THE VICTORIAN NATURALIST. 75 



Martin has worked indefatigably in this department, and has sent 

 home large collections and a great number of water-colour 

 drawings. Mr. F. M. Bailey, admirably situated near the tropical 

 ranges, has made large contributions. Nor must we omit the 

 name of Mr. H. T. Tisdall, who has also forwarded extensive 

 collections and excellent coloured drawings to the home workers. 

 With these works of Cooke and Saccardo accessible to workers, 

 a fresh impetus should be given to the study of fungi. A large 

 number of micro-fungi especially remain undetermined, and these 

 are amongst the most pernicious members of the class. We trust 

 that workers will rally round the vegetable pathologist, and that 

 no quarter will be given to these destructive and insidious little 

 organisms. 



THE LATE R. D. FITZGERALD. 



It is with the deepest regret that we announce the decease, at the 

 age of 62, of Mr. R. D. Fitzgerald, F.L.S., the author of the 

 magnificently illustrated monograph of Australian orchids. 



For several years Mr. Fitzgerald occupied the position of 

 Deputy Surveyor-General of New South Wales. He retired from 

 this post two years ago. In 1869 his official work took him to 

 Lord Howe's Island. He was accompanied by Mr. Charles 

 Moore, and assisted the latter in obtaining specimens of the 

 singular indigenous flora. He was successful in making an adven- 

 turous ascent of one of the highest of the mountain peaks. One 

 of the plants, Dracophyllum jitzgeraldi, a gigantic epacrid reaching 

 forty feet in height, was named after him by Mr. Moore and 

 Baron von Mueller. A sketch of the aspect of the vegetation of 

 the island, by Mr. Fitzgerald, appears in the " Fragmenta " of 

 the latter, vol. vii. 



The perusal of Darwin's book on the fertilization of orchids 

 led Mr. Fitzgerald to devote himself to the study and careful 

 delineation of the Australian orchids. His great skill as a drafts- 

 man stood him here in good stead. He made all his drawings 

 from living plants, and, in order to observe them in their natural 

 state, he made extensive journeys, not merely in various parts of 

 New South Wales and in the adjoining colonies, but even as far 

 as Western Australia. 



In this way Mr. Fitzgerald had published detailed descriptions 

 of one hundred and eighty-three species and sub-species of Aus- 

 tralian orchids, illustrated comprehensively by beautiful coloured 

 drawings. A special feature in the descriptions is seen in the 

 tabulated schedules, in which he gives in the fullest detail the 

 comparative characters of allied species. It is deeply to be re- 

 gretted that he was not spared to complete this valuable work in 

 his life-time, but we understand that he has left behind him a 

 certain amount of material, which, we trust, will be duly published 

 by the New South Wales Government. 



