6 THE AUSTRALIAN NATURALIST. 
growing in abundance in this locality, and one plant, collected 
by Miss Rose Winter, had the flowers white instead of the 
usual heliotrope. Angophora cordifolia and a small piece of 
Philotheca in blossom were collected, both being out of season. 
Halorrhagis and Pultenaea which had attained a considerable 
height were seen, but these were not in flower. 
Quite a number of plants infested: with ‘“Witches’ broom” 
“were noticed, particularly one of Leptospermum. The parasite 
causes the tips of the branches and ultimately the whole plant 
to die. As the leaves wither and turn to a pretty dull red, they 
are sometimes collected by small boys and sold as rarities to 
unsuspecting admirers. A variety of plants in this district are 
attacked and the parasite appears to be gaining quite a hold. 
Pieris incisa and Lindsaya linearis constituted the fern growth. 
The locality does not offer itself as a favourable habitat for the 
majority of ferns, but the Australian “peat moss,” Salaginella 
uliginosa, had found a situation in which to produce a prolific 
growth. The moist weather of the previous week had brought 
on many fungi, and a number of Agaricus, Boletus and Poly- 
porus were obtained.” A patch of tiny orchids, Hriochilus 
autumnalis was noticed. The flowers resemble those of Cala- 
denia alba, but the distinction lies in the leaves,- which in the 
latter species are pear-shaped, and quite different to the linear 
leaves of the former. 
Good collections were also made by the entomologists. 
THISTLE [ArRIs. 
NOTES AND COMMENTS. 
GymnopactyLus pLaturUS. Two Geckos, each showing a 
different stage in the growth of a “second” tail. As often 
happens with Geckos, the original tail had been thrown off or 
knocked off. The larger (and older) of the two Geckos had a 
very “young” tail—little more than a knob; while the smaller 
Gecko had a much larger tail which had not, however, yet at- 
tained the size of the original. The difference in skin texture 
between an original and “second” tail was mentioned, ie., the 
“second” tail does not develop the characteristic spines and 
therefore is a softer and more flabby appendage’ than the 
original tail. Dotted here and there on the skin of the Geckos 
exhibited little red mites could be seen; only very close examina- 
tion proved them to be mites, superficially they appeared to ‘be 
red tubercles of the skin. 
Rose M. WINTER. 
