246 THE VICTORIAN. NATURALIST. [Vol. XXIII. 



a dense growth of Leptospermum lanigeruvi, Melaleuca erici/olia, 

 and other vegetation of a similar character. 



Just here the Yarra valley opens out again, the enclosing hills 

 being much further away from the stream. The road in some 

 places is quite close to the river ; in other parts there is room for 

 selections along the river bank. Approaching East VVarburton 

 school the pretty shrub Bauera rubioides is seen in bloom along- 

 side the road, otherwise flowers are scarce. The road passes 

 along the fringe of a forest of rather poor timber, and heads 

 round several small gullies, with an occasional Hill Tree Fern, 

 Alsophila australis, visible amongst the fringing bushes. The 

 valley trends in a north-easterly direction, and presently opens 

 out considerably to the north, where a fairly large tribu- 

 tary — variously known as the Ligar River or O'Shannessy or 

 Bellell Creek — starting in the main divide • near Mt. Grant, on 

 the old Yarra track, comes in. This stream before joining the 

 Yarra runs for some distance almost parallel to it, being 

 separated by a low wooded ridge. At M'Donald's Creek, a nice 

 little stream crossing the road, some bursaria bushes afford the 

 opportunities of capturing a few beetles as we halt for refresh- 

 ment. About a mile further Crooked Creek is crossed, and in 

 another half a mile a creek with the ominous name of Starvation 

 is reached. 



Starvation Creek is a fine rushing stream, and on its banks are 

 signs of gold digging. Whether the results were good or bad we 

 do not know, as there seems to be nobody there to tell the tale. 

 We decided to camp here for the night, and set about capturing 

 a few blackfish for the next morning's breakfast, with some 

 amount of success. The sides of the creek are bordered with the 

 usual ferns, such as Maidenhair, lomarias, &c. Numbers of a pure 

 white everlasting, Melichrysimi leucopsidium, deck the sides of 

 the diggers' trial shafts, while fine trees of Prostanthera lasiantha 

 are beginning to shed their flowers. On our return a number of 

 bursaria bushes here yielded a few beetles and other insects. 

 Everywhere along the road the Meadow Brown Butterfly, 

 Heteronympha merope, was seen in large quantities, and very 

 fine specimens. A few skippers and other species were also seen. 



A little farther along a more interesting part of the road 

 occurs. A steep range comes down on our right, over which the 

 road ascends to some height and affords a splendid view back 

 towards Warburton. Down below us is the ever-rushing Yarra, 

 hurrying round what is known as " The Peninsula." The river 

 makes a similar detour to the well-known one at Warrandyte, but 

 not quite so extensive. The hill has also been tunnelled for 

 mining purposes, and close by sluicing operations are still being 

 carried on. 



The road descends again, a few houses are seen along- 



