THE GEELONG “NATURALIST. BN 
GIPPSLAND. 
Bv tHE Rev. James S. H. Roycz, F.R.G.S., 
Associate of the Vic. Institute, Tondon. 
( Continued. ) 
Nor far from Sale there is a belt of dead timber which extends 
for miles in a northerly direction; the aborigines say that an 
insect tribe caused the trees to die off, but as the event tran- 
spired previous to the settlement of colonists, it is difficult to 
affirm positively what was the cause. The dead timber gives. 
a weird appearance, suggesting the scenes in Dante's “ In- 
ferno,” so grimly portrayed by Doré in his remarkable 
pictures. A singular circumstance connected with the dead 
timber is that it is solid and sound as when the sap was 
supplying life and growth; the trees are denuded of bark and 
give a whitish aspect, which has a singular effect by the belt 
threading its way through the dense living forest. 
The Ptosptorons are indigenous to Gippsland, and some 
fine specimens may be seen near the Lakes Entrance. The 
Banksia, or mountain honeysuckle, grows luxuriantly on poor 
sandy soil; between Sale and Port Albert there are some 
large specimens, producing cones as large as a fine pine- 
apple. This tree is peculiar to the Antipodes, but it is a 
remarkable fact that the cones are found in a fossilized state 
in the severe latitudes of N. Europe. In the spring of the 
year the flora of Gippsland is profuse and beautiful. Travel- 
ling on one occasion near Wilson’s Promontory, I was much 
interested with its botany; the clematis, which was then in 
full bloom, and perfumed the air with its fragrance, had 
climbed the eucalyptus trees 40 and 50 feet, and was hanging 
in gorgeous festoons from the branches above. The display 
of heaths also presents a fine picture which an admirer will 
not soon forget; whole hillsides are covered with white, pink, 
and red varieties. The ferns, too, are great in variety and 
rich in foliage, while the mosses and lichens,. fungus, and 
other parasites present an ample field of study. 
The trip from;Sale to the Lakes is pleasant and enjoyable 
for those who seek a change from city life, and are seeking to 
invigorate the mental and physical powers; such anticipa- 
tions may be fully realised by a trip to this delightful part of 
Victoria. From the city to Sale there is a railway journey of 
six hours; much of this lies through a dense forest, particu- 
larly about Warragul, where the gaunt saplings go up straight 
as a ship’s mast 200 feet into the air; while beneath are the 
