THE Victorian Naturalist THE JOURNAL AND MAGAZINE of the FIELD NATURALISTS’ CLUB OF VICTORIA. VOL. LV} ° MAY, 1938, To APRIL, 1939 Hon. Editor: CHARLES BARRETT, C.M.Z.S. The Author of each Article is responsible for the facts and opinions recorded MELBOURNE } Brown, Prior, Anperson Pry. Lrp., 430 LitrLE Bourke Street 1939 The Victorian Naturalist Vol. LY:—No. 1: May 45 1938 _ , No, 653 —— THE FIELD NATURALISTS CLUB OF VICTORIA The ordinary meeting of the Clty was hekl ar the Royal So- ciety’s Hal! on Monday, April 11, 1938, The President, Mr. A, H. Chisholm, car.ao.c., presided, and ahont 1d0 members in| Friends aitended. The senior Vice-President, Myr, Geo. Couhill, aimouneed that the President was Jeaving for England within.a few davs. All men bers of the club would look forward to his return, Qn behalf of the committee he had pleasure in presenting tu Mr, Chishula hooks by H. V. Morton: Jn Search of Scotland and Ty Search of England. My. Chisholm, in retuming thanks. sail that he! would clue all he could io further the interests of the Cluh w vite abroad. > YLLUSTRATED LECTURE } An illustrated sesqui-centenary lecture, entitled, He Laweehie- tion of the Australian Flora to the Old World." was given hs Mr, E, E. Peseatt, Fis na WELCOME ‘VQ VISITORS The Chairman welcomed to the meeting Mr. aid Mee. Kaven. from New Zealand, and Mr. Rk, Arnott, from Ssvines, cO RRESPONDENCE * fio ihe Flower Day Committee. asking for daviations ut flowers, ¢tc. Fron the Federation of Vietori jan Walking Chuis regardmg ji hut recently erected on Crowa land at Mr, Freezuut, and asking the Club to join in a protest to the Minister, My. R. H- Croll moved that a-delegaie be appointed to attend a proposed deputation ta the Minister ef Lands. Mr. G. Barrett seconded the motion, whieh _ was supported By Mrs A./S. Kenyon, aud carried, On the’ aa of- Mr, E) E. Peseott. seconded by Mr. R, H. Croll, M . Kenyon w was S-appointed as delegute.- cae = REPORTS OF EXCURSIONS “Report of excursions weré given as follows —AWoaile Pant Mr. 5, .R. Mitchell; Badger Creelk. Mr. H.C. E. Stewart. Field Natwwalists’ Club Proceedings are ines GENERAL BUSINESS Mr. R, IL, Croll asked for leave of absence inv two hionths, as he was again visiting Central Australia. > - ‘he Seeretary asked for suggestions for the new excursion ist ps NATURE NOTES Mr, L. W. Cooper crew attention to the long-distance travel of thistledown- Mr. V. H. Miller, referring to the long spell of dry weather stated that in the Castlemaine district Eucalypts were: dying Iv the roadsitke- EXHIBITS Mrs. J, J. Breame:—Living marine creatures, including, he Cig Jfeather-star, a Sea Anenione, and Malluses. - Miss Cornish.—Helmet Shell. Mr. Chas. Barrett.—Stome-maling Fungus (Polyporus basta flenies) froni Annuello, Victoria. _T. S. Bart—A Lignum (Miehlenteckte gracillinta’ ¢ol- hacia by Ma. W. Bunter at Cann River} a vew record tor Vie- teria. The White Mat-rush (Lomandra leugacephala) and the Flat Templetonia (7. suleata), hath collected by J. Rickard. at Galah. Mr, W, Abrahams.—Lar; we series of geological specimens to illustrate the various deposits visited during the Chith’s Walhalla- Woods Point excursion, THE FLORA OF MITCHAM County floras are published im England—one has choice mi several for one county, in some cases; but here we have only works dealing with the plants of a whole State Mr. J. W. Audas hag now given us a district flora, and it should be followed bv other handy little guides—‘The Flora of the Dandenongs,”” for instance Our botanists have a wide field, with districts as large as some English counties. Small hooks, scientific, vet papular, are needenl. The Flora of Mitcham, based on a Jective given by Mr. Audas before the Mitcham Naturalists’ Club, is an attractive booklet, with a full list of the plants occarring in the district. This flora. the author says, "has a special interest in being the richest and miost ~ accessible for purpose of collecting and study, containing a com- paratively large number of species, representing {he most impor- tant and characteristic families of Vietorian-plants, the knowlede of which gives a good insight itd the features of the Victorian flora gener rally.” Copies af the haoklet (price, 1/- each) are ubtainable fron [ye amhar- THE VICTORIAN NATURALIST May, 1938 cers Livmzjouns, Tie Bash by Nighi tt THE BUSH BY NIGHT By KR. T, Latreejouns As (he Australian furred animals are maimly nocturnal jn their lmbits, they way be photographed Under enturely natural conditions only ac night—thus, at Jeast, it has always appeared to the wruter- This beli¢i has led to yeats of experiment with the object-ol