma typica ; 11, Daphnia
carinata, var. cephalata ; 12, Daphnia carinata, var. lamellata; 13,
resting eggs of D. carinata; 14, Ceriodaphnia, sp. ; 15, Bosmina, sp.

[To he continued.)

CHILDREN'S ROOM IN THE NATIONAL MUSEUM,
MELBOURNE.

On Tuesday, 8th May, in the presence of His Excellency the
Governor and Lady Stanley, tlie first Children's Room in
connection with a National Museum in Australia was opened by
Miss Adelaide Stanley. The very first Children's Room of this
kind was organized about the year 1900 by Dr. S. P. Langley,
the distinguished secretary of the great Smithsonian Institution.
Speaking on behalf of the children, and as one of them, he said : —
*• I should say that we have never had a fair chance in museums.
We cannot see the things on the top shelves, which only grown-
up people are tall enough to look into, and most of the things
that we can see and would like to know about have Latin words
on them which we cannot understand. Some things we do not
care for at all, and other things which look entertaining have
nothing on them to tell us what they arc about." He goes on
to say : — " I entirely agree with my small friends so far, but I will
add something that they only dimly understand, and that some
of their instructors do not understand at all. It is that to
interest the young minds in such things is to lay the foundation
for more serious study in after life."

12 Children's Room in Nudoval Miisetwi, Melhourue. [vj'xxxiv.

The object of this Children's Room is to bring together a little
collection of things, some beautiful and some curious, which will
arouse the interest of children and make them wonder, because,
as some philosopher once said, knowledge begins in wonder.

The Room as at present arranged is only a beginning. It is
not proposed to makt- it any larger or to exhibit more things
at any one time than are now shown, but when funds are
available we hope to make it more attractive by decorating the
walls and ceiling, and also to add a small room, furnished with
desks and blackboard, so that teachers who wish to make use of
it can bring their classes here and have talks with the children,
which c^n be illustrated by specimens in the Museum.

The specimens now on view have been chosen so as to include
different kinds of animals, some of them Australian, and others,
such as humming birds and birds-of -paradise, that are well
known by name to children. The cases are all made low, so
that nothing is out of sight, and the descriptive labels have been
written as simply as possible. No Latin name or scientific term
is used.

The centre of the room is occupied by a special exhibit of a
reindeer sledge from Siberia, drawn by two animals, beautifully
stuffed, with their harness, and the costumes of the peasants
correct in every detail. In other cases a gorgeous peacock and
a sparrow, side by side, show vividly their contrast in plumage,
while an emu and an emu- wren show contrast in size. At one
end of the room there is shown a series of copies of drawings oi
wild animals made by the savage bushmen of South Africa.
These are just the kind of drawings made by children, and will
appeal to them, because they are so simple and life-like.

As time goes by the exhibits will be changed. The present
collection contains only animals. ])nt the place of some of them
will, later on, be taken by examples of beautiful and interesting
minerals and fossils. Also, during the wild-flower season, it is
proposed to have a special exhibit of these, and the Director
hopes to have the assistance of members of the Club in con-
tributing specimens, which will be of interest to the children.
In fact, as the Children's Room develops, it may be possible to
have on view continuously a series of native flowers characteristic
of the different seasons.

As compared with the older countries, such as Euro])e. and
even America, Australia suffers from the fact that it is too young
for the children to have given more than a few ]X)pular names
to native animals and flowers. This makes it difficult to name
and describe them in a Children's Room.

However, a beginning has lx;en made, and any suggestions
that members of the Club can make, in order to render the room
more useful and attractive, will be welcomed. \\\ B. S.

Cbe Uictorian naturdlist

Vol. XXXIV.— No. 2. JUNE 7, 1917. No. 402.

FIELD NATURALISTS' CLUB OF VICTORIA.

The ordinary monthly mee+ing of the Club was held at the
Royal Society's Hall on Monday evening. 14th May, 1917.

The president, Mr. F. Pitcher, occupied the chair, and about
thirty-five members and visitors were present.

CORRESPONDENCE.

From Miss O'Donoghue, thanking the Club for the resolution
of sympathy passed at the last meeting, and also for the kind
remarks of appreciation made by many of the members
regarding her brother's efforts on behalf of the Club.

From Dr. Freda Bage, Brisbane, saying how much she
appreciated the Naturalist every month.

REPORTS.

In the absence of the leader, Mr. J. Shephard. Mr. J. Scarle
gave a brief report of the excursion to Beaumaris on Saturday,
28th April. He stated that there had been a good attendance
of members, but the day tu,rned out boisterous, and interfered
with the objects of the excursion. However, some interesting
microscopic forms of marine life were secured, which he briefly
detailed.

In the absence of the leader. Dr. G. B. Pritchard, F.G.S.,
Mr. A. L. Scott gave a report of the excursion to the Royal
Park cutting on Saturday, 12th ]\lay. The day turned out
bleak and boisterous, consequently the party numliered only
twelve, including one lady : however, the leader brought a
contingent of a dozen or so from the School of Mines. The
cutting itself was first visited, when the stratigraphical, litho-
logical, and palseontological features which make the exposure
so interesting to the geological student were clearly explained.
A number of fossil casts, including Turbo cthcridgei, Modiola,
sp.. Ccrithiitm ftcmingtoncnsis. Conns ligatns, Cyprcea, sp.,
M'agcUania garihahiiana. and Haliotis na'vosoidcs, were collected.
Leaving the cutting, a descent was made into the valley of
the Moonee Ponds Creek, where the physiogra])hy of the
district wa^ pointed out, and the relationshijis of the forces
now at work with those of bygone ages were considered. He
regretted that more members had not availed themselves of
such an excellent opportmiity to gather facts relating to the
geology of Melbourne, and said that those interested who were
unable to attend should read up chapter viii. of Dr. Pritchard's
" Geology of Melbourne."

14 Field Xaiuralists' Club— Proceedings. [^ vic^ n^,\^'

ELECTION OF MEMBERS.

On a ball(3t being taken. Miss C. C. Cunic, 2^^ Knshall-
crescent. North Fitzroy, was elected an ordinary member,
and Mr. Alex. Borthwick, Dulwich Hill, Sydney, N.S.W., a
country meml)er of the Club.

ELECTION OF .\UDITOKS.

Messrs. F. Keep and J. Wilcox were elected to audit the
accounts for the year ending 30th April, 1917.

NOMINATION OF OFFICE-BEARERS, IQIJ-lS.

The president, Mr. F. Pitcher, expressed his desire that the
customary practice of re-electing the president for a second
period be departed from on this occasion, and nominated Mr.
A. D. Hardy, F.L.S. (vice-president), for the })osition. Mr.
Hardy protested ; he appreciated Mr. Pitcher's desire, and hoped
that members would support him in Iris nomination of Mr.
Pitcher as president for a second year. At the unanimous
request of the members, Mr. Pitcher agreed to withdraw from
the position he had taken up. and allow himself to be nomin-
ated for president. The following nominations were then
made : — President, Mr. F. Pitcher ; vice-presidents, Mr. A. D.
Hardy, F.L.S., Mr. J. Gabriel; hon. treasurer, Mr. G. Coghill ;
hon. librarian, Mr. P. R. H. St. John ; hon. editor, Mr. F. G. A.
Barnard ; hon. secretary, Mr. E. S. Anthony ; hon. assistant
secretary and librarian, Mr. W. Glance ; committee, Mr. F.
Chapman, A.L.S., Mr. C. Daley, F.L.S., Mr. T. S. Hart. M.A.,
B.C.E., Mr. J. A. Kershaw. F.E.S.. Dr. f. S. Sutton, and Mr.
J. Searle (five to be elected).

(;eneral business.

Mr. J. A. Kershaw, F.E.S., drew attention to the recent
announcement of the death of Mr. A. J. North, C.M.Z.S.. orni-
thologist to the Australian Museum, Sydney, who was one t)f
the " original " members of the Club, and a member for a great
number of years, while he had contributed many times to the
Club's proceedings. He moved that a letter of condolence
l)e sent to his widow. Seconded by M'"- F. G. A. Barnard,
and carried unanimously.

REMARKS ON E.XHIBITS.

Messrs. Pitcher, St. John, Daley, Searle, and dabriil called
attention to jjoints of interest in relation to their res])ective
exhibits.

PAPERS READ.

I. By Mr. K. A. Keble, entitled " .Vboriginal Plant Nanus."
The author remarked that it was very difficult to deal with
a language or dialect which was nor ^ written one. His remarks
were based on some lists of names of i)lants which were for-
warded to the late Baron von Muelli-r from ( Oranderrk and
other aboriginal stations some forty year> ago. The list- were
accompanied by siJecimens which had been identified by the

J""«=' I Field yakirci/ists' Club— Proceedings. 15

1917 J O J

Baron, so there could be no doubt as to the identity of the
plants. He showed that the native name, generally composed
of several syllables, usually relied upon some characteristic
of the plant, or to the uses to which it might be put, for its
composition, and it was singular that often the same charac-
teristics had been chosen by botanists when bestowing the
specific names by which they are known.

The chairman said the paper had broken new ground. The
subject was a very difficult one, and, he hoped, would encourage
others to put on record observations of a similar character.

Mr. A. D. Hardy, F.L.S., congratulated the author on having
begun a very important investigation. The diversity of tribal
dialects made it undesirable to give aboriginal names to plants
other than those species which were restricted in their habitat
to the district in which the name was used. He regretted
the authorities were allowing the aboriginals at Coranderrk
and other stations to forget their own language, while the
faulty phonetic rendering of the native language by different
authorities made the task the author had set himself extremely
difficult.

2. By Mr. T. S. Hart, M.A., B.C.E., entitled " Notes on the
Distribution of the Eucalypts about Creswick and Clunes."

The author described, firstly, the geographical and climatic
features of the district, and then dealt with the soil characters
of the bluestone, bedrock (Silurian), and granitic areas, and
the distribution of the eucalypts, of which seventeen species
had been recorded. Brief mention was also made of other
trees in the area under notice. Suggestions were offered as to
the causes determining the situations occupied by the several
species, and comparisons made with his own observations and
the records of others elsewhere, especially with occurrences
in familiar localities near Melbourne.

Owing to the lateness of the hour the remarks on the ])a]-)er
had to be curtailed.

EXHIBITS.

By Mr. C. Daley, F.L.S. — Teeth and eggs of Queensland
Crocodile, Crocodilus porosus, from Alligator Creek, North
Queensland. The eggs formed portion ot a nest of about eighty.

By Mr. C. J. Gabriel. — Specimens of Teredo bipemiaia, Tuvton,
in a piece of oregon timber from Port Adelaide.

By Mr. T. S. Hart, M.A., B.C.E. — Specimens of Eucalyptus
cnnsideniana, from near Clunes.

By Mr. F. Pitcher. — Flowering specimens of Correa speciosa,
C. speciosa (red variety), and C. alba, also of Acacia discolor,
WilJd., Sunshine Wattle, from plants growing in Melbourne
Botanic Gardens.

By Mr. J. Searle. -^Stages in the life-history of Obclia, a
hydroid zoophyte.

l6 Field Ndtiini/ts/s' Cluh—Proceclinox [voi'xxx

Vict. Nat.
IV.

By Mr. J. Stickland. — Specimen of a laii' freshwatt i alfja.
Monostroma, sj).. from Burnley Quarries.

By Mr. P. R. H. St. John. — Herbarium specimens of Tas-
manian trees and plants, collected by Mr. O. Romcke and
exhibited April, iqiy, including £Mcyy/)/fw Billardien', Spach.,
I^atherwoocl, Hellior Gorge ; Aristoteliu pedtincularis. Hook..
Cyathodes acerosa, R. Br.. Crimson-berried Heath. HyinenopJiyllum
rantm. R. Rr.. Rare Filmy Fern. Olcaria stelliilatn, De Cancl.,
Phvllocludus rhovihoidalis. Rich.. Olery-topped Pine ; also
sjiecimen of timber. Trochocarpu disticha, S])reng., from ("luild-
ford Junction ; Eucalyptus amygdnlina, ha Billard.. Black
Pepj)ermint, typical form, from Burnie ; E. phlehophylla. Mignet,
Drooping or Weeping Gum. from Shefheld ; and. collected by
Mr. J. Overall. Sul])hur Creek, near Burnie. Blechnmn {Loniaria)
discolor, Forster, var. cristatum (var. no v.). Crested Fishbone
Fern, and Microcachrys tetraoona. Hook., Strawberry-fruited
Cypress.

After the usual conversazione the meeting terminated.

EXCURSION TO ALTOXA RAY.
To this excursion the Fates were kind. The afternoon of
Saturday, 20th January, was all that could be desired — cool
and pleasant, following a hot spell and thunderstorm. lVh)re-
over, the tide was favourable, for when, after the rather long
and tedious walk from North Williamstown. the party of
eleven members — field naturalists and Melbourne microscoi)ists
— reached the shore at Altona Bay. the tide was well on the
ebb. Conchologists and seekers after smaller fry were soon
busy, and several bottles of sand \\on\ the shallows, which
gave some promise of living foraminifera, were taken for home
examination. As far as the leader's results went these wen-
disappointing, as all the foraminifera — and they were numerous
— were apparently dead, probably through the collecting being
done amongst the too shallow pools, where the sun's rays liad
killed them. However, the sam])les of the sea water taken
yielded one of the most interesting sights i)ossible for the micro-
scopist to witness, for the water was crowded with the well-
named diatom. Bucillaria paradoxa, whose Inmches of rod-like
frustulcs were ever on the move, sliding over one another, first
towards one end and then to the other, and again folding u])
into a bunch curvily twisted out of plane so as to resemble a
fan i)ivoted from near one end, with its ribs gliding out from
a centre. Samples of the tidal or brackish water taken from
the Kororoit Creek showed the same Bacillaria, but having
the tendency to "slow down." However, this featiu'e may
1)6 overlookerl in a imicellular body, though reprehensible in
higher life. We may ask, by the way. whether this peculiarity

\""^^ Excursion to Altona Bay. ty

has been noticed in regard to these or other aquatic forms of
life living in brackish water. A fair number of molluscan
shells, forty-nine in all, were gathered from the shore, a list of
which, collected by the members, is appended. The inter-
esting mixture of marine, estuarine, and fluviatile forms on
this shore, due to the influence of the Kororoit Creek, is worthy
of special note from a geological point of view, for similar
mixtures are met with in past periods, and may be due to
conditions like that at Altona Bay. Many foraminifera were
also seen in the sands of the tidal pools, and, for the convenience
of members interested, there is given here a list of twenty-four
species, and a variety previously recorded l)y the leader from
this locality. On returning, two of the more ardent geologists
made a detour to visit the Altona Bay colliery, with the result
that some material with smaller fossils was gathered for sub-
sequent cleaning and examination. The old railway cutting
near the racecourse was examined, the evidence of which, as
part of a wide-spread and slightly uplifted coastal plain, is
quite clear. In this connection it was noted that there is an
absence of detrital or wind-blown material, such as woukl be
found in storm-driven and ^eolian deposits, the foraminifera
and small mollusca being corroded in situ rather than polished
or abraded.*

The following is a list of the mollusca collected on the
excursion : —

Marine. — Bivalves. — Area {Anadara) trapezia, Deshayes (old
shells, apparently washed from underlying platform), Area
(Barbatia) Jaseiata, Reeves, Pteria papilionacea. Lam., sp.,
Ostrca angasi, Sow., Modiola albieosta, Lam., Chamosirea albida.
Lam., sp., Roehejortia donaeijormis, Angas, sp., Cardimn teniii-
costatiim. Lam.. Vcnui^ {Chionc) scalarina. Lam., Venus (Chione)
sfrii^osa. Lam., Tcllina deltoidalis. Lam., Maeoma maricc, T.
Woods, sp., Soletellina biradiata. Woods, sj). Chitons. —
Aeanlhoehites exilis, Torr and Ashby. (?) Ischnoehiton sp.
Gasteropods. — Haliotis ncevosa, Martyn (in fragments), Siibcmar-
ginulina nigosa, Quoy and Gaimard, sp. (juv.), Astralium
aiireiim, Jonas, sp., Astralium fnnbriatum. Lam., sp. (juv.),
Phasianella australis, Gmelin, s])., Monodonta {Austrocoehlea)
constricta, Diloma odontis, Woods, sp., Euchelus scabriusculus,
Angas (juv.). Risella melanosloma , (imelin, sp., Nalica eoniea.
Lam., Natiea plumbea. Lam., Diala pagodula, A. Adams, Diala
pieta, A. Adams, Diala monilc. A. Adams, Diala lauta. A.
Adams, Diala translueida (?), Hcdlcy (deformed), Rissoa pctterdi.
Brazier, Vermetus nova-hollandia\ Rousseau, Bittium ccrithiitm.

* See G. B. Pritchard, " The Recent Slull-lk-ds ol Williaiustowu " \'ict.
Nat., vol. x.wi., 1909, pp. 20-24.

1 8 Exrursiou to Alloiia Bay. [vl"xxxiV.

O. and G.. sp., Bittiiim granariuni, Kiener, sp., Bittiiim lawlcy-
aniim, Crosse, Lotorium cbitntenvi. Reeve, sp., Colmnbclla angasi,
Brazier, Cominella lineolata. Lam., sp., Nassa paitpcrata. Lam.,
Nassa fusciata, Lam., sp., Conus anemone. Lam., Bulla aua-
tralis. Gray, Siphonaria diemenensis, Q. and G.

EsTUARiNE. — Bivalves. — Erycina hclmsi, Hedley.* Gastero-
pods. — Trnncatclla murginata, Kuster, Aasiminca brazicri, T.
Woods, Salinator fyagilis. Lam., sp.

F RESHWATER. — Gasteropod. — Bythinella, sp.

List of Foraminifera found at Altona Bayf : —

Miliolidje. — Spiroloculina grata, Terquem., frequent ; Milio-
Una ohlonga, Montagu, sp., common ; M . bosciana, d'Orb., sp.,
common : .U. rotunda, d'Orb., sp., very rare ; M . circularis,
Bornemann, sp., very rare ; M . subrotunda, Montagu, sp., very
rare; M. sentinulum, L., sp., common; M. vulgaris, d'Orb.,
sp., very rare ; M . cuvicriana, d'Orb., sp., rare ; M. venusta,
Karrer, sp., rare ; M. contoria, d'Orb., s])., rare ; M . botieana,
d'Orb., sp., very rare. Nodosariidae. — Polymorphina lactea,
W. and J., sp., frequent; P. communis, d'Orb., frequent; P.
ohlonga, d'Orb., frequent ; P. eleganiissima, Parker and Jones,
very rare ; P. regina, Brady, Parker, and Jones, common.
Rotaliidie. — Discorbina dimidiata, J. and P., very common ;
Rotalia beccarii. L., sp., very common ; R. calcar, d'Orb., sp.,
very rare. XummulinidcC. — Polystomella striaiopunctaia, F. and
M., sp., frequent : P. macella, ¥ . and M., sp., frequent ; P.
macclla, var. limbata, Cliapman, frequent ; P. crispa, L., sp.,
common ; P. subnodosa, Miinster, sp., rare. — F. Chapman.

[The publication of this report has been overlooked. — Ed.
Vict. Nat.]

Late Breeding of Yellow-tailed Thornbill, Acanthiza
chrysorrhoa. — On loth February I found a nest wf these birds in
one of tlie Pepper-trees, Schinus molle, in my garden. On
inserting my finger into the entrance I found that it contained
three young ones nearly Hedged, and on the 14th they left the
nest, and were following the old birds about the garden.
Although 1 have seen a great many nests of these birds in my
rambles, I never found one with either eggs or young ones later
than November. It is one of the early breeders, and a few
years ago a nest containing eggs was found in a neighbour's
garden on 8th August. — d. A. Keartland. Preston, i6th April,
1917.

• For tlic (Iftpnninatioii of ihis spcciis, as wrW as dl scvlt.iI oIIkt small
lorins, I am indel)te(l to Mr. C. J. Gabriel.

t From " Recent Foraminifera of Victoria: Some Littoral Gatherings,"
Journ. Quck. .Micr. Club. 1907, scr. 2, vol. x., pp. 1 17-146, pis. ix., x.

■^""'•1 Searlk, The Pond and its tnhahitnnts. Id

THE POND AND ITS INHABITANTS.

{Contiyiued.)

By J. Sea RLE.

{Read before the Field Naturalists' Club of Victoria, i^th Jan., 1917.

Aquatic Insects.
The water Ilea salroady described spend the whole of their
lives in the water, but there are other inhabitants of the pond
which, though thej' are bom there, and spend their early lives
swimming in its waters or crawling over the water-plants, end
their existence as inhabitants of the air. Among these may
be mentioned the water-beetles, dragon-flies, water-bugs, caddis-
flies, may-flies, mosquitoes, &c. All these are hatched from
eggs laid in or on the water, or attached to water-plants near
the surface. Some of these insects, like the dragon-fly, on
reaching maturity leave the water for all time, spending their
lives in the air "hawking" after smaller insects. Others, like
the beetles and some of the bugs, spend most of their time in
the pond, preying on the other inhabitants, leaving the water
at night-time only, to indulge in flight, courtship, or migration
to another pool. They are often attracted by the light of the
electric street-lamps, and on summer nights may be collected
in great rmmbers around the base of the poles supporting these.
The largest of these insects is Hydrophilus, a dark olive-
green beetle one and three-quarter inches in length. The
female beetle constructs a cocoon in which she encloses fifty
or sixty eggs. This cocoon, though thin, is perfect!}^ water-
tight, so that the eggs, which would be killed by submersion
in water, are kept dry and warm, though the cocoon may be
attached to the under side of a leaf of a water-plant. In order
that the eggs and the newly-hatched larvae may be supplied
with air, the beetle constructs a tube, or ventilating shaft, at
one end of the cocoon ; the end of this tube is bent upwards,
and projects above the surface of the water. Thus provided
for, the eggs are left to hatch out, which they do in three or
four weeks (in an aquarium). When hatched, the young soon
l)reak through the cocoon and begin their predatory existence.
Though rather slow of movement, having a fleshy, tapering
l)ody and short, thin legs, they levy a heavj^ toll on the smaller
creatures of the j)ond, especially the small water-snails, whose
shells are readily crushed by the formidable-toothed jaws of
the larva. When fully grown they measure about 2| inches,
and are dark brown in colour. Though living and feeding in
the water, these larvae breathe air, which they obtain by
elevating their bodies so that the two short, hair-like breathing
tubes by which it is terminated arc above the surface of the
water. These tulles convey the air to the ti'acheae which

20 Sf.arle, The Pond and its Inhabitants. [v.ii"^xxxiv

ramify the body of the larvcu. The mature larvit leave the
water, and, burrowing into the bank of the pond, make a cocoonr
like cell in which to pupate, and from which they finally emerge
as perfect beetles.

Another water-beetle, Cybister,* is also a common inhabitant
of our ponds, and its larvjc, which are erroneously called
Dytiscus larva, is perhaps the most bloodthirsty marauder
in" the pond, and seems to kill for the love of killing. It is
absolutely devoid of fear, and will attack any living creature
in the pond that comes near it. One afternoon at Cheltenham
I saw one of these larvae, and a half-grown one at that, attack
and kill in rapid succession three large tadpoles. Like the
larvae of their relative, Dytiscus, which they closely lesemble,
they possess a pair of enormous sickle-shaped jaws, which
they drive into their victims. These jaws are hollow for about
two-tliirds their length from the base, the remaining third
being the solid point. Just at the base of the solid point,
the inner side of the curve, there is a small opening which leads
into the hollow part of the jaw, and through these the blood
and body jiaices of the victim is sucked. At one time it was
thought that this was the only opening into the alimentary
canal, and that the larva did not possess a mouth ; but it really
has a very large and peculiarly-shaped mouth, which closes
so tightly that it is difficult to see, but is readily made apparent
if the head is subjected to lateral pressure. It is stated by
some writers that Dytiscus inject a poison into their victims
which causes them to liquefy. I do not know whether Cybister
is, possessed of such a means oi offence, but, from the rapidity
with which their victims die after being bitten by the larvie,
one would think they did ; this is a point that needs investiga-
tion.

Beetles, thougii they dive and swim freely in the water,
breathe air, and must come to the surface at intervals to renew
their supply. Some imprison this air supply between the
elytra and the abdomen, and as the spiracles, or o])enings to the
breathing tubes, are i)laced along tlu' l)ack of the abdomen, arc
able to breathe this air while they are under water. Others,
in addition to this, take a further supply of air entangled among
the hairs on the under-side of the body, and as the beetle darts
about in the water these air bells shine like burnished silver.
' Another insect whose whole life is spent in destroying its
weaker fellows is the dragon-fly. The female insect lays her
eggs just below the surface of the water on the leaves and
stems of water-plants. When newly hatched, the young larya.*
appear to \k- all legs and a pair of eyes, and creep about on

* This beetle is now called Ilomandylcs Scutellaria.

'""*'! SitARLE, The Pond and its Inhabitants. 21

1917 J '

the plant on which they were bom in search of other creatures
upon which to feed. Unlike the larvae of the beetles just
described, who have to come to the surface at intervals to
breathe, the larva of the dragon-fly is able to extract the
oxygen needed for respiration from the water, mucli in the
same manner as a fish does, but with this difference, that the
gills of the larva are in the end of its abdomen, the leaf-like
blades in which the abdomen terminates also probably acting
as external gills in many species. Being voracious feeders,
their bodies soon fill out, and after their first ecdysis, or moult,
the increase in size is very noticeable. It is provided with a
very remarkable organ for the capture of its prey. From its
position when at rest it is called a mask, as it covers the mouth
and front part of the head of the insect. Anatomically, it is
the lower lip of the insect, which has been modified into a
prehensile organ. It is jointed in such a manner that part of
it folds back rmder the chin, while the end with its claw-like
appendages fits closely over the front of the head. But should
some unfortunate insect come within striking distance, the
joints straighten out with lightning rapidity, and the insect
is clasped in its pincer-like extremity. The joints are then
folded back, and the larva, at its leisure, feeds on its prey.

When describing the water-beetle we saw that its meta-
morphosis was complete — that is. that the full-grown larva
changed into an inactive pupa, from which in due time the
perfect beetle emerged. But in the dragon-fly the meta-
morphosis is incomplete — there is no resting stage in its life-
history^ the nymph, or pupa, being just as active and rapacious
as the larva, the difference in appearance being the gradual
growth of the wing-cases enclosing the rudimentary wings of
the future dragon-fly. When the time comes for the insect's
final change, the pupa creeps up the stem of a plant out of
the water, and, clasping the stem (nearly always the under side)
firmly with its legs, rests in this position until the outer skin
becomes dry and brittle, and soon, helped probably by the
muscular contraction of the insect, the skin splits down the
back, and through this opening the head, with its large com-
pound eyes, is drawn. The thorax and legs are next freed from
the pupa skin, and the newly-born insect, with soft, limp body
and crumpled wings, hangs head downwards from the pupa
case. Presently it begins to move its legs about, and grasping
the stem creeps up an inch or so, thus detaching the rest of the
abdomen from the pupa case, for which it has no iurther use.
While in this position the wings straighten out, dry, and
harden, and probably other most important changes are
taking place at the same time.

We must remember that while the nymph was a pond-

22 Searlf. , The Pond and its Inhabitants. [vj."^xxxiv

dweller it breathed by means of ^ills. but the drap:on-fly has
now become a creature of the air, and will now breathe through
spiracles placed along the sides of its body. At what period
of its history this change in the breathing tubes occurs is still
obscure. Its body having dried and its four beautiful wings
thoroughly hardened, the insect essays its first flight, and soon
after it mav be seen darting swiftly through the air, capturing
and devouring its prey without pausing in its rapid flight. After
a brief courtship the female visits a pond, and, resting on a water-
plant, thrusts her abdomen under the water and attaches her
eggs to the stem or leaves of the plant, her life-work being then
accomplished.

Moss Animals.

The term "moss animals" has been applied to that group
known to the zoologist as Polyzoa (Gr. polus many, zoon
animal) — compound animals that spread themselves over the
surface of stones, roots, and stems of water-plants, the most
familiar example, perhaps, being the sea-mat, found in rock
pools around our coasts. Relatives of these, to which no
common name has been given, are to be found in many of the
ponds and streams in the vicinity of Melbourne, and, though
well knowTi to the initiated, who know where and how to look
for them, are never seen by most people, though they are
particularly well adapted for nature study. Only two fresh-
water genera have been found in Victoria up to the present,
though it is quite probable others exist here waiting discovery
by the observant pond-hunter. The known genera are
Plumatella and Fredricella.

Plumatella is the more common of the two, and is found in
many of the pools that aboimd along the valley of the Yarra.
A favourite place for it was the lagoon on the left-hand side
of the bridge over the Yarra at Heidelberg, where the sub-
merged branches of the old willow trees were thickly covered
with this beautiful animal. The individiials of the colony are
quite large enough to examine with a pocket lens, and in a yoimg
colony are transparent enough for the process of digestion,
&c., to be observed within. If we place a small colony of
Plumatella in a watch glass with some water and examine it
under a pocket lens, or better, a dissecting microscope, we
will be able to learn much about its structure and habits. The
shock of moving the colony to the watch-glass has caused all
the polypides to retract within their cells, which, we see, are
oval-shaped bodies attached to a stem of leathery consistency.
This stem is called the crenaeceum (meaning " common house "),
and unites the whole colony. If the watch-glass is allowed
to remain still for a few moments the animals recover from

J""*'! Skarle, The Pond and its Inhabitants. 27.

1917 J ' J

their shock, and one l)y one emerge their beautiful plumed
crests. Selecting an individual best placed for observation,
we notice that the crown of plume-like tentacles is attached
to a horseshoe -shaped disc called the lophophore (meaning
"crest-bearer"). Each tentacle is fringed on both sides with
hair-like processes called cilia, which are kept in constant
vibration. The motion of the cilia is all in one direction, so
that their combined action produces a vortex, bringing fresh
streams of water for respiration, and drawing particles of food
down to the mouth, situated between the arms of the lopho-
phore. Over the mouth is placed a finger-like process, wliich
may help in the selection of food or in the rejection of objection-
able matter that might be whirled into the vortex. This organ
is called the epistome (Gr., " upon the mouth "). The mouth
opens into the alimentary tube, consisting of oesophagus,
stomach, and intestine, and is bent back upon itself so that
the vent opens at the back of the tentacles near the mouth.
As the food particles pass in through the mouth we can observe
the process by which nutrient parts are absorbed and the
refuse matter ejected. Their food consists of diatoms, desmids,
protozoa, rotifers, &c. When the food particle reaches the
stomach it is tossed up and down by muscular contractions
and dilations of the stomach until the digestible portion has
l)een absorbed, when the waste material is packed into the
intestine. When this waste matter has to be discharged the
orifice of the intestine is protruded, and when the operation
is over it is withdrawn again.

Plumatella is a very timid creature, and the slightest shock,
such as the jarring of the table, causes it to withdraw its
tentacles. This action is effected by long muscles, which, by
contraction, pull the animal into its cell : similar contractions
of the muscular neck of the cell, which is attached to the
animal just below the lophophore, is the means by which the
tentacles are protruded. Attached to the part of the stomach
where the intestine bends round is a long twisted organ called
the funiculus (" a little rope "), which goes to the bottom of
the cell. Attached to the funiculus is the testis, or male
generative organ, while in the internal tube, attached to a
short peduncle, or footstalk, the ovary is })laced. In these
ovaries true eggs arc developed, from which are hatched ciliated
larva. These swim about rapidly for a time, and then attach
themselves to some flat surface and develoj) and bud into two
polypides, which soon grow into a new colony. But they
have another and highly interesting mode of reproduction ;
this is by means of asexual resting l)odies, called statoblasts,
or stationary germs. These are produced from the funiculus,
and are never hatched in the colony when they are produced.

24 Searle. Till' Pond iriul its luhabiiants. [voi.'''xxxVv.

but seem to be a reserve of propagative force to keep the
animal from extermination through stress of adverse circum-
stances. The contents of the statoblasts give rise to simple
non-ciliated animals, which possess, when they are hatched,
all the parts of the adult animal ; these at once become
attached, and produce new colonies by Inidding.

A great many species of Plumatella have been described in
Britain and Europe, P. repetis being the l)est known. In
Victoria we have at least two species, one of which agrees vcr\'
closely with the European P. rcpcns : the other, as far as I know,
has not yet been determined.

Our second genera, Fredricclla, is the most graceful and
elegant of all the fresh-water polyzoa. Unlike Phimatella,
which attaches itself closely to the stone or stick on which it
is growing, the branching stems of Fredricella are only partly
attached to its support, the rest of the colony being free ; thus
it much reseml)les the roots of the willows on which it is mostly
found, as it loves the shade such as this tree affords. Its
corona or crown of tentacles differs from that of Plumatella
in that it forms a complete circle, its shape much resembling
the flower of the cactus. The tentacles are much more slender
than those of Plumatella. Only one species of Fredricella
has been described in Europe ; it is named Fredricella sultana.
Our species differs from F. sultana in having a greater number
of tentacles in its crown, and in the shape of its statoblasts.
Those of F. sultana are bean-shaped and few in number, while
our spe<ies has round statoblasts, and they are fairly numerous
in the cjena-cium of the colony. It should be looked for among
the roots of water-])lants, especially those of the willow,
growing on the banks of the Yarra and other streams.

In searching for fresh-water jwlyzoa every submerged branch
should Ix' carefully examined, and any material you are
doubtful about placed in a flat-sided glass trough and examined
with a pocket lens for any trace of a s))ecimen. A drag hook
attached to a stout line is very useful for securing such material
as sticks, also for getting sanij)les of weeds and water-])lants
from the deep water of a pond, li\-ing on which it may be your
good fortune to hnd Lophopus or Cristatella. neither of which
has as yet been recordecl for Victoria. Another species which
should be searched for in shady nooks, such as Fredricella delights
in. is Paludicella : indeed, in Europe it is frecpiently found
living commensally with that species, though not nearly so
numerous. In general appearance it resembles Fredricella, but
its tentacles are much longer, anrl it does not possess an epi-
stome, so is easily distinguished fioni that species.

Cbe Uictorian naturalist.

Vol. XXXIV.— No. 3. JULY 5, 1917. No. 403.

FIELD NATURALISTS' CLUB OF VICTORIA.

The tlxirty-seventh annual meeting of the Club was held at
the Royal Society's Hall on Monday evening, nth June, 1917.
The president. Mr. F. Pitcher, occupied the chair, and about
forty members and visitors were present.

CORRESPONDENCE.

From Mrs. North, thanking the Club for the expression of
sympathy on the death of her late husband. Mr. A. J. Norths
C.M.Z.S."

REPORTS.

A report of the excursion to Langwarrin and Frankston on
King's Birthday, 4th June, was given by the leader, Mr. T. S.
Hart, M.A. who stated that unpleasant weather was experi-
enced ; however, a number of interesting observations on the
manner of growth of Mistletoes were made, and the party was
interested in a \nsit to Mr. Mann's garden, which contains a
number of native shrubs, &c., under cultivation. It was
decided that a letter of thanks be sent to Mr. J. S. Mann, of
Frankston, for the hospitality extended to the members of the
excursion by himself and family.

The president extended a cordial welcome to Mr. Hardy, a
visitor from Tasmania, and a member of the Field Naturalists'
Club in that State, who was present, and Mr. Hardy briefly
n"j)lii'd.

ANNUAL REPORT.

The acting hon. secretary, Mr. A. D. Hardy, F.L.S., read the
thirty-seventh annual report for the year IQ16-17, which was
as follows : —

" To THE Members oe the Field N.\turalists' Club of

ViCTORLA.

" Ladies and (ientlemen, — Your committee have much
])leasurc in presenting for your consideration a brief revievs
of the activities of the Club for the year ended 30th April last,
the thirty-seventh in its history.

" Considering the serious outlook and the many distractions
which have existed throughout the year by reason of the
tremendous conflict still raging in Eur<)i)e, it is gratifying to find
that the Club has maintained its position satisfactorily, both
numerically and financially.

" Though thirty-seven years have elapsed since this Club
was founded, in May, 1880, there still remain among its
members some who were present at the inaugural meeting

26 Fteld Xahiralists' Club — Proceedings. [vo\!'^'xxxiv.

and have been fairly constant attendants at its meetings ever
since.

" Commencing the year with a membership of 218, con-
sisting of b honorary, 2 Hfe, 150 ordinary. 57 country, and
3 associate members, 29 t>rdinary, 8 country, and 3 associate
members were elected during the year. Resignations, deaths,
and arrears accounted for 23 ordinary and 10 country, lea\ing
at the end of the year a membership of 5 honorary, 2 life,
155 ordinary, 57 country, and 5 associate members, or a grand
total of 224.

" By the death of Dr. E. P, Ramsay, formerly Curator of
the Austrahan Museum, the Club lost one of its earliest
honorary members. But the most serious loss which the Club
has sustained by death for some time was that of our honorary
secretary, Mr. J. (i. O'Donoghue. The loss is so fresh in our
minds, and his efforts on Ix^ half of the Club have so recently
been recalled in the pages of the Naturalist, that little more
can be said now beyond the fact that to his collcaguis on the
committee his deplorablt- death was a great shock. Little did
they th'iik that the ortlinary meeting held on ijth November
last would be his last official connection with the Club. Since
that date the duties of hon. secretary have been shared
by several members of the committee, who have endeavoured
to keep its affairs straight until such time as a permanent
appointment could be made. The late Mr. O'Donoghue left
no stone unturned in his efforts to advance the Club in every
way possible, and his loss is likely to be felt for some time to
come.

" Your hon. treasurer reports that the ordinary receipts for
the year were £iy5 lbs. 6d. and the expenditure -^172 is. lod.,
thus adding £2, 14s. 8d. to the credit balance of the (Tub,
Notwithstanding the small credit balance, your committee felt
that it was incumbent on them to spare something for the
War Loan ; and the suggestion having been aj)j)roved of at an
ordinary meeting, the sum of ;{2o was duly in\ested in that
way.

" The exhil>ition of wild-Howers held on 2.Sth Se])tinibir.
i(ji5, having proved such a success linancially, i-nabling £54
4s. I id. to l)e handed over to the Sick anrl Wo\mded Soldiers'
Fimd, your committee were emboldened to make an even l)igger
effort during the year just closed. Consequently, the Mel-
bourne Town Hall was engaged for 3rd October for the same
purix)se, with a splendid result. The Y.M.C.A. national ajipeal
was chosen as a worthy object, and, country members and
friends entering whole-heartedly into the i)roposal, tlie restilt
was a splendid exhibition, and a magnific int success financially.
The exhibition was a revelation to those of the conununity

July.)
»9i7 J

Field Naturalists' Club — Proceedings. 27

who were unacquainted with the aims and objects of the Club,
and resulted in the addition of several of the delighted pubhc
to our ranks. Your committee is deeply grateful to the
members of the excursion party to the Grampians, which,
headed by members of the Club, helped so materially in pro-
viding exhibits. To the members of the Microscopical Society
of Victoria credit must be given for having made probably
the finest and most interesting display of microscopic objects
ever seen in Australia. The final financial result of the
exhibition was the handing of a cheque for ;^i3i 6s. lod. to
the Y.M.C.A.

" The interest of the monthly meetings has been well main-
tained, and the papers read have been quite up to the standard
of previous years. Fourteen papers were read, three of which
were illustrated by lantern views. The authors and titles
were as follow : — Mr. J. W. Audas, ' A Botanist in the Port-
land District ' ; Mr. F. G. A. Barnard, ' Some Account of Dr.
Xeumayer's Journeys in Victoria ' ; Mr. C. Daley, F.L.S.,
' Alpine Gippsland ' (illustrated) ; Mr. H. W. Davey, F.E.S.,
' Upsetting the Balance of Nature ' ; Mr. J. H. Harvey,
A.R.I.V.A., ' A Holiday Trip to Jenolan Caves, New South
Wales ' (illustrated) ; Mr. G. A. Keartland, ' Bird Life on Fraser
Island. Gippsland Lakes ' ; Misses Nethercote and Johnston,
' Notes on a Trip from Walhalla to Baw Baw ' ; Mr. O. W.
Rosenhain, ' A Thousand Miles on the River Murray ' (illus-
trated) ; Mr. J. Searle, 'The Pond and its Inhabitants' ; Mr.
P. Sharman. B.Sc, ' The Internal Structure of Some Aus-
traUan Orchids ' : Mr. Eland Shaw, M.R.C.S.. ' Australian
Blattida;, Part II.' ; Mr. P. R. H. St. Jolm, ' Notes on the
Growth of Eucalyptus viminalis ' ; Dr. C. S. Sutton. ' A Sketch
of the Flora of Keilor Plains ' ; Mr. C. A. Topp, I.S.O., M.A.,
' Impressions of the Wild-flowers of South- Western Australia.'
In addition to these, Mr. A. S. Kenyon, C.E., of State Rivers
and Water Supply, gave an illustrated lecture on the Malice
and its characteristics, on which he is undoubtedly a recognized
authority. Classifying the papers by their subject-matter, they
may be grouped as follows : — Relating to zoology, 2 ; orni-
thology, I : entomology, i ; botany. 5 ; trips or excursions, 4 ;
and general, i. One of the papers — by Mr. H. W. Davey —
attracted the attention of the Acting Chief Inspector of Game
and Fisheries, and led to some correspondence in the Naturalist.
There are many subjects on which papers even of a very simple
character would be extremely welcome, and we trust during
the coming year some of our more recently elected members
will place their experiences before the Club.

" An attractive list of excursions was drawn up at the
commenrement of the year, the greater number of which have

28 Field Nainralisls' Club— Proceedings. [vo\.'x"xxiv

been carried out, with varying success. Unfortunately, two
had to be cancelled owing to the late Mr. O'Donoghue's illness
and no other leader acquainted with the localities being avail-
able. Wet weather, of course, interfered with a certain pro-
portion. Your committee would again urge loyal support to
those members who give their services as leaders, and if
intending excursionists would notify the respective leaders
of their intention to be present it would tend to remove that
feeUng of doubt which often arises in a leader's mind as to the
probable attendance. Two char-a-banc trips were arranged,
and proved very enjoyable ; but this mode of travelhng entails
a certain amount of anxiety and risk in securing the necessary
number to fill a car. and so reduce the expense to a minimum,
and cannot be adopted as often as the committee would desire.

" Some valuable exclusion reports have appeared in the
Naturalist, and it is hoped that the members attending have
derived some benefit from the outings, both from a natural
history point of view and from a health standpoint.

" The thirty-third volume of the Club's magazine, the
Victorian Naturalist, has been completed and issued to
members. Its contents have been of a varied nature, and we
think quite equal to any similar publication in any i)art of
the world. The thanks of the Clul) are again due to the hon.
editor, Mr. F. G. A. Barnard, for the pains he has taken in
producing such a creditable ])ublication. Several requests to
be put on the exchange list have been received from societies
in different parts of the world, and recently a newly-elected
country member ordered a complete set for his library.
Unfortunately, owing to the many engagements of those who
undertook the work, the compilation of the card index t(j the
Naturalist is not yet finished ; however, you will be pleased to
learn that some progress has been made and that it will be
available for use in a few months.

" The librarian reports that 130 volumes and parts have
been added to the library during the year. The thanks of
the members are due to him for giving up the fourth Monday
evening of the month to attend the library for the jmrpose
of receiving and issuing books, and it is gratifying to learn
that a larger number of members are a\'ailing themselves of
the library than in previous years.

" Feeling that it was only right that those memlx-rs of the ("lub
who felt the call of duty on behalf of the ?2m])ire in tlu^ present
crisis in our nation's history, your committee decided to provide
for an honour board, which Mr. Jose})h Gabriel kindly volun-
teered to make, while Mr. P. R. H. St. John offered to do the
necessary writing. This has now been prepared, and a pre-
liminary list of twelve names was published in the Naturalist

J^'V'l Field Nntvfcilists' Club- — Proceedins,^- 30

for April last. As many members are past the age for active
service, or for other reasons could not enlist, it was decided
to publish also the names of the sons and daughters of members
who had entered on active service. These names numbered
twenty-eight and two respectively, though it is possible all
have not yet been received. It is our sad duty, however, to
record that six sons of members have laid down their lives in
the Empire's cause, and the sympathy of the Club is extended
to the bereaved parents.

" Among other matters of interest which have had the
attention of the committee during the year, it may be
mentioned that, at the request of the head teacher of Ferntree
Gully school, Mr. P. R. H. St. John visited the district, and
conducted a nature study excursion of the children, which
proved a great siiccess. The recent purchase of 137 acres of
land near Burwood for park purposes prompted a member to
bring it under the notice of the Club, with the suggestion that
the authorities should be requested to have any tree-planting
confined to Australian trees and shrubs, and that it be pro-
claimed a sanctuary for native game. This was done, and the
Hawthorn Tramways Trust took the necessary steps to have
the land proclaimed a sanctuary, and has expressed itself as
willing to meet the Club's wishes as far as possible. The
removal of seedling palms from the reservation at Cabbage-tree
Creek, East Gippsland, having been brought before the Club,
a letter was written to the Secretary for Lands on the subject,
and an answer received that steps would be taken to prevent
further damage.

" Though little has been heard publicly of the National Park
at Wilson's Promontory recently, your committee is pleased
to learn from Mr. J. A. Kershaw, F.E.S., hon. secretary to the
trustees, that steady progress in various directions is being
made, and some notes which he has furnished will appear as a
separate article in the Naturalist.

" The work of the Plant Names Committee has been further
advanced during the year. The sixtieth meeting has been
held, and the jirovisional printed list is now undergoing final
revision.

" The outdoor reunion of members, which has become an
annual fixture, was held at the Botanic Gardens on Saturday,
loth February, when, in perfect weather, about fifty members
and friends were entertained at afternoon tea by the committee.

" The best thanks of the Club are due to Messrs. Coghill and
Haughton for allowing the committee to use their ofhce for
its montlily meetings, and to all who, by their help in various
ways, have assisted in the work of the Club.

" Finally, your committei" would urge each member to take
a shaie in the advancement of the Club by every possible

30 Field Katuralisls' Club — Piocccdin^s. [vol"^^XN^\'i\

means. Our work here should be more than a pastime. The
health and pleasure obtained in the field or in the study are
only incidental. Our efforts as a club are, in the main, directed
to a career of usefulness. The demand for the Club's journal
by the scientific branches of public departments, and by
universities and kindred societies, bears witness to the success
which the effort has achieved. Nor does this support of the
Club mean neglect of the great cause which at present occupies
the attention of the whole civilized world. A fair proportion
of our members have taken on the risks of war, while a larger
proportion is experiencing anxiety, bereavement, or sorrow
just as fully as those in other walks of life. Your committee
trusts that the Club as a whole will, in the coming year, by
organization and work, be able to repeat its successful enter-
tainment of the public and further assist in augmenting those
funds which contribute so largely to the comfort and support
of our defenders abroad.

" On behalf of the committee,
" F. Pitcher, President.
" ^oth May, 1917." "A. D. Hardy, Acting Hon. Secretary.

On the motion of Mr. H. W'hitmore, seconded by M'-. E,
Cox, the report was adopted.

The president referred to the work of the Plant Names Com-
mittee, and said that copies of the third })ortion of the
" Vernacular Names of Victorian Plants " were available foi
members.

Dr. C. S. Sutton stated that the list was i^eing submitted to
Mr. J. H. Maifliii. (iovernment Botanist of New South Wiiles.

FINANCIAL STATEMENT.

The hon. treasurer, Mr. G. Coghill, read the financial state-
ment for 1916-17, which was as follows : —

Receipts.
To Balance, 30th Ainil, 191C ... ... ... ^49 4 8

,, Subscriptions —

Ordinary Members ... /,ii!i 10 o
Country Members ... 27 19 o

Associates ... ... o 18 9

Victorian Naturalist —

Subscriptions and Sales 194 5

Advertisements ... 3 15 o

Reprints ... .. 1 14 3

£m

'3

Sales of Radges, Photographs, &c. . . 23

Interest, Savings Bank and War Loan 112

175 16 ()

Carried forward ... ... ... /.22$ i 2

•Subscriptions :— Arrears, /2S 155.; 1916-17, /'113 6s. qd. : 1917-18, /'s
6s.— total ;^I47 7s. qd.

i9'7 J

Field Naturnlists' CI uh —Proceedings.

31

Brought forward
To Exhibition of Wild-Flowers —
Admissions
Sales of Flowers
Refreshments

Zi2S 1

IIO lO o

35 5 7
21 I II

■ 166 17 6
£2,91 18 8

Expenditure.

Uy Victorian Naturalist —
Printinf^
Illustrating ...
Free Reprints
Reprints charged

3
4
3

14
2

14
0

3

7
9
9

/.99

I

i3
'3

12
I

6
10

4
II

2
0

,. Stechert and Co., refund
,, Victorian Naturalist —
Wrapping and Posting
,, Rooms — Rent and Attendance
,, Library — Periodicals ...

..'. 6

0

0

Insurance

... 0

7

0

0
4
7
5
I
20

7
10

0
II

3
0

0
0
0
0

5
0

,, Hire of Lantern

,, Printing and Stationery

,, Postages, &c.

,, Stechert and Co. — Cheque returned

,, War Loan

,, Wild-flower Exhibition —
Hall and Attendance
Expenses ...
Cheque to V.M.C.A. Fund

,, Balance in Savings Bank
,, ,, London Bank

21

14

131

•S
37

4
5
6

2

16

172
II

y
10

— 166
II

5

- 52

17
«9

6
4

-i'391

18

8

COGHILL, Hon. Treasurer.
\zth May, 1917.

Audited and lound correct.

F. KEEP,

Z},tU May 19 1 7.

J. WILCO.X, I

Auditors.

The following statement of assets and liabilities was also

read : —

Assets.

Balance — Savings Bank and London Bank
War Loan Scrip ...
.Arrears of Sub.scriptions (;^58), say...
Library and Furniture (Insurance Value)

^^52 19 4

20 o o

45 o o

150 o o

I.I Alill.lTIE.S.

Suliscriptions paid in advance

Z267 19 4

^5 6

32 Field Naturalists' Club — Proceedings. [v<m'"^xxxiv

A hearty vote ot thanks was tendered to the hon. auditors.
Messrs. Wilcox and Keep. Mr. F. Wisewould expressed
appreciation of the work of the various officers during the past
year, to which Mr. Pitcher responded.

ELECTION OF OFFICE-BEARERS, I9I7-I1S.

The following office-bearers, being the only nominations
received, were declared duly elected : — President, Mr. F. Pitcher ;
\nce-presidents, Mr. A. D. Hardy, F.L.S.. Mr. J. GalM'iel ; hon.
treasurer, Mr. G. Coghill : hon. librarian, Mr. P. R. H. St. Jolui :
hon. editor, Mr. F. G. A. Barnard: hon. secretary, Mr. E. S.
Anthony; hon. assistant secretary and librarian. Mr. W.
Glance.

On a l)allot being taken for five members of committee, the
following were duly elected : — Messrs. F. Chapman, A.L.S.,
C. Daley, F.L.S., J. A. Kershaw, F.E.S., J. Searle, and Dr.
C. S. Sutton.

NOTES ON EXHIBITS.

Messrs. F. G. A. Barnard, J. Searle. C. J. Gabriel, and T. S.
Hart, M.A., drew attention to their various exhibits.

PAPER READ.

By Mr. C. Daley. F.L.S.. entitled " Notes of a Visit to Malla-
coota Inlet."

The author gave a detailed account of a recent vi>it, via
lulc-n, to Mallacoota, returning by way of Orl)()st, and described
in detail the fauna and flora of the district, as well as the natural
features of the surrounding country, illustrating his riniark^
by means of photographs and majis.

Messrs. E. Pescott, j. Kershaw, 1'". Barnard, and K. (Ox
sjwke in terms of appreciation of the })aper. and made iucpiiries
on various points therein, to all of which Mr. Ualey satis-
factorily replied.

EXHIBITS.

By Mr. F. G. A. Barnard. — (irowing i)hLnt ol fern, lUitryclnum
tcnuditm. Swarfs. " Moonwort," with infertile and fertile
fronds. Plant obtained near Oakleigli more than twenty years
ago.

By Mr. (.". J. Gabriel. — Marine shell, 'I urho pctholatus. Linii..
from Great Barrier Reef, North Queensland.

T^y Mr. T. S. Hart, M.A. — Specimens of Mistletoe. h>rtinthns
cclasiroidcs, slxowing aerial roots, collected on Langwarrin ex-
cursion ; young plants of Loranthus with aerial roots on
Casiiarina subervsa, and on Acacia armata, from Scoresby
(these are, no doubt, also L. eel astr aides) ; germinating Mistletoe
heeds on Acacia armata and on Loranthus cfUistmiJcs and I..

JqIj'I Field Ndtura/ists' Club — Proccedinf^s. 33

pcndulits, from Scoresby ; fasciated branch of Acacia suavcolcns,
bearing flowers, collected near Mount Eliza, on Langvsarriii
excursion.

By Mr. J. Searle. — Ova. larva, and cercaria stages in the
life-history of Bilhazia — a fluke parasite affecting human
beings ; fossil jawlione (human) found near Swan Hill, Victoria.

After the usual conversazione the meeting terminated.

EXCURSION TO LAXCWARRIX AXD FRAXKSTOX.

Owi.xti to rough, boisterous weather, Monday, 4th June, the
King's Birthday holiday, was unfortunately quite unsuited for
a held excursion ; however, nine members journeyed to Lang-
warrin l)y train, and were met at the station by Mr. J. S. Mann,
a member resident in the district. Going south to a lane, we
followed it in a westerly direction to the Hastings road. The
uncleared land here carried Eucalyptus ainygdaliiia. Common
i\'pi>ermint, and E. cinerca multiflora, Alealy Stringybark,
with Casuariiia subci'osa. Black Sheoak, and Exocarpos cupressi-
Joniiis, th" Xative (Tierry or Cherry Ballart, with a varied
undergrowth, among which Hakca acicularis and H. nodosa
were in llower, and two Cassythas or Dodder-Laurels, C.
glabella and ('. puhcsceiis, were seen parasitic on the native
shrul)s. On the Hastings road we found on a Pep])ermint the
two Mistletoes, Loranllius celastroidcs and L. pcndulus. Aerial
roots were noticed on L. celastroidcs, but were absent from
L. pcndulus. Continuing southward along the Hastings road,
and the three-chain road that goes to Moorooduc station and
to Dromana, we found both mistletoes abundant, and aerial
roots on all samples which were dchnitely identified as L.
celastroidcs, \)\ii never on one definitely recogniza])le as the
other species. In consequence of the aerial roots and leafy
branches arising from them, L. celastroidcs spreads along the
tr(;e on wliicli it is growing, and presents an appearance of
starting from many points, whereas the other species is
localized at one point of attachment, which commonly ap])ears
in the case of a large plant of the mistletoe as the swollen end
of a branch, though closer examination reveals usually the
weak growth of the host plant beyond the point at which the
mistletoe is attached. There may be, of course, many in-
dependent clumps of either or both species on the one tree.
A spjcimen of L. celastroidcs is exhibited to-night cut into
sections to show the invasion of the tissues of the host |)lant
by the outgrowths from the aerial roots, and others which
clearly show that the aerial roots are produced quite early in

^4 Exansion to Luns^wnrrin tnui Frankston. [voT'^^xxxiv

the growth of the mistletoe. Though these yoiing plants do
not carry any flowers or fruit to assist in their determination,
one of them, which was about se\-cn inches in length of shoot,
with an aerial root tliirteen inches long, was taken from a
Swamp Gum, E. ovata, under a Mealj' Stringybark on which
was L. cclastroidcs, and the invarialilc alisence of aerial roots
from recognizable L. pendulus justifies the view that all these
small plants with aerial roots are referable to L. celastroides.
In addition to the species mentioned as hosts, L. celastroides
was found on Casuarina siiberosa and (". quadrivalvis (the
latter near the coast), on Acacia rnollissima. Black Wattle,
and a young plant of a Loranthus with aerial roots on a haw-
thorn hedge on the Mornington road south of Frankston. In
one instance this Mistletoe had extended its aerial roots along
eight or nine feet of the trunk of a tree. Mr. C. ('. Brittlcbank,
Government Vegetable Pathologist, has told me that aerial
roots are known to occui on a Mistletoe in Xew South Wales,
but was not able to name the species. In Brandis's " Indian
Trees " it is mentioned that aerial roots occur on some species
of Loranthus. On some of the j)lants the larvae of the Mistletoe
Butterfly, Delias harpalycc, Don., were observed, while some
were pupating. Following the suggestion of Mr. Mann as to
our route, we left the three-chain road and ascended the north
slopes of Moimt Eliza to Humphries-rc^ad, jiassing through hne
heath grounds on the way. with abundance of flowers, and
stopped for lunch on the edge of a clearing, from whence wc
had line views over Western Port Bay, with French Island
and Phillip Island, the upper end of the bay merging into the
low lands of the Koo-wee-rup Swamp, and the hills beyond
forming a background. At the first house reached on
Himiphries-road we noticed, planted in the garden, Scarlct-
Howering Gums, ("allistemon. Hakca laurina. Agonis /texuosa.
and a tine tall Golden Wattle. On this road we passed an
abundance of Eucalyptus coriacea. White Sallee, and noticed
Swamp Gums on high and not obviously wet land. Flowers
were seen on the Swamj) Gums. The Manna Gum, E.
Ttmiualis, was soon the predominant species, and as we reached
the coast Casuarina quadrivalvis, the Drooping Sheoak. now
in full flower, took the place of the other species. A third
Cassytha, of stronger growth, also occurs here — C. mclantha.
Other flowers noted inchule Acacia suavcnlcns, a fasciated
branch of which" is exhibited, Cnrrea spcciosa, Hihhcrlia stricta,
H. Jasciculala and H. densi/inra, Astroloma humijusa, and
Banksia viarginata. Mr. Mann had very kindly sent to me
previously an invitation lor the party to come to his residence
for afternoon tea, and to see his garden, in which he has
planted many native plants, several of which were noficed

July.1 Ercursin}! to Lancwamn and Fyanksfnit-. ■??

1917 J

on the way to tlic house. After a very acceptable rest and
jefreshment we again went through the garden, where numerous
Australian plants had been placed among the natural growth,
and some experiments on pruning the native plants tried. The
progress of the nativ^e plants and the success of suitable cutting
were of much interest. Ornithology had not been very
prominent during the day, the wind being very liigh and few
birds about ; but here we were shown by Mr. Mann several
interesting items, inchiding the nest of a pair of Bronzewing
Pigeons which had just reared a second brood, and other nests
close by in the tea-tree, as well as collected specimens of nests.
A possmn's nest was also ])ointed out. Bandicoots still occur,
and come to the garden. After the president and the leader
had exprcssefl our thanks to Mr. and Mrs. Mann for their very-
kind hospitality and guidance, we left for the train at Frankston,
Mr. Mann having further kindly arranged for our conveyance.
— T. S. Hart. ^

The Bunyip. — Australia possesses few fabled animals — in fact,
the only one of any importance coming under this heading is
the Bunyip. Little or nothing has hitherto appeared in the
Naturalist about this monster, so prominent in the stories of
early colonists. Some notes by Mr. Dudley Le Souef, C.M.Z.S.,
Director of the Melbourne Zoological Gardens, which appeared
recently in the press, may therefore be worth quoting for the
lienefit of future readers. He says the Bunyip was nothing
more than the well-known seal, Arcioccphalus fosteri, specimens
of which form such an attraction by the tricks they perform at
the Melbourne Aquarium. It is sometimes known as the Sea
Bear, and at one time abounded on the Australian coast in great
numbers. Sir Joseph Banks records that 30,000 skins were sent
to England from Australia in a single consignment. It was not
unusual for the animals, especially the females just before the
l)irth of their young, to find their way far up the River Murray,
and no doubt they came into the Hopkins, Barwon, Yarra, and
all the larger southern streams, often getting into the lagoons
and swamps, which, before the country became settled, covered
much larger areas than at present. The call of the female seal
is rather like that of a cow. while the bleating of the pups can
hardly be distinguished from that of a lamb, being perhaps a
little sharper. The aboriginals, who were easily frightened,
attributed such noises to the Bunyip, but could never be per-
suaded to go in search of the creature. This seal still occurs on
the Victorian coast at Julia Percy Island, and at the Seal Rocks,
near the Nobbies, Phillip Island, &c., and now enjoys the
protection of the Game Act.

