"?%"] Shephard, y4 Visit to Great Lake, Tasmania. 73 



The scenery is altogether of a most peculiar and weird character. 

 This last stage is along level stretches alternating with rocky 

 ridges, which, three years ago, were very rough, hut now the 

 whole road is quite equal to the best Victorian main roads, 

 excepting those recently constructed by the Roads Board. 

 The lake is reached at the southern end, where the River Shannon 

 forms the outlet, and, spreading out, forms a lagoon not far 

 from the lake. The Shannon, where it leaves the lake, is now 

 crossed by a weir, provided with sloice-gates to regulate the 

 flow of water to the hydro-electric power station some twelve 

 miles down stream. This has raised the level of the water in 

 the lake some eight or nine feet. Hard by the weir is the 

 Government accommodation house for tourists and fishermen. 

 The day of arrival, 24th January, was during a hot spell, and 

 in the evening the air was mild, and immense numbers of moths 

 and other insects flew about, enjoying a brief period, for the 

 next night scarcely any could be seen. The shore of the lake 

 is low, and, though rising here and there into hillocks formed 

 of tumbled masses of diabase blocks, is not striking from a 

 scenic point of view. The general appearance of the surface 

 of the land is strongly suggestive of long-continued weathering 

 action. To the north could be seen considerable hills, which 

 make that portion of the lake much more picturesque. 



The morning after arrival, attention was turned to the chief 

 aim of the visit — an examination of the microscopic plankton. 

 A disappointment was experienced on learning that the motor- 

 boat counted on was out of order, and of the two or three row- 

 boats all were in bad condition owing to previous rough weather, 

 and it appeared probable the tow-net provided would perforce 

 remain unused. A change having come over the weather, 

 rendering the lake too rough even had the boats been avail- 

 able, some work was attempted with a hand net, chiefly in the 

 lagoon about a mile below the lake and in the River Shannon. 

 After a few hours the strong wind, now westerly, brought up 

 very cold squalls of rain, which in a few minutes w^et one to the 

 skin. This continued all the afternoon, which was spent before 

 a log fire examining the material collected with a travelling 

 microscope, regardless of two snow-storms which occurred 

 mean while. The first observation showed the waters of the 

 lagoon and river to be swarming with two predominant forms 

 — one of the Cladocera, Bosmina hrevirostris, and a rotifer of 

 the genus Conochilus. The rotifer proved to be one known 

 to the writer since igo2, having been found at Heidelberg, 

 Victoria. It is intermediate between C. dossuaris and C. 

 unicornis. As was found later, it was swarming in every part 

 of the lake examined in countless numbers. Being so plentiful, 

 a good opportunity for examination was afforded, and the 