evolving a satisfactory system of automatic flashlight photography, Actually, the idea of using an automatic Aashlight onginated with a desire ro prove why the commoan Yellow-tatled Thornbill’ builds an open nest or “'sleep-out” attached: to the -nest chamber, which is domed and erclosed, The necessily for using a self- acting ‘device to photograph the Thornbill’s home at night arose from the fact that the presence of the photographer near the nest after dark would probably cause the sitting bird to leave her cegs, After three or four pictures had been made by a primitive con- trivance of clocks and cords and springs, the problem of the extra nest still remained unsolved, On no occasion was @ bird in occh- pation of the fop nest; but the result. neveriheless, could noe be regarded as conclusive. The experiment with the Thornbills was abandoned in favour of other projects, which had then suggested themsel yes, and gave some promise of positive results, Attention was divected to nesting birds, those with open cup-shaped nests, Afier many Sailures, a fairly sticcessful picture was made at the nest of a Yellow Robin, in which cwo partly-fledged chicks were being attended by theiy parents. The camera was focused on the nest in daylight, and the fash was set for 12 pm. At mid- night a small clock opened the camera shutter’ for one second, and during that second the flash powder was ignited alzo. There were, of course, many difficulties which it had been necessary to avercome, not the least of which was the protection of the flash powder frum the damp night air. However, in the morning the flash-lamp was found to be open, and the grey ash within indicated that that portion of the apparatus, at any rate, had operated satis- factorily, There was mild excitement connected with the develop- ment af the negative, it being the first fram which a definite result could be expected. The parent bird was found to have had her head entirely hidden heneath her wing, while the head of one of the chicks was protruding fram beneath her feathers. Several other pictures were mace of Sleeping birds, but none was widely different from that of the Yellow Robin. All showed the subjects with their heads beneath their wings, and none the non-sitting bird in the immediate vicinity of the nest. It became necessary, then, to find some wew use for the flashlight apparatus, dnd it was at this stage that attention was turned to creatires which are awake and active at night, This involved a further ’ “Vie Nal. FI Larreronns, Phe Bath by Nighi bs complete change in the operation of the camera and Rusl, aud accounted jor a Jong period of further experimenting, In fact the experimental stage has not been passed eyen now, For dealing with sleeping birds the synchronizing of the shutter and the flash was a simple matter, the shutter remaining oper for a considerable time, and the fash operating independently, while the skutter was open, When the same-sysiem was used to photograph aninials it-was found to be ineffective, The sound made by the shutter and the sliock caused by the exploston of the fash accounted for a rapid movement of the stibject which ruined all the pictures taken by this method. It soon became apparem that, instead of the flash occtirring during a fairly lengthy shitter exposure, it would be necessary for a short shutter opening to take place dur- ing thé period of the flash (which may be about oné-fitiech part gfasecond), This fact has accounted for must of the hundreds of difficulties which have heen met with. The earliest attempt to make 4 Aashlight picture of ain animal was a complete failure. It revealed, in beautiful deta, the mouth of a wombat burrow at Sherbrooke, but gave no hint as to the agency which had operated the apparatus, Te as passille that an Allied Rat had blundered ito the thread controlling the electrical release. but afterwards had moved sufficiently to be wil of rhe pice ture entirely by the time the flash was ignited. The apparatns, it may be mentioned. cousisted al Uhat time at a hinged box held closed by a sensitive latch. For the photograph- ing of sleeping birds the latch was unfastened by a snmll clock installed within, and for photographing animals Wie same Jatch was operated hy an electrical contrivance set in motion hy the animal touching a thread or.a switch. In hoth cases ihe opening af the-hox fired the Aash powder, which was contained in a fash- lamp of the Mint and steel type. In practice it was found chise the sdund thade hy the opening of the box startled the ahimal to such an extent that it was almost out of the pictrre before the flash was actually fired, Tt