36 Thr Sntionn! Park, W'ihov's Promnntnyy. [voT."'xxx\'

THE NATIONAL PARK, WILSONS PROMONTORY.
Satisfactory progress continues to be made in the National
Park at Wilson's Promontory in opening uj), by bridle tracks,
somr of the more inaccessible gullies and beauty s]X)ts and
improving the tracks already established. The erection of
guide boards in prominent position along the various tracks
has been much ai)i)rcciated by \isitors, who now \\;\\v little
difficulty in finding their way to the various points of interest.
The want of funds has unfortunately prevented the com-
mittee of management putting in hand several improvements
of special imjjortance to the general i)ublic. These include the
erection of an acconnnodation house for tourists, which it is
proposed to establish in the vicinity of the Darby River : the
i-rection of a bridge over the river suitable for vehicular traffic ;
and a large enclosure near the main entrance, where repre-
sentatives of tlie vari(ms kinds of native animals established
in the Park may be seen in their natural state.

The number of native animals and birds introduced is now
ic)2. Tlresc include Kangaroos (three species). Wallabies (four
species). Wombats (two species), Opossums (three species),
Echidna, Emus, Lyre-birds, Mallee-hens, Satin Jiowt*r-bird^.
and Tortt)ises, none of which, with the exception of the I'Ichidna.
were jMeviously represented. With the addition of the common
Black-tailed Wallaby, which was previously will established,
there are now five species of Wallabies in the Park.

The Red and Tirey Kangaroos have increased, while two
])airs of Emus, which have long made the Darby their home,
have reared twehc young ones during the last two years. 11
is hoj)ed that the Platyjius will be introduced during the year,
and an endeavom" is being made to obtain some Ro( k W.illabies.
which are becoming \ery scarce.

Owing to the protection afforded them, the Native Bears
havt; increased so largely in certain fa\-ourefl localities that it
has been found necessary to thin them out, .\n c xlensivi'
tract of forest at Oberon P)ay, (onsisting ( hielly ot Swamp
Gums, liucalyptiis ovaia, has been to a large exteni destroyed
by them, necessitating their immigration to otlier parts. With
the object of repLu ing these trees, seeds of Kucalyptiis Ginniii,
Eucalyptus vimiitulis, and Eucalyptus cladocalyx are being sown.
Portion of the sanrl-clunes on the north-west corner of the
Park, together with a rather se.iious -^and-blow, were planted
with marram grass nearly two years ago, and the results have
been so satisfactory that it has been decided to eontinue the
planting each year.

Fortunately, there is now little chance of rabbits obtaining
a footing on the Promontory, the only senf)us pest being the
fox, which, however, is being kejit well in check by systematic
poisoning.-.] A, Ki:ksm.\w.

Jub%1 Torp, IVild-flmveys of South-Wesfern Australia. 37

IMPRESSIONS OF THE WILD-FLOWERS OF SOUTH-
WESTERN AUSTRALIA.

By C. a. Topp, I.S.O., M.A., LL.B.
[Read before the Field Naturalists' Club of Victoria, 12th March, 191 7.)
During October last year, and a lew days at the end of Sep-
tember and the beginning of November, I visited Western
Australia, and spent most of my time at Bunbury, a seaport
115 miles south of Fremantle. While staying there I made
several excursions for about 20 miles on the railway line
towards Perth, for 12 or 15 miles inland from the coast, and
about 50 miles south, also along the coast to Yallingup C'aves.

While on this visit the great beauty and novelty of the
flora impelled me to collect and dry some of the most con-
spicuous of the wild-tiowers, and I have brought them heie
to-night, and propose to make a few remarks on them and on
the flora of this part of Western Australia. I was at a great
disadvantage from the fact that no local flora (in the book
sense) was oI)tainable, and that there was no copy of the
"Flora Australiensis " to which I could refer. My newlj'-
mad(^ friends at Bunbury were very good in taking me to
localities where an abundance of material was to be obtained,
and in Perth I was helped in identifying some of my specimens
by comparing them with some admirable water-colour
drawings by a lady residing near Perth, and in a very hasty
visit to the University by Professor Dakin's assistant (Mr.
Kayser) in regard to the plants also found near Perth. Since
my return to Victoria Professor Ewart kindly arranged for
.Mr. Audas, of the National Herbarium, to look over and name
my si)ecimens.

I may exj')lain that, though nearly the whole area o\-er which
I collected was not above 20 miles square, and, indeed, though
the bulk of my specimens were gathered within a few mile.^
of Bimbury, they seem to be quite tyi>ical of the celel)rated
flora of the south-west, or, to l)e more exact, of plants
flowering in mid-spring in that region.

My interest in the south-west corner of our island-continent
as a botanic region had long ago been awakened by the notice
of it in Sir Joseph Hooker's famous introduction to the
" Flora Tasmaniae," and I may revive your recollections of
that essay by a few quotations. He says : — " There is a
greater specific difference between S.W. anrl S.E. Australia
than between Australia and the rest of the globe. . . .
The most marked characteristics of the Australian flora are
concentrated at that point which is geographically most remote
from any other region of the globe. ... In studying the
rxtra-tropieal liura ui Australia the tir^>t phenomenon wliich

38 Torr, \Vt7d-flniafr<i of Soufh-\Vrsfn->7 Au^/raltn-. [voT.'^XNXiv

attracts attention is the remarkable difference between the
S.E. and the S.W. quarters ; the amount of difference I behevc
to be without a parallel in the geography of plants. . . .
About one-third of the S.W. species are endemic; about i8o
genera out of 600 in the S.W. are not foxmd at all or are repre-
sented by very few sjx^cics in the S.E." Bentham. again,
seventeen years later, sj)eaks of the " remarkable isolation and
highly differentiated character of the flora of the S.\\'. corner
of Australia." Mr. j. H. .Maiden. F.L.S., in his interesting
essay on the vegetation of Australia, written in 1914 for the
information of the meml)ers of the British Association for the
Advancement of Science visiting Australia in that year, gives
details of the number of species in many Australian genera
and their distribution in the \arious States. His figures fully
support the remarks of Hooker and of Bentham. Though the
vegetation of the S.W. thus differs widely from that of the
south-east of Austraha, it must not be supposed that, owing
to the great number of shrubs and herbaceous plants, and even
of trees, of species and genera not occurring in Victoria and
New South Wales, a visitor from cither of these States would
have any doubt as to whether he were still in Australia. The
presence of such characteristic Australian trees and plants as
the Banksias, the Hakeas. the Xanthorrhoeas, the Eucalypts,
and the Melaleuca^ at once assuris one that he has not left
Austrahan shores.

The country round Bunbury and along the coast, both nortli
and south, is flat, in places only a few feet above sea-level, cut
off from the sea by sand-dunes, sometimes of considerable
height — 50 feet or more. It is intersected by creeks, which,
at the lime of my visit, had a good flow of water, and there
are many swamjiy hollows in the sjjring. Where the land has
not been ek-ared it is either o])en forest and grass land, or, in
the light sandy I'umi near the coast, is co\-ered with fairly
dense scrub. The rainfall i> about 40 inch(^>. nml ilie latitudi^
about that of Newcastle, New South Wales.

Proceeding i)y rail from Perth to Bunbury. perhaps the first
peculiarity which strikes one is the stretches of coarse grass
and sedge hind, whose shrub and tree vegetation consists of
Banksias, with erect spikes of pale yellow flowers, looking like
the candles on a Christmas tree; ; of Xanthorrha'a (A', f^ifissci),
railed in the West " Black-boys," with very stout bla< k stem^.
generally branched, and in some places of Kingias, with similar
stems and leaf-tufts to the Xanthorrlueas, but bearing seviral
scapes with globular flower-heads. As one jiroceeds further
south the eye is delighted with the wide stretches of bright
blue, due mainly to the abundance of the lovely Leschcnatiltia
hiloha, and again the aspect of the roadside is changed by the

"'>'•! Topp, Wild-floxvers of SoiUh-Western Australia. 39

1017

numerous queer-looking red and green flowers of the Kangaroo-
paws, Anigozanthus: Manglcsii, rising one or two feet above
the grasses and sedges. Patches of the pink flower-stalks of
tall-growing Candolleas and deep red pea-flowers add variety
to the floral scene.

One of the most striking differences noted between a Victorian
heath or grass land and one in the neighbourhood of Bimbury
was the predominance of blue, pink, and red flowering plants
over the yellows and whites so common in oitr jxirt of Aus-
tralia. The blues are contributed by the lovely bright-blue
corymbs of Leschenaultia hilolnu the rather darker blue of the
flowers of the scarcely less beautiful Scavola striata and of
Dampiera linearis (all (ioodeniaceous plants), and b}' the
purplish-blue of Platythtxa golioides. a close relative of our
Tetratheca. Besides the lovely blue Platytheca I found a
white variety ; this is not mentioned in Bentham's " Flora."
Leschenaultia is almost confined to Western Australia. It
numbers fourteen endemic species, while four only are found
in other States. This beautiful genus is more than usually
varied in the colouring of its flowers. In some species the
flowers are described as red or scarlet ; in others as yellow, white,
lilac, or pale green. I saw only the one species — with the
l)rilliant blue flowers. 1 was told that it could not be grown
in gardens. This, however, is a mistake ; it is now grown near
Melbourne, and it was cultivated in England in 1840. SccBvola
striata is confined to Western Australia, where it is abimdant,
though the genus is widely distributed throughout Australia.
Both flowers and foliage are handsome, and it is well worthy of
cxiltivation. Dampiera is mainly Western Australian, though
there are a few species in all the other States. The Western
Australian species are endemic in the State.

Anigozanthus is a genus exclusively Western Australian, as are
four out of the five Austrahan genera of the family (Haemodo-
raceaL'). Eight species are given in the " Second Census," and
Mr. Maiden states that eleven species are now known. I
collected three which were abundant, — A . Manglesii, with red
and green perianth; A. viridis, with the perianth entirely
green ; A. raja, with the flowers on short-branched stalks, so as
to give it the appearance of a head of flowers, coloured creamy
ancl slightly pink. I should have mentioned a plant found along
with the " Black-boys" — the Fern Palm, Encefhalartus Frascri,
whose curicnis, spirally-twistec], pinnate leaves and central yellow
cone are pretty frequently seen scattered through the bush.
The species is endemic in the West, but the genus is found in
all the States but our own.

Perhaps the next most striking feature in the plant land-
scape after the predominance of the blue colouring of the herbs

40 Topp. WiM--fforers of Smith Westtrii Auslvalin. [v.^'^xxXMl

and low shrubs is the frequency ot tree Banksias of various
species, of Paper-barks and other Melaleucas, of the Xylo-
melum (locally called "Prickly Pear"), and of the Agonis
(locally called the " Peppermint "). Eucalypts near the coast
were comparatively rare, and I saw no Acacias except one
small spiny shrub, A. pulchclla, very much flattered by its
specific name and by Bentham's clescription — " an elegant
shrub." I suppose it is variable in height and habit. The
Paper-bark Tree, Melaleuca leucodendron, is much stouter and
taller than our swamp tea-trees, and grows in grass country,
though possibly its roots may be in underground water. It
is often 40 or 50 feet high, with a stem one or two feet in
diameter, and with stout, more or less horizontal or pendent and
twisted branches, not milike those of the common oak, though
not so wide-spreading. Its outer bark consists of many layers
of fibrous, papery sheets. This tree is remarkable as having
the widest distribution of the Melaleucas, being found in New
South Wales, Queensland, North Australia, in the Indian
Archipelago, and the Malay Peninsula, and as being the only
Austr.'ilian Melaleuca f(mnd outside our continent. The
Willow Myrtle, Agonis /lexuosa, known as Peppermint, is a
particulaT-ly graceful tree, and is abundant round Bunbury.
It attains the height of 50 or Go feet, and is endemic in south-
west Australia. Its bnmches droop and carry willow-sluqx'd
leaves, and bear on the outer side abunrlant clusters of small
white flowers. These give the trees the appearance of having
received a fall of snow. This tree bears flowers when only
two or three feet high. For some reason Mueller considers it
one of the best of evergreen, trees for cemeteries. I am glad
to say that I <^oukl admire its graceful form without thinking
of graveyards and tiombstones.

On the grass lands and among the send) I saw many
Droseras and ("andoUeas (Stylidium). several species of Hibbertia.
Tetratheca, and Pimelea new to me, endemic in Western
Australia, and probably confined to the south-west of that
State. The most remarkable Drosera was D. gigantea, which
rises three or four feet above the ground, has a slender but
stiff woody stem, with numerous horizontal, slender branches
terminating in ])ani(les of small white flowers. It takes one
by surprise to find that this erect, slender shrul) is a Sundew.
Other Droseras had large crimson flowers. This genns is very
largely represented in Wi-stern ^Australia, about 45 species
(Maiden) being found there. The "Second Census" gives 28 as
endemic out of 43 then known in Australia.

The " Prickly Pear," Xylomehim occidentalis, derives its
substantive name from the fruit, whicli somewhat resembles
an inverted pear, anu the adjectival qualification from the

^oi?'] Topp, WilrZ-flowerf; of South-Wesfern Australia.

41

sliarp points ol its leaves. The Western species is almost
identical with that found in New South Wales — A'. Pyrijormis.

The most striking and novel Hilibertia was Hibhertia stellaris,
a slender, much-branched shrul), which well deserves its name.
It is three or more I'eet high, with linear leaves and very
numerous, rather small flowers on slender stalks of all shades of
orange and brown. It will be seen that it differs widely in hal)it
and coloration from our Victorian Hibbertias. three of which —
//. densifiora, H. sir kin, and H. acicularis — are found in the
south-west. H. sUilaris is not as widely distributed as other
Hibbertias, but wherr it is found is very gregarious.
Tetratheca is wt-U rej)rL'Sented in species, there being eleven
endemic in Western Australia and only three elsewhere
("Second Census'-). It was rathfr si)arsely represented in in-
dividuals in the localities I visited. T. viminea bears hand-
some flowers, larger than those of our species, T. ciliata and
T. cricijolia. I have already mentioned the beautiful Platy-
theca, belonging to the same family, and which I met with in
several locahties.

The taller scrub consists of Melaleucas. Heaufortias. Astarteas,
Hyjiocalymnas. Grevilleas, Dryandias, Isojx^gons, Petrophilas,
-Vde nan thus, various shrubby Leguminosas and a bush\'
Hibbertia. The Melaleucas (Swamp Tea-trees) and Beau-
fortias (the latter genus endemic in Western Austraha) resemble
one another in habit, foliage, and inflorescence of the bottle-
brush or spherical shape. M. pungens is a tall shrub with a
creamy- white spike of flowers. M. thymoides has short sj^kes
of bright yellow flowers. Hypocalymna is a l)eautiful eudemic
genus. H . angnstijolium, locally .called " Native Heather," is a
slender shrub three or four feet high, with rather distant linear
k;aves and a tiny cluster of })ink or white flowers in each axil.
H. robiistum is a stronger-growing shrub, and the axillary flowers
are a deej) pink. Petroj)hila is a genus mainly confined to Western
.•\ustralia. P. linearis (locally called the " Flannel-flower "), is a
beautiful low shrub bearing abundant flowers in what appears to
l)e a head, the perianth, covered with delicate s'lky hairs, giving
it a veh'ety, not a flannel-like, surface, with white or pale pink
coloration. Adenanthus is a south-west Australian genus. The
two sjK'cies which I found {A. harbigerus and .'1. obovaia) have
single dark red flowers in the axils of the leaves. I collected
only one (irevillca — a straggling shrub with much-dissected leaves
and magnificent racemes of })ink and cream-coloured flowers — (J.
pinnatist'cta. Dryandra is another exclusively Western genus,
with the flowers enclosed in an involucra, as in the South African
genus Protea. I noticed two species — D. nivea and D. cnneata.
Tlie base of the j^eriantlx appears to contain much honey, and
1 tound a good-sized beetle feasting in one flower,

42 Topp, Wild-flowers of South-Westeni A ii^h'(ilit(. [\o|"'xx\

\iv.

I may mention as a rather surprising fact that, though blue,
purple, and red flowers were so common. 1 noticed no bees
or i)utterflies — insects which are, or were, supposed to be
specially attracted by these colours. Another Proteacean
genus, Synaphea. is confined to south-west Australia. I
collected one of the four species, a low shrub occurring pretty
commonly, with stiff, much-dissected leaves and spikes of
small yellow flowers. 1 noticed two species of Isopogon — a
genus familiar to us. One, /. roseus, had rather handsome
cones of red flowers. Of course, many pea-flowering plants
occurred in the bush, but not so many, I think, as on some of our
heaths. 1 gathered specimens of Kennedya. Bossiaea, Eutaxia,
Pulteniea, Isotropis. Daviesia. Gompholol)ium. Oxylohium, and
Bartonia. Bartonia scabra, which I foimd only at Albany, is a
handsome shrub with large lilac and purple flowers. Oxylohium
callistachys is a fine shrub with silvery leaves and dense terminal
clusters of orange flowers. I must not omit to mention a
Thomasia {T. macrocalyx) — a member of an almost exclusively
Western Australian genus (there is one Victorian species), a
shrub with abundant lilac flowers.

The plants growing on the sand-dunes were chiefly Hemi-
genius pungens — a prickly-leaved, rather tall shrub of the
Labiate family, with large blue flowers, forming dense thickets :
Anthocercis litorca, a good-sized shrub of the family of Solan-
aceae, with yellow flowers, rather glossy green leaves, and
petals almost linear : a shrubby Hibbertia, H. obcuneata, with
broad leaves and large yellow flowers ; and Pultencea aciphylla.
a bushy shrub with pungent leaves and \'ery sparse flowers,
orange-coloured. There were, of course, other shrubs not in
flower. I was nearly omitting mention of the large genus
Pimelea, represented in Western Australia by some very
handsome species. P. rosea is a low shrub with numerous
heads of rosy-pink flowers. P. spectahilis has a very large head
of creamy flowers.

In describing the flowers of South-West Australia. 1 shall
no doubt be expected to give an account of the beautiful genus
Boronia, B. megasligMa, largely cultivated in our gardens on
account of the delightful fragrance of its flowers, being W(>11
known to be a Western plant. However, 1 only noticed two
species of this genus aliout Bunbury. 1 believe the neighbour-
hood of Albany is famous for the alnmdance of its fioronias,
one of its show places being Boronia Gully.

Having dwelt on the striking differences between the south-
west flora and that of tin; south-east, I may refer to some
resemblanc<;s which I noted. I was pleased to find many old
Victorian friends among the orchids. Among these are
Gastrodtu ^esamoides, many Thelymitras (there are actually

July.-j
i9»7 J

Topp. Wild-floweys of South-Western Australia-. 43

seven identical species, and only two Victorian ones absent),
one Diiiris, several Prasophyllums, ('aladenias, and Glossodias,
though the last-named are not of the Victorian species. In
fact, the " Census " shows that only two Victorian genera of Aus-
tralian orchids are absent from south-west Australia (Dipodium
and Orthoceras). and only one Western Australian genus
(Epiblema) is not represented in Victoria. The common Vic-
torian liliaceous plants, such as Dianella, Wurmbca. Burchardia,
Bulbine, Thysanotus, Chamfescilla. Stypandra. Arthropodium,
are found in the south-west : but, being early spring flowers,
only odd examples were in bloom in October. A large number
of the grasses are common to the south-west and south-east
of Australia, but these I did not collect.

Silver Wattles. — Mr. F. Wisewould reports early flowering
of the Silver Wattles, Acacia dealhata, at Pakenham Upper, many
blossoms being fully out on i8th June. It may be mentioned
that Acacia Bailey ana was noticed in bloom in the eastern
suburbs on ist June.

Nature and War. — In the '* Science Notes " in the Austral-
asian of 30th June, " Tellurian " gives a few notes which show
that Australians abroad have an eye for nature study. Is this the
result of their early training in our schools ? He says in a
letter recently received from Palestine, written by a soldier
during a lull in an engagement, the writer describes the battle-
field as •' beautiful green fields, with blood-red poppies. There
were larvae of all descriptions crawling in the grass, and swarms
of butterflies, just emerged- These did just what other butterflies
do on such occasions. No matter where you stooped you saw
a pendant chrysalis flipping its tail, or a butterfly just emerged
clinging to a stem, its wings not unfurled, or a pt^rfect insect
with wings fully expanded, but yet too weak to face the world."
. . . "The funnel traps of the ant-lion larv.-e were all over
tile place, and one of our wounded pointed out to me a small
grasshopper gripped and held in the bottom of the pit by one of
the ant-lions, and just as the poor grasshopper was taking things
as a matter of course, so were our poor chaps taking the
machine -gun fire, shrapnel, high explosives. I don't say for a
moment that either enjoyed the situation, but, with the nun,
until one is cracked, he always reckons it will be the other
fellow who will get it. I can't speak for the grasshoppers, but
that's how they feel about their chances with the ant-lions."
These notes were written in the neighbourhood of (xaza, that
ancient city of Palestine, which has had many masters in its
time.

44 .\oieb. I ^•,,, xxxiv.

Tourist Maps. — During the last few mouths several tourist
maps have been issued by the Lands Dei)artment which have
not been noticed in these pages. One of the most comprehen-
sive is that of Ballarat and ("reswick. which embraces a large
tract of country from Lake Burrumbeet on the west to Ballan
on the east, and from Clunes in the north-west to Lai Lai in the
south-east — about i.ooo square miles in all. All the main roads
are marked, and those suitable for motor traffic indicated. In
addition to niunerous illustrations and descriptive letter-press, an
inset map on a larger scale is given of the Creswick Fon^st Nur-
sery and Plantation. The area covered contains many beauty
si)ots in the wa}' of lakes, streams, falls, and mountains, and
visitors will now have no difficulty in reaching their objective,
whatever it may be. The map will serve as a helj) when
studying Mr. T. S. Hart's paper on the eucalyptsof the Creswick
district, read at May meeting of the Club. The map of Dayles-
ford and District is on the same scale (ij miles to the inch), but
does not cover so much groimd. As Leonard's Hill railway sta-
tion, in the Wombat Forest, occurs on both, they can be read
together. Here, again, numerous beauty spots for touri.sts are
indicated, such as the magnificent extinct crater of Mt. Franklin,
the impressive Trenthani Falls, and mineral springs in every
direction. Another map, entitled the Castlemaine and K^nreton
Districts, takes in Mt. Franklin, Mt .-Uexantler, Redesdale, and
WoodencL and in the centre, about Elphinstone and Metcalfe,
embraces some pretty rural country. On this sheet again letter-
press and illustrations serve to direct attention to niany beauty
spots well worthy of tourists' attention The map of (ieelong
and District, which is also accompanied by attractive illustra-
tions and descriptive letter-press, introduces the tourist to
countr\- of u different character. Here the way of approach to
numerous seaside resorts, each vying with the other in offering
attractions to \-isitors. is distinctly shown. For those who
j)refer inland country, the Moorabool Valley and the Barrabool
Hills will provide many pleasant outings, the roads to which are
plainly indicated. The last map to which attention is now
drawn is that of Colac and the Red Rock Reserw (near Alvie).
The view from the Red Rock is considered one of the sights of
W'lstern Victoria. From its smnmit some thirty lakes, large
and small, are in view at the oni- time, the huge Corangamite,
like an inland sea, stretching north and south for many mill ■^^,
while the rich pasture lands of Cororooke lie between it and its
smaller neighbour, Colac. Away to the south may be seen the
forest-clacl hills of the Otvvay Peninsula. Any of these plans
can be obtained on api)lication at the Tourist Buri^au, Collin^--
street.

Cbe Uictorian naturalist

Vol. XXXIV.— No. 4. AUGUST 9, 1917. No. 404.

FIELD NATURALISTS' CLUB OF VICTORIA.

The ordinary monthly meeting of the Chib was held at the
Royal Society's Hall on Monday evening, 9th July, 1017.

The president, Mr. F. Pitcher, occupied the chair, and about
sixty members and visitors were present.

CORRESPONDENCE.

From Mr. J. S. Mann, of Frankston, conveying appreciation
of the thanks of the Club for hospitality shown to excursionists.

From Miss Hornby, requesting assistance by decorations of
wild-flowers at a Y.M.C.A. entertainment on 7th August.

The president stated that the committee had considered the
matter, _ but, owing to the early date, it was considered in-
advisable to make a Club display, but individual members
who could assist were urged to do so.

From Mr. T. Patterson, of East Malvern, asking that the
Club bring before its members the reported ravages of insect
pests having their natural habitat in the wattle among Aus-
tralian primary products. He requested that the Club
investigate the subject, as the promotion of Australia's
producing industries is of paramount importance.

A lengthy discussion took place, of which the following is
a condensed report : —

Mr. C. French, jun., through whose remarks at a public
lecture Mr. Patterson's attention was attracted to the subject,
amplified the statement credited to him — that the wattle, as
a host for insect pests, was decidedly a menace. He instanced
at least nine native Australian insect pests attacking the
wattle that are now serious orchard and ornamental tree pests,
giving the following particulars : — Apple-root Borer (Leptops),
native host, wattles ; now one of the worst, if not the worst,
insect pest of fruit trees in Victoria. Elephant Beetle Weevil
(Orthorrhinus), native host, wattles ; now the Orange and
Lemon Weevil, attacking citrus trees and vines, also elms, planes,
and tamarisks. In Mildura this weevil is a serious vineyard
pest. Wattle bugs — native host, wattles, &c. Quite a number
of these insects destroy fruit and fruit trees. The Holy Cross Bug
(Mictis) is very destructive to orange and lemon trees ; native
pest of wattles, &c. The Painted Apple Moth (Teia), native
host, wattles. The larvae of this moth are now amongst the
worst ])ests we have in Victoria. They attack ajipje and otlicr

46 Field Naturalists' Club — Proceedings. \vo\"^\xx\-v

fruit trees, garden plants, such as lupins and geraniums, tree
lucerne hedges, and other trees. Cherry Borer (Maroga), native
host, wattles. The grubs bore into ajiricot, clierry, and other
fruit trees. Uracanthus Borer, native host, wattles. This
small longicorn beetle has recently attacked cherry and plum
trees. Apricot Beetles (Belus). — These weevils have become
pests of apricot trees ; native host, wattles. Amongst other
wattle tree pests which have become orchard and garden pests
are looper caterpillars, Pinara Apple Moths, and many others.

Mr. D. Best defended the wattle, but stated that ' the
breaking of branches, dec, allowed openings for these pests
to deposit their eggs.

Mr. J. Gabiiel stated that when looking for fishing bait he
invariably went to the wattle trees for it.

Mr. G. A. Keartland corroborated the last sj:>eakcr, and
added that the blue gum proved also a suitable host for many
of the pests referred to.

Mr. J. Cronin was given a warm welcome on his first apjx^ar-
ance at a Club meeting, although a member of many years'
standing. In many ])oints he agreed with Mr. French, l)ut
could not condemn the wattle wholesale. He said a great many
of our wattles were immune from pests, and mentioned that, in
the Goulburn Valley, where no wattles had probably ever
grown, as soon as orchards were established the pests were as
prolific as elsewhere. While he thought the Black Wattle was
not worth growing near cultivation, especially in such districts
as Wandin, Lilydale, Doncaster, &c., yet the destruction of
every wattle in the country would not eradicate the evil. It
was too late. They were too firmly established — not only on
our native plants, but on the numerous introduced exotic weeds
and other vegetation. Clean cultivation was the only remedy.

Mr. G. F. Hill agreed that the wattle was a great factor in
projmgating pests, but there was little hope of coj)ing with the
trouble by the destruction of the wattles. The only means
was to fight them with the recognized methods.

Mr. E. E. Pescott, F.L.S., referred to the habits of ada])tation
of these j^ests, where the balance of nature had been ui)set by
the destruction of the natural enemies, the ])irds. Xo metliods
of combating them were of any use but spraying and similar
means.

Mr. F. G. A. Barnard expressed the ()i)ini()n tluit llu- destruc-
tion of their natural food was the reason for these insects
attacking garden and orchard growths.

Mr. J. Stickland instanced the scarlet gum as having ]irovcd
a very suitable host for tlie ])ests in question, in addition to
the wattle.

The jircsident, in closing tlic debate, said lie tliought Mr,

^"|''l Field Naturalists' Club — Proceedings. 47

Patterson was fully justified in bringing the question before
the Club.

On the motion of Mr. Kcartland, seconded by Mr. Robertson,
the matter of sending a suitable reply was left in the hands
of the committee.

ELECTION OF MEMBERS.

On a ballot being taken, Mrs. Stanley Eaves, Teslar-grove,
Caulfield ; Miss J. F. Sincock, Barkly-strcet, East Brunswick ;
and Mr. J. Van Cooth, Wattletree-road, East Malvern, were
elected as ordinary members ; and Mr. D. O. Southby, Royal-
parade, ParkviUe, as an associate member of the Club.

GENERAL BUSINESS.

The president announced that it had been decided to hold
an exhibition of wild-flowers on Tuesday, 2nd October, and
the Melbourne Town Hall had been secured for the occasion.
He trusted members would endeavour to make an even better
display than on the last occasion.

Mr. C. Daley, F.L.S., intimated that the Tourist Bureau
intended to repeat in September the trip to the Grampians.
This had been arranged to take place during the week pre-
ceding the wild-flower exhibition. Particulars would be
obtainable from the Tourist Bureau at an early date.

It was decided to appoint a ladies' committee in connection
with the exhibition of wild-flowers, and Miss G. Nethercote
was requested to act as convener.

NOTES ON EXHIBITS.

Miss G. Nethercote and Messrs. F. Pitcher, E. E. Pescott'
F.L.S., C. J. Gabriel, G. F. HiU, and F. G. A. Barnard called
attention to points of interest in their exhibits.

PAPER READ.

By Mr. D. J. Paton, entitled "The Buffalo Plateau in
January."

In the absence of the author, a country member, the paper
was read by Mr. F. G. A. Barnard. The author called attention
to the more prominent plants and shrubs to be found l)looming
in the high altitudes of the Buffalo Mountains in midsummer,
and also to some of the scenic beauties of the district.

Several members endorsed the author's remarks, and urged
the claims of the Buffalo Plateau from a naturalist's point of
view.

EXHIBITS.

By Mr. C. J. Gabriel. — Marine shells — Fistulana ^randis,
Desh., from New Caledonia ; F. clava. Lam., from Singapore ;
and Aspergillum pttlchrum, Desh., from Singapore.

48 Field Naturalisls' Club — Proceedings. [v<X'*^xxxV

By Mr. G. F. Hill. — Insects from the Northern Territory*
inohuling a number of rare or recently-described species.
Among them were the beetles Leptops inermis. Lea ; L. lati-
pennis. Lea ; L. laticollis. Lea ; Lains purpnreicollis. Lea (collected
at low tide on the shores of Port Darwin) : and Di phobia
vivrniecophila. Lea (inhabits the nests of the Green Tree-ant) ;
eight species of diptera (Tal^anidre) ; three species of Lepidoptera,
including Maroga lepto pasta. Turner, bred from mangrove
branches, and Anthela ochroneura. Turner, a very handsome
Lymantriid, also a rare Pentatomid bug, Eumecopns minticus.
Distant : several large sjx^cimens of scorpions — three of these
were shaken out of an aboriginal's bedding after the owner
had risen from a night's imdisturbed slumber.

By Mr. J. A. Hill. — Specimens of orchid, Pterostylis reflexa^
from Galton South (Wimmera).

By Miss G. Nethercote. — Flowers of Epncn's impresaa, Hakea
nodosa, dec, from Wandin.

By Mr. D. J. Paton. — Dried specimens of Helichrysimi
Stirlingii, Prostanthera Walteri, &c., from Buffalo Mountains,
also photographic views, in illustration of paper.

By Mr. E. E. Pescott. — Operculum of Eucalyptus erythro-
corys, F. v. M. ; flowering specimens of orchids, Pterostylis
concinna, R. Br., and P. nutans, R. Br. ; opercula of shells from
Northern Territory, resembling opals.

By Mr. F. Pitcher. — Specimen of a mistletoe (Loranthus, sjx)
being strangled by the growth of its host (Ecualyjitus, s]).).
obtained by Mr. E. J. Dunn, F.G.S., near Taylor's Reward
mine, Clarence River, N.S.W. A remarkable example of a
tree ridding itself of a troublesome parasite, for in a sliort time
the Loranthus would have been completely killed. Tfie
eucalyj)t was upwards of 200 feet high.

After the usual conversazione the meeting lerminated.

Map of Mei.bourne and Suburbs. — An excellent map of
Melbourne and suburbs, showing all the Iram and train routes,
has just been issued by Osboldstone and Co. It is on the scale
of I inch to I mile, and folds into a cover 4 x 5^ inelus. handy
for the ix)cket. The muni(i])alities are in different colours,
while as finly the main streets and roads are shown the maj) is
saved from a plethora of names. It will be foimd very handy
for lovers of the open air in taking cross-country jaunts, say.
from one tram terminus to another. An otitline of the tram
time tables, with fares, is given on the bark of tlie map.

AliK.,'|
•9>7 J

RobENiiAiN, ^ Thuiisand Miles un Rivey Murray . 49

A THOUSAND MILES ON THE RIVER MURRAY.
By O. W. Rosenhain.
{Read before the Field Naturalists' Club of Victoria, \6th April, 191 7.)
Eighty-six years ago tliat great Australian exph^rer, Charles
Sturt, explored the Murray waters and opened up to the world
the largest river system in Australia. In that wonderful boat
journey from the mouth of the Murrumbidgce to the sea and
back, Sturt and his gallant companions rowed no less than
1,600 miles — the longest boat journey on record. What a
wonderful journey that must have been, gliding down this
glorious river in all its virgin lieauty, before the ruthless hand
of the white man had begun its work of slaughter, crime, and
destruction ! Hardly any of the scenes observed by Sturt in
his memorable journey are to be seen to-day. On the whole
length of the Murray not one pure native is to be seen ; his
canoes have gone ; his burial-grounds have beien desecrated ;
the only records are a few large eucalypts, at intervals, from
which bark canoes have been cut.

The desire of my life has been to make a journey on the
Murray, but circumstances never seemed to lit in until the
31st of August, 1916, when I left Echuca on board the good
passenger steamer Ruby for a thousand miles' run to Murray
Bridge. Comparatively few people have any idea or are
aware of the many attractions which the Murray offers to the
traveller and tourist. In the Murray Australia possesses an
asset which her legislators from the very earliest stage ha\c
failed to grasp or realize. From Albury to the Murray mouth,
at (joolwa, the river has a length of 1,366 miles, and })ractically
the whole distance on both sides of the bank the land is nearly
level, and lends itself easily for channelling and irrigation.
During the distance from Echuca to Murray Bridge it
passes between what is known in Victoria as the Malice,
and on the New South Wales side as the Riverina.
These districts are known more or less as dry and
rainless areas ; but when the Murray overflows large
tracts of country are inundated ; inland lakes, creeks,
and water-holes arc tilled, and presently everything is green,
luxurious, and beautiful. To my mind the Murray can be
compared to the Nile, as it overflows practically every year,
and had our legislators in the early days spent money in
utilizing this water for irrigation jnirposes and cultivating the
lands, by the building of dams, locks, and weirs, millions of
acres would be under cro]) — either wheat, maiz(>, lucerne, or
fruit ; but now, with the excej^tion of Mildura. Rcnmark, and
a few small settlements, the whole of this thousand miles is
practically waste country. The squatter in the early days

50 RosESiiMN, A Thousand Miles un River Murray. [vo["^xxxVv

set about in a ruthless fashion ringing trees, without let or
hindrance — to do this work must have cost many thousands
ot pounds ; and now you see these dead monarchs of the forest
for hundreds of miles on the river front, and extending back
as far as the eye can reach, one mass of white, dead timber.
In places the fallen timber is so thick that cattle cannot ])ene-
trate. The waste of money in this destruction, estimating the
value of a tree at only is., must run into several millions of
pounds sterling. When the eucalypt has been rung it seems
to effectively kill every sap, fibre, and particle of life in the
tree, so that you seldom see a young eucalypt spring up in a
forest whose trees have been rung.

There is a charm in a holiday trip on the Murray which is
peculiarly all its own. For a restful, health-giving change, a
lazy, luxurious loimge, there is no resort in Australia to com-
pare with the voyage along this zigzag track. The Murray is
a slow-flowing river, and, although at the time of my trip it
was in flood, and in many places had overflowed its banks and
caused large inland seas, yet the flow of the stream was at the
rate of from one to one and a half miles per hour. The fall
in the Murray from Echuca to Wentworth (distance about
540 miles), where the Darling junctions with the Murray, has
an average of about 5 inches per mile ; from Wentworth to the
Murray mouth at Goolwa (distance about 518 miles), alx)ut
3 inches per mile. The width of the Murray at Echuca is,
I should estimate, about 300 to 400 feet, and it gradually
widens until below Wentworth, where it varies from about
500 to 800 feet ; beyond that towards the South Australian
border it becomes somewhat wider — perha])s to 1,000 feet.
There are several streams that flow into the Murray. The
first one which is met with after leaving Echuca is the Edward ;
this is some distance beyond Swan Hill. A little iurther on
is the Murrumbidgee, and about 200 miles further on the
Darling (about 540 miles from Echuca). The waters of the
Edward and the Murrumbidgee are very clean, but that of
the Darling is of a thick, muddy character, and for at least
200 miles the waters of the Murray are still turbid as the result
of contact with the Darling. There is very little evidence of
native life to be seen on the Murray flats, although in the early
history of Australia these places must have been teeming with
native population, as evidence is not lacking, whii h can be
seen from some of the remaining large eucalyj)t trees, where
the bark has been strij)j)ed for canoes. I also foimd traces
of kitchen middens. The murder of natives in the early
history in some parts aloirg the Murray has Ijeen a])])alling.
Simpson Newland, in his pojnilar novel, " Paving the Way,"
describes how, near Rufus Creek (the waters of which flow

Aug.,1 RosENHAlN, A TJwusand Miles on River Murray-. $ i

into Lake Victoria), the natives were massacred in great
numbers— to such an extent that the waters of the creek were
said to have run red with the blood shed on one occasion. It
is stated that the creek obtained its name " Rufus " from this
bloody battle.

As regards the trip itself, we were a happy party of nineteen
tourists. Leaving Echuca at 6 o'clock in the morning, we
very soon settled down to making each other's acquaintance
and the routine of the ship as regards hours for meals, &c.
I feel personally indebted +o the Gem Co. and its chairman,
Mr. Drew, who, I was informed, in the face of much opposition,
succeeded in getting the company to inaugurate the trips.
Everything was done to make tourists feel comfortable, happy,
and contented. The ship was clean ; the cabins (all two-lierth
deck cabins) were large and well ventilated ; the beds were
comfortable and bedding clean ; electric light throughout the ship ;
hot and cold plunge or shower baths ; ladies' saloon, gentlemen's
smoking room, and large diningroom. The meals were good,
well cooked, and nicely served, and quite a number of courses
at every sitting. Besides the usual chief three meals, there
were extra appetizers at ii a.m., 3 p.m., and 9 p.m., so we
were well looked after in that respect. The crew consisted of
one captain, two mates, one purser, two engineers, two
stewardesses, six deck hands, one cook, one " slushey." The
cook was a Chinaman. His pantry and kitchen was a model
of good order and cleanliness ; he was an epicurean artist. The
steamer has three decks the full length of the vessel (140 feet).
I can absolutely recommend this trip to everyone who desires
a week or fortnight's real rest and enjoyment second to none
in Austraha. The scenes from the top deck were most
inspiring — gliding along in perfect spring weather, fine stately
red gum eucalypts lining each side of the river as far as one
could see, a few ducks, swans, and pelicans now and again
skimming along the water or flying overhead. From both
sides of the river came the songs of the various birds which have
their habitats there. On the whole, there was not much bird-
life on the river. The Murray has very few long stretches —
it continually turns and zigzags ; in fact, the captain, when
ai)])ealed to on one occasion after we had made a long detour
of about three miles, which could have been covered on land
by about 100 yards or less across, said it would break a snake's
back to try and navigate the river.

Our first st()pping-])lace after leaving Echuca was al)out
mid-day, when we hacl to take in wood for fuel. This allowed
us about an hour ashore, and enabled us to penetrate inland
a little. After taking in sufficient tuel, a start was made for
Barham Sawmills. This is a large mill on the New South

5 2 RosENHAiN,/^ T/iuusuud AHlcs OH Riucr Murray . [y^]^

ici. Nat.
XXXIV.

Wales side, owned by the Barham Sawmilling Co. On account
of the river being very low for many months jireviously, a
fairly large stock of timber had accumulated, and they esti-
mated there were about 1,000,000 superficial feet of timber
stacked there. The manager told me that timber was
becoming very scarce, and it hardly pays now to do the cutting.
The nearest trees that can be felled are about ten miles from
the mill, and it takes the men all their time to take the bullock
teams out and bring the logs in to the mills. The Government
supervision is very thorough. The minimum measurements
are : — The tree must have a girth of 8 feet 6 inches 20 feet
from the ground — anything less than that must not be felled ;
there is a fine if trees are cut less than these measurements.
The price the mill-owners have to pay the Government is 15s.
per 1,000 super, feet in the log. It costs 8s. 6d. per 1,000 super,
feet for felling the tree, and 25s. per 1,000 super, feet for hauling
the log to the mills. We stayed at Barham overnight, and
got a start early the next morning. The water at Barham
was within three inches of overflowing the banks. It was
steadily rising, and when I questioned some of the residents
whether they were not afraid of being flooded out during the
night they were quite unconcerned, and were not afraid of
anything of that sort happening, as it would mean a tremendous
volume of water to raise the level over the banks ; but when
once over the banks there was very little hope of the settlers
escaping l)cing washed out. At one small settlement a little
further up the river, which we passed coming along, the water
was just coming over the banks, and the inhabitants wc-re
busily jHitting up a moimd about 12 inches high along the
banks and around the buildings. This seems to be very
effective in keeping the water off.

Our next stop was at Koondrook, about ten miles further
down. This is a township on the Victorian side, and there
are fairly large irrigation works here. On the opposite side of
the river is ]-5arham. A very fine lift-bridge crosses the Murray
at this point ; but with this bridge, as with a lot of buildings
made by the Government, there is no provision made for any
abnormal rise in the river, the result being that, in order to
pa-ss under this lift-bridge, we had to jmt on a lot of extra
cargo to lower the steamer, take down the funnel, and take
off the top railing, and it was then by the merest scrape and
squeeze that we managed to successfully get under, and this
was not accomplished until we had made several vmsuccessful
attem])ts. This lift-bridge, as well as one further down the
river, seems to have; been made for barges, and not for
passenger steamers. When passing imd'^r this bridge I counted
nineteen vSwallow.v' nests. Leaving Barham, we next passed

Aus,"|
'9'7 J

RosENiiAiN, .'i ThuHsund Miles un River Murray. 53

Campbell's Island, 123 miles from Echuca. On this island,
formerly, wild pigs were very numerous, but soon after that
became known the pigs were shot out for market. There are
no pigs there now. The next important point is Pental Island,
34 miles further on. During this stage some very iine scenery
is met with. This island is now cut up into small irrigation
farms. Formerly, wild pigs were numerous.

The next point is Swan Hill, 192 miles from Echuca, which
we reached at 6 p.m. on Sunday, 3rd September, 36 hours
after leaving Echuca. At Swan Hill the lift-bridge and wharf
were crowded with people. There was great excitement at
seing so large a steamer as the Ruby. It created quite a stir ;
in fact, all along the river from Echuca, at the little villages
which we passed, there were eager sightseers, lots of whom
had never seen such a large steamer before. The mosquitoes
here were as thick as bees in swavming-time. Fo'" miles on
either side of the river the country was flooded. Lots of home-
steads were only a few inches above the water. We passed
numbers of smalJ fruit gardens and orangeries. The banks of
the river at these irrigation plots had been raised so as to keep
out flood waters.

We left Swan Hill at 4 a.m. on Monday, 4th September.
Twenty miles further is Nyah, a new Victorian irrigation settle-
ment, chiefly orange culture. A little further on we passed
a hut, outside of which a half-caste woman and five children
were standing — Mrs. Allnations. She has Chinese, Afghan,
black, and white children ; hence her name. We soon pass
Tooley sheds, on the New South Wales side. The first wool
ever shipped on the Murray went from here to Goolwa, in
South Australia. From this point to Wakool junction —
40 miles — the Murray winds consideral)Iy. The River Wakool
flows into the Murray at a most picturesque spot. We took
fuel on ])oard here. Thirty miles further on we pass Murrum-
bidgee junction. The water from this river is nice and clear.
A fhght of about 150 to 200 Native Companions hovered over
the steamer at this point. The Murrumbidgee is not a very
large river, but is navigable for a considerable distance. The
weather up till now had been absolutely j)erfect. The river
being fairly wide and straight after passing the Murrumbidgee,
we steamed all night. At 6 a.m. on Tuesday, 5th September,
we made fast opp(jsite a survey camp on the Victorian sitle to
land provisions. The banks at this point were about 20 feet
high, and it was with some dilhculty we got the cargo on
shore. From here the river makes a 90-mile bend, which is
only 17 miles across on land. This survey camp is 4o() miles
from Echuca and iii miles from Mildura. At 9 a.m. we made
last to the 717-mile tree at Kulkyne landing, close to ("halka

54 RosENHAiN,y4 Thuusand Miles on River Murray. [vd."^xxxiv

Creek. I might mention the mile trees commence from Allniry.
Chalka Creek had a special interest to me, as it tiows into
Lakes Mourni)ool, Lockie, Brockie, and others. Two and a half
years ago tlie late Mr. O'Donoghue and myself walked along the
bed of this creek for several miles — it was then dry ; now it
is a fine creek full of nice, clear water. We took in fuel and
landed a little cargo for the one fisherman, his wife, and four
children. They were all very shy. People who can live in
these places year in and year out are real heroes. The only
vegetation was stinging nettles and lignimi bushes, besides
some fine eucalypts ; otherwise the country is dry and parched.
The nearest neighbours were at Ouyen, i8 miles away.
Mosquitoes were troublesome during our stay of i^ hours.
The dwelling showed little comfort, and the weather was hot.
We bought 68 lbs. of fine live fish here ; cost, 6d. per lb. One
Murray perch weighed g lbs. ; half the fish were perch and the
other half cod. The fisherman told me he gets 6d. a lb. there for
all he catches. The fish are caught in nets and kept in
enclosures in the Murray. Buyers come from Ouyen in carts,
take the fish away, and send it to Mell)ourne. Left here at
10.30 a.m. Next stop was Bonnie Doon Junction, near
Caradoc Hut, about 6 p.m. Took about 60 bales of wool on
board under difficulties ; left at 7.45 p.m. The mosquitoes
here were awful. At 10 o'clock that night we reached Mildura.
All of you know of Mildura, so I need not dilate on it. We
left again 1^ hours later. Much grumbfing was occasioned by
the tourists at the captain losing time in taking in cargo
en route, so that we arrived in Mildura 12 hours late.

Wentworth was our next stop. We discharged most of our
cargo. Here the Darling junctions with the Murray. The
Murray water is now dirty and thick ; this is caused by the
Darling waters, which are always dirty — in fact, the Darling
is unlike its name — it is an uninteresting stream as far as
scenery is concerned. Wentworth is one of the oldest towns
on the Murray. In the palmy days of pastoral industry, and
before the advent of railways, a big business was done here.
High rivers have more than once threatened to submerge the
town. From Wentworth down-stream the shee})-runs are
noted for the excellence of tlic wool i)roduced. Many large
stations or runs are passed on either side of the rivet . At Ned's
Corner woolshed, 625 miles from P2chuca, we took in 178 bales
of wool. This station has a frontage of 80 miles to tlie River
Murray, and is the projMirty of the Barr-Smith family, of South
Australia. It is noted for its merino wool, (he annual clip
running into about 1,500 bales. Tluic was a strike on at the
station at the time of our visit. Tlie homcsteafl is abtnit 20 miles
from here. We next pass Kufus Creek, whi( h llovv^ into Lake

Aug.,"! KosK^iHAiK, A Thousand Miles on River Murray. 55

Victoria, in New South Wales — so named after bloody conflicts
with the blacks at this point. The blacks were practically
exterminated in these encounters. They were very numerous
about this part of the Murray in the early days, and it is said
were a source of great danger to stockmen and early settlers.

Lake Victoria plays a very important part in the scheme
for the conservation and locking of the Murray River waters.
Situated in a natural basin some four or five miles from the
Murray, it occupies an area of 25,600 acres. It is filled from
the river by means of Rufus Creek and Frenchman's Creek,
and at flood level is said to hold a volume of 22,000 million
cubic feet of water. By the terms of the inter-State " Murray
waters " agreement, the lake, which is situated 35 miles from
the South Australian border by water and about 18 miles by
land, is ceded by New South Wales to South Australia, to be
used by the latter State as a storage basin. By means of the
proposed locks it will be possible to fill the lake even in periods
of low river flows.

We next come to the Devil's Elbow, one of the sharpest
turns in the river, the navigation of which is always a source
of anxiety to river masters, especially at low water. The
curious chff formation is very striking, and it was a pity we
did not land here. Further on we pass some very fine willows
growing on the edge of the water. Then we come to Pollard's
Cutting. Here the river cuts across the bend, and thereby
eauscs the river proper to silt up, forming an intricate and
difficult channel, the navigation of which at times tests the
skill of river captains. A great many of these cuttings have
occurred in the course of the Darling and Murray Rivers, and
it is said that within the last 50 years the lengths of the rivers
have been materially shortened thereby. They are not an
unmixed blessing. While they shorten the journey for the
steamers, they increase the rapidity of the river's flow and
shorten the period of navigation. One of these cuttings in the
South Australian territory, known as Daly's Cutting or Goat
Island cutting, a, few miles above Renmark, has come into
much prominence lately. During the very low river of
1914-15 the Renmark Irrigation Trust constructed a dam
across the mouth of this cutting in order to rai.se the level of the
river to the pumping station. The flow of the river was
diverted into the old channel round the island, with the result
that the level of the water at Renmark, three miles uj) stream,
was raised by three feet, and navigation was made continuous
lietween the railhead at Paringa and Renmark. The next
point of interest is Linsay's Cliffs. This is in the Cal Lai
district, on the extreme verge of settrement in western New
South Wales. All this district originally formed part of the

56 RosENHAiN, A Thousand Miles on River Murray-. [vJ"^xxxVv

Lake Victoria Station, which had a frontage of some 50 miles
to the river and ran back from the river for 70 miles.

A little after sunset we passed the South Australian border.
The boundary fence between South Australia and Victoria can
easily be seen. The boundary l)etween New South Wales is
nearly eight miles further up the river, and South Australia
contended for many years that the Victorian boundary was
wrongly li.xed, the real boundary-line being the 141st parallel
of longitude, along which the New South Wales fence runs.
The dispute was finally settled by the Privy Council in favour
of Victoria. The boundary fences are designed to be vermin-
proof. A little way on is the old Customs House, which, before
federation, was the crossing-place between Victoria and South
Australia. The river from this point onward flows only through
South Australian territory. The first place of importance is
Renmark, the great South Australian irrigation settlement,
710 miles from Echuca. It is not nearly as large as Mildura,
the irrigated area being 5,300 acros, while that of Mildura is
over 30,000 acres. Renmark is chiefiy known for the very
line oranges that are grown there. At Renmark we stayed
four hours, and drove around the settlement in motor-cars.
From this point onward there are quite a number of small
settlements, the first one being Berri, which has an irrigable
area of a])out 3,000 acres. Loxton and Pyaj) arc also small
irrigation settlements. Overland Corner, which is 800 miles
from Echuca, was the famous crossing and camjMng place in
the old overlanding days.

The next place of importance was Morgan, which is 105 mik s
by rail from Adelaide and 150 miles from Murray Bridge. At
this point the Murray makes an abrupt bend. Morgan was
formerly known as North-West Bend. We had several hours
(jn shon; at Morgan. There are most peculiar cliffs in the
neighbourhood, rising very abruptly, and extending for some
distance. I managed to pick up quite a numl)er of fossils,
such as fossilized shells, bones, &c., &{". 1 handed these speci-
mens to Mr. F. Chaj)man, of the Melbourne Museimi, who has
kindly classified them as follows : — Among the Miocene period
were Coral, Polyzoa, Bivalves, (iasteropod. Crustacean, whilst
the Lower Pliocene contained only the one class of Bivalve,
Ostrca sluriiana.

The river now b(;comes very wide, and is ])r()l);ibly ;d)()ut
one-third to half a mile across. Our next point of interest,
and ])ra( tically the last one on the trij), was Blanchetown.
This place is of ixculiar interest, as the William Randall lock
is being built here. In the old times this was a busy centre.
The old telegraph line* from Adelaide to Sydney and the mail
coaches for Wentworth cnjssed the river here. This lock that

Aug.,] RosKNHAiN. A Thoiisand Miles on River Murray. 57

1917 J

is now being Ixiilt is the first of the great engineering works
that are to be undertaken l)y South Australia on behalf of
Victoria, New South Wales, and South Australia. The whole
scheme comprises nine locks and weirs, six of which will be
situated between Blanchetown and the South Australian
boundary and three between the South Australian boundary
and Wentworth. No. 9 Lock will act as a diverting weir to
direct the water into Lake Victoria, which will be converted
into a huge storage lake, containing 22,000 million cubic feet,
for the regulation of the flow of the river. This will ensure
a supply of water for irrigation as well as water for the lock
system, and it may be well to state here that the water required
to maintain a locked and permanently navigable river is a mere
fraction of that necessary to provide for navigation in an open
river, thus rendering a much larger volume of water available
for irrigation purposes than would otherwise be the case, with-
out injury to navigation. The weir will consist of two parts
— viz., the " navigable pass " and the " sluices." The former,
which is 199 feet in width, will be entirely removed during
high river periods, and remain open for navigation. The stop
logs, which in low periods are placed between the sluice piers
to form the weir, will also be removed, the only obstructions
left in the river being the piers themselves and the lock walls.
In low river periods the navigable pass and sluices will be
closed, and navigation will be carried on through the locks.
Very careful consideration has been given to the matter of
determining the size of the lock chamber with a view to meeting
present and future requirements, and a size 56 feet wide and
275 feet long between the gates has been adopted. It is
anticipated that when the river is made permanently navigable
boats of the most modern design for both passenger and freight
traftic will replace many of the older vessels now in use.

From the Murray locking system a great deal is expected
in connection with the future welfare of the States of New
South Wales, Victoria, and South Australia. The last State
will most ])robably derive the greatest benefit from these locks,
although it is difficult to foresee at the present time all the
benefits and advantages to the other States. The immense
districts that can be reclaimed all along the Murray from
Echuca to Lake Alexandrina opens up an area of wealth-
producing lands beyond the dreams of imagination, and, if
used to its full extent, these lands would be capable of carrying
more than the whole present jiopulation of Australia. A rough
estimate puts the reclaimable and irrigable land at over
3,000,000 acres. The possibilities are enormous. Althougli the
Murray lands in some districts seem poor, they arc wonderfully
fertile provided sufficient water is available for irrigation pur-

58 RosENHAiN, ^ Thousand Miles on River Murray. [voT^^xxxiv

poses. It is a pity that the States concerned did not come
to a determination or agreement tliirty years ago to ]-)nt the
Mnrray waters to the use it was intended in developing the
States through wliirh it flows, so that each State shall be bene-
fited therefrom to the utmost. It is to the everlasting credit
of the Labour party — viz., the New South Wales Labour
Government, the South Australian Labour Government, the
Federal Labour Government — and the Victorian Liberal Govern-
ment, who put this matter of allocating the waters of the
Murray into definite shape and agreement, which the other side
were never able to accomplish, in spite of many conferences
since 1887. This scheme may well be said to be national, and
in that we have the keynote of the future success of this great
undertaking. I can see in the time to come new provinces
springing up and the waste lands of to-day converted into
wheat lands, verdant pastures, and flourishing orchards,
teeming with a prosperous and progressive people, providing
unforeseen circumstances do not arise that will interfere with
the financing of the scheme or that other causes will indefinitely
postpone the work.

[The paper was illustrated by a large number of lantern
slides.— Ed. Vict. Nat.]

The Dr. Hall Memorial Fund. — Friends of the late Dr.
T. S. Hall, M.A., will be interested to learn that a brass tablet
to his memory will be unveiled at the Biological School,
University, on Wednesday, 8th August, by the Chancellor of
the University, Sir John Madden, G.C.M.G. It is announced
that the sum of £395 has been invested for the jnu'poscs of
the fund.

" The Gum Tree." — ^The June number of The Gum Tree
is to hand. In the notice of the first number of this pubUcation,
in the April Naturalist, by an oversight it was announced as
the ofiiciaJ organ of the Australian Forest League, whereas it
is issued by the Victorian branch of the League. The ]>rescnt
mnnber ojx^ns with a fine picture of Beeches and Blaekwoods,
taken near the Duck River, North-West Coast of Tasmania.
Other illustratif)ns show the progress of the Red Ironbark
l)lantation at the You Yangs, Victoria, and Red Gums at
Mildura. The Uterary matter is of a more useful character
than in the first issue. A condensation of the address given
by the Victorian Conservator of Forests, Mr. H. R. Mackay,
at the recent Forestry Conference contains words that should
be carefully weighed by all who have the future ])rosp('rity of
Australia at heart. He points out that, whereas the ])rincii)al
timber-])roducing countries of the world have from 22 to 52
|x^r cent, of their area covered with forest, Australia can boast

f,T;-] Notes.

59

of no more than 4 per cent., while even this is not secure,
and its reservation may be revoked by the whims of Parlia-
ments. No great reserves of timber now exist. In Victoria
the one-time Otway Forest, and the South Gippsland forest,
have been so encroached upon by selectors that they have
practically ceased to be. Instead of providing that selectors
should thoroughly till land fairly approachable by road or
railway, they have been allowed to penetrate into the natural
forests with which parts of the State were once clothed, and,
under the heading of " improvements," have been allowed to
clear the timber off their holdings by the quickest means in
their power — fire. The conservator says : — " It is a remark-
able fallacy to believe that grazing, even for dairying, or the
ordinary rough cultivation pursued in forest clearings, gives
a better profit, or a more sustained yield, if controlled with
ordinary care, than such timbers as Cedar, Silky Oak, Black-
wood, Beech, Blackbutt, and Tallow- wood, let alone the
ordinary hardwoods of Southern and Eastern Australia. Good
liardwood forest, with a rotation of 60 to go years, bears a present
value of £100 to £500 per acre." The writer clearly pointed
out in no uncertain terms the timber famine with which the
world is faced, and advocated that, with the high and rising
cost of labour, an Australian is wise to confine his timber-
growing for ordinary purposes to a rotation not exceeding
40 years. He considered that for many years to come atten-
tion to the planting of soft woods would be the most profitable
for Australia. Mr. E. G. Ritchie, M.I.C.E., of the Melbourne
and Metropolitan Board of Works, supplies some remarks on
" Forests : Their Effect on Climate," which again show how
im])ortant it is that the timber on our higher ranges should be
preserved at all hazards. An abstract is given of Prof. A. J.
Ewart's paper on " Seasoning," also read at the Forestry
Conference, from which it appears that considerable data is
yet needed regarding the treatment Australian trees require
in tl\eir conversion from the standing tree to marketable and
usable timber. At tl^c annual meeting of the Victorian branch,
held on 17th May last, Prof. Ewart was elected president for
the current year. New members for the League will be gladly
enrolled by the hon. secretary, 57 Swanston-street, Melbourne.

