174 THE AUSTRALIAN NATURALIST. 
similar form with shining black tints, but has a broad red band 
across the’ upper half of the wing covers and is about two-thirds 
the size of the other. — 
EXCURSION TO LUGARNO FERRY. 
On the 16th June, 25 naturalists arrived at Penshurst, en 
route for Lugarno Ferry. Finding no ’bus to take us to our 
destination, we had to uphold our name as field naturalists’ and - 
walk, walk, walk! This we did without noticing the distance, as 
our attention was constantly being drawn to something of bo- 
tanical interest by our leader, Mr. Ei. Cheel. A somewhat dull 
day and crisp atmosphere were all in our favour, so we talked 
and walked, listened and learned; or let Nature herself speak to 
us in her own language. 
' We soon left behind the modern little township and came 
to the less populated places. Here our leader drew our atten- 
tion to Acacia prominens growing in an old garden. Penshurst 
is the home of this acacia, and later on our journey we came 
across some fine specimens. It was so named owing to the 
prominent gland on the edge of the phyllode. As yet we have 
not solved the problem of these glands. That they are mere: 
ornaments we do not believe, for Nature never does things hap- 
hazardly. Ants are often seen at these glands, so we presume 
that the acacia gives off some substance which is apparently 
valued by the ants. Or maybe the ants do some beneficent ser- 
vice to the plants which we, as yet, have not fathomed. In any 
case the plant and insect are on friendly terms with each other, 
and they must surely be working together for some purpose. 
Coming to the more open country we found the relics of a 
past prosperity, such as stately old pines, which were evidently 
used as a break wind in the earlier settlement of the district. 
Then we came across the remains of old gardens, now gone to 
decay, and leaving only a few trees; these stood out in relief in 
the undulating country. 
Dotted here and there were Turpentine trees, Syncarpia 
laurifolia. These, too, are’ natives of the district. They were 
covered with their queer shaped united fruit, and we soon busied 
ourselves getting specimens. 
A close lookout was kept for a lone Kurrajong, *Brachy- 
chiton populneus or Sterculia diversifolia. This was located by 
Mr. E. Cheel in 1901, and no other specimen has been found so 
near to Sydney as this one. We eventually found it, and a 
grand old warrior it is! It is showing the usual signs of age; 
e 
*See A.A.A.Se. (1913) 318. 
