BY REV. W. WOOLLS, PH.D., F.L.S. 



57 



Thus it appears, that in N. S. Wales the species are not one 

 third of those in W. Australia, whilst Queensland, Victoria, S. 

 Australia, N. Australia and Tasmania have respectively, so far as 

 yet known — 59, 51, 33, 33 and 23. Banksia, Hakea, and Grevillea 

 are common to all Australian Colonies and Tasmania, whilst the 

 first has been found on S.E. of New Guinea (F. v. M., Papuan 

 Plants, p. 18.) Dryandra, which differs from Banksia principally 

 in having an involucre of numerous bracts, is exclusively a western 

 genus, and so remarkable for the uniformity of its flowers, that 

 Mr, Bentham found it difficult to establish any definite sections. 

 No species of this genus has travelled accidentally out of its peculiar 

 region. Syminliyonema, in its two species of *S'. montanuni and 

 S. ^;aZMC?osttm, has not been found beyond the limits of New 

 South Wales, whilst Bellendena, Agastachys and Genarrhenes, 

 each represented by a single species, are peculiar to Tasmania. 

 Hakea cychptera seems limited to a small area in South Aus- 

 tralia, but H. multilineata which is beautifully figured amongst 

 Brown's " Forest Plants of South Australia," and was sup- 

 posed to have migrated as a solitary species from the west, has 

 recently been met within the north (F. v. M.) There is something 

 remarkable in the distribution of the Proteacece in Australia. 

 Allan Cunningham who accompanied the late Admiral King in his 

 survey of the north-western coasts of the continent, was of opinion 

 that in that region the order was limited to Grevillea, Hakea and 

 Persoonia, and, further, that Banksia was not rejjresented there. 

 He says : — " Viewing the general distribution of Banksia it is a 

 singular fact in the geographical distribution of this genus, that its 

 species, which have been traced through almost every meridian of 

 the south coast, upon the Islands of Bass's Strait, in Van Diemen's 

 Land, and widely scattered throughout the whole extent of New 

 South Wales to the south coast, at which extreme of the continent 

 B. dentata has been observed as far west as longitude 130° east, 

 should be wholly wanting as the north-west coast." He then adds 

 " Our limited knowledge of the west coast (properly so called) 

 does not aff"ord us matei-ials to hazard even a particular conclusion 

 relative to the existence of this family on its shores, excepting that, 



