NATURAL HISTORY OF MELBOURNE. 207 



About September or October the Biccinocarpus sidoeformis, which forms a 

 dense shrub in some places, is in flower. Melaleuca Gunnii, (Tea-tree;) 

 Fabricia langata, on which is often found a small fasces-shaped cocoon, 

 Dianella revoluta; and in the grass pastures we find a host of small plants, 

 so minute as to be scarcely perceptible but to the quick eye of the botanist. 

 Of these perhaps the most interesting are Aphelia pumilo; A. cyperoides; 

 Desvanxia tenuior; Ranunculus sessiliflorus; Mitrasacme paradoxa; Marchantia 

 polymorpha; Seloea ovata, valuable for its medicinal virtues, and in salt marshes 

 near Brighton, the rarer S. albidijlora. 



On the Yarra ranges, in October, I noticed a nest of the little Blue- 

 headed Long-tailed Tit, in a bush of Bursaria spinosa. Instead of a compact, 

 neatly built nest, like that of our Parus caudatus, it was composed of dried 

 grass carelessly put together, with an aperture at the side; the bottom of 

 the interior lined with a few feathers, on which were laid four or five white 

 eggs about nine lines in length, tinged with pink, and spotted at the base 

 with light brown spots. The male bird did not seem to fear whilst his nest 

 was being examined, but, perched on a tree overhead, from which he could 

 survey my operations, he kept up a sharp angry note until I left it; then after 

 a strict scrutiny of the interior, he entered the nest to see that all was 

 right there, and his joyful 'chit-chit- chit,' soon brought his anxious sober- 

 coloured mate to his side. 



This absence of all fear I have had experience of in the Kingfisher, which 

 is so common on the Yarra. I was walking only a few evenings since in 

 Richmond paddock, near the residence of our worthy Governor, C. J. Latrobe, 

 Esq., intent on examining, and puzzling how to procure, the various beautiful 

 species of Loranthus, which are parasitic on some of the venerable Eucalyptidcce 

 and Casuarince; when I was startled by a Kingfisher darting at me with 

 great fury, and uttering at the same time a loud scream. It occurred to 

 me she had a nest near, and after a careful examination I heard the harsh 

 cries of the young birds proceeding from a hollow branch of a very tall 

 Eucalyptus. The whole of the time I was making my observations, the 

 female flew at me many times in great anger; but as soon as I left the 

 spot she returned to her nest, and soon quieted the young whose cries had 

 betrayed. them. This bird, although nesting in the Eucalyptus, procures its 

 food in the same manner as our Alcedo ispida, and after immersing itself, 

 and taking its prey, beats it against a branch of a tree to deprive it of life. 



I have received from my friend, Mr. T. B. Hall, several very interesting 

 Fresh-water Shells from the River Plenty; amongst others Limneus pereger; 

 Pkysa hypnorum; and two species of Cypris. 



November 30th., 1853. In company with my friend, Mr. Christy, walked 

 to Dight's mill, a very beautiful spot on the banks of the Yarra, between 

 Richmond and Heidelberg. On the bark of the Eucalypti we found some 

 very beautifully-coloured species of Plant Bugs, {Hemiptera;) and a great 

 variety of the Ichneumonidce. Making our way with some diflSculty through 



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