THE VICTORIAN NATURALIST. l83 



white shell. Of orchids scarely one was seen, and it was evident 

 that both for these and many of the prettier shrubs we were rather 

 late in our visit. Stony Creek has in it Blackfish and Mount- 

 ain Trout, but both are small, and neither in sufficient quantity to 

 make it worth while to angle for them. The falls have a drop of 

 about thirty feet. The Wallaby Rocks present a steep arid 

 difficult ascent, and are situate close to Venus's Bath, previously 

 mentioned. 



■ Monday, 23RD November. — Beautiful morning, with promise 

 of great heat. Several members who were up early to try for 

 a shot at kangaroo or wallaby were evidently not successful ; at 

 all events they returned empty-handed, although one did report 

 that a wallaby had succumbed to his prowess, but as it was 

 not forthcoming considerable doubt was expressed on the 

 subject. Here it will perhaps be as well to state that the past 

 winter has been the driest known in the Gap for years, many small 

 streams being, for the first time in the experience of the oldest 

 inhabitant, quite dry. Ascended one of the highest parts of the 

 Serra Range. The ascent, as is indeed the case with all the Gramp- 

 ians, is by no means pleasant, consisting of continual clambering 

 over boulders, varied by occasional slippings, and some of the 

 party were not at all sorry when the summit was reached. To 

 attempt in such a rough locality to collect anything but plants 

 was almost an impossibility, consequently so far as entomology is 

 concerned there is little to record, except that a few Lepidoptera 

 of the species previously mentioned and an Agarista were 

 observed. The Le'ptos'permwnimyTtifoliu'm was in splendid flower, 

 but scarcely a living thing was on it. Either owing to the dry 

 winter or that the spring had been a cold one, and that, therefore, 

 most of the insects had not yet emerged from the pupa state, the 

 fact remains that during the whole fortnight trip insects were exceed- 

 ingly scarce. A few Black Cockatoos {Gallocephalon galeatum), 

 were seen, as also a Black-cheeked Falcon (Falco melanogenys). 

 On this day's trip we for the first time observed the little Candollea 

 sobolifera, which was very conspicuous, and we also came across 

 Eucalyptus alpina, the latter at a height of not more than about 

 1,500 feet. It was noticeable as a peculiarity that whilst the 

 east side of the Serra Range, was almost perpendicular, the west 

 had a long slope working gradually down to the valley. After 

 descending, and whilst resting on Stony Creek, a bird concert was 

 heard from the opposite side, and presently a whole flock of New 

 Holland Honey-eaters rose from a thick bush, on searching v;hich 

 the nest and two eggs were seen and secured. We also took nest 

 with several eggs of Acanthiza nana (?) This latter nest was built 

 in a very prickly acacia {A. armata), and was only secured after 

 the member who had the job in hand had run several of the sharp 

 prickly spines into his hands and fingers. Along the creek were 



