siderable humidity, which the country on its eastern coast, 
especially within the tropic, provides, it is very remarkable 
that so few of the Orchidacese growing on trees or rocks, 
should have come within the observation of botanists attached 
to voyages of discovery along that lengthened shore. In the 
whole line of eastern coast, only eleven Epiphytes were re- 
marked by Sir Joseph Banks and Mr. Brown ; and these 
have been referred by the latter able botanist to three genera ; 
viz. Cymbidium, Dendrobium, and to a genus intermediate to 
them, named Sarcochilus. It may, however, be observed, 
that in the voyages of both Cook and Flinders, and indeed in 
that more recently, of King, upon that extensive coast, 
although landings were effected on many of its head-lands, 
and opportunities afforded for an examination of the botany 
of the immediate shores or adjacent country, yet perhaps no 
instance occurred of the remoter mountainous regions having 
been visited, where for the most part those remarkable vege- 
tables are more probably to be found ; and that many, yet to 
be discovered do exist, may be perhaps fairly inferred from 
the fact of there having been found at the Illawarra — a coast 
district on the south of Port Jackson,— -and at Moreton-bay 
(in TJ b S 0 .), nine Epiphytes not known to botanists, prior 
to the exploration and examination of those most interesting 
points on the coast. 
Of the terrestrial portion of the order, 104 species (now 
including Phajus grandifolius, Lour., and Calanthe veratri- 
folia, R. Br., lately found in the districts just mentioned) are 
known to be indigenous to the Australian continent 5 and of 
these three-fifths are natives of Port Jackson and the neigh- 
bouring country. 
But ten species, of the genera Habenaria, Thelymitra, 
Microtis, Caladenia, Pterostylis, Cymbidium (Geodorum) and 
Phajus, have been detected in the warmer or intertropical 
parts of the shores of New South Wales ; and as these plants 
are only to be met with) during the rainy season, or in the 
period immediately subsequent, when every vegetable be- 
comes reanimated and exerts fresh life, not a single terres- 
trial individual of the order was found on the north-western 
coast during the several visits of Captain P. P. King, whose 
surveys could alone be carried on during the easterly or dry 
