EMU FLOWERS. 



81 



the salt of colonial manufacture, from its being 

 of a stronger quality. 



The woods in the vicinity of the " Vineyard" 

 abounded with numerous plants of the Orchidece 

 family, growing in a very barren soil. One of 

 these, that has received the colonial appellation 

 of ^^ native hyacinth,'' was just developing its beau- 

 tiful cserulean blossoms, and another its flowers 

 of a bright yellow, spotted internally with brown. 

 These latter Orchidece are named " hoyams,''* 

 having their bulbous roots filled with a viscid 

 mucilage, which renders them an article of food 

 among the aborigines : they are also sought after 

 by the colonial children, who are fond of collect- 

 ing and eating them ; the little creatures would 

 readily recognize their favourite ' ' boyams'' among 

 the specimens I had collected. The Emu flowers, 

 {Riehea glauca,) were now abundant, and in full 

 blossom ; the colonial appellation has been given 

 from the emus feeding upon them, that is, 

 when emus were to be seen, for they have been 

 driven by encroaching settlements far into the in- 

 terior of the colony, and before long an emu will 



* Boyams are the roots of different genera and species of 

 the Orchideae family ; some are called, by the colonistsi 

 " double or single boyams," according to the appearance of the 

 roots, and they all form an article of food among the abori- 

 ginal tribes. 



VOL. I. G 



