^oS'l Audas, Characteristic Vegetation about Yarram. 67 



they possibly could. The former has pure white flowers and 

 feathery fruits, while the latter bears a profusion of cream- 

 coloured flowers, tinged inside with reddish-purple. The 

 Common Whitethorn or May-tree, Cratcegus oxycantha, has 

 almost taken possession of the river-banks in some places ; 

 it was in full flower, and made a gorgeous display in pink and 

 white. Another introduced plant, Cytisus linifolius, one of 

 the Brooms, which has yellow flowers, has spread rapidly, and 

 the Common Reed, Arundo phragmites, a tall cosmopolitan 

 grass with shining plumes, made a lovely border along both 

 banks of the stream, and bound the earth on the river-banks 

 with its extensively creeping root-stocks. Proceeding, the 

 roadside was enlivened by numerous Spur-winged Plovers and 

 White-backed Magpies. In the grass lands the Bluebell, 

 Wahlenbergia gracilis, the Pointed Everlasting, Helichrysum 

 apiculatum, Slender Speedwell, Veronica gracilis, Bugle, Ajuga 

 australis, Yellow Autumn Lily, Tricoryne elatior, Tiny Goodenia, 

 Goodenia humilis, Small St. John's Wort, Hypericum japonicum, 

 Swamp Mazus, Mazus pumilio, and Swamp Isotoma, Isotoma 

 fluviatilis, with its bright star-like flower-heads, were blossoming 

 profusely. Soon we reached the little settlement of Tarraville, 

 which, in the coaching days from Sale to Port Albert, was 

 known as a flourishing place, but which now looks most forlorn. 

 At one time sixteen mounted constables were stationed at 

 Tarraville, and old residents say that it was no uncommon 

 sight to see twenty teams camped near the River Tarra (our 

 old friend from the hills, which runs through Tarraville to the 

 sea). Now, alas ! only about a dozen or fifteen of the most 

 habitable houses remain. Madame Crossley's old home, much 

 decayed, is pointed out. The church in which she sang in 

 her youth is in fair repair, and this year the congregation 

 celebrated its diamond jubilee. 



Resuming our journey and recrossing the Tarra River, the 

 road to Port Albert leads through bush country of a heathy 

 nature, on which the more striking plants seen in full bloom 

 were Euphrasia collina, Hibbertia densi flora, H. fasciculata, H. 

 acicularis, Stylidium gramini folium, Stackhousia linarifolia, 

 Caustis pentandra, Leptocarpus Brownii, L. tenax, Epacris 

 lanuginosa, Arthropodium strictum, Platylobium obtusangulum , 

 Pimelea phylicoides, Cyathodes acerosa, Pultencea paleacea, 

 SccBVola microcarpa, Helichrysum leucopsidium, Chamcescilla 

 corymbosa, and Comesperma volubile — the latter, a pretty creeper 

 with delicate blue petals, was climbing over the under- 

 growth. 



Port Albert, landwards, is surrounded by a flat, sandy soil, 

 varied with " tea-tree " swamps ; the vegetation is composed 

 chiefly of Coast Bearded Heath, Leucopogon Richei, Sea Box, 