Rabbits. — " F.R.," in his " Bush Notes " in the Australasian
of 2ist July, has some remarks about the introduction of wild
rabbits into Victoria. He says that the usual story is that
the Austins of I^arwon Park, near Winchelsea, were responsible
for the introduction, though it was recently stated in the
Geelong Advertiser that in 1854 a man at Ballan was engaged
in l)reeding rabbits for the Melbourne market, and may have
been responsible for a few escajxis. " F.R." inclines to the

^ Ar^y^o r Vict. Nat.

60 Notes: I Vol. XXXIV.

belief that the Austin origin is true, for ho remembers that
the wave of rabbits which spread over the Western Dishict in
the early seventies seemed to come from the direction of
Winchelsea. This is to a certain extent confirmed by a para-
graph which appeared in the Richmond Australian of 31st
December, 1859, and is quoted by Mr. F. G. A. Barnard in a
paper, "Gleanings from the Richmond Australian, 1859-61,"
read before the Historical Society of Victoria in June, 1912.
It reads as follows : — " The Lightning has brought an excellent
addition to the live stock of the colony — viz., 66 partridges,
4 hares, and 24 wild rabbits. They are for Mr. Thomas Austin,
of Barwon Park." At the time the paper was read a gentle-
man in the room confirmed the statement by saying that he
was present when the rabbits were li]:)erated.

The Melbourne Zoological Gardens. — A numl^cr of
recent additions to the Mellx)urne Zoological Gardens arc
figured in the Australasian of 7th July ; they include speci-
mens of the Livingstone Eland from East Africa, the Duiker
(deer family) from South Africa, White-fronted Capuchin
(monkey) from South America, Kolbe Vultures (Africa), Coyote
(North America), European Wolf, and a pair of young Camels
from Mildura. In a recent note the director, Mr. W. H. D.
Le Souef, C.M.Z.S., says : — " Several Tiger Cats have been
ol)tained from Tasmania lately. These animals are now very
scarce in Victoria : they seem to have decreased in numbers
like the Native Cats, but it is difficult to assign a cause. A
Tasmanian Devil is also on view that has three young ones in
lier shallow pouch. The little ones can be seen when the mother
is lying on her side, as they are not fully enclosed like the young
in the jjouch of the Kangaroo. The newly-arrived pair of Wa])iti
Deer, from America, are growing fast. It is many years since
these animals liave l)een exhibited in Victoria. The Ele])hant
house is being improved, and visitors will soon be able to sec
this ])opular animal without any intervening fence, as a ditch
is l)eing made in its place. Two Canadian Lynxes have also
been added. Australia is fortunate in not having such animals
wild, for they are even more destructive to game than domestic
cats gone wild, and that is saying a good deal. The collection
of Australian ])arrots has received several notable additions,
and the Hight aviary is well filled with, honey-eaters, csiK-cially
the Lunulated. These birds bred last year, as well as tlie White-
plumed."

" Made in Germany." — Tliis legend was found branded on
the stock of a rifle captured on GalIii)oli by an Australian
soldier. When carefully examined, it was foimd to be made of
Australian stringy-bark ! — Mr. R. T. Baker. F.L.S., of the
Sydney Te( huological Museum, at the Forest League meeting.

Cbc Ulctorian naturalist

Vol. XXXIV.— No. 5. SEPTEMBER 6, 1917. No. 405.

FIELD NATURALISTS' CLUB OF VICTORIA.

The ordinary monthly meeting of the Club was held at the
Royal Society's Hall on Monday evening, 13th August, 1917.

[The report of the meeting will appear in the October
Naturalist.- — Ed. Vict. Nat.]

ABORIGINAL PLANT NAMES: THEIR ETYMOLOGY.

By R. a. Keble.
{Read before the Field Naturalists' Club of Victoria, 14th May, 191 7.)
More than eighty years have passed since the white man first
occupied what was then the Port PhilHp Settlement but is now
the State of Victoria. That period of kaleidoscopic changes
incidental to the evolution of a settlement of a few pastoralists
into a State of over a million inhabitants has not been con-
ducive to the welfare of the aboriginal race nor the preservation
of any of its antecedents. The sober emigration of the first few
decades presented unbounded opportunities to study their
habits, customs, and language, yet it must be admitted that
the few facts gleaned are for the most part meagre and im-
perfect, and were recorded long after they were actually
obtained. Always misunderstood, the blackfellow had been
subjected to a series of cruelties inspired more by ignorance
than by wilfulness, which reached its climax in the hysteria of
the golden fifties and precluded all possibility of preserving any
unit of the race in its entirety. By contact with the white
population the few survivors lost their individuality, and, as
regards the Victorian blacks, we are entirely dependent on the
early workers for what is known concerning them and their
language. As to the latter, papers* have been contributed by
Green, Parker, Thomas, Buncc, Hartmann, Bulmer, Hagenaucr,
Howitt, and others, f which contain lists of words from various
Victorian tribes. These lists have usually been regarded as
unsatisfactory, and few attempts have been made to analyze
them. The following attempt concerns a few plant names
ascribed to the Wurunjerri-baluk, one of the many Victorian
tribes, and has recourse only to the syllabic components of
words attributed to that people.

* Brough Smyth, " The Aborigines of Victoria," vol. ii.

•)• See also Rev. John Matl)ew, " Eaglehawk and Crow," &c., &c.

62 Keble, Aboriginal Plant Names. [vo[."^xxxiV

The Wurunjcrri-baluk belonged to the Kulin nation, which was
of considerable geographical extent, and was so designated
from the circumstance that in all its dialects the word " kiilin "
is used to signify " blackfellow." The territory occupied by
the Wurunjerri is stated * to be east of the Saltwater River
from its confluence with the Yarra to Mount Macedon, south
of the Main Divide between Mount Macedon and I\Io\mt Baw
Baw, the head waters of the Yarra to the Dandenong Mountains,
and thence by Gardiner's Creek and the Yarra to the Saltwater
River — an area of over 700 square miles. It will be noticed
that this area exactly coincides with the Yarra drainage
system. The tribe, however, was again subdivided into clans
and lesser groups, each of which had their specific tracts of
country allotted to them as food grounds. The true Wurun-
jerri ("white gum country "f), with their headman, Jakka-
Jakka, occupied the Yarra flood plain, J and that portion of the
drainage system which empties into the trunk stream, the
Yarra, on its south bank.

The Wurunjerri dialect comes within the second subdivision
of the geographical classification proposed by the Rev. John
Mathew.§ This subdivision, referred to as the Victorian Region,
comprises Victoria, part of Riverina and the Murray basin in
New South Wales, and the south-east corner of South Australia.
Like other Australian dialects, they are mainly characterized
by imperfect suffix agglutination and included particles. That
the Wurunjerri were likewise possessed of a gesture language
is well known, and many examples of which are given by
Howitt.ll

As far back as 1878 the late Baron von Mueller, Government
Botanist of Victoria, identified specimens of a number of trees,
plants, and shrubs collected and preserved by Messrs. Green,
Hartmann, and Shaw, of the Coranderrk, Lake Hindmarsh, and
Lake Condah aboriginal stations, and labelled by them with the
native names. The collection forwarded by Mr. Green (assisted
by Mrs. Green) consisted of sixty-nine specimens, the double
identification of which is the basis of this etymological analysis.

* A. W. Howitt, " The Native Tribes of South-East Australia," p, 70.

f Howitt Rives tlie meaning of wurunjerri as wurun, white gum tree
{Eucalyptus vimiualis). and jerri, a grub found in that tree; jerri,
however, can also be interpreted "scrub," "bush," "forest," "wood," a
meaning which it has probably derived from association, the grub being
an article of diet occurring over tracts of country well known to the
blackfellow. Compare jerrin, p. 66 poit, and kulk. p. 68 post.

♦The contrast afforded by the white, smooth bark of the "white
gums" of the Yarra flood plain and the dark, rougii bark of tlie gums on
the highlands is most marked.

§Rev. John Mathew, "Eaglehawk and Crow." p. 150.

II "The Native Tribes of South-East Australia," pp. 727 to 735.

^j^Pj'^'] ' KuBh-E, Aboriginal Plant Names. 63

It will be apparent at the outset that a potent source of
error in an investigation of this nature disappears with the
scientific identification of the specimens by a botanist of Baron
von Mueller's standing, especially when some morphological
characteristic is reflected in the native name. It is, however,
beset with peculiar limitations, for the recorded vocabularies
of a race that had not passed the picture-writing stage are
merely conventional representations of the sounds heard.
Green made syllables to express himself, but it is doubtful
whether he appreciated those subtleties of sound peculiar to
the language. It is fortunate, therefore, that we have three
vocabularies of the Wurunjerri dialect with which to compare
the plant names — one by Green himself, another by William
Thomas, and a third by Daniel Bunce.* Although beyond the
scope of this paper to enter into details of the peculiarities of
each vocabulary, it is interesting to note that each vocabulist
stressed some inherent characteristic, and usually a different
one to his colleagues. The outcome of this is a closer approxi-
mation to the true phonetic expression. Bunce, for instance,
gives cool en th, man ; Thomas, koo lin (kool in) ; and Green,
kool in or kol in — all forms of kul in as expressed by Howitt
The dental " th " was strictly recorded by Bunce, but its exist-
ence was scarcely realized by Green and Thomas. Green was
disposed to lengthen certain syllables, as in " man eep," wood
ashes, which is given by Bunce as " man ip," embers, or
" mun nip," ashes.

A student of the written language is at a marked dis-
advantage when it is a dead language, for, as Prof. Tucker
says, language is speech, and, according to W. von Humboldt,
" the outcome of the eternal striving of the human spirit to
make the articulated soimd equal to the expression of the
thought." Some years ago I had the advantage of noting
the accents of natives who were related, I believe, to the Kulin
nation, of which the Wurunjerri were part. The impression
given may be of little value, but I was struck with the pre-
vailing long vowels and traces of rudimentary sibilants.
Some of these may be rescued from the imperfect records that
have been preserved, but the majority have been irretrievably
lost. In recording the sounds heard by them, much depended
on the care, training, and receptivity of the vocabulist. There
are some striking differences in the lists which suggest that
they were lacking in some or one of these essentials, and that
the languages of more than one nation are commingled.

The method pursued in the present analyses is to examine
all words with the same root, and by process of elimination to

*Brou^h Smyth, in " The Aborigines of Victoria," vol. ii., gives the
three vocabularies.

64 KEBt-K, Aboriginal Plant Names. [v^"^xxxiv.

work out a group meaning. The tendency of the roots is to
group themselves in various shades about a common meaning,
which, I presume, is the primitive one. Working with such
reliable identifications as those provided by Baron von Mueller,
the native words so analyzed seldom fail to explain a morpho-
logical characteristic, habit, habitat, or use to which the plant,
shrub, or tree has been put by the natives. It will be observed
that in the first j^lace the native name is akin to the scientific,
and some striking coincidences occur where the same meaning
is expressed by both. " Bin in tir ba twe bin " (ter ba touit
bin). Narrow-leaved Peppermint, Eitcalyptus amygdalina,
Labill., might be just as well expressed by the Latin fissilis,
that which is cleft, split, or cloven. It is relevant that Baron
von Mueller recognized for a long time this eucalypt as E.
fissilis. " Boe boe," the Twiggy Aster, Olcaria ramulosa,
Benth., means very small (note the repetition to express
intensity), and may be a reference to the small twigs, expressed
by the Latin adjective ramulosus (full of small twigs). " Errie
nellam," ensnaring hairs, is indirectly expressed by the Greek
droseros, dewy, in Drosera anricnlata. Backhouse, the Tall
Sundew, sometimes also called the " Catchfly," on account
of the sticky fluid exuded from the bases of the hairs — a snare
for insects. " Ngaring," Snake Orchid, Diuris pedunculata,
R. Brown, has a synonym — " karn," a snake. " Burny burny "
means " side by side," and is equivalent to Diuris (two-tailed),
the generic name of the Leopard Orchid.

The majority of the names have, however, a reference to a
portion of the plant that satisfied the native appetite or con-
tributed to the efficiency of his offensive or defensive weapons.
Others imply that the ])lants they represent had a fibre value, or
were medicinal. Those referred to as seasonal are full of interest
as showing that the great event of the year was when the
countryside burst into flower. There are, too, plants for
ornamentation, playthings, drinking utensils, fish spears, fire
sticks, &c., &c. They fall under one of the following headings : —

Edible Plants, in which the root, tuber, })ith, fruit, tender shoots,,
or some other part was eaten. —
Kom ba dik, bur um ])eet, koo d rung, terr at, eej) a eep,
gag ga war, wye bo gag ga war, po eet, nareen gnan, kaa
nung, mud rurt, kool in, burny burny, ngaring, naring
arnik, tal lak tal lak, da lurj), tooli merin, bal lang in,
m\il lang, i)ike, yar ra nil lam, morr, mer wan.

Fibre or Basket Making. —

Min am ber ang, kur ran img an, tabe rup, tool im,
ner ing ner it, kar ra wang, i)im pat.

Fire Stick. —

Co ran derrk, nan gert.

Sept-."! KzBLE, Aboriginal Plant Names. 65

Medicinal. —

Bur um kul will, kal ert i wan, war ra wor up, tang nan.
Weapons. —

Bur gan bur gan, bur gil bur gil, pan ar yle, tool i merin,

woor un, berry yung, tir ba twie bin.
Utensil. —

Woor un.
Honey Plant. —

Woor ike.
Plaything. —

Wy ett.
Seasonal. —

Weto mel len, gen in ee moon goon.
Ornamental. —

Kan berr.
Doubtful. —

Daa), tre tal, tabun gin, waar, boe boe, pool booy, mori

yoke, murr e yuke, kadse kadsek.

Where two or more names for the one plant are given, it will
usually be found to apply to specific uses of it.

The syllables of the several plant names are comparatively
few and simple, and are for the most part variations of the
following : —

bo be ba mo wo we wa

ber bal mer mol wil

pim

bik

bin wan

ko

kom kur kul

kad (?)

gen ngarn

de ta ne

tal ter nel ner

tang nan

ra

rum reep lup

ruk luk lang

ran

yurt

yep

yang

Apart from the absence of sibilants, there is little unusual
in this collection of sounds. They are the simple sounds
common to all languages, and fairly representative of the
restricted range of speech. If, however, language is, as Tylor

66 Keble, Aboriginal Plant Names. rv^'*^'xxxiv

has it, " the expression of ideas by means of articulate sounds
habitually allotted to those ideas," that of the Wurunjerri is
rich in them. One significant feature is the relative absence
of the monosyllables as individual words. The monosyllabic
words recorded in the vocabularies, together with those dis-
closed in the analyses of the several plant names, are, I believe,
the substratum of a much earlier and more primitive language
which was higlily onomatopoeic.

A curious uncertainty surrounds the origin of the general
name of many European plants, trees, and shrubs or their
useful products. Oak, beech, weed, beer, leek, thistle, clover,
wonnwood, rye, bean, ash, birch, alder, aspen, bramble, reed,
and other simple everyday words are common to English,
Danish, Dutch, Icelandic, Swedish, Gothic, or some of them,
which is perhaps explained by their wide range ; but wliy should
their origin be more or less in doubt ? The intensive study
of a language like the Kulin Wurunjerri may, perhaps, suggest
the principles underlying them.

The native conception of plant life is expressed by three
words — ruk, eiirt, and ktdk. Ruk is spelt in several ways, but
most commonly as rook or rung, or in an elided form as rk.
In its common, general meaning this monosyllable means an
arm, projection, prominence, &c. It occurs in ter ruk, an
arm (of the body), kul bul ling ur rook (kul 1ml lang ruk), tlxe
stone tomahawk, named from its make-up — kul, a gash ; bal,
to strike ; lang, stone (axe) ; ruk, the handle bent round the
stone axe-head. Oow ruk, the flint of a gun — from oow, flint ;
ruk, the trigger. K ruk wor rum (Ko ruk wa rum), snipe —
from ko, long ; ruk, wings ; wa, water ; rum, lively. Ter run
mur ruk, a centipede ; du rooke lark, rainbow, &c. In its
application to a tree, plant, or shrub, or any part of these, it
is found in ter rung {cf. derrk), a tree ; wee eu rook, or wer rook,
root of a tree ; ter ru (k) galk, a branch ; kurn b(o) rook, blossom
of a tree ; mur rer mur rook, venation ; jer rang (yer rang),
leaf of a tree ; yer rin (yer rang), shrub ; and other words in
which branches, root, trunk, blossom, cone, and practically
the whole tree economy is expressed by the one word ruk.
Derrk is an elided form of the syllables de ruk — from dc, from ;
ruk, a tree. Exceptions to this general application of ruk are
mur run (mur rum), a leaf, which also means the human body,
and is derived from mer, within, and rum, life ; wee reej),
trunk (bark) — from wee, small ; reep, thread which was made
by pounding a bark into fibres and rolling it on the thigh ;
toum der ry (ter rum de reep), bark — from ter, to ; rum, to
enliven ; de, from ; reep, fibre — probably refers to a medicinal
practice of pounding bark and mixing it with ochre {cf. wer
re rup, a doctor) and tun un no or doo a no, sap — from doo en,
sweet — are self-explanatory and have a utilitarian origin.

Sept-tl Keblk, Aboriginal Plant Names. 67

Several listed plant names have ruk as a syllable. Woor ike
(vva ruk), Common Honeysuckle Tree, Banksia marginata,
Cavanilles (the war rak of Thomas), is derived from wa, water,
and ruk, the cone, which was soaked by the natives in water
to "obtain therefrom a pleasant drink" (Taplin). Dik, _ in
koma ba dik. Common Tree Fern, Diaksonia antarctica, Labill.,
is, I am disposed to think, an elision similar to derrk. Kom
means to be inside, covered, buried, as in koom on eit, to bury ;
kom per ka wang or kum bra kow an, hat ; kam kam koor,
insect ; kooim, a kangaroo ; kam bo duk, a carrot ; kum ba deek,
cabbage or grass tree (Thomas) ; and others. Ba or bo, small.
The pith " within the tree " was roasted in the ashes and
eaten (F. von M.) Koo d rung (ko de ruk), Rainbow Fern,
Davallia dubia, R. Brown, comes from ko, from (c/. koor, a
seed) ; deruk, an elided form of de ruk, from the roots. The
roots of this and other small ferns were eaten. Min am be rang
(min nam ber ruk). Greater Clematis, Clematis cvristata, R.
Brown, is derived from min, round, oval, bent, flexed, curved,
reflected, as in be min, ring-tailed possum ; min e jce rim e ring,
deformed ; myng, eye ; woor un dul min, looking-glass ; myn,
cam, moon, &c., &c. ; nam, above ; ber, to wander ; ruk (rang),
stem. The roots of this word are for the most part descriptive,
but min suggests that it may have been used as a fibre or for
basket-making. Co ran derrk (ko rum derrk), Christmas Bush,
Prostanthera lasianthos, Labill., comes from ko, from ; rum,
to make lively ; derrk, from a branch. The wood of the
Christmas Bush was used for the fire stick, which was twirled
(wer gar rk) in the hands. Note the signification of the
syllable rum in the rendering " to produce fire by twirling a
stick."

Eurt or Yurt, another general name for plant life, differs
from ruk in that it is an individual word, as, for instance, in
eurt, a dwarf wattle tree — in fact, dwarf or diminutive is
suggested in many examples. It is represented by shortened
forms in wea eu ruk, root of a tree ; murr ur mer ruk (mer eurt
mer ruk), venation ; eur look, peppermint ; wy gout, cedar ;
bo urt (bo eurt), rush ; bo eurt, grass ; boo yeat, a vegetable ;
bourt deet (bo eurt), a vegetable ; tal le rup (tal eur(t) rup),
vegetable (swamp piant) ; yepp ere (yep eurt), a small, sweet
bulb. In the list of plant names it occurs in Poo eet. Prickly
Tree Fern, Alsophila australis, R. Brown, as simply bo eurt,
a vegetable, bo meaning small. The heart of the fern was
eaten by the natives (F. von M.)

Mem derrt (no flower nor truit) and mu dritrt. Blue Squill,
Chamccscilla cOrymbosa, F. von M.. come from mern or merrim,
deep, below the surface ; derrt and drurt, an elision of de eurt,

68 Keble, Aboriginal Plant Names. [v<^"^X5CXiv

from de, from, and eurt (by association), tuber, which was
eaten by the natives. Terr at. Cut-leaved Geranium, Geranium
dissedum, Linne, is an ehded form of ter, from, and eurt, root.
The roots were eaten by the Tasmanian alooriginals, and
doubtless by those of Australia (Maiden).

Na)i gert (nan yurt). Twining Glycine, Glycine clandcstina.
Wend)., comes from nan, above, above the surface. This
syllable occurs in myng nin, forehead (from myng, eye, and
nin, above — i.e., above the eyes), and in nin nin e bourt, lungs
(above the belly — bourt — i.e., above the belly). The native
word refers to some upper portion of the Twining Glycine,
probably the stems, which are tough and fibrous, and may
have been of value to the natives as a fibre.

Knlk, the other name for tree, and also wood, forest, stick,
&c., &c., occurs as part of ter ru galk, a branch of a tree ; bun
ger look (bin kulk or l)in kul luk), stringy-bark ; and several
words ending in luk or look. Kul luk, boomerang or throwing
stick, is, I believe, the key to kulk, the latter being simply an
elided form of the former, which is derived from kul, sharj)
or pointed, and luk, a form of lup, strong. Kulk was a word
to refer to those timbers suitable for weapons.

Ruk, eurt, and kulk throw a light on the psychology of the
Kulin Ijlackfcllow that was little suspected. Kuk, with all
its variations, seems to have been a wide and general term for
a tree or any part of one. It never occurs by itself, and it
is probably very primitive. Eurt or yurt occurs by itself as
well as a dissyllabic, and it is, too, more applicable to a shrub
than a tree, although attached to bo, small, it signifies a
vegetable. It is also very primitive, and, like ruk, is onomato-
poeic. Later than either of the ])reccding is kulk, a word for
those trees that provided suitable timbers for the natives'
offensive and defensive weapons.

Kul is one of the most familiar roots in the Kulin dialects.
It means pointed, sharp, edged ; hence to cut, wound, gash,
&c., &c. Its syllabic synonyms come under one of two groups
— namely, (a) pointed, to pierce, thrust, enter ; hence a i)ointe(l
instrument or weapon, as the mon gile (mon kul), doul')le-barl)ed
spear ; kul laj), a needle ; kul lup, fork ; Ian geel (Ian kul). a
pointed club ; wil gul, hawk (beak) ; kul in, man (das miinnliehe
glied) ; bru gl bru gl (ber kul), a thistle, &c., &c. (b) Kdgvxl,
sharp, bladed, to cut, gash, &c., &c., as in kul j)cn kul pen gee
up, a knife ; kul luk, a wooden sword, &c. ; kul bul ling ur rook,
native tomahawk, &c., &c. It occurs as kool in (kul in),
Common Spider Orchid, Galadcnia Patcrsoni, R. Brown, as a

■''I^Pj''] Keble, Aboriginal Plant Names. 69

reference to the conspicuous long petals (more than three
inches long — Pescott) in some specimens, which greatly enhance
the orchid's beauty. It is significant that, although the tuber
was eaten, and undoubtedly provided an inviting morsel, the
blackfelJow allowed his appreciation of the fantastic to over-
come his utilitarian tendencies. He did not, as in mern derrt,
refer to it as growing " below the ground," or, as in nan gert,
" above the ground."

In bur urn kul will (ber rum kul wil), a word warranting
extended comment, kul means a wound, thrust, or gash. A
leaf only was forwarded for identification, yet it is obvious that
the unknown plant was used as an astringent or scarifier. Ber
means to encircle, to move from side to side, backwards and
forwards, heave, throb, or any dtauble or circular motion ; it
was at first probably an articulate sound, identified with the
motions of the kur ruk or spear thrower, or the throwing of
the boomerang. Compare ber ring, bosom (to throb), palm
of the hand (to grasp) ; bur dan, knee-cap ; ber pip, eagle
(soar) ; ber buk, belt round the stomach to keep ofi hunger ;
til bur nine, apron made of emu feathers ; burn nar look,
blackwood, and hiir gan (bur gan), Kunzea peduncular is,
F. von M., two woods used for the kud ger ong, or club or
waddy ; yeam berrn, a club ; bur gon eit, to spea.v-»-i.e., with
the kur ruk ; barn geet (ber rum eurt), the war boomerang.
A pertinent use of ber is in burny burny, Leopard Orchid, Diuris
maculala. Smith, the tuber of which was eaten. In this name
it means " side by side " or "double," as in the Greek generic
name Diuris, double-tailed — a reference to the opposite, long,
narrow, tail-shaped sepals. The remaining syllables in bur um
kul will arc rum, which means to make healthy, and will, bark,
a covering, protection, as in wil lum, a miam or shelter made
of bark ; yel lert bee (wil eurt be), to cover, hide, deposit,
screen (note the association between this and the preceding
comparison) ; wal ler wal lert, possum rug ; yel ler ne bre, a
blanket ; wyl gul ter, wide, &c., &c. The bur um kul will was
one of several plants known to the medicine man (wer re rup),
who " scarified to make healthy a wound with bark or fibre
(wee reep)."

The kal ert i wan. Hazel Pomaderris, Pomaderris apetala,
Labill., comes from kal, a point or blade ; ert, tree ; wan {cf.
yang, to throw), from, and may be translated " wood for
spear." The i has been drawn by ert and wan. Bur gil bur gil
(ber kul ber kul), Green Ground Berry, Acrotriche serrulata,
Labill. — from ber, to scarify ; kul, a wound — would suggest that
this plant has a febrifugal or astringent value. The pan ar yle
(parn kul), River Mint, Mentha australis, K. Brown, comes
from parn, water, and kul, a wound. The natives had doubt-

70 Kkble,, Aboriginal Plant Names. [voLxxxVv.

lessly discovered the antiseptic properties of Mentha, which
it possesses in addition to its anaesthetic effect.

Rum, with its variations ram, ran, run, &c., has the some-
what psychological meaning of to give life, make healthy,
besides its more ordinary meaning— to enliven, agitate, stir
up, or any idea in which hfc or sustained action is imi)licd.
It is interesting to compare Codrington's note on the significance
of this syllable in the Pacific Islands. It is found in mur rum,
the human body ; ko rum din in, well (not ill) ; ter rum ber lin,
stomach ; nar rum ble (ne or nier, not ; rum, life ; bal or ble,
to pound), white ochre, the mourning pigment ; wa reen,
sea (from wa, water, reen or rum, lively), and many others.
Kur ran ung an, Dwarf Rice Flower, Pimelea humilis, R. Brown,
is from kur, long ; rum, to make lively, hence to weave ; ung,
to move, direct ; an, adjectival ending. The meaning is "to
use quickly a long fibre " — a reference to the l)ark, " an ex-
cellent fibre of great strength." Compare kur ra wan, a flag
spht with the nail for weaving baskets and mats.

Bur iim beet (ber rum bik), Common Flat Pea, Plaiylobium
obtusangulum. Hooker, comes from ber, to wander ; rum, to live ;
bik, earth and water. The meaning given by Chauncy for a
word consisting of the same syllables in the same sequence
is " muddy water " ; it refers to Lake Burrumbeet and
belongs to one of the Ararat languages. As showmg how the
monosyllables group themselves in their various shades about
a general meaning, it is worthy of note that in its application
to the Common Flat Pea, bur um beet means " to wander
growing on the ground " — a reference to its procumbent habit ;
but that, in the same language, if appHed to a lake, it would
have exactly the same significance as that given by Chauncy.
Be et may, in some cases, be an elision of bo curt, as be et, a lx)X
(eucalypt), seemingly is.

Lup, with its variations lurp, lourk. Ink, lak, led, cS:c., cS:c.,
means strong, to give strength to, grow hardy, tough, &c., &c.
It occurs in lourk, calf of the leg ; tal luk ar nup, industrious ;
kal lup, a fork (from kal, a point, and luk, strong) ; tou lup,
proud {i.e., a warrior) ; and woo lerp (wil lup), Woolly Tea-
Tree, Lcptospcnmtm lanigcriim. Smith, the wood of which was
commonly used for weapons, esix^cially the mongile or double-
barbed spear, which required a " hard, tough timl)cr." Wool
or wil means, in this case, a protection, and suggests that the
wood of the Woolly Tea-Tree was also used for shields.

Tal and its variations, dal, daal, tool, &c., &c., signify a
swamp, and, in its botanical sense, the sedges and all plants
living in or near water or on a wet or i>eaty soil. Tal lak tal lak,
Trailing Eryngium, Eryngium vesiculosum, Lal)ill., and da lurp

^i^ij'\ Kebl.^, Aboriginal Plant Names. 71

(dal Ju])), Sow Thistle, Sonchus oleraceus, Linne, come from
tal and lup, and may be rendered " hardy water plants." The
stems and roots of the da lurp were eaten (Hooker), and made
an excellent vegetable (Leichhardt) ; it was the thai lak of
the East Gippsland tribes. Dual, Musk Aster, Olearia argo-
phylla, F. von M., signifies the Musk Aster's preference for damp
localities. Tre tal. Golden Goodia, Goodia lotifolia, Salisbury,
is a difficult word, tre being unusual. Tal seemingly has its
general significance, yet it cannot be said that the Golden
Goodia is restricted to damp localities, although perhaps at
its best there. Tool im, Pale Rush, J uncus pallidus, R. Brown,
typically represents the general meaning of tal, this rush being
restricted to damp localities. It was used for basket making.
Tool i merin comes from tal, " rush-like " — the Small Grass-tree,
Xanthorrhcea minor, R. Brown. The grass -tree was one of
the most useful native plants. They obtained honey from
its flowers (Taplin), ate its young shoots, bases of its leaves,
young flower stalk, and spike. A part cut out of the stem
at the base of the leaves made a refreshing food (Brough
Smyth). The gum was largely used as a resin, and the
peduncle, if long, as a shaft for the tir rer, or eel spear.

Tahiin, another word for damp, occurs twice — namely, in
tahun gin, an unnamed root eaten by the natives, and tab e rup
(tab rup), Yellow Marsh Flower, Villarsia reniformis, R. Brown.
Rup means thread, as in pee reep, thread ; bee rip, tendon.
Possum rugs were sewn together with the tendons of animals
and a thread made from the bark of fibrous plants.

Wa, water, occurs in several listed plant names. The Waar
or wa may have been derived from either waar, a thorn, or
wa, water, as the leaf sent was indeterminate. War ra wor up
(wa wo rap). Late Black Wattle, Acacia mollissima, WiUd. —
the war our e rup of Thomas — is derived from wa, water, and
woorap, red ochre. The association is singular, and refers to
a native remedy for a certain skin disorder called bub bu rum.
The treatment consisted in applying red ochre saturated with
a decoction of wattle bark soaked in water {cf. wer re rup,
doctor). Woor un. Mountain Ash Gum, Eucalyptus regnans,
F. von M., Narrow-leaved Peppermint, E. amygdalina,
Labill., comes from woor or wa, water, and un, adjectival
ending. When Baron von Mueller referred woor un to E.
amygdalina, E. regnans had not been separated as a species
from it. These trees afforded, I am inclined to think, the
elbows and gnarls from which the blacks made their tarnuks
or water vessels ; hence the native name. For other uses of
the wood see under tir ba twe bin.

Yang, meaning the flight of a spear or boomerang, and

72 Kkble^ Aboriginal Plant Names: [v^.'*^xxxi"v

related to yang (g)ow Ian eit, to go away, occurs in moe ang
(mo yang), Blackwood, Acacia melanoxylon, R. Brown, and
berry yung. Straight-leaved Acacia, A. stricta, Willd. Moc is
a variation of mer, within, and with yang means " out of, to
throw " — a reference to the kur ruk, or throwing stick, which
was made of ]:)lackwood. The her ry yimg was widely used
for spears, hence ber, backwards and forwards, a resume of the
effort in throwing a spear with the kur ruk, and yang, the
flight of one. Ry has been drawn in by the last sylla])le.

Tir ba twe bin (ter ba touit bin), Narrow-leaved Peppermint,
E. amygdalina, Labill., comes from ter, to add, hence to apply ;
ba, small ; touit, a fish ; and bin, to split. Bin occurs in bun
dike, to chip, cut in pieces ; bin duck, cut, carve, hew ; beaum
bean, a chisel ; num bem on, axe ; pin de bul lup, a saw, &c.,
&c. The Narrow-leaved Peppermint was a favourite wood for
fish-spears (c/. woo lerp, woor un, moe ang^ and l)erry yang).

Mo am bill had no name attached, but its syllables are
suggestive. It comes from mo, behind (c/. mer wan) ; am,
adjectival ending ; and bill or bal, to strike ; hence the wood
of a tree used for the mulga, a shield to ward off the blows of
the waddy, or the geeam, a shield for protection against spears.

Bal and its variations bul, bil, pel, &c., &c., mean to strike,
pound, macerate, &c., and is often associated with lang, a stone
— ^the pounding agent. Bal lang in represents both Cymbo-
notus, Cymbonoius Lawsonianus, Gau., and Rough Fire Weed,
Erechtites arguta, Candolle, and is simply a general word for
those edible plants that needed pounding. Bal, in one or
another of its forms, is found in pel lin, flint of a gun ; pal rurt,
with vigour ; beel meek, pus (to express) ; bel eer rcr, a spade ;
beal, red gum, used for the kud gee run, or waddy ; bowl, a
fowl (to peck) ; bal lee, one of the woods used for the kur ruk
or throwing stick (cherry tree) ; bal ee, mistletoe, some ])art
of which was seemingly eaten ; bul gan ner, bullock ; kul bul
ling ur rook, stone tomahawk {vide p. 66) ; and numerous others.

Mul ling (mul lang), a root eaten by the natives, no name
of which ap}x?ars in the list, comes from mul, after, above, as
kul mul, blood, from kul, a wound, and mul, after — i.e., " after
a wound " — and lang, a stone. The root was evidently pounded
with a stone.

Boe boe. Twiggy Aster, Olearia ramulosu, Benth., and its
other form, pooi bony, Shni])by Everlasting, Hcliclirysum
ferrugineum, Lcssing, come from the j)rimitive bo or l)a ; oc,
oi, and oy arc virtually the o in no, the e, i, and y being caused
by closing the nasal ])assagc. It is identical with the world-
wide root pa, to protect, support, nourish, and occurring in
most languages as the word for father or mother, as i)a, i)ai)a.

^jgl'l K-EBLK, Aboriginal Plant Names. 73

ba, baba, paba, bapa, abba, bab, baab, book, bar pan,
par ppe, pap pi, and in the Kiilin as ba boop, pa pa, pa pun,
par bine, &c., &c. As a pure labial sound like this can be
uttered by a toothless infant, it is very interesting and
suggestive to find the child referred to by the Kulin people
as boo pup, bo pup, boo boop, boo poop, &c., &c. It also occurs
in wye boo, little ; gan bo, one ; bo eurt, grass, &c. ; kuan boo,
smaller kind of flying squirrel ; bo yung, bandicoot, &c., &c.
The reference in the case of the Twiggy Aster may be to the
small twigs alluded to by its specific name, ramnlosa, or in both
to their small flowers.

Pike, Common Yellow Lily, Bulbine hulhosa, Haworth, comes
from beek, bik, &c., " earthy." It was eaten by the natives.
Wy ett, referred to in the list as a young species of Eucalyptus —
a meaning implied by its roots — wy, small {cf. wye boo, small) ;
and ett or eurt, a shrub or tree. The weet weet thrown by
the natives, and consisting of a double cone at the end of a
pliable shaft about twenty-one inches long, was probably
made by shaping a rooted sapling.

The Yarra tribes had as their harbingers of summer and
winter two seasonal plants — wet 0 mel len, Greater Clematis,
Clematis aristata, R. Brown, and gin in ee moon goon, Common
Heath, Epacris impressa, Labill. At first sight wet, weet, or
wy ett would seem to mean a small shrub {supra cit.) ; but on
mature consideration I am inclined to ascribe it to weing, fire.
Mel len comes from the same root as mul in mul loko, and
means to defer, put off ; as, too, in kul mul, blood (kul, a wound,
mul, after) ; mol ong mol 00k, afternoon ; weet mul leen,
tempest ; weet mul lin, hot wind ; win malee, north ; and nger
vein (nger weing, evening, nger, after, weing, heat). Note
how weet mul lin, the hot wind, has by circumstance and
familiarity come to mean north (win malee), the hot north wind
being the summer wind. It is to be noted, too, that wattee
mullen, is the sarsaj)arilla. Gen in ee moon goon is gan un un
un gan, in which only one root — gan, first — is significant. Tlie
re])^titi()n of un is a comparative process similar to that given
})y (ircen for wor brin un, tired, which is comi)ared by rei)eating
the last syllable, as wor brin un un un, excessively tired. The
reference is to the " first " bloomer, the common heath being
one of the first winter flowers. In this connection it may not
be out of place to quote ber ring, midwinter, as well as wattle
— a winter flowerer. That the native marked out seasons by
the germination, growth, flowering, and seeding of the plants,
trees, and shrubs about him is shown by those words which
interpret spring, summer, autumn, and winter. Moodee e ram
(mort rum), spring, comes from mortt, a seed, and rum, life,
meaning life from a seed ; mcr rim nger wein, summer, comes

74 Keble, Aboriginal Plant Names. [vd."^xxxiV.

from mer, wnthin, rim or mm, life, ngcr, after, wein(g), warmth,
or " life within after warmth " ; moo dee nger wcin, autumn,
means " seed after heat " ; and per rig nger wein, winter,
" cold (per ring) after heat." This grasp of the plant economy
has for the most part arisen by force of circumstances, those
plants and their products which constituted staple articles
of food compelling attention. The fruits of some Epacridcne
were eaten.

A psychological word displaying observational powers of
some order is er vie nel lam (yar ra nil am). Tall SundcM', Droscra
auricidata. Backhouse. Er rie or yar ra, hair, and nel lam or
nil am, ensnaring (a somewhat free rendering), refer to the
sticky fluid exuded by the glandular hairs on the leaves' of
this insect-eating plant.

The monosyllabic Morr, Prickly Coprosma, Coprosma
Billardieri, Hooker f., signifies fruit, seed, &c., &c. It occurs
as mortt, scrotum, and in moodec e ram, spring, and moodee
nger wein, autumn. The fniits of the Prickly Coprosma are
edible. Mor i yoke or murr e yuke (mer yuk), " Bidgee-widgee,"
is derived from mer, inside, and yuk, a covering — a reference
to the Bidgee-widgee's burry test. Mer, mur, mir, mourr,
&c., have undoubtedly come from moort, a seed, and, by
association, inside, behind, deep, below, &c. {cf. morr, supra).
Compare mur ri kle from mer, beneath, kul, das mannliche
glied, a dress made of strips of possum skin ; mur rum, human
body, from mur, within, and rum, life ; mourr ut, bladder,
from mourr, within, and yuk, skin ; merri wan (mer yang), a
throwing stick, from mer, out of, and wan, to throw. Yuk
means generally a protection, covering, skin, shell, &c., and
occurs in mur yoke, a cockle ; morr uk, skin ; ber yuke,
kangaroo rat (pouch) ; binn uk, a basket ; bo ut, a basket ;
tarn uk, a water vessel ; mourr ut, bladder, &c., &c. Mer
wan. Snake Orchid, Diiiris peduncnhda, R. Brown, comes from
the same roots as merr i wan (supra), the reference in this case
being to the edible tuber " from below."

Ngarn, karn, kourn, &c., means long. Tt occurs in karn,
the general name for snake ; kourn, the neck ; and innumerable
instances ; long, however, seems to have been one of the first
meanings, if not the original one. Nf^aring, as a name for the
Snake Orchid, Diuris pcdnnculata, R. Brown, is apt in having
as a synonym karn, a snake. Buncc records several words with
the guttural ng, thf" same words elsewhere Ixnng recorded with k.
Naring f^arn ik (ngarn ngarn uk). Tall Diuris. Diuris louf^ifnlia,
R. Brown, com(;s frr)m ngarn. long, " very long " being im])lied
by the repetition ; uk, a tuber. The tulx-rs of both of the
preceding orchids were eaten.

^j^P'"'] KBBt,K, Aboriginal Plant Names. 75

Nareeng in Nareeng nan. Smooth Cat's Ear, Hypocharis glabra,
Linne, is identical with ngarn, long ; nan means above. The
meaning " long above " refers to the peduncle. The roots were
eaten by the natives. Nering ncr (probably ngarn ngarn)
means " very long " — a reference to the stem, which, I believe,
was used for weaving. As regards this plant, it is interesting
to compare pool booy, " very small " — a reference presumably
to the twigs or flowers.

Kan herr. Prickly Bush Pea, PttltencBa jtiniperina, Labill.,
comes from kourn, the neck, and berr, to encircle. Some
portion of the Prickly Bush Pea was used as a necklace —
possibly the seeds or seed-pods. The association of the two
syllables in words that refer to ornamentation occurs in kourn
hurt or kourn but, a necklace made by threading pieces of
reed ; kan berr bay, to deck, dress.

Koon a de ang, Tall Panax, Panax dendroides, F. von M.,
comes from ngarn or karn, long ; de or ter, to ; ang or yang,
to throw; hence "long to throw away." The first syllable
is embodied in the vernacular name. This tall shrub or tree
has a very tough wood (Guilfoyle).

Kaan ung, an unnamed root eaten by the natives. Its
meaning — kaan, long, and ung or yung, to throw — would
suggest that it was also used for weapons. The kan nan, or
digging stick, was, at a pinch, used as a weapon, but was, as
far as I can learn, not thrown. Kur wan, Sweet Bursaria,
Bursaria spinosa, Cavanilles, from kur, long, and wan, out of,
from — suggesting, possibly, that this wood as well as acacia
was used for the throwing stick. Compare in this connection
kur ruk, throwing stick (from kur, long, and ruk, an arm) ;
kur nile, tall : kur run, wattle tree ; kar ran, privet (shrub,
possibly another name for the Sweet Bursaria) ; kur ra wan,
a kind of flag. In kar ra wang. Solid Apple Berry, 'Billardiera
scandens, Labill., ra, possibly an elision of rum, means long
and pliable, as in ter ree dee, upright as a stick ; yar ra, hair ;
tur ror, worm ; tir rer, eel spear (a wooden prong attached to
a reed) ; kur ra wan, split with the nail for weaving. The
other roots are in kur wan {supra). The implied meaning is
"long and straight for weaving" — a purpose for which it may
have been used by the natives.

Gag ga war (ka ka wa). Soft Water Fern, Lomaria capcnsis,
Willd., comes from ka or ge, near ; wa, water — a meaning
embodied in the vernacular name. Parts of this fern were
roasted and eaten. Wye boo gag ga war. Fishbone Ft'rn,
Lomaria ^zsco/or, Willd., is the "little" (wye boo) gag ga war.

Kad se kad sek, pronounced kad the kad tliek (the " s " being
almost inaudible), is the Swamp Dock, Rnmcx Brotvnii, Camp.
I have been unable to run down this word.

yS KnBi.^, Aborigmal Plant Names. [v^."^xx^xiv.

Tang nan. Hedge Hyssop, Gratiola Peruviana, Linnc, obviously
modern, but none the less interesting, comes from tang, edible.
Tang is in many words, as tung an eit, to eat ; tany a goon,
taste ; tang arr bea, taste ; tang ar be, feast ; tang er boon,
dinner ; taong gan, famine ; tang er borun, feed, &c., «&c. Nan
(nin) means above. The reference " edible above " is to a
portion of the Hedge Hyssop which has purgative properties.

Pirn pat. Big Billy Buttons, Craspedia Richea, Cassini, and
Swamp Daisy, Brachycome cardiocarpa, F. von M., probably
comes from pirn, supple, pliable, as in be min (bem min), ring-
tailed possum, &c., &.C. Pat is difficult, and I can ascribe to
it no satisfactory meaning.

Eep a eep (yep yep). Small-leaved Bramble, Rnbtts parvi-
folius, Linne, would at first sight excite suspicion, especially
as euep means sheep and eeup mutton. I have, however, little
doubt that it is geniune, and comes from a root, yep, to eat.
It is found in yepp ere (yep eurt), a small, sweet bulb ; qeeap,
food ; quee up, meat ; geerp, to introduce. The fruit of the
Small-leaved Bramble was eaten by the natives.

Further research, especially into the bird names, will un-
doubtedly restrict the meanings assigned to several of the
syllables given here, and reveal others of poignant interest ;
but I feel sure that the general conclusions arrived at will be
found to be substantially correct.

My thanks are due to Miss Beryl Major and Messrs. F.
Barnard and A. D. Hardy, who assisted me in various ways, and
also to the Herbarium, where I was permitted to inspect many
of the plants, shmbs, and trees mentioned in this paper.

The " Home Gardener." — Most naturalists, whatever may
be their principal hobby, take some interest in plants, cither
in pots or in the open ground. In this new monthly i)apcr
something of interest outside strictly horticultural topics will
generally be found. In the July number Mr. E. E. Pescott,
F.L.S., gave some notes on the water requirements of pot
plants,' in which he detailed some experiments in growing plants
with a maximum amount of water, quite contrary to the
usually accepted ideas. He is, however, taken to task on the
subject in the current (August) issue. A lecture by Mr. F.
Pitcher, dealing with Victorian ])lants suitable for suburban
gardens, also running through the July and August numbers,
contains much information of a practical nature, in the way
of lists of ])lants grouped under about a dozen headings accord-
ing to their suitalnlity for various purposes or positions. A
large number of these are easily procurable at no great distance
from Melbfjurne. Some of them can also be successfully cul-
tivated as pot i)lants.

Cfte Ulctorian naturalist

Vol. XXXIV.— No. 6. OCTOBER 1, 1917. No. 406.

l^^TELD NATURALISTS' CLUB OF VICTORIA.

The ordinary monthly meeting of the Club was held at the
Royal Society's Hall on Monday evening, 13th August, 1017.
The president, Mr. F. Pitcher, occupied the chair, and about
50 members and visitors were present.

CORRESPONDENCE.

From His Excellency the Governor-General, regretting his
inability to open the exhibition of wild-flowers on 2nd October,
owing to his projected absence from the State.

REPORTS.

The hon. secretary reported that, owing to inclement
weather, the excursion to South Morang on Saturday, 28th
July, had been abandoned.

A report of the visit to the National Museum on Saturday,
14th July, was given by Mr. J. A. Kershaw, F.E.S., who stated
that a large party of members and friends had been present.
The afternoon was devoted to the Australian collections,
special attention being given to the marsupials. The two egg-
laying mammals, the Platypus and the Echidna, were exhibited,
and specimens of the young in different stages of growth
examined. Information was given on the construction of the
burrows and the formation of the ball-like nests. Skulls of
the kangaroos were examined, and the development of the
cheek teeth, on which the determination of the species depends,
was explained. A general inspection of the specimens in the
Australian Hall was made, attention being directed to recent
additions. Finally, the recently-opened Children's Room was
visited, and the methods by which natural history objects are
brought within the understanding of children were pointed out.

GENERAL BUSINESS.

The president said that Miss O'Donoghue had presented a
set of bound volumes of the Naturalist to the library as a
memento of her late brother's association with the Club. A
vote of thanks was unanimously accorded to her for the gift.

K hearty welcome was (extended to Mr. E. H. Ising, a
member of the Field Naturalists' Section of the Royal Society
of South .Australia, who was on a holiday visit to Victoria.
Mr. Ising briefly responded, expressing his appreciation of the
chairman's kindly remarks.

The congratulations of the meeting were accorded to Mr.

78 Field Naturalists' Club— Proceedings. [voT!"xxxVv.

F. Spry, one of the earliest members of the Club, on his appoint-
ment as entomologist to the National Museum.

Mr. P. R. H. St. John read an extract showing the strict
measures taken by the South African authorities for the
preservation of the indigenous flora.

Miss G. Ncthercotc, convener of the ladies' committee in
connection with the exhibition of wild-llowers, appealed to the
lady members for all the assistance that could possibly be
given, in order to make the exhibition a success.

LECTURETTE.

By Mr. G. F. Hill, F.E.S., entitled " A Naturalist in the
Northern Territory."

The lecturer, w^ith the aid of a fine series of lantern slides,
gave a description of his experiences with the Barclay Ex-
ploring Expedition in Central Australia and the Northern
Territory, a visit to Melville Island, and also on a trip from
Darwin to the Gulf of Carpentaria. The aboriginal life, the
scenery, and the natural history features of the parts traversed
were dealt witli in an interesting and instructive manner.

Mr. J. A. Kershaw, F.E.S., said that Mr. Hill had made a
large and valuable collection of- entomological and zoological
specimens during his journeys, which he had presented to the
National Museum, Melbourne.

NATURAL IIISTOKV NOTES.

Mr. F. Chapman, A.L.S., read a newspaper cutting stating
that the Broadmeadows Shire Council had decided that the
Onion Weed, Romnlca crHciata, Ker-Gawl., is useful as a fodder
plant, and should be removed from the list of noxious weeds.

Mr. J. P. M'Lennan said that most of the peach trees at the
Burnley Gardens were bursting into bloom, some even a
fortnight previously. This early flowering he considered to be
due to the fact that the trees are affected with a species of
aphis, which has caused an excitation of the sap, this move-
ment resulting in the l)uds swelling and de\eloping flowers.

EXHIBITS.

By Mr. E. S. Anthony. — Ethnological specimens from
Northern Territory.

By Mr. F. Chapman, A.L.S. — Specimen of wood anrl sub-
aerial roots of Hakca laurina. This dwarf tree, about ten
years old, was recently blown down in the cxliibitor's garden at
Balwyn, where it had attained the height of 12 feet, and a stem
diameter of 5 inches. It had brcn growing in a dry situation,
and in endeavouring to obtain moisture liad from its main
divergent roots thrown up curious tangles of sub-aerial roots,
by which it obtained moisture from the surface during slight
showers.

^'^'•'l Field NatiiraHsis' Chib — PyoceediM°s. 70

1Q17 J f- / ^f

By Mr. E. Cox. — Wolfram from Marysville district.

By Miss C. Curric. — Moss, Dawsonia polytrichoides.

By Mr. C. French, jun. — Flowering branches of the Mudgee
Wattle, Acacia spectabili'^.

By Miss Fuller. — Flowering specimen of Bambusa japonica,
var. metake. These bamboos flower only once in their life-
time, dying when the flowering is completed.

By Mr. G. F. Hill, F.E.S. — A large series of insects injurious
to vegetation, from the Northern Territory.

By I\Ir. J. P. M'Lennan. — Galls on the roots of the White
MullDerry, caused by the Root-knot Eel-worm, Heterodcra
radicicola.

By Mr. D. J. Paton. — Wild-flowers from the Bendigo district,
including Grevillea rosmarini folia, Eriostemon obovalis, and
Hovea longifolia, from South Mandurang, and Hybanthus flori-
biindiis, from Kangaroo Flat.

By Mr. E. E. Pescott, F.L.S. — Twin leaf of Eucalyptus
rostrata, Schlec, River Red Gum — a paired leaf with only one
leaf-stalk. Flowers of Acacia Baileyana, var. aurea ; in this
variety the young foliage is of a golden colour.

By Messrs. E. E. Pescott, F.L.S., C. French, jun., and E. H.
Ising. — -Flowers of the terrestrial orchids Corysanthcs pruinosa,
R. Cunn., from Mentone ; Cyrtostylis reniformis, R. Br., from
Cheltenham ; Pterostylis concinna, R. Br., from Black Rock ;
P. vittata, Lind., P. pcdunculata, P. nutans, and P. curta, from
Sandringham.

By Mr. F. Pitcher. — Blooms of Phebalium {Eriostemon)
trilobum, Lindley, Two-lobe-leaved Mountain Myrtle (Victoria,
South Australia, and Tasmania) ; Trymaliinn Billardicri, Fenzl.,
Labillardiere's Trymalium (Western Australia) ; also 15 species
of Acacias from the Melbourne Botanic Gardens, many of the
species not being as a rule fit for exhibition until the September
meeting, viz. : — A. acinacea, A. cardiophylla, A. decora, A.
diffusa, A. discolor, A. juniperina, A. leprosa, A. longifolia,
A. montana, A. nereifolia, A. pravissima, A. prominens, A.
venulosa, and A. verniciflua.

After the usual conversazione the meeting terminated.

The ordinary monthly meeting of the Club was held at the
Royal Society's Hall on Monday evening, loth September,
1917.

The president, Mr. F. Pitcher, occupied the chair, and about
60 members and visitors were present.

The chairman said that members would be grieved to learn
that since last meeting the Clul) had lost a fellow-member by

8o

Field Naluralisis Cluh--Prnrcedwgs. [vj.'x'xxiv

the death of I\Ir. O. \V. Rosenhain, while on a business trip to
Japan. During his comparatively brief membership Mr.
Rosenhain had exhibited great interest in the Club, and only
a few meetings ago had entertained the members with a ver\-
interesting illustrated paper dealing ^\ith a trip down the
River Murray. He also desired to offer the sympathy of thf
members to two old members, Messrs. J. H. Gatliff and F. G. A.
Barnard, who had recently suffered severe bereavement by
the loss of their sons while fighting for King and country in tin-
terrible conflict still raging in Europe.

CORRESPONDENCE.

From His Excellency the Governor-General, saying that, owing
to an alteration in his engagements, he would be very pleased to
perform the opening ceremony at the forthcoming exhibition of
wild-iiowcrs on the 20th prox. The intimation was received
with applause.

From the Microscopical Societ}^ of Victoria, stating that about
twelve microscopes would be available, under the direction of
members, at the wild-flower exhibition. The Society to be
thanked for its interest in the exhibition.

REPORTS.

In the absence of the leader, Mr. P. R. H. St. John, a report
of the char-a-banc excursion to Greenvale and Wildwood, on
Saturday, 25th August, was given by Mr. E. Cox, who stated
that there had been a good attendance, and that the principal
object of the excursion, to see the golden wattles at (ircenvaU"
in bloom, had been attained. The excursion iiad proved most
enjoyable, the country passed through presenting a very
pleasing aspect.

A report of the visit to " Merriwa," Toorak, the residence of
Mr. A. Rutter Clarke, a fellow-member, on Saturday, 8th
September, was given by the leader, Mr. P. R. H. St. John,
who said that a party of about forty members and friends had
the privilege of spending a couple of hours rambluig through
the grounds of Mr. Clarke's residence and admiring liis collection
of Australian trees and shrubs, comprising more than a
hundred species. A number of Acacias were in bloom, such as
Acacia spectabilis, A. pnlchella, A. saligna, A. macradcnia, and
A. calaviifolia, and excited considerable admiration, also
several Grcvillcas, Melaleucas, Eriostemons, ike. An invita-
tion tc) afternoon tea was accepted, and at its concJusiijii the
president (Mr. F. Pitcher) tendered the thanks of the party to
Mr. and Mrs. Clarke for their hosjntality and kinchiess in allowing
so many the opportunity of seeing sucli a beauty spot, under
such favourable circumstances.

Oc'-l Field Naturalists' Club — Proceedings. 8 1

ELECTION OF MEMBER.

On a ballot being taken, Mr. Henry Exley, Male-street,
Brighton, was duly elected a member of the Club.

GENERAL BUSINESS.

The chairman announced that the arrangements in con-
nection \w\ih the exhibition of wild-flowers were progressing
satisfactorily. The committee would be glad of all the help
possible at the Town Hall early on the morning of the 2nd
prox., and members were urged to ask their country friends
to forward as many flowers as possible.

The chairman said that Mr. F. Keep had generously donated
a complete set — twenty-two volumes — of the Naturalists'
Library to the Club's library. A hearty vote of tlianks was
accorded to Mr. Keep for the donation.

PAPER READ.

By Mr. F. Chapman, A.L.S., entitled " A Sketch of the
Geological History of Australian Plants : Part I. — The Palaeozoic
Flora."

The author said that he had found his subject too extensive
for one paper, and therefore proposed to deal only with the
Pakeozoic flora on the present occasion. He pointed out the
paucity of undoubted plant remains until the Devonian period,
the earlier forms being largely represented b}^ the limestone-
forming alg?e. From the Devonian to the Permian, appropri-
ately named the Cryptogamic period, the flora developed by
leaps and bounds, the predominance of the Lycopodiales, the
Ferns, and the Cordaitalcs being well represented in Aus-
tralian rocks. Although Lepidodendron was remarkably
dominant, the Sigillari?e of the northern hemisphere were con-
spicuously absent ; whilst the Horsetail group — Equisetales —
is moderately represented by remains of Phyllotheca and some
rare Calamitean forms. The importance of the Glossopteris
flora was especially noticed, and the geological reasons given
for the formation of vast storage areas of carbonaceous deposits,
which are so necessary for the welfare of Australia's population
at the present time. A corollary of the evidence shown by t\\v
various types of plant life in these older rocks is that the well-
worn dogma of distinct stratigraphical breaks in the geological
record is crumbling away, in view of the continuity of life
forms, both vegetable and animal.

Tin; paper was well illustrated by lantern slides, some of
which depicted specimens only recently described.

In answer to questions, the author stated the remains of
Lepidodendrons — the ancient representatives of the modern
club-mosses — gave an estimated height of about 50 feet.

82 Field Naturalists' Club—Proceedings. [v<ii.'*^xxxV\-.

EXHIBITS.

By Ml". A. Rutter Clarke. — Flowering specimens of Acacia
verticillata, var. ritscifolia, a low, spreading form found on the
Otway coast and in South Australia ; and Melaleuca microvicra,
from Western Australia.

B}^ ]\Ir. G. Coghill. — Bunch of wild-flowers from Mooroolbark.

By Mr. C. Daley, F.L.S. — Photographs of the crater lakes
at Mount Gambler, South Australia.

By Miss G. Nethcrcote. — Flowering branches of M Icfonlyrlus
microphylla (Bceckea plicata).

By Mr. D. J. Paton. — Wild-flowers from Bcndigo district,
including Boronia polygalifolia, Enostemon obovalis, E. difformis,
and Dillwynia ericifolia ; also flowers of Common Buttercup,
Ranunculus lappaceus, measuring 2j inches in diameter,
showing result of cultivation.

By Mr. F. Wisewould. — Flowering specimens of Acacia stricta,
A. diffusa, A. myrtifolia, A. pycnantha, A. linearis, A. verticillata,
and A. mdanoxylon, from Pakenham Upper.

After the usual conversazione the meeting terminated.

The Late O. W. Rosenhain. — The announcement of the
death of Mr. O. W. Rosenhain, at sea, on 4th September, a few
days' sail from Japan, will come as a shock to his many
naturalist friends. He was elected a member of the Club in
November, 1910, and exhibited considerable interest in its work,
especially when any movement was afoot for extending the pro-
tection of birds or the proclamation of sanctuaries. He was a
keen lover of nature, and took part in the Baw Baw trip in
January, 1914, and the Wilson's Promontory trip in Dcceml)er
of the same year, on each of which he made many friends by his
genial comi)anionship. As the result of opportunities availed of
during a ])usiness trip to Java in the early part of 1915, he gave
an interesting illustrated paper entitled " A Naturalist in Java"
at the Deceml)er meeting of the Club [Vict. Nat., xxxii., p. i5()).
In April last he contributed another illustrated pa])er, "A
Thousand Miles on the River Murray," but did not live to see it
in print in the August Naturalist. It is sad that he and his
fellow-member, Mr. J. G. O'Donoghue, companions during those
interesting "Wanderings on the Murray Flood-Plain " in Sejv
tember, 1914 {Vict- Nat., xxxii., p. 7), should so early pass away
from the scenes they loved so well. Mr. Rosenhain served as a
meml)er of the committee for the year 1915-1O. His health was
somf'what imjjaired when he left Melbourne some weeks ago by
the anxieties of an importer's life. esi)eri;dly at such a time as
the present : but his death from heart failure was quite luiex-
})ected, and must have come as a great shock to his wife, who
was accompanying him on the trip.

