114 Excursion to Belgrave. rvJ"^xxxVv 



Pitcher, who was also leader for the day, conveyed to His 

 Excellency the Club's gratitude at the interest he had displayed 

 in its objects and work, and the members' appreciation of his 

 having joined them in the outing, and in conclusion asked him 

 to allow himself to be proposed as an honorary member of the 

 Club. This was clone by Dr. Sutton and Mr. A. D. Hardy, 

 F.L.S., in suitable terms, and the proposal unanimously 

 endorsed. In responding, and signifying his acceptance of 

 honorary membership, the Governor-General pointed out the 

 value of individual enthusiasm and individual action in matters 

 of natural science. The Club's badge was then presented to 

 His Excellency by Miss G. Nethercote. Before resuming the 

 ramble, Mr. A. D. Hardy, F.L.S., was good enough to make 

 some remarks on the methods of ascertaining the heights of 

 trees. This, he said, to be correct, should be done by means 

 of a theodolite and steel tape, but the former was somewhat 

 weighty, and could only be used by an expert. The ordinary 

 tourist has, therefore, to be satisfied with the result ascertained 

 by the use of the clinometer. He pointed out the unreliabilitv 

 of the " pencil " method, and then demonstrated by the cli- 

 nometer and tape method the approximate height of a Mountain 

 Ash, E. amygdalina, standing close by. This was shown to 

 be i66 feet. Later, specimens of giant gums, /:. res^nans, were 

 ascertained to be 170 and 184 feet respectively. Mr. P. R. H. 

 St. John briefly referred to the distinguishing characters of the 

 half-dozen species of eucalypts to be found in the immediate 

 neighbourhood. A start was then made for the " Giant Tree " 

 — a fallen monarch of the forest situated towards the Sassafras 

 road. After a close inspection of this reminder of what the 

 forest had been, a return was made towards the Falls, and the 

 creek crossed to the southern side. Following a new tourists' 

 track, the gully vegetation was soon left behind, and, emerging 

 on a liillside, fine panoramic views of Western Port Bay, with 

 French and Phillip Islands, Mount Martha, Arthur's Seat, 

 Port Phillip, &c., were obtained. On reaching the Upwey road 

 the Governor-General's car and a char-a-banc were waiting 

 for the tourists, and conveyed them to the pavilion at the National 

 Park, Ferntree Gully, where all partook of a very pleasant tea, 

 after which His Excellency expressed his great pleasure at 

 having had an outing with the Club, and bade good-bye to 

 each of the party, leaving for town about 6 o'clock amid 

 three ringing cheers. The rest of the party left by the 7 p.m. 

 train, having had, as each one asserted, a most enjoyable day. 

 The plants noticed during the day were neither striking nor 

 rare. The Golden Bush-Pea, Pidtenaa Giinnii, and the Yellow 

 Rice-flower, Pimelea fiava, gave colour to the bush in places. 

 The Acacias were nearly over, A . siricta and A . verticillata 



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