The Joiirn: Jie Field Naturalists’ Section of the Boyal y of South Australia. Adelaide Vol. VII. INov. , 1 925 No. 1. CONTENTS. Flinders Chase ! Flora of South Australia I The Forty-Second Annual Report of the Field Natural I Flora and Fauna Protection Committee Report .... I Flinders Chase I A Suggested Aquarium for Henley .... i Shell Cellectors’ Club .... ! Nature Lovers’ League ^ Wild Flower Show South Australian Trees (By Wm. Ham and E. H. Ising) 4 **» •»« A Great Australian Botanist Botanical Notes Excursions Lectures ... Additions to Our Library List ot Members •••« «••• • 444 4444 •••« •••• 4444 4444 4444 #444 444 4444 4444 4444 4444 4444 •444 4444 4444 4444 4 *« ts’ Section Page 1 1 2 — 3 3 — 4 5—6 5 6 7 8—10 11—16 16 17 18—26 26—28 28 29—32 The authors of papers are responsible for the facts recorded and opinions expressed. Address of the Section: C/o Royal Society’s Booms, Institute Building, North Terrace, Adelaide. Published Quarterly Single Copy— NINEPENCE Obtainable from Cole's Book Arcade, No. 14 Bundle Street, Adelaide. Felstead & Omsby. Printera* Gilbert Place, Adelaide. 'Phone G. IW Office Bearers, 1925-26 Chairman — Mr. J. F. Bailey. Vice-Chairmen — Prof. T. Harvey Johnston, D.Sc., Mr. B. B. Beck. Hon. Secretary — Mr. E. H. Ising. Hon. Assistant Secretary — Miss Murray, Prospect. Hon. Treasurer — Mr. F. Trigg. Hon. Magazine Secretary — ^Miss Roeger. Hon. Librarian — Miss I. Roberts. Hon. Press Correspondent — Mr. D. J. McNamara. Committee — Prof, J. B. Cleland, M.D., Messrs. W. Champion Hackett, F.R.H.S- ; H. M. Hale, E. S. Hughes, W. H. S.elway, J. A. Hogan, C. Pearce and Miss | Ireland. , ; Plon. Auditors — Messrs W. D. Reed, F.C.P.A., and A. J. Morison. Fauna and Flora Protection Committee — ^Prof, J. B. Cleland, M.D., Prof. F. Wood-Jones, Messrs. E. Ashby, VV. H. Selway, J. M. Black, J. F. Bailey A. M. Lea, F. Angel, W. Champion Hackett, B. B. Beck, J. Neil McGilp, J. Sutton, A. H. Elston and Captain S. A. White. “The South Australian Naturalist” — ^Hon. Editor. Mr. Wm. Ham. Address: University, Adelaide. Business Committee — Miss Roeger, Mrs. Day and J, Sutton. FORTHCOMING EXCURSIONS November 14 — ^Millbrook. Eucalypts and Aquatic life. Leader, Mr. Wm. Ham, Charabanc 1.30 p.m. Book at least 5 days before with Mr. Beck. November 28 — Basket Range. Gardens and Trees. Leader. Mr. W. Bu^ett Charabanc, 1.30 p.m. Book at least 5 days before with Mr. Beck. December 12— (Note alteration of date). Dredging. Leaders, Prof. Harvey Johnston and Mr. H. M. Hale. Train to Outer Harbour, 1.35 p.m. January 30— Dredging. Leaders, Messrs W. J. Kimber and W. H. Baker Train to Outer Harbour, 1.35 p.m. EVENING LECTURES. November 17 — (Note corrected date). Mr. Walter Gill, F.L.S., F.R.H.S., for- merly S.A. Conservator of Forests will give a well-illustrated lecture on “Forest Scenes.” The South Australian Naturalist Vol. VII. NOVEMBER, 1925. No. 1. FLINDERS CHASE. I The Fauna and Flora Board are to be congratulated on the energy they have put into the work of restoring the Chase and on the success which has attended their efforts. The Chase promises to be not only of immense scientific value but a source ^ of revenue as well. To the pioneer members of this society, es- , pecially to Mr. Dixon, Mr. W. Selway, Captain White and others ; is due a great deal of credit for in the inception, advocacy and foundation of the Chase. It seems a great pity that our section is not represented on the Board. Our Chairman, Mr. Bailey, would make a useful member. It is to be hoped that the Board will be able to do something for forestry, especially in the north- west corner of the island. “FLORA OF SOUTH AUSTRALIA” Our readers will be pleased to know that Part HI is now in the hands of the Government Printer and that the work on the nnal part is well advanced. Mr. J. M. Black is to be congratu- lated on the whole work. The new part will include the families Irom the Euphorbiaceae to the Epacridaceae. Members are reminded that the new year began on October 1st and subscriptions for the current year are now due. The amounts may be sent to the Hon. Treasurer, Mr. F. Trie? Government Printing Office, Adelaide, or may be paid to Mr! rs. Beck at Coles Book Arcade, Rundle Street, City. I 2. The South Australian Naturalist. THE FORTY-SECOND ANNUM, REPORT OF THE FIELD NATURALISTS’ SECTION OF THE ROYAL SOCIETY OF S.A. (Inc.) FOR YEAR ENDING 31st AUGUST 1925. The Committee has pleasure in presenting the annual report and to congratulate members on another successful year. EXCURSIONS. The Excursions have been held on an average once a fortnight throughout the year and have been well attended. Places of interest around the metropolis have been : visited and several districts further afield have been journeyed to by charabanc and by train, LECTURES. Our schedule of lectures has been well main- tained. Some were given in the Lecture Room illustrated by lantern slides and were of a semi-public nature while others were | given in the Royal Society’s Room and were illustrated by lantern 1 slides. SHELL COLLECTORS’ COMMITTEE. Through the en- thusiasm of Mr. W, J. Kimber this committee has been formed and was successfully inaugurated in July. Mr. Kimber is chair- man and Mr. F. Trigg is Secretary. The membership totals 20. Meetings are held on the first and third Monday in each month and excursions are held on alternate Saturdays with the Section. “THE SOUTH AUSTRALIAN NATURALIST” Our journal I completes volume VI this year and continues to be published i quarterly under the Editorship of Mr. Wm. Ham. EXCHANGES. Among the new exchanges are The Acad- emy of Sciences, Philadelphia and The Natural History Museum, i Warsaw, Poland. FLOWER SHOW, 1924. This Show was the best yet held i from the point of view of exhibits. Teachers and scholars of ^ many public schools came to our aid and forwarded a fine assort- ' ment of flowers and each school’s exhibit was kept separate and ; labelled. Inter-state Nature Clubs forwarded parcels of flowers. Many other branches of natural history were represented and many members worked willingly and made the fixture a success. The net balance was £35/18/-. The South Australian Naturalist. 3 . HERBARIUM COMMITTEE. The members of this com- " mittee have met on numerous occasions at Prof. Cleland^s rooms where the herbarium is stored. A number of parcels of specimens were received from various contributors and the work of classify- ing is steadily progressing and more boxes and labels have been 5 purchased. Apart from the Tepper Herbarium we now have abvout lj800 specimens. 1 MEMBERSHIP. The total number of members at the begin- ^ ning of the year was 217 and 27 new members have been admitted. *j Resignations and deaths total 60 so that 184 is the present total of members. ‘i 1 OBITUARY. It is our sad duty to record the loss of Mrs. A W. Champion Hackett, who had been a member for many years. Mrs. Hackett always took a special interest in our Wild Flower .1 Shows and her loss will be keenly felt. Another old member in ^ the person of Miss M. L. Benda died just prior to the annual 'j meeting and her loss to the Section will be much felt. Miss ' Benda was a member for many years and was always an I enthusiastic worker. The Committee extend to the relations their ^ deepest sympathy In the loss of two valuable workers. 5 y LIBRARY. The addition of several fresh volumes to our ■ Library would be much appreciated by those members, who, con- sistently patronising it, have read practically all the books. As it is hoped that the library will be adequately housed in the near future, we appeal for further books to afford a wider scope in reading to the members. ■ (Signed) E. S. HUGHES, Chairman. ERNEST H. ISING, Hon. Secretary. i FLORA AND FAUNA PROTECTION COMMITTEE. The thirty-seventh annual report is presented. . blow was dealt by the Government to the water \ birds T^en the close season for duck was curtailed by opening i It on December 21 instead of February 1. Immediately after f the news of this alteration came to hand the committee met and y' protested strongly by letter to the Premier and asked that action be reconsidered. The committee in conjunction with members T 0 the Section met on May 21 to confer with several citizens in- terested in nature who were anxious to form a Nature Lovers’ i i-eague.^ After discussion the meeting adjourned for the purpose ’1 ot allowing the proposers of the League to place definite informa- .h tion before the committee. T 4 . The. South Australian Naturalist. The . committee again met on August 11 to discuss the pro- posed alterations in the sancturaries on the Coorong. It was considered by some members that by withholding the protection of the foreshore immediately opposite Pelican Island it would be laying open the unique breeding-place of the pelicans to greater molestation. It was resolved that three of the members confer with other scientific bodies on the matter. In spite of vigorous protests the destruction of our native trees and plants is still going on upon our roadsides and elsewhere. This is^reatly to be deplored seeing that with the trees and plants must inevitably disappear so much of our bird, animal and insect life. (Signed) S. A. WHITE, Chairman. MARIE L. BENDA, Hon. Secretary. FLINDERS CHASE. The effects of trade interests on the fauna and flora of Kan- garoo Island, are such that one has now to go a long way from settled areas to find virgin conditions. The trapping of animals for pelt and fur has, during the past few years, attained such proportions that a halt has been called with a view to permitting some recuperation. No such legislation however exists in respect to the wonderful grass trees or black boys {Xanthorrhoea) and the cutting of the trees, with their incidental destruction, now necessitates a journey of 40 miles or so from Kingscote, all the intervening supplies having been exhausted. When forest trees are cut the planting of new timber becomes the question of the moment, such planting however is not required in the case of the grass trees or yuccas, for seedlings there are in plenty. The dis- turbing element in their case is the extremely slow growth, for except with the youngest plants, half an inch a year would pos- sibly be a liberal estimate and ten minutes or less will suffice to utterly destroy a tree that has lived for may be 80 or 100 years. With a few strokes of the axe the gummer will strike off the glor- ious crown of leaves and reduce the quaint looking trunk to an angular stump, a pitiful relic of a once interesting botanical sub- ject. This commercialism must apparently go on until, except in protected areas, the grass tree, as a profitable object of exploita- tion, is no more. It is refreshing therefore to turn to the condi- tions on Flinders Chase where for all time the grass tree will grow by millimetres, will raise its marvellous flowering spike to The South Australian Naturalist. 5. a height of 16 feet or so and attract thereto the beautiful parra- keets which clamber up and down^ their bright scarlet plumage forming the most remarkable contrast to the vivid green foliage of the plant. Here also are the kangaroo, wallaby, opossum and native porcupine, safe from the snare of the trapper; here also is the native bear, the rat Kangaroo and others, introduced from the mainland and given sanctuary. Not to-day perhaps, but in the distant future the splendid heritage will be appreciated. E.R.W. A SUGGESTED AQUARIUM FOR HENLEY. The eighth annual meeting of the South Australian Aquarium Society was held on November 3rd; the annual report showed that members had again spent an active session. An Aquarium had been installed at the All Australian Exhibition, and had at- tracted many visitors. Some time ago the Society made an endeavour to stimulate public interest with a view to establishing an Aquarium at Glen- elg, a project which was reluctantly abandoned owing to lack of sufficient support. At the meeting Mr. Edgar R. Waite an- nounced that he had had several Interviews with Mr. Yeomans, Town Clerk of Henley Beach and Grange Municipal Council, with a view to advancing the expressed desire of the lattef to erect a Public Aquarium on the foreshores at Henley Beach. The meeting unanimously decided to wholeheartedly assist the President in supporting Mr. Yeomans. The following officers were elected for the ensuing year: — President, Mr. Edgar R. Waite; Vice-presidents, Messrs J. W. Goodale and T. Nettlebeck; Committee, Miss Roeger and Messrs B. B. Beck, F. K. Boase, R. Carpenter and J, W. Hosking; Auditor Mr. A. E. Wadey; Secretary and Treasurer, Mr. Herbert M. Hale. HERBERT AI. HALE, Hon. Secretary. 6 . Thi South Australian Naturalist. I SHELL COLLECTORS’ CLUB. k ; Bivalves have been further investigated during the quarter, i and members are indebted to Sir Joseph Verco for his invaluable !- assistance in giving the Club access to his revision of South Australian Bivalves. The completion of this work should do much towards clearing up many doubtful points, and place our new shell students in a much more satisfactory position. Among the specimens dealt with were: — .[ Laternula creccina, formerly Anatina; and Cochlodesnia I Angasi, The Anatina take their name from a fanciful resemblance to the spoon-shaped duck’s bill. They are silvery-white, fragile, toothless-hinged shells, with a prominent gape, which permits the exit of the large siphon. L. creccina may be found in the mud ' flats of the Port Adelaide River. C, Angasi is a more rotund ‘ shell, with many of the characteristics of the former. Splendid living specimens have been collected by our members on the , ; beaches of Yorke Peninsula. Cras satellites Kingicola. This the largest S.A. bivalve, and I i specimens were shown weighing up to 9 or 10 ounces. Of very massive construction, it has glistening white, porcellaneous in- terior tinged with salmon. The shell carries a thick brown, per- iostracum, usually abraded at the umbo. The animal adds im- t , mensely to the thickness of its valves during adult life at the ex- 'i pense of a general contraction of its living space. Many sub- ,1 fossil valves of this species have been collected at the Outer Harbor. It is found alive at Port Lincoln and may also be ! , dredged in a restricted area in other parts. Bassina Disjecta (formerly Cytheria) is our most beautiful bivalve, and^much sought for cabinet exhibition and foreign ex- I 1 change. It is obtainable at Kangaroo Island, Port Lincoln and ; occasionally at the Outer Harbor. Its prominent, symmetrical I and delicately ridged valves no doubt play an important part in |.' anchoring it safely in the sand from the effects of tide wash. I ^ Ephippodonta Lunata. This small bivalve lives exclusively 'i ‘ in the burrow of a certain prawn, with its half-moon valves per- manently opened out flat, and, with a living sponge at the door I of the burrow, ail live in an apparently happy state of commen- t._ salism — each dependent on the other. This species collected near | i Edithburgh and at Port Wiliunga, was described and named by i I the late Professor Tate. November 12th, 1925. I E. TRIGG, Hon. Sec, Shell Club. The South Australian Naturalist, 7. NATURE LOVERS* LEAGUE. First Public Meeting. After many years of self-denying work in behalf of the fauna and flora of Australia, Mr. T. P. Bellchambers had the satisfaction on Friday of knowing that the foundation he had so carefully and efficiently laid, was at last ready for the ‘‘building” of a public organisation. The Lord AlayoPs reception room at the Adelaide Town Hall, was well attended on the afternoon of Oc- tober 16, when the first public meetng was held. As a result the Nature Lovers’ League of South Australia was officially form- ed, and initial steps taken to increase the scope of the work. Mr. N. H. Taylor occupied the chair. Mr. Taylor said that about £200 had been raised to assist the sanctuary work at Humbug Scrub, but they needed much greater assistance. The Chairman said there was not the slight- est antagonism to any association having the same objects; for they realised the great work other associations were doing. The Field Naturalists’ Section, for instance, was doing excellent ser- vice. But they all felt despite the labour of kindred associations that there was still a great deal to be done in educating children to love Nature and to have love for their own fauna and flora. Australia