$i ou THE GEELONG NATURALIST. 
great show-place. The Phantom Falls are so called because they 
are a delusion. They have a height of about 30 feet, but the 
scenery is almost nil. 
On our way back we take an easier road down a tributary 
creek of the St. George. This creek is full of magnificent ferns, 
and we see a black cockatoo (Calyptorhynchus funereus). 
Jan. 1st.—We go to Lorne to see off by the coach two of the 
party who are compelled to return. After a most affecting farewell 
we stroll up the creek to visit the Sanctuary, which, although it 
may once have deserved its reputation as a beauty spot, is now 
nothing more than any other part of the creek. It seems to have 
been destroyed by visitors carrying off ferns and spoiling things 
generally. After we reach camp again we get a halt-hour's good 
fishing among the eels, and as usual the friendly old laugher 
(Dacelo gigas) says good-night as the darkness comes down. 
Jan. 2nd.—While at breakfast we notice a black cockatoo 
(Calyptorhynchus funereus) on a hill opposite the camp, where we 
see him nearly every morning and evening. He appears to go to 
work about 6 a.m. and to return to his forest home about 6 p.m., 
thus not adhering to the eight hours’ system. A couple of nights 
ago he seemed to have been going in for dissipation as he did not 
return home till morning. We frequently hear some young white- 
back magpies (Gymnorhina leuconota), but we saw the old birds 
this morning for the first time, although we have been here a week. 
They do not seem to care for the ranges. The birds here apparently 
do not build in the gum saplings, as so far we have not found a 
single nest in these trees. The honey-eaters appear to prefer the 
ginger scrub (Helichrysum ferrugineum), and the wax-bill (Estrilda 
Jf. temporalis) a tree like a small pine (Bursaflia spinosa). 
e 
Jan. 3rd.—We start over Mt. St. George, which is a hill cut 
into two at the top by a good-sized gully: one half being almost 
bare while the gully is heavily timbered, and the coast side naturally 
has nothing but small shrubs on it. Except a few red lories 
(Platycerus Pennantii) there are very few birds about.till we cross 
the ridgé into the valley of the Sheoak creek. Here birds are more 
abundant, and we notice the wattle bird (Anthochera carunculata), 
the mountain thrush (Geocichla lunulata), the lunulated honey-eater 
(Melithreptus lunulatus), and the white-plumed honey-eater 
(Ptilotis penicillata) amongst others. A countryman whom we find 
stripping bark informs us that there are 20 feet falls on the Sheoak, : 
which we decide to visit on a future day. We then make back to 
camp. 
" Jan.4th,—and we are on our road to the Witch’s Head, 
and the wreck of the * Godfrey." We go by way of the Sheoak, 
