184 



Mount Lofty, wbicli was composed of rocks of pre-Silurian 

 age, concealed mostly by soil formed by their disintegration, 

 and, so far as known, devoid of fossils. There was much that 

 was interesting in the botanical features of the trip, and Mr. 

 Tepper indicated that as the elevation above the level of the 

 plain increased the vegetation changed considerably in charac- 

 ter. Near the foot of the rise the peppermint gum, Eucalyptus 

 odoratus, was met with, reaching to a height of more than 

 1,000 feet above sea level, where E. leucoxylon (blue gum) 

 took its place ; this at a height of 1,300 or 1,400 feet being 

 succeeded by the two stringybarks E. obliqua and E. capitellata. 

 In the stringybark level were found in flower Leptospermum 

 myrsinoides and Gompholohium minus. The latter is generally 

 yellow, but a brilliant red specimen was also found. Candollea 

 graniinifolia, with its sensitive style, the climber Marianthus 

 bignoniaceus, Aster Sonderi (flowers pure white, and about two 

 inches across), A. HuegelU (both purple and white), Comesperma 

 calymega, were also gathered. In the highest elevations were 

 Brunonia australis, Pultenea villi^era, and a few late specimens 

 of the orchid Dipodium punctatum. The two sedges Lepido- 

 spermum carpTioides and L. filiforme were found on the road 

 leading to Norton's Summit. Eryngium rostratum, with blue 

 flowers almost hidden in a curious spray-head of foliage, the 

 large white flowers of Pimelea octopTiylla and P. glauca^ were 

 also found. At the foot of the waterfall were fine specimens 

 of Veronica Deriventia, about six feet high, with conical spikes 

 of white flowers, and Epilohium tetragonum, var. pallidum, with 

 long pale pink flowers. The ferns Lomaria discolor, L. capensis, 

 Adiantum cethiopicum, and Osmunda {Todea) harhara were set- 

 ting their spores. Amongst a large number of plants in fruit 

 were Daviesia corymhosa, D. ulicina, and D. hrevifolia ; Stack- 

 Tiousia sp., Dillwynia hispida, Xerotes sororia, and two other 

 species. 



Thied Excursion — Satukdat, Jan. 24, 1885.— Ambleside. 



About forty ladies and gentlemen left by the 1,10 train for 

 Ambleside, and on arrival there a start was made for the banks 

 of the Eiver Onkaparinga. After a meeting, under the presi- 

 dency of Professor Tate, at which four new members were 

 elected, Mr. E. Guest led the way northwards. In spite of 

 the lateness of the season, the district was rich in botanical 

 specimens. 



Among the plants found were Opercularia ovata, Mentha 

 gracilis and M. australis, Hypericum japonicum, Alternanthera 

 triandra, Brachycome graminea, Epilohium tetragonum. Poly- 

 gonum oninus, Myriopliyllum variifoliuni and M. elatinoides. 