possessed unique animals, birds, fishes, and flowers; and they wished to keep God’s heritage intact. Some of the un- ique flora and fauna had passed out, many of them Interesting types. This was due in part through opening up the country and devastating of forests, thus driving the animals ever farther back to seek for cover. If no strong effort were made soon, it would be too late. These reasons had actuated the formation of a league. (Applause). The South Justralia7i Naturalist. t Capt. White pointed out that he had been closely connected with the Flora and Fauna Protection Board, which had been in existence for 40 years, and was unobtrusively, doing good work on the same lines. For instance, he was personally working among the school children, and often addressed 5,000 in a week. He was gazetted to go into all the State schools within the year. Mr. John Davidson, of Mount Gambier spoke in behalf of combining activities with the proposed south-eastern sanctuary. Mr. Bellchambers gave a thoughttui address upon the plea made by defenceless creatures of the bushland, and touched upon the various phases of his life-work. It was obvious that his im- pressions had been obtained from long and patient study of the native birds and animals. At the conclusion, he was accorded an ovation, and tributes were paid to his wonderful efforts to try and help save the remnants of a great natural possession, — Motions Passed. — The following were passed: — ■ ‘‘That it is desirable to form a Xaturc Lovers’ League of South Australia.” “That all those present become the first members of the league,” The Chairman read the rules which were approved. — Officers. — ■ Officials elected; — President, Sir Frank Moulden; Vice-Pres- idents, Messrs. T. P. Bellchambers and N. H. Taylor; editor, Miss E. S. Abbott; Committee, Mrs. T. O’Halloran Giles, Misses L. Rudkin and Purdie, Messrs, Hugh Hudson, H. E. Wigzell, and John Davidson. The appointment of a secretary was left in abeyance. WILD FLOWER SHOW, OCTOBER 16 and 17. Our Show this year was a pronounced success. The Lord Mayor with his usual kindness allowed the use of the Town Hall, which was comfortably filled wdth exhibits. The Lord Mayor opened the Show and made an excellent speech in support of the work of the Society. Members worked with enthusiasm usually displayed in pre- paring and carrying on the Show. The following list includes most of the workers, but as no official record is kept it is quite probably incomplete and apologies are hereby offered to any workers whose names have been omitted. The South Justralian Naturalis t. 9-^ Sales— Mrs. Pearce, Miss Hackett, Miss G. Vohr, Misses Hall (2)j Miss Taylor, Miss Legge, Miss Wallace, Miss Penny, Door sales and Tickets— Mrs. Day, Miss Galley, Messrs, lolly, Vickery and Worrall. Shells— Messrs. Kimber, Trigg, Edwards, Stenhouse and Elliott. Microscopes — Mr. Webb, Dr. Pulleine, Mr. Elston. General Display — Miss Murray, Miss H. Roberts, Miss I. Roberts, Miss N. Roberts, Mrs. Law, Miss Hurcombe, Miss Ireland, Miss Watson, Miss Rowe, Miss Hocking, Master and Miss Burdett, Mr. Stokes, Mrs. Elliott, Mr. R. Kemp, Mrs. Kelsey, Mrs. H. B. Robson, Mrs. Page, Miss Ireland. Scientific Classification — Mr. Black, Mr. Bailey, Prof. Osborn, Prof. Cleland, Mr. Ham, Dr. Rogers, Mrs. Osborn, Miss Roeger, Mrs. Black, Mr. Hogan, Mr. Sutton, Mr. F. Bailey, Miss A. Simpson, Miss E. Simpson. Department of Agriculture — Mr. Pritchard. Aquaria — Mr. Goodale, Air. Beck, Mr. Smith. Museum — Mr. Waite, Mr. Lea, Air. EL AI. Hale. Seaweeds — Miss Alacklin, Mrs. Osborn. Fungi and Alosses — Aliss Featherstone, Aliss Alacklin, Prof. Cleland. Flinders Chase exhibits — Prof. Wood Jones, Prof. Osborn, Miss Davies. Animals — Rat Kangaroo and Black Opossum — Prof, Wood Jones. Bird Specimens and Lectures— Capt. White. Wood-working — Mr, Wiley. forestry Department — Air. E. Julius (Conservator of For- ests) and Air. Jenkins. Schools Arrangements — Air. Bailey, Air. Fred Bailey. Lectures and views— Air. Alorison, Dr. Pulleine. of English Wild Fowl— Air. E. R. Waite. Zoological Postage-Stamps — -Air. It. R. Waite. Collection of Butterflies and Aloths— Air. Lea. kseed pods of W.A. Elucalyptus — Air. Ising. '"ajntmgs of Sturt Peas— Dr. Aloulden. Special Donors— Mrs. Pa^e (Mypon^ja), Mr. Tillln;. (Mylor), Lady Stirling (Mt. Lofty), Mr. A. K. Newbery (Mt. Lofty), Mr. Ldwin Ashby (Blackwood), Mr. Bjrdett (Basket Ran<>e). Interstate Exhibits — Air. Hackett, Aliss Elnrkett. I hotographs etc.— Air. Thomas, Air. Duffield, Air. Lea. Loan of Alatenal— Alessrs. A. Simpson & Son. 10 . The South Australian Naturalist Loan of Town Hall — The Lord Mayor. Musical Items — Mr. Knox (City Organist), Miss C. Godfree, Miss K. Ham, Mr. A. Morison. Judging Paintings — Mrs. Herbert Barringer. Three Paintings of Scenery at the Sanctuary, Humbug Scrub — Mr. Bellchambers. Paintings (not for competition) — Mrs. McPherson (Butter- flies). Exhibits of Paintings, etc.— Arranged by Messrs. Hackettand Howie. Prizes for Paintings : Oil Painting — First prize, Mrs. E. Mich- elson; Second Prize, Mrs. Tamblyn. Water-colors — First and second prizes, Miss L. Laughton. School Prizes: I, Crafers (H.T., Mr. D. D. Smith). II, Port Lincoln (H.T., Mr. Francis). HI, Stansbury (H.T., Mr. J. S. Welsby). IV, Myponga (H.T., Mr. F. Jennings). V, Bordertown (H.T., Mr. Hutley). VI, Mylor (H.T., Mr. O’Shaughnessy). Special mention must be made of the flowers collected and forwarded by Mrs. Page of Myponga. Interstate Exhibition — Flowers were received from the fol- lowing : New South Wales (Sydney), Naturalists’ Club, Sturt Peas. Barrier Field Naturalists’ Club, Broken Hill, A. Morris, Secretary, also K. Becker, Sturt Peas. Victoria, Flowers from the Grampians and elsewhere, Field Naturalists’ Club of Victoria. Queensland, Field Naturalists’ Club. Western Australia, Mrs. M. K. Rogers, Wongan Hills. The Certificates awarded the various schools this year are as usual highly ornamental, and the printing has been enhanced by the Sturt Pea badge of the Society being skilfully hand-colour- ed by Miss Roeger. In addition the first prize school (Crafers) is the recipient of a presentation cup, neatly-turned from native timber and donated by Mr. Wiley. An engraved silver shield sets off the beauty of the polished wood. The South Australian Naturalist 11 SOUTH AUSTRALIAN TREES (1) No. 2. The Stringy bark {Eucalyptus obliqua), L’Heritier, 1788 By Wm. Ham and E. H. Ising. I. General. The stringybark is the finest of our South Australian •eucalypts. Unlike the Red-gum it grows with a straight stem and the wood is straight grained. In our hills it grows to a height of 80 feet, but in a more favorable environment, as in the rich soil and well-watered, sheltered gullies of Gippsland and Tasmania many specimens overtop 250 feet. But in the hills to the south, as Dr. Cleland has remarked (2), near Encounter Bay it grows in a low shrubby form, so great is the influence of rainfall and soil. At Myponga again in a good rainfall area and deep soil it grows to a fine height. The Stringybark lequires an abundant rainfall and attains its best development in our hills only on the highest ranges where the annual precipitation is at least 30 inches. (At Stirling (1628 ft.) the average rainfall is 46.49 Inches with a maximum of 72 inches in 1909). ao shallovrer soils it is often replaced by the Brown Stringybark” {E. capitellata) , an inferior tree not always to be distinguished from the “white stringybark.” Under favorable circumstances, as on the side of Mt. Lofty, E. obliqua forms a pure forest. A feature of the stringybark is its wonderful resistance b wfv n persistent bark protects it in an effectiv Tom; show signs of having been burnt a some stage of their growth in the blackened bark and chiefly mafnTtfmTnd^I^ peculiar growth of adventitious buds in tin mam stem and laiger branches, which give a strange outline t< ‘'■e tree makes a shape! purl fore^t T eucalypts, but thick enough in th, P forest to prevent any great abundance of bush growth. the higher ranges were fall^otly gradlT^^n^^^ stringybarks, which held the rain- (1) The fitst oyhis^series appe^^^Th^l^isl^;;;^^ (2) S.A.N., Vol. VI. No. 3 (1925), 47. j ■v •J 12 . The South Australian Naturalist. To residents on the Adelaide plains the forests of the Mount Lofty Ranges are of immense importance. We are beginning to see that the greatest function of a highland forest is to protect | the land from erosion. Not only does the forest cover lower the | temperature but it holds back the floods and prevents them from sweeping down in resistless fury washing away the soil and filling the streams with rocks and sand, choking up the valleys and ' causing disastrous floods to spread over the lowlying plains. The Adelaide plains in particular are beginning to suffer from the cutting down of the trees in the higher parts of the ranges. In view of the importance of our limited forest area, it is perhaps not too much to work for a measure similar to that in force in many countries in which certain areas of forests are vested in the government, and no trees are to be cut in such areas without special permission of forest officers. Look at our figures. Australia should have about 20 — 25% in forest, actu- ally we have less than 4% and that rapidly dwindling. As a timber producer the stringybark takes a high place in our State. Its timber is strong and compares favourably with the timber of most gum trees. II. Distribution. Though the finest and straightest trees have been cut out there still remains a remnant of the forest of stringybarks which once covered the Mount Lofty Ranges above 1300 feet level. Travellers by the south line may notice that the stringy- barks come in just before the train climbs out of the National Park about a mile on the Adelaide side of the Long Gully station. The railway at this place is 1307 feet above sealevel. On the Glen Osmond — Mt. Barker road travellers may note the appear- ance of the stringybarks just beyond the “Eagles on the Hill” at about the same level. On the Upper Sturt road, it is met with about one mile east of the Upper Sturt Post office. This is at the top of the range there and follows the manna gum (A. viminalis). Its range extends beyond Bridgewater in an easterly direction and beyond Mt. Barker to the south-east but dies out before the eastern slopes of the' highlands are reached, not occur- ring beyond Nairne (27.22 inches of rainfall). We have not seen it in the Torrens Gorge nor around the Millbrook Reser- voir (1000 feet) where its place is taken by the Olive-leaved Gum (A. elaeophora) which has bark rather scaly than fibrous and is in other respects quite different. I 1 1 \ I 'V / )■ I J ■ • 'V Photo — E. H. Ising. Xo. 1. Illustration. — 'I'he white stringybark (E. ohiiqua, occurring at 16 miles on the Hills Railway, one mile west of Long Culh’ at a height of 1307 feet above sea level. I’hc blackwooo (Acacia melanoxylo}! R.Br.) is seen on the left. The South Australian Naturalist. \J. Members of the society would do well to note just where these trees come in on the various roads. The planning of the areas occupied by the principal trees in South Australia is an im- portant and useful work. Prof. Osborn in particular has done splendid work in this connection. This species does not occur in an unbroken forest to the South East but is separated by a large area of mailee and swamps. It disappears as the Mt. Lofty range ends at Encounter Bay. For over 100 miles the stringybark is absent and occurs again where the heavier rainfall of Mt. Gambler is experienced. Altitude does not play an important part in the occurrence of E. obliqua in the South East as the country in which It grows, viz., Millicent, Glen- coe, Mt. Gambler, near Glenelg River, is under 1000 feet above sea level. But rainfall is an important factor and Mt. Gambler receives an average of 31.66 inches per year. RANGE — -Notes from S.A. Naturalist. 1. Montacute — Vol. I., No. 4, p. 51. Also with E. rostrata, E. vhrdnaliis and E. leucoxylov. 2. Kuitpo Forest- — Vol. II, No. 1. p. 8. Associated with E. rostrata, E. vimmalis, E. leucoxylon, E. fasciculosa, E. cosmophylla, E. rubida, E. capitel- lata and E, Gunnii {E. ovata). First four are domin- ant species. 3. Long Gully, at 1307 ft. above sea-level. Vol. II, No. 3, p. 67. 4. Mt. Lofty Summit. Vol. IV, No. 3, p. 43. 5. Myponga. Vol. Ill, No. 4, p. 58. With E. cosmophylla, E. fasciculosa. 6. Mt. Lofty. Vol. V, No. 2, p. 105. From 1200 to 2300 feet in about 30 inches rainfall and upwards. 7. Waterfall Gully. In higher parts. Vol. V'', No. 4, p. 139. With E. cosmophylla. 8. Long Gully. Vol. VI, No. 1, p. 13. 9. Hindmarsh Tiers and Tunkalilla. Vol. VI, No. 3, p. 47. Mr. Black has specirnens from the following localities: — Mount Lofty Range—Bridgewater, Mt. Lofty, Woodside, and Myponga; South East — Millicent. 14 . The South Australian Naturalist. III. Botanical, The stringybarks belong to the group of eucalypts dis- tinguished by their persistent fibrous bark usually extending to at least the large limbs. The ^‘pattern^’ of the bark is somewhat lattice-like in E. obliqua, quite different in appearance as all our readers must have noticed from the smooth bark of the Gum Group, of which the “River Red Gum” (E. rostrata) is the best example. In colour it is greyish on the outside, brownish within, but on most of our trees the bark is black from bush fires. The wood is wdntish to a pale creamy colour and from its straightness of grain is most useful for posts and rails, as in the Mt. Lofty ranges, and in Victoria and Tasmania for palings, and building timbers. The Tasmanian stringybark, often known as “Austra- lia Oak,” makes excellent furniture. After the bark, the leaves are a most characteristic means of identification. The young leaves are very broad and somewhat heart-shaped but the mature leaves are sickle-shaped (falcate) and generally decidely unequal, hence the specific term, “obliqua.” The leaves are shiny on both sides and fairlv thick. The most certain means of identification is however by a comparison of the buds and fruits. Though the tree is so large, the buds and fruits are small. The clusters (umbels) containing from 3 to 20 flowers, the buds having a half round or slightly pointed top, the whole being somew'hat clublike. The mature fruits are cup shape with from 3 to S divisions, the valves being deeply sunk below the rim, they are about half an inch long and rather less in width. As with many other species the buds appear from 9 to 11 months before blossoming, usually in December and January, and the apiarist can tell several months beforehand whether the blossom in any locality will be abundant. The classification adopted by Mr. Black in his forthcoming Part III of the Flora of S.A. is that used by Bentham in the “Flora Australiensis.” Vol. Ill (1866) 189, viz., of the anthers w'^hich are broadly divided into two series, those opening in a long slit or in a small pore at the top. E. obliqua belongs to the series having anthers reniform, opening by divergent slits. The South Australian Naturalist. 15 . IV. Geological. The Mount Lofty Ranges are formed of some of the most ancient rocks known, chiefly of Cambrian and Pre-Cam- brian age. Howchin (1) has described very fully the geology of the Ranges and Osborn (2) has given four main types of soils in which E. obliqua grows. They are (a) quartzite soils, (b) Ironstone soils, (c) glacial deposits and (d) gully soils. Except in the soil of the glacial areas our species under review grows to forest dimensions. Forests on quartzite soils attain their maxi- mum development and form the typical tree vegetation of the Ranges in the area defined by the 30 inch Isohyet. Teale (3) gives a description of the Geology and chief soils at the Kuitpo Forest where a fair proportion of stringybark grows. The rocks are of Cambrian and Pre-Cambrian age, the former having soils of a gravelly sandy loam and a red gravelly clay loam and grow- ing good stringybark. The latter series of rocks producing a grey gravelly loam support poor stringybark except in the gullies. The Tertiary to recent deposits produce good E. obliqua forest in loose deep sands and light yellowish-red sandy clay loam. V. Ecological. The ecology of the stringybark {E. obliqua) forest is a very big subject and has been best deal with by Osborn (2) who gives a list of 210 plant species occurring in this formation. The chief tree species associated with E. obliqua are E. capi- tellata, E. viminalis, E. rubida, E. fasciculosa, E. cosmophyllaj E. rostrata, Acacia vielanoxylon, Exocarpus cupressiformis and Casuarina stricta. Of these plants only one {E. viminalis) is at all abundant and generally forms a pure stand. The others are only of occasional occurrence leaving E. obliqua the dominant tree in all the forest of 1300 feet or over. It is remarkable how this one tree dominates the timber growth on the higher levels of the Mount Lofty Range. The shrubs, undershrubs and smaller plants are exceedingly numerous in the stringybark formation. The chief shrubs arc Pultenaea daphnoides , Acacia myrtifolia, Hakea rostrata, Leptospermtim myrsinoides, L. scoparium, and Ixodia achuleoides and these are abundant In certain situations and dom- Of the smaller shrubs Epacris impressa, rlatylobium obtusangidum, Tetratheca pilosa, Grevillea lavandu- and three species of Hibbertia are found In abundance in (1) Trans. Roy. Soc., S.A. Vol. XXVIII (1904), 253^^d Ibid XXX (1906), 227. (2) Trans. Roy. Soc., S.A. Vol. XLVIII (1924), 99. (3) Dept. For. Bull. 6. (1918) 8. 