112 THE VICTORIAN NATURALIST. 



destructive to it. We then took what is known as a short cut 

 through the scrub home. The vegetation here was really 

 wonderful, while the stillness of the place was almost painful. 

 One had to be continually on the watch when riding along the 

 narrow path for lawyer stems or other creeper-vines which 

 dangled from the overhanging trees, just low enough to catch 

 one's face. I could not help remarking, when we came to the 

 edge of this scrub, how suddenly it ceased. In a few yards you 

 got from scrub into forest country, passing through a magnificent 

 patch of Gleichenia flahellata, then along through some tea-tree 

 and pandanus country. The pandanus is a pretty sure sign 

 of poor land, while palms are just the reverse. 



Another trip was to see some friends at the Moubray River, 

 about 15 miles south of where I was staying. This place was 

 on the main road between Port Douglas and Herberton, between 

 the crossing of the Moubray River and the ascent of the 

 Dividing Range. Here I was astonished and delighted to see 

 the Crotons doing so well in the open air. Though it was the 

 winter season, and the colours of the leaves were said to be very 

 poor, they seemed to me better than any 1 had seen in the hot- 

 houses in our Melbourne gardens. The owner of the place had 

 previously resided in New Guinea, and had brought many 

 interesting plants, &c., from there. A Selaginella, especially, 

 was very large and of a beautiful electric-blue colour. Bird's-nest 

 Ferns were simply tied to posts, and required no watering ; while 

 to the mango trees numerous orchids had been attached, which 

 in the flowering season must be a pretty sight. Oranges do well 

 in the district, and we had as many delicious mandarins as we 

 could eat. Calling at another garden, we were shown all sorts 

 of tropical fruits, &c., which the former owner had introduced. 

 In the flower garden were numerous varieties of Hibiscus, 

 making the place gay with their pink, crimson, and yellow flowers, 

 while the house was covered with two magnificent Bougainvilleas. 

 The Vanilla orchid was pointed out to me, growing on a 

 special host tree, the name of which I forget. Here were the 

 Traveller's Tree (from Madagascar), the Paraguay Tea-tree, and 

 a splendid grove of cocoanuts was m full bearing, and owing to 

 one having been blown down and then grown upwards again, I 

 was able to examine the mode of growth very well. A baby 

 cocoanut, about 3 inches in diameter, is a very pretty object 

 when fresh. I picked an older one, in order to taste the 

 contents, which at one stage of its growth is very like sodawater, 

 but the one I tried was too young. Going on to another friend's, 

 we passed in the distance some different palms, but did not go to 

 examine them ; while on the road were great quantities of the 

 sensitive plant. Mimosa pudica, which has become quite a pest 

 in the district. I saw a few small butterflies during this trip, but 



