36 Bak^akv. Notes of a Visit to W. A: [voT'^^xxxvi 



along the line as I descended, of which I am unable to give the 

 names. I noticed here, as also in the open scrub land about 

 Victoria Park, a southern suburb, quantities of Calectasia 

 cyanea, the Tinsel Lily of our Grampians. The Western Wattle, 

 Acacia saligna, was very fine about Applecross, where also that 

 remarkable tree, Nuytsia floribiinda, known as the Christmas- 

 tree (on account of its being covered with gorgeous orange 

 blossoms about Christmas time) also grows, but I did not come 

 across a specimen. There was also a brilliantly-coloured 

 Banksia. Another good place for flowers was the open land 

 close to the tram terminus at Mount Lawley, a northern 

 suburb. Two other places I wanted to visit but could not, 

 on account of the infrequency of the trains, were the Serpentine 

 Falls, beyond Armadale, and Gingin (50 miles), on the Northern 

 (Geraldton) railway, where I would have seen a different 

 class of country. Swan View (Darling Range) is also a 

 good wild-flower locality, but had to be omitted from my 

 itinerary. 



A couple of days before I left Perth a wild-flower show for 

 patriotic purposes was held in the Town Hall. Of course, I 

 paid it a visit, but was somewhat disappointed. There were 

 certainly quantities of Kangaroo Paws, Boronia (from Albany), 

 Geraldton Wax-flowers, &c., for sale, but little attempt at a 

 botanical display ; however, I saw many flowers which I had 

 not met with in my short rambles, such as the red Leschen- 

 aultia (which, I believe, is somewhat rare), the Verticordias, 

 and quite a number of orchids, including the Porcelain Orchid, 

 of which we had specimens at our recent display. 



It is possible that some of my listeners have been dis- 

 appointed in the fact that I did not enter into greater detail 

 than I have done regarding the flora of that part of Western 

 Australia which I visited, but it must be borne in mind that I 

 was a stranger in a strange land, and my visit was far too short 

 in which to gather much detail of such a large subject ; and 

 besides, Mr. Topp, in his paper previously referred to, has 

 made so many comparisons between south-western and south- 

 eastern plants that further detail is unnecessary now. For 

 those who contemplate a visit thither I would suggest a study 

 of the articles on the natural history of the State which have 

 appeared in the Year-Book published by the State Govern- 

 ment, particularly those in vols, ix.-xiii. (1894-1902). A useful 

 article on the flora, by Mr. J. J. East, with references to 

 previous writers on the subject, was published in the 

 " Cyclopaedia of Western Australia," 191 2 ; while the handbook 

 published for use of the British Association meeting in 1914, 

 together with the articles by Mr. J. H. Maiden, LS.O., F.R.S., 

 in the Federal handbook for the same meeting, contain a vast 



