Page Fourteen 
THE SOUTH AUSTRALIAN NATURALIST 
May 9, 1950. 
dozen of the rarer Pinna — P. virgata. This 
is distinguished by the radial scaly ribs. The 
bubble-shell. Bullaria tenuissima, was very 
common, along with their eggs. These are 
long vermicilli-like threads wound up into 
bundles about the size of a hen’s egg. A 
related species with an internal shell and 
large white slug-like body (Philine angasi) 
was also common. Among the weeds we 
found living F asciolaria coronata , Colus aus- 
tralis (the spindle shell), and the little key- 
hole limpet ( Ambly chile pas omicron). 
Two octopuses were found, one of them 
inside a dead Pinna shell with several hun- 
dred eggs. These were about the size of a 
bean, each anchored by a thin thread-like 
process. 
The most interesting species found were 
two specimens of Aglaja troubridgensis. As 
far as we know, living specimens of this 
have not previously been recorded. The 
animal is a dark chocolate-black slug about 
3 inches long. The surface is sparsely deco- 
rated with irregular white circular patterns. 
The shell is internal. In the stomach of one 
were shells of Philine angasi and juvenile 
Bullaria tenuissima. This indicates that the 
creature is carnivorous and in this case almost 
cannibalistic, as these particular shells are 
close relatives. 
W.G.B. 
OCT. 10, 1949.— HINDMARSH TIERS. 
(Leader: Miss 0. D. Waite.) 
Turning from the main Hindmarsh Valley 
Road, the half-mile strip which leads to 
the Camping Ground, with its belt of scrub 
on either side, looks very inviting at any 
season of the year. In the autumn the 
melaleucas waved brightly and now, in the 
springtime, other flowers add to its attractive- 
ness. The green sward of the Camping 
Ground is bordered by trees. At one side 
the river flows by under drooping willows, 
with an apple tree in full bloom adding color 
to the scene. Along a bush track about a 
quarter of a mile distant, a good view is 
obtained of the Hindmarsh Valley Falls. 
There the river widens and falls in numerous 
cascades. The water flowers along a ledge 
of rock, at one side, to spill over a height of 
about 20 feet. Near the Falls, ferns cover 
the ground, maiden hair ( Adiantum aethiopi- 
cum), Cheilanthes tenui folia, with a few 
plants of Blechnum capense. 
The pretty little Lindsaya linearis deco- 
rates the nooks and crannies of the rocks in 
the vicinity. Correa calycina was there, 
but was not in flower. Out in the scrub 
Correa aemula was noted in flower. On 
the sloping banks near the Falls were some 
fine bushes of Leucopogon australis. Many 
other plants were noted in the locality, the 
most interesting being Scutellaria humilis and 
Phyllo-glossum drurnmondii. 
Orchids noted were Plerostylis nutans , 
Caladenia dilatata , C. leptochila , and C. 
carnea , Glossodia major and the scent bottle 
orchid, Thelymitra antenniera. 
Returning home along the Pambula Road, 
a stop was made to view Granite Island 
through a gap in the Tiers, and another at 
an interesting patch of scrub, where some 
fine specimens of white T etratheca pilosa were 
seen also Poranthera ericoides . On the road- 
side near Mt. Compass, a lovely bush of 
Conospermum patens , our smoke bush, was 
in full bloom. 
O.D.W. 
THE ACACIAS OF THE ADELAIDE 
HILLS 
By N. LEWIS 
CO far as Australia is concerned, Acacia 
means wattle, and vice versa. According 
to A. J. Ewart, the name “wattle” is derived 
from an old Saxon word, “watel,” meaning 
hurdle. In Europe the small stems of the 
willow were used for brush hurdles. The 
use in Australia by early colonists of the 
stems of Acacias for the same purpose led 
to the establishment of the vernacular name. 
Outside of Australia, however, the term does 
not necessarily, or even usually, refer to a 
plant of the genus Acacia. 
The Acacias are readily separable into 
two great groups, which we may call — 
(1) Feather-leafs, 
and (2) Phyllode types. 
Feather-leafs comprise those wattles whose 
bipinnate leaves are most easily, if unscien- 
tifically, described that way. 
Phyllode types are therefore those whose 
leaves are not feather-like. They may be 
thick and nerved, or reduced to spines. In 
one South Australian species occurring in 
the area under consideration, they are com- 
pletely absent. 
Most of this group produce feather-like 
