THE VICTORIAN NATURALIST. 129 



The fine bushes of Correa lawrenciana are still not far from the 

 track, but the variety of small ferns did not seem so good as noted 

 in the Naturalist of February, 1903 (xx., 116). The tram track 

 is very steep, a wire rope and winding plant being required 

 to transport the logs, consequently we rapidly increased 

 our elevation, and in half a mile came to a junction at 

 about 1,250 feet. The vegetation was too wet to allow us to 

 venture far from the track, so ievf plants were noted, the only 

 novelty being Zieria smithii (Rutacese), with white flowers, 

 resembling an Eriostemon, which keep very well when picked. 

 Following the tram for another stage, we reached the locality 

 where the trees were being felled, and almost the head of the 

 Yithan Creek, and found that the current maps of the county of 

 Evelyn are considerably wrong, as the Yithan does not nearly 

 reach Mt. Juliet, the Dividing Range approaching much nearer 

 the Yarra than shown on the latest maps. The sketch plan 

 of the district taken from a recent survey, showing the 

 Acheron rising much nearer the Yarra Valley than it is 

 usually marked, is probably almost correct. Our photographer 

 wanted to get a view up the Yarra Valley, so we struck off 

 to the right, towards a ridge which seemed to offer the best 

 look-out, but we had not reached it before a heavy hailstorm 

 lasting quite half an hour came on, and caused us to seek what 

 shelter we could find among the tall, straight trees (here we 

 were at an elevation of nearly 2,000 feet by the barometer). The 

 stump of one recently felled exhibited a splendid series of rings, 

 which were counted, in order to ascertain its age, but yielded only 

 125 rings, which, if representing one year each, seemed to us too 

 short a life for such a fine stem, about 5 feet through. The wind 

 blew from all quarters, and it was difficult to escape the driving hail 

 or dripping trees, while the hillside became a watery slope. At 

 length the weather cleared, and we decided to descend and leave the 

 conquest of Donnabuang for some future day. This was quickly 

 accomplished to the upper winding engine, when another hail- 

 storm stuck us up. From here some fine cloud effects were 

 noticed over the valley of Big Pat's Creek, and duly transferred to 

 a negative. The feeders of the Yithan were running their best 

 as we regained the tram line, and we several times involuntarily 

 sat down to contemplate the scene. The descent of the tram 

 track was soon made, but a further wait was necessary at the 

 sawmill while another hailstorm passed over. Then we made 

 for our comfortable quarters at the Alpine Retreat Hotel, which 

 we reached about 5.30, and a change of clothing soon removed 

 all traces of our adventures. 



Late in the evening heavy rain again came on, and made 

 us despair for the morrow. However, the morning broke 

 fairly fine, and as flowers and insects were scarce the majority of 



