■'lo"^] Daley, No/es of a Visit to Mallacoota Inlet. 137 



Murrungowar and throughout the M'CuUoch Range, above an 

 elevation of 1,000 feet, Messmate, E. obliqiia, replaces these 

 species, and higher still on the coast range are White Mountain 

 Ash, E. regnans, wnth Black Sallee, E. stellulata, as a distinctive 

 feature of the Bendoc district. 



The Victorian WooUybutt, E. delegetensis, the Manna (ium, 

 E. viminalis, extend upwards to the region of the Snow Gum, 

 E. paiiciffora, var. alpina. Mr. Lees also states that it is 

 interesting to note that at VVallagaraugh and Genoa there are 

 two isolated Manna Gums, /:. viminalis, on the Drummer 

 Mountain, a few isolated Spotted Blue Gums, /:. Maideni, and 

 four specimens of the (luUy (ium, /:. Smitliii, the latter species 

 being unexcelled as yielding " the highest class of medicinal 

 oils in Australia." On the Cann River are two or three Spotted 

 Gums, E. macnlata, the only ones discovered in the county. 

 Among some scarce plants recorded at Mallacoota, Mr. Lees 

 has noted the following ferns -.^Gleichenia Hermanni, Poly- 

 podium serpens, Dicksonia {DavaUia ?) pyxidata, Pteris longi- 

 folia, Aspleniinu nidus, A. Hookerianum, and A. ohiiisahim. 

 Nephelium leiocarpiim. Smooth Rambrutan, occurs sparsely in 

 the eastern district, and the presence of other interesting 

 sporadic plants shows how favourable conditions along the 

 sheltered Pacific coast-fringe have undoubtedly led to the 

 southward migration of northern species. 



From Lake View Hotel I made several excursions on foot 

 eastwards along a ridge of hills towards the Howe Range, 

 through well-timbered country. About half-way to the Cape 

 there is a fresh-water lake of fair size called Barragoota.* In 

 this direction the Xanthorrhceas were very noticeable — X. 

 minor, X. hastilis, and A', australis. Just north of Cape Howe, 

 at Black Head, the last-named grass-tree grows abundantly, 

 and a numl)er of men is employed in obtaining the gum, the 

 \-alue of wliich has l)een trebled since the outbreak of the war, 

 prior to which the industry in many parts of Australia was 

 exploited by Germans for the picric acid and other valuable 

 constituents extracted from the gum. At Black Head the 

 gum is stripped, put in ])ags, taken to the seashore, and sent 

 away for chemical treatment. 



Previous reference lias been made to the gri'at fertility of 

 the soil around the lake and river. \{ Dorron's Hotel, in tlie 



* A few years ago, whilst I was studying the origin of place-names in Gipps- 

 land, the overseer of the Lake Tyers .Aboriginal .Station obtained for me from the 

 blacks the meanings of some names submitted. 'I'hc meaning of Mallacoota was 

 given as " IJig Hock of birds." Mr. Lees informs me that its meaning is the 

 "West Water," whilst Barragoota means the "East Water." As " coota," 

 " goota,' '"gutti," "gatta" arc variations for water, I think the latter meanings 

 given to tlic^e two names are more probable than the former. The station natives 

 are generally unreliable as to the meaning of native words. 



