March, 1907.] THE TICTORIAN NATURALIST. 205- 



Hence there are no trees. We can trace the same 

 principle in all our other rocks. Since too much salt is 

 poison to a plant, those plants living in salt soils absorb 

 but little water, and many plants are common to salt soils 

 and dry soils, as, for instance, saltbushes, pig's face. 

 sheoak, and many others. Whether there is actually but 

 little water, or the water is too salt to drink, is all one to 

 plant and animal alike. 



BOTANY. 



By Prof. Ewart, Ph.D., D.Sc, F.L.S., Government 

 Botanist and Professor of Botany, Melhourne Uni- 

 versity, and J . P. McLennan, State School, Emerald. 



Thursday, the 27th of December, was the day set apart 

 for Botany ; but during the week two or three early 

 morning trips were made by some of the keener spirits. 

 A better idea of the varied character of the flora of the 

 district was obtained from these extended trips, the 

 characteristic plants, of the granite soil near Mount 

 Martha especially being noted. 



As the camp was situated on the edge of the cliffs, a 

 splendid opportunity was afforded of comparing the coast 

 plants with those of the inland fields. 



The plan adopted was to stroll along, collecting typical 

 specimens as thev were found, and to make an occasional 

 halt, when a lecturette on the characters of flowers and 

 natural orders, together with the names of most of the 

 flowers seen during the outing, was delivered. 



In the morning, the plants along the shore line were 

 examined, and Professor Ewart pointed out the chief 

 cliaracteristics of the plants growing on such exposed 

 situations ; the large number having succulent stems or 

 leaves, was noted. 



In some places, there were thick mats of Teiragonia 

 imflexicoma, or New Zealand spinach, as it is some- 

 times called. Another succulent plant growing very pro- 

 fusely was M esemhr yanthemiim aiistrale. The Sea 

 Rocket (Cakile maritima), Rhagodia billardiera, Goodenia 

 oi'ata, HelicJirysum aficidatzim, and Senecio lantns were 

 also noticed in bloom. The last-named was not s.o robust 

 as it usually is when growing away from the sea. 

 Several plants of Comes-pcrnia voliibile, the common blue 

 creeper, were seen growing quite unsupported, having 

 assumed the erect habit. An introduced Polvgala or 



