^°^ i'^^^^^^ 1 Excursion io Kew. 185 



the first-named gives best results, the large, broad leaves giving 

 a good shade. E. viminalis and E. meUiodora may be seen in 

 various stages of decortication, irrespective of aspect, soil, or 

 season, and these species, and sometimes E. gunnii, var. acerviila, 

 may be indifferently placed in the sections of the cortical 

 system Leiophloia or Hemiphloia, but would sometimes be 

 placed without doubt in one or the other. Students of the 

 native flora may find along the river bank only traces of the 

 once abundant Silver Wattle, A. dealbata, the principal shrubs 

 being now Callisternon salignus, Melaleuca ericifolia^ Leptospermum 

 flavescens, Pomaderris apetala, Kunzea peduncular is, Coprosma 

 Billardieri, and occasionally Hymenanthera Banksii, the " Tree 

 Violet." On the declivities which end the spurs a fair shrubbery 

 exists, comprising stunted eucalypts, Myoporum viscosum, 

 Casiiarina qiiadrivalvis (syn. C. stricta), Exocarpiis cupressi- 

 formis, E. spartea, Acacia pycnantha, &c. The twining parasite 

 Cassytha melantha and Clematis microphylla link together shrubs 

 of different species. A few plants of the introduced and now 

 outlawed gorse, Ulex Europcea, are held in subjection by the 

 Cassytha. Horses graze in the park, and probably keep down 

 many small shrubs and herbs, for of the large number recorded 

 in the Naturalist in 1885 (vol. i., p. 172 et seq.) by Mr. F. 

 Reader in a partial flora of the park, and with notes in system- 

 atic order on their economy and etymology, very many are 

 now absent or difficult to find. At that time Mr. Reader 

 estimated the flora of the park at 271 species, of which 67 had 

 been introduced, thus leaving 204 species, representative of 

 58 natural orders. For other notes on the historical and 

 geographical aspects of the park, those interested might read 

 Mr. F. G. A. Barnard's recently issued " History of Kew." 



Having exhausted the northern section of the park, we 

 crossed in the ferry boat to the Yarra Bend side of the river, 

 and made our way towards the old tramway bridge (now a 

 footbridge), forming a connection with the Kew Asylum 

 grounds. Nothing of interest was seen on our way across the 

 level basaltic plain, but as soon as the river was crossed the 

 wooded Silurian slopes on the Kew side afforded many objects 

 of interest in the way of plants and birds. A visit was paid 

 to the little enclosure, kindly fenced in at the request of the 

 Club by the Asylum authorities some years ago, in order to 

 protect a small, isolated patch of Styphelia strigosa, which, ]\Ir. 

 Barnard had pointed out, was the only occurrence of the species 

 nearer than South Morang, on the Plenty. It was found to 

 be doing well since the cattle had been prevented from browsing 

 on it, and quite a number of other plants were reaping the 

 benefit of the protecting fence, though it is of a very simple 

 character. 



