112 THE VICTORIAN NATURALIST. 



>niicifera (= Nelumbium speciosum, Willd.), occurs in Queens- 

 land and North Australia ; this bears pink flowers, 4-8 in. 

 across. It is found in Asia, from the Caspian to Japan. To 

 'the genus, which includes the British white water-lily of the 

 poets, belong the most glorious of Australian forms, with 

 'flowers sometimes a foot in diameter, and blue, purple, pink, or 

 ■rarely white in colour. Baron von Mueller refers these to two 

 different species, N. slellata, which grows luxuriantly in the 

 tropical waters of Africa and Asia, and N. giganlea, which 

 is apparently confined to this continent. To enlarge on the 

 •colours of exotic forms would exact too much space, but "F." will 

 find particulars in Bentham and Hooker's "Genera Plantarum," 

 or De Candolle's " Prodromus," in the Public Library. 



"Townsville" communicates the following notes from per- 

 sonal observation : — There are three varieties, blue, crimson or 

 ■pink, and white. Although the three varieties sometimes grow 

 in close proximity to each other, as a rule the blue grows near 

 the coast and the crimson in the interior, and both appear to 

 favour quiet lagoons and "billabongs," while the white prefers 

 -streams. Some of the flowers, when fully expanded, measure 

 eight inches across. The large orbicular leaves are about 

 ■eighteen inches in diameter, with tough roots ten to twelve feet 

 long. An interesting question here suggests itself. In the 

 -matter of adaptation of colour, which of these three lilies is the 

 original "^ 



" F. Reader " writes : — Of more than seventy known 

 •species of Nymphiaea but few bear flowers other than white. 

 For example — N. scutifolia, D.C., Cape Good Hope (blue) ; N. 

 ■ ccerulea, Sav., Egypt (blue) ; N. stellata, W , East Indies 

 (blue) ; N. cyanea, Rox., East Indies (blue) ; N. 7-ubra, Rox., 

 East Indies (red). 



Laughing Jackass. — Belongs to Alcedinidae or kingfishers, 

 and is in no even remote degree allied to the hawks. Scientific 

 name Dacelo gigis, or great brown kingfisher. Professor Hux- 

 ley considers the kingfishers as being most nearly connected 

 ■structurally with the cuckoos and trogons. 



EXCHANGES. 



CoNCHOLOGY. — Wish to exchange specimens of land, fresh 

 water, and marine shells with collectors in Victoria. D. J. 

 Adcock (F, N. Section, Royal Society of S.A.), 27 Currie- 

 street, Adelaide, South Australia. 



Insects, with parasites, wanted. H. Watts, 20 Wellington- 

 street, Collingwood. 