16 . The South AustTalian Naturalist. t definite and mostly widespread areas. Other species such as Pul- tenaea involucrata, P. graveolens and Acrotnche fasciculiflora grow in some quantity in restricted areas. Only a few grass species occur in the stringybark forest and nowhere abundant. A grass-like Lepidosper^na {L, semiteres) grows in close for- mation in places and seems to take the place of grass and 14 other species of this family occur here. The family Orchidaceae is represented by about 18 species while Liliaceae has 17 species. Four parasites occur in Loranthus, viz., L. Miquelii, L. Exo- carpi, L. pendtdus and L. Preisii, the former being the more abun- dant chiefly on the yellow gum while the two latter parasitise the blackwood. Composites are represented by 23 species and one of them Helichrysum Baxteri makes large white patches where it grows in the ironstone soils on the tops of the ridges. There is much to be done, and, so far, very little has been accomplished in the ecology of the Mount Lofty Ranges which would well repay close study. A GREAT AUSTRALIAN BOTANIST. The death of Mr. J. FI. Maiden, F.R.S., I.S.O., formerly Government Botanist of New South Wales and Director of the Sydney Botanic Gardens, removes one of the greatest of Aus- ralia’s scientific workers. Flis name stands beside that of Baron von Mueller on the roil of those who have done so much for Austra- lia. His life was spent in the study of the plant life of the con- tinent with particular study of its relation to man’s life and wel- fare. His greatest work was the massive “Critical Review of the Genus Eucalyptus” in seven weighty volumes, still unfortunately incomplete. Other works from his prolific pen include “The Forest Flora of New South Wales,” “Sir Joseph Banks” and “Flowering Plants and Ferns.” During a period of 20 years he wrote voluminously on many scientific subjects. As far back as 1907 at the Science Congress in Adelaide he contributed a paper on “The effects of the des- truction of the forest flora on the flow of the streams of Aus- tralia.” The value of Mr. Maiden’s work was recognised by the award of the Linnean medal, 1915, and his election as a Fellow of the Royal Society, He was also the recipient of the Imperial Service Order. Australia loses a keen scientist and a most use- ful citizen. 17 . The South AustraTum Naturalist. BOTANICAL NOTES. By Ernest H. Ising. Eucalyptus capitellata Sm. I am advised by Mr. J. M. Black that, only a fortnight before his death, Mr. J. H. Maiden decided that this stringybark is a new species and that he and Mr. W. F. Blakely are naming it E, Baxteri. It was first named by Smith in White’s ‘Woyage to New South Wales” in 1790 from specimens collected near Sydney. In 1828 Robert Brown named a specimen E. Baxteri collected by Wm. Baxter on the South coast probably Kangaroo Island. This was placed by Maiden (1) under E. capitellata. As no description hy R. Brown can be found the name E. Baxteri under his authorship cannot stand. A second specimen collected by Baxter is referred to E. sa?italifolia F.v.M., as var. Baxteri by Bentham but as this plant is now^ raised to specific rank Bentham’s authorship is invalid. The next name given to this species was E. Blaxlandi by Mai- den and Cambage (2) in 1918 but it is now considered that this species does not occur in this State. The way is now clear for the use of the name of E. Baxteri as Browm’s description of it cannot be traced and Bentham’s is only a varietal name. The authors are also naming a new variety, E. Baxteri, var. pedicellata specimens of which were collected by Messrs. Morison Ham and Ising between Longw’ood and Alt. Bold in November this year. It is believed that E. Muelleriana is also to be dropped in favor of the above variety. Acacia rkigiophylla F.v.M. I he re-discovery of this spiny wattle is due to the excellent collecting of Prof. J. B. Cleland, who found it at KInchina in 1924. It was first collected by Mueller in 1848 between Mount Barker and River Alurray so that it wms lost sight of for 76 years. Kin- china being in the same district possibly it may have been re-dis- covcred in the same piece of scrub situated in a low range about 0 miles west of Murray Bridge. The plant resembles A. colleti- omes very closely and may have been confused with it, however It is very restricted in range this is the only district in this State from which it has been recorded. It was found in West Wyalong m New South Wales in 1902. (1) Grit. Rev. Gen. Eucal. Part VIII (1907), 213 (2) Proc. Roy. Soc. N.S.W., LII (1918), 495. 18 . The South Australian Naturalist. EXCURSIONS. EXCURSION TO SLAPE^S GULLY, AUGUST 15. Under the guidance of Mr. J. A. Hogan about 20 members traversed Slape^s Gully. The going was rough, as in many places the track was ill defined. Slape’s Gully is one of the most at- tractive gorges in our hills, the winding stream, walled in by preci- pitous hills, being rich in native vegetation. Several species of leptospermum and acacia were observed and the wattle was com- ing into bloom, but in this secluded ravine It was somewhat early for native flora. The imported wild cotton bush Gomphocarpns pubescens , is getting a firm hold in our hills, and is a noxious shrub. It is the resort in the spring of swarms of brown butter- flies, the larvae of which came here with the bush. There were also many bushes of Brachylo7na ericoides just coming into flower An enthusiastic shellman was delighted to find very rare speci- mens of the two Australian snails Helix Gawleri and //. Bednalli, which many collectors have hitherto sought in vain. The party reached the waterfall, and scaling the hill, came back by an easy track. From the top of Green Hill a magnificent view of a gor- geous sunset and the shimmering waters of the gulf, with the roofs and spires of the city In clear relief, compensated for the arduous climb. EXCURSION, SEMAPHORE BEACH, AUGUST 29. A party of members under the leadership of Messrs. Kimber and Trigg, explored the beach from the Semaphore southwards, in search of the remains of marine life cast up by the recent storm. Some Interesting specimens were found. Certain patches of mar- ine wash were especially rich in molluscan forms. A Haliotis albicans (ear shell) was found adhering to a Pinna or razor fish. The flesh, though edible, is rather coarse, but is much liked by savage tribes. In a recent lecture, Dr. Pulleine showed photo- graphs of mounds of these shells, many feet in thickness, In spots where the Tasmanian aborigines had camped. As is common with many molluscs the shell was Infested with many forms of minute marine organisms. The lustrous nacreous interior Is iri- descent, as also Is the exterior when the foreign accretions are removed by hydrochloric acid. The glittering vari-coloured shells of Phasianotrochus may be strung into daintily tinted necklaces. An egg-case of the Port Jackson dog shark, resembling a pine cone, was found. Embryonic sharks are often found in these peculiar receptacles. The mother leaves the tiny creatures to their own devices. This*species Is quite harmless. The elongated shell of the hammer headed oyster Malleus albus (white ham- mer), so named from its shape, is provided also with a nacreous The South Justralian Naturalist. 19 . interior. Never two are found alike. It adds laminae in regular layers to the interior coating, and the age of the creature may be judged from the number of these laminae, or plates. It at- taches itself to the crevice of a rock or to the sand by means of a “byssus ” a beard of very fine cilia, or hairs. From these hairs a fine silk is spun. The organism is very stationary for the rest of its life. By means of a siphon on the lower part, the sea water is drawn in. The organic and mineral matter needed is retained and the waste material, mostly pure water, is ejected by the upper siphon. Thus this lowly organism plays an important part in purifying the waters of the ocean. Oyster culture is largely carried on in the East, and hundreds of thousands of pounds are thereby gained; in other countries it forms one of the chief marine industries. Several specimens of Fasciolaria were picked up, in- cluding coronata, Mr. Kimber described the process of repro- duction of mulluscs. The eggs are retained until the embryonic shell is formed, when they are ejected. The cilia help them to move about till a suitable soot is found. It then spins its “bys- sus,’’ and burrows in the sand, or attaches itself to a crevice in a rock. If the crevice is not large the shell conforms to the shape of the cavity. The Paphia galactites lives in the sand, subsisting on the roots of seaweed. The Chama is beautiful, as is also the Pecten (lady’s haircomb), or Chlamys hifrons (double- fronted cloak). This species moves in a ziz-zag by opening and closing its valves. A little crab makes itself at home inside the shell, affording another Instance of commensalism (common table) so common among the mollusca. The Phasianella australis was highly valued when first sent to England, fetching as much as £3 a shell. The Polinces conica is a carnivorous gasteropod, bor- ing tiny holes in the shells of other species and sucking the juices. A shell was found with a tiny hole drilled through the upper coat, evidently the work of one of these carnivorous animals. Polinices seems to be able to track Its prey by scent. The Cardium tenui- costatum (common cockle) is abundant in the southern seas, being found in heaps like seaweed, at Port Willunga. VISIT TO SIR WILLIAM SOWDEN’S, GLEN OSMOND, SEPTEMBER 5th. Members were invited to Sir William Sowden’s to examine the museum of curios collected by him in all parts of the world. Their bulk is so great that Sir William has been compelled to put up a special building for their accommodation. The visit of the Society was the official opening of the new building. The collec- tion was most interesting and Sir William’s informative explana- tions added greatly to the pleasure of the party. 20 The South Aiistralmn Naturalist. \’ISIT TO MR. E. ASHBY^S AT BLACKWOOD. SEPTEMBER 12. A large number of members visited Mr. Ashby’s residence at Blackwood. Though the afternoon proved stormy the visitors braved the rain and wind in their anxiety to see the many won- derful plants from various parts of the world which Mr. Ashby has succeeded in growing in the various beds. A very large number of plants native to Australia are in thriving condition, as well as desert and Alpine types of plants collected on Mr. Ashby’s various journeys to out-of-the-way spots on the earth’s surface. EXCURSION TO NATIONAL PARK, SEPTEMBER 26. A pleasant afternoon was spent at the National Park. Mr. A. M. Lea, of the Museum, conducted the party in the quest for the life of the underwood. Spiders of several species were found, their colors harmonizing in a wonderful way with their surround- ings. The black variety with a bright red stripe along the centre of the back is capable of inflicting a very painful bite and their brillant colours serve as a warning to unwary observers, whereas the sober coloured species is anxious only to escape notice. Ants, too, were busy: the ferocious warrior, or bulldog, needs to be carefully manipulated with tweezers if one does not wish to suffer In the cause of science. Meat ants were also observed. The great mounds of the termites, the so-cafled “white ants”, were numerous. These mounds in tropical countries attain large dim- ensions and assume fantastic shapes, as of cathedrals or towers. The city gardener stated that many imported trees were attacked by them. Many of the trees in the park are suffering from the depredations of the tiny gall insects, the larvae of which pierce the leaves, causing the sap to exude, forming characteristic nodules and draining the lifeblood of the tree. Beetles of several types were found, cockroaches, and weevils also. A twisted bunch of the larvae of the sawfly was discovered on a branch. This crea- ture defends Itself in much the same way as the skunk or the cuttlefish by ejecting an offensive fluid which effectively puts an end to further* pursuit. Moths and grass- hoppers were observed, but the weather was too cold for butterflies. “The Devil’s coachhorse” (Xantholinus, yellow lined) was a rare find. Several beautifully-coloured fungi, including the “Jew’s ear” fungus was generally admired. Native flowers were seen in great variety. Orchids included the dainty C'aladenia, pop- ularly known as “spiders,” the modest Pterostylis or greenhood, the quaint Druris (double tailed), and the gorgeous Thelymitra grandifloraj Tetratheca pilosa, Hibbertia, and Pultenaea were ab- undant. Caesia vittata, Scaevola, Btdbine bulbosa were also not- ed. ni Evlo obli/y^^ci' in « \o. 2. White Stringybark {Eucalyptus obliqua) L. Heritier 1788. Note the marked obliquity of the leaf, the small clublike buds iti and the hemispherical fruits with somewhat sunken valves. No. 3. hossilized Tree-trunks at Fulham, he wood (probably she-oak, Casuarina)^ has been replaced by carbonate of lime. J •t A- '^hn S^vfh Aii.<^’va^ian Nofiirnlisf. 