128 THE VICTORIAN NATURALIST. [Vol. XXV. 



which are granite rocks of all shapes and sizes reminding one 

 of the Buffalo Mountains. In fact, the tourist who cannot afford 

 the time and cost of a visit to the Buffaloes can see here, in half a 

 day from Melbourne, but on a smaller scale, almost all the features 

 of those mountains, at a cost of about five shillings. An 

 article in the Leader of 7th September, 1907, with illustrations 

 from the camera of Mr. E. O. Thiele, conveys a good idea of the 

 geological features of the You Yangs. On reaching the next 

 saddle we decided to descend again to the western slope, and 

 visit the forest plantations. Here we again found a strong growth 

 of Prostanthera, and on it was taken the only buprestid beetle 

 of the day, Stigmodera hicolor. Continuing through the planta- 

 tion northerly, a little spring was passed, where Utricularia 

 dichotoma was flowering in the boggy ground. The country 

 hereabouts was very park-like, dotted with eucalypts, sheoaks, 

 &c., but searching under the bark and shaking the branches 

 revealed few insects worthy of mention. Another high hill was 

 ascended, and afternoon lunch partaken of while admiring the 

 distant prospect. 



We then turned stationwards along a ridge, and finally descen- 

 ded on to the plain again, and passed through a thicket of Swamp 

 Tea-tree, Melaleuca ericijolia. A three-mile walk across paddocks 

 brought us to the station, where we found another member, who 

 had come down by the mid-day train, and reached Station Peak 

 just as we ascended the next hill, but was unfortunately unable to 

 attract our attention, so we missed the benefit of his company and 

 he had to finish the day by himself 



In former reports of visits to the You Yangs {Soutliern Science 

 Record, ii., p. 8; S.S.R., iii., p. 17; and Vict. Nat., iii., p. 99), 

 little mention was made of the ornithology of the district, Mr. 

 O'Donoghue's notes will, therefore, be of value as indicating the 

 character of the bird4ife likely to be met with. He says : — 

 " The first bird noted on leaving Little River railway station and 

 proceeding along the line towards Geelong was the Nankeen 

 Kestrel, which was observed circling among the red gum trees 

 margining the river in the vicinity of the bridge. It is very prob- 

 able that the bird had its nest thereabouts. On the plain between 

 the railway station and the Peak the White-backed Magpie, the 

 Ground-Lark, and the Black-breasted Plover were observed. On 

 reaching the base of the mount a number of Nankeen Kestrels 

 were noted soaring near the summit ; but on the party attaining 

 the trigonometrical station some hours later they were not to be 

 discerned, having possibly withdrawn to another locality on the 

 advent of a pair of Brown Hawks, which were observed circling in 

 the neighbourhood of the crest for a lengthy period. No other 

 birds were noted by the party during their ascent and descent of 

 the Mount, although there was ample cover and abundance of 



