254 NOTES AND EXHIBITS. 



of water. At 8 feet from the surface, passing through very 

 sandy loam, a deposit of bones, several feet in thickness, was 

 discovered. Those exhibited were some that had been thrown 

 out in the course of excavating. It is probable that there is a 

 large deposit of fossil-bones that could be very easily unearthed 

 in the soft loam (of what appears to have been a subartesian 

 spring), and that it is well worthy of investigation by geologists. 

 The authorities of the Mines Department, some years ago, sent 

 collectors to visit the spot; but, at that time, the depression was 

 a sheet of water due to local rains, and the specimens collected 

 were simply those lying on the surface. No excavations have 

 been made except in this one well. Cuddie Spring is on a free- 

 hold block of 100 acres, owned by Mr. Allan Yeomans; but 

 authority could be obtained by the Geological Department to 

 investigate this unique deposit. 



Mr. A. A. Hamilton exhibited, from the National Herbarium, 

 a series of cultivated examples of Cale7idula ojfici^ialis L., from 

 the Sydney Botanic Gardens, showing prolification accompanied 

 by various alterations of position. — Two forms of Bceckea densi- 

 folia Sm., from the Blue Mountains, showing the effect of 

 environment. The specimen from Valley Heights(about 1,000ft.) 

 growing in a sheltered position, is a slender plant with rampant 

 branches, and small fine leaves. The example from Newnes 

 Junction (about 3,500 feet), which grows on the stony soil of a 

 denuded hillside, exposed to the westerly winds, is a closely 

 packed shrub, with coarse leaves and virgate branches, the whole 

 plant showing the effects of the harsh conditions. — Acacia 

 melanoxylon R.Br., from Austinmer, exhibiting changes of 

 juvenile and adult foliage. The examples exhibited were taken 

 in one case from plants 6 ft. high with pinnate (juvenile) leaves, 

 which were then commencing to produce phyllodes. In the 

 other form, plants 15 ft. high, with the foliage exclusively adult, 

 were found reverting to the juvenile stage. — A series of leaves of 

 Daviesia corymhosa Sm., showing variation, from rotundate to 

 linear, obtuse, acute to long acuminate, and ranging from 1 in. 

 to 7 in. long, and from 2^ in. to 1 line broad. 



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