THE VICTORIAN NATURALIST. 99 



One day we went over the top of a hill which was of a sandy 

 nature, where the native heath, Epacris impressa, was in full 

 bloom, together with a number of other plants usually found in 

 healthy ground. Passing on through Mr. Wallis's farm the 

 country soon changed again to volcanic soil. Here we found 

 Pimelea axiflora ; the Native Laburnum, Goodia lotifolia, " Prickly 

 Moses," Acacia juniperina, and an old Gippsland friend, Acacia 

 linearis. The Blanket Tree, Senecio bed/ordii, was very plentiful, 

 and on the banks of the creek were some splendid plants of that 

 singular fern, Osmunda barbara, their bright glistening fronds 

 being very conspicuous. 



The stump of a magnificent gum tree is still to be seen here, 

 which measures sixty-six feet round the base. Tufts of Bru7ionia 

 australis were very common near the water. Here also the 

 Native Mulberry, Hedycarya cunninghami, grows very luxuriantly. 

 The wood of this tree in days gone by was greatly prized by the 

 aboriginals, who made use of it in obtaining fire by friction. In 

 places we noticed the burrows made by wombats ; judging by the 

 numbers of holes seen there must be a great many of these 

 animals in the neighbourhood. The Native Raspberry, Rithus 

 parvifolius, was in full bearing, the fruit hanging in clusters from 

 every cane. The wire grass is a great nuisance in the district, 

 sometimes making the scrub quite impassable. On the south side 

 of the creek the hills rise more gradually, but the ground is rocky 

 and gravelly. Here a few plants of Correa speciosa were in bloom, 

 together with several composites. Though our record of plants 

 in bloom is not large, the district is one which will amply repay 

 the botanist for a visit, especially in the early spring. 



"The Emu." — We are in receipt of the first part of a new 

 Australian Natural History magazine — " The Emu : a Quarterly 

 Magazine to Popularize the Study and Protection of Native Birds : 

 Official Organ of the Australasian Ornithologists' Union." The 

 magazine is well got up, and the cover is adorned with an 

 excellent process engraving of an Emu and clutch of eggs. The 

 contents consist of an introductory article giving a brief history of 

 the origin and founding of the Aust. O.U., and showing its 

 objects and aims. Mr. D. Le Souef follows with an interesting 

 article on " Emu Feathers," in which he shows tliat the Spotted 

 Emu, Dromceus irroratus, Bartlett, of Western Australia, cannot 

 from its plumage be regarded as a distinct species. Unfortunately 

 the plate illustrating the article is marred by an unsuitable back- 

 ground. Mr. Robert Hall shows that Petrceca ramsayi, Sharpe, 

 should be regarded as a variety of P. goodenovii, Vig. and Hors. 

 A useful and pointed article on " Bird Protection " is contributed 

 by Mr. Frank Littler, of Launceston, while a second on similar 

 lines, by " Orchardist," entitled " Feathered Friends or Foes ? " 



