NATURE NOTES FROM TASMANIA. 
185 
beautiful ferns are to be found, ranging in size from the great 
tree-ferns, often called “man-ferns” {Dicksonia antarctica), with 
great, brown shaggy trunks, to the lovely little filmy-ferns 
{Hymenophyllnm and Trichomanes), which hang in myriads from 
the shaggy stems just described. Between these two extremes 
all sizes occur, as the fine bold-looking cathead {Aspidium 
acnlcatum), the laurel fern {Lomaria capensis), with hard, dark 
green fronds, the graceful light green water fern {^Lomaria 
discolor), the spreading umbrella fern {Gleichenia flahellata), and the 
blechnum. Curious erections, like miniature towers, may be 
noticed here and there close to the edge of the stream, made of 
the mud from the banks. They are the work of a small crus- 
tacean, just like a miniature lobster, but called, with the perver- 
sion of names usual in the colonies, “ land-crab.” These towers 
are open at the summit, and by looking down we can see a pool 
of water at the bottom, where the owner resides. Another, and 
much smaller crustacean, which appears to be identical with 
the British fresh-water shrimp [Gammorus piilex), is found in 
abundance, not only in the water of the creeks, but also under 
the dead leaves and sticks on its banks, and even among the 
moist, yellow hair which grows on the crown of the tree, or man 
ferns, where the fronds take their rise. The puzzle is, how do 
these shrimps get to their elevated position, eight or ten feet, or 
even more from the ground ? Do they climb the stems of the 
ferns, or have their forefathers esconced themselves amongst 
the golden hair when the fern was in its babyhood and just rising 
from the ground, thereafter ascending with it, continuing to live 
and multiply among the moist fibres without ever entering the 
water at all ? The latter seems the more reasonable theory, for 
the crown of these tree-ferns is always very moist, and the little 
crustaceans could live there in comfort and security, quite 
shielded from the eyes of hungry, prying birds. 
In these bush-rivulets is also found the dainty little mountain 
trout (Galaxias triittaceus), a smooth-skinned, native fish, spotted 
like the common trout, and making an excellent dish when 
lightly fried. In the larger streams, where the bottom is 
somewhat muddy, may be found the black-fish {Godopsis mar- 
moraUis), dark in colour, as its name implies, the skin smooth and 
slimy like that of an eel. Some of these fish attain a nice size 
(five or six pounds), and they are bold biters, especially after 
dark, which is the time usually adopted by the bushman to sally 
forth in quest of them. The new arrival from British shores, 
however, finds this nocturnal angling an}dhing but fun, as he 
is assailed immediately upon arriving at the water’s edge by 
myriads of mosquitoes, which continue to feast upon him so 
long as he continues to fish, unless he prefer the alternative of 
making a “ greenstuff” fire close by, and sitting enveloped in 
clouds of pungent smoke. 
The prettiest fish found in these northern waters is the 
“ fresh water herring,” or grayling {Prototroctes viurana), a bright, 
