64 the South Australian Naturalist. 



was seen on the hillsides, but never near the water. One of the 

 native hops CDodonaea viscosa) was found as large shrubs, 

 the shiny-green leaves, which are characteristic of most of the 

 species, giving them a varnished appearance. Another plant 

 with very stocky and glossy leaves is Myoporum viscosum, a 

 rare plant in our hills now. A number of plants of the weep- 

 ing pittosporum (P. phillyraeoides) were seen. Two small 

 plants were in flower — early Nancy (Anguillaria dioica) and 

 Stackhousia linarifolia, with cream flowers and resembling a 

 mignonette. 



Lecture, "A Trip to Ooldea," by Dr. R. H. Pulleine, July 



20, 1922.— The monthly meeting was held on July 18. The fol- 

 lowing exhibits were tabled : By Mr. A. M. Lea, various insects 

 showing remarkable difl'erences in the sexes, the male almost 

 invariably being the more showy and beautiful. By Mr. J. A. 

 Hogan, seedlings of native lilac (Hardenbergia monophylla), 

 grown from seed obtained from the Morialta Reserve. This 

 plant is easily raised, and is well worth garden cultivation. 

 By Mr. W. Ham, a fossil sea urchin, or echinoderm, from Port 

 Noarlunga, and a native flint knife from Fowler's Bay. By Mr. 

 J. F. Bailey, fourteen species of native plants in flower at 

 the Botanic Garden, Adelaide. By Mr. W. H. Selway, 

 the Queensland Silver wattle (Acacia podalyraefolia) and 

 a large and fortunately rare grasshopper from near 

 the city. By Mr. E. H. Ising, a number of native 

 flowers collected near Perth last month by Mr. A. Pasquill, 

 chiefly flowers belonging to the pea family ; and a rare shell 

 (Mitra glabra j from the Semaphore beach, found by Geoffrey 

 Ising. The lecture for the evening was given by Dr. R. H. Pul- 

 leine on ''A Trip to Ooldea on the East-West Line." The 

 doctor gave a mass of interesting information, and showed a 

 large number of slides and photos, of the district, besides 

 exhibiting a large collection of flints exhibiting the work of 

 the natives. Ooldea is 427 miles from Port Augusta, and is 

 on the edge of the great NuUarbor Plain. It is famous for its 

 wonderful supply of fresh water, which has been known to the 

 natives apparently for centuries, as the country around is 

 strewn with numberless flints bearing evidence of native craft. 

 Explorers have known of Ooldea water, and now the Common- 

 wealth railways make use of the apparently cxhaustless supply. 

 The water is obtained from Ooldea Soak, about three miles north 

 of the line. The "Soak" is situated between high sandhills, 

 where there are about thirty wells about twelve feet deep, into 

 which the water soaks. Pumping is carried on by several 

 engines, and the water is conveyed across the sandhills in a 



