May, 1908.] THE VICTORIAN NATURALIST. 9 



decurrent leaves of Baron von Mueller's S. vescum — the real 

 Gunyang — they were considered to be those of *S'. aviculare, 

 described by Bentham as inedible ; the flavour characteristic 

 of orris root was noticed in the berries of Hymenanthera and 

 the small fruits of Ruhus parvifolius were frankly eaten. In 

 connection with the fruits of our indigenous plants, it would 

 be interesting to elicit from members and others, and place 

 on record, as much information as possible as to their edibility 

 and possible culinary uses. Of ferns at least twenty species 

 were noticed, the most noteworthy varieties being Asplenium 

 umhrosum^ Lomaria lanceolafa, and L. fluviatilis, of all of 

 which fine specimens were seen." 



I am indebted to Mr. W. H. A. Roger for some notes on the 

 Lepidoptera of the outing. He says : — " At Malleson's Glen a 

 number of small butterflies were observed flying about, which, on 

 a specimen being captured, proved to be Xeyiica kershawi. A 

 solitary specimen of the handsome Swallow tail Butterfly, Fapilio 

 macleayamos, was taken in the Glen, but, being faded and worn, 

 was set at liberty again. On Monday, in a narrow, dry gully 

 extending up the hillside near the hotel, specimens of the Ringed 

 Xenica, X. achanta, Klug's Xenica, X. klugii, and the female of 

 the common meadow-brown, Heteronympha merope, were very 

 plentiful, sheltering amongst the bracken from the strong north 

 wind blowing. A few moths were taken, among them being one 

 of the thorn moths, Hhinodia rostraria, and the pretty little black 

 and gold Termessa Iceta.'' — F. G. A. Barnard. 



EXCURSION TO MT. WILLIAM, LANCEFIELD. 



The earnest entreaty at our last meeting by Mr. Barnard for as 

 large a party as possible to attend the Club excursion to the 

 aboriginal quarries at Mt. William on 22nd February was 

 responsible for about a dozen members assembling on the 

 Lancefield platform. Some had come up the night before, but 

 most had dared the discomforts of the early morning suburban 

 trains, and felt they had already spent a long day by the time the 

 railway journey of 46 miles was finished. As Mr. Barnard read 

 an interesting account of a visit to the district before this Club 

 a few months ago {Vict. Xat., xxiv., p. iii), and as we covered 

 part of the same ground that he did, his description of the 

 quarries need not be repeated ; and for this reason, therefore, he 

 has asked me to supply the usual report. Through Mr. M. E. 

 O'Brien, of the Lancefield State school, we had arranged for a 

 four-horse coach to take us out to the Mount, and we were 

 accompanied by Mr. and Mrs. Brisbane, of Big Hill State school, 

 Mr. J. T. Guthridge, of the Lancefield Mercury, and Mr. O'Brien. 

 Our drive was a terribly dusty one, but at last we reached the home 



