THE VICTORIAN NATURALIST. 149 



ing our collections, and looking over a small local collection. 

 Next morning we breakfasted early, and once more bade adieu 

 to Savernake. We were anxious to visit the Boat rocks 

 (wrongly called boot rocks in our former paper) to see what 

 they produced in the way of mosses and lichens, but, with the 

 exception of one or two species, they were all of the 

 common kinds, a species of Parmelia being the most common ; 

 about twenty-five species were collected here. In the Avater 

 which had collected on the summit of the rock grew a very fine 

 plant of Ottelia, also some Lemiosella and a few other small 

 plants. Leaving the rocks, we took the same route as two years 

 before, but game was much scarcer, only a few kangaroos and a 

 pair of native companions being seen. On the way to the 

 home station we saw three more sand iguanas, one male and 

 two females, which, after a hard chase, were captured and 

 secured, as we wished to present them to the Zoological 

 Gardens. We reached the home station about seven p.m. 



Next morning was devoted to shooting, a few fine skins of 

 the bee-eater, BTerops ornatus, green leek parrot, and other birds 

 being obtained. Taking leave of our hospitable friends, we 

 left for Yarrawonga, crossing the Murray by the new punt, a 

 wonderful improvement on the former apology for a crossing. 

 This again is shortly to be replaced by a fine bridge, which will 

 doubtless be a great boon to the residents on both sides of the 

 river. Leaving Yarrawonga about half-past two on Monday 

 afternoon, we reached Melbourne (i6i miles) about a quarter 

 past ten at night, when, having made arrangements for the safe 

 keeping of our iguanas at the railway station till sent for by the 

 Zoological Society, we were just going to Finlay's Hotel to 

 spend the night when our friend, Mr. Barnard, turned up with 

 his baggage, prepared to share in our adventures in the Western 

 district. 



We accordingly adjourned to the hotel, and, having deter- 

 mined on our plans, retired for a well-earned night's rest. 



Having decided on Hamilton as the limit of our travels west- 

 ward, we left Melbourne by the first train on Tuesday morning, 

 19th October, and arrived at Ballarat in due course. The 

 country passed through during this part of the journey is doubt- 

 less so familiar to most of us that it needs no description, and, 

 except to one of the party, the trip so far was without incident. 

 On arrival at Ballarat we were told to change for Ararat, and 

 accordingly carried our luggage over the stairs to the other side 

 of the station, when, judge of our surprise, the train we had just 

 come from Melbourne in was shunted to the other side also, 

 and we took our seats in the same compartment as we had 

 occupied before. So much for the careful consideration for 

 travellers displayed by our Railway Department. 



