[Proc. Roy. Soc. Victoria, 24 (N.S.), Pt. I., 1911.] 

 Ah'J'. II. — Fa/piian Timbers. 



8OMK OF THK PrOPKKTIKS OF SiX tSPECIES. 



By JAMES MANN* 



(Government Research Scholar, Engineering School, University 

 of Melbourne.) 



(With Plates X.-XX.). 



[Read 9th March, 1911]. 



Introduction. 



The investigation of the timber resources of Papua was 

 placed in the hands of Mr. Gilbert Burnett, District Forest 

 Inspector of the State of Queensland, by the Commonwealth 

 Government of Australia, in the year 190'8. He reported on 

 123 species after visiting eight important districts. His report 

 was printed by the Government printer and issued by the De- 

 partment of External Affairs, Melbourne. 



In his report he says : — " Tbe names of the different varieties 

 are such as have been supplied to me by those of the natives 

 of the various localities who appeared to possess the largest 

 amount of knowledge of the native woods ; and the greatest 

 care has been exercised in noting them correctly."! 



Under these conditions, it is highly probable that some con- 

 fusion may exist, as several names are given to the one variety 

 of tree, these being the names given by the most intelligent 

 natives in the several districts in which the trees grow. Thus, 

 if there are twenty districts, there may be twenty different 

 native names. In a territory such as Papua, where there is 

 no written language and a great number of dialects, it may be 

 necessary to record all names, but if the meaning of each of 

 these words were ascertained and that meaning described the 

 particular genus, some such colloquial name might be adopted. 



1 Timber Trees of the Territory of Papua : Reports and Catalogue. By Gilbert 

 Buniett. 



