132 FOREST CULTURE AND 
rence of lofty forest ranges along the whole eastern 
and south-eastern coast changes largely there the as- 
pect of the country, and in this alteration the moun- 
tainous island Tasmania greatly participates. Thus 
the extensive umbrageous forest regions of perpetual 
humidity commence in the vicinity of Cape Otway ; 
extend occasionally, but not widely interrupted, 
through the southern and eastern part of Victoria, 
and thence, especially on the seaside slopes of the 
ranges, throughout the whole of extra-and intra-trop- 
ical East Australia in a band of more or less width, 
until the cessation of elevated mountains on the north- 
ern coast confines the regions of continued moisture 
to a narrow strip of jungle-land margining the coast. 
In this vast line of-elevated coast-country, extend- 
ing in length over nearly three thousand miles, and 
which fairly may pass as the «« Australian jungle,” the 
vegetation assimilates more than elsewhere to extra- 
Australian types, especially to the impressive floral 
features of continental and insular India, Progressing: 
from the Victorian promontories easterly, and thence 
northerly, we find that the Eucalypts, which still pre- 
ponderate in the forest of the southern ranges, gradu- 
ally forsake us, and thus in eastern Gipps Land com- 
mences the vast assemblage of varied trees which so. 
much charms by its variety of forms, and so keenly 
engages attention by the multiplicity of its interest. 
Bathed in vapor from innumerable springs or torrents, 
and sheltered under the dark foliage of trees very 
varied in form, a magnificent display of the Fern- 
trees commences, for which further westerly we 
would seek in vain the climatic conditions. Even 
isolated sentries, as it were, of the Fern-tree masses 
