NOETH SHOEE. 35 



livened by the profusion of these plants, as to suggest the idea of 

 a cultivated garden rather than a wild bush, while little inferior 

 to this, were the species JS. pinnata, ledifolia, and polygalifoUa, 

 which by their pink and red flowers relieve the sombre appear- 

 ance of the dark evergreens around them. On the creeks to the 

 north of Parramatta, Eriostemon salicifolius was stated to occur 

 abundantly, and on the banks of the Nepean, E. myoporoides to 

 grow plentifully ; this last having so powerful a scent as to be al- 

 most overpowering in a room. The species of Corrcea found 

 were alba, virens, and speciosa, the two last, from some resemblance 

 of aspect, being sometimes called native fuchsias. The Epacri- 

 daceae were mentioned as being very numerous, and of peculiar 

 interest as being members of an order almost exclusively Aus- 

 tralian or Polynesian. The crimson nodding flowers of Styphelia 

 tubiflora, and the scarlet and white ones of Epacris grandiflora, 

 are very attractive ; nor must the Leucopogon Richei be forgotten, 

 for its berries are said to have preserved the life of the French 

 naturalist Eiche, who was lost for three days on the south coast 

 of New Holland. About twenty species of Acacia, a genus com- 

 mon in Australia, occur in this locality. The bark of these 

 plants is astringent, and a great quantity of it is used in tanning ; 

 it is also sometimes employed medicinally as a remedy for dy- 

 sentery, whilst the wood of A. melanoxylon is much esteemed by 

 the cabinet maker, being hard, dark in colour and finely veined. 

 The most important order in the colony was said to be the 

 Myrtacea ; nearly all the trees of the forest belonging to it, and 

 also many beautiful shrubs. Some of the Leptospermwns have 

 very much the appearance of the English hawthorn. After thus 

 sketching the various groups of phaenogamous plants and ferns, 

 Mr. Woolls referred to the unfavorable conditions of the climate 

 for the growth of mosses, " but even here," he observes " under 

 certain conditions they are sure to spring up. Whenever a tree 

 in the bush has been burned, Funaria hygrometrica is sure to ap- 

 pear if there is sufficient moisture in the soil ; and wherever in 

 damp and shady places cow manure has begun to decay, Splach- 

 nwn angustatum almost invariably appears. Again on the cindery 

 path, the minute Bryum argenteum delights to grow, whilst the 

 same moss in company with another of diminutive size, Gymnos- 

 tomwn ovatum, may be noticed on the bark or shingles of cottages 