21 . EXCURSION TO MOUNT LOFTY, OCTOBER 5. Under the direction of Mr. J. A. Hogan a party explored the scrub in the vicinity of the railway station. I’he underwood was a blaze of varied colour. The delicate Tetratheca pilosa in shades varying from pure white, through exquisite tints of purple, lavender and pink, was a conspicuous feature. Pultenaea in many varieties was also much in evidence. Dillwynia, Daviesia^ Hibber- tia (guinea flower), and Goodcnias also contributed to the dainty colour scheme. Leucopogon with its snowy spikes, added a pleasant contrast to the gayer tints. Grevillea with its long prom- inent styles and Euphrasia (eyebright), one of the most dainty of white blossoms and Epacris provided a feast for the eye. Orchids were represented by the quaint Caladenias (spiders), Diuris (double-tailed orchid), Glossodia (Tongue orchid), Thelymitra grandijlora was also observed, but the gorgeous blue flower of the latter had not yet opened. ^ ^ EXCURSION TO THE FINNISS, OCTOBER 14. The excursion to Mt. Compass had to be given up owing to the state of the roads but Prof. Osborn piloted the party through Stirling, Echunga, Aleadows and Bull’s Creek to a spot on the Port Elliot road 41 miles. from Adelaide where the same classes of flora were to be observed. On the white sand recently swept by a bush-fire, the party found a surprising number of the pecu- liar Red beaked orchid, Lyperanihus nigricans. Another find was the very rare Sun-dew, Drosera bmata, which was also found in immense numbers in the wet swamps. LIST OF SPECIMENS RECORDED FROM THIS AREA. Lindsaya linearis, Kuhm., Cheilanthes tenuifolia, Swartz., Sel~ aginella ^Preissiana, Spreng., Themeda triandra, Forsk., Danthon- ia penicillata, F.v.AL, Pappophorum nigricans, R.Br., Cyperus ten- ellus, L.f., Schoeniis apogon, R. and S., Lepidosperma co 7 icavum, R.Br., L. carphoides, F.v.M., Hypolaena fastigiata, R.Br., Centro- lepis aristata, R. and S., C. strigosa, R. and S., Luzula campestris, Dianelta revoluta, R.Br., Burchardia umbellata, R.Br., Ang- uillaria dioica, R.Br., Lomandra dura,, Ewart., Thysa^iotus Pater- sonii, R.Br., Caesia vittata, R.Br., Chamaescilla corymbosa, F.v. M., Bulbine bidbosa, Haw., Dichopogon strictus, J. G. Bak., Xanthorrhoea semipla^ia, F.v.Ad., Hypoxis glabella, R.Br., Thely- wzira grandiflora, Fitz., T, anteyinijera, Hook, f., Prasophyllum elauim, R.Br., Lyperanthus nigricans, R.Br., Caladenia carnea, R.Br., C. Menziesii, R.Br., C. leptochila, Fltz., C. reticulata, Fitz., Dmns longifolia, R.Br., Microtis atrata, Llndh, Casuarhia distyla. Vent., Isopogon ceratophyllus, R.Br., Ade^ianthos terminalis, R. 22 The South Australian Naturalist I Br., Conosperrnum patens^ Schlecht., Grevillea lavandulacea, Schlecht., Hakea rostrata, F.v.M., H. tilicina, R.Br., Banksia mar- ginata, Cav., B. ornata, F.v.M., Exocarpus cupressiformis, LabilL, Calandrinia corrigioloides, F.v.M., Ranunculus lappaceus^ Sm., Cassytha melantha, R.Br., Drosera glanduligeraj Lehm., D. pyg~ maeaj D.C., D. Planchonii, Hook.f., D. W hittakeri, Planch., D. auricidata, Backh., D. bhiata, Labill., Crassula Sieberia7ia, Ostenf., Billardiera cymosa, F.v.M., Acaena ovma^ A. Cunn., Acacia spin- escens, Benth., A. pycna^itha, Benth., A. myrtifolia, Willd., A. verticillata^ Willd., Daviesia tdiema, Sm., D. brevifolia, Lindl., Pultenaea pedimcidata, Hook., P. acerosa, R.Br., Dillwy^iia jlori- bunda, Sm., Platylobium obtusangtdum, Hook., Ken?iedya pros- trata, R.Br., Zieria veronicea, F.v.M., Boronia caerulescens, F.v. M,, Boronia filifolia, F.v.M., Tetratheca pilosa, Labill, Stack- housia linarifolia, A. Cunn., Spyridium thymijolium, Reiss., Hib- bertia acicularis, F.v.M., Viola hederacea, Labill., Hybanthus jloribu7idus , F.v.M., Pimelea phylicoides, Meissn., P. octophylla, R.Br., Eucalyptus capitellata, Sm., E. cosmophylla, F.v.M., E. fas- ciculosa, F.v.M., Leptospermum scoparium, Forst., L. myrsin- oides, Schlecht., Callistenio7i, Baeckea diffusa, Sieb., Cdythrh tetragona, Labill., Haloragis tetragyna, Hook, f., Hydrocotyle cal- licarpa, Bge.. Daucus glochidiatus , Fisch., Astroloma humifusum. R.Br., A. cojiostephioides , F.v.M,, Leucopogo^i virgatus, R.Br., Ep- acris hnpressa Labill., Villarsia re^iiformiSj R.Br., Polypoinpholyx tenella, Lehm., Opercularia scabrida, Schlecht., Wahlenbergia grac- ilis, P*C.. Goode?iia geniculata, R.Br., Stylidium despectum, R.Br., Stylidium graminifolium, Swartz., S. calcaratuvi R.Br., Leewenhoe- kia dubta, Sond,, L. pusilla, R.Br,, Craspedia Richea, Cass., Riiti- dosis pmyiilo, Benth., Ilelichrysum Baxteri, A. Cunn., H. scorpi- oides, Labill., H. obtusifolium. Son. and F.v.M., Podotheca angus- tifolia, Cass., Ixodia achilleoides , R.Br., Millotia temdfolia, Cass., Microseris scapigera, Sch. Bip., Cryptostemma calendulaceum, R.Br. EXCURSION TO AIOUNT LOFTY QUARRIES, OCTOBER 24. Dr. Charles Fenner led the party to the Mount Lofty quar- ries. 1 he learned doctor pointed out how the strata, originally laid down in a horizontal position, had been slowly tilted up by a gradual but persistent “thrust’’ from the eastward. This stu- pendous movement of the earth’s crust extended to a depth of some 10 miles and proceeded apparently from the neighbourhood of New Zealand. This movement had thrown the solid land in- cluding the ocean bed, into ridges and depressions, which might The South Australian Naturalist. 23 . be aptly compared with the successive crests and hollows produced by sea waves. In this way the Mount Lofty and Flinders ranges had been uplifted with deep valleys and undulating areas separ- ating the roughly parallel spurs and ridges. Evidences of this resistless earth movement were plainly visible in the strata of the quarries, which had been twisted into anticlines (A-shaped) and synclines (V-shaped), which could be readily traced. Veins of quartz were seen intruding into the layers in irregular directions This mineral fluid through intense heat and pressure pene- yates the strata, often carrying metallic ores, such as gold silver and copper. The quartz in the Mount Lofty quarries, how- ever, was of a very “hungry nature.’’ The presence of many quartz veins tends to reduce the value of the stone as building material, and for that reason one large block was left in the middle of the excavations. In her cyclopean masonry Nature employs four principal cements, namely clay, iron, quartz, and silica. The cementing agent in these quarries was mainly clay. Grains of quartz are often forced into softer sandstone or clay, and render them so hard that the hammer rings on the mass as on iron. For that reason this “quartzite” is shunned by quarrymen and stone masons. In the olden days the houses of Adelaide were built mainly of the hard blue clay-slates, which are almost everlast- ing. Now only the softer freestones and sandstones are accep- table to the builders, as being much easier to work, but the “lives” of the buildings are thereby considerably reduced. As the Mount Lofty and Flinders ranges represent a crest of the great earth waves, so the two gulfs are the hollows or depressions. The build- ing up of the fertile Adelaide plains by the silt and debris, slowly washed from the mountain chain in the long course of untold ages and deposited on what was once a seabed, was grahpically described. A spirited discussion arose as to the aesthetic merit or demerit of the “scars” left on the hill face by quarries. The doctor pointed out that Hilder, among other artists, considered that the brown, red, grey, or white patches harmoniously blended with the vivd green of meadow or vineyard and, by contrast, con- siderably heightened the effect of the purple distances. Nature, however, seems to take the earliest opportunity of repairing the damage, a fact which appeared from the dense growth of native nora an abandoned face. This wilderness, was, as the doctor remarked, a botanical museum, and our secretary was able to mentdy in this natural garden a few rare plants including Pulten- aea involucrata, P, acerosa, Etiphrasia Brozunil The vegetation 01 these ridges comprises several desert types. Although abun- ant ram falls, the porous nature of the rock allows the water 0 rapi y dram away, causing a drought in the midst of copious The South Australian Naturalist. H moisture. Along the roads wild flowers were in profusion — TeU ratheca pilosaj Platylobium obtusatigulum with its dainty corolla of variegated petals, red, brown, and yellow; Hakea rostrata, Pimelea and others. EXCURSION TO FULHAM, OCTOBER 31. A large party accompanied Mr. E. H. Ising to Fulham sand hills and were successful in securing some of the orchid, Microtis porrifolia (leek-orchid). Fulham, as Mr. W. Ham pointed out during the field natur- alists’ visit, occupies the site of an ancient sea beach, which ex- tended from Brighton Rocks to the neighbourhood of Dry Creek. The ridges of yellow sand that mark the limits of the waterfront are the result of the action the wind and tide, and the Stockade is built on the seaside cliff. The sea has invaded this part on many ocasions, and has relinquished its prey only after a des- perate struggle. A gradual uplift of 8 ft. has recently reclaimed these flats from the inroads of the water. Not only the geological formation, but also the prevailing vegetation, bears witness to these vicissitudes. The plants observed are, according to Mr. E. H. Ising, those usually found in tidal swamps, viz., samphire, This characteristic plant, covers an extensive area in these flats, with Arthrocnemum sp. and Threlkeldia diffusa. A plant observed near the road was the rare native Pittosporum. Many chipped flints were picked up by members of the party, evidently the cutting tools of aborigines. Shells of cockles and other mol- lusca were also found. Another curious relic of the anciei t days was observed — a number of tree stumps of the Casuarina^ which had undergone the process of so-called petrifaction. Lime, silica and other mineral matter in solution had entered the interstices in the decaying trunk; the wood had mouldered away, and the solid mineral had formed a perfect cast or mould of the trunk The finding of a sleeping lizard led to a discourse on that peculiar organ, the “pineal gland.” The curious little pits of the “ant lion” were noticed and one little brown creature was found. He lies in wait at the bottom of his little pit for ants or other insects that may tumble in: but, when alarmed digs rapidly through the sand, and is accordingly difficult to capture. After an hour or two on the flats an adjournment was made, by invitation, to the resi- dence of Capt. S. A. White, where members and friends were hospitably entertained at afternoon tea. The host’s extensive collection of natural history objects were next inspected. Mr. W. J. Kimber discoursed in his usual lucid manner on the num- erous land and water shells. Attention was drawn to the subfossil of a species of Paludina in a block of limestone in the outer wall The South Austraimn Naturalist. of the house. On a table in one of the rooms was found a great variety of molluscan remains, including two species of nautilus, many varieties of strombs and volutes, the razor shell {Melo dia- dema) frilled cockle, Murex regius, the delicate Pecten pleuron- ectes from the seas around Port Darwin; the Ovulum. Several beautifully tinted Achetina from Central Africa were noted. This is the largest of land molluscs. Another beautiful shell was the reddish-coloured Cassus rufus with Unio from the River Murray, and some duviatile shells from the Torrens, a giant clam, an im- mense Helix, {Harpa veritricosa) were commented upon. The Pteroceras (horny winged) known as the scorpion shell had its place in the collection. Capt. S. A. White also spoke on his fav- orite theme — the immense value of the native birds to the tiller of the soil and the stockbreeder. EXCURSION TO MILLBROOK, NOVEMBER 14. A large party travelled to the Reservoir via the picturesque Gorge Road. Alet by the curator the party divided into two sections. One part under the leadership of Mr. B. Beck went on the lake and secured water weeds and fresh water fish and pond life. Another section led by Mr. Ising and Mr. Ham search- ed the hillsides for botanical specimens. The visit was rather late for this year as but few orchids were seen. The chief interest was the examination of the characteristic elaeophora forest. The trees bear a superficial resemblance to young stringy-barks but careful examination shows them to be different in many respects, from other eucalypts by its gre5ash rough (but not fibrous) bark, EucGlyptus elaeophora (Olive Barked Box) may be distinguished and by its angular buds, usually arranged in a star shape. Its leaves^ are long and lance shaped. In Victoria as in our own State it iS known under a great variety of popular names. It is usually a stunted tree often with a mallee habit of growth, though a few trees attain a remarkable size. The wood is almost use- less, decaying quickly, and of little value even as fuel. Hie elaeophora forests occur on poor hard soils with a char- actenstic undergrowth. Professor Osborn has dealt with this in the Procedings of the Royal Society” for 1924 (pp. 108-109). EXCURSION TO MR. BURDETT’S AT BASKET RANGE NOVE?ClBER 28. large party motored to Basket Range to visit Mr. Bur- ketts garden. The trip took the party through some of the most beautiful scenery of the hills. Cherry trees in full fruit lined 26 . the South Australian Naturalist. the roads for miles: the gullies are largely occupied with fruit and vegetable gardens and the hills crowned with a forest of white stringybark now all too quickly disappearing. The party were received by Mr. and Mrs. Burdett and conducted to the cherry orchard where the pickers were hard at work. At our host’s pressing invitation the party engaged in a test of capacity but could not stay the pace for long. Adjournment was then made to the garden of native flowers Mr. Burdett has just estab- lished. In this remarkable garden the visitors were able to see a splendid collection of Australia’s most wonderful wild flowers, including Kangaroo paws, Leschenaiiltias, West Australian ever- lastings, Proteas and many others. Before leaving afternoon tea was served by Mrs. and Miss Burdett and the party returned via Ashton, Summertown and Be- lair, the route leading through the well-cultivated gardens of Piccadilly. LECTURES. LECTURE BY PROF. SIR DOUGLAS MAWSON, D.Sc. “EXPLORING IN ANTARCTICA.” OCTOBER 20th. He stated that his object was to relate the scientific work attempted, the plant and animal life of the antarctic, and other data collected. Nothing could equal in interest the collection of such information in new lands. The material collected by his expedition in 1914 was still not completely examined. Adelie Land, with which his expedition spent its time, had been regard- ed as an Ausrtalian sphere, although Fance was claiming it now, on the ground that a party of Frenchmen spent two days there early in the nineteenth cenutry. He explained the movements of the various exploring parties, and stated that the ice-covered area was twice the size of Australia, When Macquarie Island was reached the temperature was too low to permit the existence of plants larger than shrubs. A great part of the work of an expedition consisted of a study of the sea, its depth, the character of the bottom, and life of every kind in it. Samples of sea water at various depths were obtained m bottles, the contents of which had to be analyzed and tested for temperature. The Mawson expedition had been able to run a line of soundings from Tasmania to the antarctic, and in the pro- cess had discovered sunken land, which consisted of hard rock, with no deposit of mud. The life of the surface water was micro- 27. The South Australian Naturalist. scopic, and was known as plankton. Investigation had shown that the life of the sea varied in character with depth, and was 100 grouped in zones. Cuttlefish were prolific from 50 to fathoms. As the depth increased the fish became phosphorescent. Dredging in the deep sea involved many technical problems, and required great skill and experience. Sometimes half a ton of living creatures, many of minute size, would be obtained in one haul. It was found that red predominated in deep-sea colouring, the v/ater quickly filtering out the blue. At the greatest depths there was no colour. Below a depth of 2,500 fathoms magnetic particles were found in the red clay, and it was probable that they were of extra terrestrial origin (particles of meteorites). j, Macquarie Island shores were characterised by deposits of ,j. seaweed the stems of which were as thick as a man’s leg. It has ^ remained unchanged in spite of the many visits paid to it by whal- ers and sealers. It was too small to have permanent ice, and all snow was thawed wdthin a week or two of its fall. Though the hilltops Avere bare, tussock grass grew thickly, and there was herbage of various kinds. The smooth outline of the hills gave evidence of former glaciation. All the seal and bird life of the Southern Ocean resorted to that island, so that it was important to reserve it as a sanctuary. The leopard seal was the only predaceous one on the Southern Hemisphere, and would .attack and eat other seals. It was unfortunate for the elephant seal that it yielded blubber, the demand for the oil from which din TVl ^termination. The sealers nowadays boiled Sv indiscriminately. ^ n;f2’ r government had placed an embargo on the oil industry, by forbidding the killing of those creatures On the voyage south from Macquarie Island icebergs were hHadoVsl? n^elted plain marks on the sides showed e / dissolution proceeded. The largest erg seen by the Mawson expedition was 210 feet high In the “pE',7TT.‘" reach most nf ^ • pmntitul. It was impossible to l»r “or*f.nce ‘"'r"' ‘‘"P' as much as 186 m'l snouts of glaciers protruded in ZX l and the Great Ice Barrier «cept during a thaw Tl ff out i am, and there was no water everything appea , ink Hr A nmke anydistanceC the i : ^"y^'°gether. There was no life at of 8«a, lateres ,0 ;ilTploSf 28 . The South Australian Naturalist. EVENING LECTURE BY MR. WALTER GILL FLS NOVEMBER IS. Mr. Gill delighted a large audience with fine views of forest scenes in the various states. The pictures were not only very in- formative but of great artistic merit and Mr. Gill's racy com- ments were much enjoyed. Those present gained some idea of the work that has been done in forestry as well as of the possibili- ties of the future and the responsibility of the citizens to push on with the work of forestry in Australia. ADDITIONS TO OUR LIBRARY. 