THE VICTORIAK NATURALIST. 



glimpses until after some six miles we descend a cliff side and 

 walk over the sand beach separating Lake Tyers from the open 

 ocean. The low hills bounding the lake are prettily wooded, 

 and amongst the trees can be seen the little church of the native 

 settlement, around which the houses cluster much as if it were an 

 English village. The sand beach lies very low, and the waters of 

 the lake and sea must, at times, communicate with each other. 

 The lake is alive with fish and game. A mile's walk leads across 

 to the low sandhills bounding what must once have been the 

 eastern side of the entrance from the sea, and we pass over a 

 stretch of sandy ground, on which grow Salicornia austra/is, 

 Saviolus repens, Mesevibryanthemum australe, Mimidiis repe?is, 

 Spinifex hirsutus and Cuscuia. The ground rises slightly^ 

 leading on to sand ridges covered with Leptospenmnn tkvigatuvi, 

 Myoporum msulare, &c. ; and then leads inland into woods with 

 Eucalyptus melliodora, sieberiana, polyanthemos and botryoideSy 

 silver wattle, Baiiksia serrata, mistmlis, integrifolia, and 

 Exocaipiis. Flowers are chiefly conspicuous by their absence, 

 and we only find blue and pink Comespervia, Goodenia, Dillwynia, 

 and the orchids Dipodium piinctatuvi and Cryptostylis lo7igifolia. 

 For twenty miles the road passes through the same kind of 

 country : the woods have recently been fired, and the scenery 

 grows very monotonous. Some twenty-five miles from the 

 entrance we reach a bush accommodation house, now called the 

 Tydesley Hotel : it is a welcome break in the long ride, and 

 after a short rest we start again for Orbost. Twelve miles driving 

 through the same kind of country brings us to a sharp descent in 

 the road, and leads on to the rich alluvial flats of the Snowy 

 River : these are now green with crops of maize, and form a 

 strong contrast to the desolate country through which we have 

 been passing. The Snowy River, about thirty or forty yards 

 wide, and flowing between deep banks, is crossed in a punt, 

 there being at present no bridge : when one is built, it is to be 

 hoped that the Government will still retain the services of the 

 present "puntsman" as toll collector, or, if such an ofiicial be 

 not wanted, in some position in which he may have the chance,, 

 by his calm, imperturbable manner, which allows of no undue 

 haste, of demonstrating beyond doubt that there is plenty of time 

 for everything, and no need for hurry in Orbost. It is most 

 refreshing, when the traveller is at all anxious to cross the 

 river, to hear in response to a cheerful " coo-ee" the reply,. 

 ''Wait till oi've filled my poipe," and to see the speaker 

 quietly sit down on the opposite bank, pull cut, after some 

 searching, his plug of tobacco, and then with great deliberation 

 cut off the necessary amount, fill his pipe, and light up. The 

 face, too, with its circle of rough hair, deeply furrowed forehead 

 and mouth, all drawn down to the one corner, which grasps a 



