260 A LIST OF THE INDIGENOUS PLANTS OF THE MUDGEE DISTRICT, 



Regarding the occurrence of Eucalyptus globulus so far from its 

 head quarters, I am of opinion that it is a survival froni a cooler 

 and moister climate. The ti'ees— about a dozen and some 

 saplings — grow only in a deep rocky glen surrounded on three sides 

 by precipitous walls of igneous rock. Possibly at one time the 

 tree was common all over the surrounding countiy, and, as the 

 climate changed, it gradually died off, leaving only a few survivors 

 in the most sheltered situations. In support of this view, I may 

 mention that I have since seen specimens of the tree from the 

 Mei'oo, procured in a deep gully there, but higher and moi'e south- 

 ward than Mudgee. 



Mullamuddy, where Mr. J. D. Cox and myself discovered it, is 

 over 2,000 feet above sea level. The only other locality in New 

 South Wales where it has been collected is Araluen, which is 

 about 230 miles south from Mudgee as the crow dies. There, the 

 Rev. R. Collie tells me, it grows, not in a deep shady gully, but on 

 the top of a hill. This may be accounted for by the more southern 

 latitude, and the nearer approach to the sea moderating the 

 climate sufficiently to allow it to exist in a moi-e exposed situation. 

 As far as I know it has not been collected between 3ludgee and 

 Araluen, or between the latter place and its Victorian habitat, but 

 should it be discovered in either gap, it would, I think, be strong 

 evidence in favor of the survival theory. Mr. J. D. Cox agrees 

 with me in this view, and in thinking it improbable that the 

 trees have come from bird-carried seeds. This might be inferred 

 from there being trees 60 feet or more high and 2 feet in diameter, 

 side by side with younger trees and saplings. Another circum- 

 stance at variance with the supposition of bird-carried seeds, is the 

 occurrence of the above-named plants in this limited spot, and the 

 fact that the insects differ from those of the district in general. 



I particularly noticed a large Pieris with brilliant underwings 

 feeding on the blossoms of the Pittosporum. This insect I had 

 previously seen about Sydney frequenting the same species of tree, 

 and also orange trees. 