®'^' '1 W.WiT, Eiicalypis ahout Cresivick and Chines. ^^

NOTES ON THE DISTRIBUTION OF THE EUCALYPTS
ABOUT CRESWICK AND CLUNES.

By T. S. Hart, M.A., B.C.E.

{Read before the Field Naturalists' Club 0/ Victoria, i^ih May, 191 7.)
During a time of residence at Creswick I made a number of
observations on the distribution of various species of eucalypts
and other trees in the district, and, though many points still
remain to be examined, it seemed that these notes might be
of interest both with regard to the district itself and for
comparison with occurrences elsewhere.

The district, being mainly composed of bedrock (Ordovician)
ranges and volcanic plains, is to that extent analogous to some
parts near Melbourne, but differs in its inland situation on the
north of the Main Divide, and in its elevation from goo to over
2,000 feet above sea-level, with consequent differences in
climate, some of which are seen in the amount and seasonal
distribution of the rainfaU, and in the temperature and its
variations. Geographically, the locality presents features of
interest with regard to plant distribution. The wooded ranges
of east and central Victoria are practically continuous to
Creswick, but immediately to the west a strip of volcanic
country a few miles wide passes over a low part of the Divide
and connects a northward projection of the Western District
plains with the largest area of similar country on the north.
Apart from the conical hills, the plains here only reach a little
over 1,500 feet in elevation close to the Divide, and. sink to
about 1,360 on the Divide at Learmonth. North Creswick
railway station, on the plains, has an elevation of 1,421 feet ;
Clunes, 10 miles to the north-west, 1,081 feet. From north
of Creswick the volcanic country extends eastward with in-
creasing elevations — 1,800 at Newlyn ; thence southward it
crosses the Divide again, but at elevations over 2,000 feet,
and further south, as the Bungaree Plateau, has still an
elevation of 1,940 feet at Wallace, on the main Ballarat railway.

The tourist map of Ballarat and Creswick, recently issued
by the Tourists' Bureau, forms a useful guide to the district,
and on it will be found most of the places mentioned in this
l)aper.

The north-westerly fall of the open plain from Newlyn and
Creswick to Clunes gives it a warm aspect, but exposes it to
bleak north and north-west winds in winter, as the hills to the
north-west are not high enough to be any shelter. At the
same time the low part of the Divide exposes the plain to the
sweep of cold south-westerly winds. Elevation and cx])osure
contribute to more severe climatic conditions.

The bedrock country at Creswick occupies the space between

84 Hart, Eucalypts about Cresivick and Cluues. rv(^"^xxxiv

the two volcanic areas of the ^lain Divide. Its highest point
south-east of Creswick is over 2,000 feet above sea-level ; from
here it falls north and west. South of Creswick the valleys
are often deep and the slopes steep ; north-west of the town
the elevation is less and the slopes more gentle, at places
merging gradually into the plains. Alluvial deposits occur in
the \alleys, and there are also numerous terraces and patches
of older gravels, the most evident of which is the terrace on
which the Creswick station stands, at 1,438 feet above sea-
level.

The north-west end of the Creswick bedrock area is crossed
by the railway about four miles from Creswick at an elevation
of 1,276 feet. Beyond this the next area of bedrock country
is at a distance of about five miles, and lies to the west of
Clunes. It rises little above the adjacent volcanic country,
and its slopes are gentle. The railway crosses its northern end
at an elevation of 1,066 feet. This area is sheltered from the
west by the granitic hills of Mount Beckworth. North-west
of Clunes, and separated from the last area by volcanic plains,
commences a considerable stretch of bedrock country. Only
the south end of this has come under my observation. A few
small exposures of bedrock in the valleys are not important.

Climate. — Through the courtesy of the Commonwealth
Meteorological Bureau, figures have been obtained as to the
rainfall of several localities in the district and temperature
records for Clunes and Talbot. These figures may be best
understood by means of a comparison with Melbourne.

The average annual rainfall at Creswick, from seventeen
years' observation, is 27.58 inches. This is about two inches
above the Melbourne average, but the seasonal distribution
differs. Melbourne shows its highest monthly average in
October, and an autumn maximum in April : Creswick, and all
the places for which there are long records in this district, show
the maximum in June. From October to February inclusive
the average monthly rainfall is less at Creswick than at Mel-
bourne. Owing to the ra])id cvaj^oration and the uncertainty
of the summer rain, Melbourne has practically a dry summer :
the rain is not to be relied on ; native j)lants nnist be able to do
without it at this season.

Wilson's Reservoir, just south of the Divide, on the high
volcanic country sf)uth-east of Creswick, has an average rainfall
of 3i.Hfj inches (twenty years' records). This is at an elevation
of about 2,000 feet. The summer rainfall is almost the sani<
as that at Melb(jurne, but the elevation here must mitigali
the summer conditions.

Average annual rainfalls of other i)lace-s are as follows (the
number of years is given in parentheses) : — Newlyn Reservoir,

Oct.,]
I9'7 J

Hart. Eucalypti about Creswick and Chines. 85

30.04 (39 years) , Allendale, 24.26 (14 years) ; Chines, 21.35
(37 years) ; Talbot, 21.34 (32 years). The rainfalls from
December to March inclusive for these places are : — iMelbourne,
7.97. Wilson's 8.05, Newlyii 6.85, AJlendale 6.05, Clunes 5. 11,
Talbot 5.08.

The temperature records of Clunes and Talbot are just what
we might expect from the elevation and inland position. The
mean temperatures are about 3 degrees lower than those of
]\Ie] bourne for the year as a whole, but the mean temperatures
of the hottest month are a shade higher and those of the coldest
month about 5 or 6 degrees lower than Melbourne. The daily
variations are also more severe than at Melbourne — in the
summer to a considerable amount, but in winter little. Clunes
shows greater changes of temperature than Talbot, which is
probably due to its situation in the open plain.

The considerable difference in rainfall between Clunes and
Creswick is in agreement with the difference in situation.
Creswick is not only higher, but is on the edge of hilly country
exposed to the north-west and west, and even the Main Divide,
to the south-west, is little shelter. Clunes is lower, in plain
country, and well below the levels of the lowest part of the
Divide. Its rainfall is possibly further reduced by the shelter
of Mount Beckworth, for it will be noticed that the Clunes
rainfall is practically identical with that of Talbot, whereas
we would have expected it to be slightly but percej)tibly
greater.

The Soil Conditions in the I'olcanic Coimtrv. — The soil of
the volcanic country is very clayey, and in the open plains
it is poorly supplied with humus, and that supply only to a
shallow depth. On the high levels about Newlyn and Dean
there was forest, and the soil conditions were much improved ;
but the first condition here also would have been clay soil, poor
in humus.

We may consider fust the typical open volcanic country
below about 1,500 feet elevation. When thoroughly wet the
clayey soil becomes very difficult for water to pass through,
and the surface over large areas is nearly fiat, witli small
inequalities, so that the water lies about in winter. The
aeration of the soil for a considerable part of the year is very
poor, the excessive retention of water preventing proper
aeration. In such stiff clays it is possible for air to be to some
extent excluded even when the soil is comparatively dry.
In the summer the soil dries, shrinks, and cracks deeply.
Owing to the power of clay to hold considerable water from
the plant, the available soil water is still further riiduce^l. Light
summer showers, if they sink in, luue little chance of i)assing
the grass roots ; if the water runs into the cracked hollows

S6 Hakt, Eitcalypts about Cresunck and Clinics. [voT."^xxxiv.

it can penetrate at once below the roots of the smaller vegeta-
tion. The run-off of summer rain is very low, as is shown
clearly in the experience of the Ballarat Water Supply, of
which the catchment was, before recent additions, nearly all
volcanic country, and the water caught in a very dry year
only a small proportion of the rainfall. Summer rain, in an
ordinary season, added very little to the water running in the
streams.

It must be noticed also that the water which sinks in is not
all available to be raised again by capillarity to the soil.
Water easily travels through the cracks of the bluestone rock
below, except in so far as these cracks are closed by damp
clay from the weathering of the rock. Water which reaches
clean or dry crack- in the bluestone will descend to the natural
water-level ; in one old shaft at North Creswick this was found
to be 77 feet below the surface. No capillary action can
return the water by these cracks, as such action depends on
the passages being small. Water which reaches clean blue-
stone may be regarded as lost to the vegetation ; its only
possible effect is to keep the air moist in the cracks of the
rock, an effect which might perhaps veach the deeper soil-
cracks. Mining experience in the basalt plains amply
establishes this easy passage of water through the cracks of
clean bluestone, while at the same time surface holes in clay
and water-courses continue to hold water in spite of pumping
out the water from the rock below. The absence of a useful
supply of water below the soil is not due to impenetrability of
the soil and rock below, but to a kind of penetralMlity which
prevents the storage of water at a level from which it can
return, except in the clay, which is not deep, and can withhold
water from the plant to an important extent.

The soil character makes the wetness of wet periods moic
pronounced than in freer soils, and the dryness of dry periods
also more effective ; it intensifies the seasonal effects in which
summer drought is already serious.

Reviewing the seasonal conditions in the i)lains, once the
plain is dry and cracked in sunnner very little advantage is
received from the summer rain, and on this the grass has first
claim after any deficiency in what the clay itself can withhold
from vegetation is sui)i)lied ; shrubs might be worse off than
a tree, which could thrust its roots deeper. The cracks dost'
as the moisture increases in autumn, but an autumn growing
season is jjrecarious. It may be late in the year l)efore tlure
is ample water, with days already shortened and temperatures
falling. (A favoural)k: autumn may produce a considerable
response in the vegetation, as was seen in some districts in the
profusion of the flowers of W'.ihlcubergiii in tlir autiunn of

Oct.,-)

1Q17 J

Hart, Eucalypts about Cresivick and Clunes. 87

1911.) Winter in the plains is cold and bleak, and the soil
in very bad condition for any root activity. Spring growth
is delayed by the fact that much water must be got rid of by
evaporation, but the date at which summer conditions cause a
shortage of moisture is probably little delayed. The ex-
perience of cultivation conlirms this : the first requirement is
aeration of the soil. Skilful treatment attains this, and secures
better root conditions.

Bowman, in his " Forest Physiography," dealing with the
treelessness of the plains and prairies, says that the funda-
mental condition is deficiency of rainfall, in spite of the fact
that there a large portion of the rainfall occurs in the growing
months. Fineness of soil particles is also given as an im-
portant cause. Almost all forms of vegetation require an
aerated soil, and this is especially true of all but a small
number of forest trees. The prairie soils, being fine and
compact, keep the rainfall near the surface longer than coarse
soils, and a larger proportion is re-evaporated. Deeper-lying
tree-roots are thus deprived of rainfall, and grass roots further
deprive them of what is left available. Evaporation is
hastened by high summer temperatures and continued sunshine,
and by wind. He says further that heavy clay lands carry
luxuriant forest where rainfall and temperature conditions are
normal, l)ut when conditions of rainfall are critical the balance
of power is held by otherwise feeble influences. The prairie
plains can be made to grow trees almost anywhere.

This is applicable to our volcanic plains, without claiming
identity of soil or climate. The soil is clayey — ^that is, mainly
of tine particles — and the rainfall is barely adequate for forest ;
just inadequate, we may say, for this soil in its present con-
dition. But close by, on clay soils of similar origin, but with
a greater elevation, a higher rainfall, a milder summer, and
the proximity of woodlands, with their mitigating effect on
the extremes of climate, forest had established itself on the
high volcanic country. The existence of this forest improves
both soil and climate, and would result, imder natural con-
ditions, in the continual extension of the lorest on to lower
volcanic plains, and no doubt also in the gradual introduction
in the forest of species such as E. obliqiia, which avoid the
plains in their unforested condition. The forested areas of
the high volcanic country, where nearest to the open plains,
carried the same species as occur on the plains.

It needs to be remembered that the soil of the bluestonc
plains is not always of purely volcanic origin. Waste from the
adjacent country has often been carried on to the plain, as is
noticed cs]XKiaUy where hills meet the plain without an inter-
vening valley. Such addition of other material would have

88 Hakt, Eucalypts about Cresivick and Clunes. [voi!*^xxxiv

been commoner in the earlier stages of the history of the
plains, before even the present imjierfect drainage system had
been established. On the bluestonc there also occur shallow
basins of some extent, of which Lake Wendouree, at Ballarat,
and the Eglinton Swamps, north of Clunes, may be taken as
examples. These will silt up in time or be drained by the
cutting of an outlet. The deposits formed in them and ex-
posed later may be purely of basaltic origin or in part carried
from some other source, but are likely to be mostly clayey.
Such an explanation would lit an extensive wet and clayey
flat a couple of miles north-west of Clunes.

The Trees oj the Volcanic Country. — ^The volcanic country
may be considered in three parts — the plains about Clunes
and to the north and north-west, below i,ioo feet elevation ;
the plains about North Creswick. at a higher elevation (up to
over 1,500 feet) ; and the high volcanic country about Newlyn
and Dean, which reaches to elevations at its highest parts of
over 2,000 feet, and was forest country in its natural condition.
The boundaries are not, of course, sharp.

The characteristic tree of the plains about and lieyond
Clunes is Eucalyptus rostrata, the Red Gum. E. leiicoxylou.
Yellow Gum, and E. hemiphloia. Grey Box, also occur, but are
relatively few in numbers. The Blackwood. Acacia melan-
oxylon, is also present. These trees also occur off the plain in
suitable situations in the vicinity. Yellow (ium and Grey Box
are evidently much commoner off the plain.

South of the Stony Creek school, about seven miles north-
west of Clunes, there is a strip of volcanic country at about
1,050 feet elevation. The trees on the plain are here all Red
Gum on the part which is purely volcanic, but on the north
side, where detritus from adjacent bedrock hills has spread
out at the edge of the plain. Yellow (ium appears in abundance,
and there is a rapid transition as we leave the basaltic soil from
purely Red Gum to jiredominant Yellow (ium, very soon
withcmt any Red Gum. On the south side of the same
volcanic area Yellow Box is common on the lower slopes ol
granitic hills, and mixes with the Red Gum towaids the valK y.
but it was not seen on the ])lain. I mention this as Yellow
Box appears on the plain at North Crcswi( k ; hew it lui^
evidently every opportunity of access from both sides. So
also Grey Box is close by on the north without occurring on
the basalt lie re.

At another place, nearer Clunes, ^'ellow Gum occurs on tlic
l)lain, but the soil is not purely \-ol<anic, ;uul on welter gronnd
close by Red Gum occurs without Yellow (ium. Jiut botli
Yellow (ium and (irey Ho\ do occur in small numbers on
undoubteri volcanir country with basalt outcrops in the soil.

Oct. 1
i9'7 J

Hart, FAtcalyl^ts about Creswick and Chines. 89

Immediatelj^ to the south-east of Chines there are very few
trees remaining on the basalt, and tfie change of species noticed
may have been origin.ally not quite so abrupt. The three
eucalypts just mentioned are absent from the higher plain and
also from the becb'ock areas about Creswick. (The eiicalypts
of the valley abo\'e the State Nursery at Creswick may be aU
regarded as planted.)

In the plains about North Creswick the following species
occur : — E. ovata {E. paliidosa). Swamp Gum, E. coriacea, White
Sallee, E. rubida, Candlebark, E. melliodora. Yellow Box,
Acacia melanoxylon, Blackwood, Banksia marginata. Silver
Banksia. A few miles to the north there are also Acacia
mollissima. Black Wattle, and Casiiarina quadrivalvis, Drooping
Sheoak. Except the last two, these are also found near
Creswick off the bluestone, but the Banksia is not common,
and White Sallee appears to occur in these bedrock areas only
just off the volcanic country, a couple of trees in the valley
above the nursery being no doubt planted. The trees on the
parts of the plain hitherto dealt with are scattered and wind-
beaten.

The high-level, volcanic country east of Creswick, about
Spring Mount, Newlyn, and Dean, was closely forested in its
natural condition, as seen by the tall, straight stems of some
trees still remaining. Swamp Gum, Candlebark, and White
Sallee occur, the same species as on the lower level at North
Creswick, but of better growth. E. ohliqiia occurs on Spring
Mount, a volcanic hill. The trees of Mount Warrenheip, south
of the Divide, are mostly E. ohliqna, E. viniinalis, and Black-
woods. The Silver Wattle, .1. dealbata, also occurs on the high
volcanic country. All the trees of this area are also found on
adjacent bedrock or alluvial areas, with the limitation as before
— ^that White Sallee extends only just off the volcanic soils so
far as noted. The Yellow Box, present on the basalt at
North Creswick, does not occur on these higher areas, but
neither does it ascend above about 1,500 feet in the ranges.
In passing, it may be noticed that the succe?^s of the Ballarat
Water Commissioners in growing pines on volcanic soil was
obtained on the high-level lands on the south side of the
Divide at elevations over 1,700 feet and with a rainfall over
34 inches.

The Bedrock Country. — The soil of the bedrock country is
derived from the waste of the sandstones and slates which
form the underlying rocks, with quartz fragments from the
veins. Where the slopes are steep the lighter plant debris
and finer soil particles are easily moved down the hillside, and
the soil is, as a rule, deeper, richer, and more retentive of
moisture on the lower slopes and in the valleys, except where

QO liART, Encalyfyts about Cresivick and dunes. rv(^"^xxxiv

running water removes it or the ground is too steep for its
retention. On these slopes the water quickly runs off, being
delayed more or less according to circumstances by the forest
litter and smaller vegetation. A slope with a south aspect,
being more shaded, does not allow so rapid drying or so rapid
decay of plant waste as the sunnier slopes ; hence the con-
ditions found low on the hills rise higher on these shady slopes,
the more abundant vegetation further lessening the rate of
run-off of rain and the washing down of soil and light d'^hris
to the lower levels. On the gentler bedrock hills the run-off
is slower, and light material is not so readily moved, so that
more uniform conditions will result on the lower and upper
parts of the hillside, a point which is illustrated in the way
E. ruhida keeps mostly to the lower slopes in the steeper
ranges, but sometimes extends right over a low, gentle hill.
The associated alluvial deposits may be taken with the bedrock.
Xo different species of trees have been noticed on them, and
often their boundaries are ill defined. The present allu vials
in the valleys give the extreme of wet situations in the bed-
rock country.

To the south and east of Creswick the forest is mainly formed
of E. ohliqua. Messmate or Messmate-Stringybark. /:. Siuartiana,
Apple Box, E. dives. Broad-leaved Peppermint, and E.
amygdalina. Common Peppermint, the relative prominence of
the species varying in different localities. There are also,
mostly in the valleys, E. riibida, Candlebark, E. ovala (paliidosa).
Swamp Gum, and E. viminalis. Manna Gum. In addition, E.
macrorrhyncha. Red Stringybark, occurs in two places, the
chief locality being south-west of the railway station, at the
west end f>f certain suburban blocks known as Hyde Park, and
the other a short distance outside the north-east corner of the
Plantation E. mel/iodora. Yellow Box, also occurs close to
and in the township. It is abundant near the railway at
Cobbler's Gully, between Bald Hills and Creswick, and from
there northerly. It is also found on the flanks of the hills and
in the valleys on the east of the township, and as it is seen on
this side on first reaching the timber it might seem to be
commoner than it really is. It does not seem to penetrate far
into the forest except up Cobbler's (iuUy and its branches,
nor docs it seem to reach above 1,500 feet elevation.

To the north-west of Creswick the bedrock country is lower,
and often with gentlf slopes. With deeper soil it is not
always easy to say whether a particular soil is derived from
the underlying rock only, or from a thin cover of alluvial
material. The same species occur, with the exception probably
of Common Pejjpermint, but the proportions and local dis-
tribution differ from those observeil in the steeper ranges. The

^":'J Hart, Eiicalypts about Cresivick and Chines. 91

top and bottom of a hill slope do not here differ so much in
character.

Yellow P.ox is common near the lower parts of Cobbler's and
other neighbouring gullies. One paddock on the Ascot road
is now occupied mainly by Candlebark, extending to the higher
parts of the low hill. With it occurs Casnarina sitberosa, Black
Sheoak, a tree which was once commoner in the district. There
are also a few Black Wattles, but careful examination shows that
these are planted, the few trees remaining being remnants of
rows of trees. On the opposite side of the road, across a small
creek, a similar but slightly lower hill carries very little besides
low, spreading Messmate. There is, of course, a chance in
paddocks long in private hands of some artificial alteration,
but there is no evident indication of this except in two patches
of planted wattles. The extreme north-west end of the
Creswick bedrock area carries Yellow Box and Candlebark,
each separately predominating in patches, and a few White
Sallee also occur.

Passing then to the north-west across more than five miles
of volcanic plain, we reach bedrock hills again in the west end
of the parish of Clunes, and the difference in the trees is at once
noticeable. The slopes are gentle and the timber of the low
and less dense character seen north-west of Creswick. In this
West Clunes area are seen E. elcBOphora, Long-leaved Box,
E. melliodora, Yellow Box, E. leucoxylon. Yellow Gum, E. dives.
Broad-leaved Peppermint, E. obliqiia. Messmate, E. rostrata.
Red Gum, with E. hemiphloia. Grey Box, at least in the
northern part. In addition, there are a few trees best referred
to ■£. viminalis, Manna Gum, and one tree from which I have
shown specimens to Mr. P. R. H. St. John, which is a form of
E. Consideniana, Yertchuk. This tree occurs on a low rise
with Yellow Gum and Yellow Box in a paddock which has
been mostly cleared. Red Gum occurs in the valleys, and
Yellow Gum rather prefers the lower slopes of the hills and
where they meet the valleys and the plains, but it extends also
on to higher ground, and the tops of low hills. So far as
observed, E. Stiiartiana, E. amygdalina, E. riihida, and E.
ovata are absent from this bedrock area, nor have they been
noticed further north.

Northward from here, across some volcanic country, we
come to another bedrock area. The slopes are in part gentle,
but a considerable valley runs to the north, and is followed
by the main road. Some of the gullies entering this valley
from the east side are steep-sided. The railway and the main
road enter the south-west corner of this area at a crossing
marked " 99.4q." Near here is a paddock timbered almost
purely with Yellow Gum, on a soil prol)ably ilerived from the

Q2 Hart, Encnlypts about Creaivick and CJimes. [v,y"^xxxVv

bedrock. On the hill a short distance further north, where
the road enters the liead of the northward valley, there occur
E. polyanihcmos. Red Box. and E. sideroxylon. Red Ironbark.
A verj' few Ironbarks arc just on the southward slope. The
other trees here present arc the Boxes — Grey. Yellow, and Long-
leaved — Broad-leaved Peppermint and Yellow Gum, and E.
Consideniana, Yertcluik, and prolialily E. macrorrhyncha. Red
Stringybark. Messmate is not common, but pro])ably occurs.
E. Consideniana occurs close to the road on the east side, near
the top of the hill ; at 300 paces eastward along the ridge it is
present in quantity. This is a dry situation, and with it are
Red Box, Red Ironbark, Long-leaved Box, and Broad-leaved
Peppermint, and some Golden Wattles and Cherry Ballart.
E. Consideniana extends a little down the south slope, and was
also noticed on a hill to the north, though on the very highest
and driest part of this hill Red Box and Red Ironbark were
the chief trees.

{To be continued.)

Our Honour Roll. — The month of August was fatal to two
of those sons of members whose names appear in the Honour
Roll published in the April Naturalist. Both died while serving
King and country in France, or perhaps Flanders, particulars
not yet being to hand. (3n Oth August ("aj^tain Frank E. Gatliff,
54th Field Artillery, third son Mr. J. H. (xatliff, made the
supreme sarrificf, and on nth August Lieut. Norman F. W.
Barnard,. 1st Pioneer Battalion, only son of .Air. F. (i. A. Barnard,
was reported killed in action. Both were ])romising young men,
whose lives could ill be spared in the present crisis, and we
extend our readers' sympathies to their sorrowing parents.

Flying-Fishes. — Our fellow-member. Private C. L. Barrett,
of the Camel Brigade Field Ambulance, A.I.F., writes: — "At
Sea. 26th May, 1917. — From the dvck of our boat I have just
been watching some flying-fishes, and I thought tb.at a note
might be of some interest to members of the F.N.C. Some
observers have declared that these fishes vibrate their large
pectoral fins when skimming through tlie air — in fact, that they
use them as wings. My observations to-day. and on a ]-)revious
occasion when I was voyaging in the Pacific Ocean, convince
me that the lins are held rigirl all the time that tlu- fish is in the
air. However, I did see one to-day strike the water with its
tail ; it did not rise cleanly and rapidly in the first place, and
the flip of the tail gave it tlie necessary impetus for the fli'^hf.
Another fish I observed ma('.e an aerial journey of at least fifty
yards. The flying-fish(;s have been of special interest to mc, as
we have seen no other form of animal life for some days."

Cl)c Uictorian naturalist.

Vol. XXXIV.— No. 7. NOVEMBER 8, 1917. No. 407

FIELD NATURALISTS' CLUB OF VICTORIA.

The ordinary monthly meeting of the Club was held at the
Royal Society's Hall on Monday evening, 8th October, 1917.

The president, Mr. F. Pitcher, occupied the chair, and about
sixty members and visitors were present.

CORRESPONDENCE.

From the secretary State schools flower show, asking for
the assistance and co-operation of the Club at the forthcoming
show to be held in the Melbourne Town Hall on the igth
inst., more especially with regard to the wild-flower exhibits.

Miss Nethercote, Miss Carter, and Mr. H. B. Williamson
volunteered their aid, and the meeting endorsed the repre-
sentation of the Club by these members.

From Mr. A. Rutter Clarke, stating, with regard to the
report of the recent visit of the members to his Australian
garden appearing in the current Naturalist, that the number
of species cultivated had been considerably underestimated. He
had tried more than 400 species, and had at the present time
well over 300, with, in many cases, several specimens of the
same species.

REPORTS.

A report of the excursion to. the You Yangs on Saturday,
15th September, was given by Mr. C. Daley, F.L.S., one of
the leaders, who stated that an enjoyable day had been spent.
The eastern side of the range was drier than expected, but on
the southern slope many species of flowers were noted. Birds
also were fairly numerous, while the extensive view from
Flinders Peak was greatly admired.

A report of the excursion to Noble Park on Saturday, 22nd
September, was given by the leader, Mr. J. W. Audas, F.L.S.,
who stated that a large party took advantage of the fine after-
noon to see the spring-flowering ])lants at their l:)est. Owing
to the locality being a little further from town (16 miles) than
the usual scenes of excursions, the su])urban builder is not
so much in evidence, consequently, during the three-mile
ramble to Springvale, a large number of species — between
seventy and eighty — were collected. Among these may be
mentioned the orchids Lyperanthns nigricans, Caladenia
Patersoiii, var. dilatata, Glossodia major, Pterostylis nutans,
Prasophyllum anstrale, and Thdymitra flexuosa. Of other
species seen, PuUcncea dentata, Sphcerolobium vimincum,

94 field Na/urnlifils' Cluh— Proceedings. [vo^.'^xxx'l

Sprengelia incur nata. Comes perma cricinum, Utricidaria lateri-
flora, were perhaps the most uncommon. The countryside
was gay with the flowers of such species as Ranidiciilus
lappaceus, Pitltencea stricta, var. Gunnii, Acacia myriifolia,
Epacris impressa, and Ricinocarpiis pimfoliiis, which gave
colour of various hues to the scene, and afforded ample oppor-
tunities to members to pluck for home decoration selections of
their bush friends.

A report of the excursion to Diggers' Rest and Sunbury on
Thursday, 27th September (Show Day), was given by Dr.
C. .S. Sutton, one of the leaders, who said that he had been
prevented by indisposition from attending, but his co-leader,
Mr. A. L. Scott, had reported that the attendance had been
very meagre, and thought that, from experience on previous
occasions, the arrangement of excursions for Show Day should
be abandoned. Owing to the strong flow of water in Jackson's
Creek, the Diplograptus beds were unapproachable. A fair
number of botanical specimens was collected, while birds of
many species were numerous and far from shy. The ramble
disclosed some very picturesque country, which in early spring
presents a very pleasing appearance.

ELECTION OF MEMBER.

On a l)allot being taken, Mr. Gerald J. Morris, Tunstall, was
elected an associate meml^er of the Club.

GENERAL BUSINESS.

Mr. G. A. Keartland drew attention to the extensive use of
bird-lime by bird-trappers around the metropolis, and depre-
cated the practice very strongly, especially during the breeding
season. He thought an endeavour should be made to have
the use of bird-lime prohibited. His remarks were supported
by Messrs. Blake, Keep, Currie, and others. It was resolved,
on the motion of Messrs. J. A. Kershaw, F.E.S., and F. G. A.
Barnard, to bring the matter under the notice of the Fisheries
and Game Department, and ask that, if possible, regulations
be framed dealing with the practice.

Mr. F. Chapman, A.L.S., said that he was wrongly credited
in a recent Naturalist with bringing forward a note on the
Onion Weed. The hon. editor explained that no name was
attached to the newspaper cutting in question, but from the
handwriting he judged it to have been handed in by Mr.
Chapman. He took the opportunity of asking members to
assist him in producing a true record of the Club meetings by
paying more attention to the way in which notices of exhi])its,
&c., are made out.

The president referred to the gratifying success of the wild-

^°^-l Field Nafiiyalists' Club — Proceedings. 95

flower exhibition held the previous week, and desired to
express the Club's thanks to the many members and friends who
had contributed time, labour, and exhibits, and so materially
assisted in bringing the exhibition to a successful issue. A
unanimous vote of thanks was passed to a lengthy list of
persons, metropolitan, country, and inter-State, for their very
valuable co-operation on the occasion.

The hon. treasurer, Mr. G. Coghill, read a progress report
on the financial result of the exhibition, which was consider-
ably in advance of the previous attempt, and would probably
amount to about £200.

Mr. F. Keep asked if a census of the wild-flowers exhibited
had been made. Dr. Sutton replied that, with the limited time
available, it was quite impossible to make out a complete list,
but an attempt was being made to give a good report of the
exhibition in the next Naturalist.

NOTES ON EXHIBITS.

Mr. J. A. Kershaw, F.E.S., called attention to his exhibit of
a specimen of a young male of the Red-crowned Fruit-Pigeon,
Ptilinopiis swainsoni, Gld., which was shot at Mallacoota, south-
eastern Victoria, on the 21st August last by Miss E. Dorran,
who forwarded it to the National Mu?eum in the flesh. He
said that although this species occurs in Queensland and north-
eastern New South Wales, and is by no means uncommon on
the Richmond and Tweed rivers, it does not appear to have
been previously recorded south of the Hunter River. He also
referred to the recent discovery of the Top-knot Pigeon, Lopho-
laimiis antarcticns, and the Flinders Cuckoo, Endynamis cyano-
cephala, in the same district, specimens of which were exhibited
at the January meeting by Mr. C. Daley, F.L.S.

PAPER READ.

By Mr. E. E. Pescott, F.L.S. , entitled " Notes on the Repro-
duction of Orchids " (first paper).

The author, by means of a fine series of lantern slides,
demonstrated the general appearance of the various parts of
the flowers of several Victorian orchids, and pointed out how
they might be fertilized by the agency of insects. He said,
however, that practically no observations were on record as
to what insects effected the fertilization. His experiments
with regard to the germination of the seeds had been failures,
and he doubted if many of our orchids produced fertile seeds.
In his opinion, most of our orchids owed their increase and
spread to the production of new tubers.

Owing to the lateness of the hour, the discussion on the
paper was held over till the next meeting.

96 Field Nntnyalists' Club— Proceedings. [voi! x"xxVv.

EXHIBITS.

By ^Ir. E. Cox. — Slag wool manufactured from basalt at
Footscray ; may be used in place of cotton wool for certain
purposes.

By Mr. C. J. Gabriel. — Marine shells — Spondyliis Americaniis,
Lam., from West Indies ; S. iVrightiauiis, Crosse, from North
Australia.

By Mr. E. R. Hammet. — Native axe-head (polished) from
Fiji.

By Mr. J. A. Kershaw, F.E.S. — Specimen of a young male
Red-crowned Fruit-Pigeon, Plilinopiis swainsoni, Gld., from
Mallacoota, south-east Victoria.

By Mr. J. P. M'Lennan. — Flower of Belle Siebrecht rose,
with buds growing through the bloom, from Burnley Gardens.

By Miss G. Nethercote. — Photographs of the transportation
of cases of wild-flowers for the recent exhibition across Fyans
Creek, Grampians.

By Mr. F. Pitcher. — Blooms of Acacia salicina, Find., var.
WaycB, Maiden, syn. A. ligiilata, A. Cunn., "Shrubby Cooba,"
South Australia, from Botanic Gardens.

By Mr. J. Searle. — Fresh-water mollusc, Ancylus, sp., with
developing eggs.

By Mr. H. Whitmore. — Highly-coloured mudstone (Silurian),
from Camberwell reiilway cutting, and sample of pigmiMit pre-
pared from same.

By Mr. H. B. Williamson. — Dried specimens of Acacia
Bynoena, Benth., from Murray villc, N.W. Victoria — unrecorded
for Victoria.

After the usual conversazione the meeting terminated.

EXCURSION TO THE YOU YANGS.
Only four members met at Spencer-street station for the
excursion to the You Yangs on Saturday, 15th September. It
was a beautiful morning as we left Little River and passed over
the basaltic plain country towards Station (or Flinders) Peak.
Ncaring the range, the volcanic soil gradually gave j^lacc to
the coarse, sandy soil marking jiroximity to the granite hills
from which it came. We founcl the approach from the east
unusually dry, and there were very few flowers in bloom.
The Snowy Mint-bush, Prostanlhera nivca, on this side was
just beginning to flower, and the introduced Tree Tobacco,
Nicotiana glauca, was further advanced. The fine plantation
of Golden Wattles, Acacia pycnanlha, along the foot of the
range was about to burst into bloom. The ridge continued
dry right to the summit, l)ut there are some good specimens of
Acacia implexa, Casuanna quadrivalvis, Exocarpos cupressi-

Nov.,-]

1917 J

Excursion to the Yoii Yangs. 97

formis, and several eucalypts — E. globulus (var.), rather
dwarfed and with gnarled branches ; E. sideroxylon, Ironbark,
rather unusual on granite country ; and E. obliqua. Stringy-
bark. E. polyanthemos was in full bloom. Acacia mollissima
and A. armata were in bloom, the former very slightly but
giving a promise of profuse flowering, the latter full ; also A .
melanoxylon, rather dwarfed, except on the more sheltered
slopes. All of these trees grow well among the boulders.
Although the horizon was hazy, from the peak we had an
extensive view to Mount Macedon to the north-east, Bunin-
yong north-west, Blackwood to the north, the Anakies to the
west, and to the south over Corio Bay and the Bellarine penin-
sula past Geelong to Swan Bay. The dial-face, showing
direction and distance, is a useful institution. We found that
some vandals had been firing bullets at the bronze plate com-
memorating Flinders's visit in 1802, bullet marks being visible,
whilst names had been freely scratched on the surface by
thoughtless and brainless visitors without any regard as to the
fitness of things. We lunched and rested on the summit.
Flinders Peak is 1,154 feet in height, and, standing as it does
on a plain of low elevation (perhaps about 300 feet), apart
from other ranges, is a very prominent landmark, appearing
higher than it really is. The range extends to the north-west
for about seven miles. Its composition is a porphyritic granite
of quartz, felspar, and biotite. Prof. Skeats, who has carefully
studied its petrological character, calls it an alkali-granite.
The range stands like an island, being surrounded on every
side by the lava plains, which exhibit so extensively the
bygone volcanic activity once prevalent in the south and west
of Victoria. To the south-west, near Duck Ponds Creek,
denudation has disclosed the Ordovician measures underlying
the basalt. Right in front of the peak are the limestone
deposits of Lara, probably of the Pleistocene period, originally
deposited in a fresh-water lacustrine area extending right
across Corio Bay to the east of Geelong. Leaving the peak,
we went down the steep southern slope, which was found to
be much moister, with a good depth of humus, carrying rich
herbaceous growth, in marked contrast to tlie nortliern and
eastern slopes. Here some well-grown trees of Red Box Gum,
Eucalyptus polyanthcmos, were much beset with galls. The
Kangaroo Apple grew well, but was not yet in bloom. The
Lesser Clematis, Clematis microphylla, festooned some of the
rocks with its feathery fruitlets. The Sweet Bursaria, Bursaria
spinosa, showed its clusters of brown seed-cases. On this side
the gums, acacias, and exocarps are of much larger and finer
growth, with a profusion of grass, bracken, and meadow vege-
tation, among whicii were the Anagallis, Wahlcnbcrgia,
Anguillariu (Wurmbca) dioicu, Erodium cygnvrum, Biilbtnc

98 Excursion to the Yon Y.angs. [voV'^xxxiv.

bulbosa, Eiitaxia cmpetrifolia, ChamcBScilla corymhosa, Pimelea
linifolia, and a solitary Diuris sulphiirea, with the composite
Brachycome exilis. Prostanthera nivea was here in much better
bloom, acacias more forward, and conditions of growth in every
way better. It was noticed that the acacias, as a rule, were
but little affected with the borer, as is so frequently the case.
Passing the huge granite mass to the south-west, we reached
the residence of the curator, Mr Kelly, on the edge of the forest
reservation. Mr. Kelly kindly conducted us over the plant-
ation, where a forest, principally of eucalypts and conifers,
has been planted many years. A good deal of Pinus insignis
is at present being cut down. The area is a very dry one,
with a comparatively scanty rainfall, militating against rapid
growth. We noticed beneath a Red Box a profusion of
blossoms on the ground. On approaching we ascertained that
it was caused liy the activities of a liock of Gang Gang
Cockatoos, which flew off noisily at our coming. In feeding on
the flowers, they nip the flowering twigs, which fall in great
abundance. The caretaker informed us that the beautiful
Bronze-winged Pigeons, which are numerous at the You Yangs,
nested preferably in the pines, and, whilst these trees were
being cut down, sat closely and confidently on their nests in
neighbouring trees, which were left intact until the broods had
flown. Birds were only incidentally observed, but were
numerous and varied in species, the well-wooded slope on the
south side and the plantation to the west giving food and
shelter. The Skylark had welcomed us on the plains, and
other birds noted were the Red-capped Robin, Flame-breasted
Robin, Black-and-white Fantail, Pallid Cuckoo, Harmonious
Thrush, Rosella, Striped Brown Hawk, Magpie, a fine Eagle,
Blue Wren and family, Acanthiza, Little Falcon, and two or
three unrecognized ])irds of a kindred species. Starlings were
numerous on the plains. The warmth of the sun tempted
several lizards from their seclusion, a family of three basking
contentedly but warily on a lichen-clad boulder near us, whilst
two or three Blue-tongued Lizards momentarily showed them-
selves. Although this area is a sanctuary, two youths with
pea-rifles were out to shoot anything that moved. One had
killed an un(;ffending lizard, about lo inches long. I said,
" What did you shoot it for ? It is a harmk'ss tiling."
" Yes, it seems a waste of life, doesn't it ? But I had to shoot
it," was the reply. It is a pity that such thoughtkss persons
arc entrusted with firearms. After going through the reser-
vation, wc made our way to Lara railway station, after a very
pleasant and enjoyable outing, of which we were sorry a
greater number had not taken advantage. — C. Daley.

[Reports of previous excursions to the You Yangs will be
found in the Naturalist, vols, iii., p. 99, and xxv., p. 125. — Ed.]

Nov.,j Hart, Eucalypis about Creswick and Clnnes. 99

NOTES ON THE DISTRIBUTION OF THE EUCALYPTS
ABOUT CRESWICK AND CLUNES.

By T. S. Hart, M.A., B.C.E.

{Continued from page 92.)
(^Read before the Field Naturalists' Club of Victoria, 14th May, 191 7.)

The Trees of the Granitic Hills. — Mount Beckworth, to the
south-west of Clunes, rises to an elevation of 2,087 feet, but
only a small area is near this height. It consists of granites,
with the lower slopes made up of granitic detritus. The upper
parts are rocky, soil being very variable in amount and often
absent. From Mount Beckworth granitic country extends a
few miles north-west to the vicinity of the Maryborough
Reservoir, with one small break where a strip of basalt crosses
it. On the summit of Mount Beckworth the trees are stunted
forms of E. ohliqita and a tree best referred to E. viminalis.
There are also on the upper parts Acacia mclanoxylon, Banksia
marginata, and Casuarina. Acacia mollissima is also common
both on the upper and lower parts of the hill. At places
Exocarpos ciipressifor/nis, the Cherry Ballart, is abundant, and
very healthy-looking. On these rocky hills, where all deep
roots must follow the natural cracks, it is evident that this
tree will be in a position to gain all it can from its root
parasitism, as the roots of neighbouring trees are forced into
proximity to its roots.

On the detrital area springs are not uncommon, but the
amount of water reaching different parts is very variable ;
evidently the supply of water from the higher ground, which
makes a spring, means that there is so much less to soak into
other parts. Swamp Gmii, /:. ovata, was observed at a spring,
but on the east slope of the northern spur of the mount E.
elcBOphora, Long-leaved Box, is prominent. Near the west end
of the granitic country Yellow Box and a few Yellow Gums
occur on the lower slopes, with Red Gum close to the creek ;
but on the upper rocky part of a hill it was noticed that
eucalypts were absent, the trees being Acacia mollissima. Black
Wattle, A. mclanoxylon, Blackwood, Banksia marginata. Silver
Banksia, and Casuarina qiiadrivalvis. Drooping Sheoke. The
summit of this hill, however, would not reach the levels at
which Messmate occurs on the north of Mount Beckworth.
I have not examined the east side of Mount Bolton, south of
Mount Beckworth, where it is possible that Long-leaved Box
occurs further south than any observed by me.

The outstanding feature in the distribution of the eucalypts
is the strong contrast between the species present at Creswick
and those at and beyond Clunes. This is not due simi)ly to

lOO Hart, Eucalypts about Creswick and Clunes. [vorxxxi'v

the plains forming an obstacle to migration, for it is seen even
in those species which grow most freely on the plains.

To sum up the differences, E. Stitartiana, E. ainygdalina,
E. coriacea, and E. rubida, which are found near Creswick, dis-
appear as we go to the north-west ; besides these, E. ovata was
not noticed on the bedrock or volcanic country about Clunes,
but only at a spring on i\Iount Beckworth. Its absence from
the plams about Clunes is a striking feature. Even the
Messmate becomes much less prominent and absent from much
of the bedrock country. On the other hand, Yellow Box,
which is limited in its occurrence about Creswick, becomes
more general. Red Stringybark is probably commoner, and
there appear also other species not present at Creswick — Grey
Box, Long-leaved Box, Yellow Gum, Red Gum, Yertchuk,
Red Box, and Red Iron bark. The Messmate-Peppermint-
Apple forest of Creswick gives place to the Box forest about
Clunes,

The explanation of the appearance and disappearance of so
many species within such narrow limits is to be found in the
conformation of the country and the climatic changes con-
nected with it. If a line were to be drawn from the south-
east Oi Mount Beckworth in a north-easterly direction, passing
south of Clunes, it would mark the boundary, ai)proximately,
of several species ; very closely that of Red Gum, Yellow Gum,
and Long-leaved Box on the north-west, and of Swamp Gum,
White Bailee, and Candlebark on the south-east. Along this
line the country would be all open plains, rising to higher levels
to the south-east, and its exposure causing the wmter con-
ditions to be intensified. The land quickly reaches an
elevation at which it has no shelter from the north and north-
west, a quarter from which much of the winter wind comes.
It is also not protected from the south-west, a quarter from
which much rough and wet weather comes, for the Main Divide
in this direction is lower than much of the plain to the north-
east. Mount Beckworth is certainly a shelter to the country
immediately to the east of it, but this only affects a moderate
extent of country. The shelter it gives may cause a reduction
in the Clunes rainfall, thus also allowing the drier climate to
extend further south, but increasing the rapidity of the change
in climate as we rise to the south-east. '1 hus tlie general rise
ot the land, assisted l)y the effect of Mount Beckworth and of
tlie low part of tlie Divide, cause the conditions to change more
rapidly within a narrow belt of country.

iVo/t'i on Some of the Species. — It must be remembered that
notes on the soil, asi>ect, and other conditions favoured by
each species in one district are not necessarily exactly applicable
in other districts, in wliich climatic and other features may differ.

Nov.,-]

1917 J

Hart, Eucalypis about Creswick and Chines. lOl

In considering the trees of the plains, the matter of com-
petition is of slight importance ; the trees are not sufficiently
numerous to prevent the occurrence of a species from this
cause. Some advantage will be gained by trees adapted to
stand water-logged soils over considerable periods, by those
adapted to activity at a low temperature if they are able to be
active in spite of the bad root conditions, by those able to stand
drought and exposure to the wind and to a wide range of
temperature, including both frosts and strong summer sun.
If a tree has to be inactive in summer for lack of water, it is
an advantage to be able to continue active longer into the
winter or to start earlier in spring. The eucalypts include
as typical of the plains Red Gum and Swamp Gum, two
characteristic wet-place trees, and White Sallee, a tree which
stands the exposure of high mountains.

E. ovata, the Swamp Gum, may be regarded as the most
characteristic tree of the plains at North Creswick, as it is also
to the west of Ballarat (1,350 to 1,500 feet elevation), and in
the neighbourhood of Ballan, at about 1,600 feet. The same
species is mentioned by Dr. Sutton as occurring on the
volcanic plains near Melbourne. He gives a locality of more
abundant occurrence as Bolinda, which would be over 1,000
feet elevation. On the railway from Ballarat to Geelong this
species is common on the relatively high part of the plain
above Meredith. Off the plains it is almost always a tree of
distinctly wet localities, as in the valleys of the ranges at
Creswick, and is well known in wet places near Melbourne, as
at the Carrum Swamp and the Scoresby Flats. When we
remember that trees are more easily injured by excessive
wetness of the soil for a relatively short period than by ex-
cessive dryness for a longer time, it is not surprising to find a
wet-place tree the chief tree of the plains, the wetness of the
soil in winter being the most severe condition to be overcome
at these elevations on the plain. This species flowers freely
in the winter. It may be regarded as a tree adapted to stand
such conditions of a soil-wetness as would prevent the
occurrence of many other species. At Bragg's Flat, in the
ranges south-east of Creswick, it occupies the wet flat, apparently
too wet for E. nthida, which ceases at the edge. Occasioncdly
this species is met with in what appear to be drier situations.
Its occurrence on the plains implies power to stand summer
dryness, but it would be well to look carefully at the soil
conditions wherever it appears to occur in a dry situation.

As we go further north the summer conditions are perhaps
becoming too severe.

E. coriacea. White Sallee, may be regarded as a typical tree
of the plains north of Creswick. It is not abundant, as a ru'c.

i02 Hart, Eucalypis about Creswick and Clinics. [voi"^xxxiv

A group of about eighteen trees occurs in the valley of BuUarook
Creek, near Kingston, and a patch of about sixty trees, with
a very few Swamp Gums and Yellow Box, may be seen about
five miles north-west of Creswick, east of the Clunes road.
This was the last place at which I found it and the Swamp
Gum in this direction. From its power to ascend to the tops
of high mountains, and to occur there alone, it is evidently
able to stand cold and wind and strong sunshine at least under
mountain conditions. The trees on the plains often show fine
examples of the repair of breakages. In its high level situations
it is also at times no doubt liable to excessive soil wetness. It
is, therefore, a not unlikely species for the plains. It occurs
just off the plains, but it seems to be alone among the plains
species in this district in the extent to which it avoids the
closer-timbered bedrock country. A couple of trees which
came under my observation growing close to a Candlebark
and a Yellow Box suggest strongly that the White Sallee would
not stand the competition of these species on the bedrock
country. In the forest of the high level volcanic country it
has grown with Swamp Gum and Candlebark, but here the
conditions of soil and climate probably suit it better than in
the bedrock country. Where I have noticed it in lower country,
as at Mentone and Dandenong, it was not subjected to severe
competition. The open plains seem to suit it, and it is said
to reach to the neighbourhood of Portland.

/:,". rostrata, Red Gum, while a typical tree of the plains,
occurs at lower elevations than the Swamp Gum in this dis-
trict, reaching about 1,150 feet, and on the south side of the
Divide, near by, probably 1,250 feet. Swam}) Gum runs freely
to much higher levels.

Some occurrences of Swamp Gum and Red Gum near Mel-
bourne suggest that E. rostrata is less tolerant of overlong
wetness if associated with too much humus and lack of oxygen
in the soil, though it will stand flooding, and even long-
standing water, as in the swamp north of Clunes. As we go
north from Dandenong we sec at first Red Gum country, but
on the wet flat near the creek at the police paddock Swamp
Gum has taken its place, tliough Red Gum occurs near the
creek a little higher up. On the Scorcsby Flats (20(j feet alwve
sea-level) there is Swamp Gum and no Red Gum. Southward
from Dandenong Red Gum seems to give place to Swamj) (ium
at the edge of the Carrum Swamp, l)ut the low rise at Wells-
road, Carrum, carries Red Gum. About Brighton, Red Gum
is the tyi)ical tree of the valleys, but it apjx'ars to be absent
from the i)caty hollows to the south-east above the heads of these
valleys near Cheltenham. Swamp Gum occurs with Red Gum
on a flat on Bay-road, east of Sandringham. South oi the

Nov.,"! Hart, Eticalypts about Creswick and Clunes. 103

railway near Murrumbeena the Red Gums showed — at least
lately — as a ring, which no doubt once surrounded an area
too wet and peaty for them. This was formerly a swamp.

About Creswick we would expect, then, that the increased
rainfall and longer wetness of the soil would give an advantage
to Swamp Gum as compared with Red Gum, whereas on the
lower levels of the volcanic plain about Melbourne the ad-
vantage would be with the Red Gum. Local variations occur
in the soil, and the determining cause is suitability of soil and
climate for each independently, for, as already noticed, com-
petition is not severe in the plains. It is probable that at
Creswick we are passing the climatic limit for Red Gum as a
naturally occurring tree ; it grows there in the bedrock valleys
where planted.

As regards the other trees of the plains, Sheoke is common
on some parts of the plains near Melbourne, and may be
regarded as more characteristic of the low and warm volcanic
plains. It possesses well-marked dry country features in its
switch form and furrowed branchlets. On the low plain power
to resist drought gains in importance ; on the high plain the
chief difficulty is the water-logged condition in winter. The
Blackwood is one of the commonest and most widely-distributed
trees of the plain, and survives often as a hedgerow tree on
lands otherwise cleared. It is, of course, stunted as compared
with its growth in the forest. A point of interest in the
dispersal of its seeds came under my notice on a grassy flat.
The loosely-coiled cluster of pods is easily rolled along the
ground by the wind with the seeds hanging loosely in the pods.
Evidently the seeds of the tree may be spread over a consider-
able area of the surrounding plain. The Banksia, like many
Proteaceae, may be regarded as drought-resistant.

As to detail of distribution of the species on the l)edrock
country, the two Peppermints behave much as described by
Howitt in Gippsland. H. dives prefers the sunnier situations,
and is very prominent on some of the spurs close to Creswick ;
it occurs on the top of the Divide south of Creswick. E.
amygdalina prefers the shadier situations and the higher country.
It reaches to the township by way of Spring Gully from the
east, and is abundant in the shady gullies falling east to Slaty
Creek from the Ballarat road.

E. obliqua shows great variation in its form and size, according
to its situation, as may be seen also about Melbourne, con-
trasting the; trees of the Dandenong Ranges with those of the
sandy soil near Clayton, for instance. Far the best trees arc
to be found in the denser forest of the shadier slopes and the
higher levels, though nothing can be seen to compare with
the large trees elsewhere. These are the best timber coming

I04 Hart, Eucalypts about Creswick and Cliines [vol."^xxxVv.

on in this forest. It extends on to the tops of ridges, accom-
panying E. dives on this dry ground after E. Stiiartiana has
almost ceased, but it is not here of the same growth. It occurs
on dry, high-level gravels on the summits of some of the hills
south of Creswick, but is stunted. In the lower country to
the north-west of Creswick there are low spreading trees of
this species, and it is found in the same form with E. ciceophora,
of somewhat similar habit, west of Clunes. Further north it
seems less common. The summer conditions are, no doubt,
gradually becoming too severe for it.

An interesting comparison seems possible with a description
of its occurrence about Adelaide, where it is said to occupy
the highest parts of the Blount Lofty Ranges, and. according
to another account, especially on sandy soils. The analogy
to the occurrence on Mount Beckworth is evident, for there
it keeps the highest levels — at least on the north slopes — and
the granitic soil would possess the easily permeable and easily
penetrable character of sandy soils. It would appear, then,
that even with rainfalls quite moderate, and in warm country,
it can continue on the higher lands, the " sandy soil "
suggesting assistance from a good deep root-run.

E. Stnartiana avoids the driest situations in the ranges about
Creswick ; it does not extend to the volcanic plains, nor have
I noticed it on the high level volcanic country. It does not
appear to be present on the bedrock country near and beyond
Clunes.

The occurrence of the Red Stringybark to the south-west
of the Creswick railway station has been examined and its
limits traced. A count of trees was made on a strip ; the
growth was nearly ail coppice, but each clump of stems was
counted as one. In the central part of the line on the middle
elevations of the ridge, and with a north-eas*- aspect, the clumps
once reached a frequency of over 700 to the acre, and of these
over 90 per cent, were Red Stringybark. From this place it
became less common, till it ceased to occur. It reached the
t(jp of a ridge at moderate elevation for a short distance, and
continued a little way down the south-west fall. Around the
Strmgybark area was the usual mixture of E. obliqua, E.
Sluarliana, and /:. dives, and these trees also occurred with it.
If the Red Stringybark had not been there, these species could
have been thorouglJy at home on the area it occupies. Red
Stringybark has practically complete possession over ])art of
the area, but it is a situation where we would expect E.
Stuarlianu to l)e conspicuous. The occurrence is strongly
suggestive of a not very old invasion by a strong competitor.
There are, of course, other alternatives ; some detail of past
history or undetected soil peculiarity may have given this
tree the advantage.

Nov.,"j Hart, Eiiralyp/s about Cresivick and Chines. 105

Yellow Box reaches its limits on the flanks of the hills at
about the one level, and in the adjacent valleys. It has been
said to like good soil, but it occurs at some places where the
soil has no appearance of being good. Now, in the ranges, to
a great extent, better soil, deeper soil, and soil less liable to
become overdry are likely to be identical. It may, then,
appear to like good soil when it really prefers a deeper or a
more retentive soil. It is no doubt a more sun-loving tree
than some of those in the ranges, but this does not, of course,
prevent some specimens from growing among the denser
timber. It occurs on the plain at North Creswick, but it
would seem to dislike the plain further north. The best trees
seen on the volcanic country were in the open and well-soiled
valley of Glendonald Creek, and at the place where it is most
numerous on the plains the soil is pi^obably not purely volcanic.
In the countjy beyond Clunes it prefers the valleys and lower
flanks of the hills. This might be compared with its occurrence
on the Ferntree Gully road, where it occurs on the lower part
of Wheeler's Hill, and again on the low rises east of the
Dandenong Creek. It is also of interest to notice that on
Wheeler's Hill it occurs below the level of E. macrorrhyncha,
which is on the higher slope. At Creswick it does not meet
E. macrorrhyncha ; this species occurs in a near valley, but
largely on higher parts of the slopes than the usual position of
Yellow Box.

The distribution of E. rubida, Candlebark, in the bedrock
country at first sight suggests a preference for the valleys.
When, however, it is observed to occur not only some distance
up the slopes, but also all over some of the lower and gently-
sloping liills, to extend to parts at least of the plains, and even
to occur on gravel terraces with Broad-leaved Peppermint, we
need a different explanation.

Then it a,ppears that under the climatic conditions of
Creswick E. rubida will occur where there is a deeper run for
its roots, where more soil has accumulated, and the run-off
of water is less, and the power of the soil to hold water greater.
These conditions are obtained mostly on the lower slopes of
the steeper ranges, but more generally over gentle hills ; and
on the gravel banks the more penetrable material and the flatter
surface, lessening run-off of water, are an advantage. Such
banks are usually, but not always, well drained.

In warmer climates this species is more distinctly a mountain
form ; more moisture and cooler root conditions in summer
are conditions we would expect it to favour. On the other
hand, at an extensive wet flat in the ranges, at the junction
of Back Creek and the Adekate Creek, the Candlel)ark keeps
off the wettest ground, leaving it to the Swamp Gum, and where

lo6 Mart, Eucalvpts about Cresivick and Climes. [voi"^xxxiv.

Candlebark occurs on the bluestone plains it is sometimes at
least on slopes where the soil would not be so long water-logged
in winter.

E. ritbida often accompanies Yellow Box in this district,
but, while they seem to like similar conditions of soil, the
Candlebark extends from these localities into higher and
moister parts of the district, the Yellow Box to lower and
warmer places. We find beyond Cluncs the common associa-
tion of E. sideroxylon and E. polyanlhemos, with the latter
more widely distributed. We might compare with the
occurrence of these species at Hurst's Bridge, where the Ironbark
is seen on the high and dry lidge near the station. There is
a marked contrast between the situations favoured most by
E. sideroxylon and E. leucoxylon, which is the more worth
attention on account of the confusion which has taken place
in these species. They may be found close together at the
margins of their respective habitats ; nevertheless, their typical
positions are different.

E. sideroxylon begins near the summit of the hills south of
Talbot and north-west of Clunes, and extends north. Here
it prefers the north or sunny slope, few trees occurring on the
south, and then not far from the top of the hill. The soil
round it has often a Ixirren aspect. This may also be noticed
in a more familiar locality in the Ironbark country close to the
railway west of Bacchus Marsh.

E. leucoxylon prefers the lower parts of the hillsides and
places where the slopes meet the flatter ground, and places
where deeper soil is likely, occurring thus to the tops of some
of the hills. It extends to the volcanic plains, but does not
seem to like the worst of the wet places on the ])lains, which it
leaves to the Red Gum. Where it is commonest on the plain
the soil is probably not purely volcanic. The ground about
the Yellow (nims is often well grassed.

In Studlcy Park, Kew, the occurrence on the higher ground
is on well-soiled and often gently sloping land and on gravels.
It occurs on the steep slopes to the river and on the narrow
ridge above the Johnston-street bridge, but it must be
remembered that such a ridge is favourable to the deep
weathering of the rock, and that stones helj) to keep some
soils open. The rock below may be easily jK'uetrable along
its cracks, and there may l)c a thoroughly good root-run and
quite sufficient power to hold moisture. It can be seen also
on a well-drained hillside south of Talbot, and is said to be
characteristic of rocky slopes below the highest levels of the
Mount Lofty Ranges. It is a tree of wide distribution in
South Australia. The highest levels at which I noticed E.
leucoxylon near Clunes would be not much over 1,150 feet ;

Nov.,"! Hart, Eucalvpis about Creswick and Clunes. 107

1917 J ' • ' '

E. sideroxylon, about 1,100 feet, l)ut the occurrence of this
species west of Bacchus Marsh would be a little higher.

The question presents itself whether the low part of the
Divide west of Creswick has allowed passage of northern species
to the south, or vice versa. The Divide might be an obstacle
either on account of its elevation or of the existence of its own
type of forest, with which some other species might not be
able to compete. However, a considerable part of the Divide
between Creswick and the Pyrenees is rather low, and the
bedrock ranges east of the Pyrenees, and sheltered by them
from the west, would need to be included in considering this
question. These I have not examined. At Creswick the
occurences of Yellow Box and of Red Stringybark do not seem
to mark their line of migration to the south. Yellow Gum might
be expected to follow the junction of the ranges and the
plains, and can grow on the plains, but it does not reach to
the elevations of the lowest part of the Divide. In the past,
with a lower level of the land it might have crossed, but it is
far more likely that it has travelled from the west along both
flanks of the central ranges. Red Gum is also abundant on
lower country on both sides of the Divide, and might easily
have reached the vicinity of the Divide from both sides
independently, but it may also cross at places further west,
for its highest levels are not far from the Divide.

