THE GEELONG NATURALIST. QN 
There are still a few of the Painted Lady (Pyrameis: Kershawii) 
and the Red Admiral (Pyrameis Itea) about, also the Xenica 
Kluggii, but they seem a smaller brood than last month. ‘There are 
large swarms of black and brown Beetles, and the Jackasses (Dacelo 
gigas) and Magpies (Streperae and Gymnorhinae) have a fine time 
of it catching them. : 
A TRIP TO THE OTWAY FOREST. 
“Oh! exquisite joy of retiring 
At times to a primitive life ; 
No bed but a blanket requiring, 
And eating all food with a knife, 
How blissful a tent with a tear is, 
Where enters the genial fog, 
How sweet the “ Australian canaries "— 
Mosquitoes that bite like a dog. 
Oh! rapture of living on damper, 
Of gnawing the breast of a swan, 
Of searching for food in a hamper, 
And finding that everything’s gone. 
Oh ! banquet enjoyable wholly 
When sugar and milk there are none, 
When dinner is “ Johnny-cake” solely, 
And earwigs can join in the fun.” 
BARWON BALLADS. 
THE party is composed of Messrs Purnell, Bratley, Hammerton, 
Howard, Mozley and Hill. A long discussion ends in a decision to 
go to the Cumberland Creek, about five miles beyond Lorne, so 
that 6 o'clock on Christmas Day, ’93, sees Cobb & Co:s coach 
standing loaded up in front of the College in the act of having its 
portrait taken. ‘Five minutes more and we are bowling along towards 
Barwon Bridge, where we pick up two of our members, and 
immediately push on again. The morning has been gloomy, and as 
we leave the bridge a misty rain begins to fall, and soon damps the 
clothes of the outside passengers, though not their spirits, The 
latter are in charge of No. 6, to be used in case of emergency. 
Just as we are beginning to think about breakfast we see a farm 
house near the road, and one of our party is sent to ask permission 
to boil ourbilly on the fire, as the wood outside is wet. He returns 
with an invitation for us all to go inside, where we find the dining- 
room handed over to us altogether, and this, as one member puts 
it, is far better than the shelter of a barbed wire fence. After 
breakfast the camera is brought into requisition, for a view of the 
house and family of our worthy host (Mr Loughron). From him 
we learn that the district is called Wordieboluc. After a chat we 
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