THE VICTORIAN NATURALIST. 159 



gathered on the previous day. On our way to the station, we tried 

 without success to " stalk" a large flock of Ibis, but they were either 

 too wary, or we were not sportsmen enough to get within range, and 

 they wisely took their departure. 



A few miles before reaching the station we passed over some 

 plains, on which were growing some very pretty composites, one 

 being the Helipterum hyalospervium, and the other H. coryinbijlorum, 

 both of which would be well worthy of cultivation or fur floral 

 decorations. Reaching the station about 7.15, we spent tlie evening 

 in packing up our specimens, &c., for an early start, also in looking 

 over the natural history collections of the Messrs. F. and W. Sloane, 

 with which we were much pleased. Having had a long day, we went 

 early to bed, and after a good night's rest, we were up at five o'clock 

 next morning, made a short tour for a couple of hours, had 

 breakfast, and took leave of our kind and hospitable entertainers, 

 and were driven by Mr. T. Sloane to Yarrawonga, passing on our 

 way the Mulwala racecourse, and its somewhat novel and most 

 primitive grand stand. Our old friend the puntsman was again 

 interviewed, wlio put us across the river in the same agile manner 

 as before. It is but fair to remark, the Yarrawongites have at last 

 awoke, and a new punt has been constructed, which will no doubt 

 compensate for all past inconveniences. Since our return we learn 

 that the grand new punt is in full working order, but this 

 intelligence is tinged with regret, as the services of the puntsman 

 have for some unknown reason been dispensed with, probably on 

 account of his too great activity. We are afraid we shall not 

 look upon his like again. 



The morning of our departure from Yarrawonga was very warm, 

 the return journey by coach presenting little of interest until we 

 were approacliing Tungumah, when one of us who occupied with 

 the driver, the box seat, sighted close to the coach track, a very fine 

 specimen of the Brown Snake, Diemenia superciliosa, which to our 

 great astonishment made no attempt to escape, and the driver 

 having obligingly stopped the coach for a few minutes, a blow from 

 a stick quickly disabled his snakeship, who previously to being 

 struck seemed strongly inclined to be vicious, and made several abortive 

 attempts to bite. Having "bagged" our prize, we again started, 

 and a few yards ahead, another of the same species was seen, which 

 on examination was found to have been killed a few hours previously, 

 and was no doubt the companion of the former one. The two were 

 then tied in a handkerchief, and placed in a portmanteau, much to 

 the surprise and evident disgust of the driver and our fellow 

 passengers, who could not divine our intentions of taking care of 

 such " vermin," and these two were the only snakes seen during 

 our absence from Melbourne. Another singular incident was, that 



