18 THE VICTORIAN NATURALIST. 



probably many another interesting item, in the ParUamentary 

 records of the time. 



Dr. Mueller came to Victoria in 1852, when about 28 years of 

 age, and was soon afterwards appointed Government Botanist by 

 Governor Latrobe. 



He at once decided to explore the new territory for himself, 

 and in the spring of 1852 started on a trip to the North-East. 

 This journey he records in his first annual report, dated 5th 

 September, 1853, which can be referred to at the Public Library in 

 the "Votes and Proceedings of the Legislative Council of Victoria, 

 1853-4," vol. i., part 2, page 897. 



In this he says that he proceeded more or less along the track 

 towards Sydney, now closely followed by our North-Easlern 

 railway, till reaching Putter's Range, at the southern extremity of 

 which is situated the now historic hamlet of Glenrowan ; thence 

 he proceeded to the May Day Hills, the present site of Beech- 

 worth ; thence to the Buffalo Mts., named by Hume and 

 Hovell, which have been too recently mentioned before this Club 

 to need any further indication of their position. Whereabouts he 

 made the first ascent is not recorded, but he mentions being the 

 first white man to ascend the highest peak, which he calls Mt. 

 Aberdeen, but now known as " The Horn." He also ascended 

 another peak over 4,000 ft. high, presumably the Hump. On this 

 range he discovered the glorious Grevillea victorice, which he 

 loyally dedicated to his Queen, then in the early years of her 

 reign. As far as this he was accompanied by Mr. Dallachy, the 

 Superintendent of the Melbourne Botanic Gardens, wlio had then 

 to return to Melbourne. Not being satisfied with the alpine flora 

 of the Buffaloes, he proceeded, travelling quite alone, to Mt. 

 Buller (5,934), which he says is over 5,000 ft. high, and obtained 

 his first glunpse of the true alpine flora, remarking Ranunculus 

 gunnianus, Hooker; Euromyrtus alpinus, now Bceckea gunniana; 

 Celinisia astelifolia, now Aster celmisia \ Gentiana diemeniensis, 

 now G. aaxosa ; Fodocarpus montanus, now Nageia alpina, ¥. v. 

 M. ; and the grass Triseiuvi antarcticicm, now T. subspicatum, as 

 being analagous to the alpine fiora of Tasmania. He also 

 collected there Phehalium podocarpoides, now Eriostemon alpinus, 

 F. V. M. ; Hovea gelida, now H. longifolia ; Oxylobium alpestre, 

 F. V. M. ; Brachycome nivalis, F. v. M. ; and Anisototne (now 

 Aciphylla) glacialis, F. v. M. This was the first time Buller had 

 been botanically explored. Thence he proceeded towards the 

 Goulburn, and down that river to its junction with the King 

 Parrot Creek, up which he worked to its source, near the present 

 village of Kinglake ; here he crossed the Plenty Ranges into the 

 Yarra watershed, and following round the Dividing Range towards 

 the head of the Yarra, struck the head of the Latrobe, and 

 followed that river down for some distance, reaching the sea-coast 



