THE VIC'i'OKlAN NATtJKALlSt. 27 



red shales and sandstones of the Avon series, dipping south- 

 easterly at 40° to 30°. A lower transverse ridge joins the two 

 parallel ridges at the north-east end, and forms a divide between 

 the Moroka and the waters flowing into the Wellington. 



Great quantities of snow during the winter drift into the great 

 depression lying between the Trigonometrical Station and Mt. 

 Wellington, and from the Sale plains it can be seen to lie on the 

 outer slopes for nearly six months, only disappearing late in 

 spring. 



Further evidence of the weight of snow is shown in parts of 

 the sheltered valley, where the Snow Gums have been so bent 

 down and broken that it was found very difficult to get through 

 the tangle of fallen and broken scrub. Numerous springs of 

 beautiful water soak out in mossy slopes on the mountain top, 

 and here a great variety of flowers were blooming. Some of the 

 more important species are given in an appendix, being kindly 

 identified by Mr. Weindorfer. 



Sunday, 8th January. — Early on Sunday morning, accompanied 

 by the two stockmen, Grogan and Horstman, we made a start on 

 foot for the lake. Riggall's track down the spur was retraced, 

 and after crossing the ui)per part of Snowden's Creek, the side of 

 the spur on the lower side of that valley was followed. Though 

 the travelling here was much hindered by fallen trees and scrub, 

 a very fair track could be made with not much difficulty. At 

 present, to take horses down to the lake would be an undertaking 

 that anyone valuing his horses would absolutely refuse to try. 



The burrows of the Wombat and the dancing-heaps of Lyre- 

 birds were noted in this unfrequented valley. After some con- 

 siderable amount of scrambling over logs and through scrub, 

 glimpses of the clear waters of the lake were obtained through 

 occasional breaks in the forest foliage, and at last from a more 

 open part of the descending rocky spur the waters of Lake 

 Tali-Karng were seen lying peacefully between the steep mountain 

 slopes. Just before descending to the shingly beach at the west 

 end, Reid pointed out a dead Stringybark tree, which many years 

 ago had been barked by the aboriginals, probably for a canoe. 

 The tree had a well defined curve, and showed clearly the marks 

 of a blunt tool used for detaching the bark. The stripping 

 extended to a height of about 15 feet, and the tree had the 

 appearance of having been dead for many years. 



The barrier end of the lake was reached, where Howitt and 

 party camped 14 years before. Rough measurements of the lake 

 were made, and the area calculated at approximately 23!/^ acres, 

 which closely corresponds with Howitt's estimation. The shores 

 of the lake on either side are marked by steep slopes of loose 

 rock, bare of vegetation to a height of about 20 feet above the 

 water, but strewn with fallen trees, long dead, having their heads 

 deeply submerged in the water. The trees of the mountain 



