Vol. XXVII. "I O'DoNOGHUE AND St. Johx, Aloiig the Lerderderg. 189 



just mentioned. Another weed, and one that is spreading 

 despite the interdiction under which it labours, is the wild 

 Clary {Salvia verbenacea). Sturdy specimens, in full bloom, 

 could be culled on the Rockbank railway platform on ist 

 October. 



In the railway reserve the native and exotic plants, pro- 

 tected alike from depasturing cattle and the agriculturist, 

 grow profusely. Of the former, Craspedia richea, Erodiiim 

 cygnorum, Pimelea glaiica, Brachycome cardiocarpa, Wahlenbergia 

 gracilis, Stackhousia linarifolia, and Helichrysum apictdatum 

 were the most frequently noted. Leptonhynchos squamatjis, 

 Ptilotus macro cephalus, and Pimelea curviflora were occasionally 

 seen, and at longer intervals ChamcBscilla corymbosa and the 

 orchid Dim us pedunculata. Of the introduced plants, Silene 

 gallica, Briza maxima, Phalaris canariensis. Tunica prolijera, 

 and Cryptostemma calendiUaceum were the most conspicuous. 

 Within view of the line the eucalypts E. melliodora and E. 

 rostrata were flowering freely, and large numbers of Rosella 

 Parrots and an occasional Spiny-cheeked Honey-eater were 

 observed flying from tree to tree. 



Bacchus Marsh was reached about twenty minutes behind 

 scheduled time. Passing through Maddingley Park, where not 

 one of the magnificent native flowering shrubs that were met 

 with a few hours later finds what should prove a congenial home, 

 we crossed the Werribee, and continued up the main street of 

 the township, noting on the way several splendid specimens of 

 the Blue Gum, Eucalyptus globulus, and a fine avenue of Elms, 

 Ulmus montana, then rapidly putting on a livery of tender 

 green. 



The township of Bacchus Marsh is situated in a large, irregular 

 depression, surrounded by bare hihs, of rounded contour and of 

 no great elevation. In bygone ages the depression is believed to 

 have constituted the basin of an extensive lake, when the glacial 

 beds of the district were deposited. A comparatively narrow 

 but well-defined lava flow may be noted occupying the high 

 ground between the valleys of the Pyrete and Goodman's Creeks, 

 which empty into the Lerderderg from the east. This lava, 

 issuing from the ancient crater of Mount Bullengarook. which 

 stands boldly up to the north, fiUed up the bed of the ancient 

 river that flowed into the lake. Local tradition states that the 

 site of the township was formerly an extensive swamp, and was 

 settled upon and reclaimed by Captain W. H. Bacchus in the 

 early forties. 



About a quarter of an hour's walk sufficed to take us to the 

 outskirts of the township. On our left was a crop, in which the 

 introduced Fumaria officinalis was unusually prominent ; whilst 

 to our right a dense and robust growth of the Yellow Box, 



