Bee, 1907.] THE VICTORIAN NATURALIST. 127 



known by the children as " pussies' tails." Presently a paddock, 

 which should have been an oat crop, was gay with the delicate 

 pink flowers of Convolvtdus erubescens, set to catch all the morning 

 sun. We now began to approach the clumps of " mallee," and 

 along with them was a melaleuca, evidently M. jjarvijlora, not 

 yet in bloom ; this grows in large rounded bushes, or small trees, 

 and when in flower is said to be a beautiful sight. A glance at 

 the country showed that it was an interesting spot, and probably 

 an extension of that singular tract of country, situated under the 

 shadow of Mt. Bullengarook, and bounded on the west and east 

 by the roads from Gisborne to Bacchus Marsh and Melton 

 respectively. Some notes on this locality will be found in the 

 Naturalist some years ago on the occasion of an excursion to 

 Gisborne {Vict. Nat., xvi., 146). Myoporum deserti and Dodoncea 

 viscosa occurred here, the latter prominent from the highly 

 coloured membranous expansions of its fruit. On the hillsides 

 grew the Golden Wattle, Acacia pycnantha, and the Blackwood, 

 Acacia melanoxylon. Crossing over a ridge, we got into the 

 valley of the Djerriwarrh Creek, which in a normal season should 

 be worth a botanist's while to explore. Soon we were attracted 

 by a beautiful acacia in full bloom, which, on examination, 

 proved to be A. retinodes. Another hillside covered with A. 

 acinacea must have presented a pretty sight a few weeks before. 

 Nicotiana suaveolens, Goodenia ovata, Leptospei'tnum lanigerum, 

 Gallistemon salignus, with another acacia just over, probably A. 

 leprosa, were fairly common. We then worked back to our 

 starting point, and, after a rest, followed down stream for a while. 

 Here large bushes of Melaleuca parviflora grew on the steep 

 banks. Mentha australis was found in bloom, and on it the only 

 buprestid beetle of the day was taken, Stigmodera burchelli — a 

 rather common species, however. The smooth form of Correa 

 speciosa grew on a rocky bank, while further along in a crevice of 

 the rocks was a dried-up plant of the fern Grammitis rutcefolia. 

 A number of insects were collected, but with the exception of one 

 longicorn, undetermined, nothing of special rarity was seen. 

 Some pond-life work was done in the quiet pools of the creek, 

 but with what result I have not heard. Those who take an 

 interest in variously shaped or coloured stones will find in the bed 

 of this creek an inexhaustible supply, the result of water action 

 on the Silurian rocks, and the locality is almost worth visiting from 

 this point of view alone." 



Notwithstanding the unfavourable season, it will be seen from 

 the foregoing notes that though our collecting ground has been 

 invaded by the dairyman, Melton still offers many opportunities 

 to the field naturalist, and were the train facilities better would 

 doubtless be more frequently visited. 



G. A. Keaktland ; J. Gabriel. 