1. “Last Leaves from Dunk Island” by E. J. Banfield, auth- or of “Confessions of a Beachcomber/' “My Tropic Isle” and “Tropic Days.” This volume is made up of various papers writ- ten by Mr. Banfield and edited after his death in 1923 by Mr. A. H. Chisholm, known to many as the author of “Mateship with Birds.” The different chapters are full of Interest to the nature student. (Cole's). 2. “Keeping up with Science,” Edwin E. Slosson. Deals with a great variety of scientific subjects ranging from “The Psychology of Auto-Drivers” to “Climate in the Coal Age,” and from “Why Jellies Jell” to “Friendly Germs.” (Cole’s) 3. “Golden Wattle, Our National Emblem” by Archibald J. Campbell. Beautifully illustrated with many plates in colour, this book sings the praises of our Australian wattles. Its compila- tion was a labour of love by the author in his successful endeavour to establish the Wattle as the national flower of Australia. (Cole’s) OUR EXCHANGES. 1. “The S.A. Ornithologist,” October, 1925, Mr. Edwin Ashby contributes “Notes on Tasmanian Bird Life” with map. 2. “The Queensland Naturalist.” July, 1925. 3. “The Victorian Naturalist,” August, September and October 1925. In the August number there is an informative article on “The Victorian Termites” by G. F. Hill. 4. “The Australian Naturalist” (of N.S.W.) July, 1925. 5. “Journal of the Arnold Arboretum” of Harvard, Univ. U.S.A. Notes on Rhododendrons of E. China, etc., July, 1925. 6. Historial Notes of the first Fifty years of the Linnean Society of New South Wales (1874-1924). The South Australian Naturalist. 29. A list of members is printed in this number. Any errors or alterations of address, etc. should be notified to the Treasurer. LIST OF MEMBERS. FIELD NATURALISTS’ SECTION. Angel, Mr. Frank Ashby, Mr: E:, F.L.S., M.B.O.U Adcock, Miss A. Baker, Mr. A, Black, Mr. J. McC. Black. Mrs, A. D. Baker, Mr. W. H. Beck, Mr. B. B. Beck, Mrs. B. B. Benda, Miss C. A. Burton, Mr. R. J. Bailey, Mr. J. F. Bellchambers, Mr. T. P. (Hon.) Botting, Mr. F. W. (Hon.) Brundrit, Mr. B. Burdett, Mr. W. Booth, Master Russell Clark, Mr. F. Colbert, Mr. H. Campbell, Dr. T. D. Carpenter, Mr. R. Cleland, Prof. J. B., M.D. Catt, Miss Mary C, Cleland, Master Wm. P. Clarke, Mr. Owen Cheadle, Miss Cattle, Mr. A. Cornish, Mr. K. M. Cunningham, Mr. J. T. Drummond, Mr. E. Drummond, Mrs. E. Day, Mrs. Arthur Dutton. Mr. H. H Duffield, Mr. K. C. Duignan, Mr. V. J. Deex, Miss 0. Edmunds, H. J., Edquist, Mr. A. G. Elliott, Mr. L. Elliott, Mrs. L. Elston, Mr. A. II., F.E.S. Edwards, Mr. R. C. C/o W. D. & H. 0. Wills & Co., Adelaide. , Blackwood. Public School, Hindmarsh Valley. Port Lincoln. 82, Brougham Place, North Adelaide. 82, Brougham Place, North Adelaide. Ningana Avenue, Kings Park. Coles Book Arcade, Rundle Street, Adelaide Fullarton. 75, Kent Terrace, Kent Town. \orth East Road, Walkervilie. Director, Botanic Gardens Humbug Scrub, via Smithfield. Hewitt Avenue, Rose Park. E'orest Avenue, Black Forest. Basket Range. Buxton Street, North Adelaide. 33, Parade, Norwood. Payneham. 5, Edward Street, Norwood, Union Street, North Kensington. University, Adelaide. Newcastle Street, Alberton. 31, Wattle Street, Fullarton. 4 Capper Street. Black Forest University, Adelaide. 94 Swaine Avenue, Toorak. C/o. State Bank, Pirie Street, City. Torrens Avenue, Alberton. Davenport Terrace, Wa 3 wille. Davenport Terrace, Wayville. 6, Second Avenue, Joslin. Dequetteville Terrace, Kent Town. Hilda Terrace, Hawthorn. Eastern Extension Co., King William Street. Durban Terrace, Franklin. Grange. Adelaide High School. Marden Road, Payneham. Marden Road, Payneham. Hatherley, Unley Park. Third Avenue, Joslin. 30 . The South Australia^ti N aturalist. Fenner, Dr. Chas., F.G.S. Faehse, Miss A. E. Fuller, Mrs. Featherstone. Miss D., B.A. Finlayson, Dr. Constance Fairlie, Mr. Samuel Forri/or, Mr. J. Fleming, Miss M. Goodes, Mr. A. J. Goodalc, Mr. J. W. Glastonbury, Mr. 0. Gill, Mr. Walter, F.L.S., F.R.FI. Grosser, Miss H. Gepp, Mrs. C. A. Godfrey, Mr. F. K. Griffiths, Miss Gosling, Miss A. Hackett, Mr. VV. Champion Hackett, Miss Isabel Hackett, Miss Margaret Ham, Mr. William, F.R.E.S. Hocking, Miss E. Hosking, Mr. J. W. Hudson, Mr. Hugh Hale, Mr. H. M. Hurcombe, Miss Hughes, Mr. E. S. Hussey, Mr. G. F. Hogan, Mr. Jas. A. Howie, Mr. L. H. Hunt, Miss Hall, Miss D. Hall, Miss E. Hawkes, Miss Rose Hosking, Dr. Herbert C. Hill, Dr. A. W., M.R.C.S., etc, Hill, Mrs. A. W. Harris, Mr. C. H. Harding, Mr. A. W. Hills, Mrs. W. S. Hills, Mrs. E. Hills, Miss A. R. Ising, Mr. Ernest H. Ireland. Miss E. Ifould, Mr. Percy Johnson, Dr. E. Angas (Hon.) Jackman, Mr. S. W. Johnston, Prof. T. Harvey, D.Sc. Johnston. Mrs. Harvey Julius, Mr. E. Jones, Mr. S. R. Kimber, Mr. W. J. Kemp, Mr. Robert Kelsey, Mrs. M. 0. Education Office, Flinders Street, .Adclaidf Glen Osmond Road, Fullarton. 33, Buller Street, Prospect. 9, Leicester Street, Hyde Park. Adelaide Hospital, North Terrace. 86, Halifax Street, Adelaide. Brougham Place, Alberton. iCuming Street, Mile End. l20 Young Street, Wayville. Manager, Cowell Bros., Norwood. Box 536, G.P.O. S-57 Dover Street, Malvern. Mt. Gambier. First Avenue, Royston Park. Robert Street, South Payneham. C/o. Mrs. Quinton Ledger Road, Beverley. Edward Avenue, Joslin. 35, Dequetteville Terrace, Kent Town. 35, Dequetteville Terrace, Kent Town. 35, Dequetteville Terrace, Kent Town. The University, Adelaide. 2, Baliol Street, College Town. Sydenham Road, Norwood. 48 Grenfell Street, City. Museum, Adelaide. 195, Unley Road, New Parkside. 39 Victoria Street, Forrestville. Pier Street, Glenelg. Kensington Road, Kensington Park. 48, Fisher Street, Parkside South. 10, Magill Road, Norwood. 17, Philip Street, Southwark. 17 Philip Street, Southwark. 13, Holden Street, Kensington Park. Mental Hospital, Parkside. Wattle Street, Fullarton. Wattle Street, Fullarton. f’orest Avenue, Black Forest. C/o. A. W. Barlow, Port Adelaide. School House, Cowandilla. 33 Palmerston Road, Nth. Unley. $3 Palmerston Road. Nth. Unley. Institute Buildings. North Terrace or Stirling West. 14, North Terrace, Kensington Gardens (or C/o London and Lancashire Ins. Co., Eagle Chambers — next Town Hall). Burnside. Pirie Street, Adelaide. Woodwork Centre, Gilbert Street, .\dc!aiac University, Adelaide. 50 Austral Terrace, Malvern. Conservator of Forests, Adelaide. “Middlesbro,” South Road, Glandorc. 28, Second Avenue, Joslin. Cross Roads, Unley. “The Poplars/^ Young Street, Kent Town. The South Australian Naturalist. 31. Lea, Mr. Arthur M., F.E.S., Law, Mrs. M. H. Legge, Miss M. Limbert, Miss M. J. Lucy, Mr. H. E. Looker, Mr. D. Love, Mr. R. S. Livesey, Mr. E. Morison, Mr. A. J. Munns, Miss C. Macklin, Miss E. D., B.Sc. Matison. Dr. E. A. Monk, Miss G. Moulden, Dr. Owen M. McNamara, Mr. D. J. (Hon.) McGilp, Mr. J. Neil McLennan, Mr. A. McPherson, Mrs. Murray, Miss J. M. Newbery, Mr. A. K. Nettlebeck, Mr. T. W. Nicholls, Mr. 0. L. North, Rev. W. 0. Osborn, Prof. T. G. B., D.Sc. O’Grady, Dr. J. J. Pearce, Mr. C. Pearce, Mrs. C. Pulleine, Dr. R. H. (Hon.) Payne, Mr. S. Page, Mrs, L. E. Peake, Mr. A. T. L. Pocklington, Miss R. A. Prescott, Prof. J. A. Penny, Miss E. Roberts, Miss I. Roberts, Miss N. Roberts, Miss H. L. Rowe, Miss E. M. Rosser, Mr. W. Rosser, Mrs. W. Robson, Mr. Hy. B. Robson, Mrs. Hy. B. Roach, Mr. B. S. Rpeger, Miss M. Richards, Miss Reed, Mr. W. D. Russell, Mr. G. E. Archer Rosewarne, Mr. C. C Robertson, Prof. T.' Brailsfc Selway, Mr. W. H. Simpson, Miss Amy Simpson. Miss Elsie Smith, Dr. W. Ramsay Sowden, Sir Wm. J. Stokes, Mr. Stanley Sando, Mr. L. C. C/o Museum, Adelaide. 5, Albert Street, Dulwich. “Park View,” Barton Terrace, N.A. 35, Austral Terrace, Malvern. Arcade, Adelaide. Prospect Road, Prospect. Yorketown. 43 Danby Street, Torrensville. Town Hall, Adelaide. First Avenue, East Adelaide. College Avenue, Prospect. Liberal Club, North Terrace. 53 Fairford Street, Unley. 80 Unley Road, Unley. 11, Arthur Street. Medindie. “Origma,” Kings Park. Torrens Road, Woodville Park. G.P.O., Adelaide. 36 Main North Road, Proospcct. Birks — Chemist, Rundle Street, Adelaide. Power Street, Adelaide. Messrs. Gibbs, Bright & Co., Adelaide. Claremont Avenue, Mitcham. The University, Adelaide. North Terrace, Adelaide. 33, Capper Street, Kent Town. 33, Capper Street, Kent Town. Professional Chambers, North Terrace. Payneham Road, Royston Park. Myponga. George Street, Parkside. 110, Grant Avenue, Toorak. Waite Research Institute, Glen Osmond. 167 ^Wattle Street, Malvern. 23 Fullarton Road, Fullarton. 23 Fullarton Road, Fullarton. Fifth Avenue, East Adelaide. Fourth Avenue, East Adelaide. No. 1, Bishops Place, Kensington. No. 1, Bishops Place, Kensington. Hectorville. Hectorville. Education Department, Flinders Street iGaza. Owen. Pirie Chambers, Pirie Street, Adelaide Renmark. First Avenue, Royston Park. University, Adelaide. The Treasury, Adelaide. Mt. Lofty. Mt. Lofty. Belair. Castlemaine”, Glenunga. 103, Gawler Place, Adelaide. Sturt Avenue, Monreith. 32. The South Australian Naturalist. Stenhouse, Mr. A. V. Sutton, Mr. J. Swan, Miss E. Samuel, Mr. Geoffrey Saunders, Mr. F. L. Stuart, Miss L. Thomas, Mr. Ernest A. S. Taylor, Miss V. Torrens Road, Woodville. Fullarton Road, Netherby. 117, Cambridge Terrace, Malvern. Waite Research Institute, Glen Osmond. 9 Arthur Street, Hyde Park. 't. Peter’s Girls’ School, Nth. Adelaide. Registrar-General’s Office, Flinders Street, Ade- laide. C/o Arthur Cocks & Co., 95, Grenfell Street, Adelaide. Tindale, Mr. Norman B. Taylor, Miss Neva Topperwein, Miss J. Trigg, Mr. F. Thyer, Mr. Geoffrey. Vohr, Miss Ida Vohr, Miss G. Vohr, Mrs. Williams, A4r. P. H. White, Captain, S. A., C.M. W’aite, Mr. Edgar R., F.L Wilkinson, Mr. A. Museum. .•Albert Street, Goodwood. School of Mines, North Terrace, Adelaide, Royston Park, Payneham. Eeitana. Watson Avenue, Rose Park. Watson Avenue, Rose Park. Watson Avenue, Rose Park. C/o Bond Limited, Hindley Street, Adelaid* B.O.U.’AVetunga,” Fulham .S. Woolcock, Mr. Jno. W. Watson, Miss F. Wood Jones, Prof. F., D.Sc. (Hon.) Wallis, Hon. F. S. Webb, Mr. W. J. Walker, Mr. W. D. Wallis, Miss L. F. Director, Museum, Adelaide. Messrs. Wilkinson & Lodge, Grenfell Str* Adelaide. Millswood Crescent, Millswood Estate. 64, Barnard Street, North Adelaide. The University, Adelaide. 44, Hughes Street, North Unley. 81, Kingston Terrace, North Adelaide. 65, Second Avenue, St. Peters. 37, Arcade, Rundle Street, Adelaide. The South Australian Naturalist Ite Journal of the Field Naturalists’ Section of the Eoyal Society of South Australia. Adelaide Vol. VII. CONTENTS. Forestry in South Australia A Note on the Stamens of some Common Native Plants S.A. Trees, No. 3, E. leucoxylon White Stringybark, {E. obliqua) The Black Cicada or Red Eye {Psaltoda moerens, Germ.) A Lea. F.E.S Shell CollectinK at the Outer Harbor (F. Trigg) Dredging, St. Vincent’s Gulf, December 12, 1925 The Plants of Arid Lands, By Tellurian \V anted 1 An Aquatic Botanist Kangaroo Island Emu bones for Museum The Nature Lovers’ League— Letter from Mr. T. P. Bellchambers i he Plants of Encounter Bay District Some Aspects of Forestry in South Australia Shell Collectors’ Club The authors of papers are responsible for the recorded and opinions expressed. D Section; C/o Boyal Society’s Koome, Institutt Building, North Terrace, Adelaide. Page 33 33 34 39 39 41 43 44 47 48 49 50 52 55 facts Published Quarterly Single Copy— NINEPENCE Obtainable from Cole's Book Arcade, No. 14 Bundle Street, \ Adelaide. Felatead k Omsby, Printers. Gilbert Place. Adelaide. *Phone C. 1511 Office Bearers, 1925-26. Chairman — Mr. J. F. Bailey. Vice-Chairmen— Prof. T. Harvey Johnston, D.Sc., Mr. B. B. Beck. Hon. Secretary — Mr. E. H. Ising. Hon. Assistant Secretary — Miss Murray, Prospect. Hon. Treasurer — Mr. F. Trigg. Hon. Magazine Secretary — Miss Roeger. Hon, Librarian — Miss I. Roberts. Hon. Press Correspondent — Mr. D. J. McNamara. Committee — Prof J. B. Cleiand. M.D., Messrs. W. Champion Hackett, F.R.H.S.. H. JM. Hale, K. S. Hughes, W. H. Selway, J. A. Hogan, C. Pearce and Miss Ireland. Hon. Auditors— Messrs W D. Reed, F.C.P.A.. and A. J. Morison Fauna and Flora Protection Committee-Prof. J. B. Cleiand, M.D Prof F. Wood-Jones, Messrs. E. Ashby, W. H. Selway, J. M. Black, J. F. Bailey A. M. Lea, F. Angel, W. Champion Hackett, B. B. Beck, J. Neil McGilo l' Sutton, A. H. Elston and Captain S. A. White. “The South Australian Naturalist”— Hon. Editor. Mr. Win. Ham. Address: University, Adelaide. Business Committee — Miss Roeger, Mrs. Day and Mr. J. Sutton. FORTHCOMING EXCURSIONS February 20— Dredging. Please note alteration of date. Train from Adelaide at 1.35 p.m. to Outer Harbor. Leaders, Messrs. Kimber and Baker, March 6— Marino, Shore life. Train at 1.45 p.m. Leaders, Messrs. Kimber and Saunders March 20— Mylor Type Orchard, Charabanc at 2 p.m. from Town Hail. Leader Mr. J. F. Bailey. Estimated Fare 5/-. April 10 Outer Harbor. Shells. I rain at 1.35 p.m. Conducted by members of Shell Club. APRIL 26— ANZAC DAY— PUBLIC HOLIDAY. Visit to Mr. 1. P. Bellchambers, the Wild Life Sanctuary, Humbug Scrub. Charabanc at 9 a.m. from 'lYwa Hall. Leader, Mr. B. B. Beck. Notice should be given, to Mr. Beck, Cole's Book Arcade, 14 Rundle Street, at least 6 days previously, as additional charabanc niay be necessary. Estimated cost, 10s. per head. May 15 — Sir William SowdeiFs, Glen Osmond. Car 2 p.m. May 29 — ^Ambleside. Train 1.25 p.m. Botany and Geology, Messrs. W. Ham and E. FI. Ising. June 7 — Public Holiday — Barossa Reservoir. Charabanc 9 a.m. Aquatic Life. Messrs. J. W. Hosking and T. W. Nettlebeck. EVENING MEETINGS. March 16 — Talks on Books in our Library by Messrs. Ham, Beck, and Ising. Exhibits by members. It is hoped that all members will bring some- thing. Ij possible leave word with Mr. Beck, Cole's Book Arcade, 14 Rundle Street, a few days before the meeting. April 20 — “Plant Life in Arid Australia”, Prof. T, G. B. Osborn, D.Sc., Presi- dent of the Royal Society of S.A. Illustrated by lantern slides. iVIay 18 — Microscopic Exhibits. Dr. R. PuIIeine, Messrs. Bailey, Harding. Webb, Morison, Elston, Kemp and Prof. Harvey Johnston. THE South Australian Naturalist. u)TrviiT” ADEf.Aini-:. February. 1926. No. 2. FORESTRY IN SOUTH yVUSl’RALIA. It is pleasing to know that the Governineut has decided upon planting a large area of country in the South East, possibl)^ as much as 100,000 acres, with pine. It is anticipated that the net return will be a handsome one. even after allowing compound interest on the cost. In addition it is expected that the planting of 5000 acres per annum will ultimately give direct employment to from 3000 to 4000 men and thus the poor fern lands of the South-East prove exceedingly profitable. In^ view of the great importance to the metropolis (representing 54 per cent, of the total population of the State) of the protection of the soil of the Hills and the protection of the watersheds, members who have studied the deforestation question are hopeful that steps will be taken to secure land in the II ills where forests of hardwoods can be produced by natural regeneration. As emphasised by Sir Douglas Mawson the carriage of tim- ber is such- an important item that the proximity of the Hills and their many natural advantages for the production of timber should not be overlooked in any national schemes of forestry. A NOTE ON THE STAMENS OF SOME COMMON NATIVE PLANTS. Stamens are usually merely yellowish threads with small sacs (anthers) at the top containing pollen grains, by means of which the pistil is fertilized. A small summer-blooming pink flow- er, Erythraea australis or “Austral Centaury” has anthers pecu- liarly twisted, and the filaments are white and thread-like. The anthers twist down the middle, each half making a secure sac for the pollen grains. In the common “Chocolate Lily,” now called Dichopogon Patersonii, the stamens are objects of interest. The anthers are long, being twice the length of the filament; they are a light purple in colour with a band of rich dark maroon and end in a deep yellow base, the whole forming a very striking combination of colours when seen under the lens. In Tricoryne elatior, the “Yellow Autumn Lily”, the filament has a mass of yellow hairs below the anthers, making a very interesting feature for examination with the glass. These three flowers are all common in the Hills. 