190 THE YICTORIAN NATURALIST. [Vol. XXIII. 



Further inland there was a little eucalyptus growth, but 

 large trees were very scarce. About a mile and a half 

 south of the camp the valley of Balcombe's Creek, occu- 

 pied a considerable tract of country, much of which was 

 overgrown by the swamp tea-tree {Melaleuca ericifolia) 

 and M . squarrosa, forming in places very dense patches. 

 Further up the creek were fine thickets of Bursaria, Cof- 

 rosma, Leptosfermum, &c., affording grateful shelter 

 to a number of small birds; while in several places the 

 golden spray (Viminaria demidata) was in full bloom. 



Arriving in camp at midday on the first day, I was asked 

 by the leader to spy out the land, so as to be able to 

 suggest the most suitable directions for the proposed col- 

 lecting trips to take, and, as I was further expected to 

 give a demonstration on insect setting in the evening, it 

 was necessary to secure a few specimens for that purpose. 

 Accordingly, accompanied bv Mr. 'G. A. Keartland, who 

 wanted some bird specimens for the purposes of his bird- 

 skinning demonstration, and some other campers, I took 

 a ramble of several miles during the afternoon. 



After following the coast road south for about a mile 

 from the camp, we turned inland, and in another mile 

 came to the cemetery, which in country places is usually 

 a good collecting ground. Here I secured specimens of 

 the large brown butterflv {Heteronymfha merofe) and the 

 white caper butterflv {Belenois tiietonia), the latter insect 

 notable on account of the enormous numbers in which it 

 appears in some seasons, the present having been one of 

 its marked frequency. A few beetles were also secured 

 from under the bark of the eucalypts and decayed wood. 

 We then followed the Dromana-road to Balcombe's Creek, 

 where, the locality appearing suitable for birds, some 

 little time was spent in securing a few specimens. We 

 then turned towards the coast, passing a large quantity 

 of tea-tree scrub, and on reaching the coast road returned 

 to camp with a fair idea of the capabilities of the country 

 as regards plants and insects. 



On Tuesday an earlv morning walk, taken due east of 

 the camp, revealed little of interest. The forenoon of 

 Tuesday (Christmas Dav) was devoted to a further search 

 for plants and insects, over much the same ground as the 

 previous afternoon, and, the partv being larger, with bet- 

 ter results. The orchids Praso-pliylliim patens and Microtis 

 forri folia were noted, and the beautiful cetonid beetle 

 Eupcecila {Schisorhina) AustralasicB, also the golden beetle 

 {Laniprima splendens), and a few other beetles taken. 



