SHRUBS. 65 



entwined over the slirubs in their vicinity ; the 

 other golden and fragrant flowers of the Acacias 

 (of which genus the colony possesses a large 

 number of indigenous species) gave an additional 

 beauty to the otherwise arid character of the 

 vegetation ; the Xylomelum pyriforme, or wooden 

 pear-tree, so called from its exceedingly hard 

 woody fruits, is seen abundant in the vicinity 

 of Sydney, several are seen from thirty to 

 thirty-five feet in elevation, and two feet in cir- 

 cumference. A splendid Bignonia overspread 

 the rocks, decked with its pendulous clusters of 

 tinted blossoms ; and two large and parisitical 

 Dendrohiums, in full flower, adorned the rough 

 trunk of one of the eucalyptus tribe to which it 

 had attached itself for sustenance ; and the dif- 

 ferent species oiGrevillea,Leptospermum, Pimelia, 

 Lambertia, Crowea, and a number of others, 

 added to the animated appearance of the soil. 

 On the north shore the shrubs and plants, now 

 in full flower, were more abundant; the arid 

 soil was brilliant with the variety of tints ema- 

 nating from them, combining to charm the eye 

 with their beauty, but were destitute of that 

 agreeable fragrance for which the flowers of 

 European climes are so highly esteemed. 



On the Leptospermum I remarked an insect, 

 or rather the larva of some Coleopterous insect, 



VOL. I. F 



