94 THE VICTORIAN NATURALIST. [Vol. XXVI. 



one was to be seen flowering in the garden of Mr. C. Catani, 

 our esteemed Engineer of Roads and Bridges, also a true wattle 

 " apostle." 



Several autumnal-flowering wattles make April gay. In the 

 Grampians, for instance, you will find a variety in whipstick 

 form — in fact, it might be conveniently called the " Whipstick " 

 Wattle — bearing lengthened leaves, and topped with tufts of 

 delicate yellow, diffusing the most delicate of perfumes. By 

 creeks and gullies the trees grow more bushy and branchy, and 

 are almost the only native flowers seen until the heath-like 

 Epacris, in big bells, white, pink, or salmon to deepest crimson, 

 commences to tint the scrub. 



In the sandy tracks of eastern Gippsland and the coastal 

 region of New South Wales grows a wattle of somewhat straggling 

 habit, yet with true mimosa-like foliage, rich art-green in colour. 

 This is Acacia discolor. It has been called the Sunshine Wattle, 

 but why call it " Sunshine" when, as Mr. Maiden says (" Wattles 

 and Wattle-barks," p. 56), all wattle flowers are "emblems of 

 sunshine." The Sunshine Wattle when in flower is adorned all 

 over with bracts, each bearing a dozen or more lemon-yellow 

 balls, but in this case the perfume is not at all pleasing. 



In having thus enumerated a few of our favourite wattles in 

 illustrating my theme of " Yellow-haired September," it will be 

 noticed I have also run the seasons round, and so incidentally 

 constructed a " Floral (Wattle) Calendar," but at the same time 

 it must not be inferred that the wattles mentioned do not bloom 

 in other months than those stated, for situation has much to do 

 with early or late blooming of many of the species. 



As I commenced in July with the graceful Acacia Baileyana 

 let me conclude with the Sweet-scented Wattle, Acacia suaveolens, 

 which is perhaps at its best in June. True to its specific name, 

 its light-coloured tufty flowers are indeed sweet-scented, and on 

 the heath-covered tracts along the eastern shores of Port Phillip 

 Bay this wattle finds a congenial home, sometimes springing in 

 patches of stitT-leaved single stems knee high, at other times 

 appearing as a solitary bush several feet in height. 



Ti:ne, and perhaps your patience, forbid to tell to-night of the 

 Gum-topped Wattle, Acacia penninervis, of Gippsland, found as 

 near Melbourne as the Blacks' Spur, at Healesville, and in the 

 ranges of the far Upper Yarra ; of the Myall and the Mulga of 

 the vast interior of the continent ; of the Brigalow, Acacia harpo- 

 phylla, of Queensland ; of the Jam-wood of Western Australia, 

 Acacia acuminata, so called because its scented wood is so 

 suggestive of the flavour of raspberry jam ; or of that curious 

 species. Acacia Jarnesiana, from Northern Australia, known as 

 the Sponge-tree, which puts forth its globular flowers of old gold 

 amid a development of small, rich green crinkled or sponge-like 



