president's address. 773 



Mr. W. J. Clunies Ross, to whose paper^ I have already 

 referred, is carefully examining the flora of the geological forma- 

 tions of the Bathurst district, a line of research for which his 

 geological and botanical knowledge specially fits him. I do not 

 know of any other similar researches of recent date in this State. 

 Mr. W. Christie's paper,! also quoted, may be usefully studied in 

 this connection, 



Howitt has a paper; which deals with the distribution of 

 Eucalypts on certain geological formations and soils in the masterly 

 way that surprises no one who is acquainted with the depth of 

 his knowledge of geology and botany. Although it applies to 

 Gippsland, many of his observations are directly applicable to 

 New South Wales. 



Granite countr}- does not appear to produce good timber in any 

 part of Australia, while timber grown in swampy, low-lying 

 ground is generally deficient in strength. These are generalisa- 

 tions that the ecologist will bear in mind. 



Mr. Sydney B. J. Skertchly, Assistant Government Geologist, 

 Queensland, in 1897 published a paper on the "Copper Plant " 

 {Polycaiycea spirostylis, F.v. M.) to accompan}^ his Report on the 

 Mines of Watson ville, etc , in which he produced evidence that 

 this plant frequently accompanies copper deposits in Queensland. 

 He also gives a few instances which have come under his notice 

 of the partiality of certain plants for certain geological areas, and 

 also gives a few extra- Australian references. Still, we appear to 

 have but few data on the subject. In Europe the subject has 

 received attention since the time of linger, and some general 

 facts and observations bearing on the question will be found in 

 Kerner and Oliver (ii. 495 et seq.). 



In this connection I do not propose to touch upon the fossil 

 flora of Australia and its interpretations; this has been con- 

 sidered by Unger in his " New Holland in Europe " (trans, in 

 Seemann's Journal of Botany, Feb. 1865), by Ettingshausen and 



p. 771. t p. 771. 



t Trans. R. S. Vict. 1890. 



