BY THE REV. W. WOOLLS. 
I 27 r> 
derivative forms.” Wallace, in his interesting and suggestive 
“Island Life,” explains on geographical grounds the marvellous 
difference between the floras of South-eastern and South-western 
Australia, and he states as a legitimate conclusion “ that South- 
western Australia is the remnant of the moi’e extensive and more 
isolated portion of the continent in which the peculiar Australian 
flora was principally developed.” And he then adds : “ But while 
this rich and peculiar flora was in process of formation, the eastern 
portion of the continent must either have been widely separated 
from the western, or had, perhaps, not yet risen from the ocean.” 
Now, we find that of the 41 species of Dodomm known to exist 
in Australia, 18 (and probably that number will be increased) are 
indigenous in W. Australia, 10 in S. Austi'alia, eight in Victoria, 
17 in N. S. Wales, 13 in Queensland, and seven in N. Australia. 
Of the 18 western species, 11 have not as yet been found 
in any of the other colonies, and 12 now distributed through 
the eastern colonies are unrepresented in the west ; whilst one 
(Z>. viscosa, its var. angustifolia, and others) is found widely 
scattered in Australia, especially near the coast. Though these 
figures seem to militate against the supposition that all the 
S[)ecies originally had their “ centrum ” in the west, and 
that in process of ages many travelled to other parts of 
Australia, differing as they established themselves according 
to the climatic and geologic influences of their new habitats, it 
must be borne in mind that, in the opinion of Mr. Bentham, 
the endemic species of Australia are difficult to distinguish 
by positive characters, and “ that species which at fii'st sight 
appear the most distinct often pass into each other by tlie most 
insensible gradations.” But whilst it might be conceived that all 
the Australian species of Dodoruna emanate<l from derivative 
forms in W. Australia, it seems necessary to determine the amount 
