March, 1910.] THE VICTORIAN NATURALIST. 165 



For a number of years after 1869, when the writer was first 

 introduced to the office and service of the late Baron von Mueller 

 by Mr. A. C. Neate, a faithful former official of the Gardens staff 

 for over 40 years, there remained in the north-eastern portion of 

 the grounds an island area cut off from the surrounding land by 

 a narrow strip of the then lagoon waters. This area was densely 

 covered with the Swamp Tea-tree, Melaleuca erici/olia, which in 

 many parts was surmounted with the Scrub Vine, Cassytha 

 melaniha. Clumps of the Sword Rush, Lepidosperma elatius, were 

 scattered amongst this tea-tree, and several Red Gum trees, 

 Eucalyptus rostrata, were striking objects in the vicinity, while 

 around the margins and in the adjoining lagoon-waters were 

 thriving luxuriantly, in their natural condition, numerous aquatic 

 plants, including the Native Bulrush, Typha angustijolia. Patches 

 of the tea-tree are still to be found growing in this locality, 

 and are shown in the photographs here to-night. These I had 

 taken some time ago with the object of retaining a remembrance 

 of tlie existence of this wild corner should those patches be found 

 to vanish by reason of further artificial alteration of the surface, 

 or by the requirements of exotic vegetation in their vicinity. In 

 the photograph reproduced as Plate v., the tea-trees will be 

 distinctly noticeable on account of their prominent white stems 

 and umbrella-like heads of foliage. One of the Eucalyptus 

 rostrata trees referred to still remains, and is known by photog- 

 raphers and others as the " Artists' Tree," as from near to 

 it some fine views of the lake, Gardens, and Government 

 House are frequently photographed and sketched. This area, 

 of which so few remnants now mark its existence, was for a 

 number of years a charming piece of natural vegetation, and 

 might have remained so until now but for alterations deemed 

 necessary by the authorities and by reason of the Yarra improve- 

 ments in the vicinity. In the north-west corner of the lake may 

 still be seen a few isolated plants of the same species of 

 Melaleuca which existed as part of the lagoon vegetation before 

 the Gardens were established. 



On what is now known as Princes' Lawn, on the western side of 

 the Gardens, are to be seen two fine specimens of the Red Gum, 

 Eucalyptus rostrata. These have been silently making life in 

 their present position throughout the whole history of the 

 Gardens, and indicate their claim for consideration in connection 

 with the natural vegetation in existence when the site of the 

 Gardens was selected. These trees also serve to locate a spot in 

 their vicinity where over thirty years ago a small zoological 

 collection, principally monkeys and birds, was situated, and 

 which no doubt interested some of the then visitors to the 

 Gardens. These two trees are features of the Princes' Lawn, and 

 the late Director, Mr. W. R. Guilfoyle, a short time ago, very 



