252 THE VICTORIAN NATURALIST. [Vol. XXIII. 



bell has been good enough to allow me to look over his list of 

 plants collected in the vicinity in December, 1904, in which about 

 150 species are recorded. I was disappointed also in insect life, 

 for I fully expected to see our beautiful mountain butterfly, Papilio 

 macleayanus, there, but not one was seen. A few of the mountain 

 brown butterflies, Epinephile aheona, were seen, but all very worn 

 specimens. Some of the smaller browns, such as Xenica kershawi, 

 were seen, but I had not the good fortune to secure any. Birds, 

 with the exception of Gang-Gang and Black Cockatoos, a few 

 parrots, and the ubiquitous Blue Wren, seemed to be entirely 

 absent, but I was told that Lyre-birds are fairly plentiful in the 

 recesses of the gullies. 



We got back to our horses late in the afternoon, and leaving 

 the fateful creek, which I have since learned has been named 

 after Mr. Campbell (we called it Poverty Bend, because provisions 

 were almost used up), we hurried along and reached Contention 

 Creek just as evening closed in. I had been on the look-out for 

 new ferns all day, and though I missed Lomaria patersoni at 

 Falls Creek, where it can be found, I secured it at Horsfall Creek, 

 as also some young beeches, which make very nice pot plants, 

 being slow of growth, while they are continually putting forth new 

 leaves. 



Next morning we resumed our journey to Yarra Bridge, 

 reaching there soon after mid-day, and as the limit we had 

 placed on our holiday was now approaching, preparations 

 for leaving Walsh's Creek were put in hand. A good haul 

 of the river blackfish was made in the evening, providing 

 an ample supply for next morning's breakfast. About 10 

 o'clock we said adieu to the M'Veighs, who had been very kind 

 to us, though only passers-by, and started on our homeward 

 drive. Short halts were made at Reefton, M'Mahon's and 

 Starvation Creeks, and we pitched our camp at Big Pat's Creek 

 as the daylight was disappearing. Next day the dusty drive 

 through Warburton to Yarra Junction ended the outing for several 

 of the party, who from there returned by train. 



Though to some extent disappointed in the natural history 

 results of my outingj I have no doubt, with more time at one's 

 disposal, in a suitable season, good collections both of plants and 

 insects could be made, and I hope that, with the facilities for 

 reaching the district about to be given by the Government, the 

 Yarra Falls and the Baw Baw plateau will soon be visited by a 

 representative party of members of our Society, when, I have 

 no doubt, all will return thoroughly enamoured of the grand 

 mountain scenery of this portion of Victoria. 



P.S. — Since my visit, the X track has been reopened right through. to 

 Baw Baw (32 miles) and Walhalla (51 miles); tourist huts built at Falls 

 Creek and Mount Erica ; and a specially compiled map for the use of tourists 

 has been published by the Lands Department. 



