4 Excursion to Berwick Quarry. [vo["^'xxx.v 



EXCURSION TO BERWICK QUARRY. 



The wet forenoon of Saturday, 23rd February, doubtless 

 prevented several members from taking this trip. Early in the 

 afternoon, however, the clouds disappeared, and a delightful 

 afternoon was the result. The party proceeded straight to 

 the quarry, where it was found that the exposure worked by 

 the members of the Club on their visit in April, 1916 {Vict. 

 Nat., xxxiii., p. 4), was covered with debris, which had to be 

 cleared away before any specimens could be obtained. The 

 exposure consists of a small vertical face of fiuviatile clays 

 underlying the Older Basalt. The actual bed of the old stream 

 was not visible, owing to the amount of water in the well which 

 has been sunk through the clays. We were greatly indebted 

 to Messrs. A. H. Blake and J. L. Robertson for their exertions 

 in removing the debris and so enabling us to split many fine 

 specimens out of the material, including a legume — the first 

 evidence of the Leguminosas in these beds. The species 

 collected include Tristanites angustifolia, Deane, T. Muclleri, 

 Deane, Lomatia perspicua, D., L. Bosistooides, D., Eucalyptus 

 Kitsoni, D., L. Hermani, D., L. Houtmanni, D., L. Mitchelli, 

 Ettinghausen, Atherosperma Berwickense, D., Fagus, cf. 

 Luehmanni, D., Aristotelia, sp., Mollinedia, sp., Pittosporum, 

 sp., and a legume, (?) Acacia, sp. The species of Pittosporum 

 is not the same as that obtained from the leaf-beds at Morning- 

 ton. Eight of these species were obtained during the Club 

 visit in 1916. Later in the afternoon the party proceeded 

 to the summit of One-Tree Hill, and studied the physiography 

 of the wide area observable from that vantage point. I desire 

 to place on record the Club's indebtedness to Mr. Wilson for 

 his courtesy in permitting the members to visit the quarry 

 and open up the leaf-beds. — R. A. Keble. 



The Australian Forest League. — The fourth annual 

 meeting of the Victorian Branch was held at the Melbourne 

 Town Hall on the 29th ult., when an encouraging report of 

 the progress made during 1917 was given. On the conclusion 

 of the formal business, the retiring president, Prof. A. J. Ewart, 

 D.Sc, Government Botanist, gave an address, the keynote 

 of which was the approaching timber famine in Victoria as well 

 as in other Australian States, which he considered not more 

 than thirty years off. He urged that no further settlement 

 be allowed on land bearing timber of any value. The Hon. 

 F. Clarke, M.L.C., Minister of Lands, who occupied the chair, 

 said that he recognized the truth of Prof. Ewart's remarks, 

 but it must be shown that timber-growing was a payable 

 proposition. An interesting discussion followed on the points 

 raised. Mr. W. Russell Grimwade was elected president for 

 the ensuing year. 



