^ofe'] I'lTCHER AND SxiCKLAND, A Week at Marysvilh. 59 



" Banyallas " were over 20 feet in height, and some of them 

 were covered from the bottom to the top with their rich yellow 

 coloured blooms. All the way along the valley we passed 

 through avenues of the tall Mountain Ash eucalypt, and 

 occasionally observed fine lofty trees of the River White Cium, 

 Eucalyptus radiata. Stately specimens of the spiny-stemmed 

 Hill Tree-Fern, of varjdng heights up to 30 feet, were disposed 

 about in picturesque positions. Some of their new^ fronds 

 measured over nine feet in length. The smaller ferns were 

 seen in great luxuriance along our path. The Prickly Shield- 

 Fern, Aspidium aculeatum, had fronds over four feet in length, 

 while the fronds of Lomaria capensis were both of a large and 

 extremely bright l)ronze-red colour throughout. The Common 

 Lomaria, L. discolor, had fronds 5 feet 6 inches high. The new 

 fronds of the Batswing Fern, Pteris incisa, were seen here, too, 

 of greater length than hitherto observed. Fine specimens of 

 the Silver Wattle, Acacia dealbafa, Native Sassafras, Athero- 

 sperma moschata, and Blackwood, Acacia melanoxylon, abound 

 near the water's edge and along our path. 



After two miles of this '' Valley Beautiful " track are passed, 

 we cross a tributary stream of the Taggerty River, Imown as 

 " Tommy's Bend Creek," and then reach a spot marked " Beech 

 Grove." All along the track we notice the Myrtle Beech trees, 

 Fagus Qunuinghami, but at this spot they are very abundant, and 

 provide a distinctive contrast to the foliage of the eucalypts 

 with which they are surrounded. Near here is a resting-place 

 provided for parties with motors or other vehicles. Journeying 

 on, we find ourselves in what is called " Murray Pass," so 

 named, we presume, after a former Chief Secretary of this State, 

 wliose decease took place only last week. At a bend in the 

 road now we obtain some fine views of the mountain forest and 

 valleys on the opposite side of the river. The Cathedral Range 

 appears to terminate there with the eastern slopes of Mount 

 Margaret. These slopes are tree-fern-clad from top to their 

 bases at the river's edge. It was here that w^e met with a line 

 patch of the beautiful Long-leaved Waxflower, Eriostemon 

 vtyoporoides, specimens of which are on the table to-night. 

 The plants were unsually large, being over six feet in height, 

 and were just in their perfection of pink and white blooms. 

 Some pieces were taken for propagation purposes. At five 

 miles from the entrance to the " Drive " we came to what is 

 called "The Forest of Arden." Here is the termination of 

 the vehicular track, and a good resting and picnicking ground. 

 We reached this place the previous Friday, but were forced to 

 return, considerably drenched by the rain. At this spot and 

 onward are to be seen magnificent specimens of our Myrtle 

 Beeches. They are the principal feature of the forest hereabout, 



