The commonest shrubs are species of Acacia and dwarf Eucalyptus, the former at the time of my visit being covered with masses of golden bloom, which enlivened the prevailing dull gray green tints of the foliage. A species of sandal-wood grows in this region as well as a number of other interesting trees and shrubs.

Comparatively few showy flowers are seen, aside from the Acacias. Occasionally masses of pretty pink and white everlastings are encountered, and a gorgeous scarlet pea (Clianthus Dampieri).

As the western coast is approached the country becomes somewhat less arid, and presently there appears along the railway line an increasing profusion of beautiful flowers, until before Perth, the terminus of the railway, is reached, the train travels through a veritable garden of brilliant bloom. The beauty and variety of this wonderful floral display must be seen to be appreciated. While some of the flowers, such as the great variety of pea-shaped blossoms, suggest familiar northern types, many are entirely strange with little suggestion of relationship with any northern genera.

Whole families,, quite unknown to this northern botanist, are richly represented. Thus the Goodeniaceae, a characteristic Australian family, has a large number of extremely showy species of Goodenia (yellow), Dampiera and Leschenaultia (blue), one of the latter, L. formosa, of a wonderful blue that would put to shame an Alpine gentian.

Ground orchids are very abundant, some of them of great beauty. They belong largely to special Australasian genera, Caladenia, Diuris, Thelymitra and other quite unfamiliar ones. The little sundews of northern bogs are here represented by an extraordinary assemblage of species, some slender, half climbing plants four to five feet high with flowers the size of small roses. Pink Boronias and Tetratheca (Tremandraceae), yellow Hibberties (Dilleniaceae) are a few of the many beautiful novelties among the lower growing species; while Banksias, Hakeas and Grevilleas of the Proteaceae; Leptospermum, Callistemon, and Melaleuca of the Myrtaceae, are the predominant larger growths.

Of the Monocolyledons, aside from the orchids already referred to, and various grasses and sedges, there are a number of attractive species. The Iridaceae are represented by species of Patersonia with pretty blue or purple flowers. Of the lily-family are several species of Thysonotus, with delicate fringed petals, and Burchardia, whose umbels of pretty white blossoms suggest an Allium or the Californian Brodiæa.

Peculiar, if not beautiful, were the extraordinary grass-trees, or "black-boys," as they are commonly called in the West. The larger species develop a stout trunk and somewhat resemble an

arborescent Yucca, but the leaves, which are very numerous, are slender and more or less drooping. The insignificant flowers are borne on a club-like spike, sometimes six or eight feet high. The plants are said to flower especially freely after a recent fire, and a grove of these strange plants with hundreds of these upright flower-spikes is one of the most striking botanical sights of Australia. A related genus, Kingia, is confined to western Australia.

Among the most extraordinary flowers of West Australia are the "Kangaroo Paws" (Anigozanthus). These flowers are of the most bizarre coloring-bright green and scarlet, yellow and black, red and yellow, or pure green. The genus is unknown outside West Australia. The only Gymnosperm noted was a Cycad, Macrozamia Fraseri. This is very common, and is regarded as a serious pest, as animals are often poisoned by eating the young foliage in time of drought. Throughout the less arid parts of West Australia, this wonderful floral display may be seen in the spring, August to November. It perhaps reaches its culmination in the Albany district on the south coast. Certainly the variety of flowers near Albany surpasses anything the writer has seen in any part of the world.

I was unable to visit the Island of Tasmania, which differs much in its topography and climate from the mainland of Australia, and is much more like New Zealand in these respects. It is very mountainous and in many parts, especially in the west, the rainfall is extremely heavy. This heavy precipitation and relatively low temperature resemble the climatic conditions in the south island of New Zealand, and there is a considerable degree of resemblance in the vegetation of the two regions.

In common with New Zealand there is an important element of the flora closely related to, or even identical with, South American species. Some of these "Fuegian" plants are found also in the parts of the adjacent state of Victoria and also as Alpines in the mountains further north.

The most striking of these are the evergreen beeches (Nothofagus spp.) which are a notable constituent of the flora of southern Chile and also of New Zealand. These are the sole representatives of the Cupuliferae (oaks, beeches, etc.) found in Australasia.

The visitor to Australia is immediately impressed by the predominance of the Eucalyptus forest, and indeed this is the commonest tree genus. While much of this open forest is extremely monotonous and unattractive, it must be remembered that among the more than two hundred species there are some of the stateliest and most beautiful trees known anywhere. The great Karri forests of West Australia and the giant gum forests of Victoria, as well as some of the Eucalypts from the rich mountain forests

of New South Wales and Queensland, are some of the most magnificent the writer has ever seen.

In the spring, when the new foliage is developing, many species show beautiful golden and ruddy tints in the young leaves that are in strong contrast with the gray-green of the adult foliage of most species. In the arid regions of the interior there are dwarf species shrubs of moderate size remarkably resistant to drought.

The flowers of some species of Eucalyptus are very beautiful and produced in great profusion. As in so many Myrtaceae the numerous stamens form the showy part of the flower and are pure white, pink or scarlet in color. The splendid E. ficifolia with brilliant scarlet stamens is a favorite ornamental tree in parts of California.

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The Myrtaceae, aside from Eucalyptus, are very largely developed in Australia, being second in number of species in the Australian flora, more than eight hundred having been described. Allied to Eucalyptus are Tristanea, Angophora and Syncarpia, all fine trees of large size.

In the moister and warmer areas of the coast are members of the widespread genera Myrtus, Eugenia and Barringtonia, the latter entirely tropical in its habitat, a very beautiful tree with large glossy leaves and big white flowers. The genus is common throughout the Malayan region and the southern islands of Polynesia.

More characteristically Australian and represented by many species are the genera Leptospermum and Melaleuca, very widely distributed and often forming extensive thickets. Some of the Melaleucas are small trees; the Leptospermums are as a rule shrubs of medium size. The flowers are usually white and produced in great profusion, so that some species are very attractive when in flower and prized as garden ornaments. Other characteristic Myrtaceae are the showy red "bottle-brushes"-species of Callistemon and the pretty fringed flowers of the West Australian Verticordias.

First in number of species in the Australian flora is the great family of Leguminosae, with over one thousand species. Acacia leads with upwards of four hundred, ranging from tiny shrubs a few inches in height to large trees. The Acacias are popularly known as "wattle," and in the spring the profusion of golden bloom of many species makes them very conspicuous. Some of these Australian wattles are common in cultivation and often called "Mimosa." The majority of the Australian Acacias are of the "phyllodineous" type, i. e., the feathery leaf-lamina is sup