237 
Tasmanian Society. 
side the principal trees are Eucalypti, with an underwood of 
Banksia, Casuarina, a dwarf sp., Persoonia, Hakea lissosperma, 
Coprosma nitida, &c., and the thickets were comparatively open; 
whereas, on the west side a dense mass of dark green vegetation 
consisting of Fagus Cunninghami, Weinmannia australis, 70 
or 80 feet high, Carpodontos lucida, Athrotaxis, Cupressoides, 
Microcachrys tetragona, Richeapandanifolia Cenarrenes nitida, 
and many plants of similar habits grew down to the water’s edge, 
and threw their branches far over it, rendering even landing no 
easy matter; the Fagus constituting the largest tree, except in 
a few situations where Eucalypti occurred. 
At the base of Mount Olympus, which rises precipitously from 
the lake, the rock is a coarse sandstone, which continues from 
the level of the lake to about 700 feet up. The stratification is 
nearly horizontal, and the direction of the mountain range is 
nearly N. W. and S. E. He had no opportunity of showing the 
dip, but as streams of water fell over the upper ledge of the sand¬ 
stone in almost one continuous sheet for miles, he presumed it to 
be towards the eastward. Immediately after rising over the sand¬ 
stone, masses of loose basalt occurred, the lower part covered 
with vegetation, but much of the upper part barren and the 
blocks loosely thrown together as they fell from the top of the 
mountain. The summit of Mount Olympus is itself columnar 
basalt—vast numbers of the columns overturned, and many more, 
near the cliff's, diverging from the perpendicular. On the summit 
he observed Podocarpus alpina and microcachrys tetragona ? 
clinging close to the rocks. Eurylia ledifolia ? was in full flower. 
Amongst the new or rare plants at that elevation were a new one 
in Cruciferce, a prostrate Epilobium in patches, Oaultheria anti- 
poda, and a species of Grammitis growing in large patches in 
the holes between the rocks. A large mass of snow was on the 
top at this time, and would probably remain all the summer. 
Nearly all the mountains surrounding Lake St. Clair seemed to 
be of nearly the same elevation, and apparently of similar struc¬ 
ture. Immediately below the summit occurs a new species of 
Fagus closely resembling F. Antarctica, and like that forming a 
low (probably deciduous) shrub, 5 to 8 feet high, and growing in 
large patches. The weight of the winters snows had pressed 
down the branches of this as well as all the neighbouring plants. 
Associated with this Fagus were Athrotaxis selaginoides, Podo¬ 
carpus alpina, Orites revoluta, Cystanthe sprengelioides, var. 
alpina, and other alpine plants. 
Specimens of the various plants collected were exhibited, as 
also a quantity of resin from the Microcachrys tetragona. 
Mr. R. C. Gunn produced a fine specimen of Pumice, 
obtained by the Rev. Henry Jones, of H. M.S. Castor, from the 
River Wanganui, New Zealand ; it is found in the sand, in the 
river bank some distance above the entrance of the river, evidently 
