144 THE VICTORIAN NATURALIST. [Vol. XXV- 



numerous poison plants of the Park have meted out a just retri- 

 bution, but unfortunately on the helpless accessories instead of on 

 the real transgressors. 



Botanical Report by J. W. Audas. 



Though the great fires of last summer and the abnormal dry- 

 ness of the season had left some of the mountains almost denuded 

 of vegetation, and plant-life generally was not at its best, never- 

 theless the whole region was full of interest. One can therefore 

 conclude what charms this great district would manifest under 

 favourable conditions. 



A curious feature noted was that " soaks" on top of the 

 different hills contained such plants as are usually met with in 

 swamps in other districts, viz.: — SprenyeUa^ Ejmcris ohtusifolia, 

 E. lanuginosa, Juncus, Schcenus. A very noticeable feature was 

 the presence of mountain plants on flats, such as Diplarrheyia 

 Morcea, " the Butterfly Flag," while Platylobiuin formosum, 

 FuUencea mollis, Cassinia spectabilis, Leucopogon ericoides were 

 found on the beach growing in sand close to the sea. 



On all the wind-swept points of the Promontory the vegetation 

 is very dwarfed, and covers the ground like a carpet. The gullies 

 and creeks are very similar to those in the Healesville district, the 

 vegetation being almost the same, in spite of the fact that granite 

 is more in evidence. We noticed in some of the creeks fine 

 specimens of Eugenia Srnithii, one measuring no less than 20 feet 

 in circumference ; also some magnificent specimens of Eucalyptus 

 globulus, E. amygdalina, and E. obliqua, &c., besides F7'osta7i- 

 tliera lasiantha, Acacia nielanoxylon, Hedycarya G unninghami. 

 The specimens of the tree-fern Cyathea Cunninghayni seen were 

 particularly fine. The bracken fern in some of the gullies was fully 

 12 feet high, and in one gully the scrub was mainly composed of 

 an almost impenetrable mass of bracken, mixed with Pultencea 

 daphnoides and P. scah^a. The red variety of Correa speciosa was 

 seen fully 15 feet high, and covered with most beautiful and showy 

 bloom. The other plants comprising the scrub were seedling 

 Eucalypti, Musk-wood, Blanket-wood, &c. In contrast to the 

 above, the flora also includes such minute plants as Drosera 

 pygmcea and Stylidiuin despectuni. A striking feature was the 

 almost total absence of vegetation on the western sides of most of 

 the hills, while the eastern sides were clothed with dense scrub. 



One specimen of the so-called " Honeysuckles," Banksia serrata^ 

 was observed fully 6 feet in circumference. These handsome trees 

 give to the scenery quite a park-like appearance, and in the dis- 

 tance a group of them very much resembles an orchard plantation. 

 The swamps are very dangerous. Three bullocks got off the 

 usual track, and disappeared m the water and treacherous mud at 

 the bottom immediately. 



