9 
tout, generally spoken of ns “The 'City 
Hall," was left to the last, and in this 
members hud breakfast. Later the min 
ceased, und allowed a few hours' leisure 
before assembling at the jetty. 
We boarded the steamer at 3.30 p.m.. 
and settled down to enjoy a four hours’ 
journey to Hobart. Owing, however, to 
the steamer railing at several parts in 
quest of freight, and the darkness of the 
night making navigation rather difficult, 
the fact must be placed on record that, 
we “didn’t get home till morning.” 
The natural history work will be treat¬ 
ed by the leaders of the various sections, 
but before closing this report I would 
like to draw attention to the need for 
further developing the natural attrac¬ 
tions of the district, as hundreds of 
tourists visit this locality every year, 
tor instance, at a small outlay steps 
could he formed so that anyone could 
descend to the bottom of the Devil’s 
Kitchen. A few additional notice boards 
would also be an asset, especially if they 
denoted the distance between tlie various 
sights. Also, it would be an advantage 
if the Tourist Department erected a 
small hoarding near the jetty, and had 
n map of the locality showing the posi¬ 
tion of the main features of interest, to¬ 
gether with the distances, from a fixed 
{mint. Such items as these would, I feel 
sure, be much appreciated by the tour¬ 
ists. While we were staying in the dis¬ 
trict we were being continually asked 
for information concerning the Blowhole 
and other such places. 
BOTANICAL NOTES 
By L. Rodway, Government Botanist 
The plant life observable at Eaglehawk 
Neck, anil the Peninsula in general, af¬ 
fords some interesting factor’s for the 
student. There is every indication of 
copious humidity; not only is the whole 
district, saving minor formations, such as 
sand-dunes and swamps, a continuous for¬ 
est. but such forest essences as Sassafras 
1111(1 bogus lure grow down to sen level, 
whereas in the neighbourhood of Hobart 
they are not met with below an altitude 
of 1, IIP feet. Lengthy exposure to a dry 
atmosphere is fatal to these two trees. 
The Euealypts are varied and inter¬ 
mixed. Swamp Gum produces extensive 
forests of fine trees in the gullies passing 
into Gnmtop on the higher land, while 
Stringy Burk, Peppermint, and Blue (linn 
are everywhere to be met with. The 
very variable and interesting liisdon Gum 
makes its appearance on poor mudstone 
soil, in which it appears to revel, This 
tree responds in leaf form to the ground 
conditions in which it grows. In very 
dry, barren places the leaves are opposite 
and joined across the stem, but when 
ground moisture is generoas it assumes 
the appearance of a broad-leaved Pepper¬ 
mint, except that the leaf venation is 
n ore diverging and netted, and the su’’ 
face i- everywhere somewli it glaucous. A 
broad-leaved Peppermint appears along 
the Tnranna road. Tills is very distinct 
fibm Black or White Peppermint, or 
liisdon Gum (often known as Blue Pep¬ 
permint). It was treated as a distinct 
species by Hooker, and named by him 
Eucalyptus nitida. There is a very simi¬ 
lar tret, 1 in the Lake District, but this, 
having the juvenile foliage of the Moun¬ 
tain Peppermint, is probably derived 
from that species. The various forms of 
Peppermints in Tasmania are very con¬ 
tusing. mid require patient observation 
and cultivation to elucidate them. 
Ferns always appeal to the young botan¬ 
ist. and the Peninsula is fairly strong in 
species. All three of our Tree-ferns ap¬ 
pear here. Besides the common Old Man 
Fern, plenty of specimens of the Prickly 
Tree-fern are to be found. The stem is 
thick, and is commonly from six to 
twelve feet long: the stalk of the leaf is 
prickly. The fruit is very distinct. In 
the common Dicksonia the spore-cases 
are produced in clusters close to tlie mar¬ 
gin. Filch cluster is covered by a thick 
st ale or indusiuiii, which opens outwards. 
As it matures the margin of the leaf re¬ 
curves, so that the sums of spore-cases 
appears us if contained in n double case. 
I n the Prickly Tree-fern the sori are 
numerous, and placed ou the back of the 
leaf. There is no indusium, and the 
cases are attached to a short, thick pro¬ 
cess. This fern is Alsopliila australis. 
The Palm Tree Fern, Cyathen ouuning- 
hnmi, is also found in gullies in the vi¬ 
cinity of the Neck. It is not often in 
fruit, but may he distinguished by the 
slender stern, which is often very tall. 
This fern is peculiar for bearing rudi- 
