146 THK VICTORIAN NATURALIST. [Vol. XXVI. 



We soon came to big timber again, and on one of the 

 trees was a notice — " Sylvia Falls, i mile," but the track, 

 which had suffered from a recent fire, and also owing to the 

 operations of timber-getters, was hard to find. However, 

 we determined to work down to the stream, and found a 

 wealth of mountain vegetation, such as the Native Pepper, 

 Drimys aromatica, the Native Mulberry, Hedycarya Cunning- 

 hami, the Sassafras, Atherosperma moschatum, the Musk, 

 Aster argophyllus, and the Beech, Fagus Cunninghaini. Of 

 the latter we were able to secure a number of seedlings, and a 

 package of about thirty was sent to the Botanic Gardens on our 

 return to town. Here also grew the ferns Lomaria fluviatilis, 

 Polypodium Australe, &c., with very fine examples of the giant 

 moss, Dawsonia superba. The orchid, Chiloglottis Gunnii was 

 noted on the tree-fern stems, and the miniature Irid, Sisyrynchium 

 pulchellum. Working up stream a little we came to signs of a 

 camping ground, and found we had reached the Sylvia Creek 

 junction, but, owing to the position of a large fallen tree, it 

 appeared as if the creek were the main stream. We turned up 

 the creek, which came in from the east, and soon came to a 

 cascade some 12 or 15 feet high, with several smaller ones higher 

 up. Presently, as the track seemed to stop, we returned the way 

 we had come, but I have since learned that we did not reach the 

 most imposing fall, which occurs in the dacite country towards 

 the head of the creek ; the cascades we saw were occasioned by 

 ledges of silurian rock. A little exploration about the junction 

 revealed a magnificent growth of the Umbrella Fern, Gleichenia 

 Jlabellata, many of the fronds being at least two feet across. As it 

 was getting late, we turned homewards, and on arrival found that 

 another member, Mr. R. Kelly, and one of his boys had walked 

 up from Healesville, vid the Chum Creek, some 12 miles. After 

 tea three of the party found their way by devious tracks to the 

 State school, where a lantern lecture illustrating a trip to New 

 Zealand was given by one of the visitors at the house. This 

 proved very interesting, but the trouble was to get home again, 

 as there was no moon, and the bush thereabouts is full of tracks. 

 However, by the expenditure of the greater part of a box of 

 matches, they eventually reached the house safely, but certainly by 

 a different track from that which they had followed on the out- 

 ward journey. 



Sunday morning broke delightfully fine, and a stroll before 

 breakfast was indulged in. For this we selected another track, 

 which led up the valley, along the water-race which provides the 

 domestic supply. Coachwhip-birds made the bush resound with 

 their whip-like notes, while many other birds flitted about in the 

 scrub. Some huge trees were again passed, and a few more 

 bushes of the Prostanthera seen, and some young plants obtained. 

 Along the race seedling ferns of various kinds were in plenty, and 



