15G [June, 



of huge rounded boulders of greenstone, on whicli scarcely a slirub 

 or a plant can find footing. Another Eucalyptus {E. coccifera, Hook.), 

 which does not attain to any great size, here takes the place of the 

 other species ; and here, too, is found the pride and glory of the 

 Tasmanian flora, the famous " Waratah " {Telopea trimcata,Br.), a 

 large shrub or small tree of the Order ProteacecB, with oleander-like 

 leaves and corymbs of magnificent crimson blossoms, visible at a sur- 

 prising distance. On reaching the summit of the mountain one finds 

 a considerable extent of nearly level and very rocky moorland, with 

 small boggy places, supporting dense beds of Sphagnum, Astelia, &c. ; 

 and in the drier parts is a copious and interesting, though somewhat 

 dwarfed, subalpine vegetation, consisting principally of uncommon 

 species of Oompositce, Epacridece, Proteacea {0 rites, Bellendena, &c.), 

 and other flowers of great beauty. The view from the highest point, 

 " the Pinnacle," which commands the valley and estuary of the 

 Derwent, and the intricate maze of land and water to the southward 

 and eastward as far as Tasman's Peninsula, is most superb on a clear 

 day ; and as there are good tracks to the summit, and the ascent is 

 not very laborious, it is a very favourite excursion from Hobart. 



In a locality apparently so favourable for butterflies I was sur- 

 prised to find so small a number of species represented : Tasmania 

 being, in fact, but little better off in this respect than New Zealand. 

 There are, I believe, only some twenty-five species recorded from the 

 entire island, of which I observed fifteen during my stay, some of 

 them being very numerous as individuals. The beautiful green and 

 black Papilio Macleayanus, Leach, w^as not rare, in March, along the 

 Huon Eoad, about half way up the shoulder of Mount Wellington, 

 where its food-plant, the " sassafras," abounds ; I also obtained it in 

 the north of the island, at " Denison Gorge," near Launceston, but 

 it is not easy to get in good condition, and I could not succeed in 

 finding the larva. Neither did I see a single white butterfly, though 

 the widely distributed Pieris teutonia, F., is said to occur occasionally. 

 The most abundant butterflies are the Satyridce, two species of which, 

 Xenica Klugii, Guer., and the fine Reteronympha Merope, F.,are very 

 plentiful in the " Queen's Domain," where H. Philerope, Boisd., also 

 occurs. I did not meet with the latter species myself near Hobart, 

 but I found it commonly at Franklin, and at Launceston in March. 

 Xenica latlioniella, "Westw., and X. Hohartia, Westw., are both locally 

 common close to Hobart, but I missed the time for these, and of the 



