LIlOfEAN SOCIETY OF LONDON. Ixxvii 



the state and condition of these islands, and through the influence 

 of Sir W. J. Hooker Dr. Seemann was asked to join the expedition. 

 He left England in February 1860, and arrived at Yiti some months 

 before Colonel Smythe. He explored this little-known group of 

 islands, and accumulated large collections of plants and other objects 

 of natural history. The substance of the letters written by him 

 at that time, together with much additional matter and Dr. 

 Seemann's official report " On the Resources and Vegetable Products 

 of Fiji," which had been presented to both Houses of Parliament, 

 was incorporated in a separate book published in 1862, under the 

 title of ' Viti : an Account of a Government Mission to the Vitian 

 or Fijian Islands.' A catalogue of all known plants of the group 

 was printed in an appendix to this work, and some new species 

 were described by Seemann in his ' Bonplandia ;' but he determined 

 to produce a complete systematic book on the Fijian flora, and in 

 1865 commenced the publication of the ' Flora Yitiensis.' This is 

 a quarto work, intended to be completed in ten parts, nine parts of 

 which appeared in Dr. Seemann's lifetime. The tenth and con- 

 cluding number is expected to appear immediately. 



The * Journal of Botany, British and Foreign ' was commenced 

 at the beginning of 1863, on the relinquishment of the ' Bonplandia,' 

 of which it was in some sort a continuation. Dr. Seemann con- 

 ducted this journal at a considerable loss, and at the end of 1869 

 this loss and his many other engagements determined him to give 

 it up. A strong effort was, however, made by some of the leading 

 English botanists to keep the journal alive, and Dr. Seemann availed 

 himself of the proffered assistance of Mr. Baker, of Kew, and Dr. 

 Trimen, of the British Museum, in carrying it on. 



From this period the force of circumstances took Dr. Seemann 

 more and more away from botanical and scientific work. In 1864 

 some French and Dutch capitalists availed themselves of his practical 

 experience and intimate knowledge of tropical countries, to report 

 on the resources and capabilities of a portion of the territory of 

 Yenezuela. He left Southampton on the 2nd of February, and 

 reached Caracas towards the end of the same month ; thence pro- 

 ceeded to Porto Cabello, Chichirividei, and Tocuyo, and returned to 

 Europe via Curagao and St. Thomas. During this expedition he 

 had the good fortune to discover, on the banks of the Tocuyo, ex- 

 tensive beds of anthracite, closely resembling Welsh steam coal in 

 appearance, and valued in London at thirty shillings per ton. 



Dr. Seemann was elected in 1865 Honorary Secretary to the 



