Feb., 1910.] TilE VICTORIAN NATURALlSt. l49 



penninervis was seen on our right. The Silver Wattles in the 

 valley were very fine, while very tall eucalypts were plentiful. 

 Presently an old mill site was passed. The creepers Lyonsia, 

 Clematis, and Tecoma were seen twining about the shrubs. 

 Pimelea ligustrina, Grevillea aljnna, Eriostemon correifolius, 

 Pultencea Gunnii, and other shrubs were noted. At about half- 

 way a halt was made for a few minutes at the Meyers Falls, and 

 the scene admired. In another mile or so the higher hills came 

 to an end, and the creek found its way through flatter country to 

 join the Watts or Maroondah near the end of the St. Leonard's 

 road, about i^ miles from Healesville. The creek runs through 

 country interesting geologically, for here (see " Records of 

 Geological Survey of Victoria," vol. ii., part 4, page 199) we 

 were on the junction of the great Mt. Juliet dacite area with the 

 Silurian, in which one or two isolated granite outcrops occur close 

 to the creek. We passed a fine lot of Leptospermum scoparium 

 in full bloom, but it was now too late in the day for beetles. It 

 was strange that insects were so scarce all through the trip, as 

 we were in country which should have yielded many varieties. 

 Healesville was reached about 6.30 p.m. Here we found a great 

 throng of holiday-makers, and we had to let two special trains go 

 before we could get a seat. However, town was reached in the 

 companionship of some friends who had been exploring the new 

 track recently cut round Mt. Juliet by the Board of Works, so the 

 time passed pleasantly. 



I am indebted to Mr. E. B. Nicholls for the following notes 

 about the bird-life of the outing. He says : — " During the trip 

 thirty-eight species of birds were recognized, including the Gang 

 Gang Cockatoo, of which a fair number were seen, also the King 

 Lory. Traces of the Black Cockatoo and Lyre-bird were also met 

 with in some of the gullies. A Red Lory, Platycercus elegans, 

 was found feeding upon the galls attached to the leaves of young 

 eucalypts. The rather rare Rufous Fantail was seen in a patch 

 of tall bracken fern some distance from, water. The Grey Crow- 

 Shrike (Grey Magpie), Coachwhip-bird, and Sordid Wood-Swallow 

 were seen, and also the White-fronted Chat, a bird of the coast 

 and plains. The commonest bird notes were those of the Fan- 

 tailed Cuckoo, Crescent Honey-eater, and White-throated Thick- 

 head. The song of the last-mentioned species at this time of year 

 is particularly good, and the birds themselves, in their rich black 

 and yellow plumage, rival in their gay appearance even the red- 

 breasted robins." 



The following notes on the Coleoptera, &c., have been handed 

 to me by Mr. J. A. Kershaw, F.E.S., of the National Museum. 

 He says : — " Insects were as a rule scarce, probably due to the 

 unfavourable climatic conditions. Of Lepidoptera only common 

 species were seen, and these were not numerous. Ants, however, 

 were fairly plentiful. Among Coleoptera may be mentioned 



