321 



North Australian Botany, Observations on, by De. Erederick 



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tion,* under the command of Mr. Surveyor Gregory ; in a Letter 



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^/ 



OM 



Main Camp on the Victoria River, 18 June, 1856. 



In the expectation of joining Mr. Gregory's party, and leaving this 

 camp again in a few days, I am anxious to avail myself of the only op- 

 portunity which might offer itself, before our return to the settlements 

 on the eastern coast, of laying before you a short account of the prin- 

 cipal results of my botanical labom-s in North and Central Australia. 

 Perhaps I flattered myself too much when I thought the information 

 which I gained, of the botany of this part of the globe, important 

 enough to arrange it roughly for an early communication ; but I am 

 well aware that yourself and many of your scientific friends are watch- 

 ing with intense interest the progress of phytological knowledge of 

 Australia, and moreover of these remote and untrodden parts of the 

 country. I have therefore, with Mr. Gregory's permission, collected 

 some of the principal notes for this letter, and appended to it the 

 description of 12 new genera and 25 new species, which, to me at 

 least, appeared to be extremely interesting. You will be aware that I 

 am under the restriction of retaining all information for the Govern- 

 ment ; and if you therefore think any of my observations important 

 enough for early publication, it will require the sanction of the Secre- 

 tary of State for the Colonies, which in all UkeUhood wiU be easily ob- 



„_r latest acmmt received from the Botanist of ^^^ ^^.Pff,'^°°'J„^^^^^^ 



1400 feet above the sea. The ranges run east and «^t , aiia tne n 

 water is therefore to the south. Crossing this watershed Mr. Gr^o^, sM ou a 

 creek, which led him 300 miles farther, west of south. ^ 'f^*" ^^^ J„Sy pro- 

 long.'l27° 45', when he discovered the Sal Lake^- -^^ tt XS*"' « 



t ., ^ % . '_„ ^1. _!.„„* ♦^.^a wifli the natives. 



best terras 



VOL. VIII. 



2 T 



