144 THE VICTORIAN NATURALIST. 



the fern stems, and some Mountain Trout seen in the stream. 

 Butterflies were rather scarce, Papilio Macleayanus, Pyrameis itea, 

 and Xenica Kershawi being the principal ones seen though not 

 captured. Some fine specimens of the Sassafras, Atherosperma 

 moschatum, were growing here. 



As we did not know how far we had to travel to reach Ferntree 

 Gully station we did not care to delay too long at the creek, so 

 turned our steps westwards, and climbed a steep hillside, which 

 had at one time been a splendid forest, but is now covered with 

 enormous skeletons of trees. Many of these must have been at 

 least 10 feet in diameter at 6 feet from the ground, and fully 100 

 feet to the first branch, with a total height of quite 200 feet. We 

 afterwards found that we had lunched only about a mile from the 

 big tree named " The Baron " by Mr. Boyle, of Forest Hill, which 

 he described in the Argus some years ago as being 450 feet high and 

 81 feet in circumference at 4 feet from the ground. These measure- 

 ments were afterwards corrected by Mr. Pen-in, Conservator of 

 Forests, to 220 feet high (top broken) and 48 feet in circumference 

 at 6 feet from the ground (see Victorian Naturalist, vol. v., p. 

 152, and vol. vi., p. 88). Even this size is large enough, 

 I think, to warrant an attempt being made by the Club to see such 

 a tremendous result of Nature's handiwork before it shares the 

 fate of so many of its neighbours, and now that there is a good 

 walking track from Upper Ferntree Gully, might be attempted 

 next spring. 



On reaching the top of the hill we struck the track to One 

 Tree Hill, with selectors' houses dotted here and there. It was 

 now very hot, and we were glad to avail ourselves of a drink from 

 a cool spring just below the roadside. Coming to a junction in 

 the track we kept to the left, and presently came to where the 

 road crossed one of the heads of Ferny Creek. Here we halted 

 tor some time, and did a little more exploration, but nothing of 

 importance beyond the climber Lyonsia straminea was noticed. 

 Some young plants of Clematis aristata were removed for home 

 cultivation. After a good ramble we once more got under weigh, 

 and soon reached more open country. Giant trees occurred at 

 frequent intervals, and many splendid Blackwoods were seen. 

 The roadside was bordered with quantities of Senecio dryadeus, 

 Pimelea hypericina, and Solatium aviculare, with its bunches of 

 large green fruit. Further along quantities of Sambucus 

 Gaudichaudiana, with its yellowish white currant-like berries were 

 seen and tasted. We now came to the finest prospect of the day. 

 The road first headed a deep gully full of Sassafras, Blackwood, 

 tree ferns, &c, and then turned round the end of a spur, and we 

 overlooked the whole of the Mornington Peninsula. While 

 admiring the view some moths, Agarista (sp.), were captured, and 

 an attempt made to secure Papilio Macleayanus, but without 



