I20 Excursion to Whittlesea. Tyjf^'^cJx 



found the scene almost heart-breaking. Many of the fine silver 

 wattles are completely killed, and the King Ferns, Todea 

 barbara, reduced to stumps : however, the latter will probably 

 renew their graceful fronds in the course of a few weeks. The 

 foot-track along the creek, which starts just here, instead of 

 being a mere pathway between the shrubs, was entirely open, 

 and presented a scene of devastation on either side. The huge 

 tree-ferns in the bed of the creek were so many blackened stems, 

 but fortunately in many instances new fronds were just 

 making their crozier-like appearance, so that in the course of 

 a few weeks they will have something of their former glory. 

 The beautiful Eriostemon correijolins, usually found here, was 

 quite burnt out, but we saw it later on near the main track. 

 Again we found patches of unharmed country, so that visitors 

 can still get some idea of what the wealth of vegetation in the 

 valley was like before the fire occurred. The Minnie Falls 

 thundered louder than ever, as an extra quantity of water 

 seemed to be coming down the creek for the replenishment 

 of the Yan Yean, some ten miles away. The natural setting 

 of the foot of the Cascades also escaped the fire, but the fine 

 bushes of Grevillea alpina, fully six feet high, which grew near 

 the summit of the path alongside the channel have been 

 swept away, and, as is often the result, will probably be 

 replaced in a short time by a tangle of bracken. Leaving the 

 ladies here to rest awhile, the others pushed on for about a 

 mile along the aqueduct towards Wallaby Creek, still finding 

 signs of the fire in many places, but being rewarded by the 

 sight of some Silver Wattles, Acacia dealbata, still in full bloom, 

 while deep down in a gully a lyre-bird was heard, and an 

 endeavour made to coax it into view. Other species heard, 

 but not seen, were the Coachwhip and Pilot birds. During 

 the day about thirty species of birds were seen, including the 

 Black Cockatoo, OUve-backed Oriole, Pink, Scarlet, and 

 Yellow Robins, W^hite-eared Honey-eater, and White-fronted 

 Heron. Returning down the hill towards the Smith's Gully 

 bridge through more devastation, we at last came to a bit of 

 unburnt country, where we were able to get nice bunches of 

 Grevillea, Tetratheca, Eriostemon, &c., as evidence of the 

 veritable flower-garden the reserve used to be. H there is any 

 truth in the statement that it requires a fire to make the larger 

 Grass-tree, XantJiorrhoea australis, flower, then there is ample 

 proof at Toorourrong, for hundreds of baby flower-spikes, 

 from twelve to thirty inches in height, were appearing on the 

 hillside. A large variety of the usual bush flowers was seen, 

 and, in addition, several which are somewhat rare, such as 

 Drosera Menziesii, Marianthiis prociimbens, and Tetratheca 

 pilosa, var. nihcBoides. Durin.e: the day no less than fourteen 



