134 J. H. MAIDEN AND R. H. CAMBAGE. 



" Eight miles west of Fish River is a fine spacious valley running 

 N.W. and S.E. bounded by hills of easy ascent and thinly covered 

 with timber. This vale, which the Governor called Sidmouth 

 Valley is an exceedingly fine and rich grazing spot." 



The soil is too rich to have much variety of plants. 

 Cunningham proceeds to say " Onward, diminutive forest 

 lands prevail, which are open rising grounds, and fine grassy 

 plains." Going westerly from Sidmouth Valley, we 

 approach O'Connell Plains and are in the Bathurst district. 



We found Banksia marginata (Honeysuckle) was common 

 along the roadside, but strictly confined to the granite 

 formation. It was absent from those parts of the Main 

 Divide which were covered by the Devonian conglomerates, 

 and being a lover of sandy soil, its advent was a sure indi- 

 cation of the presence of the granite. 



Casuarina Cunninghamiana (River Oak) while absent 

 from the old crossing place on the Fish River and for a 

 mile or so below, was exceedingly common along the banks 

 from the Oberon road to O'Connell. The species seems 

 unable to withstand extremes of heat and cold, and prob- 

 ably its absence from the upper parts of the river is owing 

 to the more rigid conditions of climate. After the Fish 

 River joins the Macquarie the River Oaks continue, and 

 are found some distance below Dubbo, but cease before the 

 Macquarie enters the reed beds where the channel is lost. 

 As an evidence of the effect of aspect upon certain species 

 of our native flora, some of which prefer an eastern or 

 moist climate, while others favour a western or dry atmo- 

 sphere, it was noticed that Eucalyptus amygdalina (Mess- 

 mate or Peppermint) gradually disappeared after the Main 

 Range was crossed, while E. dives. (Peppermint) occurred 

 at intervals the whole way, and is known to be common as 

 far west as Orange. Though both are mountain species, 



