THE VICTORIAN NATURALIST. 95 
locality had been selected at the last monthly meeting, in order that 
the Ballarat Field Club might be invited to form a joint excursion, 
with the view of bringing the Clubs into closer relationship. The 
Ballarat folks not only readily agreed to the proposal, but also 
asked the Melbourne visitors to consider themselves their guests for 
the day. 
A portion of the contingent had gone up to Ballarat on the 
previous Friday and Saturday, and joined the local members at the 
railway station of the Golden City, in time for the early morning 
train at half-past six. After a little more than a half hour’s ride, 
the train stopped at Lal Lal, and the whole party mustered on the 
platform. Buggies were waiting for those ladies who considered 
the three miles walk too much for the beginning of a day’s work, a 
kind attention, however, that was not taken advantage of by any of 
the ladies from the metropolis, who preferred on such a beautiful 
morning walking over the green sward. 
The hon. secretary and several others stayed at the station, 
awaiting the arrival of the Melbourne train, which would bring up 
those who could make only a single day’s holiday. Mr. F. M. 
Krausé, hon. secretary 6f the Ballarat Field Club, and Professor of 
Geology, Mineralogy, and Mining at the Ballarat School of Mines, 
with Mr. A. Mica Smith, B.Sc., Professor of Chemistry, remained 
with this party, and during the interval between the arrival of the 
trains, took the opportunity of visiting the works of the Brown 
Coal Company, and giving the visitors some account of the geology 
of the lignite deposit, one of the thickest in the world, but 
unfortunately not of much commercial value, also of the Iron 
Company’s Works, some three miles distant on the Moorabool 
River. 
The other party followed the lead of Mr. Jas. Oddie, (president 
B.#.C.) on a piebald pony, or rather that of a veritable Highland 
piper, engaged for the day by Mr. Oddie, who soon filled his bags 
and drew from his pipes such inspiriting marches, that the way seemed 
short while following his ribbons gaily fluttering in the breeze. A 
short detour was made for a view of the falls on the Lal Lal 
“‘ dashing of waters” Creek, and then across the open country_a line 
was made for the Moorabool, the examination of the creek being left 
for a later period of the day. This walk, in the somewhat early 
morning, was pleasant in the extreme, the views along the Moorabool 
valley being extremely fine. The Eucalypts at this period of 
the year putting out their young foliage, give a variety of colour 
that redeems the landscape from the monotonous sameness that 
characterises it at other seasons. Indeed, the reds and yellows 
mingling with the greys and olives gave a variety as charming as 
the autumn tints of northern lands. Well-fed and contented 
