74 Williamson, A Cycle Trip through East Gippsland. [^Aug^r' 



On one side of the creek there was a real jungle of tangled 

 vegetation, in which native nettles seemed to predominate. 

 Among this I gathered fine specimens in flower of Harvey's 

 Vine, Sarcopetalum Harvey anurn, with its large, dark, cordate 

 leaves. Near the water's edge I got Mueller's Starwort, 

 Callitriche Muelleri. Smilax, Vitis, and Lyonsia were well in 

 evidence. 



Two theories have been advanced to account for the occur- 

 rence of the palms so far south of a region to which these plants 

 are usually confined. One is that they are relics of a flora once 

 spread over the southern parts of Victoria when the climate 

 was warmer than it is now. This is a difficult theory to accept, 

 for all the conditions present about the spot seem also present 

 in many other parts of southern Victoria. Another theory is 

 that seeds have been carried to this spot from those parts where 

 palms abound. Birds, water, and aborigines have been men- 

 tioned as probable agencies in their distribution, but it seems 

 difficult to believe that this is the only favourable spot where 

 the seeds have been dropped. Probably the plants introduced 

 by the agencies mentioned once covered a larger area, and now 

 these are the few survivors, which have withstood the severity 

 of the southern climate, owing to special conditions — aspect, 

 shelter, &c. Perhaps it may be deemed advisable that the Field 

 Naturalists' Club should make inquiries to ascertain whether 

 everything possible is being done to save the Victorian palms. 



The next day I cycled to the Brodribb River, about 8 miles 

 east of Orbost, and close to the bridge explored a patch of 

 native vegetation left in the corner of a cultivation paddock. 

 I came across the ferns Polypodium scandens and P. serpens 

 growing together on a tree trunk. I was also pleased to find 

 some shrubs of the Gippsland Orange, Acronychia IcBvis, though 

 neither flowers nor fruit were obtainable. The leaves have 

 an essential oil with the odour of true orange leaves, and the 

 Httle fruit (the size of small marbles) are like miniature oranges, 

 with their segments and all. The plant belongs to the Rutaceae, 

 the same natural order as the orange. 



Among this scrub I was pleased to make the acquaintance 

 of the Coachwhip-bird, Psophodes crepitans, after some futile 

 efforts to locate it and view it. In a road-men's camp near by, 

 while eating my lunch alone at the rude camp table, I had an 

 experience I shall not readily forget. Two White-shafted Fan- 

 tails flew round me, and now and again perched first on my 

 shoulder and then on my feet below the table. I would like 

 to have met those road- men. I had quite a brotherly feeling 

 towards them through our mutual friends the fantails. 



The next day I rode — or, at least, walked and rode — up to 

 Mt. Buck, on the Bendoc road, but saw nothing of interest till 