34 - Tki^ South Ju^frahan Naturalist SOUTH AUSTRALIAN TREES. No. 3, Eucalyptus leucoxylou, F.v.M., Yellow Guni. By Ernest H. ising and W. Ham. I GENERAL. 'I'hts species is one of the best known in South Australia and is [Hit to many and varied uses, from firewood to building timber. On account of its whitish hard bark it has been called in some districts ‘‘White Ironbark." other vernaculars have been given it such as “White Gum" but more generally “Blue Gum.” It is chidly known by the latter name in this State, but this is con- fusing as another Gum (E. globulus) has the prior use of this common name. The term 'O'Yllow Gum” (given on account of the yellowish inner bark) has been used in Beuhne’s “Honey Flora of Victoria” and by writers in this Journal at various times. J u VC n 1 1 rs, Anther enlarged to 5hoW por^S. Euc. Lquc oxwinn. Manure showing Vcalv^S. II DESCRIPTIVE. d'his State has the honour of producing the type of this sjiccies which was named by Mueller from specimens collected in the Lofty' Range bv Miquel, in 1855. The specific name “leucoxylon” means “'white wood” (Gr. leucos, white and zylon, wood) and refers to the colour of the timber. The South Australian Naturalist. 35 It grows to a good si^e tree, attaining a height of 50 feet. The trunk is usualh' straight, but soon sends out branches. 'I'he bark is smooth, whitish-cream to a pale brv.wn, a grey colour appears usualh' in blotches, but the creamy-brown colour is the predom- inating one. In old trees the base ol tlie trunk is olten rougli and dark. It is often difficult to distinguish the yellow gum from the red gum (E. roslrata) in the field, but if the former is under review the cream\^-brown trunk and large dark green leaves will be noticed as compared with the greyish-green bark and light green leaves of the red ginn. Tlie leaves are mostly pendent and vary in length and width, being up to 5 inch long by half to one inch wide. The}' also vary in shape but have a general lanceolate outline. The buds hat^e an elongated hd, being quite half an inch long and almost yellow. '1 he flowers (consisting of numer- ous stamens), are usualh- cream} but in the mallee at Ivinchina a pink flowering variety is to be obtained. The flowers are about one inch in diameter when full opened and are arranged in um- bels in the axils of the leaves. The fruits grow to almost half an inch across when mature and have a stalk quite half an inch long. The fruit forms a little cup with the valves situated well below the rim, ana It forms a safe means of identification when compared with the red gum. The latter has small fruits much less than a quarter of an inch in diameter with the valves produc- ed well above the rim. Ill GEOLOGY. The yellow gum is found in various parts of the Mt. Lofty Ranges, and where it occurs along the Greenhill Road and In the kit. Pleasant district the underlying rocks are composed of clay- slates and to a less extent c|uart/.ites. This species is generally found with the red gum but it does not grow in the gully bottoms where the red gum flourishes. At Kultpo Forest Tealc (1) re- cords the yellow gum in gre}- to dark-grey sandy loam, clay loam and silt loam derived from tertiary to recent sands, gravels, clays, grits, boulder deposits and alluviums. In Xatlonal Park, Belair. the soil given by Osborn (2) is a cold grey sand}' loam formed b}' decomposition of cpiartzite locks of Cambrian age.'” I his is in a lowlying sv'amp area but we have noticed the }-ellow gum growing in dry situations along the ridges at 1,000 feet above sea level, In fact, it is unusual lor It to be growing in damp situations. (1) Bull. 6. Dept, of Forestrv, Adelaide University. 1918 (2) Trans. Roy. Soc., S.A., Vol. 42 (1918), p. 8.' ' 36 The South Australian Naturalist For the Mt. Lofty Range in general Osbora(3) records this gum occurring on ''soils formed from slates, phyllites, schists and limestones of the Cambrian series which lie within the region ol 35-35 inch annual rainfall. The soils vary considerably in com- position but arc all relatively deep and fine-grained, not sandy.” '[’he yellow gum country has c|uite distinct typographical features, the hills being of a rounded nature and much less steep and rug- ged than the quartzite formations which border on it. This difference is strikingly illustrated near Slape^s Gully, where the quartzite formation is composed of a broken surface of rocks and rubble bearing stunted pink gum and masses of undershrubs while on the rounded hills of clay-slates grow large trees of the yellow and red gum with an undergrowth mainly of grasses. IV ASSOCIATIONS. Some botanical associations have been noted at Belair in the National Park commencing near the Railway Station and pro- ceeding in an easterly drection. The yellow gum appears at a height of 1,000 feet and is associated with the peppermint [E. odorata) and the red gum as the main tree growth. The individ- uals of this species do not grow closely together and in fact they are many yards apart. The tree has a decided spreading habit and gives fairly dense shade. The shrubs growing with this gum are not many in number and there is much open space be- tween the plants. I'he ground flora is more dense as there is a good proportion of annuals amongst It. This sparseness in vege- tation here may be due to the poorness of the soil or to the excessive shading, chiefly by the yellow gum. In strong contrast is the dense vegetation in the stringybark forest, higher in the range, where the white stringyTark is surrounded to the base of the tree by numerous shrubs and undershrubs, a great contrast to the complete absence of shrubs around or near the yellow gum trees and the open spaces in this formation. Other large plants are Acacia pycnantha, Bursaria spinosa, Dodonaea viscosa. Acacia obliqua, Leptospermum myrsinoides, Calythrix tetragona, Casuarina stricta, Xanthorrhoea semiplana and Hakea rostrata. Although these are large plants they do not dominate any area, but occur only as scattered individuals among the yellow gums. The following smaller plants are also but sparsely distributed: — Olearia ramulosa, Hihbertia stricta, Pidtenaea pedunculata, Helichrysum Baxteri, Thelymitra grandi- ilora, T. longifolia, Pterostylis barbata, P. nana, P. reflexa, P. longifolia and Corysanthes pruinosa. The “Kangaroo grass” {Thevieda australis) is fairly abundant in protected areas. (3) Trans. Roy. Soc., S.A., Vol. 48 1924), p. 110. The South Australian Naturalist. 37 E. leucoxylov is badly infested with the parasitic Loranthus Miquelii, almost every tree seen in National Park being attacked by it. In considering the full extent of this species over the Mt. Lofty Ranges, Osborn (1) gives a list of 201 species associated vrith it. He refers (l.c. p. 129) to the blue (y^ellow) gum forest as a “Savannah Woodland Formation.” V DISTRIBUTION As a rule this species does not grow above the 1200 ft. alti- tude and is seen at its maximum development in the Gumeracha- Mt. Pleasant district. It is abundant on the eastern slopes of Mt. Lofty Range in the Ambleside district and is common from Belair to Eden and at Kuitpo. All these places are about 1100 feel above sea level. At \ ictor Flarbor it is growing close to the town at about ,i0 feet above sea level. It would appear that E. Browns observ'ation (300 to 1300 ft. altitude) is approximately' correct although we record it from a lower level (less than 100 ft. at Victor Harbor) than he shows. We also record It from Cherry’- ville, Torrens Gorge and Greenhill Road. The range given by Osborn and Adamson (1) is as follows; — Forests of the blue gum (yellow), L. leiicoxylon, cover for the most part the lower hills, foothills, and rolling country on either flank of the main (Mt. Lofty) range.” Notes fi om J. K. l^rown’s Forest Flora of S.A. Distribution. -Most widely distributed of all “Gums.” From Rapid Bay (South) to north beyond Clare. Mt. Lofty Ranges 300 to 1300 ft. eleva- tion; Eyre Peninsula, Pt. Lincoln to Marble Range; South East. Lucmdale, Namcoorte and Tatiara. Chief habitat from Crystal Brook along Flinders Range to Mt. Remarkable. Maiden’s records in Grit. Rev. Gen. Euc. Part 12 (1910). Country, Lofty Range (Miquel); Adelaide and Mt. Lofty Ranges generally; Kapunda (R. H. Cambage) • Kuitpo Forest Reserve (W. Gill); Cape Jervis (J.H.M.); South East (W. Gill); lintinara (R. H. Cambage). ^ n investigating the eucalypts of South Australia, Baker and Miith (1) received specimens from Betaloo, Keyneton, Birdwood Kangaroo Island, Prospect Hill and Middleton. Records from Annual Reports of Woods and Forest Depart- ment. S.A., by Walter Gill, F.L.S. 1. W’irrabara Forest, Report 1911-12, p. 7. 2. Mt. Crawford Forest, 1919/20. t. 12. 0) Tran. Roy. Soc., S.A., VoL 48 (1924). p, 110, The South Australian Naturalist Notes from ^'S.A. Naturalist''- — ]. Afontaciite, 7.6.20. In flower. \ol. No, 4, p. SI. 2. Kiiitpo Forest, 13.10.20. \'ol. II., No. 1, p. 8. 3. Slapes (nilly, 6.11.20. \ ol, II, No. 2, p. 27. 4. I'klen, Blackwood, Belair, Vol. 11, No. 3, p. 64. 3. Ambleside. 24.3.23. \ ol. 1\’, No. 3, p. 118. 6. Itden, in liower, 26.5.23. \ol I\', No. 4, p. 131. 7. Mt. Lofty Range, \'ol. \', No. 2, p. 103. 8. Long (ailly to Belair, 10.5.24, \ol. No. 3, p. 124. 9. Long (Lilly, 4.10.24, \'ol. \'I,- No. I, p. 14. 10. KncouiUer Bay (Waitpinga), \'ol. \’I, No. 3, p. 47. 'Fate's distribution is as follows: — Districts Adelaide and North including the Alt. Lofty Range to Burra; Ft, Lincoln, Kan- garoo Island, dAitiara and Alt. Gambier. Air. Black records the following locality: — Wirrabara. VI FORESTRY AND TIMBER. 'The Woods and Forests Department has planted the yellow gum at Parilla, Vkinilla, Yarcowie, Second \Alley, Alt. Crawford and Kuitpo F'orests during the years 1912 to 1923 and the trees have grown well except at W’anilla Forest. The timber is pale cream to whitish and is one of the best hardwoods in the State. It is used for heavy work being spec- ial!}^ good for wheelwrights’ purposes. For underground uses, [:»osts, etc. it is known to be ver)' durable. The tree is a good nectar producing species yielding a first class light colour honey. VII RANGE OF VARIETIES. \ ar. macrocar pa, j. K. Brown. Alonarto South (Ix.H.L) j. F. Brown’s notes (1) gives the following distribution: — C'oast vrowintr tree, in districts of good annual rainfall. About IF miles from Ft. AfcDonnell. In moist alluvial hollows along the track between Cygnet River and Stunsail Boom Creek, K.L; and bet^\'een Ft. Lincoln and Alarble Range. Y'dr. pan peril a, j. K. Brown. Air. Black's localities are: — Bordertown. Hamilton, Kapunda, Nuriootpa, near Gladstone and Beetaloo. d'he Distribution gi\'en by J. E. Brown (2) is: — Inland and not 20 miles from near Coast. Ranges near Kapunda, Saddleworth. Alintaro, Aft. Bryan and tiie east; Canowie through AYngala, Alannanarie and Orroroo to the Fckina Range; Spalding and Bundaleer Springs. (1) Forest Flora of S.A. Vol. II. p. 2, 1882. (2) I.C., p. 4. The South Jvsfralian Naturalist. 39 White Stringybark {E. obliqua) In the previous nun'iber of this Journal, p. 12, under the heading of ‘^Distribution’’ it says “Its range extends beyond Bridgewater in an easterly direction and beyond Mt. Barker to the south-east but dies out before the eastern slopes of the high- lands are reached, not occurring beyond Nairned’ We now have more complete knowledge of its range in this district. Between Bridgewater and Ambleside the higher quartzite hills give place to lower rounded slaty hills as the River Onkaparinga is ap- proached. Looking back from near the river a distinct change in the country is observed. The higher quartzite hills are rough and steep and densely tree and bush clad while the lower hills falling away to the valley of the river are smooth rounded hills with trees in open formation with few shrubs and undergrowth. The stringybark does not leave the higher quartzite lulls and therefore does not extend to Ambleside or even the River Onka- paringa. L.H.L THE BLACK CICADA OR RED-EYE. (Fsaltoda moerens Germ.) By Arthur M. Lea, E.E.S. (Communication from the South Australian Museum) One of the most familiar insects In South Australia is a large black cicada, commonly known as the black locust or red eye; In the mature state it is only seen in the summer, and, in fact, practically all members of the family are only to be taken in the summer in the southern half of Australia. In Queensland, how- ever, although more common In the rainy season than during other periods, specimens of the family may be taken throughout tlie year. Altogether we have about one hundred and fift\’ species, of which the majority occur in Queensland; from South Australia less than twenty species arc known. d'o most people in Australia, America, and otlicr Puiglish speaking countries, these Insects are known as locusts, and al- though naturalists persist in writing of them as cicadas, and point out that true locusts are grasshoppers, it is unreasonable to expect that children and bushmen will think of them other than as locusts, but some of the common species have special names, suclt as green-locust, yellow-Aionday, double-drummer, bladder-locust, floury-baker, tick-tick, kc. 40 The South Australian Naturalist Our common species measures about four inches across the expanded wings, its body being about one and a half inches, h has four glassy-looking wings with black ''veins’’, and the two on each side can be fastened to each other so that when in hiaht they beat the air together. On the head there is a large red cm- pound eye on each side, and three small simple ones (ocelli) on the forehead. There is a long beak that, when at rest, is carried between the three pairs of legs; the antennae are small and could easil}' be overlooked. The upper parts are almost entirely black, the under parts arc mottled dingy yellowish-brown and black,' 'Fhere is a small amount of whitish or silken hair in places. The male has a fairly large "drum” on each side of the base of the abdomen, pressed close to the side so as to be invisible from above. On many species the drums are much larger and visible from above, this is notably the case with two larger species of the genus Thopha ih^t occur in the interior parts of South Australia. One of our interior species, M acrotristria hillieri, is covered on the under surface with a white mealy substance, much as the floury- baker of Sydney. In addition to South Australia our common species occurs in Victoria and New South Wales, and has also been recorded from Queensland and Tasmania. Several smaller species of Psaltoh also occur in Queensinad and New South Wales. I he life history of our Australian species has been fullv worked out and published, larvae are often seen during digging operations, and are much the same as those occurring in other parts of the world. In summer the j')upae may be seen breaknig the ground in many^ places, after which they crawl up trees and fences (usually at night). After resting for a short period the out- er shell bursts and the mature insect emerges with soft wings: in a few hours the v'ings harden and the mature colour becomes hxed. Mr. Ham saw a newK^ emerged specimen of our common species and described it as having mauve, violet, applegreen, and \’arioiis other shades of colour, but these soon changed to black on the upper surface. I he female is provided with a pair of saw-like organs at the tip of the abdomen, and these she uses to make slits in twigs in which to deposit her eggs. 'These remain beneath the bark for some time, but the young larvae on hatching out immediately go below ground, to suck up the juices of the roots of plants. An American species is known to live seventeen years under- grotind, but it is certain that our species live for much shorter periods, probably most of them being annual. The South Austraihn Naturalist. 