THE VICTORIAN NATURALIST. 165 



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breeze was heard behind us, and presently we all felt re-invigorated 

 by its refreshing coolness. We passed some fine specimens of 

 the Mountain Ash, Panax satnhucifolius, at a bend in the road, 

 also such shrubs as the Native Laburnum, Goodia lotifolia, but 

 flowers were rather scarce. Coming to the last mile-post we 

 decided to take a good rest and then make a bold spurt for our 

 goal. Two scouts were sent on ahead to say the main army was 

 following, when behold round the next turn the welcome sight of 

 habitations arose, and we found the last mile the shortest of the 

 day, the fact being that the miles are measured from the weir, 

 and the house is nearly half a mile before reaching the weir. 



After tea three of the party went out to learn a little of the 

 surroundings of their temporary abode, and while walking near 

 the aqueduct one of them almost stepped on a young tiger snake, 

 which, however, got safely away before a stick could be obtained. 

 A glimpse at the weir in the twihght and a further ramble along 

 the aqueduct from Silver Creek terminated the day's experiences 

 so far as outdoor work was concerned. A pleasant hour or two 

 was spent on the verandah, chatting about matters more or less 

 naturalistic, when all turned in, determined to have a good day 

 on the morrow. 



Saturday morning broke dull and cool, and though some were 

 early astir, and off in different directions spying out the land, 

 our senior botanist can safely claim to be the most ardent, as 

 before breakfast he had been as far as the third mile-post on the 

 Silver aqueduct and back, and made a fair collection of flower ■ 

 ing plants. Along the track fine spikes of Veronica derwentia 

 were growing ; also Calocephalus lacteus, Gandollea serrulata, &c. 



After breakfast the ornithologists went off in the direction of 

 King Parrot Creek, as that seemed to be the most likely part for 

 bird life, while the rest of the party climbed up the range by the 

 old tramway to the Nimmo Falls and the upper part of Wallaby 

 Creek. We had not gone far before a swift-flying insect whizzed 

 past us and set us wondering what it was. After a short time one 

 was captured, and proved to be the beetle Schizorrhina christyi, 

 a rather handsome insect. Presently more appeared and several 

 were captured. Our path was bordered on the upper side by a 

 stream of water used for supplying the house. Along this grew 

 quantities of the beautiful Fringe Lily, Thysanotus tuberosus, con- 

 spicuous with its pretty mauve flowers. Fine young plants of 

 Grevillea alpina and Platylohium formosum were everywhere, 

 and quite a young forest of the Golden Wattle, Acacia pycnantha, 

 was already showing its flower buds. Higher up we came to a 

 bank of Coral Ferns, Gleichenia circinata, and King Ferns, growing 

 on a wet bank, and closer examination revealed quantities of the 

 singular plant Drosera binata, bearing its delicate white flowers. 

 Baaera rubioides was in flower here also, and beautiful sprays of 



