THE VICTORIAN NATURALIST. 



A few hundred yards below, the Muddy Creek joins the Grange- 

 burn, and this latter, after a few miles, joins the Wannon about 

 three miles below the falls mentioned before. Having spent 

 some time fossicking in the various spots, we returned to the 

 house, when Mr. Mason pressed us to lunch with him, which we 

 were not loth to accept, the fine country air having somewhat 

 sharpened our appetites. Our friend, Mr Wilson, having by this 

 time collected a large box of material for examination under the 

 microscope for fossil polyzoa, also thought of returning home, and 

 after a final look at the pretty scene around, a start was made for 

 Hamilton. Round the house the little English daisy, Bellis 

 perennis, grew very plentifully, and reminded some of the party of 

 home. The pedestrians were now reduced to two, as one, having 

 gone somewhat lame, did not refuse the offer of a drive home. 

 This was reached by all in due time, though not before the 

 walkers had got a good wetting from a heavy shower. They 

 made a detour to the cemetery on their way, expecting to find a 

 few flowers there, but found that Bulbine bullosa had usurped 

 nearly the whole ground, excluding almost every other flower. 



We now packed up our belongings and specimens, when it was 

 found that the greater part of the fossils collected at Muddy Creek 

 had been left behind there, and consequently our exhibit this 

 evening is rather poor. We left Hamilton by the evening train 

 at a quarter past seven for Dunkeld, and we were fortunate in 

 having Mr. Dennant, who was proceeding in the same direction, 

 for a companion \ thus the twenty miles seemed to pass very 

 quickly, and Dunkeld was reached about eight. 



We took up our quarters at Collins' Hotel, close to the railway 

 station, and though there was a cold wind blowing from the 

 north, and the stars were almost invisible, we hoped that our luck 

 in the way of weather would take a turn, and allow us to explore 

 the district before leaving for town by the midday train on 

 Saturday. However, we were again disappointed, as about two 

 o'clock on Friday morning the wind seemed to increase to a 

 hurricane, and the rain came down in torrents, continuing for 

 several hours ; in fact, we could not go out of doors till after ten 

 o'clock, and even then occasional showers of rain and hail swept 

 over. This was a great disappointment to us, but it would never 

 do to go back to town without at least attempting to climb one 

 of the two mounts which form such a grand background to the 

 little township. These are the terminal peaks of the Sierra 

 Range mentioned before, and are generally comprehended under 

 the designation of Grampians. About noon the weather cleared 

 a little, so we lunched early, and made a start for Mount Sturgeon, 

 distant about two miles north of the village, and having got 



