Vol. XXVII, 



IQIO 



1 Campbell, Rambles Round the Grampians. 35 



the South Australian species, Thelymitra fusco-lutea and Cala- 

 denia Jilamentosa, thriving among our own common species. 

 Caleya major and C. minor were recorded many years ago as 

 great rarities, and might appropriately be named the " flying- 

 duck orchids." 



The landscape to be obtained from any of the prominent peaks 

 is not the least interesting feature of the mountains. A vast area 

 of Western Victoria lies stretched out before one like a giant 

 relief map. To the south from Mt. William lies portion of the 

 famous Western District — basaltic plains stretching to the sea- 

 coast, broken here and there by dead volcanic cones. At this 

 time of the year large rectangles of turned-up red soil ready for 

 sowing indicate the rapid extension of wheat-growing. East- 

 ward lie the bold outlines of the Pyrenees and the adjacent 

 ranges, the western limit of the Ordovician gold-bearing rocks of 

 Victoria. To the north is the long, unbroken horizon of the 

 Wimmera Plains, stretching away into the Mallee and on to the 

 Murray, whilst to the west lies a mass of broken sandstone 

 ridges. Range after range, five of them rear their rugged crests, 

 duplicates in formation of that on which we stand. They are 

 seldom trodden by man, and are unbroken by settlement of any 

 kind. They have nothing to barter away to the mercenary spirit 

 of to-day in gold or produce of any sort — nothing but fresh air 

 and wild flowers, and rocky steeps that challenge every step of 

 the new-comer's foot and every air-sac in his lungs. 



Long may their native grandeur lie unspoiled. Their function 

 to the surrounding country is to be a gathering ground for the 

 water required by the Wartook Reservoir and Lake Lonsdale to 

 fit them for the part they are designed to play in supplying the 

 needful moisture to the thirsty soil of the northern plains. 



To those city folk who desire an entire change of scene the 

 Grampians offer splendid opportunities, while, as I have briefly 

 indicated, to the naturalist, and especially to the botanist, they 

 afford unlimited scope for exploration. 



[The paper was illustrated by a fine series of some 70 lantern 

 slides. — Ed. Vict. Nat.] 



Wilson's Promontory National Park. — The committee of 

 management desires to obtain living native animals and birds for 

 introduction into the National Park. Kangaroos, rock wallabies, 

 and wombats, with the smaller marsupials, such as flying 

 opossums, rat kangaroos, bandicoots, and pouched mice, are 

 particularly desired. Among birds, emus, lyre-birds, bower- 

 birds, mallee-hens, &c., are desired. Further particulars can be 

 obtained from the secretary of the park, Mr. J. A. Kershaw, 

 National Museum, Melbourne. 



