THE VICTOUIAN NATURALIST. 145 



of which cannot, I think, be surpassed in beauty by anything in 

 nature. 



The hour has flown by far too rapidly, and with regret I return 

 to the ship, leaving many species of lichen ungathered, and a most 

 interesting botanical field unexplored. 



NOTES ON THE NATURAL HISTORY OF THE 

 WESTERN WIMMERA. 



By C. French, F.L.S. 

 (Read befote the Field Naturalists^ Club of Victoria, \2th 

 November, 1888.J 

 Mr. Chairman, Ladies, and Gentlemen, — The following brief 

 notes have been collected during a flying visit, and a very limited 

 stay, to the so-called Tatiara country, now generally known as 

 the Western Wimmera ; and this portion of Victoria may be said 

 to commence beyond Dimbooia, extending to the Adelaide 

 border. 



For some time past I had had a desire to visit that portion of 

 the colony on which the newly-formed railway township of 

 Serviceton now stands ; and, for the information of those who are 

 not acquainted with the district, I may state that Serviceton is 

 the last station in Victorian territory, on the overland line between 

 Melbourne and Adelaide, distance 300 odd miles or so from 

 Melbourne. 



I left Melbourne by the 4.6 p.m. express and reached Service- 

 ton at 3.5 on the following morning; and being anxious to see 

 the place as soon as possible, I sat in the arm-chair before the 

 fire — the morning being very chilly — until daylight, when I went 

 out to look at the country and to see what would be my probable 

 chances in the botanical line. 



My first impressions of Serviceton were not of the most cheerful 

 nature, the township being situated in a low, damp place, covered 

 with bog holes, which were filled with water, blocks of wood 

 having been fixed in front of the doors of many of the houses so as 

 to enable the occupants to pass from one house to the other, and 

 mud everywhere. I found, also, that, instead of this place being, 

 as I had supposed, quite a newly-settled locality, it is in reality 

 the centre of an extensive squatting district, Lockhart station, now 

 owned by Mr. TuUy, being a very ancient sort of place ; and I 

 soon found out, what I ought to have known before, that sheep 

 runs, whether old or new, are not favourable grounds for the 

 plant hunter, the station itself being but three miles or so from 

 the railway station. Wandering about for a couple of hours or 

 so before breakfast, I could plainly see that the neighbourhood 

 of Serviceton is not a good one for plants — I mean for flowering 

 plants — but I have no doubt that many cryptogams of interest 



