1837."] Account of the New Colony of Western Australia. 305 



Although I have called the Swan and Murray rivers the boundaries to 

 the north and south as being fixed points, it would be more correct to 

 say the country adjacent to these rivers, varying from one to four or 

 five miles, the entire area being about fifty miles by thirty. Rottenest 

 Island which is in front of the Swan river, was discovered by Vlaming 

 in 16%. 



The country is generally of the open forest description, in undulat- 

 ing plains, covered with a great profusion of trees, shrubs, and her- 

 baceous plants, amongst the more important families of which are first 

 the Myrtacea ( J ussieu), comprising the Eucalyptus, and the guava, 

 immediately related to it; these form nearly three-fourths of the 

 forest. In this order we find the red gum tree ( Eucalyptus resinifera J, 

 the blue gum tree (E. piperita), the brown gum tree or mahogany 



(E. robusta), the white gum tree (E. -J, the black butted gum 



tree (E. —J, stringy bark tree (E. j ; also the Leptospermum, 



Callitris, tea tree ( Melaleuca linarifolia), and others j these gum trees 

 are found most useful for building purposes. 



The second class in importance is the Leguminosce, divisible into 

 three principal families — the Mimose<e,LomentacecB and Papilionacece* 

 The Mimoseco belong almost wholly to the genus Acacice, and are very 

 generally diffused; amongst these are the black wattle tree (Acacia 

 melanoxylon), green wattle tree (A. decurrens), and several other 

 species. The Papilionacea? include the Gompholobium glaucescens, 

 and Hovea rosmarinifolia. The third class is the Proteacece, to which 

 belong the Banksia, Hakea, and four species of Grevillea, 4th. — To 

 the Diosmece (Brown) belong the Boronia, Correa, &c— 5th. Dille- 

 niaceie (Decandolle) different species of Hibbertia.— 6th. The Epa~ 

 cridi(B (Brown) Styphelea, Epacris, three species.— 7th. The Com' 

 posita (Jussieu) Aster, Bellis, Helichrysum albicans. — 8th. Thymele<B t 

 two species of Pimelea called ligustvina and linoides.— 9th. Solanece, 

 Anthocercis albicans.— 10th. Goodenovice, several species. — 11th. 

 Orchideoe, several varieties ; those which resemble the bee and butter- 

 fly are most admired— Umbelliferous plants and Filices. The more 

 conspicuous plants and trees not belonging to any of these families, 

 and which greatly contribute to give a character to the landscape, are 

 a species of Zanthorea, or grass tree ; a Zamia, or palm tree ; three 

 species of Casuarina, the she oak tree (C. stricta), swamp oak tree 

 (C. paludosa), and forest oak tree (C. lorulosa) ; the latter make good 

 shingles, and paling or fencing. The Nulsya fioribunda, or cabbage 

 tree, a singular plant, nearly confined to this part of the coast, and 

 named after its discoverer j when in flower it much resembles the 