On the other hand, the Swamp Gum and White Sallee would
be assisted to spread across the Divide by the volcanic strip,
not, however, because it is low, but because the competition
of other species is removed. The Swamp Gum could spread
across by the valleys in the ranges also, and no doubt has done
so. For the White Sallee the parts of the Divide with volcanic
soils would appear a distinct advantage at these levels, if it
is correctly considered to dislike close competition under the
conditions here. Near those high levels at which it is the
chief or only tree it is evidently in no need of facilities to cross
the Divide.

In conclusion, I would acknowledge my indebtedness to Mr.
P. R. H. St. John for many i)leasant discussions of points
which have arisen and for identification and confirmation of
some species. I would also refer to the usefulness of Howitt's
paper on the eucalypts of Gippsland. When we read that
paper and find that we can follow each species in spite of the
fact that what we regard as species were in many cases regarded
then as varieties within a species, we recognize the value of the
precision and clearness of his observations. A caution may be
necessary to look carefully at his use of the term " littoral,"
clearly defined by him, but not always clear in quotations from
his work.

lo8 Notes. [vj;

ict. Nat.
XXXIV.

Exhibition of Wild-Flowers. — It has not been possible to
complete the report of the recent wild-flower exhibition in time
for this Naturalist.

Honour Roll. — It is our sad duty to record the death of
another of those sons of members whose names were included in
the list published in the April Naturalist. On 27th September
Sergt. Thomas M. Hall, eldest son of the late Dr. T. S. Hall, was
killed in action in Flanders. He was an engineering student at
the Melbourne University at the time of enlistment.

The late Mr. E. A. Petherick, C.M.G. — Mr. Petherick,
who had been a member of the Club lor some years, but had
attended few meetings, owing to failing health, passed away
on the 17th September, at the age of 70. In August, 1912, he
interested a Club party in an examination of .some of the
volumes of early voyages to Australia, containing the founda-
tions of the natural history of this continent. His knowledge
of books, documents, maps, &c., relating to Australia was un-
rivalled, and some j^ears ago he presented his collection to the
Commonwealth.

The " Austral Avian Record." — No. 4 of vol. iii. (21st July,
1917) is to hand. Mr. Gregory M. Mathews publishes additional
new sub-species of Australian birds, together with a number of
corrections, additions, and deletions of his original list, of which
little can now be left. The final correction is Kcartlandia fiavi-
ventris in place of Acanthiza flaviventris, Ashby. Why our old
friend Mr. G. A. Keartland is not treated to a trinomial like
his contemporary ornithologists is a puzzle. An interesting
account is given, with a portrait, of Silvester Diggles, the well-
known Queensland ornithologist, whose great work, "The Orni-
thology of Australia," is a fine monument to an ardent observer.

Gossamer Spiders. — While driving from Murtoa to Kewell
one afternoon late in the autumn I beheld a sight which, to me
at any rate, was unique, though my life has l)een a fairly long
one. Everywhere spiders' webs were glistening in the sunlight,
and the ground had the appearance of the sun shining on water.
As I passed along the road I could see the webs covering the
paddocks for half a mile on either side, and reflecting the sun's
rays. Years ago, when ploughing, I frequently noticed that the
last furrows turned over would soon be spanned across by
spiders' webs, but I could not detect any spiders, although care-
fully searched for at the time. Now, to supply such an amount
of web as seen by me on that afternoon there must be countless
numbers of spiders. I will be glad if any reader can explain the
phenomenon. — James Hill. Westell Farm, Kewell.

ZM Uictorlan naturalist

Vol. XXXIV.— No. 8. DECEMBER 6, 1917. No. 408.

FIELD NATURALISTS' CLUB OF VICTORIA.

The ordinary monthly meeting of the Club was held at the
Royal Society's Hall on Monday evening, I2th November, 1917.
The president, Mr. F. Pitcher, occupied the chair, and about
tifty-fivc members and visitors were present.

REPORTS.

A report of the excursion from Croydon to Wonga Park on
Saturday, 13th October, was given by the leader, Mr. E. E.
Pescott, F.L.S., who said that, owing to the illness of Mr. C.
French, jun., Mr. P. R. H. St. John had kindly acted as
co-leader. A large number of members had attended, and, in
addition, a number of pupils from the Church of England
Grammar School had been present, in charge of Mrs. a' Beckett.
An enjoyable ramble had resulted. The outing had been
arranged principally for the study and collection of orchids,
of which sixteen species were noted either in foliage, flower,
or seed. The plants were not as numerous as had been antici-
pated, and contained no species of particular rarity.

A report of the excursion to Heidelberg on Saturday, 20th
October, was given by the leader, Mr. J. Searle. who said that
the party included several members of the Microscopical
Society. The object of the outing was aquatic zoology, and
the excursionists had not been disappointed, for the ponds were
found to be in splendid condition and teeming with life of all
descriptions. One of the most noticeable captures was a
colonial form of a protozoan, globular in shape, and about the
size of a large pea, the zooids dwelling in tubes formed in the
gelatinous mass. On these was feeding a rotifer, probably
a species of the genus Proales.

A report of the excursion to Belgrave and Sherbrooke Falls
on Saturday, 27th October, was given by the leader, Mr. F.
Pitcher, who reported a very good attendance, and that the
excursion was made specially memorable by the fact that His
Excellency the Governor-General, Sir Ronald Munro Ferguson,
(i.C.M.G., had availed himself of the opportunity of seeing
some of the nearest forest country to Melboiinie. Six species
of eucalypts were noted, and Mr. A. D. Hardy, F.L.S., had
given a demonstration of the methods of measuring the height
of trees. One of those selected for the demonstration gave a
height of 184 feet, with a stem diameter of 9 feet at five feet
from the ground. The day was unfavourable for birds and

no Field Naturalists' Club — Proceedings. fvJi'^

XXXIV.

insects, and only the usual flowering shrubs and plants of the
ranges were seen.

A report of the excursion to Labcrtouche on Tuesday, 6th
November (Cup Day), was given by the leaders, Messrs. C.
Daley, F.L.S., and P. R. H. St. John, who said that the outing
had been well attended, and proved very enjoyable. The
part}' had been met at Longwarry station by the Messrs. Currie
and others and driven out about six miles northwards to what
is known as " the Boronia country." Here a beautiful sight
was presented by the masses of Boronia pinnata in bloom, the
colour of the flowers varying from white to moderately deep
pink. A numlier of other plants, usual in such a locality, were
seen, but nothing of particular interest was noted.

A vote of thanks to the Messrs. Currie for their hospitality
was carried unanimously, on the motion of Messrs. C. Daley
and P. R. H. St. John.

A report of the excursion to Ricketts Point (Beaumaris) on
Saturday, loth November, was given by Mr. F. Chapman,
A.L.S., the place of his co-leader (Mr. J. Shephard) being taken
by Mr. J. Searle, owing to Mr. Shephard's inability to be
present. He said that a good party assembled for the outing,
and, the weather being fine and pleasant, an enjoyable after-
noon resulted. The geology of the cliffs, &c., proved of greater
interest than many of the party expected, and they returned
home well satisfied with the knowledge gained. Mr. J. Searle
reported that unfortunately no boat was available, so the use
of the tow-net had to be abandoned ; however, plenty of
material was found in the numerous rock-pools to interest those
wishing to study marine life, and many bottles were filled with
specimens for home examination.

ELECTION OF MEMBERS.

The chairman reported that, in view of tlic interest His
Excellency the (iovernor-Cieneral, Sir Ronald Munro-Ferguson,
G.C.M.(i., had displayed in the Club by his remarks at the
opening of the exhibition of wild-flowers, and by his attendance
at the Belgrave excursion, op])ortunity had been taken on thi-
latter occasion to ask him to beccjme an honorary mcmi)er of
the Club, to which he had consented. In accordance with the
rules, the committee had approved of the nomination of His
Excellency as an hon. member of the Club, and he was formally
nominated by Dr. Sutton and Mr. A. D. Hardy, F.L.S. The
latter, in seconding the resolution, said that the rule relating
to honorary members required them to be non-resident in
\'ictoria. and to be distingtiished for their attainments in
natural science. He consideri'd His Excellency fulfilled both
these conditions, for as (iovernor-General he is a resident of

^,^^.'] Field Naturalists' Club — Proceedings. in

Victoria, and, in fact, of Australia, only for the term of his
office. His standing as an authority on forestry was sufficient
to meet the second requirement, while the interest he had
recently displayed in the aims of the Club warranted the
proposal to elect him as an hon. member. Messrs. J. A.
Kershaw, F.E.S., and F. Wisewould briefly supported the
nomination, and on the ballot being taken the election was
unanimous.

On a ballot being taken. Miss J. M'Grath, 630 Station-street,
Carlton ; Miss Grace Nokes, 411 Colhns-street, Melbourne ;
Mr. H. Coney, 337 Rathdown-street, Carlton ; Mr. Basil
Hodgins, Victoria Nursery, Moreland-road, Essendon ; Mr.
Curtis C. Plante, Glassford-street, Armadale ; and Mr. Wm.
Robertson, Dalny-road, Murrumbeena, were duly elected
ordinary members ; and ]\Ir. A. J. Maher, Cann River, via
Orbost, and Mr. Wm. Reese, State School, Edenhope, as country
members of the Club.

GENERAL BUSINESS.

The hon. treasurer, Mr. G. Coghill, reported that, though
the final returns for the recent exhibition of wild-flowers could
not yet ])c given, he felt sure the net proceeds would amount
to £210. The announcement was greeted with applause, the
chairman remarking that before the exhibition he had hoped
to see /200 realized, and had encouraged members to keep
that aim in view. Mr. F. Wisewould considered the result
excellent, and any idea of the indifference of the public to the
Club's efforts had been dissipated.

NOTES ON EXHIBITS.

Dr. C. S. Sutton called attention to a growing specimen of
Ruppia marilima, Lin., Sea Tassel (N.O. Naiadace?e), and read
some notes descriptive of the flowering and germination of
the plant. Later in the evening lantern photographs of the
flower-development, &c., were shown.

Mr. E. E. Pescott, F.L.S., drew attention to his and Mr.
C. French, jun.'s, exhibit of herbarium specimens of seven
species of terrestrial orchids, comprising one new species,
Chiloglollis Pcscottiana, Rogers, from Tallangatta, and three
species new for Victoria.

Mr. C. J. Gabriel called attention to his exhibit of live speci-
mens of five species of Victorian land snails from Hcalesville,
which included a pair of the black snails, Paryphanta atra-
mcntaria, Sttlwth., found in the higher fern-gullies.

Mr. P. R. H. St. John called attention to a sample of crude
oil of Borania pinnata which he had distilled from material
obtained at Labertouche (Gippsland). He thought that it
would prove of distinct commercial value. He had also

112 Field Naiiivalisis' Club — Proceedings. [vol"^xxxiv

distilled an oil from Iirioslcinon myoporoidcs, a sample of which
was on exhibition.

PAPER.

By Mr. C. Daley, M.A., F.L.S.. entitled " The Victorian
Grampians."

This took the form of a lecturette descriptive of a fine series
of lantern views depicting some of the scenic wonders of the
Grampians. Some of the weathering of the sandstone was
most remarkable, and for fantastic shapes will compare favour-
ably with occurrences in other parts of the world.

NATUR.\L }IISTORY NOTE.

Mr. F. Chapman, A.L.S., said that one of our commonest
fossils is the tooth of the shark hitherto known as Oxyrhina
hastalis, Ag. This must in future be known as Isiiriis liasfalis,
the name Oxyrhina ha\ing been found to be preoccupied by
a genus of dipterous insects.

EXHIBITS.

By Mr. C. J. Gabriel. — Living Victorian land snails from
Healesville, viz. : — Paryphanta atramentaria, Shuttleworth,
Rhvtida ruga, Cox, Helicarion Ciivieri, Ferrussac, Flamulina
siibdepyessa, Brazier, and F. Fordci, Braz., var. M'Coyi, Petterd.

By Mr. U. J. Paton. — Wild-flowers from Bendigo, including
Cheiranthera linearis, Cunn., Helichrysiini obcordatiim, F. v. M.,
Melaleuca Wihonii, R. Br., &c.

By Mr. F. Pitcher. — Flowers of Eucalyptus lorquaius, Lueh-
mann, " Coolgardie White Gum," Western Australia, and
Melaleuca gibbosa, Labill., " Swollen-leaved Tea-tree," Victoria,
South Australia, and Tasmania, grown at Melbourne Botanic
Gardens.

By Mr. F. E. Pcscott. — Dried specimens of orchids — Thely-
mitra grandijlora, Fitz., from Marcus Hill, near Qucenscliff,
collected l)y Mr. W. Wallace — new for Victoria ; T. luico-cilium,
Fitz., from (iolton South, Wimmcna, collected by Mr. J. A.
Hill, new for Victoria ; T. Macniillani, F. v. M., and T. anten-
nifera, Hook, f., red form, for comparison ; Chiloglotlis Pescoliiana,
Rogers, from Tallangatta, North-East Victoria, collected by
Mr. A. B. Braine, new species ; Cyrinstylis reniformis, R. Br.,
Yellow-green flowered form : C. MucUcri, V\\.a., unrecorded for
Victoria ; also growing plants of Thclyinilra fuscn-ltitca, K. Br.

By Mr. P. R. H. St. John.- Sample of crude oil distilled by
exhibitor from Baronia pinnuta. Smith, material (jbtaiiied from
Labcrtouche, Gippsland ; oil from Friostemon myopor aides,
De C, material obtained from Melbourne l^otanic (iardens ;
also herbarium specimen of Boronia pinnata with variegated
leaves, collected at Labertouche, 1/11/17.

^^'^■'l Field Natiiyalists' Club — Proceedinss. wi

1917 J t, .-)

By Dr. C. S. Sutton. — Dried specimens of the orchids Cala-
denia clavigcra, A. Cunn., collected at Blue Range Creek, near
]\Iansfield, in November, 1906, and Thclymitra grandiflora, Fitz.,
a flesh-coloured specimen collected at Wilson's Promontor^^ in
October, 1909 ; another from an unknown Victorian locality,
and a third, which, though it does not conform with any recorded
species, is considered by Dr. Rogers a variety, from Flinders
Island, in November. rqi2.

By Mr. H. B. Williamson. — Flowers of Chieranthera linearis,
Cunn., from Chiltern, North-East Victoria.

After the usual conversazione the meeting terminated.

EXCURSION TO BELGRAVE.

Ox the occasion of the Club's exhibition of wild-flowers at the
Melbourne Town Hall on 2nd October last, His Excellency the
Governor-General, Sir Ronald Munro Ferguson, G.C.M.G.,
after performing the opening ceremony, expressed a wish to be
allowed to join one of the ordinary Club excursions. As Sir
Ronald is interested in forestr}^ it was thought that the ex-
cursion to Belgrave on the programme for Saturday, 27th
October, would be a suitable occasion, and he was accordingly
invited to take part in it. About thirty members left town
by the early train, reaching Belgrave, 26 miles, about half-past
eleven. His Excellency, with the leader, motored from town,
reaching Belgrave shortly after the train contingent. After
the usual introductions the Monbulk road was taken, and the
picturesqueness of the locality was soon a topic of conversation,
the many fine Blackwood trees, Acacia melanoxylon, being
greatly admired. Our visitor was soon busy making inquiries
as to the respective values from a timber point of view of the
different trees seen alongside the road, where the Starry Aster,
Olearia sfellidata, var. lyrata, and the Musk-tree, 0.- argophylla,
decked with their white flowers, grew in profusion. About three-
quarters of a mile from the township the party left the road,
taking the tourist track to the Sherbrooke Falls. Shortly
after, at one of the rustic bridges over a minor creek, a photo-
graph of the party was taken, a copy of which is on view
to-night. The walk was then continued through the forest,
the usual vegetation, such as Hazel, Musk, Christmas-tree,
Silver Wattle, Blackwood, Native Mulberry, lining the track
on cither hand, interspersed with tree-ferns, smaller ferns, and
other plants. In about two miles the camping-ground at the
Falls was reached. Here rustic tables and seats, also fireplaces
for billy-boiling, are provided for visitors. A halt was made
for lunch, which was enjoyed in perfect weather and ideal
surroundings. After lunch the president of tlie Club, Mr. F.

114 Excnvsion io Belgrave. [vJ."^xxxVv.

Pitcher, wlio was also leader for the clay, conveyed to His
Excellency the Club's gratitude at the interest he had displayed
in its objects and work, and the members' appreciation of his
having joined them in the outing, and in conclusion asked him
to allow himself to be proposed as an honorary member of the
Club. This was done by Dr. Sutton and Mr. A. D. Hardy,
F.L.S., in suitable terms, and the proposal unanimously
endorsed. In responding, and signifying his acceptance of
honorary membership, the Governor-General pointed out the
value of individual enthusiasm and individual action in matters
of natural science. The Club's badge was then presented to
His Excellency by Miss G. Nethercote. Before resuming the
ramble, Mr. A. D. Hardy, F.L.S., was good enough to make
some remarks on the methods of ascertaining the heights of
trees. This, he said, to be correct, should be done by means
of a theodolite and steel tape, but the former was somewhat
weighty, and could only be used by an expert. The ordinary
tourist has, therefore, to be satisfied with the result ascertained
by the use of the clinometer. He pointed out the unreliability
of the " pencil " method, and then demonstrated by the cli-
nometer and tape method the approximate height of a Mountain
Ash, E. amygdalina, standing close by. Tliis was shown to
be i66 feet. Later, specimens of giant gums, /:. re<^nans, were
ascertained to be 170 and 184 feet respectively. Mr. P. R. H.
St. John briefly referred to the distinguishing characters of the
lialf-dozen species of eucalypts to be found in the immediate
neighbourhood. A start was then made for the " Giant Tree "
— a fallen monarch of the forest situated towards the Sassafras
road. After a close inspection of this reminder of what the
forest had been, a return was made towards the Falls, and tiie
creek crossed to the southern side. Following a new tourists'
track, the gully vegetation was soon left beliind, and, emerging
on a hillside, fine panoramic views of Western Port Hay, witli
French and Phillip Islands, Mount Martha, Arthur's vSeat,
Port Phillip, &c., were obtained. On reaching the Upwey road
the Governor-General's car and a char-a-banc were waiting
for the tourists, and conveyed them to the pavilion at the National
Park, Ferntree Gully, where all partook of a very pleasant tea,
after which His Excellency expressed his great pleasure at
having had an outing with the Club, and bade good-bye to
each of the party, leaving for town about f) o'clock amid
three ringing cheers. The rest of the party left by the 7 p.m.
train, having had, as each one asserted, a most enjoyable day.
The plants noticed during the day were neither striking nf)r
rare. The Golden Bush-Pea, PuUencva (Jiinnii, and the Yellow
Rice-flower, Pimclea flavu, gave, colour to the bush in places.
The Acacias were nearlv over, .1. stricta and .1. vcrticilliita

J ^''l Excursion to Bclgiavc; lie;

still retaining a few flowers. The Striped Helmet Orchid,
Pterostylis refiexa, and the Common Bird Orchid, Chiloglottis
Giinnii, represented tlie Orchidcce. The rare filmy fern,
Trichornanes parvuliim, was pointed out on the stem of a tree-
fern. I am indebted to Mr. P. R. H. St. John for the list of the
liirds seen, which includes the Spotted Pardalote, Rose-breasted
Robin, Scarlet-breasted Robin, Yellow-breasted Shrike-Robin,
Black-faced Cuckoo-Shrike, Pallid Cuckoo, Pilot-Bird, White-
shafted Fantail Flycatcher, White-throaled Thickhead,
Crimson Parrakeet, Rosclla, King Parrot, Silver-eye, and
Crescent Honey-eater. Mr. A. N. Burns, who devoted his
attention to entomology, reports that, as the result of recent
heavy rains and boisterous weather, insects were rather scarce.
Only three species of butterflies were seen — ^the blue-spotted
Painted Fady, the Australian Admiral, and the Imperial White
— all common species. The latter was seen fl>'ing round a plant
of mistletoe (Loranthus) on a Blackwood. The outing is one
that can be easily taken by anyone desiring to see a sample
of our forest scenery, and it was gratifying to see how, in many
places, the young forest growth of E. regnans is asserting itself.
Many of these young trees, though only about ten years old,
are quite forty feet high, with stem diameters of from four to
nine inches. — F. Pitcher.

EXHIBITION OF WILD-FLOWERS.

For the 1017 exhibition of wild-flowers the Melb(nu-ne Town
Hall was again secured, and again a patriotic purpose — the
Y.M.C.A. National Fund — was chosen as the object to which
the profits should be devoted. Governed somewhat by " Show
Week," Tuesday, 2nd October, was fixed for the display.
I'ortunately, the weather during the preceding days was almost
all that could be desired, consequently many fine exhibits were
received from all parts of the country, and even the distant
States of Western Australia and Oucensland were represc-nted
in the exhibition. His Excellency the Governor-General, Sir
Ronald Munro Ferguson, G.C.M.G., in opening the exhibition,
referred to the eflorts that arc being made in the various
States to protect the native flora, and said that Australians
possessed great advantages over many other parts of the world,
for, the seasons not being so sharply divided, some plant was
to be found in bloom almost any day in the year, while an all-
pervading love of wild-flowers would greatly assist in the desire
for the preservation of our timl)er, which was so essential to
tile progress of the country. The exhil)ition was well })atron-
i/,ed by the general pul)lic, and it was with difficulty that many
of the tables could be approached by those interested.

1 1 6 Exhibition of Wild- f ok ns . rvoT'^^xxx i v

The large attendance means that tlie pubhc, in increasmg
numbers, is becoming famihar with the beauty and sweetness
of our native plants. In particular, the nurserymen, horti-
culturists, and florists — who, with fcNv exceptions, have been
slow in realizing the possibilities of so many singularly attractive
flowers — were again given an opportunity of correcting their
past mistakes by seeing some of the best flowers our bush can
produce. One can only hope that they did profit by the
lesson, and will devote some of their attention to the serious
cultivation of them, and, now that our exhibitions arc on a
larger scale and more eftectivcly advertised, this is more likely
to happen than ever before, and our plants in increasing numbers
will be listed in the nurserymen's catalogues.

The wild-flower exhibitions serve several purposes : money
is raised for patriotic objects, interest is created and fostered
in our plants, leading to their cultivation, and our society is
advertised. It may, however, be asked whetlier some still
further advantage might not be reaped from the expenditure
of so much energy by those engaged in the effort to make the
cxhil:)itions a success. At present we are still sadly lacking in
exact knowledge of the range and distribution of many species.
Though at first sight this may seem a somewhat unimportant
matter, it is highly desirable, for scientific reasons, that the
range of many of our flowers should be definitely recorded.
It cannot be expected, except, perhaps, in a very few instances,
that those sending flowers will also send lists of tlic species
with tlie parcels. Those of our members who are familiar
enough with our flora to identify the flowers rapidly and with
certainty are still, nnlortunately, too few, and, in the rnsh of
unpacking and staging the flowers, have time to label only a
small proportion of them, and no time at all to record the species
from each locality. It has been suggested that in future
collectors might, with very little extra trouble to themselves,
send with each parcel of flowers an "index" bunch -that is,
one specimen of each species sent, these to be ])n)j)erly tagged
with the name of th<- exhibitor and the locality, these " index "
bunches to l)e set aside for subsequent examination and record
by competent authorities, and thus each year would add
valuable information to our present incomplete records.

The recent display was hardly as spectacular as the previous
one. It was, however, more interesting, on account of the
greater number of flowers from other States— Western Aus-
tralia, South Australia, New South Wales, and Queensland all
contributing specimens more or less unfamiliar to Victorian
plant-lovers. I-'rom the West a grvat mass of colour was made
by the everlastings, mainly Helichrysums and Helipterums,
which had been ol)tained through tli<' eftorts of Miss l'"uller.

bee.,"]
1917 J

Exhibition of Wild-fioivers. 1 17

The Waratahs, Flannel-flowers, Boronias, and Orevilleas, not
forgetting Epacris longiflora, were the chief features of the
New South Wales exhibit.

The contribution of cultivated flowers from the Melbourne
Botanic Gardens was federal in character, containing the fine
Anoptc^-iis glanditlosa, from Tasmania; Brachysenia lanceolata,
Chorizemas, and Calothainnus quadrifidus, from Western
Australia ; Epacris low^ifiora, Callidemon lanccolatus, and many
Grevilleas, from New South Wales, with others from our own
State. Mr. A. Rutter Clarke, well known as an enthusiastic
grower of Australian plants, exhibited blooms of Chamce-
laucimn uncinatmn, Verticordia fontainesii, Eutaxia myrtifolia,
from Western Australia ; Prostanthera Sieheri, from New South
Wales, and many other attractive species.

Apart from the inter-State collections, seeing that floral
attractiveness is the principal consideration with collectors, it
was not surprising to find but few rarities. One of these was
the Alpine Marsh-Marigold, Caltha introloba, a sod being received
from Mount Buffalo containing several plants, with white
flowers streaked with purple. As this charming species occurs
only on our highest mountain-tops, and blossoms at the edges
of snow-drifts, or even underneath the snow itself, it was a
novelty to almost everybody, though several collectors have
secured the plant itself later in tlie season. Another rarity was
a plant of the Rosy Bush-Pea, Pultencea rosea, a plant restricted
to one peak in the (irampians. The plant, which was just
coming into bloom, had been raised in a pot by Mr. D'Alton,
of Hall's Gap, and had been brought to town by Miss Nether-
cote. One of our most beautiful twiners, Marianthus bignoni-
aceus, also made its appearance in a fresh state for the first
time from the Grampians, the eastern limit of its range, and
from the same locality, to which it appears to be confined, came
PultencBa Benthami. Other species not often seen in Melbourne
were Pomaderris lanigera, GreviUea floribimda (from the Bris-
])ane Range), Prostanthera cnneata, Clematis glycinoides,
Sowerba'a punicea, and Calectasia cyanca.

Nearly all the flowers were old friends, and, as usual, a few,
without which any display would be incomplete, dominated
the show. Thus Tctratheca ciliata, " Pink-eyes," came from all
directions, and, in its varying shades from white to deep
magenta, charmed everyone. Boronia pinnata, var. fforibunda,
from Gippsland, was also in abundance, and a great fav^ourite,
as was also the smaller B. pilosa, from the Grampians and other
western localities. Thryptomcne Mitchelliana also had no lack
of admirers. This plant, now becoming familiar to many owing
to its cultivation in our gardens, was prominent in the (irampians
collection, which was perhaps the most imposing section of the

Ii8 Exhibition of Wild-ftowers: rvd"^xxx\\

display, owing to the energy and enthusiasm of Miss G. Nether-
cote and her friends. Other Grampian flowers worthy of note
were Baiicra sessiliflora, Calylrix SuUivani, Conospcnmiui
MitchcUi, Grevillea aquifoUum, Astroloma {Styphclia) coito-
stephoides, and Stypandra glauca. The beginning of October is
rather late for the best of the Acacias, hence this characteristic
genus was bih poorly represented.

There were many other species which compelled attention,
though not in such quantity as some of those mentioned ; for
instance, there was nothing more charming than the colour of
Bcvckea diffusa, a delightful rosy-pink, and it is to be hoped
that it did not escape the attention of nurserymen. For the
same reason also Leschenaitltia hiloba, Kpacris longi/lora, and
Calectasia cyanca must be noted. Other attractive fiowers were
Lhotzkva genetylloides, Micromyrtus micro phylla, Calytrix ieira-
gona, and Prostanthera aspalathoidcs, from the Mallee ; Sowerbcra
punicca, Tecoma aiistralis, Eriostemon ohovalis, E. difformis ;
Cheiranthera linearis, from Bendigo ; Prostanthera mclissifolia,
P. cuneata, P. rotitndifolia, Grevillea alpina, and Clematis aristata.

A collection of nearl}^ forty sjjccies of orchids on Messrs.
E. E. Pescott's and C. h'rench's table made that order
more representative than any other. The most notable were
Pterostvlis barbata, P. Tovcyana, Chiloglottis Pescottiana, P.
irapeziforme , and the usually epiphytal species, Dendrobium
speciosum and Sarcochilus parvifiorus.

The Club was indebted to Mr. J. ("ronin. Curator of lli''
Mell)ourne Botanic Giirdi-ns, for palm leaves and other foliage
used in the decoration of the ]:)latform ; to Mr. 1*". \\'isewoald, who
again forwarded ;i large quantity of gum saplings, &c., from
Pakenhaiu, which lu'lped largely to introduce the Uavour of the
bush into the heart of the city ; to Miss Stephens. Healesville ;
Mrs. A. Forster, Hawthorn ; Air. W. (i. Piper, Belgrave ; and to
other friends for smaller contributions of a similar character.

To record particulars of each individual exhibit of flowers
is impossible — it would take a larger staff of helpers than is
available ; but from letters, &c., received the Club is inrlebted
to those named below for the interest they displayed in sending
Howers, in many cases from very long distances. I'lom New
South Wales.- Sydney.— Mr. J. if. Maiden. TS.O., Director of
the Botanic (iardens (representative New South Wales flowers) ;
Mr. A. Hamilton ; Mr. C. C. Fance ; N.S.W. Naturalists' Society,
per Mr. I). C. Shircss (Waratahs and Flannel-flowers) ; Mr. C.
Robinson, (iosforrl (Waratahs and Boronia) ; Mr. H. A. Pile.
Gosford (Waratahs. ^c.) ; Mr. W. Trantum, Manly (Waratahs) ;
Mrs. A. A. Weeks, Gosford ; Miss Halburd, Mulwnla ; and Mrs.
W. L. Hawke and M. Hughes, Broken Hill (Sturt's Desert j'ea).
Queensland.- Dr. I-'reda Bage, P.risbane : Mr. F. W. F)ick, Bris-

^^J^"'l Exhibition of Wild-flowers. 119

bane. South Australia. — Mr. A. G. Edquist, Adelaide. Western
Australia. — Mr. C. Grasby, Western Mail Office, Perth ; Miss
Babinqton, South Perth; Mrs. Butt, Northam ; Mrs. Bardwell,
Geraldton ; Mrs. S. Walton, Darlington ; Mrs. A. C. Gull,
Serpentine : and Miss Neimke, Laverton. Tasmania. — Mr. W.
M'Gowan, jun.. Launceston.

The collections from the home State represented a widespread
area. A few (marked b}^ an asterisk) came from State
schools, but the date fixed did not suit many of the schools,
as the previous week was the spring vacation, and unless the
distant parcels were sent early on Monday they would be too
late for the display. Among the places represented were : —
Wail (J. B. Conn), Kiata (Misses P. and A. Brookes), Dimboola
(E. Malcsky), Ycaringa * (Miss E. Rich), Grampians (Mrs. C.
D'Alton, — Palmer), Stawell (Miss L. Thomas, H. Rowe). Golton
South, via Lubeck (Mrs. A. M. Howard), Weddcrburn (Miss E.
Gray), Korong Vale* (A. Sublet), Bendigo (D. J. Paton, R.
Eskdale). Castlemaine (IMrs. Newell), Maldon (A. M'Arthur, xM. A.
Williams), Elmore* (A. Vroland), Warrnambool (H. J. Hans-
childt), Laver's Hill (R. Nicholas), Colac (Mrs. Smith), Carlisle
River (T. Lucas), Point Lonsdale (Miss V. Gill), Beaufort (G.
Coghill), Brisbane Range (C. S. Sutton), Bell's Flat, Yackandan-
dah * (A. A. Paull), xAIount Buffalo (Miss Royce), Wangaratta (Miss
C. Mason, ]\Irs. Home), Lima East (Mrs. A. S. Evans), Kilmore
(Rev. A. J. Peck), Strathallan (Mrs. Loader), Kangaroo Ground
(Miss V. Twyford), Panton Hill (— Hollcnyer), Marysville (Miss
K. Keppcl), Officer (C. Dunham), Bunyip (Mrs. .\'Beckctt, Miss
Bottcrell), Longwarry (Miss E. Wallace), Lardner (R. Currie),
Korumburra (Mrs. F. Wright), Meeniyan (Mrs. J. J. Blundell),
Narracan (T. Savige), Thorpdale (Mr. G. Cornthwaite), Darli-
murla * (head teacher), Heylield (Miss Eitzpatrick. Mrs. S.
Best). Sale (Miss A. F. M'Kerrow), Bairnsdale (Mr. T. S. Hart,
M.A.), Blackburn (A. Lyell), Wonga Park (C. Whale), Croydon
(Mrs. Piatt), Evelyn (C. Oke, F. G. A. Barnard), West Warburton
( — Grainger), Sandringham (Miss A. W. Faram), Frankston
(J. G. Mann), Bayswatcr (H. T. Chandler), Healcsville (J. W.
Audas, F.L.S.) Cultivated Australian flowers were sent by
Melbourne Botanic Gardens, Mr. A. Rutter Clarke (Toorak),
Mr. J. Robinson (Ormond), Mr. J. P. M'Lennan (Burnley
Gardens), and Mr. S. Keep (Canterbury).

The exhibition of microscopical objects was not the least
successful feature of the proceedings, owing to the united efforts
of several members of the Club, members of the Microscopical
Society of Victoria, teachers from the Training School, Carlton,
and the assistance given by the University Histological
department. In the afternoon twenty-eight microscopes were
in use, and in the evening thirty-seven. The exhil)its comprised

t20 Exhibition of Wild-flowers. [voi."^>

Vict. Nat.
XXXIV

a variety of subjects, though naturally vegetable preparations
predominated. Keen interest was exhibited by the public
in the wonders revealed under the microscopes, and their
owners were besieged ^ith questions on \-arious points, and it
would seem that l)y means of microscopes alone a considerable
sum might be raised for patriotic purposes. The display was
under the charge of Mr. F. Chapman, A.L.S., F.R.M.S., wlio
was ablv assisted by ^Messrs. R. E. Luher, B.A., P. J. Sharnian,
B.Sc. and \V. J. (3wen.

Paintings of wild-flowers were exhibited by Miss Amy Fuller
and ]\Iiss Eftie Baker, and were mueli admired, also illuminated
lantern slides of native flowers arranged by Mr. V.. E. Pescott.

The Club was deeply indebted to Miss Levy and her orchestra
for instrumental music. The sale of flowers and plants was
undertaken by a ladies' committee, and brought in nearly £y$.

Miss Wells, for the Y.M.C.A., undertook the management of
the refreshment stall, which realized £io 17s.

The receipts from admissions amounted to £124 lis. cash
at the door, and £38 6s. b}- sale of tickets, but the latter total
is not final. These amounts would indicate a total attendance
of aliout 3,250. The expenses amounted to about £^0, including
£16 for rent of hall, showing a profit up to the present time
of about £210.

The thanks of the Club are diu' to many members who gave
freely of their time, also to the Royal Horticultural Society
and the Carnation, Dahlia, and Sweet Pea Society for the loan
of flower-glasses, and to the Melbourne Steamsliij) Co. for
carriage of flowers from Western Australia.

"The Gum Tree." — The third (Septemljcr) nnml)cr of this
jmbhcation is to hand. It contains several articles of more than
passing interest. Some extracts from Prof. 1). E. Hutchens's
recent work on Australian forestry show that, during the next
thirty years, the amount to be ])aid by Australia for imijorted
timber, and the loss to the Commonwealth by neglected fi>restry,
will more than equal the \alue of the whole of the gold raised to
date.

Questioning Nature.— A wdl-wriitcn article under this
heading, appreciative of the w(jrk of the F'ijld Naturalists' Club,
a])])earcd in the Ar^us of loth November, and should, with the
reports of the Wilfl-llower Exhibition (.jrd October) and the visit
to the Daudenong Forest (29th October), help to remove the
prevalent idea that field naturalists arc ])oor, liai inlets (ranks.

^^^■•'\ Daley, Koies of a Visit to Matlacoota tnlet. 121

NOTES OF A VISIT TO MALLACOOTA INLET.

By Chas. Daley, B.A., F.L.S.

[Read before the Field Naturalists' Chtb of Victoria, i itJi June, T917.)

Two years ago, having started on a walking tour from the
Lakes to Mallacoota, we reached Orbost, on the Snowy River,
where an abnormal rainfall of many inches effectuall}^ pre-
vented further progress eastwards. However, in January last
I again essayed the journey, but decided to go by steamer to
Eden, on Twofold Bay (New South Wales), and thence come
back to Mallacoota by coach and motor-boat.

With this project in view, I proceeded by the steamship
Sydney, which includes calls at two Tasmanian ports 01 route,
the first of which is Stanlej'. The town nestles on the
sheltered side of " The Nut," a towering mass of basaltic rock
rising abruptly from the ocean's verge at Circular Head to a
height of several hundred feet. Stanle}^ is an old town, with
an English look about it, and has a picturesque old barracks
as a relic of the early penal days. The scanty vegetation
along the sandy coast behind " The Nut " presented no new
features, acacia and tea-tree prevailing, with the usual under-
growth of bracken, &c., similar to Victorian shores. On the
sward was an abundance of introduced weeds, the English
daisy being in bloom on every moist spot, and the sweet-briar
in profusion.

The next port of call was Devonport, on the Mersey.
Prettily situated, with a rich agricultural and mineral district
behind it, this town has made steady progress of late years.
It has a good port, and does considerable trade with Victoria.
We took the opportunity of a day in port to take a motor-boat
up the Mersey to Latrobe, a thriving country town some miles
up the river. At low tide the river shows a large extent of
shallow flats frequented b}/ Waders. Part of our journey was
a drive through the bush, offering again no features different
to the mainland. Leaving Devonport, we pursued a placid
course eastward through Bass Strait, within sight of the
picturesque mountain ranges and outline of Northern Tas-
mania. Outside of the strait the Victorian coast-line, with
the long extent of the Ninety-mile Beach, was skirted, Capes
Conran and Everard, with Ram Head and Little Ram Head,
being prominent features. Nearing Cape Howe, Genoa Peak
(1,611 feet in height) is a conspicuous land-mark. A few miles
distant is Gabo Island, with its warning light, and beyond it
the low, sandy extremity of Cape Howe, marking the eastern
border-line between Victoria and New South Wales. Disaster
Bay, the scene of the Ly-ee-moon wreck, a commodious inlet,
comes in view, the Cape Green lighthouse dcnciting its

IJ2 Daley, Kofcs of a \'isit to Mallacoota Inlet. [voi."^xxxiv.

dangerous reef. Farther on to the north, along the wooded
coast, the outline of Red Bluff indicates proximity to the line
and well-sheltered harbour of Twofold Bay. A quaint square
tower of massive build stands on the south headland at the
entrance. It was originally erected for the purposes of a light-
house by Ben. Boyd, an early pioneer of great enterprise :
but, owing to inability to satisfy the conditions as to permanent
lighting, permission to use a light was refused, and the towrr
remains to-day as a lit memorial of its builder.

Coming into the l)ay, we see the town of Eden, situated on a
pnjmontory dividing two circling bays of large extent, second
only to Sydney Harbour in length of coast-line. Tlie position
of the town at first sight is striking, resembling somewhat a
verdure-surrounded, castled town on the heights of some old-
world river. The blending of colour reminds one of amethyst
and emerald. To the south-west the bold peak of Mount
Imlay dominates the landscape. A fleecy cloud rt'sts on its
summit, and the scarlet and gold of a setting sun gloriously
define its outline, and make a striking and beautiful picture.
Forest-clad hills extend almost to the water's edge, and the
setting of the town is a very charming one. Mount Imlay was
named after Dr. Imlay, a colonist of the " forties," a station-
holder who dealt largel)' in stock as far inland as the Winunera
River, where in 1843 he had a station called " Decameron."

Eden is a settlement of historic interest, famous in former
days as a chief station of the whaling industry', which is still
occasionally carried on in open boats when whales resort to the
shelter of the harbour or are driven into it by the " killers "
for which Twofold Jjay is noted. The harl^our entrance is
one mile and a half wide, with a minimum deptii of 42 feet.
The old settlement at Boyd Town, with its quaint church and
substantial buildings, is situated on the inner harbour, near
the Kiah or Towamba River, and is full of interest. The
" trying-out " station of the whaling industry is placed near
the Kiah estuary. Kden has a poi)ulation of about 550 persons,
and will at some future day, witli railway connnunication, be
an ideal seaside resort, as it posses.ses a salubrious climate,
good facilities for bathing and fishing, and an environment of
great natural beauty. A daily mail service connects it with
Bega to the nortii, and regular ocean communication is main-
tained with Melbourne and Sydney, from which it is distant
350 and 210 miles respectively.

At 6 a.m. I left Eden by coach for (ienoa River, 45 miles
distant. For some miles up and down hill the road skirts the
bay, the intervening valleys being covered with thick growth
of ferns, climbrrs, and myrtaceous plants, gums and acacias,
banksias, hazel, musk, sassafras, and " hlly-pillies," whilst

^"•^1 Daley, Notes of a Visit to Mallacoota Inlet. 12^

1917 J -' o

sheokes grow on some ridges so thickl}^ as to account for the
statement of a gentleman at Eden, who had told me of the
" pine " forests, the sheokes (to those unfamiliar with Aus-
tralian flora) being easily mistaken for pines. The chief species
of forest trees forming the " great pillared catlicdral,
tremulously green," through which we passed were Stringybark,
Eucalyptus obliqua, Blood-wood, E. corymbosa, and the " Apple-
tree," Angophora intermedia. Occasionally patches of the
Mealy-leaved Eucalypt, E. cinerea, with its greyish appearance,
gave a contrast to the darker shades of other gums.

In the undergrowth, amid the bracken, the most noticeable
plants in bloom were the Holly-leaved Lorhatia, the widely-
diffused Cassinia or Dogwood, Blue Fringe-Lilies, blue
Dampieras, Thrasymene Billardieri, Stackhousia linarifolia,
Sccevola siiaveolens, BcBckia Cunniana, Lobelia purpitrascens,
a few late spikes of Epacris, and frequently flowers of the
Spotted Orchid, Dipodiiim pundatitui, two feet in height, and
varied in colouring. The stimulative effect of a copious
summer rainfall was seen in the beautifully-tinted young leaves
put forth by the gums, from a delicate amber to a rich red
shade, through the veined transparency of which the sun's
rays richly enhanced the colour scheme. The soft green
leafage of the flowering Angophoras, the lighter green of the
sheltering Native Cherry, the full whitish bloom of Cassinia,
and the rich clusters of creamy flowerets on the Bursaria
relieved the more sombre eucalyptian foliage, beneath which
the blue and gold of humbler scrub-flowers blended har-
moniously with the varied greens in mosses, grasses, and bracken,
giving an unusually bright and pleasing effect to the forest scene.
The bush road leads through well-shaded country, the vegeta-
tion being in its pristine state except near the watercourses,
where there is usually some settlement witli maize and orchard
cultivation.

The first stream crossed was the Nullaga, sometimes diflicult
to negotiate at high tide. The Kiah River, an unbridged
stream, is frequently an obstacle to travellers. The depth of
water at our crossing was two feet and a half. In wet weather
it is sometimes impassable. The construction of a bridge, for
which tenders had been called, will render the road generally
available for motor travelling. At a convenient accommoda-
tion house at Narrabarba Creek we had lunch, another stopping-
place being at Timl^ilico, near the Wallagaraugh River, only
a few miles from the border-line, which runs from Cape Howe
through Mount Carlyle and Mount Buckle on to Forest
Hill.

Approaching the Genoa River, the country is granitic in
character, most of it previously passed through being either

124 Daley, Notes of a Visit to Mallacoota hilct. [v()["'xxxiV

Ordovician or granitic. The descent to the river is very abrupt,
over a rough stretch of road down to the bridge. The Genoa
River is a clear mountain stream with thickly-wooded banks.
\A'e proceeded down its course in a motor-boat. There is good
maize land along the stream, and dairying is successfully
carried on. Near Genoa the blackberry brambles have become
a very great nuisance. After a short distance tlirough granite
country, the formation changes to Ordovician or auriferous
measures on the eastern side, and Pliocene or a comparatively
recent formation on the western side of river and lake. The
river-banks were lined with reeds, rushes, ferns, mosses, and
water plants, above which were Acacias, Bursarias, Boobyallas,
" Lilly-pillies," tea-tree, and Cassinia, with Blood-wood, Silver-
top, Apple-tree, and Ironbark overhead. The Bursaria bloom,
here called the " Christmas Bush," was very fine. So calm
was the water tliat every detail in the vegetation was perfectly
reproduced by reflection in the mirror-like surface of the
stream, adding much to the beaut}' of the scene. We passed
a snake with head upraised, swimming across the river, which,
gradually widening, receives first the Maramingo Creek, then
the chief tributary stream, the Wallagaraugh, from the north-
east. Just before entering the Top Lake the river is 200 yards
wide. Between the Top Lake and the Inlet proper is a channel
called " The Narrows," a mile long and 300 yards wide. The
banks of the stream and the bays and reaches of the lakes
offer a succession of fine vistas of timbered slopes and liead-
lands.

Crossing the Top Lake, a storm threatened, but we arrived
safely at our destination, the Lake View Hotel, 20 miles from
Genoa. This comfortal)le hotel is on a ridge commanding a
splendid view of the Inlet and the ocean. On the western side
is Mallacoota West, where a townsliip lias been surveyed near
Captain's Point.

Tlie physical features of ^Mallacoota nrc interesting. The
geological formation generally is Ordovician, with Pliocene to
the west of the Inlet, in contact with a strip of Ordovician
country, in its turn resting against the granite. The Pliocene
also extends eastwards for a short distance towards Cape Howe,
meeting granite to the east, and to the north the Ordovician
which forms the eastern boundary of the Inlet. The contour
is broken up by numerous bays and reaches extending some-
times for miles, and into which streams like the Dowall and
the Little Rivers, Howe and Harrison Creeks, find their way
through typical jmiglc growth. The lieadkinds, fringed with
tea-tree on the shore, and well wooded, are gently sloping,
sometimes almost prerii)itous, frequently symmetrically rounded.
Behind is a backgromid of thickh'-timbrnd hills and mountains,

^^^■A Daly, Notes of a Visit to Mallacoolu Inlet. i'>e

Genoa Peak, to the north-west, with its sharp pinnacle at one
end, being a predominant feature. Tlie table-topped Mount
Nadgee is to the north-east, and the Howe Range, the extreme
coastal spur from the main range, lies a few miles east of the
Inlet.

The view from the entrance is a very fine one. Near the
western side the current sweeps through the shifting and
tortuous channel. There is a sand-bar near the mouth, with
only three or four feet over it at low water, and off Captain's
Point an inner bar with even less depth of water at low tide.
This obstruction makes navigation difficult. A long barrier
of sand-dunes, with tea-tree. Acacia, Banksia, rushes, and
grasses, extends eastwards towards Cape Howe, below a ridge
leading to tlic Howe Range. Three flat islands — Rabbit Island,
Goat Island, and Horse Island — lie just within the entrance.
At the western side of the entrance the stratified rocks, up-
turned at right angles to the plane of deposition, are scored
by the tidal action, the Bastion Point showing, in its weathered
appearance, conclusive evidence of the mighty disintegrating
power of wind and wave. About eight miles distant is the
syenitic granite mass of Gabo Island, with lighthouse, and the
low coast-line of Cape Howe, the small island of Tullaberga
intervening between the entrance and Gabo. Looking west-
ward from Bastion Point along the coast. Little Ram Head
bounds the view. Just within the entrance the first settlement
was made about 1842 at Captain's Point by an ex-whaler from
Twofold Bay — John Stevenson, previously with the adventurous
Benjamin Boyd. The Lands ()ffice records in 1847 show the
location at Mallacoota of two cattle stations, also the holding
of James Allan, son-in-law of Captain Stevenson.

Mallacoota, like the inlets along the Pacific coast, is an
example of a drowned river valley, and the scenery on the
eastern side reminds one of the famous reaches of the Hawkes-
bury River. An extensive sand-bank or shoal, known as the
Goodwin Sands, part of which, when uncovered at low tide,
is a favourite haunt of wild-fowl, has been formed within the
Inlet, the main current in general trending down the western
side of the lake. The Inlet is nearly six miles long ])y three
miles wide. There are numerous delightful arms and recesses,
many of which can be explored with a boat some distance into
;\ tangled jungle of luxuriant vegetation, where tea-tree, tree-
ferns, Myrtle, Sassafras, Musk, Hazel, and Blanket-wood,
entwined with creepers and lianas, grow above the dense scrub
and fallen timber, wattles, gums, and Angophoras forming a
leafy canopy overhead. It is here the marvellous notes of
the shy Coachwhip-Bird are heard at their best, amid the
tuneful melody of the Bell-Miners and the full-throated song

126 Daley — Notes of a Visit to Mallacooia hilet. [voV'^xxxiV.

of the Harmonious Thrush. Ly re-Birds still haunt these
shaded glades and fern gullies.

I was very pleased to meet a fellow Club member in Mr.
E. H. Lees, C.E., F.R.A.S., whose courtesy and hospitality, so
freely tendered, were alike acceptable. The residence of Mr.
Lees, " Fairhaven," is delightfully situated on an isthmus
behind a headland commanding extensive and charming views
of the scenery of the Lilet. Both garden and orchard fully
exhibit the fertile nature of the soil and the abundance resulting
from its culture under skilful direction.

Most of the adjoining country is auriferous. East of the
Inlet the " Spotted Dog " mine has been worked with fair
results, and other places prospected, but the quartz lodes are
patchy in character, and the difficulties of working satisfactorily
are very great.

Mallacoota abounds in fish — bream, salmon trout, flounders,
flathead, ludrick, skipjack, schnapper, whiting, gar, yellow-tail,
&c., giving excellent sport. Rock oysters are obtainable near
the entrance, an extensive aboriginal kitchen midden Ixnng in
the vicinity, as was usually the case wherever shell-fish were
abundant near the coast. Black Duck and Teal were just
beginning to come into the Inlet ; Swans and Coots were
numerous, but wild-fowl were not so plentiful as I expected
to find them, the season being rather early.

In the forests and scrub kangaroos and wallabies are still
fairly numerous. Koalas and an occasional Echidna are met
with ; opossums and platypi in fair numbers. Emus are
sometimes seen. Reptiles are well represented. The Carpet
Snake, Python variegaiiis, is found in Eastern Gippsland, some-
times of very large size, and I was credibly informed that its
congener, the Diamond Snake, supposed to be confined to
Queensland and New South Wales, was also sometimes met with.
The Copper-head frequents the svvam])s, and the Black, the
Tiger, and the Brown Snakes are widely distributed in Gipps-
land. The most noticeable lizards are the " doannas," or
" Lace Lizards," Varanua gouldii, which are numerous, and
often from four to five feet in length, and the " Water Dragons,"
Physignathus Icsueri, frequenting the banks of the creeks,

Mallacoota is a favoured haunt for birds, all the smaller
Warblers, Robins, Tits, Wrens, Flycatchers, Cuckoos, &c.,
being numerous, whilst birds of special interest, such as the
Emu-Wren, Spotted Ground-P>ird, Bristle-Bird, and Ground
Parrot, only found in restricted areas, can be seen. The Wonga
Pigeon, tlie P,ron/.ewing, and the Peaceful Dove are numerous.
Migratory visitant*--, tempted by the genial climate, extend the
limits of their usual habitats southwards, and so strange birds
arc sometimes noted which appear iiMwlicrc else in Victoria —

^"■'"-"'l Dalry, No/es of a Visii to Mallacoola Inlel. 127

1917 J -' /

£.g., the Topknot Pigeon of the Pacific slope and the beautifu^
large Flinders Pigeon of Queensland, skins of which I exhibited
a few months ago.

{To be continued.)

THE NATIONAL MUSEUM, MELBOURNE.

The H. L. White Ornithological Collection.

At the invitation of the Hon. Director, Sir Baldwin Spencer,
a large and representative gathering of Melbourne ornith-
ologists met at the National Museum on Friday evening, 12th
October, to inspect the valuable collection of Australian bird-
skins recentl}' presented to the museum by Mr. H. L. White,
of " Belltrees," Scone, New South Wales. The donor, who is
well known as a keen enthusiast in all matters pertaining to
Australian ornithology, and whose excellent collection of
Australian birds' eggs is probably the most complete of its
kind, succeeded in bringing together at considerable expense
and labour an exceedingly valuable collection of bird-skins
by sending out collectors from time to time to more or less
remote parts of Australia. In so doing he was the means of
bringing to light many rarities and of contributing very con-
siderably to our knowledge of the distribution of Australian
birds.

The collection, which is contained in six large cabinets, is
in an excellent state of preservation, and is arranged and
labelled in accordance with Mr. Gregory M. Mathews's " List
of the Birds of Australia." It comprises over 4,000 skins
and 1,100 species and sub-species, as enumerated in Mathews's
" List," including 22 types and co-types. It is Mr. White's
intention to add to the collection from time to time, with the
object of making it as complete as possible.

In presenting the collection to the National Museum, his
chief object has been, while ensuring its permanent preservation,
to make it available for reference to scientific workers, and,
with a view of encouraging the study of ornitliology, to
members of the Royal Australasian Ornithologists' Union in
particular, to which body he has presented his duplicate
specimens, besides giving practical evidence of his earnestness
in other directions. In order to forward Mr. White's desire
in this direction, the Trustees of the Museum have arranged
that the collection will be available for reference purposes to
members of the R.A.O.U. one evening each montli, in addition
to the usual official hours.

Special arrangements were made by Mr. White for the

128 The National Mtiscum, Melbourne. [voT."^XXXiv

removal of the collection from his residence at Belltrees, near
Scone, N.S.W., to Melbourne, and ever}' possible precaution
was taken to ensure its safety. The skins were carefully-
packed in the cabinet drawers, and the cabinets themselves
thickly padded to prevent jarring. From Belltrees it was
taken on a bullock waggon to the railway at Scone, and thence
by rail in special trucks provided by tlic New South Wales and
Victorian Railway Departments to Melbourne. The removal
was carried out under the personal supervision of Mr. S. W.
Jackson, who has had the care of Mr. White's collections for
some years, and who accompanied the collection to Melbourne,
while the whole of the expenses were ])orne bj^ Mr. White. This
important acquisition to the Museum collections is highly
appreciated by the Trustees of the Museum, who, together with
ornithologists, general!}', applaud the public spirit which
prompted Mr. White to place the results of many j^ears' wi)rk
at the disposal of present and future workers.

The visitors "spent a couple of hours very profitably in an
examination of the collection, and were much impressed with
the excellent condition and careful labelling of the specimens.
Quite a number of rare species were seen for tlie first time by
many of those present. Light refreslimcnts, thoughtfully
provided by the Director, terminated a very enjoyable and
instructive evening.

Ch.wge of Name for a Shark. — One of our commonest
Victorian fossils is the shark's tooth known as Oxyrhimi hastalis.
This genus name is unfortunately preoccupied by a similar
name given by Meigen for a dipterous insect (see " Systematische
Beschreibung der Bekannten Europiiischen ZwcidugcHgen
Insekten," vol. vii., 1838, p. 366, pi. Ixxiv., figs. 36-38), for
Agassiz did not name the shark Oxyrhina until 1843 (" Poissons
Fossiles," vol. iii.) l^y the rule of priority, thercfcjre, the shark
loses its well-known name. Now as to the name for the shark.
Rafinesque, in 1810, described certain sharks' teeth under llu'
genus name of Isurus. These, according to Muller and Henle,
may either belong to Oxyrhina, Agassiz. or to Lamna, Cuvier.
However, David Starr Jordan (Univ. Calif. Publ. Geol. Bull.,
vol. v., No. 7, 1907, p. 107) has already accepted I sums for
Oxyrhina on otiier grounds— namely, that Isurus is valid, in
his opinion, and pre-dates Oxvrhina, Agassiz. The onl\
alternative left us appears to be to accept Jordan's ruling, and
t<; now refer our Beaumaris shark and its congeners to Isurus,
tiie common Victorian species l)eing Isiiriis haslalis, Agassiz,
sp. — F. CiiAi'MW, A.L.S. National Museum, Melbourne.

Cbc Ulctorian naturalist.

Vol. XXXIV.— No. 9. JANUARY 10, 1918. No. 409,

FIELD NATURALISTS' CLUB OF VICTORIA.

The ordinary monthly meeting of the Club was held at the
Royal Society's Hall on Monday evening, loth December,
1917.

The president, Mr. F. Pitcher, occupied the chair, and about
fifty members and visitors were present.

CORRESPONDENXE.

From Chief Inspector of Fisheries and Game, asking for the
Club's views on a proposed extension of the quail season. It
was decided to consult the ornithological members of the Club
before forwarding a reply.

REPORTS.

A report of the excursion to Pakenham on Saturday, 24th
November, was given by the leader, Mr. F. Wisewould, who
reported a good attendance of members. After driving north
about three miles a ramble was taken through the bush to
some more elevated country, from which fine views of Western
Port Bay and the Strezleckie Ranges were obtained. The
Blue Pincushion, Brunonia aitstralis, was the most con-
spicuous flower seen on this portion of the outing. After a
rest, during which refreshments were partaken of, the ramble
was resumed tow^ards the Deep Creek ; the beautiful Fringed
Lily, Thysanotus tttberosiis, occurred here in numbers.
Presently the Coachwhip-Bird gave evidence of its presence,
also the Bell-Minah. A Ring-tailed Opsosum's nest was
pointed out in a sapling. Getting into the granite country,
a rocky tributary of the Deep Creek was explored, in whicli
were some rather fine tree-ferns. A fairly steep hill, which has
an elevation of about 900 feet, was then ascended, from whicli
a more extensive view, embracing the Warburton ranges and
the Baw Baws, was obtained. Tea was taken in the open,
and afterwards on the way to the conveyances bunches of
flowers and gum-leaves were gathered. The members returned
to town by the 8.30 p.m. train, and, though at times somewhat
warm, an enjoyable day was spent.

A report of the visit to the Emerald Nurseries on Saturday,
8th December, was, in the absence of the leader, Mr. E. E.
Pescott, F.L.S., given by Mr. F. Pitcher, who said that a large
party had gone up from town, the Club members being joined
bv a number of students from the Burnley School of Horti-

130 Fiehl Naiuralisls' Chth — Proceedings. [vJ.^'xxxiV.

culture. Arriving at the nursery soon after mid-day, the party
was met by Mr. Nobehus, who cordially welcomed the members.
Before proceeding to the inspection of the nursery it was
decided to have lunch. This was partaken of in a beautiful
fern-gully, carefully preserved when the estate was being laid
out. After lunch a ramble of about three miles was taken
through the grounds, the visitors being astonished at the
immense numbers of trees, &c., of various kinds ready for
despatch to any part of the world, such kinds as Copper Beeches,
Purple-leaved Plums, Golden and Silver Poplars, being greatly
admired. A large area has been planted with New Zealand
Flax, Pliormium tenax, which, it is hoped, will prove a profit-
able crop at an early date. Before leaving the leader conveyed
to Mr. Nobelius the thanks of the members for the privilege
of inspecting the nursery.

EXHIBITION OF WILD-FLOWERS.

The hon. treasurer, Mr. G. Coghill, said that, owing to the
dilatoriness of ticket-holders, he was still unable to give a final
statement as to the financial result of the recent exhibition of
wild-flowers in aid of the Y.M.C.A. National Fund. There
was, however, nearly £213 in hand.

