BY THE EEY. J. E. TEXISOX-WOODS, F.G.S , F.L.S. 569 



a thin sword-blacle and a bill-hook, such forests are absolutely 

 impenetrable, and even then the Lawyers as the Calamus i^ called, 

 form a most irritating and effectual obstacle. To this drawback 

 may be added the Stinging Tree {Laportea moroides) the stino- of 

 which is fatal to horses. The soil of such scrubs is of the richest 

 description. I think it would be better if the term "scrub " was 

 not applied to these forests. They are so utterly different from 

 what is included under that name in other parts of the colony 

 that jungle would be a far better expression. We find in them 

 a very large proportion of genera and species which are 

 characteristic of the Indian Archipelago and China, while the 

 characteristic Australian genera such as JEiocalyptus, Acacia, and 

 Banhsia form a comparatively small portion of the vegetation. 

 There is one peculiarity about them to which attention has not 

 been drawn as a mark of distinction. In the true Australian 

 scrub usually one or two species predominate, in fact almost 

 exclude every other. The jungle forests are of a much more 

 mixed character. No one genus or even species gives its character 

 to the forest. If there be any aparent exception to this, it is 

 that in the tropics the climbing palm ( Calamus) is very abundant 

 and nearly every tree has its stem variegated by the pretty 

 climbing Aroid, Potlios loureirl. Another very common Aroid 

 climber is Rhipidopliora quinata, Schott, called in most places 

 the climbing fern. It clasps the stems of the tallest trees in 

 succulent snake-like smooth vines about two inches in diameter, 

 sending forth at every few inches enormous pinnate leaves a 

 couple of feet in length. In New South Wales, such forests are 

 called " Brushes." 



But the characteristic scrub of Northern Queensland is that 

 called Brigalow which covers so much of the tablelands of the 

 colony. Every one wdio is familiar with the works of the early 

 explorers must remember how frequent are the reference to 

 " Brigalow." In Leichhardt's " Overland Journey to Port 

 Essingtou," it occurs at almost every page. Before I visited 



