40 



TUK VICTORIAN NATUKALIST. 



and kindly lent him a fresh horse. They expected to overtake 

 the rest of the party before reaching Heyfield (34 miles), but Mr. 

 Howitt and Mr. Lucas were up and away too early, and when Dr, 

 Dendy reached Heyfield at i o'clock he found them unpacking in 

 front of Sewell's Temperance Hotel. 



While we were unpacking, Alfred brought in a fine Nankeen 

 Crane which had just been shot. After a splendid dinner we packed 

 our traps and settled up, the last excitement being the drawing of 

 lots for the remains of the provisions and sundry articles, such as 

 tents and saddle bags, which had been purchased for the expedi- 

 tion. The Tortoise was placed in a tub of water for the afternoon^ 

 and surprised us by laying four eggs. Then we drove to the 

 station and caught the evening train to Melbourne. 



APPENDIX. 



Notes on the Eucalypts growing in the Macallister and 

 Wellington Valleys, &c. 



Between Heyfield and Glenmaggie the eucalypts vary in kind 

 according to the formation. In the alluvial flats, and up to the edge 

 of the higher sandy and gravelly tracts, are found the Gippsland 

 Red Gum {E. tereticornis), the Red Box {JE. polyanthema), and the 

 Apple-tree {E. stuartiana). On somewhat higher ground occur 

 the Yellow Box {E. melliodora), with the White Stringybark 

 {E, piperita), especially in sandy and gravelly ridges. The Iron- 

 bank {E. leucoxylon) also is found in places. 



About Glenmaggie, and thence by way of Blanket Hill to the 

 Macallister River, the eucalypts vary according to soil and 

 geological formation. Along the creeks and along the immediate 

 course of the river is found the White Gum [E. viminalis). In the 

 basaltic areas are found E. tereticornis and E. melliodora, while 

 in the Silurian formation the Stringybark (E. macrorhyncha) and 

 E. polyanthema prevail. On some ridges which were passed over 

 before reaching Blanket Hill it was observed that in one place 

 E. stuartiana predominated, in another E. melliodora, and in a 

 third an isolated colony of E. leucoxylon. 



It is to be noted that the White Stringybark {E. piperita) 

 grows up the Macallister River as far at least as Hickey's Creek. 

 It grows on the drier flats, while E. macrorhyncha occupies the 

 hills. On the crest of some ridges of the Big Hill, between 

 Hickey's Creek and Glen Falloch, a peculiar' form of E. goniocalyx 

 (Spotted Gum) is found. This is the case in other parts of the 

 Gippsland mountains. 



It was observed that E. tereticornis occurs in the Glen Falloch 

 basin in the soft Devonian shales. This is quite exceptional, 

 this tree being elsewhere limited to the alluvial tracts, and not 