soon heeame clear that the method of finng the Hash smnet be altered. and, after. elaborate experiment a new systent was devised, in which the powder was ignited electncaSly, and the synchronising of the canicra was effected by an electro-magnet. In this way it was possible to use the fastest shitter speed pro- yided on che camera then in use (1/100) part of a second), With this equipment several veasonably good photographs were obtained, but many ‘showed a degree of movement which spoiled the result. Recently a new camera has heen obtained which provides shutter speeds down ta’) /400th part of a second, and this. of course, is much-more éficient than ihe ald one. But the prolylem, even now, is by.no means selved.-and i) most cases emall animals react (o is Littiejouns, The Bush by Night 5 the flash of light so quickly that the outline of the head is hlurred on the negative. With the larger animals, an exposure of [/400th part of a second has been found to be suthciently short as a rule. Experiments being carried on at present are designed to accustom the animal to the presence of the camera, so that their reaction to noise and bright light may not be so rapid. Flashlight photo. hy ROT. Little jolias. Yellow Robin asleep on nest; head of chick protruding. The results obtained from the automatic flashheht are not out- standing either in quantity or in merit, but the quest for subjects has been intensely interesting. The earliest of the annual pictures were taken at the Bird Cabin on the property of Mr. VR. Davey, at Toolern Vale. Four or five species of native animals have been seen by the writer in this sanctuary, but, so far, only S!lver- grey Opossums have fired the flash traps. The hollow trees about the cabin are the homes of numerous Silver-greys. and their enthusiasm for food is such that the more retiring anc more desirable species are forestalled at the traps. 6 Lirrejouns, The Bush by Night A ae The first visit to Toolern Vale was made in December, 1933, and much of the day of arrival was spent in setting up the flash- lamp and focusing the camera at the foot of a sapling, By evening everything was in readiness, and trails of honey had heen laid, all leading to the trap. The bark of the sapling hid an elec- trical switch connected with a battery and the flash-limp, The final act of counecting the battery is always thrilling, as any fault in the wiring will cause an itnmediate explosion. ‘The plate was placed in the camera, and the photographer retired to the cabin to watch through a small hole in the wall. Hour after hour went by, and nothing happened, although the peculiar snarling of the opossums could be heard near by. At last, the light in the cabin was extinguished in the hope that this may encourage the animals to approach. Through the hole in the wall the ground outside and the trees showed dimly in the light of a half-moon. Soon a shadowy form crossed a well- lighted patch, and the excitement became intense. After much wandering the shadow crept towards the tree near the camera, and breathless minutes seemed like hours, Then there was a blinding flash, which temporarily blinded the eve at the hole in the wall. Within hali-an-hour the trap had been re-set, and the first plate was being developed. And so keen are the animals when once they have tasted honey that, before the development of the first plate had been completed, the second one had heen exposed te the accompaniment of bright light and muffled report. Both these pictures were fairly successful, but neither shows the whiskers about the antmal’s mouth. The presence on the picture of these whiskers is the writer’s test of a completely satisfactory flashlight picture. On the second and later evenings of this first visit to Toolern Vale the confidence of the Opossums had heen won su completely that many of them appeared as soon as anyone came from the eabin with the saucer in which the honey was carried. Several visits have been made to Toolern Vale since, and many other pictures of the Oposstims have been taken, but few have shown detail to the extent which has been mentioned. Manv effarts have heen made, also, to picture Ring-tailed Opossums, Brush-tatled Phascogales, and Flying VPhalangers at the Cabin. But on every aecasion the traps have heen sprung by Silver-greys. At Wheeler’s Hill there is a charming patch of timber on a property owned by the Misses Mackintosh, and here, also, the Silver-greys are at home, in convenient hollows. With the co- operation of the ladies it has been possible to entice at least one Silver-grev to a gnarled old tree. Two really efficient pictures taken at this