118 The South Australian Naturalist. 



Excursion to Ambleside, March 24, 1923.— Mr. E. H. Ising 



led a party of members through the native scrub near Amble- 

 side i-ailway station. Through the drj^ness of the season, but 

 little undergrowth was to be seen, but the party were able to 

 study the growth of the brown and white stringybarks (Euca- 

 lyptus eapitellata and E. obliqua). Of the latter a few good 

 specimens were seen, but only stumps remained to mark the 

 fine trees of the past. 



On the Avay up to Ambleside the party were able to dis- 

 tinguish many species of our S.A. Eucalypts. On the low 

 grounds near the creeks, the river redgum (E. rostrata) 

 flourished. The timber is well knoAvn for its hardness and 

 durability. Further up the hillsides came the scaly barked 

 "peppermint" (E. odorata.) Higher still the train passed 

 through the tall, straight, white stringybark (E. obliqua), 

 called ''Messmate" in Victoria. The brown stringybark (E. 

 *capitellata) has a more open bark, and its appearance at a 

 distance shows its foliage arranged in umbrella fashion. Then 

 too the party found the brow^n stringybark growing on the 

 more stony soils. The fruits show very decided differences. 

 The best trees have been cut out by the timber mills largely 

 for fruit boxes. 



Other species of Eucalypts seen included the candlebark 

 (E. rubida), which shows out so prominently along the rail- 

 way line, the gleaming white boles shining through the dark 

 forest. Another species with white and grey bark (E. leuco- 

 xylon) was formerly called the '*S.A. bluegum," but is now 

 called "yelloAv gum." The true ''bluegum" (E. globulus) is, 

 of course, a native of Tasmania, largely grown on the Ade 

 laide plains, where its very large ridged fruits are well known. 



The leaves of the various gums formed an interesting 

 study, from the almost circular opposite leaves of the young 

 plant to the very long sickle-shaped alternate leaves of the 

 mattire tree. 



Other plants examined were the native cherry (Exocarpus 

 cupressiformis) and a mistletoe (Loranthus MiViuelii). The 

 eranberry (Astroloma humifusa) was in floA\^er. In the bed 

 of the River Onkaparinga the bulrush (Typha angustifolia^ 

 and two species of Hydrocotyle (H. vulgaris and H. Asiatica) 

 Tverp found. A moth taken by the party has been identified by 

 Mr. Lea as ''Aenosanda boisduvalli," one of the ''Woolly 

 Bears." 



Excursion to Ethelton, April 14, 1923.— The Secretary led 

 a party over the swampy land near the Ethelton station. In these 

 swampy lands, overflow-ed at very high tides, t he "samphire" 



=*^Maiden names this E. Blaxlandi (C.R., pt. 45, p. 150). 