41 When feeding the long beak of the adult is thrust below the bark into the cambium hu'cr to suck the juices, and on passing under trees where the insects are in large numbers one may often notice a sprav or fine shower of honey-dew that they give off, verv similar in nature to that given off by scale insects and aph- ides, although more abundant. d'he sound producing or stridulating organs are at the junc- tion of the abdomen and thorax of the males, the drums acting as resonators; each species has a characteristic series of notes. In summer our common species may be frequently heard in the hills, but it was much more abundant years ago, before the spar- row was established, this bird being an inveterate enemy of mem- bers of the family and frequently eating such large species as the (jreen cicada and double-drummer. The black cicada has appar- enth' never been regarded as a pest, but the green species of New South Wales and \dctoria makes a loud monotonous noise that is irritating to many people; thousands of specimens all tuning up at the same moment, and stopping at the same time. In col- lecting these insects one may often creep up quietly to the male, who will continue his song until the hand is almost closing on him, when he takes to flight with a whirring noise. Many of our native birds eat cicadas, swallowing them whole, or leaving only the wings, but in Tasmania and Victoria several species of Melampsalta are seized by birds and only the abdomen eaten, the specimens then ^\y back to trees and remain quite quiet; but when the uninjured ones start singing, the)' start singing too. A species that occurs on J.ord Howe Island now forms an im- poitant item in the summer food of gulls, tlicse dash at the in- sects on the trees, frightening them into flight, when they are seiz- ed and the bod\' parts eaten. SHFdd. COLLKCTING Bv AT 'niE V. Trigg. OUd'KR HARBOR. A short motor-boat trip out through the entrance to the Har- bor nonhward, brings one to shallow water two miles seaward of St. Kilda. Selecting a low-tide day it is possible to wade over several acres of sandy, weed-grown shallows, the home of man)' varieties of molliisca, crustaceans, starfish and other inliabitants of the salt water. One is iniinediately attracted by the myriads of Pinnas, commonly known as razor fish, which project their sharp- edged valves above the sand, to which thev are firmh' anchored by their strong thread-like b\'ssus. To get this shell complete it is necessary^ ^to excavate and carefully remove it from its bed. r. inermis (Tate) is in great numbers, its smooth sides distinguish- ing It from a variant, partly covered with closely laid rows of folia- 42 The South Australian Naturalist lions or projections. P, tasmanica (Tenison-Wood) is occasional- ly found. 'I’he valves of this species are shorter and broader than the common variety, and carry 8 or 10 rows of prominent hooked spines. 'Fhese wedge-shaped bivalves measure up to 15 inches in length, all having a thinly-laid pearly interior — the shell itself being composed of minute hexagonal prisms. A rough dis- section ol the animal discloses a fine double-fringed mantle, and a set of powerful muscles connected to each valve, and to the byssiis. 'I’he Pinnas are planted firmly erect in the sand, and their ra/.or-like edges are capable of inflicting a severe wound, therefore making strong boots essential before any attempt is made to move among them. Examining one it is noticed that several I/aliotis cyclobates (Pcron) are clinging to it. This shell which measures about 1;J inches across, is of a comparatively glob- ose shape, wiih several white irradiations running across its dark brown surface, and having a brilliant iridescent interior. It is interesting to notice, if a specimen is turned over on its back out of water, the vigorous attempts made to right itself, the animal swinging its shell round in a half circle from side to side. Further examining the Haliotis one may find three or four small conical- shaped shells — Capuliis australis (Lamarck) — adhering, and sup- erimposed on the Capulus several juveniles of the same family, Another Pinna, in addition to the occupants already mentioned, may carry several beautifully colored Ischnochiton contractus (Reeve) or the slug-like Cryptoplax gunni (Reeve). The Crypto- plax lives for hours out of water, and, if given the opportunity, crawls laboriously about, anxiously, no doubt, seeking its native element. The little brown I schnochito7i juliodes also may be noticed sliding comparatively rapidly along the Pinna’s back, Conus anemone (Lamarck) is the next shell examined, being found inside the open, half sand filled valves of the dead Pinnas, C. ane?no7ie is one South Australia’s three Cones. While not comparable either in size or decoration with exotic specimens such as C. literatus, C. textile, or C. geographus , when its dull perio- stracum is removed it is quite a good looking specimen, colored in green, purple, brown and greyn This shell was observed to be living 24 hours after removal from the 'water, the blood-colored animal extending its foot, seemingly^ still hoping for a return to the natural order of things. Murex triformis (Reeve) is also found in company^ with the Conus. The prominent longitudinal ridges on this three-cornered shell represent periods of rest and erowth. Thk group gives (1) the univalve. Conus; (2) bivalve. Pinna; (3) multivalve. Chiton. The hammer-headed oy^ster— Malleus alhus (Lamarck) is plentiful. Tt attaches itself by its byssus to a stone or other object, and numbers are found in close r- The South Australian Naturalist. 43 company. The remarkable twisting and turnings of its thin ;a4 valves render it a difficult subject to open alive without injury. An easy plan is to expose it to the sun for a period, then place o: it in water, when the muscles relax naturally. Searching among sk the weeds numbers oi smaller shells are to be found living. Can- Jii thandes bell ulu s , its beautiful iridescent sheen; Bittium law- iD leyannvu Phasm-nella. Thalotia conica, Columhella, Mitra ti glabra, Gena nigra (like a miniature Haliotls) and possibly’ a Lyria aa witraeformis may be secured. This latter shell, which is allied to I the Volute family, is beautifully colored when taken alive, very t diflerent from the beach-rolled specimens commonly picked up. As the tide commences to rise again over this bank the collector it must, perforce, take to the boat, loth to leave such a rich collec- i ting ground. iri ^ DREDGING, St. VINCENT’S GULF, DECEMBER 12 1925 i By F. T . , Members of ihc V.K. Society were fortunate in having an excellent day for dredging— calm se;u warm sun._ and light hree/.es. Many present wer'e enabled to see. for the first time, specimens of marine life of great interest fresh rom then* native liaunts — and also to. have them described hv the leaders irulessor licirvey Johnston and Mr. H. M. Hale. Drifting slowly, a few miles out. in a few fathoms of water over a smooth, sandy hotLom. the two dredges soon collected a mass of seaweeds sponges, corals, sliclls, crustaceans, starfish, aseidian.s iish. ^tc and those niterc,sted in any of these forms liad identy of material (o work on, ihc Family Pecten or Scallop Shell. hUrons. Cldamys aspnrimus, Pectn, medms, H,re noticed. Chamys hyyons, tlic six'cihc name indicates '^double face,” both I'ilhtT appearance, and coloration. When vL of ■■eddish-brorvn, indicative of (he omament.al, polbhed interior. he the valve.s open, die spaced roues of ininulc blue eve.s (ocelli) on the Pn sooio Perlnts the ocelli number up to liLcteri-d " niolhuscan eyes liave many c laracterKstics of the vertebrate type. .At least thev are well able to distine ad light from shade. ()n dissecting a number of C. hifrons it was noticed t/ice T Vos'aoean lay hidden in (he mantle folds, in almost every in- ‘"“"r Pinnoteres Subglobosa. some hivih". 'Vlf ‘’'T parasites, between the mantles of inme f ,l l" '' ■'^S^^totle found speeimens in the Pinna, hence the generic th“p,Wirto'f’' ''"yVp h'uards the Pinna.” The ancients supposed his she I to I V" 'T stupid beast, and that the little crabs lived inside and so «• ^ r ^ frcndly nip when a fi.sh swam beween the gaping valves, nd ts cZm l “ l-'-gyptians used tV Pinna friends >'ieroglyphcs to symbolize the need man has of LA 44 The South Justralian Naturalist Cilia my s Asperrimus — I he rough-surfaced scallop — came up from the dejUhs evenly clad in a dense mat of scarlet sponee. matching the common color of the shell, d'hc arched, llulcd. and hiich’ .scalloped edged \'alvcs fit r\enly at tlu' ventral margin, and. op.ming spasnmdically. one is able to view- all the beauty of the animal within, with its double mw of ocelli gleaming on the mantle edge. The hingv-line extension gi\'cs unec|ual cars to this scal- lop, below the larger of which m',\y be seen the byssal notch. 'I'he young scallops all use the byssus as an anchor, but abandon the habit later, though from the fact that adult C. aspernmus are frequenth' found attached to float- ing Inioys. jetty piles, ^e.. it is evident that the b)-ssal organs must aUvays be capable of service, d his shell runs tlirough tlie whole gamut ol colors, from the palest lemon to bright scarlet Pecteu Medius diiTers from the iireceding two shells in the fact of having a flat upper, or left vaKc. Resting on the arched riglu lower \alve. fittcen or sixteen prominent ribs give strength with lightness. 1 he ears arc almost equal, and the \'entral margin ol the shell is broadly scalloped. From a gas- iroiiomical point- of vie\v. this l>i\abc is something to be considered, and w^erc It not for the conservati\-c taste of Australians in the matter of shellfish, l\ medius would not have such a pcacelul existence, d he Pecten family are of world wide distribution, and few sandy shores do not yield some variety ot this beautiful and iiitcresLiug form. From a tiny bivalve, leading a free life, moving swiftly through the water by the rapid opening and dosing of its valves, and attaching itself at will to any fixed object, until it reaches adult life, these shells are full of interest. 'I’HE PLANl’S OF ARID LANDS. By Tellurian. Dr. r. Cl. B. Osborn, J^rofessor of Botany in the University of Adelaide, has undertaken a work of national importance, in a scries of special investigations regarding the characters, habits, kc., of the plants, and plant communities of the arid areas of Australia. In this he is being assisted by several other workers, many of them being his own students. His first article is publish- ed in the current volume of the '‘Proceedings of the Royal Society of South Australia/'' and is entitled the “Ecology of the Vegetation of Arid Australia.^' Ecology is a special branch of botany; it embraces the study of living plants in their own homes and envir- onments. It is as distinct from the study of systematic botany as is tlic stud}’ of the habits and customs of the aboriginal in his tribal village from the investigation of his anatom}' in a museum speci- men. Both aspects of scientific inqury are important, but the stuch' of the life and habits of the living plant or animal, in its natural surroundings, is of much wider general interest. In the case under review it is also of mch greater econonic importance, particularly as Professor Osborn is investigating our plants in rela- tion to the advent of the rabbit, the grazing of sheep, &c. ■i « 'J 1 H \ J 1 } EXPJ.AXATTOX OF PLATE. iMg. 1 I ppcr surface of female of Black Cicada. 2 Under surface cjf male, sho\\'lng drums and beak. 3 Puf'ia or chrysalis. 4 Pupa with shell bursting to allow escape of mature insect 5 — 6 Perfect insects emcrc'‘in<^. 7 Kmpt\- pupal shell. 8 Mature insects with wings shru'cllcd. bellow (jiim {Liicalxplus Icucoxxlon. I hoto by E, IE I Sinn. F.V.M.), Belair. ■'p: u ■J i t \ t , 4 *'-•■ ’ > •. .■-.■•va' •. . . - x' ' ■ ' The South Australian Naturalist. 4-3 TJic existence of “plant communities” has long been recog- nised. d'he ordinal')’ observer has noted, for instance, that there is one scries of plants to be found in the moist vaile\ s of the Gippsiand bush, and quite another plant communit)' on the hill- tops of tlie same region; so also there Is one plant communit)' of the Queensland scrub, a riotous jungle of growth, and quite an- other irroup of plants found on tlie dry Mallee plains. 'I'he coastal scrub of the sand dunes embraces a plant community that is quite distinct from the vegetation of the adjoining lagoons and swamps. Even in so characteristic a plant province as the Mallee moreover, we find a number of distinct communities; there is one set ol plants on tlie limestone ridges, another on the gypsum flats, another on the salty swamp lands, and another In the sandy hol- lows. Broadly speaking, the botanists speak of .five great plant groups, as lar as ecolog)’ is concerneci: — ■ (a) Hydropliytes (Water Plants). — Those that grow in creeks, rivers, and swamps, wholh’ or partly submerged in water. (b) Hygrophytes (Moisture-loving Plants). — Those that live on marshes, ri\'cr sides, and other damp areas. (c) Xerophytes (“Dry” Plants). — Plants that have accommoda- ted themselves to conditions of droughts. In this class be- long most of our characteristic Australian bush plants, Mesophytes (Intermediate Plants). — Here we find the majority of British plants, those that show no special liking or adap- tation eitlier for drought or moist conditions. Tropophytes (Changing Plants). — Including deciduous plants; that is, those that lose their leaves in winter, and thus take on \mr\hng cliaracters, according to their seasonal environ- ment. \\ e are concerned in this note with the plants of arid Aus- iralia, and mainl)’ therefore, with the great group called the Xcro- pliytcs, or we may us the adjective to describe them, and say they are "xerophilous’’ plants, that is, lovers of dryness. In different countries diiferent meanings are attached to the words ‘klesert” and '"arid lands.’’ In the United States of Amer- ica, for instance, a general definition of arid lands includes all areas with a rainfall of less than 20 inches. This would never do lor nor sensitive Australian souls, for many of us shrink from the acknowledgement of an Australian desert. As a matter of simple fact, wc have In the Commonwealth a bigger proportion of desert and arid lands than any other continent. We should recognise, (1) Trans. Ro)T Soc., S A., \ ol. 48 (1924), p. 110. 46 The South Australian Naturalist too. that deseits arc places of extraordinaiy interest and beautyj and that they may become of great economic importance. Klls- \\oith Huntington, possibly the greatest comparative geographer living, IS a declared lover ot deserts — of tlieir scenery, their plants and their peoples. Professor Osborn tells us that, if we define an and climate as one with 10 inches of rain per annum, or less, then about 37 per cent, of the whole of Australia is arid; 1,105 452 sc|uaie ipiles out of a total area of 2,974,581 square miles. In the State of South Australia five-sixths of the area has 10 inches or less of ram per annum, 3I A000 square miles of arid land out of a totaj of 380,000 square miles. 1 herefore, he argues, South AuS' tiahan botanists are well situated for a special study of the flora of arid lands. Some lev' years ago on the opening of the Transcontinental line from Port Augusta to Kalgoorlie, it was my pleasure to make that most interesting journey. Naturally, like other travellers, 1 w'as desirous of finding out as much as possible of the natural history of the country passed through. As we journeyed through the low, but beautiful and varied vegetation that characterises the country from I arcoola to Ooldea, 1 questioned all and sundry as to the exact significance of the term “mulga.” The history is too long to tell, but there was much humour in it. I finally came across a gentleman wdio had lived 50 years in the mulga countn - I tried again and again to pin him down to one plant or shrub as being mulga, but he never could get to the window in time to see the plant I was pointing out. When w^e got to know one anothei better (and this does happen on the long journey of the east-wmst line) he became more confidential, and wdth an embracing sweep of his arm over the visible countryside, he said: "\\'e call tile wdiole lot of it mulga.” What my friend really recog- nised, from the shcepgraxing point of view, was what Professor Osborn would call the “mulga plant community:” this includes all the suite of plants that lives and flourishes under the same conditions as mulga. The real mulga of the botanist is a definite shrublike wattle (Acacia aneura). Some years ago it w^as my privilege to wander througli the bush with Professor Osborn himself; he then told me that" when he first came to^ Australia the plant character that continually iorced itself on his notice was the w'ay in which almost all Austra- lian plants have adopted devices, such as leaf shape, leaf arrange- ment, &c., so as to obtain as little sunlight as possible. The char- acteristic leaf arrangement in English plants is just the reverse; it is designed to obtain as much sunlight as possible. A couple of years ago, when driving through the Blue Mountains in the The South Australian Naturalist. 