122 POPULAR GEOGRAPHY OP PLANTS. 



might say of one species would be belied by the next we 

 met with. They are truly astonishing sights to English 

 eyes : many of them have huge red blossoms, something in 

 shape like the head of an artichoke, but they are almost all 

 of different shapes and sizes. The foliage too is still more 

 variable ; in some, the leaves are broad and handsome, whilst 

 in others they are as narrow as those of the Yew, or long 

 and not more than three-quarters of an inch wide, and 

 deeply toothed on both sides. In some respects the Pro- 

 teas rather resemble the Daphnes, but differ greatly from 

 them in others, particularly in the stamens being situated 

 on the points of the calyx, instead of between the divisions, 

 and in the uniformly harsh and rigid character of the leaves. 

 But as we have other sights to see, we must now sail 

 up the magnificent harbour to Sydney, that harbour " so 

 beautiful to the eye of the painter, so perfect to that of a 

 sailor," and from thence go further up the country, in a 

 hope of finding some of those remarkable Cherries and Cur- 

 rants. Truly enough we find occasionally something as to 

 which we are puzzled at first whether to call it a grape or a 

 currant : " The fruit is of the deepest lapis-lazuli blue, very 

 much like the colour of the Sevres porcelain," and, as we 

 find to our disappointment, " almost as hard to the touch;" 



