THE VICTOKJAN NATUKALJST. 165 



time, cold feet, and a pedestrian achievement of some novelty. 

 That a member of our Club should be the first lady to cross 

 the Spur to Marysville with a reported foot depth of snow to 

 walk through, and thereby establish a record, was a temptation 

 irresistible. 



At the Maroondah or Watts Bridge, the former site of Fern- 

 shaw, the snow deptli had perceptibly increased, and we were 

 soon convmced that botanical inquiry was for the time almost 

 impossible, as all but the tall trees and larger shrubs were 

 completely hidden. P'urther on small branches from the over- 

 hanging eucalypts littered the ground, and here and there a great 

 limb, unable to resist the increasing weight, had fallen and 

 grounded the telephone wire. Creaking and cracking branches 

 overhead warned us to get from under in time to "avoid the 

 impending danger, while from the more flexible twigs there came 

 frequent and sudden showers of snow, and often heavier masses 

 that fell without warning and drove one's hat down over the ears in 

 a way that was more exciting than pleasant. 



With the crooked horn end of an alpenstock we endeavoured 

 to shake many shrubs free of their white load, in order to 

 recognize them, but the loitering in snow up to the boot tops was 

 not encouraging, and the falling of the cold powder into our 

 sleeves decided us to push on, and examine the plants if possible 

 on the return journey. The temporarily altered habit of many 

 plants— if the expression be allowed — was remarkable, as many 

 shrubs of normally erect growth and acutely angular branching 

 now appeared like weeping willows, and some of the smaller 

 eucalypt bushes were depressed and flattened on top in imitation 

 of their alpine kindred. The tree ferns, Dicksonia and Alsophila, 

 had lost their graceful appearance, for while the circinate young 

 fronds still remained erect the radial, expanded fronds were borne 

 down at a sharp angle from the trunk and weighed to the ground 

 with snow. 



When half-way up the Spur we halted for early lunch, which we 

 ate while we perched on the top rail of a fence, with very wet, 

 cold feet, suggesting that the halt should be as short as possible. 

 There we measured the snow which capped the fence rail and 

 post tops and noted 12^ inches. A solitary mosquito, Culex, sp., 

 appeared to be benumbed with the cold as with difticulty'it 

 picked its steps amongst the snow crystals. Its appearance 

 siirprised us, but on attempting to secure it for our entomological 

 friends at home it flew away as airily and healthfully as though it 

 were a summer evening. A little further on we noticed an earth- 

 worm crossing the road on snow over a foot above the ground, 

 but having some difliculty where it sank in some of the newly 

 fallen and powdery parts. There was no disturbed surface within 

 many yards of the creature, and we wondered whether it had 



