74 Hardy, The Forests oj Victoria. [vol-XXXli 



with Casuarina and Banksia. A lew Banksias and Casuarinas 

 form groves oi notable area at low altitudes, the aggregation 

 depending largely on soil and aspect — e.g.. the Banksia grove 

 at the northern extremity oi Mount Vereker, fairly low and 

 sheltered, and the Casuarina grove on the higher, wind-blown, 

 seaward slopes of the wesl coast oi Wilson's Promontory. In 

 swampy regions great thickets oi the tea-trees Melaleuca 

 ericifolia and M. squarrosa may be seen at Wilson's Promontory 

 and elsewhere. 



Mixed Forests. These are the rule rather than the excep- 

 tion. An example foi study is 'lose at hand in Stndlcy Park 

 and the Asylum Reserve at Kew. On the low Silurian hills 

 between which and the basalt plain the Yarra River Hows 

 tortuously from Fairfield to Hawthorn, there is an inter- 

 mingling oi species that may be found in many other parts oi 

 the State. Here we have Eucalyptus rostrata, E. viminalis, 

 E. melliodora, E. paludosa, and /-.'. leucoxylon, sometimes 

 ascending approximately in horizontal belts in the order as 

 written, but at others with E. viminalis at the stream side, 

 and. again, with E. paludosa reaching the crest oi the spur 

 nearly; but, where the soil is hungriest and the hill-tops most 

 stony, there E. leucoxylon is almost without rival, bu1 stunted 

 and wind-blown. In othei Silurian country, such as near 

 Tooborac, in the Heathcote district, the mixture comprises 

 the following encalypts : E. mcl/ioitora, E. hetniphloia, E. 

 polyanthema, E. macrorrhyncha, E. elaophora, and E. sider- 

 oxylon, with E. viminalis and E. rostrata on the Hats, but with 

 no species monopolizing extensive areas. 

 [To be i ontinued.) 



A Fishing Note. "Not long ago,' while fishing foi schnappei 

 with my son, on hauling up a fish, which seemed unusuallj 

 heavy, and bringingii to the surf ace, we found it enwrappedin 

 the tentacles oi an octopus oi a lair size. The conjoinl weight 

 ,,t the two broke the hook. We then shifted our ground about 

 ,i quarter oi a mile away, when an exactlj similai accidenl 

 occurred. Although we have fished a good deal before, it is the 

 first timi such a thing has evet happened to us. We have often 

 hadsharks take our fish when being drawn to the surf ace, bu1 

 not .11, ( topus. I ils,, noticed lately, when sitting on the hank 

 ,,i ,, a I'oo upine Ant-eatei oi E< hidna come down the 



hank on the othei side, but apparently slip into the water. He 

 u ,,l rathei to enjoy it than otherwise, and swam freel} foi 



,. (distance. I hi-, was the first time I had observed one oi 



these animals swimmin \ Rutter Clarke, foorak. 