ELECTION OF MEMBERS.

On a ballot being taken, Miss Alice M. Hislop, High-street,
Mentone ; Mr. F. Erasmus Wilson, " Jacana," Ontario-street,
Caulfield ; Mr. Wm. Taylor, " Gowar," 95 Finch-street, East
Caulfield, were duly elected ordinary members ; and Master
Ronald Bainbridge, University, Carlton, and Master Cecil
Le Souef, Royal Park, Parkville, as associate members of the
Club.

REMARKS ON EXHIBITS.

Mr. C. French, jun., drew attention to his and Mr. E. E.
Pescott's exhibit of tlic rare orchid, Drakca Huntiana, F. v. M.,
previously recorded from New South Wales ; the new
Pterostylis from Ferntree Gully approaches P. obtitsa, but there
are several mcjrphological characters as well as the blooming
time which differentiate it from that species.

r.M'KH.

By Messrs. J. Shephard, J. Searlc, and J. Stickland, entitltd
" A Year's Collecting of the Micro-Fauna in the Botanic
Gardens Lake."

The paper, which was read ])y Mr. J. Shephard, gave the
results of a periodical survey undertaken by members of the
Microscopical Society of Victoria during the twelve months
ended June, 1916. The records of Protozoa, Rotifcra, and

J^"-'l Field NatuyaHats' Club — Proceedings. n,^

lOIO J o J

Entomostraca obtained were extremely interesting, and the
prevalence or otherwise of the different species was demon-
strated by means of a blackboard chart.

Several members expressed their appreciation of the work
accomplished, and in reply to questions the authors amplified
some of the statements made.

The president referred to the paper as an excellent record of
interesting work, whicli he hoped would act as an incentive
to meml)ers in other lines of research.

A large number of the species referred to were on exhibition
under microscopes.

EXHIBITS.

By Mr. C. Daley, F.L.S. — Fruit specimens of Dagger Hakea,
H. ulicina, Furze Hakea, H. pugioniformis, and Flexile Hakea,
H. flexilis ; also an aboriginal scraper (flaked) obtained at
Pakenham excursion.

By Mr. C. French, jun. — Flowering specimen of epiphytal
orchid, Sarcochiliis parvi/Ioriis, obtained at Healesville by Mr.
H. A. Brown.

By Miss Fuller. — Growing specimen of Western Australian
Pitcher-plant, Cephalotis follicularis.

By Mr. W. Glance. — Growing specimen of Marchantia poly-
morpha, from Emerald (very fine).

By Mr. F. Keep. — Flowers of Callistemon phceniceiis, C.
lanceolatiis, C. linearis, C. coccineus splendens, Baeckea, sp., Agonis
flexiiosa, and Lepiospermttm flavescens. grown at Canterbury.

By Mr. D. J. Paton. — Wild- flowers from Bendigo, including
Goodenia gracilis, Pterostylis ritfa, var. MikJuili, Melaleuca
gihbosa, Crowea {Eriosfemon) saligna. Microtis porrifolia,
Brachyloma depressa, and Eucalyptus viridis {acaciaoides).

By Messrs. E. E. Pescott, F.L.S. , and C. French, jun. —
Fresh specimens of orchids — viz., Drakea Huntiana, F. v. M.,
from Tallangatta, new for Victoria, collector A. B. Braine,
one of our rarest orchids ; Orthoceras strictum, R. Br., from
Grampians, collector J. A. Hill ; Pterostylis falcata, Rogers, from
Dandenong Creek ; and a new Pterostylis, unnamed, from
Ferntree (iully. The latter is being described by Dr. Rogers.

By Mr. F. Pitcher. — Fasciated bloom of introduced False
Dandelion, Hypochceris radicata ; flowers of " Burgan," Kitnzea
pcduncularis, and fruits of Solid Apple-berry, Billardiera
scandens, obtained on Emerald excursion ; also flowering
t)ranches of Victorian Olive-berry tree, ElcBOcarpus cyaneiis,
from Melbourne Botanic Garden.

By Mr. P. R. H. St. John. — Fresh specimen of flowers and
foliage of Eucalyptus macrocarpa. Hook., " Blue-busli " or
" Desert Gum," Western Australia, grown by Mr. R. Prenzel,
Black Rock ; also dried specimen of Prostanthcra cineolifera,

132 Field Naturnlists' Club — Proceedivgs. \yi\^x

Nai.
XXXIV.

R. T. Baker, from Kildary, New South Wales, collected by
Mr. W. R. A. Baker, 7th October, i()i7.

By Ml. J. Stickland. — Under microscope, Thiiricola opercii-
lata, a tube-lniildins.^ protozoon with a trai)-door in its tiil)e :
also Plumatella, sp.

By Mr. H. B. Williamson. — Dried specimen of Ercmophila
crassi folia, F. v. M., Thick-leaved Emu-bush, collected near
Murrayville, \'ictoria, December, ioi() — a South Australian
species not previously recorded for Victoria.

By Mr. F. Wisewould. — E.xamples of the wild-flowers seen or
collected during the Pakenham excursion.

The president wished the members the season's greetings,
and the meeting terminated with the usual conversazione.

EXCURSION TO HEIDELBERG.

The excursion to Heidelberg on Saturday, 20th October, for
the study of aquatic zoology, was well attended, and included
several members of the Microscopical Society. The clay was
heavy and threatening, l)ut the rain kept ol^ until our party
was entrained for the home journey : then it poured down in
torrents, obliterating the landscape from view. The storm
lasted about twenty minutes, l)ut had all cleared off before we
reached the cit}'. We found the ponds at Heidelberg in
splendid condition, and teeming with specimens, most of the
well-known forms of aquatic fauna being present, while one
or two rarities were captured, one of these being a colonial
form of Protozoa, globular in shajx' and about the size of a
large pea, the zooids dwelling in tubt-s formed in the gelatinous
mass. Feeding on these wcri' a number of rotifers— probably
one of the Proales— resembling a species of that genus found
parasitic in Volvox. Ihc movements of the rotifers, as viewed
under the microscope, were interesting to watch. They would
crawl over the surface of the colony till tliey found a tube-
opening, when they would suddenly dive into it and devour
the unfortunate inhabitant, issuing fortli again in S(>arch of
another victim. When first observed it was thought that the
cdlony was that of a new species of rotifer, and that the
individuals were alternately protruding themselves from the
tubes and as suddenly retracting therein, and it was not until
examined closely that the true state of affairs was determined.
The specimens identified, some of which were determined
by Mr. J. Stickland, include the following: — Protozoa. —
Arcella vulgaris, Astasia Iricophcra, Volvo.x, sp., Vaginicola
crystallina, Epislylis plicatilis. K. flavicans. Stcntor rncselli,
Ophrvixjoia aira, Ophrydium sessile, Canhcsiiiiii polxpiiim,

^j^"g'l Excursion to Heidelberg. 133

Vorticella, sp. Worms. — Ch?etagaster, Naais, Ncmatoids,
Planaria. Rotatoria. — Monostylis, Synchaeta, Conochilus,
Megalotrocha cdhofiavkans, Lacinularia socialis, Melicerta ringens,
Cephahiphon limnuis, Limnias, sp. Hydrozoa. — Hydra viridis.
Polyzoa. — -Plumatella repens. Crustacea : — Cladocera. — Simo-
cephalus gibhosus, Ceriodaphnia, sp., Chydorus, sp. Copepoda. —
Boeckella oblonga, B. minnta, Cyclops aiistralis, C. albidus, C.
arnaudi, C. serriilatus (?), Attheyella australica. Amphipoda. —
Chiltonia siibteiiiiis. Isopoda. — Janirella pusilla. Hydracli-
nida?. — Large red mites, and smaller blue mites with legs
covered with close-set hairs. Insecta. — ^Larv?e of Chironomus,
Tanypus, Dragon-fly, Caddis-fly, Homocodytes, and other beetle
larvae. — J. Searle.

EXCURSION TO LABERTOUCHE.

A p.\RTY of fifteen members and friends journeyed to Long-
warry (51 miles), on the Gippsland line, by the first train on
Cup Day (6th November), in order to visit Labertouche, some
six miles north of that township. At the station they were
kindly met by the Messrs. Currie and other friends and driven
to their destination. The Tarago River, which flows into the
Bunyip. was crossed early in the journey, the country here-
abouts being sandy and in places peaty, very absorbent and
retentive of moisture. Scrub vegetation, with bracken, Mela-
leuca, Goodenia, and tea-tree for the most part, prevailed, and
tlicre were not many plants in bloom. The main object of
the excursion was to visit the scrub country favoured by the
graceful Boronia pinnata. Approaching the ranges, Boronia
plants were occasionally seen. A camp was made near the
Labertouche Creek, beset with a dense tangle of vegetation
typical of such streams, and from here, in the saturated ground
and near the watercourses, the delicately fragrant Boronia
grew abundantly, bearing masses of dainty white and pink
blossoms, forming a most pleasing sight. Some of the shrubs
were seven or eight feet higli. Following a dismantled tram
route, once used for sawmilling purposes, the party passed up
the stream to a pleasing cascade or series of falls in a small
gorge between granite hills. Owing to the jungle growth making
progress difficult, no further ascent was made. The geological
features of the district are not in any way remarkable. The
country between Longwarry and the foot of the range is a
Tertiary formation, recent in origin, consisting of sandy soil
of consideraI)le depth, formed from the disintegration of the
granitic range, the granite being somewhat close-grained in
texture. Th(> plain lying east of the basin of tlie Bunyip River

134 Excursion to Lahertouche. [vc![!'^'xxxi

is crossed by several creeks, hut apparently there is no ex-
posure of any underlying rock surface. A point -of interest
about half a mile east of the camp was a dry watercourse with
well-defined banks of what had presumably at one time been a
fairly large stream, in the old bed of which a small creek has
cut its course several feet deep, but seems too small a stream
to account for the formation of the ancient cliannel. It is
probable, especially as there is ;in intrusion oi the Older
Volcanic in th(> range to the nortli-east, that the course of the
original stream may have been diverted elsewhere, or a main
affluent captured by some other stream, leaving the old bed
dry, in which a creek much diminislied in size and volume has
carved its narrow channel below the old bed. Time did not
permit of much investigation to determine the question. Other
than the Boronia the plants noticed call for little comment,
and almost all are to be fovmd much nearer Melbourne. The
same remark applies to the ferns met with ; in some cases tin-
latter wvvv of very luxuriant growth. Before leaving, the
opportunity was taken to thank most heartily the Messrs.
Currie and other friends for their hospitality and active co-
operation in making the excursion sucli an inijovable one. —
C. D.\LEY, P. R. 11. St. Joh.x.

"Journal of Ar.RicrLTLRE, Victori.\." — The December
number of this periodical contains at least two articles of interest
to naturalists. The first, " Muke in Sheep," is dealt with ])v Dr.
(ieorgina Sweet, Mr. H. K. Seddon, B.V.Sc, and Mr. W. A. N.
Robertson, B.V.Sc, the first-named taking the structure and life-
history of this insidious menace to our flocks. The life-history is,
as Weil known, a most intricate one, and there are many steps in
it when disaster may overtake the individual, but, seeing that one
adult fluke is capable of ])roducing 45,000 eggs or more, there is
likely to be always a fair numl)er of individuals on the way to
maturity. In a sh(^rt article. Prof. .\. J. I'^wart, (iov(Mnment
Botanist, gives some account of the Algaroiia tree, which has
been frequently recommended as a valuable stand-by for cattle in
dry seasons, but he shows that there are many other trees or
plants which would be far more profitable to grow for the
puri)ose. Mr. J. W. .\udas, P.L.S., of the National Herbarium,
in an instructive article on Victorian grasses, points out the
distinctive features of a number of our grasses and their value
from the stock-raiser's point of view. He remarks that the well-
known Kangaroo (irass, .1 nthisliria irnherbis, produces very few
fertile seeds, hence, if too closely eaten down during seeding time,
there is a chance of this valuable grass being lost.

jarK, J Daley, Notes of u Visit to Mallacooia Inlet. 135

NOTES OF A VISIT TO MALLACOOTA INLET.
By Chas. Daley, B.A., F.L.S.

{Concluded.)

It is of interest to note the geographical position of this area
at the twtremity of the Pacific slope, which, owing to its aspect,
its humidity, and its comparatively sheltered position cast of
the great coastal range, has a distinctive character of its own.
This is especially noticeable in its vegetation. Mention has
already been made of the prevalence of two trees, one of which,
Eucalyhtus corymhusu, the Blood- wood, is found from Cape
York, in Queensland, to Mallacoota ; and the other, closely
allied to it, AngopJwra inter media, the Apple, extends from
near the Queensland border also to Mallacoota. Neither of
these trees is found in Tasmania, so here we have the definite
southern limit of their growth. Mr. R. T. Baker, whose
valuable work on the eucalypts is so widely known and appreci-
ated, gives the most southerly limit of the Blood-wood and
the Angophora as the Genoa River. Practically both trees
extend to the coastal ridge, and at Mallacoota I found that
their range passed beyond the Genoa in a south-westerly
direction. Mr. Lees, whose long practical experience and wide
knowledge of the forests of Eastern Gippsland make liim a
competent authority upon the subject, verified my conclusion,
and furnished me with some interesting information on this
subject. To quote his words: — " /:. corymbosa and A. inter-
media (Apple), miscalled ' Gum Myrtle ' by the Census Com-
mittee, extend westwards of the Genoa River to the Wingan
River. The latter represents approximately the delimitation,
and just beyond we meet the easterly extension of the Snowy
River Mahogany, E. botryoides." Tliis determination extends
the range of Blood-wood and Angophora about twenty miles
further to the soutli-west, the Wingan River entering the
ocean near Ram Head. Mr. Baker's theory is tliat the An-
gophoras and Blood- woods, as the oldest of the red- wooded
Australian Myrtaccie, " should occur on land that has been
longest above sea-level " ; and hence, taking Victoria and Tas-
mania as geologically younger than the Great Divide, he states
•these trees " have not yet found their way to those parts."
Apart from the debatable question raised of geological age
in relation to the presence or absence of arboreal growth, Mr.
Baker shows that tlie al^sence in Tasmania of Blood-woods
and Angophoras, and their paucity in Victoria, may reason-
ably " be attributed to some j)liysical or geological agency."
It seems to me that this physical agency may certainly be
referred to the continuous eastern mountain system of Aus-
tralia, parallel at no great distance from the coast, providing,
along the well-watered and sheltered Pacific slope, a region

136 Daley, Notes of a Visit to Mallacoota Inlet, [vou xxxiv.

peculiarly littcd by aspect, rainfall, and other climatic con-
ditions, as well as by properties of soil, lor the extension of
vegetation, especially from the proUhc north towards the
genial south, and thus increasing the range of certain species
bevond the limits which, under other less favourable con-
ditions, they would occupy. Thus the species of Blood-wood
showing the greatest power for accommodation to climate,
and also the most adaptive species of Angophora, have reached
the southernmost limit of the continent, and have also made
some progress in migration westwards along the southern slope.
To the same agency is probably due the presence of the
Cabbage Palm, Livistona aiistralis, the Victorian Waratah,
Telopea oreades, an occasional Kurrajong, Brachychiton
populneus, the Gippsland Orange, Acronychia levis, and other
northern plants unknown elsewhere in Victoria. To this
faciUty for extension and distribution afforded by the direction
and position of tlie mountain barrier is also due the presence
of bird and reptilian life approximating generally more to that
of New^ South Wales than of Victoria.

Mr. (xrifftths Taylor, Commonwealth Physiographer, has, in
connection with his work on " The Physiography of Eastern
Austraha," pointed out how, through the eastern Geocols or
gaps in the Main Divide, the entry of the vegetation of one
area into another may be made. One of these Geocols — the
Cooma or Monaro — stretches from Omeo through Bombala
to Cooma. It is probable that an offshoot of this may have
been also additionally instrumental in the distril)ution of
some northern species of plants into Gippsland, the tendency
being for plant migration towards the coastal regions.

In connection with this distribution of plants, the important
influence which geological formations exercise over tht'
character of the vegetation cannot be overlooked. Mr. R. PL
Cambage, F.L.S., who has done excellent work in studying the
relationship of the flora of New South Wales to the geological
formations on which it occurs, refers to the Blood-wood, /:.
corymbosa, as always selecting the sandstone, and avoiding
the Wianamatta shale, in the Hawkesbury district. At Malla-
coota the Ironbark, E. sideroxylon, so inseparable a feature
and almost an indicator of Victorian auriferous areas, is
naturally found growing over the Ordovician measures. Mr.
Lees informs me that the; Snowy River Mahogany, extending
eastwards to the Thurra River, tlien the Apple and Blood-woocl,
at first scarce and intermittent, but gradually increasing until
well into New South Wales they come in contact witli the
Tallow-wood, K. microcorys, do not mingle, but form distinct
botanical zones, confined to lower altitudes, and not extending
beyond the slopes of the coast range. Then northwards, at

■'lo"^] Daley, No/es of a Visit to Mallacoota Inlet. 137

Murrungowar and throughout the M'CuUoch Range, above an
elevation of 1,000 feet, Messmate, E. obliqiia, replaces these
species, and higher still on the coast range are White Mountain
Ash, E. regnans, wnth Black Sallee, E. stellulata, as a distinctive
feature of the Bendoc district.

The Victorian WooUybutt, E. delegetensis, the Manna (ium,
E. viminalis, extend upwards to the region of the Snow Gum,
E. paiiciffora, var. alpina. Mr. Lees also states that it is
interesting to note that at VVallagaraugh and Genoa there are
two isolated Manna Gums, /:. viminalis, on the Drummer
Mountain, a few isolated Spotted Blue Gums, /:. Maideni, and
four specimens of the (luUy (ium, /:. Smitliii, the latter species
being unexcelled as yielding " the highest class of medicinal
oils in Australia." On the Cann River are two or three Spotted
Gums, E. macnlata, the only ones discovered in the county.
Among some scarce plants recorded at Mallacoota, Mr. Lees
has noted the following ferns -.^Gleichenia Hermanni, Poly-
podium serpens, Dicksonia {DavaUia ?) pyxidata, Pteris longi-
folia, Aspleniinu nidus, A. Hookerianum, and A. ohiiisahim.
Nephelium leiocarpiim. Smooth Rambrutan, occurs sparsely in
the eastern district, and the presence of other interesting
sporadic plants shows how favourable conditions along the
sheltered Pacific coast-fringe have undoubtedly led to the
southward migration of northern species.

From Lake View Hotel I made several excursions on foot
eastwards along a ridge of hills towards the Howe Range,
through well-timbered country. About half-way to the Cape
there is a fresh-water lake of fair size called Barragoota.* In
this direction the Xanthorrhceas were very noticeable — X.
minor, X. hastilis, and A', australis. Just north of Cape Howe,
at Black Head, the last-named grass-tree grows abundantly,
and a numl)er of men is employed in obtaining the gum, the
\-alue of wliich has l)een trebled since the outbreak of the war,
prior to which the industry in many parts of Australia was
exploited by Germans for the picric acid and other valuable
constituents extracted from the gum. At Black Head the
gum is stripped, put in ])ags, taken to the seashore, and sent
away for chemical treatment.

Previous reference lias been made to the gri'at fertility of
the soil around the lake and river. \{ Dorron's Hotel, in tlie

* A few years ago, whilst I was studying the origin of place-names in Gipps-
land, the overseer of the Lake Tyers .Aboriginal .Station obtained for me from the
blacks the meanings of some names submitted. 'I'hc meaning of Mallacoota was
given as " IJig Hock of birds." Mr. Lees informs me that its meaning is the
"West Water," whilst Barragoota means the "East Water." As " coota,"
" goota,' '"gutti," "gatta" arc variations for water, I think the latter meanings
given to tlic^e two names are more probable than the former. The station natives
are generally unreliable as to the meaning of native words.

138 Daley, Notes of a Visit to Mallacoota Inlet. [voT"^xxxiv

garden, apples, plums, peaches, apricots, limes, lemons, oranges,
raspberries, passion fruit, and vegetables, &c., grow vigorously,
and even bananas ripen. The gardens arc remarkably free from
the pests and diseases so noticeable nearer the towns and
cities. The old Gippsland saying that it is wise to grow
nothing that cannot walk out is in full force, so fruit, as well
as a good deal of maize, &c., is chiefly used for feeding pigs.

Mallacoota has its own distinctive charm. In the calm
and peaceful hush of the summer even, from a hill overlooking
the Inlet, the scene, under the soft moonlight, is very beautiful.
The ripples gleam like silver, and the voices of the night come
through the air. One hears the whirring of wings as the wild-
fowl come in from distant flight, the plaintive and tuneful
piping of Swans, the faint sound of leaping skipjacks, their
silvery sides shining in the moonlight, and the break of the water
surface as other fish rise gently. Softened by distance comes
faintly the sound of a popular tune from a gramophone. A
Boobook Owl calls from a clump of timber. The mournful
reiteration of a Pallid Cuckoo strikes on the ear. The
diminishing " Chug chug " of a motor-lioat passing up to " The
Narrows," the call of an Owl, " the chaunt of a marsh-frog in
rushes, the wash of a wave " come shigly, or commingle with
the varied notes of wild-fowl on the Goodwin Sands. The
peculiar cry of a prowling fox is immediately followed by the
challenging bark of a watchful collie, wliich for the moment
deadens other indeterminate sounds. Over the sand-ridges
breaks the steady roar of the ocean, " never silent since the
world began," and the current flows steadily out to its l:)osom
'past the glistening bar to where " the sandy spits, the shon -
locked lakes, melt into open moonlit sea."

I returned from Mallacoota by way of Genoa, from whicli
the coach starts for Orbost. (iipsy Point, about six miles down
the river from Genoa, is the more convenient i)lace for
approacliing the Inlet, and recently a survey of a road has been
made from there to Mallacoota West. From Genoa eastwards
there is a good and well-graded road for many miles tluough
forest country, often park-liki' in aspect and l;eautiful in
appearance, devoid of settlement, and for the most part in
its primitive state, kangaroos being frequently seen from the
road. It was a distinct pleasure to see so much forest country
as yet intact and free from the ravages of fire and axe. It is
in such areas that forest conservation can be best put into
effective operation. Near the Wingan River is a Government
battery, several prospectors operating down the river for gold,
a fair reef prospect being opened n|) about ten miles from tlic
battery.

Except for the dropping of a mail in a box or kerosene tin
along the road, no sign of settlement is seen for many miles.

J*"-^1 D.\LEY, Notes of a Visit to Mallacoota Inlet. 139

Between the Thurra River and the fertile Cann there is some
splendid scenery, especially at the Drummer Mountain, whence
the Pacific Ocean can be seen, and on which the fern vegetation
in great variety, from the deep-embowered streamlet to the
mountain-top, flourishes most profusely. Here, too, the Gipps-
land Waratah, Telof^ea oreades, grows freely. The woodland
scenery can hardly be surpassed, even in Gippsland.

At the Cann River, which flows to Tamboon Inlet, and along
the course of which there is some very productive land on the
rich alluvial flats, we changed our conveyance for one of the
old-time Cobb's coaches, giving plenty of room and comfort.
Well-timbered country continued, and at Euchre and Victoria
Creeks the road \\-inds along for miles above and among fern
vegetation delightful to the eyes, whilst the clear air and the
scent of fragrant musk and scrub made the journe}^ exhilarating.
The Bemm River marked the next scanty settlement, and from
there to Bellbird Creek the road continued good. A divergence
was made to Club Terrace, a former briefly prosperous mining
district. North of this, on the Combienbar, is some very pic-
turesque country.

We stayed at Bellbird for the night. It is just a bush
clearing in the forest, a delightful spot amid the dense timber
and luxuriant jungle along the creek. From here the road
became heavier and more sandy, with a marked preponderance
of Banksia marginata in the vegetation. At Cabbage-tree
Creek a branch track passes the Livistona palms and goes to
Mario. The last stretch, through the Brodribb River to Orbost,
was much the worst part of the 89 miles coach journey, being
partly under repair and reconstruction. We reached Orbost
and its green river flats after an interesting journey, and next
day took train homewards.

No one can doubt of the great future before this great stretch
of country between Orbost and the border. Its vast timber
supplies, its mineral resources, rich river flats, and forest ridges
only need for development good roads and speedy means of
communication. Some day a railway will connect Orbost
with Eden through Genoa, and then distant Mallacoota will
come to its own, and the charm of its scenery, its mild climate,
and advantages for the nature student and the sportsman
will make it a deservedly popular resort and sanatorium.

Rki'erkncr.s.

'• Climatic ami (ieolo^icil Innuence on the Flora of New Soiilli Wales," I'ro-
ceedings A.A.A.S., 1907, Adelaide, l\. IF. Cainbage, K.L..S.

" 'I'hc I'hysi()yra|)]iy of I'laslern Australia," Commonvvcaltli Meleoroloi'ical
Hullctiii No. 8, 1911, T. (i. Taylor, H.Sc, iVc, F.H.S.

" A Census of Victorian Eucalypts and their Economics," I'rocecdinf^s
A.A.A .S., 1913, Melbourne, K. T. I5aker, F.L.S.

" The Relation of Geological Formation to the Character of Indigenous Flora,"
the Geelong Naturalist, vol. v., No. 2, 1912, Chas. Daley, B.A., F.L.S.

I40 Chapman, The Pala'ozoic Flora. [voi."^xxxiv.

A SKETCH OF THE GEOLOGICAL HISTORY OF AUS-
TRALIAN PLANTS.— THE PALEOZOIC FLORA.

By Frederick Ch.vfmax, A.L.S., cSic, Palaeontologist, National
Museum, Melbourne.
[Read before the Field Naturalists' Cluh of Victoria, \oth Sept , 191 7.)
Introductory.
The beginnings of life on the earth is a subject of ever-
recurring interest, and plant-life especially presents a fascin-
ating field of research. According to ordinary expectations,
we ought to be able to trace the early history of plant-life of a
period long antecedent to the appearance of animals, but,
alas ! the ready disintegration and decay of plant structures
has frustrated this hope, and, whereas many surprising dis-
coveries of delicately-structured animals, such as bristle-
worms and jellv-hslies, have lately been made amongst some
of the oldest fossiliferous rocks, the only plants decipherable
are of doubtful fucoid origin. In some cases these ])rimitive
fossils appear to have a strong claim to be regarded as seaweeds,
whilst others— -and they are numerous — can with as much
certainty be referred to tracks, rill-marks, or even plant-likf
animals, such as sponges, with dendroid growth ; others, again,
show a claim to hydrozoan affinities.

Following Lyell's metaphor, Darwin says : — " 1 look at the
geological record as a liistory of the world imperfectly kept
and written in a changing dialect. Oi tliis histor}' we possess
the last volume alone, relating only ti) two or three countries.
Of this volume only here and there a short chapter has been
preserved, and of each page only here and there a few lines.
Each word of the slowly-changing language, more or less
difficult in the successive chapters, may represent tlic forms
of life which are entombed in our own consecutive formations
and which falsely appear to have been abruptly introduced."
As the present poet laureate puts it, \\v are left to decipher
what remains of " Nature's history book, whicli she iiath torn,
as ashamed of." This broken record of organic remains is
especially noticeable in the vegetable world, for there, besides
tlie inherent delicacy of tissue, the preserving agency of rapid
sedimentation, resulting in the exclusion of aerol)ic bacteria,
is often wanting under terrestrial and lacustrine conditions,
and only by the merest chance has there occurred a fortuitous
happening of events which permitted the remains of ancient
plants tcj be (!ml)almecl in the rocks for present-day study.

In some few cases, however, there has been an ideal pre-
servative covering, as in that of leaves in beds of ])ip(?-clay ;
and in many instances even the structure of tissues has been
preserved, as in the coal-balls of the Yorkshire coalfields. In

J^"-'l CuAV^wti, The Palcsozoic Flora. 141

the latter case so entirely excellent are they as to call forth a
remark from one of our leading palaeobotanists that he pre-
ferred studying sections of petrified stems of cryptogams under
the microscope than similar structures in the living tissue. In
certain instances even the pollen grains from some of these
ancient palaeozoic forms have been chemically treated and
studied.

Palaeozoic Floras.

The older paL-eozoic sediments of Australia, as in other parts
of the world, are very poor in any fossil remains which can be
with even a small degree of certainty assigned to the vegetable
world. Many of the so-called seaweeds or fucoids, as already
stated, may belong to the animal kingdom, or merely due to
the disturbance of the mud layer through animal or physical
agency.

In the Lower Cambrian of South Australia the genus
GirvaneUa, probably one of the blue-green algae {Cyanophycece),
often forms a large proportion of the limestone. As at the
present day, these lime-secreting alga separated the CaCOg
from the waters of brackish-water lakes and salt lagoons of
the sea margin, and were thereby most important and effective
agents in making the rock-material of the earth's crust. The
South Australian GirvaneUa has its pellets formjed of loosely-
rolled lime-coated cells, and a limestone of Upper Cambrian
age in the neighbourhood of Mount Wellington, Nortli-East
Gippsland, which contains similarly-formed pellets, has the
tubes regularly and closely coiled. This Girvanella-\n-ncsio\\Q.
from the Dolodrook River contains large, pea-shaped pellets,
the centre of many being occupied, as a nucleus, with an
ossicle of a crinoid. The presence of the crinoid fragments
would point to a deeper water origin than usual for this
calcareous alga ; on the other hand, it is just possible that the
crinoid remains were, derived from an elevated rock mass situated
above the shore-line of the Cambrian sea. This rock was dis-
covered a few years ago by our fellow-member. Dr. E. O.
Tliiele, who also brought to liglit an important trilobite fauna
of contemporaneous origin. The Upper Cambrian of Heathcote
has lately given evidence of what appears to be the remains
of an undoubted plant of a genus hitherto only known from
New York State, in America. This interesting specimen was
found l)y Professor Skeats : it is associated with a brachiopod
fauna. It is generically determined as SphenothaUns, named on
account of its wedg(>-sliaped leaves. An interesting calcareous
alga, Kpiphyton, has been lately described from the Antarctic*
It was found in a limestone pebble picked uj) by Wild in 85° S.

* " Bril. Antarctic E.xpctl., 1907-9, Geology,'' vol. li., 1916, p. 8i.

142 Chapman, The Palcvozoic Flora. [voi.'^xxxiv

From the associated Ayclucocyathincc in the Umcstonc, this
algoid species belongs to the Lower Cambrian, and, in fact, is
closely related to another of the same genus found in the Lower
Cambrian of Siberia by Van Toll.

In Ordovician times the Australian coast-line covering parts
of South Australia, Victoria, and New South Wales, as well as
Tasmania, was fringed with extensive black mud-flats and
shallow seas, in which flourished abundant growths of the
plant-like animals called Graptolitcs. Remains of undoubted
plants, however, seem to be unknown in these beds, the Grapto-
lites either superseding the plants in tliis area or else surviving
the ordeal of fossilization by their more -durable chitinous
peridermic covering. That sulphur bacteria must have been
present in these dark shales is fairly evident from a study of
the conditions prevailing at the present time in an area like
the Black Sea,* and, in fact, whilst examining some very thin
slices of Victorian ()rdo\-ician slate under a high power, I was
struck by the appearance of some minute ol)jects having a
resemblance to certain fossil bacilli found in a coproUte of
Permian age by Renault and Bertrand.f These bodies are
long, sausage-shaped, slightly curved in some cases, and measure
I m. in diameter. As in modern land-locked areas, there also
probably existed a plankton consisting of lower animal organ-
isms and diatoms.

Passing upwards to Siluki.\.\ times, large tracts of the
Australian continent were covered with shallow to moderately-
deep seas, especially in southern and central Victoria, in
southern and central New South Wales, in Queensland, and the
Northern Territory. The oldest Silurian is that of the Mel-
bournian division, equivalent to the Llandovery or Valentian
of Europe, and probal)ly almost confined to the Melbourne
bed-rock and tiie sandstone of Heathcote, although some
locally-developed beds in New Soutli Wales may turn out to
l)e of similar age. In these shallow seas were deposited sand-
stone with false bedding, and pyritous and hnK^iitic nuidstones.
Later on, in Yeringian times, the ("(luivalent of the Wenlockian.
deeper water conditions seemed to have predominated, as
seen in the coral limestone of Lilydale and Waratah Bay, Loyola,
and Toongabbie, in Victoria, and of the I'ederal Territory in
New South Wales. The shallow water and marine deposits ol
both Melbournian and Yeringian stages contain numerous
fucoids referred to the genus livlhnlrcphis. There is some

* See Scliuchert, " I'mc;. Amer. I'liil. .Soc," vul. liv., 1915, p. 259 ; also,
Andrussow, " La .Mcr. Noire," Guides des Excursions, V'lle., Conj;. (Jeol.
Internal. .Si. Petersbourg, 1897, Art., xxix.

t " Compt. Rend.," vol. cxix., 1894, \>. 377; ai.st*, Seward, " Fossil I'laiits,"
vol. i., 1898, \). 135, fig. 28*.

Jj^"-^ ] CuAPUAS. The Pal(7!Ozotc Flora. 143

doubt as to the plant origin of this form, and it has been
suggested by Rothpletz that it ma}/ be a sponge. However,
the branching habit is more closeh^ comparable to that of a
seaweed, and in wcll-prescr\-ed specimens there are no visible
pores as in a sponge, nor crypts whicli might suggest sites of
polypidoms referable to corals or hydrozoa. One of the slabs
with Bythotrephis from the Silurian of South Yarra, and now
in the National Museum, is thus referred to by W. Blandowski,
an early Government surveyor*: — "The specimens of
fucoidse here in question I found in tlie quarry near the gates
of the Botanical Gardens. . . My attention was drawn to
about a dozen flat stones, laid by order of our gallant director
of the Botanical Gardens, Dr. Mueller, in the dirt, to assist the
Jadies in crossing a muddy spot in the lower walk along the
banks of the Yarra. Our learned friend did not, I suppose,
anticipate the valuable fossil he thus caused to be exhibited."
This fossil has since been identified with the Trenton Limestone
species, B. tenuis, J. Hall.f

Another probable fucoid, found in the glossy grey slates of
the AValhalla beds, is Con/cmites acicularis, Goppert, a Lower
De\ onian form in Germany ; this is accompanied by a Wenlockian
species of Bythotrephis — B. divaricata, Kidston.J These slates
of the Centennial mine in Gippsland also contain abundant
remains of the undoubted lycopodite, Haliserites, which is a
well-known plant in the Erian (Lower Devonian) of Canada,
the passage beds of the Scottish Devonian, and the Devonian
of Wassenbach, Germany. §

The pellet-making alga, (rirvauella, is again in evidence in
the Silurian (Yeringian) limestone of Lilydale and the Tyers
River, in Victoria, the rock at the former locality often re-
sembling an oolite in its granular appearance.

The Devon'LAN limestones bid fair, by continued research,
to 3'ield many forms of calcareous algne. One interesting speci-
men which I have lately described from the Middle Devonian
of the Mitta Mitta River, Ciippsland, is referred to Sphcero-
codium, a genus in which the thallus forms a pellet like
Girvanella, and having dichotomously-branchcd, single-celled
filaments radiately arranged, the thallus usually being attached
to crinoid stems or fragments of shells. Benson has lately
discovered some limestone full of oolitic grains in the Tamworth
district, and these, like other typical oolites, probably owe their
origin to Girvanella-Yikv plants. Associated with the Tamworth
oolite grains are some simple arenaceous foraminiferal tests.

* "Trans. I'hil. Inst. Vict.." vol. ii., pt. i., 1857, p. 145.

t " Froc. R. Soc. Vict.," vol. xv., N.S., pt. ii.. 1903, p. 104, pi. xvi., fig. i.

t " Rec. Geol Surv. Vict.," vol. iii., pt. 2, 1912, p. 231, pi. xxxviii.

g Ibid., p. 231, 1>1. xxxvii.

144 Chapman, The Palisozoic Flora. [voV'^xxxi'v

The arborescent cryptogams, represented l>y the widely-
distributed genus Lef>ido(fe)i(Iroii, are a predominant feature
of the Devono-Carboniferous flora. Tn New Soutli Wales tlie
lower part of the Middle Devonian at Tamwortli has yielded
Lepidodendron aitstrale, but the genus and species is more
abundant in the higher beds — the Upper Devonian and Lower
Carboniferous. In New South Wales certain Lepidodendron
horizons are generally referred to the Upper Devonian, whilst
in \'ictoria they are called Lower Carboniferous. Etheridge
finds Lingida (L. gregaria) associated with tliese beds, which,
however, by its relationsliip to L. inytiloides of the European
Lower Carboniferous, belongs perhaps more properly to the
latter formation. But it is very evident in studying both
floras and faunas in Australia that the well-defined epochs of
the northern hemisphere have no such stratigraphical l:)reak
between them here, the beds being often represented by
" passage beds." The Upper Devonian in Victoria has an
interesting flora, contained in the red and yellow sandstones
of Iguana Cret^k, in East Gippsland, where the moderately
large strap-shaped leaves of the semi-aquatic gymnosperm,
Cordaites, occurs, together with the oldest-recorded Australian
ferns, Sphenopteris igiianensis and Archceopteris Howitti. A
similar flora in New South Wales contains, besides Cordaites
anstralis and Archceopteris Howitti, Pecopteris ohscura and
Sphenopteris Carnei. The genus Cordaites is found elsewhere
in the Middle and Upper Devonian of North America and in
the Carboniferous of Europe.

In the C.\RBOMFKROUS of Australia we have an ap])an'ntly
sudden increase in the members of the pal.eozoic flora. Lepido-
dendron is much in evidence, and in this period was widely
distributed, reaching as far as South Africa, where it is found
in the Lower Karoo of the Orange River Station.* In Car-
boniferous times the Australian landscape must have presented
a glorious sight, and the graceful hal)it of the trees, com])ined
with the beauty of the ferny undergrowth of Archu-opteris
and Sphenopteris, would no doubt favourably compare in
beauty witli some present-day aspects of Queensland sul)-
tropical scenery. As Seward remarks,! " A fully-grown Lepido-
dendron must have been an impressive tree, probably of sombre
colour, relieved by the encircling felt of green needles on the
young, pendulous twigs. The leaves of some species were
similar to those of a fir, while in others they resembled the
filiform needles of the Himalayan Pine, Pinus longifolia."
The type form, L. australe, is found in Victoria, Queensland,
and New South Wales, and it has been suggested (hat the

• Seward, " Geol. Mag.," vol. iv., 1907, p. 481.
+ JdetH, " Fossil Plants," vol. ii., 1910, p. 95.

J^"-^ 1 Chapman, The Palrroznic Flora. 145

Upper Devonian species, L. nothnm, from Thiiringia, may be
identical, as well as the Canadian species, L. rhombicum. In
New South Wales Lepidodendron is used as an index fossil,
the Lower Carboniferous being distinguished by L. aiistrale,
and the Upper scries by L. W'Wicimianitm, together with
Rhacopteris : whilst L. aiistrale is an abundant fossil, repre-
sented by stem, leaves, and sporophylls, in the Star series
(Lower Carboniferous) of Queensland.*

The typically Carboniferous type of fern, Rhacopteris, is
represented in New South Walc^s by several species — R.
septentrionalis , R. intermedia, and R. Roemeri. It is a handsome
fern, with Adiantum-VikQ leaflets and spreading veins, and is
referred by Stur to the Ophioglossace(e,'\ to which the livnng
Adder's Tongue Fern belongs. The better-known " Rhacop-
teris " incsquilatera has been shown by W. S. Dun % to be
synonymous with Aneimites ovata. This latter genus is referred
by Seward to the Schizccacece, of which the Climbing Fern
{Lygodiiim) is a familiar example.

From the Rhacopteris beds of Paterson, New South Wales,
W. S. Dun has obtained Cardiopteris, cf. polymorpha, Goppert,
a sp. cies which is found in the Carboniferous of Europe.
Seward has compared this genus with Neiiropteridium. It
may possibly be related to the earliest seed-bearing plants, the
Cycadofdices, which were abundant at this time.

Although vegetation was abundant in the Australian Car-
boniferous, the physiographic features and geological events
of the continent at this time were not favourable for the
formation of coal measures. This will be readily conceived
when we remember that during this epoch there was a great
effusion of volcanic lavas and tuffs following, after some con-
siderable break, those of the Devonian, but with less counter-
active subsidence, only limited areas like that of the New England
plateau being transgressed by the sea. In New South Wales
alone there is a scries of lavas and tuffs which show a thickness
of at least 20,000 feet. (^wing to the general tendency of
uplift, and the greater permanency of land masses in Carbon-
iferous times, the only coal accumulated is in thin seams, too
poor to be of economic value. But this great effusion of
volcanic rocks in the Upper Carboniferous undoubtedly pro-
duced the oscillatory effect of intermittent subsidence through-
out the succeeding Carbo-Permian period in New South Wales,
resulting in its rich and x'aluable development of coal seams.
In Victoria, deposits belonging to the Caihoniferous period are

* Chapman, " Proc. Roy. Soc. Vict.," v(j1. xvi., pt. ii., 1904, p. 309, pi.
xxvii., figs. 1-5.

t Abhandl. k.k., " Geol. Reichs.," 1885, vol. xi., pt. i.

:J: " Rec. (leul. Surv. N.S.W.." vol. viii.. pt. ii., 1905, p. 157.

146 Chapman, The Palo'ozoic Flora. [v>^"x"

Nat.
XXIV

indicative of frcsh-watcr or local lacustrine intiucnce onty, and
do not yield any coal accumulations so far as these rocks reveal
at their outcrops.

Whilst the coal flora of Europe and Xorth Aim-rica belongs
largely to the period of the Lepidodcndron, that of the southern
hemisphere comes later, in the great development of Ganga-
mopteris and G/ossopteris. In regard to the term Permo-
Carboxiferous — or more correctly Carbo-Permiax — there is
strong reason for regarding these beds as true Permian.* They
are contemporaneous with the Lower (iondwana of India and
the Karoo of South Africa. In Victoria the Carbo-Permian
beds consist of glacial conglomerates, corresponding to the
Talchir series of India and the Dwyka Conglomerate of South
Africa, which pass up into Ganga^noplcris-hcaving sandstones.
The fern known as Gangamopleris is common to Russia, India,
Australia, South Africa, Brazil, and Argentina, and is generally
more abundant in the lower part of the G/o,s\s-o/)/m.s-bcaring
rocks. Gangamopteris chiefly differs from Glossupteris in the
absence of a definite midrib and in having the median anasto-
mosing veins almost parallel. In some forms the fronds are
much more broadly ovate or rounded than in Glnssopteris, the
latter being more uniformly tongue-shaped.

Whilst the Australian Carboniferous flora shows marked
afftnities towards that of Europe in containing Lepidodcndron
and Rluicopteris, the Glossopteris flora belongs to a special
development of vegetation evolved in a separate area mapped
out as Gondwanaland, extending from China through India,
Australia, South Africa, South America, and the Antarctic.
There are several more or less well defined species of the genus
Glossopteris, and their abundance and variety merit the special
importance given to this period of vegetative development.
The Glossopteris flora is found in all the Australian States (in
Victoria represented by (langanwptcris), but only in New South
Wales and Queensland have coal measures been extensively
formed. In New South Wales the quantity of coal is roughly
estimated at 100,000,000,000 tons, and that of Queensland is
not far short. The coal scries of Tasmania and Western
Australia are insignificant, being represented l)y small seams
and poor quality coal. The fossil plant remains, long known
as Vertebraria, have been shown to belong to the rhi/.omes of
the Glossopteris ferns. Naggcrathiopsis, found in New South
Wales and Tasmania, shows some affinities with the Cordailales,
which view is held by Zeiller, Seward, and Solms-Laubach :
it may therefore be an interesting survival from Devonian
times in Australia of a component of the European flora. Tlu-

" See David, " Federal Handbook Brit. Assoc," 1914, \>. 267.

J^"-^ 1 Chap.man, The Palceozoic Flora. 147

equisetalean, Phyllotheca, was an important plant in the Aus-
tralian flora of this and later (Triassic) times ; in its foliage it
shows some strong affinities to Annularia and Calamocladus.
A line specimen of a stem with attached leaves, collected at
Stockton, New South Wales, by a former member, Mr.
A. E. Kitson, I have identified with Calamocladus. Not the
least interesting botanical fossils obtained from the Australian
Carbo-Permian are the silicified tree-trunks which I have else-
where determined as Araucarioxylon. Sections of these woods
were figured in 1833 by W. Nicol,* and similar wood was named,
but not described, as Araucarioxylon Nicholi by Carruthers,t
subsequentl}' referred to by R. Etheridge, jun.f In 1904 the
writer prepared a series of micro-slides from a well-preserved
tree-trunk from the Carbo-Permian of the Barron River,
Queensland, and gave a detailed description of Araucarioxylon
Daintreei.^ Newell Arber,l| in writing his " Catalogue of the
Glossopteris Flora" in 1904, refers to the_above genus and
species in his historical sketch (p. 57) and footnote 4 (same
page), but in the body of the work has renamed this species
Dadoxylon australe.\ As regards the genus, it was shown in
the description of A . Daintreei,' and borne out by a subsequent
examination of other specimens, that the structure of the pith-
bundle must be compared with Araucaria rather than with
Cordaites. Dadoxylon was originally founded on wood of
dubious characters, where the pith was usually large, fistular,
or solid. Our Australian specimens, being decidedly coniferous
and not dubiously cordaitalean, are therefore placed in the
genus Araucarioxylon. It is extremely interesting, in view of
these facts, to witness the early development of one of our
best-known types of coniferous trees in Australia so far back
as at least Permian times.

Besides abundant remains of ferns in Carbo-Permian times,
there is plentiful evidence of spore deposits, as seen in the
" white coal " of Tasmania and the kerosene shale of Hartley
and other places in New South Wales. The white coal (so-called)
is grey to fawn-colour, and has as much claim to albinism as
a white elephant. It is a spore-bearing sandstone rock or
shale, the spores being very thickly scattered through the mass,
producing a laminated structure in the rock. The spores are
uniform in cliaractcr, and were named Tasmanitcs puuctatiis

* " F!din. New I'liil. Joiirn.," vol. xiv., 1833. p. 155.
t '■ Pnic R. I'hys. Snc. Eflin.," vol. v., 1S80, p. 32S
X "('.col. .in(i Pal. Oiif;enslaiid," 1892, p. 198.

S " I'loc. K. Soc. Vici.," vol. xvi. (M.S.), pt. ii., 1904, pp. 318-3:2, pU.
xxviii.-xxx.

II '"Cat. Foss Plants, (jlossnpieris Flora " (Hrit. Mus.), '905.
H Of. cit., ]i. 191.

148 Chapman, The Palcrozoic Flora. [voT."^XXx'l

XX XIV.

bv E. T. Newton, of the English Geological Survey. They are
sac-like bodies of a yellow colour, split by compression, and
superficially punctate or hirsute.

The kerosene shale of New South Wales has a very different
appearance, the rock in section being more or less carbonaceous
and thickly filled with flattened elliptical sacs about 300 mm.
in length, named Reinschia australis by Renault and Bertrand,
and compared by them to the Hydrodictyacece or Volvocinece.
Palaeobotanists are now inclined to regard these bodies as
spores. A few j^ears ago I was greatly interested to find a
representative of kerosene shale identical with that of the New
South ^^'ales variety, in a collection of geological specimens
made in the Falkland Islands by Mrs. Allardyce, of the Falkland
Islands Government House. Its occurrence in that remote
locality proved the extension of these pecuHar deposits,
probably formed in a chain of depressions beyond South
America. At about the same time Halle recorded a Glossopteris
flora from the Falkland Islands, thus setting at rest any doubt
as to the adventitious nature of the kerosene shale speci-
mens.

Towards the close of the L'pper Palaeozoic in the Australian
regions, several types began to appear which are more character-
istic of the succeeding Triassic sediments. Amongst these
pioneers of the Mesozoic flora are Brachyphyllum, a slender,
branched, coniferous tree or shrub which is found abundantly
in Jurassic strata in Yorkshire, India, New Zealand, and
Victoria ; Baicni, a digitate type of leaf of the Ginkgo group,
both this genus and Ginkgo being better known from Jurassic
strata in Australia ; and Cladophlcbis (formerly Aleihoplcris),
a fern genus which became so marked a type of filicales in
Jurassic times, not only in Australia, but in very widely distant
localities, as England, India, Greenland, Eastern North
America, China, Japan, Poland, and New Zealand. Phyllotheca,
as already noted, occurs sparingly in the Carbo-Permian, though
very abundant in the Triassic series. Tccniopleris is also found
in the Upper Coal measures of New South Wales, but occurs
only as a rare and precocious meml)er of the Mesozoic flora.

This commingling of floras of two epochs is not confined to
the latest period of the PaUeozoic, as we have already seen a
similar example in the Devono-Carboniferous flora of Victoria
and New South Wales. Thus, as our knowledge of the plants
and animals of these supposed breaks in time periods increases,
we shall more and more clearly recognize that the arbitrary
gaps made by geologists arc of no permanent importance, and
are now being slowly but surely bridged.

Cbe Uktorian naturalist

Vol. XXXIV.— No. 10. FEBRUARY 7, 1918. No. 410.

FIELD NATURALISTS' CLUB OF VICTORIA.

The ordinary monthly meeting of the Club was held at the
Royal Society's Hall on Monday evening, 14th January, igiS.

[The report of the meeting will appear in the March Naturalist.
— Ed. Vict. Nat.]

EXCURSION TO RICKETT'S POINT (BEAUMARIS).

A GOOD party assembled for the excursion to Beaumaris on
Saturday, loth November, where it was proposed to study
geology and shore-life, but a stray nail, which punctured the
tyre of the car that was to take us to Beaumaris, was the
determining factor in fixing Rickett's Point as our ground for
stud}'. Arriving on the spot in relays, the portion of the
excursionists who decided for geology were soon interested in
the rocks of this part of the Bay. The indentations of the
shore-line, due to the synclines of soft sandy marl, and the
corresponding iron-sand reefs of the gentle anticlines, were
noticed, which give so much variety and picturesqueness to the
Black Rock district. In the ironstone were seen the remains
of probable sand-loving trees and their fruits, the rough bark
in some cases being faithfully pseudomorphosed. Al:>ove the
terrestrial and littoral ironstone at this spot lies tJie marly
sand, in which occasional marine shells occur, thus pointing to
several changes of level wthin a short geological period —the
Kalimnan. A microscope was put at the disposal of observers,
and, whilst examining some sand from a rock pool, a veritable
" living fossil " — an ostracod — was seen groping its way
amongst the marine debris. This particular crustacean belongs
to the genus Cythere, and, as ('. canaliciilata, was named by
Reuss from a Miocene fossil which he found in the Vienna
I>asin. It migrated in that perif)d to Australian seas, since it
H f(jund in the Mioc(;nc of the Mallec i)ores, and tiuis lays
ckiim to being quite an old colonist. It still lived on in Scot-
land till Pleistocene times, and is now jjractically confined to
the Australian coast, being very common in Hobson's Bay and
Port Phillip, and found also in Bass Strait and off Western
Australia.* The valves of this species are easily distinguished
1)y the deeply impressed canals marking the surface of the

*Sce "Proc. R. Soc. Vict.," vol. xxvii., N.S., part i, 1914, p. J2, pi. vi.,
fig. 8.

150 Excursion to Rickett's Point {Beaumaris). [v^."^xxxiv

ovoid carapace. The occurrence oi heavy minerals in the
marly beds of the cliff was pointed out, and samples were taken
home for detailed examination. The leader of the shore-life
party (Mr. J. Searle) was unable to secure a boat for tow-netting,
so the members turned their attention to the rock-pools left
by the receding tide. In these were found great numbers of
rotifers of the genus Synchieta, shore-dwelhng copepods such as
Idya fiircata, small amphipods and isopods, and a few speci-
mens of living foraminifera. The rocks were covered with
winkles, limpets, chitons, and other molluscs, while in less-
exposed places anemones of large size were seen and admired.
On the sandy bottoms of some of the pools numerous prawns
were seen, and their fearless curiosity — which sometimes led
to their capture — demonstrated. Some of the party who were
taking their first lesson in shore-life were surprised when told
that the chitons were molluscs, so a few limpets and chitons
were detached from the rocks and their parts compared ; rough
dissection with a pocket knife showed the radula or lingual
ribbon in each, as well as other points of similarity. On a
jutting rock numerous clusters of the cirripede, Ibla quadri-
valvis, were found, and when our students were informed that
these were crustaceans their wonder was increased. They
could see no resemblance between these rough projections lixed
on the rock and the lively prawns in the pool below, but when
the life-history of the barnacles was explained their interest
in zoology increased, and the fact that cirripedes were crus-
taceans attached to the rock by their heads, and that they
caught their food with their feet, will be a lasting impression.
When told that the Ascidians, on the rocks under their feet,
shapeless masses as they were, had in infancy possessed a
rudimentary backbone, a notochord, it was examined with
greater interest, and, as one of the ladies of the party held a
specimen at arm's length to see it " squirt," the picture on the
title-page of the Onlooker was conjured up, and someone was
heard to say, " So that is evolution." Bottles were filled with
specimens lor home study, and a very pleasant excursion
terminated. — F. Chapman, J. Searle,

The Fleukieu Peninsula Rosella. — A line colouretl figure
of this parrot appears in the current number of the l-.mit. It
is a ^pecies, or perhaps variety, which is conlincd lo the neigh-
bourhood of Cape Jervis, Soutii Australia, .md i> rcmarkal)li
for the brilhancy of the red on the l)nast, *.\:c. i ht coloured
Jigurc is <L splendid piece of work, for which the engraver and
the printer deserve great credit ; unfortunately, however,
neither of their names appears on the plat( .

'I'^'iS 1 y^xtos, The Buffalo Plateau in J anuayy. 151

THE BUFFALO PLATEAU IN JANUARY.

By D. J. Paton.

{Read before the Field Naturalists' Club of Victoria, gth July, 1917.)

In response to a request irom Mr. F. G. A. Barnard that I
should write something for the Club anent my experiences on
the Buffalo Plateau in January last, the following notes are
presented with some difftdence for your consideration this
evening.

Fourteen or fifteen years ago this region and the adjacent
Alps received some attention from members of the Club, their
observations being recorded in the Naturalist of that time, and
I am indebted to an interesting paper by Messrs. Barnard and
Sutton {Vict Nat., xx., p. 4), and the report of the Club camp-out
at Christmas, 1903 {Vict. Nat., xx., p. 144), for much valuable
information.

The scenery and winter pastimes that may be enjoyed at
the Buffalo have since attracted increasing numbers of tourists,
for whom the whole region has been opened up at Government
expense. A graded carriage-road has been constructed to the
summit ; The Chalet, a splendid house of accommodation,
built ; and tracks marked out with linger-post directions to
the places of interest on the Plateau. A lake has been formed
for skating and boating. Thus the writer was in a more com-
fortable position than the bold explorers who, fourteen years
ago, scaled the Plateau by a steep bridle-track, spent a wet
Christmas under leaky canvas, and finally slid down the
mountain-side in the rain, " yet merry withal."

We journeyed from Melbourne by the 4 p.m. express on
Friday, 20th January, 1917, changing at Wangaratta. A
journey of seven hours brought us just before 11 p.m. to Bright,
where we stayed overnight. The following morning we resumed
the journey by coach, starting about 9.30 a.m. Lunch was
taken, and the ascent made a kind of picnic. If desired, one
may be taken up by motor, l)ut tiie slower conveyance gives
more leisure for the examination of the scenery and the
wonderful views which present themselves from time to time.
From Bright to Porepunkah the roadside was lined with bushes
of the introduced Blackberry, Riibiis fniticosits, with tempting
clusters of fruit fully ripe. Everywhere the proclauned
St. John's Wort, Hypericum perforatum, has possession of fields
and hillsides. The foliage of the Ovens Acacia, .1. pravissima,
attracts attention. The work of the dredge is much in evidence.
On one dredged area is a tine group of Black Wattles, Acacia
decurrens, the only vegetation, evidently owing their existence,
in a soil robljcd of humus, to their power of hxing atmospheric
nitrogen.

Paton, The Buffalo Plateau in January. [v,^'^x

Nat.
XXXIV.

Leaving Porepunkah and the Ovens Valley, the road makes
for the Plateau. The latter, which is not visible from Bright,
comes into \-ie\v, and all eyes are turned in that direction.
The huge grey mass rears itself into the sky ; great areas of rock,
bare or scantily clothed with vegetation, indicate steep
precipices and unscalable rocks. A mighty cleft in the midst
— the famed Gorge — is already visible. Meanwhile, we have
left the fields and entered timbered country. Our road runs
parallel with the Eurobin Creek, passing Manfield's, and then,
gradually ascending, leaves the creek far below, though we
get frequent glimpses through the trees of its restless waters,
brawling over the granite boulders in its bed. It forms a
beautiful picture, bordered with ferns, the Fishbone Fern,
Loinaria discolor, being very luxuriant here, whilst beside the
road grow graceful shrubs of the Fern Heath-Myrtle, Baeckea
crenatifolia, in full bloom. Descending slightly, we cross the
creek by the Eurobin Bridge, after pausing to gaze at the
Gorge, which is here in full view. Here we can make out the
Fall itself — a distant silver ribbon wavering in the sunlight.
This is a scene of which description fails to give any adequate
idea. Here we leave the coach and proceed to the Ladies'
Bath Falls, a few minutes' walk upstream by a winding track.
The creek here falls over a ledge into a large, rocky, granite
basin. The water is almost perfectly smooth, and the rocky
bottom is clearly visible. In October the vicinity of the falls
is gorgeous with Tecoma australis, Billardiera scandens,
Prostanihera rotundifolia, Eriostemon correifolius, and the
splendid Grevillea vidoricB. In January their glory had
departed. Hclichrysiim fcrru^ineitm and Tnichymcnc Billardicri
were the most notable flowers.

Leaving tlie Falls and rejoining the coach, we commence the
real ascent of the Plateau. Soon the (Jorge recedes from view,
and we leave the granite, not entering it again till we approach
" Mackey's Look-out." The road winds slowly round the
mountain-side, ascending higher and higher, often doubling
upon itself. An idea of tiie sinuous nature of the road is gained
from the fact that it is just six miles as the crow flies, but
seventeen and a half miles as the coach crawls, from Pore-
punkah to The Chalet. As the road is not wide enough for
two vehicles to pass safely, except at certain points, traffic is
regulated, vehicles l:)eing permitti'd to enter the reserve onl\
at specified times. During the dimb, which first takes us
away from our objective, we note the following plants ni
bloom : — Veronica Dcrwenlia, the orchid Dtpoditini punctalmn
(fine specimens), and Slylidium graminijolium. At intervals
there are splendid views of valley and mountain rjmges. Small
gullies cross our road, and far below we get glimpses of tree-

^gls'l Paton, The Buffalo Plateau in January. 153

ferns. Getting round a spur of the range, we begin at last
actually to approach our goal.

About eleven and a half miles by road from Porepunkah we
enter granite country, and half a mile further on reach
" Mackey's Look-out." Here are shelter sheds, and here we
have lunch. Here we found in bloom Lomatia ilicifolia,
Grevillea parviflora, Westringia 'senifolia (waning), and Pelar-
gonium australe, the last growing in cracks of the smooth,
slippery, granite surfaces, which, sloping at a steep angle, are
almost bare of vegetation. Here grows also a variety of
Acacia longijolia with broad phyllodes and large flower-spikes.
It flowers in October. The view is very fine as we resume
the ascent. The road here doubles on itself, and is cut into
the granite rock-faces, or built up with blocks of the same.
Another commanding view- point — " Staker's Look-out " — is
half a mile further on. After passing the latter, the road enters
the cleft between the main plateau and the North Buffalo,
and the rugged peaks of the latter are seen to advantage.
.\scending higher and higher, the road doubles and twists,
passing huge boulders, and finally attains its highest point
(4,500 feet). During this stage the bulbous Fringe-Lily,
Thysanotus tnherosus. Lobelia gibhosa, Isotoma axillaris, and
several plants mentioned later, were seen.

