24 Excursion to Lake Corangamite and District, fvoi"^' xxxv 



the " Blue Lake," and several smaller unnamed. The name 

 " Red Rock," which is applied locally to the whole district, 

 evidently arises from the pile of weathered volcanic rock capping 

 one end of the ridge of which Coragulac Hill is a part. This 

 ridge partly encircles the small lake known as the " Blue Lake." 

 The appearance of several of these small lakes is suggestive of 

 volcanic craters filled with water. Four of these crater-lakes 

 were visited and worked witli stick-nets. This involved some 

 hard climbing on the part of at least one member of the part3^ 

 as the depressions are of considerable depth, and ridges occur 

 between each of the lakes. Coragulac was found to contain 

 a Copepod, and, in great numbers, a rotifer of the genus 

 Brachionus, which was, for a members of this genus, of large 

 dimensions, and may also prove new. The small " Blue 

 Lake " was practically monopolized by two species of rotifers 

 — one occurring in immense numbers, a Brachionus closely 

 resembling B. mulleri, a form often found in brackish water ; 

 the other, not so plentiful, being a Pedalion, differing from the 

 Pedalion of Corangamite. After spending some hours at the spot 

 a move was made beyond Alvie, and, keeping on an excellent 

 road, the shore of Corangamite was reached at a point (B on 

 map) about five miles north from the place visited the day 

 before. Plying stick-nets, it was soon found that here also 

 Pedalion was the predominant form. On returning another 

 interesting evening was spent in looking over the day's results. 

 The following morning a visit was paid to the hills on the south 

 of Colac, just reaching the fringe of the forest country stretching 

 down to the Otway district. Here the botanist of the party 

 put in some tree-climbing in order to reach the flowers of the 

 eucalypts. Later in the day a start was made for Lake Beeac, 

 which lies about twelve miles to the north. This is a salt- 

 water lake, and it was with interest that preparations were 

 made to examine the water in search of its inhabitants. The 

 apparently prosperous town of Beeac is hard by the shore, 

 and a good road nearly encircles the lake. The first point 

 approached showed a very smooth and flat expanse of whitish 

 mud, with apparently water in the distance. Leaving the 

 shore the mud became rather soft, but, undeterred, one 

 member of the party removed his boots and attempted to 

 reach the water, but the foothold became too treacherous, 

 and he had to return without reducing the apparent distance 

 of the water. Looking towards the north end, the lake appeared 

 to have a higher bank, with the water in contact. Over to the 

 west a number of white mounds were visible, which also seemed 

 near the water. On reaching these shores the mud flats were 

 found to extend just as far as at the first position, and it was 

 with reluctance concluded that water was entirely absent from 



