THE VICTORIAN NATURALIST. 83 



botanizing or collecting other objects of natural history you 

 have to foot it. Besides tny simple luggage I had to carry two 

 portfolios, with over half a ream of drying paper. The lot I had 

 strapped over the shoulders, to have my hands free for collecting. 

 I selected the old road, which is two miles shorter than the new 

 cuttings, although the ascent for the first two miles is very steep ; 

 but further on the road is more gradual, sometimes almost level, 

 but cyclists should take the new road. 



The first plants of note, soon after leaving Harrietville, were 

 two species of Persoonia — P. confertijlora and P. chamcujoeuce, 

 both rare ; many of the plants of the lower country I found here 

 still in bloom, especially various Leguminosse. About half-way 

 up is a spring, where I halted for refreshment — pleasant, cool 

 drinks from Nature's own fountain, free to all. While munching 

 my sandwiches I noticed near and above me patches of the first 

 Alpine fern, the pretty Lomaria alpina. Here, as well as further 

 on, between the 3,000 to 4,000 feet elevation, on both sides 

 of the road, are the tall and conspicuous shrubs Hellchrysum 

 stirlingii, named in honour of Mr. J. Stirling, Government 

 Geologist, by the late Baron von Mueller in January, 1890, on 

 the occasion of an Alpine excursion by the members of the 

 x\ustralasian Association for the Advancement of Science, 

 though I had three years previously supplied to him a number 

 of specimens from the same shrubs. 



Unpleasantly for me, after two severe thunderstorms, with hail, 

 a steady rain set in, and continued till evening ; this put a stop to 

 my collecting. The road became very muddy, and progress was 

 consequently slow. The flora gradually changed to an Aljjine 

 character ; OxyLobium alpeatre, with bright yellow flowers, the 

 showy Eriostemons — E. mijoporoides and A', correlfolms — could 

 be seen on the wayside, as well as the pretty trailing Goodenia 

 hederacea, var. cordifolia, which hung in large festoons over the 

 edges of the road cutting. When approaching the hospice two 

 species of Acacia came in view — A. aipina and A. penninervia 

 — both in seed only. It was after 4 o'clock when I reached my 

 destination, where I was kindly received by Mr. and Mrs. Ellis, 

 the present proprietors. The hospice had been greatly improved 

 since my former visit ■ I was made very comfortable, and soon felt 

 quite at home. 



On Monday morning, the weather being fine, I set out for 

 Mount Holham, a distance of six miles, lovely scenery and 

 grand panoramic views in every direction, flowers in great pro- 

 fusion and still greater variety — it would be tiring if I enumerated 

 here all the different species I could have collected besides 

 those I needed. The grassy slopes appeared in many places like 

 a carpet, dotted with flowers of various colours, which are much 

 brighter and more brilliant in the Alps than in the lower country. 



