THE VICTORIAN NATURALIST 97 
pressure and moisture, chief chemical factors in the production of 
bitumen, brought about the conversion of wood into lignite. 
Baron von Mueller considers the vegetable fossils of the lignite 
beds, to be identical with those found at Haddon, and Napoleons 
and other parts of the Ballarat district, being evidently remains of 
gigantic conifers. 
The hard pull along the bed of the stream over the boulders, and 
through the prickly scrub, made the camping ground with its green 
carpet and white table-cloth look very inviting, and the strains of 
the piper playing a lively march for dinner sounded sweet music in 
the ears of hungry scientists. The entertainment for the day had 
been generously provided for by Mr. Oddie, and eatables and 
drinkables were abundant. Some geologists and professors were 
tapping, not rocks, but bottles of chablis and claret ; entomologists 
carving hams and pies; botanists busy at tarts and sandwiches, 
while the genial president of the Ballarat Club himself presided at the 
tea-pot, and ladies were “ ministering angels,” everywhere. Pro- 
‘toplasm having been consumed in sufficient quantity, at the instance 
of the chairman, Mr. Oddie, the healths of the Queen and the Prince 
of Wales were drunk with the usual musical honors. Mr. Halley 
was called on to speak, and this he did, by proposing on behalf of 
the Melbourne visitors a hearty vote of thanks to the Ballarat Field 
Club and its officers for the kind thoughtful way in which all 
arrangements had been made, and complimented the city of 
Ballarat on its admirably conducted School of Mines, with its 
efficient staff of officers. Cheers long and loud endorsed the 
president’s words, and Mr. Oddie briefly replied, and said how 
pleased his Ballarat friends were to be thus visited, and announced 
tea for five o’clock. Little groups of collectors now started out in 
all directions. Green nets might be seen waving in pursuit of 
deftly flitting lepidoptera. Umbrellas spread to catch the coleoptera 
shaken from the bushes. A follower of Isaac Walton vainly trying 
if speckled trout lived in the pool beneath the waterfall. A painter. 
in oils trying to catch the changing beauty of the landscape. A 
couple of photographers with their heads constantly under their 
black cloths. Botanical collectors breaking boughs, gathering 
flowers, digging roots, etc. One member trying to drown an. 
unfortunate lizard, another helping a young lady high up a rocky 
bank, with his geological hammer stuck in the back of his belt, and 
as he bent to the ascent, short sighted people wondered if the 
missing link had at last been found. Indeed in several cases, stern 
young scientists went off in couples and fours, like ordinary young 
people at an ordinary picnic, showing how much human nature 
there is in naturalists. Old fogies like the presidents chatted with 
each other and with the professors, concerning things scientific and 
political, gold mining and university teaching. The fern-gatherers 
