12 THE VICfORIAN NATURALIST, 



repeat it here. Scrub-Robins and the Chestnut-backed Ground- 

 Thrush were fairly common here. Jhijeria viscosa, Calotis 

 ct/mbicantha, Prostanthera coccinea (with showy scarlet blossoms), 

 Pimelea microcephala, the " Quandong," Santalum aciLminatum 

 (a tree of about twelve feet in height, with drooping leaves, and 

 particularly handsome when bearing its orange to crimson fruits), 

 Grevillea aquifo/ium, Halgania lavandulacea (a showy plant when 

 in bloom, having deep blue flowers), Helichrysum obtusi/olium, 

 Stipa elegantissiina (a most beautiful and ornamental grass, well 

 worthy of cultivation in gardens), Yfaitzia acuminata, Goodenia 

 geniculata, (a remarkable woolly variety), G. pinnatijida, and 

 many other plants, are found in this locality. 



On the plains the " Wa.\\B.hy Gra.ss," Banthonia penicillata, is 

 the principal fodder grass. The "Lignum," Muehlexbeckia 

 2)olygonoides, covers the marshy ground, and in these bushes 

 were numerous nests of the '• Babbler," Fomatostomus super- 

 ciliosus, containing eggs. The White-plumed Honey-eater, Ftilotis 

 penicillata, was nesting in the melaleuca bushes. Acres of 

 acacias, such as A. calamifolia, A, farinosa, and A. hrachyhotrya, 

 are met with, and, according to the late Baron Von Mueller, no 

 less than thirty-six species of acacias have been found in the 

 Mallee districts. Here also fine plants of Cryptandra suhochreata, 

 Airip.'ex semibaccatum (a splendid fodder plant), Westringia 

 riyida (with bluish-white flowers), Helipteruin moschatum, and II. 

 Jloribitndum were added to the collection. In the dead timber 

 were several nests of the Crimson-bellied Parrakeet, Psephotus 

 Jicematorrhous, which is also known as the " Bull Oak " Parrakeet, 

 on account of its preference for the Casuarina ("Bull Oak") 

 country. Peaceful Doves, Gilbert's Thickhead, Yellow-rumped 

 Pardalote, Corcorax, Bee-eaters, White-faced Xerophila, Black- 

 backed Superb Warbler, Red-throat, Black Honey-eater, Lanceo- 

 lated Honey-eater, Tree Martins, Spurwing Plover, Red-capped 

 Robin, Brown Hawk, Australian Goshawk, Black-backed Crow- 

 Shrike, &c., &c., were the principal birds in this part of the 

 country. 



It is noteworthy that many of the plants growing in the Mallee 

 are identical with those found on the heath grounds at Chelten- 

 ham and Sandringham, so familiar to the botanists of the Club. 

 For instance, such plants as Pimelea oclophylla, Aolus villosa, 

 Ileliclirysum apiculatum, Stackliousia linavifolici, Leptospermum 

 loivigatani (a small-leaved variety), Caladenia patersoni, Praso- 

 phyllum elation, Plerostylls villata, and Goodenia geniculata are 

 common in both places. The Tea-tree, Leptosperinuin kevigatum, 

 abounds everywhere on the sandy rises. The usual height, as far 

 as was met with at Pine Plains and other localities visited, was 

 from four to eight feet. Equally common with this was the shrub 

 Dodoncea viscosa. 



