^£7] Bcaugleholc Sr Learmoiith, The Byaduk Coxcj 209 



Urns from Hie wall* ot ihe open caves we found Nodding Saltbush 

 (Rhar/odta n\tfeiMS) t some IrfeaStis being ten feet long. It afeenla 3 

 peculiar locality in which to find Dcrweut Speedwell {Veronica 

 dvrzven tin ) , yet sunic of thc:*c beautiful fluwers grow luxuriantly on 

 open cave ledges a]o«g with Austral Storks-bill fJP *elaty vimi hi 

 nMstrale ) . V ana!)] e G flfti i nri el ^ .*> i=-» pfsg iautftx) i s wkJespreuc 1 

 throughout the lava flow and makes ihe landscape a field of yellow, 

 Numerous alien plants abound throughout the cave area. The 

 Clubjnoss, Sidag'tnelUt fertttissitw&j trails and hangs gracefully on 

 tocks irtfiidc Iianuan's Cave, perhaps the moistcst and coolest cave 

 of the group. Ivy-Icaf foad-rlax, Cymbalaria murcJis, a native of 

 southern Rurnpp, sprawls mid hangs in great lengrhs, with flnwexs 

 here and there, on basalt rocks in the Flower- Pot. 



Strawberry Saxifrage, Sn.nfraffit s-anwmtosn, native ot China 

 and Japan, covers several square feet on the floor of Church Cave 

 with it> large round leaves, green above and purple below. 



Bed straw, Gnl:*mi tvnernun, is widespread both in caves and 

 outside and shows extreme variability in growth, Tree Tobacco. 

 Nnolionn gi&Lftt, is represented by a tew scattered bushes. Tin?. 

 plant which grows in a number of places in south-western Victoria 

 (and elsewhere) is said 1;u have, originated from cultivated crops 

 grown by the early settlers as a source of nicotine for use as a 

 wonn-drench in sheep. 



The nature ot the country does not lead one to e.\pect a large 

 orniihotogical population* but we did make a few interesting records. 

 White-backed MugpiCfc (Gymnorhina hyifOlcnc(t) t Ravena (Cotvut 

 coronmdes) and Magpie Lark^ (Gnittma tyanoleiica) arc com- 

 mon, awl sometimes there ;ire immense flocks of Corellas (Kafcaioe 

 tenuirostris) and While Cockatoos (K. galerita), A few Kasrern 

 Rosdlas (Ptfiiyccrciis extmius) flew over the Fern Cave during 

 une vLsit, and there are probably several other parrot species in 

 the .surrounding eucalypti- BfrJds of prey are well represented, and 

 we recorded Wedge-tailed Eagle (Uroaeius audax), Whistling 

 Eagle (f-faliasittr splu'varus), Swamp Harrier (Circus oppro.Kt* 

 ■ma>7&), Brown Hawk [FuIc<j ht'H(forn) , .Nankeen Kestrel (/'. 

 ewehr aides) and Peregrine Falcon (F, pmun/rvuus) . A pair of 

 the l.i^rer were {resting high up on a cave ledge and "dive-bombed" 

 us repeatedly. Both Swallows (Hirnvda neo.vcwt) and Kairy 

 Martins (Hyhctudidon ancf) had nests on the cave roois. Blue 

 Wreni (Mo/umx cyanetts) were in the bracken, Yetluw-tarled 

 Thorohills (AcanthisiQ rhrysorrhoa) among the Tree-Violets, and 

 White-browed Scrub-Wrens {Scricurms- frontidis) far down in 

 *?mi darkness among the rocks. This bird list could without doubt 

 be greatly augmented by anyone paving attention to thai side o£ 

 thp area's wild life. 

 In a number of places swarms of bees have made their hpmes in 