Now we get our first view of the Plateau. A grassy valley
stretches l)efore us, through which wanders a deep, limpid
brook, bordered with flowering shrubs. Beyond rise granite
peaks, one in particular, near the summit of which a huge rock
is precariously balanced, being pointed out as the " Monolith."
Descending into the valley, we pass along it towards the Gorge,
and wind up the eminence on which The Chalet is built.
Here is our goal ; but the afternoon is still young, and a new
world is ours to conquer, so we soon sally forth to seek new
adventures. Proceeding first to " Bent's Look-out," a pile of
rocks on thi: south lip of the Gorge, only a few yards from
The Chalet, we examine in safety, behind iron raiUngs, the
wonderful prospect that lies before and beneath us. We look
down, far below, at the foot of the dizzy precipice, on wooded
hills, a yellow streak here and there among the trees marking
the road which we ascended so laboriously. Bej'ond is the
Ovens Valley, the paddocks mere " pocket-handkerchief allot-
ments " ; beyond that again, rising tier on tier, the Alpine
mountain ranges. Descending a winding footpath to another
railed look-out, tlic full majesty of tlie Gorge makes itself felt.
Opposite rises an almost perpendicular wall, a sheer drop of
1,700 feet. To the left the waters of the Buffalo Falls hurl
themselves into the abyss, breaking into iridescent fragments
on projecting rocks. Following the track between and over

154 Paton, The Buffalo Plateau in January. [voi."^xxxiV.

rocks, we cross tlie l^ridgc thai spans the stream wliere the
rapids commence, and make our way out to a flat rock which
stands above the fall. Here, with the waters roaring in cease-
less fury beneath us, we may observe the work of erosion in
progress, huge blocks of granite being gradually detached and
hurled to the bottom of the Gorge. Returning to the track,
and proceeding to the " 1,700," we view the south wall
opposite, and the sheer descent Ixlow. bar below, on the
creek banks, appear green rosettes -the lieads of tree-ferns :
whilst the eucalypts are corresjwndingly dwarfed. h^ven on
the perpendicular wall vegetation lias establislied itself
wherever a ledge or cleft lias provided a lodgment. Successive
generations of tourists have seen, in various rock-forms in and
around the Gorge, imaginary resemblances to various persons
and objects. A " Chinese mandarin " is amongst the dis-
tinguished visitors ; there is a likeness of Sir Graham Berry
(a Victorian Premier), a " statue " of Queen Victoria, a
" pulpit rock," and many more.

Having gazed at the Gorge, and the prospect of valley and
mountain, we ha\e leisure to note the plants which bloom
around us. Owing to the lateness of the season, most of the
notable plants were still in l)loom. Oxylohiuvi nlpestre was every-
where, also Leptospennuin lanigerum, L. scoparimn, Kunzea pediin-
cularis, K. Muelleri, Goodenia hederacea, W eslringia scnifolia, and
Trachymene Billardieri. Here the rare Prostanthera Walteri was
also found. Proceeding up the valley, numerous plants claim our
attention : amongst them, Hihhcrlia serpilli folia, \'iola hederacea,
Comesperma relusuni, Baechea Ciunniana, Arthropodium panicii-
latum, Stvpandra ccespitosa, Craspedia Richea, Stylidium
(Candollca) gramini folium, and Wahlenhergia gracilis, the last
three very deeply coloured. In boggy ground are a multitude
of herbaceous plants, amongst them the composites Podolepis
Inngipedata, Brachycome scapiformis, Helichrysnm leucopsidium,
H. baccharoides, H. rosmarini folium, and the glorious Celmisia
longifolia. Creeping in the mud are Scccvola Hookeri and
Lobelia gelida. Still further on we come upon large clumps of
the epacrid Richea (iunnii, with spikes of cream urn-shaped
flowers. At " Carlile's," now deserted, we take the road
leading to Lake Catani, having the " Monolith " in full view.
Shortly we come to the head of the lake, a sheet of water having
a remarkably natural appearance, but formed by throwing a
wall across a ravine and impounding the waters of the stream
in the valley above. It is sixty acres in extent, and frozen
over in winter, when it is used for skating. On the banks of
the stream above the lake we collected Hpacris heieronevta and
Prostanthera cuueata. Meeting the road to " Tlie Horn " near
the head of the lake, wc follow it back, passing along the

'iQiS 1 Paton, The Buffalo Plateau in January. 155

farther side of the lake to the bridge below the embankment.
The waters issuing from the lake form the " Underground
River." Finally we get back to The Chalet, ready to do
full justice to dinner.

Having two hours of daylight after dinner (owing to the
Daylight Saving Act, then in force), we employed them in a
visit to the " Monolith." Branching from the road to the lake
at the finger-post, and following a winding track, we reach our
goal after a stiff climb. The " Monolith " itself is about
40 feet high — a huge block of granite poised a little to one side
of the hilltop. The top is easily reached by a railed ladder,
but the view from here is circumscribed owing to its com-
parativeh^ low elevation (4,686 feet). Towards the east,
however, the Alpine ranges are discerned. Near the
" Monolith " Panax sambiicifoliiis and Olearia myrsinoides were
collected. Descending by a different track, we reach the road
near Carlile's, which we follow back to The Chalet, on
reaching which we are glad to end our labours and seek repose.

Let me preface my remarks on the remainder of the week's
experiences with a few remarks on the Plateau as a whole. It
consists of a series of vallej^s or depressions like drained lakes,
of an average elevation above sea-level of about 4,500 feet,
from which rise hills of varying height. The treeless valleys
are grass-grown, usually more or less boggy, and decked with
flowers, whilst the stream that often wanders through them is
bordered by graceful shrubs. The hills are forested, the highest
peaks, like " The Horn," l)caring the Snow Gum, Eucalyptus
pauciflora, var. alpina. The whole of the Plateau is permanently
reserved as a National Park. The Chalet is built of timber
sawn on the spot, the remains of the sawmill being still visible.
In point of comfort it leaves little to be desired.

Our Sunday morning walk led us to Point Helena, on the
eastern escarpment of the Plateau, from which a fine view of
the Buckland Valley is obtained. It is reached by a track
from Lake Catani, and the last stage is scramble and squeeze
between and over the granite blocks of the summit ; but the
view from the top repays damage to clothing and skin. The
following plants were seen on the way : — Gaultiera hispida
(fruit), Coprosma hirtella, Prostanthera Walteri. In a small
swamp, named the " Violet Farm," besides Viola hederacea
and V. betonicifolia, we collected Prasophylliim fusciim, Thelv-
initra longifolia, Stellaria pungens, the liumble Pidteneva fasci-
citlata, Acana sanguisorhcc , Oreomyrrhis andicola (fruit), fine
specimens of Cclmisia longifolia, and others. Near Point
Helena were Pimelea linifolia, Helichrysunt Stirlingii, and the
ferns Aspidiiim aciileatitm and Aspleninm flabellifoliiim.

Sunday afternoon saw us at " Edinboro' Castle," to reach

156 Patox, The Buffalo Plateau in January. [vXx'xxiv.

which \vc proceed along the road to Carlile's, then by a track
across the valley to the appropriately-named " Crystal Brook,"
and follow up the course of the stream. The banks of the
stream are clothed with slirubs, amongst which are liriostemoii
alpinits, (ircvillea parvi/loya. Pimclea li'^iistrina, and Prostanihera
cuneata, with stray ilowers of Bossum foliosa. Tn the boggy
ground are Liniim marginalc, Lotus corniculatus. the prostrate
Azorella cuneifolia, Veronica nivea, Prasophyllum patens, P.
fuscinn, Xerotes longifolia, and the beautiful little fern Lomaria
alpina. As the valley narrows Gastrodia sesamoides, Geranium
dissectiim, Rubus parvifolius, and Accena ovina flourish on the
forested slopes. After proceeding some distance we follow a
finger-post direction, and after some scrambling, by a track
up the right-hand slope, the "Castle" is reached. It com-
mands a good view of North Buffalo and portion of the main
plateau. Near the " Castle," on the opposite side of the
valley, are Lady Carmichael's Falls, but the trickle of water
coming over at the time of our visit aroused no enthusiasm.

On Monday morning we walked to Lyre-Bird Hill, of which
something will be said later. In the ravine below the lake we
found the conifer Nageia alpina, and at various points near
the lake Drimys aromatica, Boronia algida, Stackhousia viminea,
Daviesia ulicina, Asperula oligantha, Thysanotns tubcrosus (very
fine), much Lomaria alpina, and others. We spent the after-
noon in more thoroughly examining the Gorge and its sur-
roundings and the valley behind. Besides the plants already
mentioned we found Leptospermum flavescens, Pterostylis parvi-
flora, Pteris arguta, Pullencea mollis (flowers withered), and, in
the valley, Gentiana saxosa, Epacris serpillifolia, Drosera peltata,
Scleranlhus biflorus (in cushion-like tufts), Hydrocotylc hirta,
Aciphylla simplicifolia, and Isotoma fluviatilis.

Tuesday was given up to an expedition down tlie Gorge,
under the guidance of .Mr. NCwtoii. r\issing " Echo Point."
on the south wall, where a threefold echo is returned, wc com-
mence the rugged descent. A little way down is the " Mushroom
Rock," a huge- block of granite supported on a slender pedicel.
Here the real descent commences. h'ollowing a precarious
track, scrambling dowr. between and over rocks, chnging to
grass-tussocks, horizontally or diagonally, over steep slopes,
we descend about 1,000 feet, then jjroceed horizontally to an
inviting fern-bower under " Bent's Look-out." From above
this appears at the bottom of the Gorge, but is really little
more than half-way. Here we find a welcome change from
the barren side of the Gorge to the coolness of ferny shades.
Climbing amongst the ferns we come to a pleasant grotto
beneath overhanging rock, where; we arc glad to rest awhile.
The chief ferns here arc Dicksonia aniarclica, Aspidimn

'i^ls'l Paton, The Buffalo Plateau in January. 157

aculeatum, Gleichenia circinala, G. /label lata, Ptens incisa,
Lomaria Pater soni, L. Capensis, L. discolor, and Grammitis
rut if alia. Growing amongst the ferns were Mentha aiistralis
and Urtica incisa. From this point our descent was even more
reckless. Forcing a passage, " tobogganing " over ferns and
undergrowth, sHpping and sUding, we got down to a precipitous
gully which led to the bottom of the Gorge, where the waters
of the creek, after their great leap, make their way noisily
between the huge boulders of water-worn granite. Here is a
good view of the fall. A much better idea of the real depth
of the Gorge is obtained here than the foreshortened view seen
from above. In the gully, besides ferns, we collected Dodomea
viscosa, Lomatia longifolia, Atherosperma moschatum, Lvonsia
stramijiea, Prostanthcra rotundifolia, &c. After resting, we
re-ascended the Gorge by a different route, arriving safely at
The Chalet, tired but quite satisfied.

On Wednesday, taking lunch, we made the ascent of Mount
Dunn, an eminence (4,986 feet) near the centre of the Plateau,
from which a good view of peaks and rocks is obtained.
Following the track as to " Edinboro' Castle," but continuing
up the valley, we reach the turn-off leading to Mount Dunn.
The ascent is easy, but near the top ladders have to be used,
drawn up, and used again, whilst the last stage, over a slippery,
sloping surface, is just a little precarious. The view from the
top is rather weird. The peaks, built up, as it were, of
detached boulders, many of which momentarily threaten to roll
into the valleys, the pinnacle of " The Horn," the bold mass of the
Cathedral Rock and the " Hump," the " Devil's Couch," '" Og,
Gog, and Magog," and the " Giant's Causeway," are all visible
from here, and give the impression of a land inhabited by
heaven-scaling giants rather than puny mortals hke ourselves.
After viewing the prospect we descended to a little valley,
where we lunched, afterwards returning leisurely by a track
leading round Lake Catani. Dianella Tasmanica and Epi-
lobium glahellum were found, also Veronica Derwentia and a great
many plants already mentioned.

Thursday was occupied by a trip to " The Horn," the
highest peak on the Plateau. For this purpose we entered an
ancient conveyance and took the " road," first passing Lake
Catani, then winding southerly around the hills, gradually
ascending. Soon we arrived at the " Torpedo Rock," and
here left the conveyance, following the track up Lyre-Bird
Hill. On the way up we encountered the large rock ironically
termed " The Pebble." Near by was a large patch of the orchid
Chiloglottis Gunnit. At the top of the hill are " The Galleries,"
remarkable passages between the rocks. Some have perpen-

158 Paton, The Buffalo Plateau in Januarv. [vol."'xxxiv.

dicular, others sloping walls. Outside "The Galleries" we
gain a distant view of the " Leviathan Rock." Resuming our
journey, we pass through " Dingo Dell," and arrive at the
" Leviathan Rock," said to be the largest detached rock in
AustraUa (or the world), and to weigh 30,000 tons. Its mass
is certainly immense. Here was a fine specimen of Clematis
aristata, also bushes of Grevillca Victories, but with only one
or two flowers. Further on the " Kissing Stones " were
pointed out — two boulders which have so fallen as to support
each other in the attitude of osculation. We pass close to
the " Cathedral " and " The Hump," a remarkable mass, the
" Cathedral " rising clear above the vegetation, and apparently
unscalable. Further on still we are shown the " Balanced
Egg " which, to use the guide's expression, " defies gravity."
Here, in a valley, (laytonia aitstralasica and Cardamine dictyo-
sperina were collected. Sundry other imaginative resemblances
are pointed out, notably the " cannon " on " Cannon Hill."
After lunching at the foot of " The Horn," we commence
the ascent by a well-marked track winding round to the
southern face, where we get a view of the precipitous wall of
the Plateau, and a foretaste of the views from the top.
Emerging from the vegetation, our path is between and over
piled rocks devoid of soil. Stei)S are cut in the rock, and the
top is railed. Here we enjoy the glorious view from an elevation
of 5,645 feet. Mountain and plain are spread out like a map.
Kosciusko, ninety miles away to the east, is visible, and Mount
Macedon, about 130 miles to the south-west, is said to be visible
on a clear day. Descending by a different track, we viewed the
remarkable " Wall of China," on the south face of " The Horn."
Here was collected the rare Aciphylla glacialis, in fruit. Other
plants which were flowering here, thougli done at the lower
elevation of The Chalet, were Boronia algida, Oreomyrrhis
andicola, Hovca hderophylla, Olcaria stellidata (small variety),
and Dianella Tasmanica (very fine). Large numbers of
" Bogong Moths " were noted in a crevice between the rocks.
We returned by the same road, the guide beguihng the way
with more or less authentic anecdotes of past tourists.

Later in tlie day we visited the " underground river," a
stream flowing through a narrow ravine wliich has apparently
become blocked up by the descent of boulders from the hill-
sides, completely roofing over the stream, which flows between
their interstices. Entering the cavern where the water emerges,
the explorer descends into almost Stygian darkness. Holding
a guttering candle-end, he works his way over slippery rocks,
deafened by the roaring waters, and in imminent danger of a
" ducking." Reaching an opening lietween tlie rocks, he is

^qi's ] Patox, The Buffalo Plateau in January. 159

told to insinuate himself into it, and look upwards. On doing
so, he ga/es into a darkness made visible by numerous
scintillating points of light, like stars in the firmament — the
glow-worms which inhabit the cavern. Then, returning as he
came, he emerges into daylight again, having seen and heard
the "underground river" — thankful that it is all over.

So ended our week of almost perfect enjoyment. Friday
morning saw us in the coach, rattling down the mountain side ;
Friday night saw us in smoky Melbourne — and all was over.

The following list of October-flowering plants may be of
interest as compared with the above January lists : —
Ranunculus Gunnianus, Caltha intraloba, Tetratheca pilosa,
Boronia algida, Eriostemon alpinus, Micrantheum hexandrum,
Daviesia latifolia, Hovea heterophylla, Acacia penninervis, A.
nlpina, A. longifolia, A. dealhata, Baeckea diffusa, Grevillea
Victoria, Pimelea alpina, Styphelia (two species), Epacris
micropJiyUa, Luzula campestris.

Few introduced plants have intruded on the Plateau. Along
the road are a few thistles. The Flat-weed, Hypochceris
radicata, and White Clover were seen near The Chalet and
camping-ground.

I would urge on any who have not visited the Buffalo its
claims from a naturalist's point of view. An observer in almost
any branch would be amply repaid, whilst there are few places
more suited for the purpose of pure holiday-making.

[From the foregoing paper it would seem that the vegetation
of the Plateau has suffered little at the hands of the tourist
since its opening up to that traffic some nine or ten years ago.
For an account of the physical features of the Plateau the reader
is referred to the illustrated memoir (No. 6) by Mr. E. J. Dunn,
F.G.S., issued by the Geological Survey Department in 1908
(see Vict. Nat., June, 1908). — Ed. Vict. Nat.]

Another Great Gift. — In many instances collectors of
natural history objects have had the collecting habit aroused
in them in their boyhood days by the collecting of postage
stamps. In the December Naturalist some account was given
of the great gift by Mr. H. L. White, of Belltrees, Scone, N.S.W.,
to the National Museum, Melbourne, of his magnificent collec-
tion of Australian ]:)ird-skins. Now we have the same gentle-
man handing over to the Mitchell Library, Sydney, his
wonderful collection of New South Wales postage stamps,
valued at £15,000, as a gift to the nation. A portrait of Mr.
White appears in the January /:;/^/^

i6o PirscoTT. Reproduction of Terrestrial Orchids. [v.^f'^^xxxiV

NOTES ON THE REPRODUCTION OF TERRESTRIAL

ORCHIDS.
By E. E. Pescott, F.L.S., F.R.H.S.
{Rend before the Field Naturalists' Club of Victoria, Sth Oct., IQ17.)

Lovers and students of orchidaceous plants have for years
spent much time and study in considering and describing the
structures of the reproductive organs of these plants, and their
labours have usually been directed in showing how that Nature
has specially constructed the wonderful floral organs for the
express purposes of pollination and fertilization.

Thus Darwin has written his immortal work on " The
Fertilization of Orchids " to prove mainly two laws — first, that
Nature abhors self-fertilization ; and second, in pursuance of
this law, that Nature has designed that all orchids shall be
cross-fertilized, in order that, by the production of seed, the
species may be perpetuated. Following tliis work, Fitzgerald,
who admits the inspiration of Danvin, published his magnificent
monograph on Australian orchids, illustrating over two hundred
species, as well as their marvellous structure. Fitzgerald's
conclusions right through are that the continuance of most
species is due to and dependent upon the production of the
seeds. Dr. Rogers, of South Australia, who has taken up
Fitzgerald's work, has also pul)lished valuable papers along
these lines, the papers being contained in the " Transactions
of the Royal Society of South Australia." The more important
ones are entitled " A Critical Review of South Australian
Prasophylla " and " Mechanism of Pollination of Certain
Australian Orchids." In these and other papers stress is laid
upon pollination as the agent for the ensurance of seed pro-
duction.

It is admitted that orchids are marvellously and uniquely
adapted for cross-pollination ; it is admitted that as a result
orchids produce a prolific abundance of seed ; and it is also
admitted that Nature must have originally so designed these
flowers for the purposes mentioned. But it must also be
admitted that Nature has lamentably failed in these purposes
at the present time, and that all of these wonderful designs
are possibly but survivals of the original intention. For, while
Nature has given these wonderful mechanisms, and while she
also prolifically produces results in the form of millions of seed,
she rarely produces a seedling plant. Fitzgerald, a keen
observer, tacitly states this, for, while he differs in some respects
from Darwin's conclusions, and while he is certain that most
species are dependent upon seed for a continuance of the
species, he does not state anywhere that he had seen one plant
which he could call a seedling plant of a terrestrial orchid. He
refers to the " difficulty common to all orchids of inducing seed

^l'\'^'\ Pescott, Reproduction of 'L'ervestfial Orchids. i6i

to vegetate," and, again, to "the great difficulty in persuading
them to vegetate." Other remarks are interesting. He states
that Thelymitra came a fertiHzes itself, and produces a seed
capsule, yet it is not nearly so common as Aciantlms fornicatns,
the majority of the flowers of which are unproductive. Further,
" Phaius grand if olius and Calanthe veratrifolia grow in similar
situations. Every flower of the Phaius produces seeds, only
occasionally one of the Calanthe ; yet Phaius is rare and
Calanthe common."

Cheeseman, in the " Transactions of the New Zealand In-
stitute," 1875, says that only a quarter of the flowers of
Ptcrostylis trullifolia yield capsules, whereas Acianthiis Sinclairii
produces an extraordinary number of seeds ; yet in many
districts it is not more abundant than the Pterostylis.

In the B.A.A.S. Handbook of South Australia (1914), Dr.
Rogers saj^s that " in certain genera (such as Caladenia, Microtis,
Prasophyllum, and Thelymitra) capsules are produced freely,
and seeds are shed in countless numbers. Some of these seeds
doubtless survive and germinate, but the vast proportion of
them must perish. Many attempts have been made to
cultivate them artificially, but, so far as the writer can
ascertain, such attempts have been unsuccessful. Very little
indeed is known about this mode of propagation."

In observations of many years, covering many localities, and
having collected and observed many species in thousands of
plants, I had been forcibly struck with the absence of seedling
plants. Indeed, I have never yet seen anywhere what I could
faithfully determine to be a seedling terrestrial orchid. Further,
seeds of many species were sown for several years, and in many
ways, but none of the seeds ever germinated.

Nature has gifted most plants with what might be termed
the " double chance." Geraniums grow easily from seeds —
so do roses, so do carnations ; but they may also be reproduced
by the propagation of cuttings. They will, as well, root readily
when the growths come in contact with the soil. Daffodils
i:)roduce seed, so do gladioli and liliums : but all of these are
reproduced far more readily l)y l)ulb or corm reproduction,
and increase inniergroitiid. And it is this underground increase
that has been given to orchids in order that the spc^cies may
continue and increase. iMtzgerald noticed this in several
species, but he proposed certain limitations, which have since
been proved erroneous. Dr. Rogers adds that a great pro-
portion of terrestrial orchids must depend for their propagation
very largely upon \-egetative reproduction. There is now no
doubt whatever that the very large majority, and perhaps the
whole, of our terrestrial orchids increase their species by
multiplication of the tubers or tuberous roots underground.

i62 I'EbcoTT, Reproduction of Terrestrial Orchids, [voi^xxxiv.

The Genus Pterostylis.

Taking this genus as a type, and especially as the Green -
hoods are so well known, the methods of reproduction and
increase may be explained at length.

The method of the continuance each year of what may be
called the parent plant is well known. When the vegetative
growth appears from the tuber and pushes its way to the
surface to grow the foliage, stem, and flower, it is enabled to
do so by the plant food that was stored in the tuber by the
work of the foliage of the previous year. As this store of food
is slowly exhausted, the tuber gradually shrinks and shrivels
until a mere skin remains. While growth is taking place,
however, a small root is pushed out from the stem, just above
the old tuber. From this quickly grows a new tuber, in which
the growing fohage stores another food supply. When the
flowering has been completed the plant slowly dies, leaving
only a new tuber in the soil, the old one having disappeared
and the skin having rotted away.

Regarding the increase in the tuber system, or the produc-
tion of juvenile tubers, the genus naturally separates into
three groups.

Group I. — When the tuber breaks into vegetative growth,
and, after the foUage has appeared above ground, the root
system is formed. This root system comes from the main
stem which proceeds above from the tuber, and never from the
tuber itself. Several roots branch out laterally and almost
horizontally through the soil. Usually they are very close
to the surface. Apparently a liberal air supply is needed for
the roots and for the subsequent development. As the lateral
filamentous root system is developing, the tip of each root
begins to swell, the swelling increasing week by week until each
strong root has terminally developed a new tuber. Later
the roots die, leaving several new tubers in the soil, and quite
away from the parent tuber.

In the reproduction of the parent tuber, the new season's
tuber is always found slightly l)elow — sometimes only one-
eighth of an inch — the older tuber. This ulterior position is
necessary, so that the laterally produced or juvenile tubers may
gradually reach a lower and more suitable strata of soil. Thus
one plant, m addition to reproducing the parent tuber, may
grow two or tiiree, or even more, juvenih' tubers, thus con-
siderably increasing the species.

Frequently the filamentous roots, which hnaUy termmate
in the juvenile tuber, are several inches in length. Pterostylis
nutans often produces these roots to a length of six or eight

Feb^, 1 Pescott, Reproduction of Terrestrial Orchids. xOj

inches. The extreme length so far noted was in Pterostylis
pedunciilata, one plant of which had a lateral root eleven inches
in length.

In 1915 I planted three pots with tubers of Pterostylis nutans ;
the pots contained 10, 12, and 13 tubers respectively. When
the foliage had died down after the flowering season, the
flowers all having been cut to prevent seed-production, the
tubers numbered 18, 29, and 26 in the pots. Thus in one
season 35 tubers had increased to 63 .tubers — that is, there were
28 additional tubers and the 35 parent tubers as well. In
nature the increase of this species is often more numerous than
this. In 1914 fourteen tubers of Pterostylis concinna were
planted in a pot. Five only produced flowers in July, the
flowers again being removed. In the following May, 1915,
33 plants had appeared, giving an increase of 19 tubers, in
addition to the replacing of the 14 parent tubers. If further
proof be needed : in 1915 I collected a small four-leaved plant
of Pterostylis nutans, with variegated foliage. It was evidently,
from its size, a juvenile tuber, and, of course, was a " bud
variation," or " sport." In 191b the plant again grew strongly,
producing nine or ten leaves, variegated as before, but no
flower. In 1917 two plants, both with variegated foliage,
appeared, the parent plant flowering, the additional plant
having been produced from a juvenile tuber.

In the first group of Pterostylis the roots are usually long.
This group consists of species that are lovers of cool, moist,
or shady locations, and includes such species as P. nutans, P.
concinna, P. carta, P. pedunculata, P. pedoglossa, P. nana,
P. alpina, P. falcata, P. reflcxa, and others.

Group 2. — This group may be classed as belonging to stiff
clay soils or to hot, open, and dry situations. In these species
the filamentous roots are quite absent, their place being taken
l:)y stout fleshy roots, often not more than a quarter of an inch
in length, so that the juvenile tubers are formed quite close
to the parent tuber, and, when fully developed at the end of
the growing season, all of the tubers are found in a compact
mass together. So closely packed arc they that somctnnes
the tubers will be flattened and distorted by the pressure of
one against the other. Included in this group arc P. viltata,
P. harhata, and /-•. longijolia. Ihe shortness of the lateral roots
explains the occurrence of the separate rosette of foliage, often
found growing right alongside the flowering plant of one of
these species. This rosette of foliage is the growth from the
juvenile tuber, which, in aU species, rarely produces a flower
in the first year of its existence. Indeed, it is frequently not
until the third year that the juvenile tubers perfect their

164 Pescott, Reprodtictiov of Terrestrial Orchids, [vorxxxiv

growth by producing a flowering stem. Even so, a juvenile
tuber is capable of becoming a parent tuber in its second
season, before it has produced a flower.
[To he continued.)

The Home of the Black Cockatoo. — " Wanda," in an
interesting article in the Argus of Saturday, 2nd February,
gives some account of a visit paid to the uninhabited country
beyond the Grampians along the upper reaches of the Glenelg.
He speaks of it as one of the homes of the Black Cockatoo, which
he regards as the queen of the forest. He says : — " Curiously,
the first cockatoo I saw was the Gang-Gang. The Gang-Gang
is one of the prettiest of the black Cockatoos. A flock of three
flew away in front of me. Then, through the trees, but never
above them, came a flock of seven of the Funereal Cockatoos.
They were calHng loudly as they flew, evidently in protest
against our desecration of their home. We were passing through
a dense forest of Swamp Gvims— small, undersized, gnarled
trees. Here and there grew a Wild Cherry tree, always close
to a gum, for it is a botanical theory that the cherry is a
parasite on the gum, and unless it mingles its roots with those
of its host it will not thrive. W'e passed into denser comitry.
It was early summer, but the place had all the appearance of
late spring. I never saw such a wealth of flowers. The
Grampians arc famous for their wild-flowers. Wild violets
decorated the side of the track, while sarsaparilla trailed over
every log. We were within half a mile of the Glenelg when
we passed an old stump of a tree. It had been burned by a
fire, and was only some ten or twelve feet high, ivight on
the top was a Black Cockatoo. I could hardly believe my
eyes. There she sat until we got within a few yards of her ;
then she flew away, my boy remarking — ' She is nesting,' and
so she was, and in a most curious place. Evidently, from th(>
manner in which she stuck to the nest, the eggs were nearly
hatched. The nest could have been reached with very little
trouble, but I was not a collector, so, not wishing to worry the
parents, passed on. It was a striking tribute to the loneliness
of the jjlace, and its extreme (luictness. A little farther on we
came to a small group of the birds on a small honeysuckle
(Banksia) tree They were at their usual work of tearing oft
the seeds and flowers of the tree. They do this to practically
aU the trees in the forest."

Aboi'T Members. — ^Mr. E. ( ). .\rmytage, late of Beacons-
field, has been severely wounded while serving as lieutenant in
the famous Scottish regiment, the Black Watch. Dr. W.
Macgillivray, of Broken Hill, has enlisted, and is \M)\\ in Europe
with the A.A.M.C.

Cbc Uictorian Daturalisi

Vol. XXXIV.— No. 11. MARCH 7, 1918. No. 411.

FIELD NATURALISTS' CLUB OF VICTORIA.

The ordinary monthly meeting of the Club was held at the
Royal Society's Hall on Monday ev^ening, 14th January, 1918.
The president, Mr. F. Pitcher, occupied the chair, and about
45 members and visitors were present.

CORRESPONDENCE.

From the Secretary, National Committee of the Young
Men's Christian Association, as follows : —

" On behalf of the National Committee of the Y.M.C.A., I beg to extend
to the Field Naturalists' Club of Victoria our thanks for the cheque for
;^2i2 5-;. id., the net amount of the proceeds from your annual wild-
Hower show, held in the Town Hall on 2nd October last. This splendid
financial result, largely due to the energy and earnestness of your members,
brings with it more than the actual money. It means to us that the work
we are trying to do has your sympathy and endorsement, so, in thanking
you for this generous expression of 3'our goodwill, may we add our earnest
desire to administer this fund so that you may feel that your labour has
been well invested. — Yours faithfully,

"ALEX. J.\MIESON,

" National Secretary."
ELECTION OF MEMBERS.

On a ballot being taken. Miss Lilian Evans, York-street,
Moonee Ponds ; Miss Dorothy Phillpot, " Narrabeen," Mary-
street, Malvern ; and Mr. Albert E. Keep, Alma-road, Caulfield,
were duly elected as ordinary members, and Mr. Allan
MacCaskill, jun., as a country member of the Club.

GENERAL BUSINESS.

With regard to the letter from the Chief Inspector of
Fisheries and Game, inquiring as to the question of a change
in the opening of tlie quail season, which had been held over
from the previous meeting pending advice from the ornith-
ological members, it was decided that the matter be k-ft in
the hands of Messrs. J. A. Kershaw, F.E.S., and G. A. Keart-
land to deal with.

The chairman announced that Mr. F. Keep had presented
to the Club six of the Commonwealth military maps covering
districts adjacent to the metropolis, which would be ot value
to members in arranging excursions, &.c. A vote of thanks
was unanimously accorded to Mr. Keep for his gift.

i66 Field Naturalists' Club— Proceedings. [voi"^xxxiv

Mr. G. A. Keartland stated that the Game Act was being
openly infringed, particularly in the districts north of the
metropolis, by the shooting oi quail, and mentioned that he
had already reported the matter to the authorities. It was
decided to support his action, and leave In it her action in iiis
hands, in conjunction with Mr. Kershaw.

The chairman stated that a proposal was before the com-
mittee to hold an exhibition of the various branches of the
Club's interests on the occasion of the annual meeting in June,
in order to bring the objects of the Club more immediately
under the notice of the general public.

The chairman said that Mr. J. W. Audas, F.L.S., had placed
a number of reprints of a recent article on " Victorian Grasses"
at the disposal of members. The article was a useful con-
tribution on a difficult subject.

REMARKS OX EXHIBITS.

Mr. E. E. Pescott, F.L.S., called attention to a number of
New South Wales flowers sent by Miss A. Fuller from the J^lue
Mountains, where she was enjoying a holiday, and remarked
on the freshness of many of the specimens. He also drew
attention to fresh specimens of the rare and curious orchid,
Drakea Huntiana, forwarded by Mr. A. B. Braine, of Cravens-
ville State school, N.E. Victoria. This species had been
recorded in the December Naturalist as new for Victoria.

Mr. H. B. Williamson said he had a number of plants of the
epiphytal orchid, Sarcochilus falcatus. which he had brought
from East Gippsland, and would hv willing to distribute them
to members who would guarantee to try and grow them.

Mr. J. A. Kershaw, F.E.S., said that a number of Cabbage
Palms, Liv'istona ausiralis, had recently been planted in suit-
able situations in the National Park, Wilson's Promontory,
where no doubt they would do well.

Mr. F. G. A. Barnard said that during the ("hristnias holidays
he had followed the tourist track constructed some timi' ago
along the Sassafras and Menzies Creeks, Dandenong Ranges,
and had found it full (jf interest, birds in tiie Menzies Creek
portion being especially noticeable. He recommended the
walk as well worth taking, and not at all arduous.

Mr. J. (jabriel spoke of the depredations of the Canary Fly
in Melbourne suburban gardens recently. Messrs. C. French
and E. E. Pescott gave advice as to the treatment of this
insect, the former stating that the present season was one of
tin w first known for insect pests of all kinds.

Mr. 11. B. Williamson said that during a recent hnlidiiy in
East Gippsland he had noticed great devastation to native
foliage caused by two species of caterpillars, and Mr. C. Daley,

^^l^'l Field Naturalists' Club — Proceedings. 167

F.L.S., said the same matter liad come under his observation.
Mr. J. A. Kershaw, F.E.S., said from the descriptions given
he thought the caterpillars depleting the gums of their foliage
would be the larvae of the Bag Moth, Team contraria, Walker,
while those travelling over the ground in great numbers were
probably the larvae of Persectania ewingi, Westw.

PAPERS READ.

1. By Mr. J. A. Kershaw, F.E.S., entitled " Two Snakes
New to Victoria."

The author exhibited and briefly described specimens of two
snakes collected in the Mallee, in the north-western portion
of the State, and forwarded to the National Museum, which had
proved new to Victoria. They were both small species, and
had been identified as Rhynchelaps australis, Krefft, previously
known from Western Australia, and Denisonia nigrostriata,
Krefft, recorded from Queensland and South Australia. So
far only single specimens had been obtained. He stated that
the number of species of snakes, exclusive of the Typhlopidie
(blind snakes), recorded for Victoria is now sixteen.

2. By Mr. A. H. Burns, entitled " Notes on the Butterflies
of Wandin-Ferntree Gully District."

As the author, who is a country member, was unable to be
present, the paper was read by Mr. F. G. A. Barnard.

The author stated that the district over which he had
collected was well suited to the varied habits of butterflies,
and that more than two-thirds of the Victorian species could
be found there. He gave brief descriptions of the species of
the family Nymphalidce which he had met with, together with
some account of their life-histories.

Mr. Barnard said it was Mr. Burns's intention to give a
second paper, dealing with the Lycaenidie and Hesperidie, in.
which groups he believed the author had made some original
observations.

EXHIBITS.

By Mr. J. W. Audas, F.L.S. — Dried specimens of Prostanthera
nivea, Snowy Mint-bush, collected at Spring Vale, nth October,
1917 ; orchid, Thelymitra canalicidata, R. Br., collected at North
Devon, near Yarram, 24th October, 1917, new for Victoria ;
Orthoceras strictum, R. Br., Crow Orchid, and Cryptostylis longi-
folia, R. Br., Long-tongue Orchid, collected at Nar Nar Goon,
loth December, 1917 ; also Alhagi camdoriim, Fisch, " Camel
Thorn," a new introduction from Central Asia, forwarded by
Mr. G. H. Adcock, from Rutherglen, loth January, 1918.

By Miss C. C. Currie. — Flowers of orchid, Dipodinni
punctatuni, Comesperma ericiniiin, ixc.

By Mr. C. French, jun. — Aboriginal sharpening stone, col-

i68 Field Naturalists' Club — Pvoceedings. [v>^"xxxiv

lected near Frankston, 12th January, 1918 ; also rare fungus,
Cyttaria Gitnnii, Berk., collected by Mr. H. A. Brown near
Healesville on Fagus Citnni)ighami, Southern Beech, new for
Victoria, also collected by Mr. J. W. Audas in South Gippsland.

By Miss A. Fuller. — A number of flowering specimens of
New South Wales shrubs and plants, principally Myrtacese,
Proteaceae, and Compositie, also the orchids Orthoccras striciiim
and Cryptosiylis longifolia, from the \\\\\c Mountains, New
South Wales.

By Mr. E. E. Pescott, F.L.S. — Fourteen aboriginal spear-heads
from North-West Australia, made of quartz, quartzite, flint,
dear glass, bottle glass, carnelian, &c.

By Messrs. Pescott and French. — Fresh specimens of orchids,
Dipodiiim punctatum, from Croydon, and Drakcva Huntiana,
from Cravensville : dried specimen of T/iclyviitra canaliculaia,
R. Br., from Mr. A. B. Braine, Cravensville, 12th November,
1917, new for Victoria.

By Mr. J. Searle. — Under microscope, hydatid cysts in rabbit.

By Mr. H. B. Williamson. ^ — Plants of epiphytal orchids,
Sarcochiliis falcatiis and Dendrobium striolatum, and the fern
Poly podium serpens, from Cann River, East Gippsland.

After the usual conversazione the meeting terminated.

Correction. — In the exhibits at the December meeting by
Mr. D. J. Paton, recorded in the January Naturalist, page 131,
Crowea {Eriostemon) saligna should read C. exalala, and Brachy-
loma depressa should read Leucopogon rufus.

The ordinary monthly meeting of the Club was held at the
Royal Society's Hall on Monday evening, nth February, iqi8.
The president, Mr. ¥. Pitcher, occupied the cliair, and about
fifty members and visitors were present.

REPORTS.

A report of the excursion to the Lilydale Quarry on Saturday,
iQth January, was given by the leader, Mr. F. Chapman,
A.L.S., who reported a fair attendance of members. Some
account was given of the general geological features of the
limestone, after which search was made and a number of
characteristic fossils obtained. A visit was afterwards paid
to the site of the old crater on the Melbourne road, and its
story told.

A report ol tlie excursion to loolangi from Saturday to
Monday, 2f)th-28tli January, was given by Miss C. Currie,
who reported that the members had spent a very pleasant time
there. The very fine timl)er trees and the wealth of vegetation
in every direction had excited the attention of all, and, f hough

^I^^g'^ Pield Nahiralists' Cluh — Proceedings. 169

midsummer, several interesting plants and shrubs had been
found in bloom.

A report of the visit to the Zoological Gardens on Saturday,
9th February, was given by the president, Mr. F. Pitcher, who
said that about 40 members and friends had attended. The
party was shown round the gardens by the director, Mr. D.
Le Souef, C.M.Z.S., and his assistant, Mr. J. Wilkie, through
whose kindness, and knowledge of their peculiarities, the
various animals, birds, reptiles, &c., were displaj^ed to the
visitors under the most favourable conditions, and many
interesting notes and anecdotes related regarding the specimens.
After the principal portions of the Gardens had been visited,
at the invitation of the office-bearers of the Club an adjourn-
ment was made for afternoon tea, which Mr. Le Souef had
kindly arranged to be taken on the lawn surrounding his office.
He had taken the opportunity to express the thanks of the
Club to Messrs. Le Souef and Wilkie for their kindness, to
which the former replied in his usual happy style. Mr.
Le Souef then invited the members to inspect his private
museum, which contains a large and valuable collection of
natural history specimens. The afternoon was greatly enjoyed
by all, and closing time appeared to arrive too soon.

GENERAL BUSINESS.

Mr. G. A. Keartland referred to the request preferred by
sportsmen to the Fisheries and Game Department to alter the
opening of the quail season to March, which, he said, had been
definitely refused. The opening of the duck season on the
New South Wales side of the Murray River had been arranged
for the same date as in Victoria — viz., 15th Fcliruary in each
year.

Mr. J. A. Kershaw, F.E.S., reported that he and Mr. G. A.
Keartland had waited on the Chief Inspector of Fisheries and
Game with the request that police supervision be given to the
northern metropolitan districts on account of the unlawful
shooting of young quail, when it was promised that effective
steps would be taken.

REMARKS ON EXHIBITS.

Mr. F. G. A. Barnard called attention to his exhibit of a
growing specimen of the fern Botrychium tcrnatum, Meadow
Moonwort. He had exhil)ited the same plant at the June
meeting, when he stated that the new season's fronds usually
appeared alxjut the second week of February. He had l^rought
the specimen again to verify his statement, the new fronds
being now just above the ground, while last year's infertile
frond was still in fairly good condition.

Mr. H. B. Williamson called attention to dried specimens

I70 Field Naturalists' Club — Proceedings. [vJi"^xxxiv

of two plants new for Victoria — viz., Logania longij'olia, R. Br.,
v^ar. sitbsessilis, collected by the late Mr. C. F. Hawkins at
Murrayville (Wimmera), August, 1917, and Solamtm violaccum,
R. Br., collected by Rev. A. J. Maher at Mount Drummer, near
Genoa (East Gippsland), October, 1914.

PAPER READ.

By Professor Sir Baldwin Spencer, K.C.M.G., F.R.S., entitled
" What is Nardoo ? "

The author, in expressing his pleasure at being able again to
attend a meeting of the Club, said that it was about thirty-one
years since he was first present at a meeting, and he could not
but acknowledge his indebtedness to members of the Club for
their great help in many ways during that long period.

He said that some three years ago Mr. E. H. Lees, C.E.,
F.R.A.S., had contributed a paper to tlK> Club under the same
title, in which he claimed that the word " Nardoo " was not
the name of a plant, as usually understood, but the name for
a food obtained from several plants. Since the publication of
that paper he had given the question considerable attention,
and would endeavour to sliow that Mr. Lees was wrong in his
conclusions. He quoted from a number of authorities, and
finally from the MS. journal of Dr. Beckler, of the Burke and
Wills expedition, now preserved in the Melbourne Public
Library, and could come to no other conclusion than that the
word " Nardoo," used by the natives of the Cooper's Creek
district, is applied to the plant Marsilea quadrifolia and its
products only, and that the food " Nardoo " used by Burke
and Wills was made from the sporocarps of that plant.

The author referred to the growing specimen of Marsilea
quadrifolia exhibited on the table by Mr. F. Chapman, and said
that the reason many persons had not succeeded in iinding the
sporocarps attached to plants growing in the latitude of Mel-
bourne was that, owing to the much moister climate, the plant
had no need to produce a large number of spores in order to
ensure its reproduction. He exhibited actual specimens of
sporocarps obtained at Cooper's Creek by the late Dr. A. W.
Howitt.

Considerable interest was taken in the paper, and many
questions were put to the author at its conclusion.

Mr. (i. A. Keartland stated that he had found the i)lant in
question on the Fit/roy River, North-West Australia, and,
although Ik- infjuired diligently, liad not heard it called
" Nardoo " t)y the natives.

Mr. A. I). Hardy, F.L.S., said that the Marsilea grew freely
around the Kilby Lagoon, ni'ar the Yarra, at East Kcw, where
members could easily obtain specimens.

^^'■••'I Fielc^ Naturalists' Club — Proceedings. 171

Mr. F. G. A. Barnard asked whether the seeds of the
Portulaca mentioned in the Burke and Wills expedition report
resembled those of the Portulaca of our gardens, the author
replying that, whilst the seeds were used, the fleshy leaves and
stems formed the chief article of food derived from this plant.

Mr. F. Chapman remarked that he had found sporocarps
attached to his plants, and Mr. F. Pitcher said that in the
Economic Museum at the Botanic Gardens were two grinding
stones reputed to have been used by Burke and Wills at
Cooper's Creek, also portion of a cake made of Nardoo meal.

Professor Spencer, after replying to the various remarks,
maintained that ample and satisfactory evidence had been
produced to support his contention.

NATURAL HISTORY NOTES.

Mr. F. G. A. Barnard called attention to a recent statement
in the Argus " Nature Notes " that the call of the Kookaburra
was the effort of two birds, and asked the opinion of liird
authorities present. Mr. G. A. Keartland and Mr. P. R. H.
St. John both maintained that one bird only produced the
complete call.

Professor Spencer illustrated the track of the introduced
garden snail on the blackboard, representing it as a series of
short, thick, broken lines, which may often be seen on an
asphalt path, and asked members to try and find an explanation
for this peculiarity.

Mr. A. D. Hardy, F.L.S., mentioned that he liad found snails
attacking the foliage of a plum tree, which, he thought, was a
rather unusual food.

EXHIBITS.

By Mr. F. G. A. Barnard. — Pot plant of fern, Botrycliiinn
ternatum, just showing new season's fn^nds.

By Mr. F. Chapman. — Fossil corals and stromatoporoids
obtained on Cave Hill quarry excursion, also samples of vol-
canic deposit (tuffaceous) from Crater Hill, Lilydale ; growing
specimen of Marsilca qiiadrifolia, in illustration of Prof.
Spencer's remarks.

By Mr. C. Daley, F.L.S. --Aboriginal grinding stones, ui)per
and lower (the latter showing, on the reverse side, husking holes),
from north-west Riverina.

By Miss Fuller.— Fresh specimens of the " Blanki>t-flow(M\"
from Western Australia.

By Mr. E. Keep. — IHowering specimens of Acacia pniinosa,
" Frosty Acacia," and Leplospcrmum scoparii<m, tlic pink-
flowered New Zealand variety.

By Mr. F. Pitcher. — Flowers of Slcnncarpiis siiiiialiis, ICndl.,
Fire-wheel Tree, New South Wales and Queensland ; Backhousia

172 Field Naturalists' Cluh — Proceedings. [voT."^xxxVv.

citriodora, F. v. M., Sweet Verbena Myrtle, Queensland, grown at
Botanic Gardens ; Callistemon palmhsiis, F. v. M., Swamp Bottle-
brush, Victoria and New South Wales ; also dried sporocarps
of Marsilea quadrifolia.

By Prof. Spencer. — Dried specimens of Marsilea quadrifolia,
showing sporocarps ; also sporocarps obtained at Cooper's
Creek, Central Australia, bv the Howitt Relief Expedition,
1862.

By Mr. J. Wilcox. — Flowering specimens of the New South
Wales Christmas-bush, Ceratopdalum i^ummiferuin, grown at
CamberwcU.

By Mr. H. B. Williamson. — Dried specimens of Logania
longifolia, R. Br., var. subsessilis, from Wimmera, and Solanum
violaceiim, R. Br., from East Gippsland, new for Victoria ; also
Acacia tripiera, Benth., and Daviesia incrassata, Smith, probably
Victorian, but localities doubtful at present.

After the usual conversazione the meeting terminated.

EXCURSION TO LILYDALE QUARRY.

Starting; from Flinders-street on Saturday, 19th January, as
a modest party of four, on arrival at Lilydalc our number had
increased to nineteen, comprising, in addition to members of
the Field Naturalists' Club, some members of the Microscopical
Society of Victoria, who liad arranged, at the invitation of the
leader, to join the excursion. Armed with the approval and
caution of the station-master at Lilydale, we proceeded up the
line and turned off into the Cave Hill Quarry. The day l)eing
still and warm, the wood smoke from the kilns hung about the
quarry, and, although not absolutely unpleasant, made the
air rather pungent. Gathering our forces at the entrance of the
quarry, we were about to make our peace with a sup])()sititious
official engineer, when we discovered to our suri)risi' tliat he
was a fellow-member who had arrived earlier, and whom we
exonerated from all suspici(^n of having skimmed the palae-
ontological cream prior to our arrival. After a short ex-
planation of the age and method of deposition of the limestone,
its fossil contents, and the nature of the changes it. has under-
gone since its consolidation, we proceeded to examine the
blocks on the floor of the quarry. An absence of the rich,
friable limestone was noticed, from which so many fine speci-
mens of gasteropods have formerly been obtained. However,
a fair number of specimens were collected, and after about an
hour's hammering the f(jllowing fossils were found : — Calcareous
Alga. — (lirvanella and other forms. Corals. — CyaUuiphylhnu
sp. ; Favosiies grandipvra, ¥A\\. lil. Alveoliti'S (?) — HclioUtcs
inter stincta , Linne, sp. Stromatoporoids.— C/a/Z/rorfidyoM, sp..

j^jg'] Excursion to Lily dale Quarry. 173

and other forms, some perforated by " Caunopora " tubes.
The nature of these latter is still a matter of dou])t. Perhaps
the best explanation is that they represent the corallites of a
form allied to Aulopora, which lived commensally with the
stromatoporoid and became enveloped in its stony skeleton.
Crinoids. — Numerous joints and stem ossicles. Gasteropods. —
Fragments of Euomphalus northi, Eth. fil., sp. Some inter-
esting points were raised and discussed, such as the relation of
the dolomitization to the bedding layers ; the immunity of
corals, in certain cases, to dolomitization, perhaps owing to
" fixation " by bitumen from the organism ; the presence and
significance of ripple-marks, several good examples of which
were seen on the south-eastern face of the quarry ; and the
sphaeroidal structure of the basalt consequent upon flowing
over swampy ground as evidenced by the section seen in the
quarry. The party then walked to the top of the hill to
examine the quartzites and to satisfy themselves as to its
original sandy nature. Crossing the line by a bridge, the
depression or tuff-cone on the Melbourne road was next visited,
where the former vegetable garden in its centre is now trans-
formed into a small orchard. Although some doubt has at
various times been expressed ])y geologists as to the nature of
this depression at Crater Hill, this point can be easily settled
by examining the red beds on the adjoining road-cutting,
which are seen to contain adventitious pellets such as would
certainly be absent from a bed of lava decomposed in situ.
A coccus pest, determined by Mr. F. P. Spry as Lccaniiim
hesperiditrn, L., sp., was found covering the younger twigs of
the neighlxjuring hedge of Osage Orange, which somewhat
marred its usually rich foliage at this season. The afternoon
proved to be pleasant and profitable, and the return to the
station was made in good time to catch the 5.35 train to town,
a few members remaining for tea and a later train. — F.
Chapman.

[Reports of previous visits to the Cave Hill Quarry will be
found in the Naturalist for May, 1909 (xxvi., p. 7), and Novem-
ber, 1914 (xxxi., p. loi). — Ed. Vict. Nat.]

EXCURSION TO TOOLANGI.

This excursion was arranged to extend from Saturday, 26th
January, to Monday, 28th, so as to include the Foundation Day
holiday on the latter date. We were promised the hottest day
for sixty years on the Saturday, owing to the fact that the
sun would be nearer the earth on that day than it had l)een
at any time during that period ; however, though it certainly
was a hot day, it did n(jt prove exceptionally so, and the heat

174 Excursion to Toolangi. rvoi"^xxxVv

was hardly noticeable when we got out into the beautiful
country. The fourteen-mile drive from Yarra Glen to Toolangi
was very interesting — among hills covered with medium-sized
cucalypts. From one point, locally k;jown as " Cape Horn,"
there was an extensive view over the Yarra valley to the
Dandenong Ranges and Malleson's Look-out. As we walked
up the steep part of one hill we could not help admiring the
Sweet Bursaria, just then at its best, bearing its panicles of
small, creamy-white, scented flowers. Here also were found
spikes of the pink orchid Dipodium punctafiim, often called
" native hyacinth " by the bush folk. Our destination,
Alanbee House, we found to be nicely situated in a sheltered
spot, and as an agriculturist I could not but admire the
seven acres of potatoes close by, which were in splendid order,
and were excellent when sampled at dinner. We were going
to be very energetic in the afternoon, but. attracted by some
pleasant shade alongside the Yea River afforded by a thicket
of hazel, musk, sassafras, and tree-ferns, amidst which the
umbrella and star ferns were climbing, not even the leeches
and mosquitoes could make us move. The call for afternoon
tea was more successful. Mr. J. A. Kershaw, F.E.S., who had
been announced as leader of the excursion, was unfortunately
prevented l)y his official duties from leaving town, so we were
glad when our fell()w-mcml)er, Mr. Chas. Daley, F.L.S., who
was spending a holiday in the district, kindly undertook to
act as leader on the morrow lor a v^sit to the Sylvia h'alls.
This was particularly good of him, for he had been there only
a day or two before with Mrs. Dale}', and was well aware of
the difficulties of the track. We went to tlic " Canoe " in the
evening, anil found the ferns along the river a beautiful sight.
On the way back wc passed Mr. C. J. Dennis's house, sur-
n^unded with wattles and gums, and " dinger Mick " intro-
duced his friendly self, acconijxmying us Ixuk to " Alanbee."
The walk to the Sylvia Flails sei-med to us nion' than tlir
seven miles it is reputed to be, but it was very bLautiiul and
interesting, and, even if we did cross the stream twenty-nine
times, we did it each time over a different kind of cros.-ing. A
soft mist was falling, making the bushes moist, while our foot-
steps made no sound on the soft wet leaves as we went along.
Our path was through a tangle of blanket-wood, sassafras,
hazel, musk, lomatia, with tree-ferns decked with filmy ferns,
mosses, and lycopods. Later we came to the myrtles, Fai>us
Cunniughaini, but I like to call them by their ])ropir name —
Ix'ech. They were so beautiful— the old, old trunks covered
with mosses and lichens, even out to the uttermost points of
the limbs. They yield a beautiful timber for household use.
From them Beech Forest, in the Otway peninsula, got its name.

'^'^8'] Excursion to Toolangi. 175

One cannot describe the beauty of everything, especially on
such a favourable day. The Star Fern, Glcichcnia circinata,
grew here most luxuriantly — one might almost say by the
acre. There were huge banks of it along the stream, and in
one place a little island covered with it. The Falls were beauti-
ful, but we were not tourists — only naturalists. They were
reached only after the party had been revived with lunch.
Our way back was up a very steep hill covered with the Hop
Goodenia, G. ovata, wire-grass, and shrubby acacias, inter-
spersed with shapely Blackbutts, Eucalyptus pUidaris, standing
tall and straight. We passed a lovely small tree which our
leader recognized as the Tree Geebung, Persoonia arhorea ;
it has edible fruits, and is known locally as the " Johnny Bright
Plum." Altogether, it was a most enjoyable day. On Monday
we were fortunate in getting Mr. Smedley, of Alanbee House,
to be our guide. He took us past a little bush saw-mill, across
a swamp full of tea-tree, with plenty of the pretty little
Utricularia showing its bright purple flowers ; then up some
very steep hills covered with shrubs and big timber to Smedley's
Falls. They were very lovely, but their surroundings were
very different to the Sylvia Falls we had visited the day before.
Then we went to another saw-mill, passing on the way masses
of Clematis aristata and Tecoma australis climbing up the
eucalypts by their strong, rope-like stems. At the mill we
saw so many magnificent logs of Mountain Ash, Eucalyptus
regnans, and talked so much about timber, that wc left fancying
ourselves timber experts. Tired as we were, our enthusiasm
was revived by the finding of the dear little pink orchid
Spiranihes australis, one of the gems of our summer-flowering
plants. After dinner some of the party got ready for their
return to Yarra Glen and home, the rest staying till next
morning and leaving at the early hour of 5 a.m. to catch the
morning train to town, fortunately the heavy rain keeping
off till we had reached the station. Many more trees and shrubs
common to our elevated mountain districts were noticed, but I
think I have said enough to show that Toolangi is well worth
a visit by a nature-lover. There are also many birds to be
seen and heard, but our party did not include an ornithologist.

— C. C. CURRIE.

[A report of a previous excursion to Toolangi will be found
in the Naturalist for February, 1910 (vol. xxvi., p. 144). —
Ed. Vict. Nat.]

176 Pescott, Reproduction of Terrestrial Orchids. [voT.'^xxxVv.

NOTES ON THE REPRODUCTION OF TERRESTRIAL

ORCHIDS.
By E. E. Pescott, F.L.S., IvR.II.S.

{Continued from page 164.)

{Read before the Field Naturalists' Club of Victoria, ^th Oct., 191 7.)
Group j. — Up to the present time I have only been able to
place one species of Pterostylis in this group— viz., P. parvi-
flora — although there are species in other genera which exhibit
the same mode of reproduction. The habit of growth of this
species is as follows : — ^When the flowering season (March to
May) is approaching, the tuber sends up its vegetative growth,
culminating in a flowering stem, which has no basal foUage.
As the flowers approach maturity, the flower-stem from the tuber
to the ground level thickens considerably, while the repro-
ductive tul:)er for next year's flower develops near the old
parent tuber. The fleshy underground portion of the flower-
stem develops a vegetative bud, from which a rosette (jf small
foliage appears. Sometimes a second rosette appears, and
occasionally a third, all growing from the one stem. According
to the strength and size of the tuber, so is the number of
" eyes." This means that an abundant autumn rain in one
season, causing the dev^elopment of a vigorous rosette of
foliage, will result in a large tuber full of storage food for the
next season ; and in that case, as a result, several buds will
develop at the base of the subsequent flower-Stems. In
succeeding years, two and sometimes three flower-stems will
have developed from the one growing stem. Later, a juvenile
tuber will appear lower down, on the growth stem. Thus we
find a parent tuber with its reproductive fuller at the liase,
a juvenile tulur on the stem higher up, and one, two, or three
rosettes or flower-stems at ground level. Later, a separate
growing stem develops, conveying the saj) for other rosettes.
In other words, by the lapse of a few years, each rosette comes
to have an independent growing stem, all of which are still
conjoined, or wrapped up in the original fibrous coating that
formed the protective covering or epidermis of the original

vegetative stem. And it is only wlien this fibrous coating

decays, in tiie lapse of years, that each rosette or flower-stem

attains an independent existence.

TlIH (iHNtS PKASOl'HVLl.nM.

In this genus, with one excej)tion, the lateral roots arc
produced in the same way, above the parent tul)er, but they
arc usually very stout and very short. Again, terminal juveniU
tubers are produced on the roots, and these so overlie the parent
tuber that they appear like offsets from them. Sometimes

VTs'] Pescott, Reproduction of Terrestrial Orchufs. 177

in favourable situations, the lateral roots of P. elatum are longer.
On one occasion one lateral root of this species was observed
five inches long. One cluster of P. album, collected 24/1 1/15,
had four flowering-stems close together, with a total of eleven
tubers, not counting the older parent tubers. In addition, two
foliage (non-flowering) juvenile tul^ers from last season were
present. In a similar manner, P. patens, P. fiisciim, P. Frenchii,
P. hrevilahre, and P. despectans increase.

The one exception in this genus is P. flaviim. This is a tall-
growing species, almost as tall as P. elatum, with yellow flowers.
The flower-stems develop from a thick, fleshy, tuberous root-
stock, which is very like the root-stocks of certain garden
Irises. In this case the rhizomes of this species are wonder-
fully like those of Dipodium punctatum.

Other Genera.

The species in the genera Corysanthes, Caleya, Acianthus,
Cyrtostylis, Calochilus, Lyperanthus, and Chiloglottis, all, so
far as observed, produce very long filamentous roots, with
terminal juvenile tubers.

Corysanthes pruinosa is occasionally found in colonies on
the trunks of tree-ferns. The parent orchids, in growing at
the base of the fern, send filamentous roots upwards. These
roots find the shelter of the tree-fern trunk congenial, and so
they push on, forming the tubers, and dying, leaving the tubers
a few inches up the stem. And thus, in the lapse of years,
additional roots send new tubers further and higher up the
stems. In this way I found Corysanthes unguiculata nine inches
from the ground, growing from under the bark of Melaleuca
squarrosa.

