182 THE VICTORIAN NATURALIST. 



was made at a quarter to two. The day was fine and rather 

 warm, and, the road being a good one, satisfactory progress was 

 made. The country the whole distance to Hall's Gap was dry 

 and very poor looking, and the timber for the first few miles 

 mostly saplings of blue and white gum. At Mopilly, about half 

 way, a refreshing drink of water was obtained, and from there the 

 country is sandy, with stunted trees and low-growing shrubs, of 

 which the prettiest is a Grevillea, G. ilicifolia. There were also 

 Calycothrix sullivani, Thrypto-mene mitchelliana, as well as " 

 numerous fine specimens of the Grass Tree, Xanthorrhcea 

 australis, and, close to the entrance to the Gap, Acacia mitchelli. 

 Nearly the whole distance there was abundance of the little 

 geranium. Pelargonium australe, with, of course, occasional 

 other common flowers, including the small pink convolvulus, C. 

 erubescens. Of birds, the most numerous were the honey-eaters, 

 of which a large variety was seen, and there was also several 

 kinds of parrots, including the Blue Mountain and Musk Parra- 

 keets, as also naturally a few magpies and crows. Not many 

 Lepidoptera were observed, but we noted Pyrameis kershawi, 

 P. ilea, Xenica Hugii, X. kershawi, and Heteronyrtipha ojierope. 

 Coleoptera were exceedingly scarce, there being but few of the 

 shrubs on which they are usually found in flower ; and as for logs, 

 the ground was altogether too dry to expect to find anything 

 under them, although, of course, they were tried. After passing 

 Mopilly we get into rabbit country, plenty of these animals being 

 seen, as also a kangaroo and a few wallaby. We reached the 

 Gap at a quarter to nine, and the use of a comparatively new 

 house belonging to the Dalton family having been granted to us, 

 we at once proceeded to make ourselves comfortable, and, after 

 an enjoyable tea, were not long before we rolled ourselves in our 

 blankets and rugs and were sound asleep. 



During the night it rained rather heavily, but Sunday morning, 

 the 22nd, opened fine, and after breakfast we started for waterfall 

 on Stony Creek, said to be about three miles distant. After going 

 half a mile we come to a pretty pool called Venus's Bath. The 

 party soon got separated, one portion continuing the route to the 

 falls, whilst the other kept to an old jinker track leading in the 

 same direction. Several shrubs were in flower, such as Poma- 

 derris subre2mnda, P. ajyetala, Prostanthera lasiantha and P. 

 rotundifolia, and there was also an abundance of the everlasting 

 flowers, Helichrysum haxteri and H. blandowskianuin. Saw a few 

 Lepidoptera, including Epinephile abeona, Delias harpalace, H. 

 onerope and P. kershawi. On the Leptospermum, of which there 

 was a large quantity in flower, very little insect life was observable, 

 the commonest being a Buprestis beetle, Stigmodera (sp.), and a 

 Clerus, Eleale pulchra. A very pretty specimen of a dried wild 

 bees' hive was secured, it being in appearance exactly like a pure 