tree (one about six months after the other) clearly feature the same animal, He may be recognized easily by a small swelling near the corner of his eye. THE VICTORIAN NATURALIST VoL. LV May, 1938 Plate IT May 1938 Litttesouns, The Bush by Night 7 Reference has been made to photographs taken at Sherbrooke in the early stages of the automatic flashlight project. In recent months the flashhght trap has been set often in the forest, but with scant sticcess. Every effort to picture a Wombat as it emerged from its burrow has failed; sometimes hecause the Wom- bat has not left the burrow at all, and sometimes because the small Allied Kat has fired the flash before the arrival of the owner of the burrow. After that, attempts were made at points in the forest where well-defined paths tol! of the nightly passing of the larger anumals. Threads were stretched across the paths at a height sufficient to allow the Rats and smaller animals to pass beneath. Notwithstanding this precaution, however, the Silver- grey Opossums have contrived to stand on their hind legs specially to hire the flash before a Wombat passed that way. The springing of the traps by unwanted interlopers is one of the greatest trials of the automatic flashlight. Many times at Sherbrooke the camera has heen set for the Allied Rat, and. except on one occasion, that animal actually has caused the flash to fire. But the Rat is a very nervous creature, apparently, and almost always its head is blurred by the rapid tovement which follows immediately on the flash. Even with an exposure of only 1/400th part of a second, the camera has been unable to stop the movement. On one occasion two cameras were synchronised with the same flash. one shutter working at 1/100th and one at 1/400th part of a second. Comparison of the two pictures provides an miteresting proof of the clistance which the head of the subject may move in a period of 3/400ths of a second. On one wet night, however, the rat was caught napping, as it were, and apparently forgot to jump Jor a small fraction of a second. Even in this case the whiskers which the Rat probably wears are not shown clearly. In November, 1936, the writer spent a most interestiny few days at Alvie, near Lake Corangamite, one of the few districts in Victoria where the Native Cat is still to be found in numbers, Preparatory work was carried out by Mr. Harold Tavlor, a voung local naturalist, who placed meat for the animals some days before the arrival of the writer. T'wo separate cameras were set each night, one operating by means of Aash-powder and the other by flashlight globes. On the first night both traps were sprung, but on the second night the animals contrived to remove the bait without touching the switches, and no picture was obtained. Because of this experience the haits, on the third and fourth nights, were fastened to pegs and buried immediately beneath the switches. Even a wily Native Cat was unable to counter that move and the trap was sprung on each occasion. In this instanee little was learned, by direct observation. of the habits of the - The Ms Vic. Nat. & Lrrttejouns, Fhe Bush by Niyht Val. LV animals, as one fleeting glance was all that was obtained of them. Neither were the photographs obtained entirely satisfactory, as the camera which operated at 1/400th part of a second developed some fault which was not discovered until the negatives were developed. Of the exposures made by the less efficient camera, two produced reasonably clear pictures of the Native Cats, whilst Flashlight photo. by Ff. T. Littlejohna. Silver-grey Opossum a third showed the head and shoulders of a dog which had made an unauthorized visit from a farm some distance away. It is hoped that, at some future time, a further opportunity may present itself to study, at least photographically, this interesting animal. Undoubtedly the most attractive expedition in quest of flash- light pictures was one to the Whipstick Scrub, some twenty miles from Bendigo. Its attractiveness lay mainly in the fact that the area is unsettled and one felt that one was dealing with animals THE VICTORIAN NATURALIST VoL. LV May, 1938 Plate II] Flashlight photos. by RL 7. Gittlejoh na. Native Cat, photographed at A vie, near Lake Corangamite, Victoria May 198K Lirttesouns, The Mush by Night 3 in their prinntive state. The expedition was suggested and made possible by Mr. Mare Cohn, who wrote to tell me of the footprints af wallabies in the mud around a waterhole deep in the scrub. Mr. Cohn offered to accompany me to the spot, and hefore my arrival he and Mrs, Cohn had cleared much undergrowth fron a disused track in order that