THK VICTOKIAN NATURALIST. Ill 



bean tree, cassowary fruit, and other seeds were lying about, 

 while high up in the trees Bird's-nest and other ferns helped to 

 make up an enchanting scene. On the edges of the scrub wild 

 capsicums, bearing their brilliant orange or scarlet fruits, were 

 very abundant, and furnished food for the birds. 



One day we went for a ramble up the river, where the vegetation 

 had been almost untouched by the hand of man. We saw some 

 fine specimens of the so-called fern-palms, Cycas media, R. Br., 

 looking like tree ferns just unfolding their palm-like fronds, and 

 bearing the fruiting frond. Scrambling along the river bank 

 through masses of vegetation, where every log or tree-trunk 

 bore a burden of orchids, ferns, mosses, lichens, fungi, entwined 

 with hoya and other creepers, I could fully appreciate the 

 difticulties of real collecting in tropical countries : one wants an 

 army of blackfellows to carry the various things picked up, and to 

 add to the trouble one is in a continual steam-bath. We saw 

 splendid specimens of the Umbrella Fern, Gleichenia flabellata; 

 Bird's-nest Ferns in almost every tree fork or fissure in the rocks ; 

 the pretty climbing fern, Lygodium scandens, was plentiful, while 

 great bunches of the Ribbon Fern, Ophioglossum pendidiwi, hung 

 from equally large ])lants of the Elk's-horn, Platycerium alcicorne. 

 The Grass-leaved Fern, Vittaria elongata, was also plentiful, with 

 others with which I was not familiar. High up in the trees, out 

 of reach, orchids were to be seen. Two species were just coming 

 into flower — a Dendrobium like D. speciosum, and another, prob- 

 ably D. undu/atum, with spikes fully two feet long of beautiful 

 old gold coloured flowers. Pencil orchids and Lycopodiums, with 

 their tasselled stems quite three feet long, hanging from the 

 branches of the trees, were abundant. Here and there was an 

 Umbrflla Tree, Brassaia actinophylla, belonging to the Araliaceae 

 standing out conspicuously from its neighbours. We had travelled 

 some miles up the river when fading daylight told us we must 

 turn homewards. One or two butterflies were seen, but birds 

 were scarce. I should have liked to have had another day in 

 this locality, but time would not permit. We saw but few tree 

 ferns — in fact, they seem very scarce in that district, though at 

 the Russell River, about 80 miles south, they are very abundant. 



On another trij), to Saltwater Creek, I had opportunities of 

 seeing different kinds of country — belts of scrub, i.e., the most 

 beautiful palm groves, which would be charming additions to our 

 Botanical Gardens, being cut down as so much rubbish, because 

 where the palms grow finest is the best land for sugar-growing. 

 Along the road were large stacks of mangrove timber, to be used 

 as firewood at the sugar mill. The wood is of a deep red 

 colour, and I believe burns well. Calling at one or two selectors' 

 houses I got some insight into the sugar-growing industry. 

 Maize-growing is also carried on, but the cockatoos are very 



