BOTANICAL INFORMATION. 491 
light and after dusk, and may then be shot by an expert 
marksman, but as the only spot visible above water is the 
nose and eyes, the heads get much damaged by the shot. I 
had one of them alive, but it seemed stupid and miserable 
out of the water. 
For many miles north of Arthur's Lake a species of Euca- 
lyptus which yields what is called Cider is the prevailing one, 
and I believe it was more or less abundant in all the moun- 
tainous region previous to the severe frost already alluded to, 
which killed almost every tree in that part of the island. About 
Lake Arthur many are killed and most of the others more or 
lessinjured. "This species (my n. 1084) is a handsome grow- 
ing tree not usually more than 40 to 50 feet high, often less, 
but remarkably robust and umbrageous for one of the genus, 
branching from within a few feet of the ground. "The bark 
is deciduous, blackish brown and white, sometimes smooth, 
but generally rough near the bush. The shepherds and stock- 
keepers look out for trees which indicate by some injury in 
the bark a flow of the sap externally or, as they call it, “a 
spring,” they then with an axe cut into the tree about 5 or 6 
inches, inclining the cut downwards so as to hold about a 
pint. The sap flows into this hole both from above and 
below, and when first made fills at least once a day, but 
later in the season, yields less or ceases altogether. The sap 
is lifted out with a spoon into any vessel and drank as it 
comes from the tree. Some trees yield it of a very thin con- 
sistency and slightly acid, others again yield a sweeter juice 
as thick as syrup, and very sweet; a tree is on tap for six 
weeks or two months. The effect at first to many who drink 
it is slightly aperient, but it ceases afterwards. It has never 
been obtained in any quantity or applied to any useful pur- 
pose. I brought a bottle of it with me, but two or three 
days after reaching home it fermented, blew out the cork 
and a large portion of it was lost. I have now sent two 
bottles of it to Dr. Robert Brown, and requested him to 
furnish you with some. 
