1 62 AuDAs, A Botanist in the Portland District, [voi'^xx^^ii 



prettily laid out with lawns and tennis courts, and contain 

 some fine representative specimens from different parts of the 

 world. At the main entrance stands a large specimen of 

 I''icus nibiginosa, measuring twenty-five feet in circumference 

 at its base. Further inward a specimen of Cuprcssiis mucro- 

 carpa, var. horizontalis, measuring thirty feet hi circumference, 

 commands attention, and various species of Finns are of 

 splendid tlevelopment. A remarkable feature was the 

 flourishing growth of Cinerarias of many vivid shades of 

 colour, growing in the open. These plants are usually luider 

 cover in Melbourne, but here they flourish like weeds. 



Following the coast northerly beyond Whalers' Point, we 

 come across some old whale skulls, partly buried in the sand, 

 and the remains of boilers used for rendering down blubl)er in 

 the early days. Further onward is the Smrey River, and 

 some miles distant the Fitzroy ; both these streams afford good 

 fishing and shoothig. Margining the shore are low-lying grass- 

 flats with a background of higher timbered coimtr.y, and just 

 off shore are reminders of sterner days in the remains of 

 wrecks. t 



Growing on the beach in pure sand were found Stueda 

 maritiina and Cakilc niaritima, with succulent leaves, Sencciv 

 clcgans (an introductic^n from South Africa, with showy ]:)urple 

 flowers), and Salsola Kali, an annual salsolaceous plant, which 

 grows in the form of a large ball. The latter has very spiny 

 leaves, and is sometimes known vernacularly as " Rolly- 

 poley." In the x-icinity of a swampy marsh considerable 

 patches of ground were occupied by a number of creeping 

 ])huits. The chief of these were Samolus repots, a white- 

 flowered jilant of the Primrose family ; Sdlicra radicans, also 

 white : and Mimidus repens, of a bright lilac marked with 

 yellow in the centre. 



Following the road from Portland towards Heywood, about 

 nine miles of forest, composed chiefly of Messmate and Stringy- 

 iiark. is pass(>d through, the undergrowth consisting oi 

 thickets of Acacia slncta and .1. inyrtifolia, wry few of the 

 smaller shrubs being in flower, as it was too early for this class 

 of cormtry ; Init it would be well worth investigating later on 

 in the season. Hn route the Bolwarra State school, jiartly 

 comprised of the remains of the Caledonia Hotel (a relic of 

 the overlanding days), is passed, and just behind it rise the 

 Caledonian Hills, from which a magnificent view of Portland 

 and the Bay can be obtained. Leaving the road for a short 

 distance, a newly-laid-out hivender farm is met with, about 

 ten acres being under cultivation. Emerging from the forest, 

 fine open country comes into view, with occasional belts of 

 timber, consisting mainly of Swanij) and Aj)ple Gum. and an 



