^''' ■ ^9^2^ ' " ■ ] Excursion lo Healesville . 191 



growths : on the lower it grew tall and luxuriant, making an 

 exception to the rule. Above, too, were line late blooms of 

 Grevillca alpina and seed-laden bushes of PiiUencea Muelleri ; 

 but P. Gunnii, which had flowered first, in many cases still 

 retained its bloom in remarkable freshness. All along the 

 creek-banks the Musk-tree, Aster argophyllus, and the Blanket- 

 bush, Scnecio Bedfordi, were in full flower, the heads being un- 

 usually large and conspicuous in a fine setting of the fronds 

 of tree-ferns and the dark green, glossy leaves of the Native 

 Mulberry, Hedycarya cunningharni. Arriving at the falls, five 

 miles from Healesville, we lunched, and, while the billy boiled, 

 partook of refreshing draughts of real mountain dew, innocent 

 of corn or still. Here observations were discussed and 

 specimens identified. Some of the party had followed the road 

 and some the old tram track, that passes the whole way through 

 one long, cool bower. In this fashion we continued for a mile 

 or so till at a bridge the two tracks crossed. Here another 

 spell was taken and observations discussed. Some of the 

 party followed the shady tram track and others the road, 

 which was now on the right of the stream, the hill rising on the 

 right side of the road possessing many new species. Shortly 

 we reached a fine growth of Prostanthera melissifolia, bushes of 

 which were scattered at intervals along the rest of the route. 

 This shrub, which was in its full glory of delicate lavender 

 flowers on Cup Day, when the leaders rode and spied out the 

 land, was just beginning to lose its bloom. From some the 

 petals had all fallen, some were in half-dress, but occasionally 

 others were sufficiently late to excite the admiration, mute or 

 exclaimed, of everyone. Here, too, Pultencea scabra had in a 

 fortnight gone out of flower ; but the lemon-coloured flowers of 

 Eriostemon correifolius were yet to be seen. Aster stellulatus 

 was magnificent, and the scent of festooned Clematis suffused 

 the valley. The somewhat inconspicuous Astrotncha Icdifolia 

 was in full flower and plentiful, and pretty violets clothed the 

 cutting. Along the right-hand bank, with western aspect, 

 some very fine patches of Aspleniitm flahellifolium, several yards 

 wide, were growing amongst the talus or loose stone formation. 

 Their fresh greenness contrasted with those in small patches 

 which we had seen growing in crevices and little ledges on the 

 vertical face of rock near the falls. Apropos of rock formation, 

 hereabouts were several, and one in particular, before reaching 

 the bridge crossing referred to. that showed various stages of 

 floral colonization, from the first Lithophytes in the nature of 

 crustaceous lichens through the moss stage (Polytrichum and 

 Dicranum) up to Chasmophytes, which ranged from Gnaphalumi 

 liiteo-album to Aster argophyllus, and even Acacias This rock 

 was interesting in that it illustrated the struggles of contrary 



