THE VICT02IAN NATUEALI3T 19 



NOTES OF A DAY'S OUTING ON THE DANDENONG 



RANGES. 



By F, G. a. Barnard. 



(Read February 11th, 1884.— Abstract.) 



This was an account of " a Holiday on Cup day spent on Mount 

 Corranwarrabul, rather than on the hill at Flemington." At 

 Warrandyte Station fine specimens of Patersonia glauca were noted, 

 with perianth an inch in diameter. These could not be found in 

 the evening, as the flowers had closed, and the long glaucous leaves 

 were indistinguishable among the grass. In the low country before 

 the rise, several orchids were gathered, Thelymitra aristata and T. 

 ixioides, and Diuris longifolia. Feeding on the flowers of Lepto- 

 spermum myrsinoides were many species of Buprestidse andClerid^, 

 also a fine Elater — Chrosis trisulcata. Higher up Caladenia carnea 

 was detected, first by its odour, also Thelymitra carnea, and the 

 pretty little fern Cheilanthes tenuifolia. On the summit were well- 

 gi'own Dicksonias, Alsophilas, and Lomarias, with splendid Musk- 

 trees (Olearia). The altitude is about 2450 feet, and messages are 

 sent hence by Mr. Singleton, from his country house by heliograph 

 to his residence at Malvern. Descending a fine fern-gully with 

 Eucalypts 200 and 250 feet high the flat country was reached 

 again. Here Stigmodera maculata and the hill buttei-fly Hipparchia 

 a broma were added to the captures. Crossing some scrub, gay with 

 flowers of Tetratheca, Comespermum, and Leguminosaj, Warrandyte 

 station was reached after a ramble in all of ten to twelve miles. 



ON THE VICTORIAN RANUNCULACE^. 



By D. Sullivan. 

 (Read February 11th, 1884.— Abstract.) 



The Author gave a general description of the characters of the 

 order. Of the vast number of species belonging to it, Victf)ria only 

 .boasts thirteen, belonging to the four genera Clematis, Ranunculus, 

 Myosurus, and Caltha. Our common Buttercup, (Ranunculus 

 lappaceus), is "one of the earliest harbingers of Spring, unfolding 

 its bright yellow, glossy flowers by way of contrast to the pure 

 white ones of. the little native snowdrop, (Anguillaria), and the 

 equally attractive sundew, (Drosera Whittakerii), as early as the 

 beginning of August. The early flowering variety generally grows 

 on poor, gravelly or sandy soils, while the tall, more robust, and 

 hirsute plant, which blooms for many months of the year, prefers 

 the lower and richer pasture lands." 



The water Buttercup, (R. aqiiatilis), has petals white towards the 

 summit, and as they fall off early, it is difficult to secure good 