47 company of several American scientific men, one of them broke a pause in the conversation by remarking, partly to himself: “There’s a characteristic Australian flora.” It happened that the country we were going through was particularly flinty and dry; the jflants, from the eucalypts to the heath, were all of a decidedly xer- ophytic type. It was not what we call a pretty bush scene, and my national pride demanded that 1 should call attention to the glories of the Queensland “jungle,” to the beauties of the West Australian kauri country, to the semi-tropical forests of Eastern \ew South Wales, to the fern gullies of Gippsland, and to the wonderful forest tangle of the West Coast of Tasmania. But he brushed them all aside — he had seen most of them — they were beautiful, but not characteristically Australian. Both these little incidents are ciuoted in illustration of the important fact that we Australians must realise, however reluctantly, that our character- istic Australian bush flora is a xerophytic one — a suite of plants accommodated to dry conditions, enjoying them and thriving in them. Professor Osborn points out that as we approach the line of 10 inch rainfall from the moister areas, the eucalypts tend to dis- appear. Over large areas they still remain dominant in the modi- fied form of those graceful trees we call the “mallee.” It is clear, says the professor, that the term “mallee” must pass into ecologi- cal usage as one descriptive of a definite vegetation type. Fur- ther towards the interior the eucalypt occurs only in the fringing of streams. According to conditions there we have also the “mulga scrub association,” the eremophila association, or the saltbush community of the wide saltbush plains. Travellers on the east-west line must note the remarkable and sudden break from the scrub vegetation of the eastern sandy areas to the salt- bush and bluebush of the more arid limestone plains of the Nulla- bor. Those wlio desire to know more of these plant communities of our arid lands should consult Professor Osborn’s paper, vol. 40 . Transactions of the Royal Society of South Australia. (Published by kind permission of the proprietors of “The Australasian”). WANTED! AN AQUATIC BOTANIST. Dear Mr. Editor, You have asked me to supply some notes on the annual excursion of the S.A. Aquarium Society recently held for the Investigation of the Finniss River. y\s I have already supplied a popular ar- ticle to the Adelaide “Register” (Feb. 6th.) on the subject of this outing, you will perhaps allow me to substitute a note under the above heading, a note really inspired by difficulties encounter- ed during the excursion in question. 48 The South Australian Naturalist The term '^\quatic Botanist’’ may be objected to, but it is no worse than “Marine Biologist" and will be as equally well under- stood. At mention of the word ''Aquarium" most people think of fish and general!}’ of goldfish, but the aquarist is concerned with many other aquatic animals and, of necessit}’, of plants also. Setting aside one’s earlier experience and confining attention to the eight years representing the life of the South Australian Aquarium Society, it ma\’ be said that on no occasion, either during excursions or meetings, have satisfactory determinations of aquatic plants been made. We, of course, know V alUsnerla, Myriophylhi'm, Potamogeton, Nitella and so on. but specific recoi,^- nition is a different matter. I have approached botanists in this and other Australian States and while all are prepared to name the flowering land plants not one seems to be interested in the sub- merged vegetation. Of course there are such workers and the object of this little note is to bring them to light, for I feel certain that much useful work on our aquatic plants still remains to be done. If some young and aspiring botanist would take up the stud}’ of the algae and other aquatics, instead of following older workers in identifying sub-species of Eucalypts, for example, 1 feel sure that a promising field is open to him. He would not lack for material, for members of the SocicT}’ would willingly supply specimens in return for their names. It is perhaps consistent with the observed fact — that aliens nourish in our summer clime — that ValUsnerici spiralis, which in England we knew as a quarter-inch-widc leaved plant, should in the Murra}’ produce leaves quite an inch wider, but it seems a little strange that no varietal name has been proposed for a race that has acquired such remarkable broad and long leaves. It is commonly belie\’ed that male flowers are not produced in Aus- Iralia, propaeation being sole!}' b\' runners. Male flov'crs were found in tlic Finitiss in abundance, while the stems of the lemale flowers were so thick that they formed a veritable meshwork of corkscrews, in patches many }’ards in diameter. However T am wandering. We want a aquatic botanist! E. R. W. President S.A. Aquarium Society. Notification has appeared in the Press that Mr. N. 1 indale, of the Museum, has succeeded in procuring several ley-bones of the Kangaroo Island emu {Dromaius diamevensis) of wnich pie- vioush' onh' two specimens were known to science, both taken alive b\' Captain Bandin In 1802. The museum has since received from \Ir, Burgess several part-skeletons from the Kelly Htll caves. The South Australian Naturalist. 49 To the Editor- Humbug Scrub, 4‘th Jamiary, 1926. A few words lo my many friends of the Field Naturalists’ Section of the Royal Society. My life ia so crowded that 1 find a difficulty in keeping in touch with my many friends — a seeming neglect that is unintentional on my part. I have much appreciated the honour done me and my work in that T was elected an Honorary Member of such an association, and my thanks arc due for copies regularly recei\-ed of your interesting journal. 1 have much appreciated your kindly reference to the birth of our new organisation, the Nature’s Lovers’ League (re November issue your journal). Having similar ideals we shall have much in common and the relation- ship existing between the two associations should be a most happy one. As with us. the Field Naturalists have grieved at the swift depletion of Australia’s unique and wonderful wild life — Fauna and Flora, and as with us, they recognize the need of action for its preservation. Toward that cud we have protecti\'e laws that are not recognized in our hinter lands, and educa- tive measures working for future good among the rising generations. Science is with us in theory, but of practical work the past has been very barren of results. Years have come and gone and with them have gone some opportunities that we ought not to have missed, and with these passing years more and more destructive agencies have come into play. Also these passing years have proved that for the end in view we cannot rely with safety on Government interest or on scientific Interests for action, that action that shall be immediate and speedy as the ca.se demands. What is left.^ Is it not tliat we ourseK'es take action.^ We, wliose heritage of the ages Is so fast being destroyed. When we have risen to our responsibilities then we can demand the support that is our right from the powers that he. Acts of Parliament will not save our disappearing native life. Motions of censure will not stay its de.siruction. petty jealousies are a hindrance. W'liat is needed is immediate practical work. And since we cannot turn these creatures adrift on any area and tcl! them to be sa^•ed, the work will have to be specialized on selected areas and the life habits of every creature known. In my long experience of animal j-jsychology I have known animals to starve amid apparent abundance; further study corrected the faulty environment and the same species then prospered. Wide success can only attend specialized effort under the control of efficient and sympathetic Biologists. The fine flock of breeding duck at the Sanctuary had their genesis In a pair of decoy ducks secured in 1898. There are Mallee fowl here, IS and 16 years old, still going strong and the parents of many descendants. There are Island Kangaroos and opossums 14 years old. and still breeding. The wallabies arc now breeding well. Thanks to the help of those whose sympathy was with the work, who are interested in Forestry or people's parks throughout our widely varying districts. 1 am now putting things on a better working basis and am much better equipped to carry out my studies — studies so long iiegleced yet so important to our success. 50 The South Australian Naturalist 'riic aim of our league is to take up the practical work, to establish sanctuaries and refuges, to train men for the work, to assist in all wise let’Ls- lation. to combat ^-andalism in every form, to make every member a vigilant without publishing their names. W’e look to acquire areas of land that shall be the property of the League, or to assist others with similar aims, especially district councils. Flinders Chase was a move in the right direction., but will fall far short of what is needed. We recognize that the saving of our Flora is one with that of our Fauna. We are alive to the importance of re-alTorestation. and the foundaiion of all our work must ever be that ^vhich is the interpretation and the founda- tion law of the wide universe — ’‘Love'* which no private interest may userp. This must be the heart and soul of our movement, \^’e cannot afford to be idle while our world is laid waste around us. neither can we afford to wait the fruits of educating the young. Ours is to be up and doing the work that lies to our hand, to take ad\'antage of present opportunities. Our association will have members in all parts of the world, who tvill start kindred societies to carry on the work. Sure of your sympathy we look to your organisation lor such aid as it can give in carrying out ideals that are common to both lours in a common cause, • • 'if T. P. BELLCHAMBKRS. ■ ' THE PLANTS OF THE ENCOUNTER BAY DISTRICT II — Notes on the Ecology. By J. B. Clelancl. In “dTc South Australian Naturalist/^ Vol. \T. 1925 (No. 2, Feb., p. 22. and No. 3, May, p. 46) we have recorded 603 higher plants for the iUicounter Ba\' District, of which 104 were in- troduced. Since then, we have made further additions (not yet published) so that the total known flora is now about 650. It is the object of this and following contributions to deal shortly with the ecology of the district and to list the plants found on various formations. Many members of the Field Naturalists’ Section yearly visit \'ictor Harbour or Port Elliot, and such, as weW as other botanists, ma}' find it of interest to have lists of plants available so that when they are on the sandhills, or at the Bluff, or in the mallee country behind, or on the ranges,. they may have a guide as to the species occurring in such situations. \\ & must admit that we have been surprised at the number of species that our survev has yielded — and there must be others awaiting discovery, so that the final total will probably be near The South Australian Naturalist. 51 700. This is to be explained only in small part by the intensity of the quest. It hs chiefly due to the diversity of habit conditions to be found in the district. Grouping these Ave find the follow- k\ I Marine. — Sea-meadows comprising 4 or 5 species of vascular plants. II. Saltwater Estuaries, at the mouths of creeks and rivers such A as the Inman and Hindmarsh. In summer time, the exits are usually blocked by sand. The water varies from salt to brackish or nearly fresh after rains. Small salt-impregnated flats adjoin the banks. III. Littoral and Coastal Sandhills. The latter are usually low. i IT Cliffs overlooking the Sea. Westwards from the Bluff, ' reaching towards Newland’s Head probably over 200 ft. high. V. The Granite P'ormation. At the Bluff (Rosetta Head), W’righffs, West and Granite Islands and Pt. Elliot. The plants so situated are all exposed to strong sea-breezes and mostly also to salt spray. \’L The Country Behind the Cliffs towards Waitpinga, rocky ^ and gravelly with a sandy clay, the soil too thin and stony ; to lead to clearing and replacement by grass and so still ;• covered with wealth of Eucalypts of mallee formation, low ^ shrubs, etc. \ II. The now Grassy Hill-slopes, passing into country with scat- { tcred trees still remaining amongst the grass. VIII. Hill-slopes with Gravelly Sandy Loam and Clay Subsoil with widely dispersed Eucalyptus fasciculosa, etc. IX. Gravelly Hills with I ndershrubs especially low Casuarinas. X. Hills, usually High, and Sheltered Valleys of Better and Deeper Soil supporting forests of merchantable Eucalyptus ohliqua. XL Glacial Sands, varying from almost pure white sand to a sandy loam. XII. River Banks, passing into the vegetation lining creeks, often in rocky valleys and sometimes Vvith waterfalls. XIIL Small I'plancl Swamps in or near glacial sands with a flora resembling that of the Mt. Compass area. XIV. Lowland Swamps, often near the sea. 52 The South Australian Naturalist XV. The Flats Behind the Sandhills at Encounter Bay, at one time covered with bushes and semi-swamps, but now cleared and grass-covered but liable to flooding in very wet weather Probably with advantage still other subdivisions could be made. It is proposed, in this series, to supply notes on the plants of these various formations, though not necessarily takint^ them in the order of sequence just given. ° “SOME ASPECIT OF FORESTRY IN SOUTH AUSTRALIA’' Under this title Professor Sir Douglas Mawson delivered the Commemoration Address at the Adelaide University in December 1925. The lecture has now been printed and may be obtained gratis on application at the University. Commemoration lectures are often abstruse and highly tech nical in character but there are exceptions, such as this, when the lecturer deals with a national question of vital importance to the future of the country. The lecturer stresses the importance of forest products as indispensable to human progress. Forests protect the soil of the hills from erosion and Sir Douglas stresses the importance of this in relation to our own hills. The economic position is also of immense importance. To quote from the lecture:— “Last year, according to the Statistical Register, South Aus- tralian imports of lumber and paper pulp products from Avithout the Commonwealth amounted to a wholesale value of approximate- ly £1,000,000. Importations from the other States and home pro- duction brings the total figure of South Australians dependance upon forest products to an amount probably not less than £1,500,000. When by-products, such as firewood, turpentine, res- in, honey, etc., are included, the figure is likely^ to be in the neieh- bourhood of £2,000,000. Such then is our dependance upon for- ests, and there is no obvious reason why at least a very large pro- j>ortion oi this requirement should not be produced in the State. Supply Forests for the State. The sine qua non of forest production is a sufficiency of water supply. Here in this State a twenty-inch rainfall is suffi- cient for certain useful timber growths, but for deliberate supply forests an annual precipitation of twenty-five inches is probably advantageous. Meteorological statistics show that within the State there the lowest desimble limit, and for pines thirty inches and upwards is an area of abouv. 829,000 acres within the thirty-inch rainlall belt. Of this some 50,000 acres are situated in the Adelaide Hiih and the remainder in the south-eastern districts. The South Australian Naturalist. 53 The remarkably successful growth of Piiius insignis on sandy tinds ill the South-East, as demonstrated b>- areas planted and ad- ministered by the Forest Department, Indicatc^ beyond _ doubt the fitness for pine plantation of at least ccitain aieas in that part of the State. I'he odds arc that very large areas of low Lde land suitable for pine forests exist thereabouts. Other features favourable to planting in the South-East arc the low cost of the land, the small amount of clearing to be done, and the