142 THE VICTORIAN NATURALIST. [Vol. XXV. 



BIOLOGICAL SURVEY OF WILSON'S PROMONTORY. 

 First Report by Alfred J. Ewart, D.Sc, Ph.D., F.L.S. 



{Read hefore the Field Naturalists* Cluh of Vidor^ia, I'ith Dec, 1908.) 

 With the consent of the Minister for Agriculture, the National 

 Herbarium has undertaken to make a complete botanical survey 

 of Wilson's Promontory, and, as a first beginning to that end, Mr. 

 J. W. Audas, of the National Herbarium, and Mr. P. R. H. St. 

 John, of the Botanic Gardens, spent a fortnight in the 

 Promontory in October last exploring its botanical and other 

 treasures. They confined themselves to the south and south- 

 west of the National Park, leaving the north-east portion for a 

 second visit. As can be seen from the appended map, prepared 

 by Mr. A. D. Hardy, their route was a very extended one, and 

 as a result the number of plants collected, named, and deposited 

 in the National Herbarium amounts to well over 300. 



In the report of the Field Naturalists' Club excursion party 

 to the Promontory in December, 1905 {Vict. Nat.., vol. xxii., 

 p. 217), Mr. Hardy records 181 flowering plants and ferns, 

 a number of which, however, had already been collected 

 by Baron von Mueller, who was probably the first to make 

 a botanical trip through the Promontory. On the appended 

 list any names given in Mr. Hardy's list, but not collected 

 during the present excursion, are marked with the letter (H.) 

 Mr. Hardy informs me that, owing to his portfolio having 

 fallen into the sea, his collection of specimens was much 

 damaged, so that it is not possible to verify the list thoroughly, 

 but specimens of five of the eleven plants not seen have since 

 been sent to the Herbarium. 



In a few cases it is possible errors may have crept in. Thus, 

 neither Mr. Audas nor Mr. St. John saw a single specimen of 

 Fagiis Cunninyhami,''' Hook., or of Typha angustifolia, L. The 

 former may have been destroyed by the fires, but hardly the 

 latter, which is either absent or very scarce. The orchid 

 Glossodia major, R. Br., recorded as in flower at Christmas time, 

 seems doubtful, being at least a month later than usual. Hence, 

 following the usual Herbarium practice, only those records can 

 be accepted in such cases as definitely established which are 

 supported by actual specimens, so that the accuracy of the 

 naming can be verified in case of need. Again, " Calocephalus 

 fastigiata'" is evidently intended for Calostrophus fastigiatus. 



The total number of plants recorded for Wilson's Promontory 

 now amounts to 364, and probably nearly a fourth of the flora of 

 Victoria will be found represented in the National Park. It 

 includes some fairly rare plants. Thus Fieldia australis, A. 



* Mr. Hardy informs me that this plant was not actually seen, but that it 

 may be found on the eastern side. 



