116 THE VICTORIAN NATURALIST. [Vol. XXIV. 



Having had a good ramble over the quarries, we ascended 

 the hill for the sake of the view, and presently found ourselves 

 looking down on the town of Kilmore, about ten miles away to 

 the east. The afternoon was closing in, and was not favourable 

 for distant views, otherwise there should be a very fine panorama, 

 extending from Mt. Alexander to the Strathbogies, and perhaps 

 beyond. The top of the range is cultivated, and we did not get 

 as far as the trig, station, which, even, is on private property. 

 According to the parish plan of Goldie, in which it is situated, 

 the trig, station is really a few chains north of the Divide, and is 

 therefore in the county of Dalhousie, instead of Bourke. 



I had long looked for Mt. William from Melbourne, but could 

 never make up my mind as to its identity. Now I saw the 

 reason. Being at the northern end of a range which runs north 

 and south, and almost in a due north line from Melbourne, it is 

 hidden from view, but I believe I picked it out the other day 

 when at Kangaroo Ground. In closing, I may remark that on 

 my suggestion Mt. William has been put down as the locality for 

 a Club excursion in February next, and I think any member 

 who takes part in the outing cannot fail to be both amazed and 

 interested at the wonderful' signs of primitive man's handiwork 

 presented on the northern slope of the range. Whether there are 

 other works in other parts of the range I cannot say, as we had 

 not time to make much exploration. Perhaps the Club party 

 will be able to add some further details to what I have told you 

 to-night. 



At the southern end of the range are the great loops of the 

 unused Lancefield to Kilmore railway, which cost many 

 thousands of pounds, and now lie awaiting a revival of that 

 cross-country traffic, which seems long in coming. 



Mount William, Lancefield. — Further reference to the 

 ownership, &c., of the quarries on Mount William will be found 

 in Dr. Howitt's work on " The Native Tribes of South-Easl 

 Australia." He says the quarry belonged to the Wurunjerri tribe, 

 which occupied virtually the whole of the country drained by the 

 Yarra and its tributaries, but the immediate care of the quarry was 

 entrusted to a family belonging to a subdivision of tlie tribe, whose 

 headman, Billi-billeri, lived on the spot, and zealously guarded it 

 against intrusion by tribes not entitled to make use of it. When 

 neighbouring tribes wished for stone they sent a messenger to 

 Billi-billeri saying that they would send goods in exchange for it, 

 such as skin rugs. This man died in Melbourne in 1846, and was 

 referred to by the Protector of the Aborigines as being " generous, 

 frank, and determined, the white man's friend, and fostering all 

 missionary and other exertions to better his race." 