access to the waterhole should not be difficult. On a hot Saturday afternoon in March, 1936, therefure, we set off with tent and camera for the scrub. Before dark the camera had been placed in position on one bank of the waterhole and focused on the water's edge on the opposite side. As the sun sank red held the stunted mallee, the last connections were made between the flash lamp and camera on ane bank and a switch and a lack thread at the spot on which the camera was focused. Then we retired to a little distance and waited for the arrival of the animals. Darkness came and a full moon traced fantastic patterns on the sloping mud around the waterholc. Much sooner than we expected a distant thrumping sound broke in-on the croaking of frogs and the singing of crickets. The thumping grew louder, ceased for a minute or so, and gtew louder still, There was a crashing umonyst the serul which fringed the sloping banks, and a dark form shuffled silently inte the moon- light. For several minutes the shadow remained still and then, apparently uneasy and suspicious, hopped noisily hack into the serub, There it remained, its presetice disclosed hy occasional thumps on the hard ground, By this time other distant thumpings became evident. They increased in volume and in numbers until the otherwise silent night was full of them. In the space of a few minutes a dozen Wallabies must have been sniffing the air at different pomts around the top of the bank. Then one ambled silently a yard or two towards the water, and another and another. At some real or imagined hint of danger, all turned and crashed again into the aerub, Ina qttarter of an hotir little progress had been made, but at length the thirsts acquired during a parching day overcame suspicion and fear, and one of the animals reached the water's edge. After a further delay there commenced a noisy lapping of water. The saund was what one would expect of a gtant cat lapping from a huge saticer. A dozen other Wallabies were quickly convinced that no danger threatened, and soon there were a dozen separate lappings. But still no animal had visited the section of the hank where the switch awaited its victim. There was renewed thumping as a newcomer approached, and further crashing as he reached the circle of scrub. He paused a few minutes on the top of the hank directly above the switch, and then moved down silently ; Vie. 3 10 Litttejouns, The Bush by Night | Wer, pit towards the water. The watchers held their breaths for a long -five seconds, then there was a dull explosion and a vivid hght which shocked animals and humans alike. For an instant every- thing was still, and then noisy crashings told of the hurried departure of a dozen Wallabies. With the ait of torches the flash-lamp was re-chareed with powder and the battery connected once more. Searcely had the nite ty i, Flashlight photo. by KR. T. Litlejohne. Wallaby of the Whipstick photographers returned to thetr hiding places when the thimiping was renewed as the animals returned to complete their interrupted drinking. In a little time the flash-trap was sprung again, and two tired humans crept ito their tent, there to he tormented hy mosquitoes and disturbed by the noisy crashings of Wailabies throughout the night. The following night the writer's wite remamed with him, whilst Mr. Cohn returned to Bendigo, During the heat of the day the cameras had been set with more care than had heen possible on the previous day, and at sunset everything was in readiness. The ao A Note on Peripains 0 experiences of the previous night were repeated, and two addi- tional exposures were made. At eleven o'clock, after the second firing of the flash, the cameras were packed away and the journey back to Bendigo was begun. For two miles the difficult track led through close walls of scrub, and the wife of the writer breathed a sigh of relief to find that, after all, we were not hopelessly lost. At Bendigo, Mr. Cohn had supper ready, and thus ended an expedition which will remain always as a very pleasant memory. In time, probably a very long time. it is hoped that all the difficulties connected with this branch of camera hunting will have heen overcome. It may then be possible ta undertake really elaborate expeditions to remote parts with reasonable certainty of suceess. It is hoped. even, that on some such expedition animals which have been fost for many years may he found captured by the camera-traps. AN NOTE ON PERIPATUS A living specimen of Ouperipittits justgnis was sent to me from St. Mary's, Tasmania, but died two days alter arrival. [t was kept in a tin with pieces of damp rotting wood (a suitable environ- ment), and was not unduly bothered after photographs had heen taken—prohably the first to be made of this strange “half-way” animal, connecting link between Myriapoda and the Annelid worms, Photo, by A. J. (redder. Ooperipatus insignis (X34) When captured, the Peripatus, which measured 11 imehes in length, and was of a delicate fawn-brown colour, showed resent- ment by ejecting from its papillae a viscous substance—-the slime which justifies the name slime-worm, for members of the class Prototracheata (there are between 50 and 60 species). There was no such demonstration after the specimen reached me; im fact it could not be persuaded to produce more than a drop of slime, One admired the beautiful velvety skin and the graceful moye- ments of the slime-worm; it made elegant loops and curves as it 12 A Note ait Pertpatns bias ke ambled along on fifteen pairs of Jegs. When gently turned over it righted itself at once, but slowly. Peripatus is deliberate in progression, but could easily overtake aslug or a snail. Its antennae are usually in slow motion, and grve the little creature a quaintly attractive appearance when ex- tended laterally, as shown in one of the photographs reproduced. I have had several live examples of Ouperipatus tasignis, which is native to Victoria, as well as Tasmania; and have also collected Oopertpatus oviparus, which ranges from Queensland to Victoria. In the Macpherson Ranges, southern Queensland, a specimen of 0, oviparus was found beneath a big decaying log. New Zealand has several oviparous forms. One of our species, O. ovtparus, I believe, was the first of the slime-worms to he credited with lay- ae Ambling gracefully along—Oepertpatus insignis (much enlarged) ing eggs: until then viviparity was thought to be the rule without exception among the slime-worms, Even now, some zoologists ate doubtful whether there are egg-laying forms. But the late Dr, A, Dendy did not found the genus Ooperipatus on slender evidence. Several New Zealand species are oviparous, Occasionally, when sifting damp moss from fern gullies, a Peripatus is found, Though venerally regarded as rare, or at least uncommon, these intriguing little arthropods, primitives ‘standing alone, may be fairly plentiful in our hill country. Mr. John Clark, entomologist at the National Museum, says that when you know just where to look for them, you can find dozens of specimens. However, very few are collected, and at the present time nobody in the Commonwealth is especially interested in the Peripatus clan. I know of no research work being done here on the slime worms. But important papers by Dendy, Fletcher and Steel, will be found in the Proceedings of the Linnean Society of New South Wales, 1894-96, CHARLES HARRETT. rh Pascotr:Jutradyilion of Austradion Flare 13 INTRODUCTION OF THE AUSTRALIAN FLORA TO THE OLD WORLD, By E, FE. Prscorr, 1.2.5: (Lecture given before the Field Naturalists’ Chib uf Vicrorie, April 1t, 1938.) This paper cannot imore Atly be opened. than by siving some quatations from Hooker's Tutroductory Essay on "The Flora of Australia.” THe says: "The Flora of Australia has been justly regarded as the most remarkable that is known, owing io the number of peculiar dorms of vegetation which thar Continent presents. So numerous, indeed, are the peculiarities of this Flora, that 1¢ has been considered as differing fundamentally, or in almiust all its attributes {ram those of ather lands, and speculations have been entertained that its origin is either referable to another period of the world's history from that in which (the existing plants of other continents have been produced, or to a separate creative effort from that which contemporaneously peapled the rest oi the globe with its existing vegetation: whilst others again have supposed that the climate or some other attrihnre of Aus- trafia has exerted an influence on its vegetation, differing both in kd and degree from that of other climates."