by alex. g. hamilton. 351 



Average Temperatures for 1896, 1897, 1898. 



The general facies of the flora resembles that of the Illawarra 

 brush-forests, but man}^ plants characteristic of the latter district 

 are wanting, while on the other hand but a few are found at Mt. 

 Wilson and not in Illawarra. Among the imjaortant orders and 

 genera not represented at Mt. Wilson are Anonacese, Menisper- 

 maceji', Piperacea?, Meliaceje, Passiflorfe (a seedling plant sent to 

 me by Mr. Cox resembled Passifiora aurantia, but he was unable 

 to find a mature plant), Sapotacese, and Ebenacese, and Livistona. 



Livistona is common on the Kurrajong; Metrosideros, Platy- 

 cerium and Asplenum nidus grow at Mt. Irxine, but not at Mt. 

 Wilson proper. 



It is remarkable that of 1 2 species of Eucalyptus growing on 

 the mountain, but two — E. viminalis and E amygdalina — are to 

 be found on the basalt. And 10 out of the whole number belong 

 to the section Renantherse, which has only 23 species altogether. 



Another remarkable point is the scarcity of Loranthacese. 

 Four species occur, but they are rare indeed, except the curious 

 terrestrial, non-parasitic Loranth, Atkinsonia. The ranty of 

 Dicceum hirundiuacemu which feeds on loranth lierries would 

 seem to bear out Professor Tate's theory as to the absence of the 

 Loranthacese in Tasmania being due to the absence of the bird 

 also, but I do not think the two facts have anything to do with 

 each other. Many of the honey-eaters devour the loranth fruits, 

 and distribute the seeds both in their droppings and by their 

 wiping off adherent fruits from their beaks on the branches of 

 trees. 



The absence of Kanuncidus is strange. In Illawarra R. 

 lappaceus is very plentiful in open grassy forests resembling some 

 of the Mt. Wilson country. 



