148 Yarra Floods. 



not unlikely Leichhardt had to encounter it during his last 

 expedition. The occupants of territory in which the plant 

 occurs may now, however, guard to some extent against this 

 vegetable bane, since the plant has become widely known, 

 nor is it unlikely that by setting fire repeatedly to the 

 vegetation of the scrubby ridges on which it grows, that it 

 may be extirpated. Gastrolobium grandiflorum is the 

 only species of the genus as yet found beyond south-west 

 Australia, where several congeners (for instance, 0. bilobum, 

 G. calycinum, G. callistaehys, G. oxylobioides), on account 

 of their poisonous properties, render extensive tracts of the 

 country unoccupiable. I shall have a future occasion to 

 enter on detailed statements of the effects of the Gastrolobia 

 on the animal frame, and give also the results of the 

 chemical analysis of these plants. Expositions of the highly 

 deleterious effect of the Swainsona Greyana, which as a 

 pasture herb on the Darling flats, frequently causes the death 

 of horses during dry seasons, when other herbage fails, as 

 well as an explanation of the deadly effect of the Lotus 

 Australia, causing, when grown and depastured in certain 

 localities, sheep to perish within half an hour, may, as 

 referring likewise to leguminous plants, then come simul- 

 taneously within the precincts of my elucidation. 



Art. XXXV — Yarra Floods and their Remedy. By 

 Hobt. Adams, Esq., C.E. 



[Abstract of Paper read 16th July, 1864.] 



In this paper I propose to examine into the various means 

 that have been suggested for preventing Floods in the River 

 Yarra, and to bring before the Society a scheme that I con- 

 fidently believe would thoroughly meet the difficulty. 



The first object to be attained, is clearly, I think, to select 

 the most suitable point of ultimate discharge of the flood 

 waters into the Bay. There are only four sites possible for 

 an outlet. First, the Yarra mouth ; second, between the 

 Yarra mouth and the Sandridge railway, at or near the site 

 proposed as an entrance for a ship-canal in 1853 ; third, at 

 the Sandridge lagoon ; fourth, at a spot a little to the west- 

 ward of St. Kilda. Amongst these four sites an outlet must 

 be selected. Whatever means may be adopted by an arti- 

 ficial channel or otherwise, to bring the flood waters from 



