135 



Dudley Peninsula, devoting eight days in tlie middle o£ Novem- 

 ber to a thorough search over its western half, with the result 

 of adding 65 species to the insular flora and Stipa ieretifolia 

 and Sclicenus sculptus to the provincial flora, and Syclrocotyle 

 crassiuscula, new to science. The total number now known is 

 415. 



Artificial Ixfltjences Modiftiitg YEaETATioi^". 



In the interests of phytogeography it is imperative, that we 

 should without loss of time ascertain the precise nature of the 

 flora of the island undisturbed by artificial modifications. In 

 the lists of Robert Brown and Leschenault we have an enu- 

 meration of the feral productions, but as all subsequent 

 botanical collectors have for the most part worked within an 

 area exposed to man's disturbing agencies, it becomes difficult 

 to eliminate from their gatherings those species, which may be 

 suspected to be aliens ; for in this connection we have not only 

 to deal with exotics, but with immigrants of South Australian 

 origin. In respect to the latter, the study of their geographical 

 distribution will not always help to discern between the truly 

 indigenous and the artificially introduced. The question is an 

 embarrassing one to the botanist, and should be kept well in 

 view, when recording the habitats and stations for all plants. 

 A few species indigenous to Australia may be suspected from 

 their environment to be of modern introduction in Kangaroo 

 Island. 



That changes in the floral aspect are being brought about by 

 man is only too obvious, and though it is not always easy to 

 track these migratory plants to their original cradle ; yet certain 

 parts of the island will continue for a little time to come to be 

 free from the disturbing agencies, to which I will now refer. 



The disturbing agencies are : — 



1. Farming and Gardening Operations. — In my brief sketch of 

 the history of settlement and occupation on the island I have 

 indicated the localities and given the dates of settlement, as 

 far as the data at my command admitted. These facts may be 

 of future use, when the more obvious traces of man's early oc- 

 cupation have disappeared from the sites of some of these 

 older settlements, and will explain the origin of some doubt- 

 fully indigenous plant. At Duck Lagoon, on the Lower 

 Cygnet Eiver, I gathered specimens of a Linaria — evidently a 

 garden escape, though all traces of garden and homestead had 

 disappeared ; yet on inquiry I learnt, that many years ago a 

 hut and enclosure existed on the very spot. 



2. Depasturing of Sheep — Sheep in small flocks have been 

 scattered over much of the island for many years ; but it is only 

 within the last two years, that any importation in large num- 



