142 THE VICTORIAN NATURALIST. [Vol. XXIV. 



account of its ample bluish-green seriated leaves, while yet 

 another species, ^S*. laiUus, with very much incised leaves, grew 

 close by. Everywhere grew the Parsley or Carrot Fern, Cheilanthes 

 temiifolia, while in the crevices of the rocks were plants of the 

 Rat-tailed Fern, Asplenium flabellifolium. After proceeding as 

 far as a small fall in the stream our leader, owing to a previous 

 engagement, had to return to Bacchus Marsh, and it fell to my 

 lot to act as pilot until we should meet the deputy leader, Mr. 

 T. Brittlebank. As it was now past midday, it was decided to 

 lunch before proceeding further. After lunch the majority of the 

 party proceeded up the Gorge, picking their way as best they 

 could amongst the loose stones, and dodging the thorny branches 

 of the Tree Violet, Hymenanthera Banksii, laden with fruit just 

 beginning to show a purple tinge. Presently a huge anticlinal 

 fold in the rocks came into view on the southern side, then the 

 stream had to be crossed a couple of times, when, on rounding 

 a corner, we met Messrs. C. C. Brittlebank and Gray. The former 

 apologized for his brother's absence owing to illness, and offered 

 to take up the leading for a time. Considering that Mr. Brittle- 

 bank knew every inch of the country round about, such an offer 

 was not to be refused, and it was decided to work a little further 

 up the stream and then ascend a less precipitous part of the 

 northern bank, so as to get a general view of the Gorge from the 

 top. We were then in a most romantic spot, standing at the foot 

 of a rocky face just over 600 feet in height, with another similar 

 scarp not far ahead. Shortly afterwards we met Mr. G. B. 

 Pritchard with a party of students from the Working Men's 

 College, and he kindly paused lor a few minutes to add some 

 further geological information to our store. Soon after parting we 

 came to the place for ascending, and started up a slope with a 

 fairly steep grade. This tried our climbing powers, but, taking it 

 quietly, and with a rest now and again, we safely reached the 

 top. During one of the spells a stray specimen of Pteroslylis 

 rufa was picked, and at the top Brachyloma dajjhiioides, a small 

 shrub very like a Styphelia, was in bloom. We now made 

 towards the edge of the Gorge, where there is a fine growth of 

 Golden Wattle ; here we found another member resting after an 

 arduous day's beetle-hunting, for which he was rewarded by the 

 capture of a rather rare longicorn. Here our leader pointed out 

 the features of the landscape, and we soon forgot our stiff climb 

 as we beheld the wonders of the Gorge spread out below us. 

 Traversing the bank to another outlying hill we got a fine view 

 back to Bacchus Marsh, with Melbourne in the distance. Here 

 our second guide left us, and we made our way down the hill to 

 the crossing place of the morning. Down this slope striated 

 stones are to be picked up, and all were soon provided with 

 specimens more or less weighty. Another mile brought us to 



