148 THE VICTORIAN NATURALIST. [Vol. XXVi. 



During the early morning a slight shower occurred, but it had 



no other effect than to slightly wet the grass. Another early 



morning stroll, this time towards the township, showed a fine 



growth of the Christmas-tree, Prostanthera lasiantha. at a ford 



over the river, and a pretty sight close by was afforded by a fine 



growth of Aster stellulatus in full bloom ; in fact, it reminded one 



of a snow scene in a pantomime, while here and there the pale 



lilac flowers of Prostanthera melissifolia added colour to the 



scene. Rambling home by the road along the river revealed a 



wealth of vegetation. After breakfast we decided to visit the 



"Canoe." The canoe is the burned-out trunk of a large tree 



which forms a bridge across the stream, and reminds one of a 



blackfellow's canoe. It is situated amidst tree-ferns, Panax, 



Zieria, Hedycarya, &c., and the locality proved a good collecting 



ground for mosses, &c. A fine beech was growing on the edge 



of the stream, but we could not find any more seedlings. A 



shrub here puzzled us for a time, but we eventually decided 



it was only a form of Panax samhucifolius. Zieria Smithii was 



in bloom in many places. The Coral Fern, Gleichenia circinata 



was growing up some tea-tree to the height of 15 feet or more, 



while all around was a dense growth of Lomaria capensis, var. 



procera, its red fronds forming a very distinctive feature. A 



pretty group of tree-ferns was easily visible from the road. Being 



so near the house, the reserves along the Yea River should for 



many years prove handy collecting-grounds for cryptogamic and 



other plants. Returning to the house, we began to pack our 



belongings, and after lunch five of us started off on the walk to 



Healesville vid Myers Creek, some 10 or 12 miles. For about two 



miles we went easterly along the divide towards Mt. St. Leonard, 



when at the site of an old sawmill we turned southwards along 



a track through dense scrub, almost blocked in places by the 



shrubs broken down by the winter snowfall. Here again we 



passed a beautiful bush of Prostanthera melissifolia. In about 



three miles we struck the old tram line, and thenceforward there 



was no doubt about our route, for the tram can be followed all 



the way to Healesville. The head of Myers Creek was soon 



reached, and then our road was all down hill. The upper part 



of the valley had suffered severely from fires during recent years, 



and we began to fear that the interest of our afternoon's walk 



would have been spoiled. At a soakage across the track a fine 



group of King Ferns, Osmunda barbara, were just recovering from 



their scorch, and some small specimens were removed for home 



cultivation. As usual in moist burnt places there was a fine 



growth of Marchanlia polymorpha, and along with it Polypodiuin 



punctaium, another plant which shows a liking for such situations. 



As we descended the scenery improved, and we were soon 



admiring hillsides with as fine a variety of foliage as one could 



wish to see. A homestead embowered in a group of fine Acacia 



