Vol. XXVII 



IQII 



] at Wilson's Promontory, 209 



inharmonious combination being beyond my powers to describe, 

 I leave it to your imagination. Thus far on our tour we had 

 enjoyed the company of Mr. Peverill, of the Lands Department, 

 who had come to make advance arrangements for the members 

 of the National Park Committee and the Governor's party, who 

 were to arrive the next day. 



On the morning of the 19th inst., when travelling through 

 heathy country in the direction of Mt. Vereker (2,092 feet 

 high), we noticed an abundant growth of the pretty orchid 

 Caladenia Menziesii, and our admiration was excited by the 

 beautiful blooms of Burchardia timhellata, which grew pro- 

 fusely, and quite monopolized one plot where a portion of the 

 former vegetation had been burnt off. On the mud flats below 

 the range we found some very minute plants, such as Drosera 

 pygmcea, D. spathidata, and Stylidium {Candollea) perpusilla ; 

 but to see them one had to crawl on hands and knees. A semi- 

 aquatic plant, Brachycome cardiocarpa, lined the edges of the 

 swamps, making a pretty white border. On the slopes the 

 foliage of PuUencBa daphnoides and Aotus villosa (plants of 

 the Leguminosce), formed a pretty contrast to the dull tones 

 of the granite boulders projecting among them, but at a higher 

 altitude the boulders themselves were made verdant by 

 luxuriant growths of ferns filling all the crevices, Polypodium 

 grammitidis and Woodwardia aspera being two species not 

 previously collected. 



On the summit of the north-eastern portion of Mt. Vereker 

 a contractor had felled some fine specimens of Eucalyptus 

 Muelleriana, which is the chief timber tree there, and he was re- 

 ducing them into posts for the park fence. Further along the 

 range the vegetation is very varied and luxuriant, consisting 

 largely 01 Pultencea scabra, P. mollis, Indigofera australis, 

 Goodia lotifolia, Hihhertia Billardieri, var. monadelpha, Daviesia 

 lUicina, Kinizea corHolia, Spyridium parvifolium, and Melaleuca 

 squarrosa. On our way back to the camp-house we passed 

 through a very fine grove of Banksia serrata, and on one of 

 these trees a hive of bees were busy forming comb. We were 

 greatly surprised to note that they were attaching it to the 

 bare limb, this being a very unusual spectacle, as bees generally 

 select a hollow in which to store the fruits of their labour. 



On the 20th inst. we purposed to explore Mt. Leonard, and 

 after crossing the Darby River found ourselves confronted by 

 its steep and precipitous sides, rising to a height of 1,860 feet, 

 which were very difficult to negotiate ; but we were deter- 

 mined to reach and explore its summit, in the hope of securing 

 further additions to the flora, and, after a strenuous climb, 

 we were rewarded by finding the following : — Daviesia ulicina, 

 var. ruscifolia, Hydrocotyle callicarpa (a very small plant of 



