186 THE VICTOKIAK NATUKALIST. [Vol. XXVI. 



west of the township, and the granite which, separating the latter 

 widely to the south, runs out as a narrow tongue to end abruptly 

 near the Yarra, afford a variety not easily obtained from any other 

 centre. 



Comfortably housed at Mrs. Ryan's hotel on Saturday, the eye 

 was attracted to the steep mountain slopes on the further side of 

 the river, culminating westerly in the Rock and easterly in 

 Donna-Buang, about 4 miles apart, respectively 3,350 and 4,080 

 feet above sea-level. At the foot of the steep, the Yarra runs a 

 fast, swirling stream, fringed with a shrubbery mostly myrtaceous, 

 but including the proteaceous Lomatia longifolia^ &c., and 

 sheltered by these the Native Raspberry, Ruhus parvifolius, and 

 the introduced Bramble or Blackberry, R. Jruiiicosus, both in 

 fruit, helped to make an impenetrable thicket. South of the 

 Yarra the valley, which is very narrow at Warburton proper, widens 

 westerly, and fairly extensive alluvial flats carry appropriate vegeta- 

 tion, inclusive of several species of Eucalypts, the most con- 

 spicuous of these being the half-barked form of the Manna Gum, 

 E. viminalis ; and E. amygdalina, of lowland, full-barked habit ; 

 with E. goniocalyx, Victorian Spotted Gum, of smooth-barked 

 highland form ; and E. gunni, the Swamp Gum or Cider 

 Eucalypt, which here are good shade trees, owing to the 

 comparative bushiness of their branchlets and the profuseness of 

 the foliage, combined with a somewhat drooping habit of their 

 lower branches. 



Previous excursion parlies of the Club had examined the valley 

 of the Don, which lies to the west of the Rock ( Vict. Nat., xxv., 

 p. 3), and that of the Yithan, which has its origin near Donna- 

 Buang {Vict. Nat, xxii., p. 128). These being of similar aspect, 

 altitude, and geological condition, the character of the floras of 

 the Don and the Dee are, as would be expected, much alike and 

 of typical Gippsland gully character. Crossing the Yarra by a 

 substantial bridge, we found a somewhat steep road, mostly formed 

 by side-cutting, leading up the mountain side. Down below ran 

 the Dee, a foaming, rushing rivulet, so embowered in vegetation 

 as to be scarcely visible. Stately tree-ferns, many very tall, with 

 fine specimens of the King fern, Osmunda barbara, took advantage 

 of the cool, sheltered position, and enhanced the scene with their 

 ever graceful fronds. The climbers Lyonsia and Tecoma 

 entwined the blackwoods, prostantheras and dogwoods, and at 

 every turn some fresh arrangement of foliage delighted the eye. 

 At length we reached a plateau, where had formerly been a saw- 

 mill, and, getting directions from a resident, started along a 

 disused timber-tram towards the Rock, which we had decided was 

 to be our goal for the day. The first evergreen Beech, Fagus 

 Cunninghami, was encountered at an altitude of 1,000 feet, 

 and to this height the proscribed Rubus has gained a footing 



