THE GEELONG NATURALIST. IDS 
We secure some young Wrens (Malurus cyaneus), aud notice: 
that the young male Blue Wren resembles the hen except that he 
has a blue tail. We made sure, by dissection, that we were dealing 
with cock birds. 
Jan. 9th finds us packing our goods preparatory to a start 
home. As before, we have to carry them awhile, as no vehicle 
could possibly reach our eamp. However, this time we only have 
to take them as far as the mouth of the creek, as we have enlisted 
the sympathies of the owner of a spring cart, who takes them 
thence to the Erskine. They are also much lighter, as in nearly 
three weeks six healthy men destroy a good deal of provisions in 
the ranges. i 
When we reach the Erskine we find that our coach has not 
arrived, so we wait in patience, sitting alongside our possessions 
and having a yarn. Some small boys are attracted, and give us 
their opinions on things in general. 
We form an object of no less interest to numerous gorgeous 
tourists, who are on their way from the township up the creek. 
The coach not arriving we at last pitch a tent and make ourselves 
comfortable, but we find the Erskine is not to be compared to the 
St. George as a camping ground, for although it is more sheltered, 
and the water is more accessible (the St. George having very steep 
banks), firewood is scarce, and there is too much publicity. Also 
bull ants are plentiful and birds are scarce. Choughs (Corcorax 
melanorhamphus) and Wattlers (Anthochaera carunculata) form au 
exception, as while they were almost absent from the St. George, 
they abound here. They appear to like the neighbourhood of 
habitations. 
Jan. 10th.—As at the St. George there is a great profusion of 
small lizards on the banks of the creek. We potter about all the 
morning doing nothing in particular till towards mid-day our coach 
arrives. We load up while the horses are having a spell, and about 
two o’clock cross the bridge and enter the ranges. We take several 
views on the road, a good part of which we walk, as we have had 
no exercise all the morning. We secure the Hor-e-shoe Honey- 
eater (Meliornis Australasiana), and hear the ‘Cartwheel bird ” 
several times in the gullies below the road. We also see several 
Hill Crowshrikes (Strepera melanoptera) of which we secure a 
specimen. Between five and six we reach Uncle Tom’s Cabin 
again, where we find he has got tea ready, and we do full justice to it. 
After tea we proceed to put the specimens of the day in order, and 
take a flashlight view of the interior of the kitchen. 
