156 VKtoti, The Buffalo Plateau in J anxiary. [\oV*xxxiv 



which we proceed along tlie road to CarUle's, then by a track 

 across the valley to the appropriately-named " Crystal Brook," 

 and follow up the course of the stream. The banks of the 

 stream are clothed with shrubs, amongst which are Eriostemon 

 alpinus, Grcvillca parviflora, Piniclea ligiistrina, and Prostanihera 

 cnneala, with stray llowcrs of Bossicca foliosa. In the boggy 

 ground are Liniim inarginale, Lotus corniciilafiis. the prostrate 

 Azorella citneifolia, Veronica nivea, Prasophyllnm patens, P. 

 fiiscttin. Xcrotes JongifoUa, and the beautiful little fern Lomaria 

 alpina. As the valley narrows (Jastrodia sesamoides, Geranium 

 dissecttim, Rubus parvifoliiis, and Accetia ovina flourish on the 

 forested slopes. After proceeding some distance we follow a 

 finger-post direction, and after some scrambling, by a track 

 up the right-hand slope, the " Castle " is reached. It com- 

 mands a good view of North Buffalo and portion of the main 

 plateau. Near the " Castle," on the opposite side of the 

 valley, are Lady Carmichael's Falls, but the trickle of water 

 coming over at the time of our \'isit aroused no enthusiasm. 



On Monday morning we walked to Lyre-Bird Hill, of which 

 something will be said later. In the ravine below the lake we 

 found the conifer Nagcia alpina, and at various points near 

 the lake Drimys aromatica, Boronia algida, Stacklionsia viminea, 

 Daviesia ulicina, Asperula oligantha, Thysanotus tuberosus (very 

 fine), much Lomaria alpina, and others. We spent the after- 

 noon in more thoroughly examining the Gorge and its sur- 

 roundings and the valley behind. Besides the plants already 

 mentione<l we found Leptospermum fiavescens, Pterostylis parvi- 

 flora, Pteris argiita, Pultencea mollis (flowers withered), and, in 

 the valley, Gentiana saxosa, Epacris ser pill if alia, Drosera peltata, 

 Scleranthus bifloriis (in cushion-like tufts), Hydrocotvle hirta, 

 Aciphylla siinplicifolia, and Isotoma fluviatilis. 



Tuesday was given up to an expedition down the Gorge, 

 under the guidance of Mr. Newton. Passing " Echo Point," 

 on the south wall, where a threefold echo is returned, we com- 

 mence the rugged descent. A little way down is the " Mushroom 

 Rock," a huge block of granite supported on a slender pedicel. 

 Here the real descent commences. Following a precarious 

 track, scrambling dowri between and over rocks, clinging to 

 grass-tussocks, horizontally or diagonally, over steep slopes, 

 we descend about 1,000 feet, then proceed horizontally to an 

 inviting fern-bower under " Bent's Look-out." From above 

 this appears at the bottom of the Gorge, but is really little 

 more than half-way. Here we find a welcome change from 

 the barren side of the Gorge to the coolness of ferny shades. 

 Climbing amongst the ferns we come to a pleasant grotto 

 beneath overhanging rock, where we are glad to rest awhile. 

 The chief ferns here are Dicksonia antarctica, Aspidinm 



