i62 Excursion to Mavysville. rvo["^'xxx'v 



at the falls, on the advice of the walking party, who had gone 

 about a mile further and found a group of magnificent gums, 

 we did so also, and were well compensated for the walk, most 

 of the trees being fully 250 feet high. The walking party had 

 been much interested here by the curiosity of a Wonga Pigeon, 

 Lcncosarcia melanoleiica, which seemed to regard them with 

 wonder and astonishment, so many persons to be seen at one 

 time in such an unfrequented spot being evidently more than 

 it could understand. The falls, which were visited in 

 November, 1890, by the Yarra Falls excursion party of the 

 Club [Vict. Nat., vii., p. 161, with photograph), were found to 

 be largely hidden from view by the wealth of vegetation with 

 which they are surrounded, only the upper part being well seen. 

 The gorge down which the stream precipitates itself is very 

 beautiful, and a fairly easy track descends for some 200 feet 

 or more alongside the rushing water. The pedestrian party 

 left before the others, having decided to add some three 

 or four miles to their return journey by trying to get through 

 to the Taggerty River, along the Glover Walk, and thus return 

 to Marysville by way of the Forest of Ardcn and the Talbot 

 Drive. This they did without mishap, and report a succession 

 of glorious fern and beech scenes along the Walk, and, notwith- 

 standing that they did not reach the hotel till 10 p.m., seemed 

 thoroughly pleased with their sixteen hours in the open. One 

 of this party, it may be mentioned, was a lady, who seemed 

 perhaps the least tired of all by the hard day's work. Those 

 who returned by vehicle had some glorious sunset scenes over 

 the Taggerty Valley as they made the descent of Mount Grant. 

 Tuesday, 31st December, was the last day of the stay, which 

 had passed all too quickly. As we were timed to leave for 

 Healesville at 3 p.m., we had a few hours available in the 

 morning, which were devoted to exploring the track to the 

 wolfram mine on Wilks's Creek. This track leaves the Kei)pers 

 Look-out track about ij miles from the village, and bears 

 southerly through fairly open forest towards Mount Strick- 

 land. On reaching Wilks's Creek we found it to be of 

 the usual mountain gully type, with King and other ferns in 

 profusion, but time did not permit the completion of the 

 journey to the mine. We noticed here, as well as in another 

 place, nice plants of Miniulus moschatus, the musk of our 

 shade-houses, doing remarkably well. After lunch some of us 

 collected a few seedling ferns from the side of the water-race 

 before packing our belongings. Our final duty was to pen 

 and sign an appreciation of our experiences at Marysville in 

 the visitors' book for the delectation of those who may follow, 

 we having been greatly interested in the notes made by the 

 late Baron von Mueller, Rev. Tenison-Woods, Mr. C. French, 

 and others of kindred tastes in days gone by. 



