628 NOTES AND EXHIBITS. 



check before sexual reproduction ordinarily manifests itself.* 

 Stringy-barks are apt to be killed by fire when the sap is down. 

 On the whole as regards any possible share of the fire-kindling 

 Aboriginal in the direct modification of the vegetation, upon the 

 evidence available, "not proven" seemed to be the only warrant- 

 able verdict. 



Professor David referred to the occurrence of stone tomahawks, 

 and of a charred stump of Banksia, at Shea's Creek, near Sydney, 

 six feet below present low-water mark;t and of charred roots at 

 Narrabeen, at a depth of 50 feet— an indication of fires when the 

 coast-line stood fifty feet higher than at present; and he pointed 

 out that, in the latter case, if it could be shown that the fires 

 were the result of human agency, very considerable antiquity for 

 the Australian Aboriginal might be claimed (from 5,000-10,000 

 years, allowing 1 foot or 6 inches as a moderate estimate of the 

 average rate of subsidence per century). 



But though the Aboriginal may have had no share in directly 

 modifying the flora, in some cases, he certainly did locall}' control 

 geographical distribution to some extent, as pointed out b}' Mr. 

 Stephens, In 1825, the Van Diemen's Land Company obtained 

 a charter authorising the issue of a Crown grant of land in the 

 unexplored country of north-west Tasmania In 1827, the 

 district was explored by Mr. Hellyer, whose careful description 

 of the country is on record. Finally 160,000 acres were selected 

 and surveyed, extensive improvements were made, and the 

 country was stocked with sheep; but having an average elevation 

 of 2000-3000 feet, it was found to be suitable only for a summer 

 run. After struggling for some time against heavy losses, the 

 Company's managers eventually gave up the occupation of the 

 greater part of the country; and later on it was rented, for some 

 years, by outsiders, as a cattle-run. Prior to occupation, the 



* See Darwin's "Plants and Animals under Domestication," Vol. ii., 

 chap.xviii.; Maxwell T. Masters' "Vegetable Teratology," p. 177; Henslow's 

 " Floral Structm-es," p. 231. 



t Journ. Proc. Roy. Soc. N. S. Wales, xxx., pp. 174-175. 



