130 THE VICTORIAN NATURALIST. [Vol. XXV. 



pointed out, they have their characteristic plants, &c., while the 

 geological features are totally unlike those to which we are 

 accustomed in other excursions around Melbourne. We have no 

 hesitation in recommending the locality as one that should be 

 occasionally visited in the spring or early summer, and if the 

 route we followed be adopted the visitor will not be disappointed 

 at the scenery presented to him. — F. G. A. Barnard. 



EXCURSION TO PLENTY RANGES. 



This year the Plenty Ranges were chosen for the usual King's 

 Birthday excursion, and permission having been courteously 

 granted by the Metropolitan Board of Works to explore the 

 watershed of the Toorourrong Reservoir, a tract of about 10,000 

 acres of uninhabited country embracing the southern slopes of 

 Mount Disappointment, it was confidently hoped that a profitable 

 trip would follow, but, as will be seen, the results were somewhat 

 meagre, owing to the severity of the bush-fires of past years in 

 that region. 



Five members left Melbourne by the mid-day train for VVhiltle- 

 sea on Saturday, 7th November; four more journeyed by the 

 evening train, and another joined us the following morning, 

 bringing our party up to a total of ten. Whittlesea (27 miles) was 

 reached after an excessively weary train journey of 2^ hours — 

 about half an hour late. Having seen our luggage safely packed 

 in the vehicle awaiting us, we started on the four-mile walk to 

 " Wild wood," the farm-house of Mr. J. L. Coulthard, where 

 arrangements had been made by our hon. secretary to accom- 

 modate the party. 



Shortly after leaving the township by the Yea road the aque- 

 duct from Toorourrong to Yan Yean was reached. This we 

 decided to follow in preference to the road. It was not long 

 before we were all engaged in an active search for objects of 

 interest. A number of the commoner wild-flowers were noted, 

 but a diligent search under logs, bark, and in the branches of the 

 acacias, &c., for wood^boring beetles failed to reveal anything of 

 interest. " Wildwood " was reached about six o'clock. We found 

 it well situated close to the foot-hills of the ranges, on the western 

 side of the eastern branch of the Plenty River, about a mile 

 south-west of the Toorourrong Reservoir, and was, therefore, 

 within comfortable distance of the locality we desired to work. 

 The house being too small to provide sleeping accommodation 

 for our party, arrangements had been made to have the use of the 

 barn ; this we found had been made as comfortable as possible, 

 with a plentiful supply of clean straw on the floor, covered with a 

 tarpaulin. There was ample room and we at once set to work to 

 make ourselves comfortable for our short stay. 



