306 BOTANICAL INFORMATION. 
markable species of Acacia, and about two miles from the 
main branch of the river, came to a considerable brook, 
running strong to the west. Here we stopped to refresh 
ourselves and our horses, at a spot called Murarine by the 
natives, and I was struck by a splendid plant, which my sons 
had described to me and they supposed it to be a Lasiope- 
talum, while to me it looked more like the genus Solanum, 
though I have never seen the fruit, which they tell me is a 
four-celled capsule. The flowers measure an inch and a half 
across, and are of a beautiful purple, and the calyx, which is 
smaller than the corolla, partakes of the same hue, resem- 
bling velvet in texture. "The leaves are acuminate and more 
than an inch wide at the broadest part, covered, especially 
the young ones, with rusty down; the blossoms are pro- 
duced singly near the ends of the branches, and the whole 
plant grows from one to three feet high, and has stems 
armed with slender thorns. Whatever be its genus, this is 
one of the handsomest productions of Australia. 
About four miles north of the river, we came to two ien 
called Maradine and Dalarn by the Aborigines, and between 
these we fixed our encampment. Thousands of Ducks were 
swimming on the water, and such numbers of the Water-Hen, 
which once visited Swan River, that Mr. Gilbert killed three 
or four ata single shot. The large white-necked Crane was 
also abundant here, but we only saw a single pair of Black 
Swans. A species of Coot, with a bald face, resembling the — 
European bald-faced Coot, inhabits these lakes, and also —— 
the lakes nearer Perth. A species of Hakea, (18), ` Et 
very narrow foliage and boat-shaped seed-vessels, is fi 
this district, but I doubt of its specific distinctness from one 
that occurs near Guildford. Near the lakes grew an ann 
apparently belonging to Composite, with oval leaves, anda 
beautiful Beckea, attaining a height of twelve to iin en 
which I had never seen before. jm 
On the 29th we returned about six or seven miles on our 2 
tracks, and then ascended the brook which I have mentione - 
as pursuing a westerly course. Our route lay south-east; 