—"TIt contains more genera and species peculiar to its own area, and fewer plants belonging to other parts of the world, thun any other country of equal extent.” To botanists and gardeners in the Old World, the merodhactiim of such a flora as described by Hooker. must have been very startling. In the pre-New Holland era, a few species would come aww and then from America, and a Few from China—tliese would provide occasional interest. Then came the Cape Flora; and prior to the New Holland explorations, the plants of South Africa pave very considerable interest. But the introduction of these was spread over many years, amt only a few at a ome wonle arrive. Dampier's plants from New Holland nest have occasionerl some surprise, but even of these there was not a considerable mtumher Chen Liabiflardiéee came, whetting the botanists’ appetites for more. And at last the fants of Banks and Solandes, atid ‘oi Brown, Bauer und Good burst on the worid, hirerally in hundreds. The result must have caused alntast consternation in the scientific warld of the eighteenth century. Could it he true? Were such things passible? We know what they said of the’ Platypus! and how they wondered at ‘the Kangaroo! Month after month and vear after year passed; and still the treasures kept pouring in. Tt was a genuine period of remarkable betanical surprises. No ‘ Vis. Mat Tt) 14 Prescott; Introduciton of Avstration Flosa woider that the eyes of the whole plant world were centred on New Holland, ; Tn this paper; only the introduction of the fora can be describe 7 subsequent introductions and workers may fovin the subject of some future study. The first New Holland plants to be taken to the Old World were those of William Dantpier, who, with his crew of byycancers and his ships. “Bachelor's Delight" and “Cygnet,” vistled Cygnet Bay; on the north-west coast of the Contment, in 1688. Mampier wis the first to tell of the Eucalypts, describing (hem as “the Jargest uf any (trees) there.” He called them "dragon {rees,” beranse “the ¢um distils out of the Knots and cracks that are im the bodies of the trees. We compared it with some Gum-magon or Dragon’s Blood that was aboard, and it was of the same.” He describe! the “heath"—much of the kind—growing on au commons in England, The trees were “curious,” the folinge was “curious’—"most of the shrubs had either blossoms ov berries on then.” The hinssoms were “mostly bhuic’—this stair ment would cause inuch discussion ainong English gardeners, for they have always sought for blue flowers. Dainpier continues: “Some very small fowers growing on the grounil that were sweet and heantiful, for the most part unlike any I had seén elsewhere.” He revorded ‘that the Rosemary shrub grew plentifully Sur “heel uo sted” Unlike Gurdon of a ater dare, Dampier reports: ‘most of them with a very fragrant smell," aud of alf the plants, his reports Were most enthusiastic. Tr seenis strange that a inau of such a nutore, a buccaneer, should write as enthusiasheally of the wild flowers, Wut iL fs stated that he “was well acquainted with botany" He eollected well, but many of his specimens were lost: of the few that remained, these are now housed at the herbarium of tle Oxlord Botanic Gardens. There are forty of them, collected possibly irom his second voyage of 1699. when. on the “Roebuck,” Dampier's plants included c asuaina, Goodena, Lotuy, some Myrtaceae and Leguminosae, and that glorious and neh blossom which commenorates him, "Sturt’s Desert Pea.” Chanthus Dam- piers. Dampier’s description of this is that the blossom resemblec “a bean blossom, hut much larger aid of a deep red column. Iqols- ing very teautifol,” Dentrecasteaux’ expedition in search of La Perouse carried with it two great naturalists, Labillardiére on the “Recherche,” and Riche, of the “Esperance.” Cubillardi¢re introduced to the world sone very fine copperplate engravings of plants, in the report whieh was published in 1800. Again, the world is'teld of (he heauty of the flora—*!] was strock with the beauly of the flower ofa new speciés”—"this beautiful tree’—-“T ‘discovered a very vise Pescarr, Jrtroduction of Austeatian Flara 5 beautiful plant’ —'Simongst a varrety of other beautiful plants’ — these are 2 dew oi his many enthusiastic remarks, There are nine ilustrations, which inchide Diplarrhena movada, Eneatyptus globulus, Exocarpus cupressiformis, Bucalyptus cov- niin, Chorizena ificifolia, Anigozanthes rufa, Banksia repens, Banksa (now Dryandra} sivea, and Rtecheo glantca, now Cras- peda Richen. The laiter commemorates his friend and companion. Citizen Riche. When these pictures are examined), ic 1 doultful if helier drawings could be made to-day, that of che ‘Cherry Gallart” being exceptionally fine. On this expedition, Riche was lost for several days; dural that time he had lived on the berries of a coastal plant why was afterwards dedicated to hitn, Leuvopogen Ricki The work of two men, who explored the eastern shores ant] ocean, 1s ot geuerally known, partly because they caine just hefare the “Friest Fleet period, anef all arlvertiserment was given ta the efforts of Botany Bay colonization, They were the two Forsters, father and son, Johann Reinhold Forster, and Johann Georg Adam Forster. Both were Doctors of Medicine who accompanied Cook on his second vovage.