164 THE VICTORIAN NATURALIST. 



is a little beyond the ordinary holiday rambles of our club, and 

 to assist in the recording of the regional distribution of plants and 

 birds. 



In the immediate environment of Healesville the country is 

 settled, and in many places quite denuded of timber, in other parts 

 only partially, so that in some of the paddocks there still remains 

 sufficient shrubby vegetation to shelter a number of birds. 



For one ramble we chose the road to the Coranderrk 

 Aboriginal Settlement, but had a bad day for natural history, the 

 muddy road, frequent showers, and wet grass considerably inter- 

 fering with our researches. 



In this locality the eucalyptus trees are stunted, and of little 

 use for shade or ornament. The largest, trees other than 

 eucalypts were Blackwoods, or Lightvvoods, which were in full 

 bloom. Acacia verticillata, known by bushmen as Prickly Moses, 

 was just beyond its prime. The two tea-trees, Leplospermum 

 lanigerum and Melaleuca sqiiarrosa, were represented. Of smaller 

 plants, those seen in bloom were common enough, but are 

 recorded for the purpose of comparison with other districts and 

 seasons. 



In the doubtful shade of some young eucalypt saplings the 

 orchid Pterostylis longifolia grew well, but few in number. 

 Tliis was the only orchid seen, either on the lowlands or at 

 higher altitudes, during our outing. Other lowland plants were 

 Wurmhea dioica, the " Purple Runner," Kennedya monophylla, 

 Hypoxis glabella, Drosera whittakeri, D. menziesii, Craspedia 

 richea, Br achy come graminea, Viola liederacea, and V. beton- 

 icifolia. Along a water-race the ferns Lomaria discolor and 

 Gleicheoiia circinata grew luxuriantly, as did also the Maiden 

 Hair, Adiantum ctthiopiciim. 



Of the few species of birds seen about Coranderrk and 

 Healesville several were represented by large numbers. Blue 

 Wrens were wherever a patch of scrub or bracken gave that 

 harbour to insects, for which they are ever on the search. The 

 Ground Lark, Anthus australis, was plentiful, but only a few of 

 the Spotted Pardalote were visible. A few of two common birds 

 were noticed, these being the Mud Lark, Grallina picata, and 

 the While-backed Magpie, Gyvinorhina leuconota, but the 

 " Kookaburra," Dacelo gigas, was numerous, and, though no 

 thrushes were seen, the melody of the Harmonious Thrush came 

 from many a clump of scrub near the road. 



The walk from Healesville up the Blacks' Spur demands at any 

 time a fair amount of exertion, but on this occasion, with 2 inches 

 of snow on the road at Healesville, the conditions of the tramp 

 at higher altitudes might be anticipated to present some difficulty. 

 Notwithstanding the advice of old residents, who declared the 

 Spur to be impassable on foot, we set out prepared for a rough 



