(Footnote.  July 17 1838.  This plant has at length flowered in the Horticultural Gardens at Chiswick and proves to be a new species of Pieris of which Dr. Lindley has favoured me with the following description:  P. barbarorum; sparse hispida, foliis ciliatis supra nitidis scabriusculis radicalibus spathulato-lanceolatis subdentatis caulinis oblongis sessilibus amplexi-caulibus recurvis dentatis integrisque, caule stricto ramoso, involucri foliolis lineari-lanceolatis acutis apice vel secus dorsum serie simplici pilorum longorum reflexorum appendiculatis, achaeniis badiis longe rostratis transverse rugosissimis disci sterilibus.)

While the party proceeded eastward along the bank of Moonlight creek, as we named it, I sent Mr. Stapylton across the wide plain to ascertain, if possible, whether the river flowed through it without the usual indication of trees on its banks, as we had found to be the case below.  Mr. Stapylton found beyond the northern limits of the plain, amongst yarra trees, an ana-branch only, but containing quite clear and still water.

The course of the creek which I in the meantime traced first led me to the north-east where high trees seemed to mark its course, to the bed of the river; but a smaller branch, still dry, extended southward from it, which, on returning to the main party, I found it desirable that the carts should cross.  We next passed for three miles through a forest of goborro, and then crossed a plain three miles in extent.  Beyond the plain we approached a promising line of lofty yarra trees, but found it shaded only a hollow subject to inundations.  Two miles and a half further we came to another similar line of trees, and we found within its shade an ana-branch full of clear water.  A little in advance a much deeper branch afforded a good spot for our camp, as I intended to cross it by some means in the afternoon and seek for the river.

ENTER A MUCH BETTER COUNTRY.

The plains we had crossed this day were covered with excellent grass; and in many places detached groups of trees gave to the country a park-like appearance very unlike anything on the banks of the Darling.

After crossing the creek by means of a fallen tree, I found the ground beyond to be of the richest description, with excellent grass and lofty yarra trees growing upon it.  I passed through two separate strips of high reeds extending north-east and south-west; but I found they only enveloped lagoons of soft mud and, seeing no appearance of the river at two miles from the camp, I returned.  We found on the hills a little bush, very like European heaths, having the branches covered with small three-cornered leaves and tipped with clusters of small pink flowers.*

(Footnote.  Baeckea micrantha.)

LIMESTONE.

June 25.

The country we passed over this day was upon the whole richer in point of grass than any we had seen since we left Sydney; I therefore suspected that the soil had some better rock for a basis than sandstone; and I had reason to believe that it was limestone, from indications of subsidence which I observed on the surface.