The species of Caleya have very large tubers, the longest
filamentous root noted being one of C. major, nine inches long.

The lateral roots of Lyperanthus siiaveolcns are stouter than
usual, and, on the average, they are longer than any other
species. The longest noted was 12JI inches.

The longest root observed of any species was one of Chilo-
glottis trapeziforme, which exceeded 15 inches in length.

In Microtis porrifolia the lateral roots and the subsequent
juvenile tubers are far more numerous than in any other orchids
observed. This will account for its prevalence in its native
habitat. Tliis species is exceedingly hardy, and readily survives
cultivation, for a time at least. Further, it possesses the rare
occurrence of showing the dormant " eye " or bud on the tuber
very prominently.

The (iENus Caladenia.

This genus, with the closely-allied one, (ilossodia, again
presents some remarkable features of reproduction. The

178 Pkscott, Repvodudiov of Terrestrial Orchids. [v<^."^xxxiv.

paired tubers are, of course, present. In Caladenia they are
often readily observable, but in Glossodia they are not so easily
discovered. These are really hot climate orchids, and Nature
has therefore provided their tubers with special protection
against heat and evaporation. On casual inspection, the plants
of Glossodia major invariably have apparently only one tuber
each. On dissection, the paired tubers (old and new) are
found to be enveloped in quite a numl)er of tough fibrous
sheaths, often as many as twenty of these sheaths being found
enfolding the tubers, the inner ones being of a silky nature,
the outer ones being very tough. There is no doubt tliat these
sheaths are for protective purposes.

The juvenile tuber is developed inside the sheath. Later,
a second leaf appears from the parent plant, then two flower-
stems appear to be coming from the one tuber. The tuber
increases in size until a separation occurs. Even then, \\ath
two tuber systems in the soil, they are connected by the top of
the sheath, the two flowers and leaves coming from the
identical vegetative stem. Later, the stem sheathings decay,
and there remain two separate plants, each with its pair of
tubers. Many years may elapse before this articulation,
uniting the two plants, disappears. It is not common, in this
State, for more than two tubers to be so united ; but Dr.
Rogers states that in Western Australia the tubers of various
individuals are united curiously together, not in juxtaposition,
but by actual articulation. This is there common with Clossodia
Briinonis. It is interesting to note that with this s])ecies there
are many tubers, all united by articulation, flnall}- ending in
one stem near the surface. From this one stem comes quite
a colony of flower-stems and foliage. In Western Australia
this articulation also occurs commonly with Caladenia
Patersoni. Again the tubers are articulated, iinally uniting
in one stem before foliage and flower growth develops. This
articulation is not at all common in this State.

In many species of Caladenia, particularly C. Patersoni, C.
dilalala, ('. fUamcntosa, C. latij'olia, ('. leplochila, and C.
cairnsiana, tlie sheathings that wi-rc noticed in (ilossf)dia an-
neither so plentiful nor so com])lete. The new parent tuber
may usually be seen developing through the base of the
sheathings. And in this way, year by year, the tuber grows
deeper in the soil. In its downward flevelopment the tuber
leaves behind the fibrous shells of other years, s(j that tlic
remains of the tul)ers may easily be noted on the root-stalk
which is extending from the tuber to the ground surface. One
plant of Caladenia dilatala was observed witii the sheatliing
shells of f(jur older tubers, and five shells were found on a plant
of Caladenia lalifolia. In i')i5 :> i)lant of Caladenia Menziesii

'^Yg'l Pescott, Reproduction of Terresivial Orchids. 179

was collected which had a small leaf growing independently
from one of these old sheathing shells ; and at the same time
a plant of Caladenia funbriata was noted with a single small
leaf growing out of the same tuber from which the adult
foliage was growing, showing that a juvenile tuber had
developed inside the sheathing envelope, and was therefrom
producing its foliage.

From these observations it is certain that in some species,
if not in a considerable number, the root-stalk or underground
stem, extending from the tuber to the surface, is of a permanent
character, forming a permanent and protective medium for
the conveyance of the sap, resulting in a minimum amount of
sap evaporation.

A considerable number of genera remain to be discussed,
and they will be considered in a future paper. But enough
has been said to show that terrestrial orchids are largely
dependent upon tuber development and increase for the
continuance and extension of the species. Little is known
regarding the seeds of these plants. In very many species
seeds are produced in hosts. Whether they are germinable,
whether they remain in the soil awaiting suitable conditions
for development, or whether they are all abortive, is not
known. Apparently there is no necessity for the production
of seed, owing to the tuberous increase, and apparently the
elaborate apparatus or arrangement of the organs is to some
extent but a survival of the pollination and fertilization
operations of other days.

[The paper was illustrated by a large series of lantern slides
depicting the flowers and their various parts. — Ed. Vict. Nat.]

The Austr.-m. Avian Record (vol. iii.. No. 5), bearing date
2r)th December, 1917, contains fewer additions and corrections
to Mr. Mathews's list than usual, none of them affecting Vic-
torian birds. The editor and Mr. T. Ircdale devote several
pages to " Avian Nomenclature Notes," in which several changes
are proposed. A coloured plate is included, which figures the
Black-and-White Wren, Nesomaluriis leiicopteriis, and the Dirk
Hartog Grass-Wren, Diaphorillas carteri.

TooROUKRONG RESERVOIR. --This pretty little lake, situated
amid tlie foothills of the Plenty Ranges, and visited on several
occasions by excursion parties of the I'Meld NaturaHsts' Q\\\h,
is in danger of being polluted . by a plant well known to the
microscopist, Vallisneria spiralis. This plant has found the
shallow margins of the lake an ideal habitat, and has spread
enormously. The authorities are now engaged in raising the
embankment, so that a greater depth of water can be im-
pounded, and the plants thereby drowned,

i8o Book Notice. [vor'^xxxiv.

BOOK NOTICE.

The Flora of the Northern Territory. By Alfred J.
Ewart, D.Sc, Ph.D., F.L.S., Government Botanist, Pro-
fessor of Botany, University of Melbourne, and Olive B.
Davies, M.Sc. ; with Appendices by J. H. Maiden, F.R.S.,
I.S.O., Director of the Sydney Botanic Gardens, Govern-
ment Botanist, and A. A. Hamilton and Edwin Cheel.
Published by authority of the Minister for Home and
Territories. M'Carron, Bird and Co., printers, 479 Collins-
street, Melbourne. 1917.

This, the latest of the divisional floras of Australia, besides
listing the plants collected during recent explorations, notably
the Barclay expedition, in the Northern Territory — viz., that
portion of Australia north of the 26th parallel of south latitude
and between the boundaries of Western Australia on the west
and Queensland on the east, records all the plants previously
noted in the National Herbarium (Melbourne) Census and other
publications as occurring in " Northern Australia " — " Northern
Australia " probably including, as well as the Northern Territory,
portions of northern Western Australia and northern Queens-
land. The flora is arranged in orders in the sequence of
Engler's System, and extends to 281 pages [y\ x 4I inches
printed). Most of the recent collections, which include some
new species and genera, were made by Mr. G. F. Hill, who was
the botanist and entomologist of the Barclay expedition. A
rather novel feature is a " Key to the Australian Natural Orders,"
in which the characters of each order are set out in tabular
form ; this extends to 14 pages {i^l x 7^ ), and can hv made use
of by workers in any State. Two pages of popular names are
given and a large number of plants are grouped under different
headings, indicating their economic or other qualities. In tlie
appendices by Mr. J. H. Maiden on the eucalypts and acacias
will be found a great deal of valua]:)le information applicable
to other portions of Australia. A new eucalypt is named after
Professor Baldwin Spencer, K.C.M.G., and a variety of Acacia
sericata is named Ditnnii after Mr. E. J. Dunn, I-'.G.S., late
(iovernment (ieologist of Victoria. The volume is well indexed,
and includes twenty-seven plates, drawn by the Misses E.
M'Lennan, B.Sc, I. Cookson, B.Sc, E. Archer, B.Sc, and M.
Flockton (Sydney) : als(j a map of the Northern Territory, by
Capt. A. L. Rossiter, showing the route of the Barclay Expedi-
tion and the characteristic vegetation at the various camping
places.

Cbe Uictorian naturallsn

Vol. XXXIV.— No. 12. APKIL 4, 1918. No. 412.

FIELD NATURALISTS' CLUB OF VICTORIA.

The ordinary monthly meeting of the Club was held at the
Royal Society's Hall on Monday evening, nth March, igi8.

The president, Mr. F. Pitcher, occupied the chair, and about
fifty members and visitors were present.

REPORTS.

A report of the excursion to Berwick on Saturday, 23rd
February, was given by the leader, Mr. R. A. Keble, who said
that there had been a fair attendance of members. The blue-
stone (basalt) quarry had been visited, and in the fluviatile
clay underlying the basalt a number of fine specimens of leaves,
&c., were obtained, particularly Fagus Luehmanni and Lomatia
Bosistooides. A portion of a legume was also obtained, the
first yet found in the deposit.

A report of tlie visit to the Burnley Horticultural Gardens
on Saturday, Qth March, was given by the chairman, who said
that there had been a good attendance of members. About
thirty had proceeded up the river by motor-boat to the Gardens,
where about a dozen more were awaiting their arrival. The
Director of the Gardens, Mr. J. P. M'Lennan, before starting
on a tour of the Gardens, asked the party to assemble in the
lecture room, where he gave a brief resume of the operations
carried on by the students, which include a number of ladies.
Both theoretical and practical horticulture are dealt with in
the course of instruction. Some fine samples of preserved
fruit made by the students were on view. An adjournment
was then made to the grounds, where first of all the notable
flowering plants and shrubs were pointed out ; afterwards a
visit was paid to the orchard, where methods of cultivation,
pruning, &c., were shown. y\t the invitation of Mrs. M'Lennan,
an adjournment was made to the lawn for afternoon tea, but
tlie good things had hardly been handed round before a
thunderstorm, with heavy rain, caused all to seek shelter, and
thus interrupted what would have been a very pleasant fmale
to an enjoyal")le and profital)le afternoon.

On the motion of the president, a cordial vote of thanks was
ordered to be sent to Mr. and Mrs. M'Lennan for their
hospitality and kindness.

ELECTION OF ME.MHKK.

On a ballot being taken, Dr. (iriffith Taylor, W.V.., P.. A.,
l\(i.S., Commonwealth Bureau of Meteorology, ("arltoii, was
duly elected an ordinary member of the Club.

1 82 Field Naturalists' Club — Proceedings. [v(M."xxxiv.

GENERAL BUSINESS.

The president welcomed Mr. and Mrs. A. A. Weeks, of
Gosford, N.S.W., to the meeting, stating that the Chib had
been greatly indebted to them for supplies of flowers on the
occasion of the recent Patriotic Exhibition of Wild-flowers.
Mr. Weeks, in brief!}' returning thanks, expressed the pleasure
of his wife and himself at being able to l^e present at a monthly
meeting of the Club.

The chairman drew attention to the notice in the Naturalist
stating that the committee would greatly appreciate the
services of any of the members who would take shorthand
notes of the monthly meetings in order that full and correct
details might be secured for publication.

The president also called attention to the proposed ex-
hibition of specimens to take place at the annual meeting on
loth June next, which would be open to the general public.
A number of leaders in different branches had signified their
willingness to act as organizers, and it now remained for the
general body of the members to make the display a success.
He said that, though it was primarily intended to exhibit Vic-
torian specimens, others would be accepted in limited
quantities.

NOTES ON EXHIBITS.

Mr. A. D. Hardy, F.L.S., drew attention to his exhibit of
the bark and timber of a giant cucalypt from the l^ecnak
Forest.

Mr. C. Daley, F.L.S., drew attention to some photographs
exhibiting the rough character of the country in the vicinity
of the Wonnangatta River, North (iippsland, which has
recently come into prominence in the daily press.

Mr. E. Wilson called attention to his exhibit of seventeen
species of longicorn beetles taken on a Manna (ium, Kucalyptus
viminalis, in his own garden at East Malvern.

PAPER HEAD.

I. By Mr. A. D. Hardy, F.L.S., entitled " The Tall Trres of
Australia."

The author said that a statement had recently been put
forth by the American Musrum of Natural History claiming to
have in America the tallest and biggest trees in the world, and
twitted Australia with having recorded sizes which, when put
to " the ultimate test — the tape measure," shrank ])efore it,
leaving the Sequoia the monarch of all trees. In the Annual
Report of the State T'orests Department f)f Victoria for 1910
some account had been given of the tall trees of Victoria, and he
desired to remind members of the facts there stated. He had
no doubt that the tallest and biggest trees of to-day are the
Sequoias of California. The Americans had preser.ved their
marvellous specimens of the vegetable kingdom, while ours

^f[g'j Field Naturalists' Club — Proceedings. 183

had been allowed to disappear through want of appreciation
and neglect, or had been made available to the service of man
by the use of the axe and the saw. He placed on record,
however, the height of a " Mountain Ash," Eucalyptus regnans,
felled at Thorpdale, Gippsland, in 1880, which, measured by
a qualified surveyor with a steel tape, totalled 375 feet. The
author pointed out by means of diagrams the difficulties of
securing the true measurement even with a theodolite, and that
the question of girth depended very largely on the number and
size of the buttresses, usually associated with big trees.

Some discussion ensued, in which Messrs. Pitcher, Gabriel,
Shephard, and Barnard took part.

Owing to he lateness of the hour, with the consent of the
author, the reading of Mr. J. W. Audas's paper on " The
Characteristic Vegetation of the Yarram District " was post-
poned until next meeting.

EXHIBITS.

By Mr. J. W. Audas, F.L.S. — ^Timber specimen of Banksia
serrata, L., Saw Banksia, from Yarram, October, 1917 — a
handsome mahogany-coloured wood, useful for furniture and
boat-building ; also fruit specimens of the Arghel, a Syrian
plant, Gomphocarp'us fruticosus, Linn., now naturalized in this
State. These resemble swans, and are sought after by children
to float on water ; collected at Healesville, March, 1918.

By Mr. F. Chapman, A.L.S. — Flowering specimen of
Eucalyptus Lehmanni, Schauer, Green-flowering Gum of
Western Australia, grown at Balwyn.

By Mr. C. Daley, F.L.S. — Photographs of Valley of Wonnan-
gatta River, taken from Mount Howitt ; the track from Bryce's
Homestead ; and a scene on the Wonnangatta River ; also
quartz pebbles impressed into water-worn stones from near
Stockdale, Gippsland, and a twin-leaf of eucalyptus.

By Mr. C. J. Gabriel. — Marine shells — Victorian repre-
sentatives of the genus Cyprasa, or Cowrie shells.

By Mr. A. D. Hardy, F.L.S. — Series of bark sections and
timber from Eucalyptus regnans, recently felled at Becnak ;
also pul)lication, " The Giant Trees of Victoria," on behalf of
Forests Department, Victoria.

By Mr. R. A. Keble. — Fossil leaves, Sic, obtained on ex-
cursion to Wilson's Quarry, Berwick, including portion of a
legume, probably new to science.

By Mr. F. Pitcher. — Flowering specimens of Crotolaria laburni-
Jolia, Linn., Laburnum-leaved Bird-flower, Queensland ; Hakca
ruscifolia, Labill., Ruscus-leavcd Hakea, Western Australia ; and
Lambertia formosa, Smith, Port Jackson Honey-flower, New Soutli
Wales, grown at Melbourne Botanic Gardens.

i84 Field Naturalists' Club — Proceedings. [vo[."^xxxVv.

By Mr. H. B. Williamson. — Dried specimen of Acacia linco-
lata, Fitzgerald (determined by Mr. P. H. Maiden, F.L.S., Sydney),
collected l^y Mr. I). C. trainer at Rosebery (Wimmera),
Septcml)er, ioi3-

By Mr. E. Wilson. — Seventeen species of longicorn beetles
taken on a Manna Gnm, Eucalyptus viminalis, at East Malvern.

After the usual conversazione the meeting terminated.

Orchids. — Mr. R. W. Armitage, M.Sc, Beechworth, writes : —
" The attached list of orchids grown or collected by Mr. A. B.
Braine, head teacher of the Cravensville State School (about 30
miles south-east of Tallangatta), and his pupils is noteworthy
as showing the interest evinced in these singular plants in an
out-of-the-way corner of Victoria. It comprises 51 species
belonging to 17 genera. Mr. Braine remarks that his finding
of Drakea Hitniiana was the first record for Victoria ; Praso-
phylliim intricatum, first time sent to Dr. Rogers from Vic-
toria ; Chilo'^lottis Pescoitiana— new species,- 1916 ; C. trapezi-
formis — recorded for Victoria first time in 1916 ; Thelymitra
canaliculata — recorded for Victoria 1917, but specimen found
in Gippsland about three wx^eks before his ; Pterostylis— several
apparent hyl)rids sent to Dr. Rogers : possibly some new species
may be listed in 1918. The complete list is : — Acianthus
exsertus ; Caladenia carnea, coerulea, congesta, deformis,
dilatata, Patersoni, testacea ; Calochilus Robertsoni ; Chilo-
glottis diphylla, (iunnii, Pescottiana, trapeziformis ; Corysanthes
pruinosa ; Cyrtostylis reniformis ; Dijiodium punctatum ; Diuris
maculata, pedunculata, punctata, sulphurca ; Drakea Huntiana ;
Eriochilus autumnalis ; Gastrodia sesamoides ; (ilossodia major ;
Microtis minutiflora, porrifolia ; Prasophyllum album, flavuni,
intricatum, nigricans ; Pterostylis acuminata, alpina, barbata,
curta, cycnocephala, falcata, longifolia, nana, nutans, parvi-
folia, pedunculata, pr?ecox, reflexa, revoluta : Spiranthes
australis ; Thelymitra aristata, canaliculata, epipactoides,
ixioides, longifolia, pauciflora. Mr. Braine lias a most beauti-
ful school garden, and his orciiids are doing splendidly."

The Latk Colonel W. V. Legge. — By the death, at the
end of last month, of Golonel W. V. Legge, R.A., at the age of 75,
the Field Naturalists' Glul) has lost another- of its honorary mem-
bers. He was elected in September, i88q, in recognition of his
researches in Tasmanian ornithology, but he never contributed
to the Club's proceedings. He was a native of Tasmania, and
entered Woolwich as a cadet, passing into the Royal Artillery.
As a military officer he had many important works entrusted to
him. During his military life he spent some years in Ceylon, and
became an authority on the birds of that island.

Apnl,"! Barnard, Journeys of Dr. Neumayer in Victoria. 185

SOME ACCOUNT OF THE JOURNEYS OF DR. GEORGE
NEUMAYER IN VICTORL\, 1859-64.

By F. G. a. Barnard.

{Read before the Field Naturalists' Club of Victoria, 12th Feb., 1917.)
It is fitting that we should sometimes devote a Httle attention
to the work of the early pioneers of science in this State, and
with that view I want to bring under your notice this evening
the work of Dr. Geo. Neumayer in Victoria in the early sixties.
Some twelve years ago I took an opportunity of drawing atten-
tion to the three wonderful journeys made by the late Baron
von Mueller in the early days of this State, when he added so
much to the botanical knowledge of the then colony of Victoria
that those who came after have had few opportunities to secure
further novelties.*

While Dr. Neumayer' s journeys were made at a later period
of the colony's history, when the country was not so sparsely
populated, they were not made without some hardships, and
though the brief accounts of them do not contain so much
that is interesting to members of this Club as those of Baron
von Mueller, still here and there we find notes which give
some idea of the state of the country in those comparatively
far-off times.

Of Dr. Neumayer's personal history I have but little know-
ledge. He was born in Bavaria in June, 1826, and was there-
fore about thirty-three years of age when he started on his
first trip to Maldon, &c. He had, however, been in Victoria
for some years previously. Mr. Alexander Sutherland, in
" Victoria and Its Metropolis," in referring to the beginnings
of the Melbourne Observatory, says Neumayer arrived in 1857,
commissioned by the King of Bavaria to inaugurate a magnetic
survey of Austraha, but Neumayer, in the account of his fourth
trip, says :— " On nth October (1861) left camp (near Epsom)
at 9 a.m. and passed through Sandhurst. . . Left im-
mediately for Kangaroo Gully, about seven miles distant. It
was here that I lived eight years ago when engaged in gold
digging. It is wonderful what effect those eight years have
had about the place. Where there were formerly green forests
and a muddy creek, a thriving little township with innumerable
chimneys is now springing up. It was scarcely possible for
me to identify the spot where my tent had stood in those
primitive days of my mining Ufe, and where I used to give
lessons in navigation to the numerous seafaring men who had
then visited the goldficlds in search of good luck, and, wearied
and disappointed, were anxious to return to their original

♦"Some Early Botanical Explorations in Victoria," Vict. Nat., xxi.,
p. 17 (June, 1904).

1 86 Barnard, Journeys of Dr. Neiimayer in Victoria. [voKxxxVv.

vocation. In CDnnncmoration of those days I called this point
' Navigation Point.' " From these remarks it is quite evident
Sutherland is wrong, and that Neumaycr arrived in Victoria
about 185J. Of course, there is the possibility that he
returned to German}^ and was sent out again by his king.
Sutherland goes on to say that Neumayer applied for a site
in the Botanical Gardens reserve on which to erect a magnetic
observatory at the expense of the King of Bavaria, but was
refused ; however, later the application was granted for a site
on the Flagstaff Hill. The (ieodetic Survey had at the time
a small observatory, under Mr. R. F. J. Fllery (afterwards
Government Astronomer of Victoria), in the Royal Park.
These were afterwards combined, and Neumayer appointed
director, Mr. Ellery retaining the direction of the Nautical
Observatory at \Villiamstown, afterwards removed to the
Domain. The Flagstaff Observatory occupied a small building
in the western portion of what is now the Flagstaff Gardens,
West Melbourne, adjacent to King-street, where in the early
fifties the inhal>itants of the growing city were wont to gather on
Sundays, &c., to learn the latest news of the shipping in the bay.
which was transmitted thence by signal flags. On Neu-
mayer's return to Germany he was appointed nautical
astronomer at Hamburg, where he died in 1908, in his eighty-
third year.

The quarto volume from wliich I have taken the information
I purpose placing before you to-night is entitled " Results of
the Magnetic Survey of the Colony of Victoria, Executed
During the Years 1858-1864," by George Neumayer, Ph. 1).,
late Director of the Flagstaff Observatory, Member of Various
Scientific Societies, and was published at Mannheim (Germany),
1869. From the preface it seems that Dr. Neumayer left
Victoria before the money necessary for publishing his results
had been voted, hence the publication in Germany. A para-
graph is worth quoting. He says : — "A considerable portion
of the book is devoted to the narrative of my travels. In it
I give a short account of the manner in which the work was
carried through, including the mode of travelling and living,
as also a short description of the country ])assed through, its
general features, water-courses, and mountain ranges. \i such
an abridged account as the diary I was in the haliit of keeping
while in the field must necessarily be replete with interest at
the present time, it will naturally be still more so in future
times, when the primitive state of the greater part of the south-
eastern extremity of the Australian Continent will have passed
out of recollection."

At the commencement of his work he used a springcart with
one horse, for he soon found th.it the jolting and knocking

Apni.T BxRSXRD, Journeys of Dr. Neumayer in Victoria. 187

about to which his instruments were subjected in pubHc convey-
ances would soon render them useless, and, although all possible
care was taken, he had three or four upsets ; consequently, in
1861 he procured a light American waggon and used two horses.
By this method he was also able to avoid staying at hotels
and stations, for, in accepting the hospitality of settlers, he
invariably found that much valuable time was lost. The
observations were carried on both by day and night, so that,
being on his own, he could make the most of every opportunity
that presented itself. The details of his methods of packing
and transporting the instruments are interesting, and it is
pleasing to note that, with the exception of one barometer and
one boiling-point apparatus, they went through the whole of
the survey without any breakage. When he reckons that he
covered nearly 12,000 miles in his investigations it will be seen
that great care must have been exercised.

The results of the survey may be seen on the map of Victoria
(8 miles to the inch) issued in 1876, where " var. . ." alongside
the name of a town, &c., indicates the determinations arrived
at by Dr. Neumayer. '

He found it unnecessary to employ more than one man on the
journeys, though he had sometimes to make use of the
aboriginals as guides, and on several occasions he was accom-
panied by friends as his own private guests. Thus Mr. Irvine
and Dr. Beckler went with him through the Mallee into South
Australia ; Mons. E. von Guerard, the artist, and Mr. J no.
Twynham to Kosciusko ; and Mons. N. Chevalier, the artist,
on his fifth and tenth trips, to the Grampians and Gippsland.

He made several minor excursions in 1858 and 1859. His
main trips (mentioning only the more important places) were : —

I. — June, 1859. — To Mount Tarrengower (Maldon) and Mary-
borough.

2. — November-December, 1859. — ^"^^ Oueenscliff, Ballarat,
Camperdown, and Portland.

3.— September-December, i860. — With the Victorian Exploring
Expedition under Burke and Wills as far as the Darling ;
returned from Swan Hill via Mournpall, Pine Plains,
Horsham, Skipton, and Meredith.
February, 1861. — ^A short trip to Cranbourne to examine
the great aerolite.

4. — September, 1861-January, 1862. — To Kilmore, Bendigo,
Pine Plains, Wentworth, down Murray to sea, Mount
(iambier, Hamilton, Daylesford, Bacchus Marsh, &c.
February, 1862. — Another visit to Cran])ournc re tluv great
aerolite.

5. — April-June, 1862. — ^To Cape Otway, Camperdown, Caster-
ton, St. Arnaud, Echuca, Kilmore, &c.

i88 Baksxrd, Journeys of Dr. Keumayer hi Vicioria. [vd!*^xxxiv.

6. — October-December, 1862. — To Seymour, Beechworth,
Wodonga, Kosciusko, Wodonga, Rochester, Bcndigo, &c.
7. — ^January, 1863. — ^To Cape Schanck and French Island.

8. March-April, 1863.— To Quccnstown, Healesvillc, Benalla,

Wood's Point, Jericiio, Bunyip, &c.
g. — ^November, 1863. — To Clunes, Avoca, Maryborough, Castle-

maine, &c.
10. — November, 1863-February, 1864. — To Dandenong, Trar-
algon, Mount Useful, Dargo, Port Albert, Bass, &c.

In reading the details of these trips one cannot help being
struck with the number of thunderstorms mentioned, which
seems to quite bear out the impression of the present day
that thunderstorms are not nearly so prevalent now as they
were some thirty years ago.

The notes of the trips do not contain so man\^ references to
natural history as one would wish, and I will therefore refer
to matters of perhaps more general interest, and to the physical
characteristics of the country passed through. Thus, with
regard to the first trip to Maryborough, &c., the only remark
worthy of note is that on the morning of 26th June, 1859, the
thermometer registered 34.2 at 8 a.m. at Carlsruhc, and that
the water-holes in the neighbourhood were bearing ice.

Trip II. — From 5th November to 19th December, 1859.

After visiting Geelong and Ouecnscliff, returned to Mel-
bourne, thence to Mount Blackwood and Ballarat. Visited
the trig, station at Spring Hill, near Creswick, which had
been erected by Mr. W. J. Wills (later of the exploring
expedition). Left Ballarat by coach for Geelong at 5 a.m.
on 4th December, 1859, a strong northerly gale blowing. The
coach-wheels caught fire several times from the extreme heat.
Returned to Ballarat and worked across plains to Camperdown ;
visited the lakes Bullen-Mcrri and Gnotuk. Thence on to
Portland, returning by steamer to Melbourne with cart, horse,
&c.

Trip III. — From 3rd September to 19th December, i860.

Dr. Neumayer was asked to accompany the Burke and
Wills Expedition, which had left Melbourne on 20th
August, i8bo, as far as the Darling, in order to give some
instruction and practice in the use of the various instruments
taken. He left Melbourne on 3rd September, and caught up
to the expedition near Swan Hill on the loth. Reached the
Darling at " Bilbarka " on 26th. Near here Mr. Landells
killed a fine carpet snake, Morelia varicgaia, which measured
7 feet 2 inches in lengtli and 7J inches round. He said
good-bye to Mr. Wills on the 29tii, and returned to Kumpang

April,"! Barnard, Journeys of Dr. Neumayev in Victoria. 189

with Mr. Burke, from whom he parted on 30th. He says of
Mr. Wills : — " This was the last time I ever saw this young
man, he having perished, as is well known, on his return to
Cooper's Creek. There can be no doubt but that, both prac-
tically and scientifically, he united all the qualities of an
explorer, and that had he lived he would eventually have
attained an equally high reputation in connection with the
science of the Australian continent with that which he has
attained in connection with its exploration and crossing." He
remarks that, with the exception of some ravens, parr(;ts, and
cockatoos, and one Native Turkey, no animal life had been seen
during the whole trip from Lake Paika to the Darling. On
the return large tracts of country were inundated, and near
Lake Paika saw plenty of Pelicans and Black Swans, also
kangaroos and wallabies. On 30th October left for Lake
Tyrrell ; found portions of lake dry, showing dazzling white,
from salt. Met Messrs. Beveridge, and went to their out-station
known as " TiebuUit." Whole country covered with mallee
scrub. Mallee-Hens fairly plentiful. On 4th November reached
Piangeil, on Murray. Went on to Euston ; on i6th started
for Mournpall, where Mr. Curlewis lent him an aboriginal to
accompany him across the desert country to Pine Plains, a
distance of about 72 miles. The track went continually over
sand-hills 170 to 256 feet above sea. Camped at Terreejee.*
Next morning started due south, ascended hill, from which he
had a view of endless mallee, here and there broken by groups
of fine pine trees ; otherwise nothing else to be seen, and not
a sound to be heard. The temperature rose at i p.m. to 86°.
Had to clear track in many places. Camped at night without
water. Started early next morning, but countless sand-hills,
with mallee and spinifex, everywhere. Reached Mr. Cameron's,
at Pine Plains, about 7 p.m. Horses quite knocked up. The
geological formation sand, with the same Tertiary sandstone
as we find at Brighton, near Melbourne. The Messrs. Cameron
expressed great surprise at his having undertaken to pass
through the country between the Murray and this place with
a springcart. The first attempt of the kind, though a year
previously a missionary had got through on horseback. The
basin of Pine Plains bears a strong resemblance to an extensive
lake, and he was informed that some years ]:)eforc, prolmbly in
1852-3, the years of the great floods in the Murrumbidgee, it
was filled with water. Went on to Albacutya, and readied
Lake Hindmarsh on 24th — a refreshing siglit, having seen
nothing but sand and heath for the last tliree weeks. Proceeded
to Antwerp, passing through flats covered with Box-trees,
Encalypins melliodora. On 28th proceeded towards H<.)rsliam,
* Not lar Iroiu the site of the present Ouyeii.

190 Bar'SAKD, Journeys of Dr. Xeumayer in Victoria, [vj^^xxxiv

Box and Red Gum predominating at Upper Regions. His route
was then through Glenorchy, Ararat, Skipton, Rokcwood,
Meredith, Geelong, to Melbourne, which he reached on 19th
December, i860.

Visit to Cranbourne. — Attracted by a short paper read
before the Royal Society of Victoria by Mr. E. G. Fitzgibbon,
Town Clerk of Melbourne, on 4th June, i860, giving some account
of the Cranbourne meteorites (Trans. Roy. Soc. Vict., vol. v.,
Proceedings, page viii.). Dr. Neumayer had intended visiting
the locality for some time, but was not able to do so until iith-
13th February, 1861, when he left town in company with Mr.
Abel, a mineralogist. He found the meteorite to be almost
embedded in the earth ; however, by means of instruments he
was able to. say that its probable height was about 4 feet and
weight about 4.3 tons (afterwards by actual weighing it was
found to weigh 8,200 lbs., or 4.1 tons). A visit was afterwards
paid to the smaller mass, about two miles east of the township
(near the present Clyde), which was determined to weigh
approxmiately i^ tons. Mr. Abel purchased this mass, and
arranged for its removal to town.

Trip IV. — From 28th September, 1861, to 21st January, 1862.

On this trip, during which he proposed to visit the Mallec and
the country on the South Australian side of the border, he was
accompanied by Dr. Bcckler and Mr. Irvine. Instead of the
springcart he used for the first time an American waggon
drawn by two horses. He proceeded by the Sydnej^ road to
Craigieburn, thence on to Kilmore. On 30th proceeded towards
Lancefield, and ascended Mt. Wilhamson (now known as Mt.
William) ; found its height to be 2,689 f<^ct- ^" 2nd October,
while at Kilmore, experienced a very sev^ere thunderstorm.
On 3rd left for Heathcote, ascended Mt. Ida (1,537 ^^'^'t) on 6th.
Severe thunderstorms on 7th and 8th. On 9th left for
Bendigo diggmgs. Passed through Sandhurst on nth.
Thence to Myers Creek and Mount Korong. Here flies were
intolerable, and they had great difiiculty in keeping the horses
quiet, though grass and water were plentiful. Thence to
Wedderburn and Lake Buloke. Noticed large numbers of
Black Cockatoos in the district. Thence to the Yarriambiack
Creek. Could not get any fresh or salt meat at tiie stations
passed througli, so thought it very good luck when one of the
party shot a young wallal)y, and thus provided the first taste
of fresh meat for six days. Passed 011 through Brim station,
and camped in the Mallee. Searched for Mallee-Hens' eggs,
but was unsuccessful. Reached Lake Corong on 23rd. Took
a stroll round the lake with the intention of getting some ducks
or herons, witli whicli the neighbourliood al)ounded. This is

^P"''l Barnard, Journeys of Dr. Neumayer in Victoria. 191

a fine sheet of water, surrounded with sand-hills covered with
pine trees (Callitris). Near the river were Box trees and Red
Gums. Next morning saw some fine Black Swans and White
Cranes. Started on 25th for Pine Plains. On afternoon of
next day reached Putjewallah — " wallah " is, in the native
tongue, " porcupine grass," and the name of the place is
intended to convey the fact that there is plenty of porcupine
grass there, which is certainly very true. Reached Pine Plains
at II a.m. on 27th, the temperature having been up to 100°
during the day. Towards evening the wind died away, and
steady rain set in. The night of 28th was very wet. It was
now his intention to make for the junction of the Murray and
the Darhng, but he could not get anyone to go with him as
guide — even an aboriginal who had spent all his life in the
Mallee refused to go. He, however, determined to go as far
as the Salt Lakes, about 40 miles north, which he reached at
4.30 p.m. on 30th, after a terrible journey. Obtained some
Bronzewing Pigeons on the way. Next day started for
Terreejee (a little to the west of the present Ouyen), but,
after getting about half way, had to return for want of
water and feed for horses. Got back to Pine Plains about
II p.m. on 3rd November. Found the Messrs. Cameron
had made all preparations to start in search of him the next
morning. Left Pine Plains on 4th, and on 6th reached the
Mournpall Lakes. He remarks : — " What a wonderful change
of scenery wc meet with here — from the mallee scrub and
desert country to these splendid gum-trees — a change which
was quite sudden to us, having made the latter part of the last
day's journey in the dark." Next morning, soon after leaving
camp, while going along a billabong, they caught sight of a
strange animal making a great noise, and appearing to be of
a very large size. None of the party had ever seen anything
like it before. It looked like a seal, but, on approaching closer,
it was found to be one of the Musk Ducks so frequent on the
Mournpall lagoons. At first one could not help being reminded
of the blacks' " bunyip." Reached Jamieson's station, on
the Murray, on loth. Here learned news of loss of Burke
and Wills. Temperature at noon, 95.9°. Reached junction of
Murray and Darling on the . afternoon of the loth. An ex-
cessively hot wind was blowing on the 15th ; temperature,
97.2° at 3 p.m. About 5 p.m. an immense number of the Brown
Hawks, so common in the Darling country, made their appear-
ance near our camp, soaring above and about it ; tli(>y came
apparently from tlic north-east, against a strong breeze.
Found it very difficult to make observations owing to the
mosquitoes, it being impossible to protect the eyes and face
while using the telescopes. Reached the pyramid marking the

192 Barnard, Journeys of Dr. Neumayer in Victoria. [vj"^x

Nat.
XXXIV.

South Australian boundary on 25th. The pyramid is con-
structed of limestone, such as forms the whole of the Malice
scrub country. His route was then down the Murray to the
sea, and back towards Victoria along the Coorong. He reached
]\Iount Gambier on ist January, 1862, and, leaving on 3rd,
reached Dartmoor on 5t]i, thence through Digby to Hamilton.
Arrived at Dunkeld on 12th ; ascended Mt. Abrupt on 13th.
Left the township at 6.30 a.m ; found the ascent much more
difficult than it looked, so did not reach the trig, station (2,776
feet) till 10.45 a.m. Very hot, and could not find a drop of
water. Descended into one of the fern gullies, where splendid
water was obtained. Reached camp again about 6 p.m. ;
temperature, 94.4°. Next day thermometer registered 100.6°
at 1.30 p.m. Left Dunkeld that morning under a regular hot
wind, but obliged to camp after going 9 miles ; temperature,
104.2° at 3 p.m. Reached the Hopkins at 9 p.m. Thence
through Beaufort to Lake Learmonth, Jim Crow Ranges
(Daylesford), Ballan, and Melton to Melbourne.

Visit to Cranbourxe. — Left Melbourne on 20th February
for Brighton to join the party of Mr. A. R. Selwyn, (Government
Geologist, who was proceeding to Cranbourne to witness the
removal of the larger meteorite to the Melbourne Museum.
With Mr. Daintree's assistance, made a series of magnetical
and astronomical observations close to Mr. Bruce's house.
Next morning operations were commenced to remove the
meteorite, and about kj a.m., he says, " the mass made its
first motion since its arrival on our planet, and at the time the
question naturally enough suggested itself how long ago this
might have been. It must, however, remain unanswered, as
there is nothing whereon to form even a conjecture." A few
hours after it was placed on a waggon and was soon fairly on its
way to Melbourne. It was for a time deposited at the Melbourne
University, but was subsequently sent to the British Museum.

[A full account of the Cranl^ourne and other Victorian meteorites
will be found in an article by Mr. R. H. Wnllcot, F.G.S., in the
" Memoirs of the National Museum, M( Ibounic," No. 6, April,

1915]

Tkif V. — From 6tli April to 25tli June, 1862.

Left Melbourne on Otli yVpril, 1862, wit!) Mr. N. Chevaher, the
artist. On 7th camped in a little valley on eastern
side of Station Peak (You Yangs) : thence across country
to Winchelsea. About seven miles beyond had to unpack
waggon, and use one horse for packing. Very rough journey
througli Otway Fc^rest. Readied Cape Patton at 0 i).m. on
13th, and Apollo Bay next afternoon. Here the residents
were surprised tlrat tiny had got through by the route he had

Apn^i Barnard, Journeys of Dr. Keumayer in Victoria. 193

taken. Reached Cape Otway at 6 p.m. on 15th. Left on
morning of 21st across country to Colac, where they arrived
on evening of 24th. Passed through forest country with blue
gums and fern-trees ; crossed an open grass-tree flat not far
from the Barwon. Thence to Camperdown, Mount Elephant,
and Mortlake. Saw immense numbers of Native Companions
on swamp near Mount Shadwell. Thence to Hexham,
Caramut, and Penshurst. Soon after leaving Caramut the
country became liner and more wooded, covered with box-trees,
lightwoods, and wattles. Thence he went to Dunkeld, at the
foot of Mount Abrupt, as he desired to ascend Mount William
from the south-west. Traversed along the Victoria Valley,
and at 7 a.m. on loth May started for Mount William, but did
not reach top (3,825 feet) until 5.30 p.m. A heavy storm came
on, and had to sleep out between the rocks, so did not get back
to camp till nearly noon of the next day. Thence to Balmoral,
Cavendish, falls on Wannon (Nigretta, 61 feet), and Wannon
Falls (near Redruth, 81 feet). Thence to Grassdale, Merino,
Casterton, Chetwynd, Harrow, Mount Arapiles, Horsham,
Longerenong, Marnoo, St. Arnaud, Quambatook, Kerang, Mount
Hope, Echuca, Rochester, Rushworth, Whroo, MoUison's Creek
(Pyalong), and Kilmore to Melbourne.

Trip VI. — From i6th October to 23rd December, 1862.

Left Melbourne for Wallan on i6th October, 1862. Next
day started for Mount Disappointment, and reached top ;
camped with Mr. Petty, of Geodetic Survey. Determined
height as 2,631 feet. Heavy rain and wind during whole
of night. Thence back to Upper Plenty and on to Kil-
more. Thence by Sydney road to Wangaratta. Considered
the view at Glenrowan Gap the finest he had seen in Victoria.
Proceeded to Beechworth, Yackandandah, to Bclvoir (Wodonga).
Went across ]\Iurray to Albury to get information as to route
to Kosciusko. Advised to go by Mitta Mitta V^alley to Omeo.
Owing to the difficult nature of the country about to be
traversed, left the waggon at Wodonga, and packed the instru-
ments on horses. Proceeded via Yabba, Snowy Creek, Mount
Gibbo (3,713 feet). Granite Flat, to Mount Hope (4,505 feet).
From View Point they got their first view of Kosciusko, and
M. von Guerard made a sketch of the scene. Thence to the
valley of the Indi at Groggan's Station (1,615 feet). Started
on the morning of the i8th November for the ascent of Kos-
ciusko. Arrived- at the limit of dwarf eucalypts (6,254 ^^'<-'t)
at about 2 p.m. Obliged to camp on account of illness of
companions from heat, fatigue, and altitude, though the ascent,
compared with similar elevations in other parts of the world,
was an easy one. In the evening an immense number of

194 'Bar's A.RV, Jotniieys of Dr. Neumayer in Victoria. [vd"^xxxiv

Bogong moths appeared about the camp. Next morning the
wind rose considerably, blowing from the north. Numerous
snow-fields had to be crossed, and at ii a.m. they reached the
highest point (7,176 feet) in Australia,* the temperature being
54.5". They then went to Snowy Peak, which is about forty
feet lower, when they saw a storm approaching from the north-
east, and had to hurry back towards their camp, some seven
miles distant. Before reaching this disaster overtook the party,
His man Edward, in trying to find some maps placed under
some rocks during the ascent, lost his way in the blinding rain
and snow, and could not be found, while his other companions
(three) were so knocked up as to be a serious hindrance instead
of a help to him. Evidently Ncuma\'er was a man of great
courage and ability, combined with physical strength and
resource, as pages 77 to 79 of his narrative testify. The details
of his experiences at Kosciusko cannot be told in a few words
without losing in the telling, so must be omitted.! He got his
party (with the exception of the man Edward) safely back to
Groggan's Station, on the Indi, and then made for Omeo, which
he reached on the 25th November. Thence to Cobungrah and
Mount Hotham. He named a peak in the main divide between
the Victoria (a tributary of the Mitta) and the Dargo rivers
Mount Wills, after the unfortunate explorer, but the name has
not been retained on our maps, the present Mount Wills being
north-east of Hotham, and, I believe, named after a police
magistrate of the district. In my paper before referred to
(page 185) I contended that the present Mount Hotham was
not the Hotham of Baron von Mueller. This is confirmed by
the following passage on page 82 of Neumayer's narrative.
He says : — " At noon we crossed the Brandy Creek, and at
2 p.m. a bald hill, from which we could see the Buffalo Ranges
in the distance, to the right Mount Hotham, and to the left
the highest range of Gippsland, and also Mount Buller. This
bald hill I called ' Stormy Point ' (6,106 feet), as I had been
told it was hardly possible to cross it without being assailed by
a gale of wind." This description fits exactly the present Mount
Hotham, often called " Baldy," officially recorded as 6,100 feet
above sea-level, while his Hotham would be the present
Feathertop, alxmt eight miles to the right as he approached
from Omeo. Camped at head of Little River (Kicwa ?). Next
day proceeded along the Razorback to Mount Hotham, and

* As the result of numerous surveys, the heiglit of the liigliest i)oi tion
of Kosciusko is now given as 7,328 feet.

I Those to wliom Neumayer's report is inaccessible will lind two inte-
resting accounts of visits to Kosciusko, with a map of the district, by Mr.
A. E. Kitson, F.G.S. , who also had his trials, in the Victorian Naturalist
for October and November, 1905, vol. xxii., i)p. 89 and 107.

^T^jtl Barnard, Journeys of Dr. Neumayer in Victoria. 195

ascended to summit (6,414 feet). Neumaycr's heights were,
of course, all barometrical. Feathertop (his Hotham) is now
given as 6,303 feet. They then descended the ridge to the
junction of the Feathertop Creek with the Ovens — a descent
of nearly 4,500 feet, which was done in two hours. Thence to
Bright, and on to Yackandandah, reaching Belvoir (Wodonga)
at II a.m. on 6th December. Went at once to police station
to see if waggon was safe, and to ask if any news of Edward,
but could hear nothing of him. Sat down to dinner, and had
hardly done so when the lost man made his appearance. It
appears that when he missed his way on Kosciusko he got into
the valley of the Thredbo River, thence to Kiandra, and worked
his way to Albury, where he arrived on the same morning that
we reached Belvoir (Wodonga) — " a strange coincidence when
we consider that we both had travelled upwards of 300 miles,
in quite different directions, since parting on Kosciusko." He
returned to Melbourne by way of Chiltern, Ruthcrglen, Wah-
gunyah, Cobram, Caddandra, Shepparton, Rochester, Picca-
ninny Creek, Bullock Creek, Serpentine Inn, Sandhurst, Castle-
maine, and Gisborne.

Trip VII. — From 22nd to 31st January, 1863.

Left Melbourne on 22nd January for Schnapper Point
(Mornington), thence to Dromana. Ascended Arthur's Seat
(1,016), and on to Cape Schanck, arriving at noon on 25th.
Thence to Mr. Barker's station, Stony Creek, and Sandy Point,
on Western Port Bay. Went by boat across to Tortoise Head,
on French Island. Returned to Sandy Point. Returned to
Melbourne via Cranbourne. He remarks : — " When passing
McKaye's farm I could not resist the temptation of paying
a flying visit to the spot from which, twelve months ago, we
removed the famous meteorite. The place now looks very
deserted, a simple water-hole alone marking the memorable
spot." Reached Melbourne on the 31st.

Trip VIII.— From 9th March to i6th April, 1863.

This journey being principally through mountainous country,
he took only horses, leaving Melbourne for Oueenstown on the
()th March, 1863, where he arrived via Eltham and Kangaroo
(iround the next day. Thence he crossed over One Tree Hill
(1,014 feet) and reached New Chum Creek (now Healesville) the
next afternoon. Here he determined to ascend Mount Juliet
in order to test the value of a guide he had engaged to take
him across the Dividing Range. The native name of Mount
Juliet was given to him as Tingolargen. After getting off the
track for some time, and having to camp out for the night, he
eventually reached the top (3,574 feet), where a heavy thunder-

lo6 Bars ARV. Journeys of Dr. Nenytiayer in Victoria. [voT"^xxxVv

storm came on, and made the descent extremel}' difficult.
From these experiences he came to the conclusion that the
i,aiide would be of little value, so on his return to New Chum
Creek he arranged with two aboriginals to act as guides, but
^Ir. Green, who had charge of the aboriginals in the district,
objected ; however, he at last gave his consent, and a start
was made along the Jordan track on the i8th. As no one
had ever been across the ranges on horseback it was somewhat
difficult to decide what route to take. The weather was very
wet, and " brought with it one advantage, however — it was
verv easy to capture any number of Lyre-birds, as they were
scarcely able to raise themselves from the ground." Much
time was spent in clearing a track, and on iQth started up the
range, \\hich at first was very steep ; however, he reached an
old deserted " blacks' camp" (1,678 feet), where they rested, and
recommenced clearing a track in the afternoon, the leeches
being very troublesome on account of the recent rain. On
the 2oth started early and by 10 a.m. had reached the summit
of the Dividing Range (1,968 feet). (This ascent was doubtless
made somewhere in the vicinity of the now well-known Blacks'
Spur road, and the deserted blacks' camp is probably the
origin of the name given to the road.) Descended on a pretty
easy incline into the valley of the Acheron, the country
looking strikingly different from the southern slope of the
range. Scarcely any scrub, the timber consisting largely of
peppermint and myall. He then proceeded down the Acheron
valley, remarking that the Acheron is a line stream, and should
be well adapted for rearing trout. The name, he says, is
derived from the native word " Agaroon." On 22nd he says : —
" With the exception of a wombat, which we killed last night,
we have had no meat for the last few days ; I was therefore
very agreeably surprised this morning at hearing the crowing
of some fowls close to us, which had apparently strayed from
the old missionary station, and it was not long before we had
a fine dish of rice and fowl before us." Thence he went on to
the (ioulburn, striking it at Sloane's Punt (now Molesworth).
Then to Merton and across the Strathbogie Ranges to Longwood.
Along Sydney road to Benalla. Then up Holland's River
valley to Mansfield, and on to Jamieson. Passed tlirough
Gaffney's Creek, and at mid-day readied tlic Germans (3,405 feet),
from whence there was a fine view of the Gippsland mountains
and of Mount Buller, and thus had " an opportunity of giving
to this latter mount its proper position, for it yet appears on
the Government map as being on the southern side of the
Dividing Range, which is certainly wrong." Reached Wood's
Point about mid-day on 9th April — " Found everybody very
busy in fixing the new township ; new wood buildings springing

Igis] Barnard, Jotirtieys of Dr. Neumayev in Victoria. 197

up on all sides." Reached top of Divide (4,000 feet) at noon,
and descended by an easy track through a fern gully to Jericho
(1,894 feet) in the evening. Thence he went on to the Springs
(3,866 feet), where he made inquiries about the track to Buneep,
and was informed that distance was fifty miles. This estimate
was too little by at least twenty, and got the party into diffi-
culties before reaching the Gippsland road. He reached the
junction of the tracks to New Chum (Healesville) and Buneep
safely, and says : — " We appear to be now emerging from the
dead timber country, the forests here being in a far less decaying
state than higher up, towards the Dividing Range. It is
altogether a strange appearance which is presented by this
belt of dead timber, occurring as it does almost at the same
level all through the mountainous country. Several scientific
men of great experience attribute it to the ravages of a cater-
pillar. This may be, but it is equally certain that these giant
trees perish at an age when they have lost the tenacity necessary
to resist the effects of low temperature and frost. A great
distinction, of course, must be drawn between sporadic cases
of dead trees and such where the green tree forms the excep-
tion among thousands of dead trunks." Camped at the
junction (3,315 feet). Next day continued on through numerous
fern gullies, then suddenly descended into the valley of the
Yarra (1,365 feet) (In the light of recent surveys this w^as
probably the head of the Thomson, previously thought to be
the Yarra.) The track was now very difficult, blocked by much
fallen timber, and so little grass for the horses that they were
rapidly losing strength. On the 13th they were still in difficult
country, undulations of 400 and 500 feet being frequent. As
there was no grass, and he had used up all the horse feed, he
was obliged to stay up all night and make dampers for the
horses. Next morning, about 10 a.m., having just ascended
a steep hill, one of the horses fell down and refused to move,
so it had to be abandoned. (This circumstance is probably the
origin of the name of Mount Horsfall, a peak in the Divide
between the Yarra and Gippsland, and which has by some
been attributed to a similar mishap to the late Professor
Kernot.) He hurried on, thinking he was now near Buneep
(Bunyip), and could return for the horse next day. At last,
about 6 p.m., he struck a nice grass flat near a good stream of
water, and decided to camp, having covered about 28 miles
for the day. He reached Buneep at 10 a.m. the next day (15th)
and returned to Melbourne by coach, leaving the horses with
Edward at Buneep to get up strength again, as he proposed
to return shortly and resume the trip easterly into Gippsland.
He found, however, it was too late in the season to make such
a journey.

198 Baknarp. Journeys of Dr. Xeumayer in Victoria. [vd.'"xxxVv.

Trip IX. — From 13th to 21st November, 1863,
Left by train for Ballarat, where lie had an opportunity of seeing
the great improvement in the town since his first visit in 1859.
Thence by coach to Creswick and Clunes. Selected Mount
Bcckwith (from which there was a fine view of surrounding
hills) for a series of observations. \\'ent on to Amphitheatre,
Elmimrst, and Avoca. Thence to Maryborough, DunoUy,
Bet Bet, and Maldon, to Castlemaine. On 21st visited hill on
which the column in commemoration of Burke and Wills had
been erected, and made observations. Then drove to Harcourt
and ascended Mount Alexander, the view from which, owing to
its central position, he considers one of the finest he had seen
in Australia, so many prominent mountains and townships
being visible in every direction. Returned to Melbourne by
the last train.

Trip X. — From 28th November, 1863, to 24th February, 1864.
The weather during early part of November was very
unfavourable, so he had to delay his departure till the end of
the month, and, as it was barely possible to penetrate Gippsland
with horses, he had, of course, to do without the waggon.
Reached Buneep the following afternoon, but too cloudy also
on next day to make observations. Proceeded on by (iippsland
road, which was very bad, and reached Redhill Creek (some
miles north of the present Warragul) safely. Next day, 3rd
December, he went forward to see how the track looked, and
came to a spot where there was hardly room for the horses to
pass between numerous deep holes. Skeletons of horses were
showing in many of the holes, giving evidence of tlie difficulty
of passing the place. He got four of his horses past this
awkward spot, but Jimmy, who was the most heavily laden,
slipped and fell into one of the deepest of the holes, disappearing
completely, with the exception of his head. Had to step in and
unload him, and eventually got him out. Lost several hours
through having to clean themselves and their belongings from
the mud. Arrived at Shady Creek at 1.30 p.m. Reached Moe
Bridge about 1 1 next morning, and had a fine view of Mount
Baw Baw. Passed through Traralgon and camped at Rose-
dale on the 6th, without having made a complete set of
observations, owing to the wretched weather. From Rosedale
he travelled via Heyfield and Seaton to Donnelly's Creek ;
from there he could see the summits of the Baw Baws, still
covered with snow. As there was every appearance of bad
weather, he made preparation for it. About g p.m. very heavy
rain and wind set in, the cold being also .so severe that he had
to l)uild uj) huge fires in order to keep themselves and the
horses warm. The rain and wind continued for three days,

^jP"g'] 'Bari^arg, Journeys of Dr. Netimayer in Victoria. 199

but he managed to get to the top of Mount Useful on the
17th * ; however, owing to the unfavourable weather, could
not see any distance. He then went across country to the
Macallister, and after very severe travelling reached Glenmaggie
on the 3rd January. Thence he went to Bairnsdale, arriving
on the 7th. Remarks that at present it consists of only a few
houses, but, with the opening of the lakes to navigation, it
will probably develop into one of the most important places
in Gippsland. He then left for the Tambo, with the view of
reaching the Wentworth diggings and Dargo, which he accom-
plished on the 14th, and enjoyed a line view of the ranges from
a neighbouring hill. Here he was pleased to have a meeting
with Angus M'Millan, the discoverer of Gippsland. His dog
had killed a wombat, and the joint of wombat which he set
before M'Millan was pronounced by him as the best he had
seen prepared. M'Millan accompanied him next day to
Providence Ponds, passing Iguana Creek on the way, where,
he remarks, there is some fine country and timber. Reached
Lake Wellington on 19th, and crossed over to Seacombe. On
morning of 21st camped at Giffard's farm, on Merriman's
Creek. Soon after leaving this place his dog was attacked
by a large Eaglehawk, but the bird departed before he could
get his gun out. Reached Tarraville and Port Albert on the
23rd. Got directions as to the road to the Tarwin, and started
via Alberton. Had a fine view of Mount Singapore and the
mountains on Wilson's Promontory from the Muddy Creek
(Agnes River). Thence to Franklin River ; proceeded along
track to junction of tracks to Yanakie Station and Black's
(Tarwin). Near this spot his dog unfortunately took a
poisoned bait and died in a few minutes. He says there was
nothing to do but " to prepare an honourable grave for my
faithful companion of so many years, who had escaped all the
perils of my various journeys, to fall a victim to culpable
negligence a few days previous to my concluding my travels
in Victoria." Camped at Sandy Point (Shallow Inlet). Early
on 30th rode to Cape Liptrap, and got a splendid view across
the ocean. Then started for Mr. Black's station on the
Tarwin, where they arrived at 4 p.m. Reached the Powlett
River on ist February, which he crossed, and was preparing
to take his observations on a sand hummock when a large
brown snake erected itself, blowing and hissing at him. but
he soon despatched it. He went on through the Bass country
and Corinella to Cranbourne, thence to Melbourne on the 4th.
It has been difficult to condense Dr. Ncumaver's narrative of
112 quarto pages into the compass of a paper suitable for a Club

* This period of wet weather corresponded with tlie occurrence of the
great flood in the Yarra, at Melbourne, in December, 1863.

200 Barnard. Journeys of Dr. Neiimayer in Victoria. rv^"^xxxiv,

meeting, and, without giving much detail, make it interesting,
while at the same time not losing sight of the immense amount
of ground he covered. When m}^ paper appears in print it will
be much easier to follow if a map of Victoria is at hand to
which reference can be made.

Of course, many parts of the country he passed through,
then uninhabited or used only as squatters' runs, are now
occupied by thriving towns and smiling wheat-fields. To
properly judge of the courage and energy of this fine man, it
is necessarv to read the full text of his report. The work he
did has, I believe, stood the test of time, and he must rank as
one of those great scientific pioneers to whom Victorian
scientists are indebted for the solid foundations they laid so truly
in the fifties and early sixties.

Addendum. — A paper, which I have been privileged to see,
entitled "Our Observatory: the Story of its Establishment," by
the Rev. C. Stuart Ross, M.A., which includes an interesting
account of Neumayer's life, both in Australia and Germany, is
now in the press, and will appear in the March number of the
Victorian Historical Magazine. It confirms my surmise that
Neumayer returned to Germany after a first visit to Australia.
Some account of the Geodetis survey of Victoria, mentioned in
the earlier part of this paper, taken from " Victoria and its
Metropolis," may be interesting. It was commenced in 1858, on
the advice of Mr. C. Ligar, the then Surveyor-Cieneral. A
meridian line, starting near the Port Melbourne station, was
run north through Flemington, Kilmore to near Wyuna on the
Murray. On this meridian the intersection f)f the parallels of
latitude 37' and 3745° were determined, and the parallels
themselves laid out to the westward for some distanci", and on
these parallels other meridians were laid out north and south as
required. This survey was in charge of the late Mr. R. L. J.
EUery, afterwards Government Astronomer. In order to
facilitate the measurements along these meridians and parallels,
and to assist in connecting with earlier surveys, a trigonometrical
survey was also instituted, and carried on sinmltaneously. Under
this survey the well-known cairns on such prominent hills as Mt.
Dandenong, Minders Peak (You Yangs), Mt. Macedon, Arthur's
Seat, Mt. Juliet, &.C., were erected and their positions determined
by a long series of oi)servations.

Vol. XXXIV.— No. 1. ^ May, 1917

The Victorian Katuralist:

THE JOURNAL AND MAGAZINE

— OF —

Jhe Jield Xaturalists* Club of Victorio.

Published loth May, ipij.

Hon. Editor : F. O. fl. BARIMflRD. Esq.

The Author of each article is responsible for the facts and opinions

recorded.

GOIsrTJEISrTS : paok

Thb Field Naturalists' Club of Victoria . . . . 1

Excursion to Rivebsdale . . . . . . 3

Note . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5

The Pond and Its Inhabitants. By J. Searle . . 6

Children's Room in the National Museuu, Melbourne . . 11

•I* F»J?ICE SIXfEWCE. «!•

Obtainable from — Hon. Treasurer, Hon. Secretary, or Hon. Editor.
(FoK Addbbsseb sek paok S of cotkb. Ip bt Post ^d. extra.)

! ; 2l(tent« for (&tiro|7C :

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1917.

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