92 THE VICTORIAN NATURALIST. 



We left Dimboola on Wednesday, 31st October, for the Gram- 

 pians, vid Stawell, where Mr. Hewitt, a local photograplier, and 

 friend of Mr. Walter's, very kindly looked after our effects, and it 

 was entirely owing to him that they reached us safely in the 

 Grampians. Acting on Mr. Walter's advice, we did not take the 

 ordinary road, but decided to follow what is known as the " pipe 

 track," along which a walk of some 16 miles brought us to the 

 foot of the hills, and another four or five miles over the hills to 

 our destination, a farm house, where arrangements had been 

 made for us to stay, for up to tlie present there is no regular 

 accommodation for visitors. 



Along the pipe track, which, by the way, covers the pipes 

 which bring from the Grampians an unequalled water supply to 

 Stawell, was plenty oi Styphelia sonderi, and with its red flowers it 

 formed a very pretty sight ; also P rostr anther a denticidala, with 

 purple flowers ; Dampiera lanceolata, having pretty blue flowers, 

 and one of the Violaceae, Hybanthus floribundus. Oi Leptosper- 

 mum scoparium we came across several small patches, but although 

 well out in flower no insect life was on it. Neither were we more 

 successful with the other shrubs in flower, but the leaves of the 

 eucalypts yielded a few brownish-coloured Chrysomelas of the 

 genus Cadmus. Signs of Scolecobrotus westwoodii were plentiful 

 in the fallen branches of the eucalypts, and we secured a few 

 specimens of the larvae, one of which has since completed its 

 metamorphosis and has emerged as the perfect beetle. Near the 

 foot of the hills were acres of the Lejjtospermum scoparium in 

 splendid flower, and looking just like an immense field of white, 

 and we, of course, gave it a good trial, but scarcely a living thing 

 was on it, except a number of small dipterous flies ; only one 

 beetle did we get from it, Earinus mimula, which may often be 

 taken near Melbourne feeding on a similar plant- Here also were 

 many fine specimens of the Grass-tree, XanthorrliKa australis, 

 and feeding on these were a few Melolonth beetles of the genus 

 Phyllotocus. Our ill success made us feel rather tired, and we 

 were, therefore, not at all sorry to reach our destination, which 

 we did at about seven o'clock. 



For the next three days our attention was principally devoted 

 to the turning of logs, both large and small, which we did to the 

 extent of some hundreds, in search of a large Carab beetle, which 

 we were most anxious to secure, and we are pleased to say our 

 efforts were rewarded with success. Although this beetle has been 

 taken before, we believe by the late Mr. D. Sullivan, of Moyston, 

 who was a member of our Club, it has not been previously named, 

 but Mr. T. Sloane, another member of our Club, who has become 

 a recognized authority on Carabidse, has now named it after me, 

 Morphnos bestii. Most of our specimens did not attempt to 

 escape, but two or three did, and their movements were uncom- 



