The woods in the vicinity of the “Vineyard” abounded with numerous plants of the _Orchideæ_ family, growing in a very barren soil. One of these, that has received the colonial appellation of “_native hyacinth_,” was just developing its beautiful cærulean blossoms, and another its flowers of a bright yellow, spotted internally with brown. These latter _Orchideæ_ are named “_boyams_,”[36] having their bulbous roots filled with a viscid mucilage, which renders them an article of food among the aborigines: they are also sought after by the colonial children, who are fond of collecting and eating them; the little creatures would readily recognize their favourite “_boyams_” among the specimens I had collected. The Emu flowers, (_Richea glauca_,) were now abundant, and in full blossom; the colonial appellation has been given from the emus feeding upon them, that is, when emus were to be seen, for they have been driven by encroaching settlements far into the interior of the colony, and before long an emu will be as great, if not a greater rarity, at Sydney than in England, for in the latter country I am happy to see they are endeavouring to, and I hope will, succeed in breeding them. The acacias (of the species _floribunda_ and _fillifannilius_) were abundant, and covered at this season with a profusion of delicate golden flowers, imparting to the otherwise sterile aspect of the woods, a gay and animated appearance, as well as diffusing a grateful fragrance around, wafted by the gentle breezes to a still greater distance; their drooping branches, thickly studded with pending clusters of blossoms, decorated the sides of the roads, gardens, barren plains, and banks of rivers, being the only trees that at one period of the season bestowed some life to the usual uninteresting character of the scenery, at some parts aided by other flowering shrubs in full blossom, among which those of the _Epacridæ_ family were most profuse. Paramatta is a pretty village situated in a vale, and has some well-constructed public buildings—as the government-house, orphan-school, commissariat stores, female factory, &c. The situation of the village renders it exceedingly sultry during the summer months. The government-house is well-situated, and the building is of neat construction; the grounds about it are well laid out, and it has become the favourite residence of the present governor; and when compared to the government-house at Sydney, well merits his choice. Swallows were numerous at this season of the year, and were now busily engaged in constructing their nests under the eves of houses; the nests differ from those of the European species, in having a bottle-shaped neck.