May, 1909.] THE VICTORIAN NATURALIST. 5 



west, where it was broken down, and had formed the exit for the 

 lava of former ages. On the southern side of the breach the rim 

 rose to 1,280 feet, while on the opposite side (the northern side 

 of the crater), it rose to its highest point, 1,380 feet above sea- 

 level ; round to the east it gradually fell to the spot from which 

 we first viewed it. The breach itself is about 20 feet above the 

 level of the floor. Unfortunately, we were not able to accurately 

 measure the distance from rim to rim, but careful estimates gave 

 it as about 450 yards. In one corner of the bottom is a water- 

 hole for stock, excavated in the solid lava (bluestone), but, owing 

 to the dry season, it contained little water. It is probable that in 

 this isolated pond some interesting life might be found after a wet 

 season. Two or three photographs were secured of interesting 

 features, but the strong wind blowing formed a serious obstacle 

 to successful photography. From the highest part of the rim an 

 excellent view of the surrounding country was obtained. Though 

 very hazy and stormy towards the south, we were able to pick out 

 the You Yangs, 50 miles away ; the Anakies, a little further ; 

 Macedon, Hanging Rock (the scene of the excursion three weeks 

 before), 20 miles to the north-west. Due north was the Big Hill, 

 or Pretty Sally's Hill, an outlier of the Dividing Range, with 

 Wallan at its foot, while to the east were the Plenty Ranges, almost 

 enshrouded in heavy masses of black clouds. Besides these 

 more prominent mountains, numerous points of eruption occur 

 all round, such as the Bald Hill, a little further south. Green Hill, 

 close to Wallan, &c., details of which will be found in a paper by 

 Mr. T. S. Hart, M.A., read before this Club some years ago 

 {Vict. JS^at., xi., 74). Having taken in the surroundings 

 sufficiently, we traversed the rim towards the west, to where, 

 owing to the operations of rabbits, there was an exposure of tuffs 

 and lapilli, of which nice specimens were secured. I am 

 indebted to Mr. F. Chapman for a few notes on the geological 

 features of the mount, &c. He says : — " The extinct volcano at 

 Beveridge, xMount Bland, presents so many interesting features, 

 and in several points differs from those of other neighbouring 

 cones, that to anyone at all interested in the study of volcanic 

 phenomena it is well worth a visit. The main rim of the cone 

 on the south and west appears to be composed generally of 

 scoriaceous basalt. The northern flank, however, rising 100 feet 

 higher, is largely composed of volcanic agglomerate and lapilli 

 of a comparatively light colour (pale ochreous to reddish-brown) 

 and microscopically resembling true pumice, although not floating 

 in water. This accumulation may have arisen from a later out- 

 burst, and since the cone is not quite circular in outline there 

 may have been one or more parasitic cones produced by renewed 

 activity of an explosive nature. Numerous volcanic bombs were 

 seen strewn over the surface of the cone, some attaining a foot or 



