70 D'Alton, Botany of the ''Little Desert.'' [vLl^'xxx. 



a carpet of Hihhertia fasciculata. In one of the gum-trees a 

 Wedge- tailed Eagle had constructed its nest, and for several 

 years in succession brought out its brood unmolested. The 

 l)resence of a large number of rabbit skins and bones under 

 the tree bore witness to what the bird usually fed its young on. 

 The bright blue flowers of Bninonia australis, mingled with 

 the white of the Bnrchardia umhellata, will meet the eye during 

 the spring in this oasis, likewise Goodenia genictdata and G. 

 pinnatifida. The more shrubby G. amplexans and G. varia 

 are rare, or altogether wanting, in this region. Here, also, may 

 be found a few orchids, such as Duiris maciilata, Prasophyll-mn 

 fnscttm, Caladenia carnea, and C. difformis. Specimens of 

 Stackhousia linarijolia and Stemodia Morgania, with both white 

 and blue flowers, may also be found here. The pretty chmber, 

 Billardiera cymosa, is not uncommon, but it favours some 

 localities more than others. 



In a remote part of the Desert, a little way from the main 

 portion, there is a pale-flowered Dipodium pundatum to be 

 found, and on many of the hard, gravelly rises, as well as on 

 the good soils around the margin of the desert, that showy 

 member of the Melaleuca family, M. Wilsonii, abounds, its 

 crimson blossoms adorning the dark green of the foliage in 

 the months of October and November. 



In most parts of the Desert may be found Comesperma 

 calymega and C. scopariiim — the one with dark blue and the 

 other with pink flowers. Lobelia simplicicaulis is also rather 

 thinly dispersed. The Compositae is largely represented by 

 Helichrysum Baxteri, H. scorpioides, H. ohtu si folium, H. 

 leucopsidium, H. Blandowskianum, H. apiculatum, H. semi- 

 pappos'itm, H. decurrens, H. obcordatum, Brachycome pachyptera, 

 B. collina, B. melanocarpa. Aster Hiiegelii, Vittadinia australis, 

 Podotheca angustifolia, IxiolcEna tomentosa, Leptorrhynchos 

 squamatus, L. Waitzia, Helipterttm exiguiim, H. dimorpholepis, 

 Humea squamata, Millotia tenuifolia, Toxanthus Muelleri, 

 Gnaphalodes uliginosa, Craspedia Richea, Centipeda Ciinning- 

 hami, Senecio hrachyglossus, S. magnificus, Cymbonoius 

 Lawsoniamis, and Microseris Forsteri. Round some of the 

 salt lakes Samoliis repens, Frankenia Uevis, and Mimidiis repens, 

 intermixed with Wilsonia rotundijolia, are not uncommon. 

 Ranunculus lappaceus may be found growing on the more 

 clayey soils. The Crucifers are not numerous, being repre- 

 sented by Alyssum minimum, Lepidium ruder ale, and 

 Sisymbrium cardaminioides . 



In some of the damp, sandy flats, Drosera Whittakeri and 

 D. spalhulata are abundant, and in many places* D. Menziesii 

 will be found twining amongst the bushes. A small form of 

 Hyperiuim Japonicum is prevalent in moist places, and in some 



