60 THE VICTORIAN NATURALIST. 



and Oxylobium alpestre, then Sisyrinchium pulchellum, and 

 after this Wiitstdnia vacciniacea gladdened our eyes, all four 

 being in their prime. On the summit the clouds were driving, so 

 that our outlook was limited ; but the small open spaces, where 

 water meandered among the sphagnum beds, enclosed by 

 stretches of dry ground littered with boulders and covered 

 with a scrubby Eucalyptus, E. coriacea, reminded us of the higli 

 plains of the Bogong and Buffalo, and more particularly of 

 the latter, which it very much resembled in miniature. In the 

 open spaces we collected Drosera arctnri ; Richea gunnii, in 

 longer spikes and much more branched than on the Buffalo ; 

 Praso])hyllum alpinurn, Senecio pectinatus, just about lo 

 blossom ; Gentiana saxosa (one specimen), Ilerpolirion novce- 

 zealandice, Aster celmlsia, in very fine condition and very 

 plentiful ; Epacris heteronema, StypJtelia elUptica (fruit), also .S'. 

 oxycedrus, and Pimelea alpina, better than in the North-East. 

 Among the boulders we got FuUencea muelleri, Prostanthera 

 cuneata, Orites lancifulia, Drimys aromatica, C allistemon pity- 

 oides (fruit), Lomaria alpina, and Aspidium aculeatum ; and, 

 right in the boulders themselves, Coprosma nitida, and very fine 

 specimens of the Wittsteinia. 



Very well satisfied with our haul, we returned to our camp by 

 about 8 o'clock and transferred our specimens to the portfolios. 

 The thick mist had by this changed to a fine rain, in which we 

 set off down the mountain, and with brushing through the scrub 

 we were soon pretty wet. Unfortunately, too, while on the spur, 

 we took a wrong turn on to a j inker track, and had gone about a 

 mile and a half out of our way before we saw the necessity to 

 retrace our steps to the right road. This we luckily succeeded 

 in doing, with only the loss of some time, and we eventually 

 reached our impatient driver about 1.30 p.m., taking a snack at 

 Hotel Creek on the way. The rain by this was heavier and 

 steadier, and our journey back to Moe, broken only by a meal at 

 the Cecil Inn (a well-known roadside house on the Tyers), was 

 far from pleasant. Although an hour and a half late in com- 

 mencing our drive, and in spite of the bad and slippery roads, 

 which necessitated very careful driving, we yet succeeded in 

 catching our train, and returned to town after a long and tiring 

 day, very wet, but well satisfied with our experiences. 



When the Moe-Walhalla railway is completed there will be a 

 station at Upper Moondarra, very near to where we commenced 

 our walk, and we hope then to renew our acquaintance with 

 Mount Erica, and tn extend it to its neighbours. Mounts Mueller 

 and Baw Baw (about six miles from Erica), which will be more 

 accessible than at present in a short holiday. 



[Since writing the above I have learned thai the mount vi>ited by us, and 

 locally known as " Erica," is not the Mt. Erica of the maps, but, tliough on 

 the same table-land, is about six miles to the south-east of that peak.] 



