March, 1909.] THE VICTORIAN NATURALIST. 177 



NOTES OF A TRIP TO NORTH QUEENSLAND. 



By J. W. AuDAS, Assistant, National Herbarium, Melbourne. 



(Read before the Field Naturalists^ Club of Victoria, 18th Jan., 1909.) 



A VISIT to Queensland cannot fail to be interesting to the nature 

 student at whatever time of year it may be undertaken, and 

 therefore, when I left Melbourne in July last for a four weeks' 

 holiday, I determined to make an effort to collect such informa- 

 tion and specimens as would prove of value in future years. 

 The steamer arrived in Sydney in the midst of heavy rain, which 

 continued during the two days of our stay, consequently nature 

 study there was out of the question. However, on arrival in 

 Brisbane more genial weather prevailed, and I was enabled to 

 see a great deal of the city and its surroundings. Here, though 

 17 miles from its mouth, the River Brisbane is ample enough to 

 allow large vessels to come right up to the city wharves. A 

 prominent feature near at hand is Mt. Coo-tha, where one can 

 get a glance at the indigenous vegetation, and admire the broad 

 stream wending its way to the sea. 



Taking a short train journey of eight miles to Nudgee, I got 

 my first glimpse of a pineapple plantation, hundreds of acres of 

 which were to be seen in full bearing. Two principal crops are 

 picked during the year, but the fruit is obtainable in lesser 

 quantity at all times. When in cultivation the pineapple plant 

 bears one pine for the first crop. When this is removed the 

 plant sends up several shoots, which in their turn also fruit, but 

 successful pine growers do not allow these shoots to fruit, as 

 their crop would be inferior, but snip them oft' and use them for 

 young plants, which in that sub-tropical climate can be planted at 

 any time of the year. 



I paid a visit to the Brisbane Botanical Gardens and inter- 

 viewed the director, Mr. J. Bailey, who kindly showed me through 

 the .conservatories, and pointed out for my admiration the many 

 beautiful orchids and other hot-house plants. Crotons and 

 Acalyphas were doing particularly well in the open. The 

 gardens contain some very fine palms, among which were notice- 

 able the Royal Palm, Oreodoxa regia, H. B. et K., Date Palm, 

 Phoenix dactylifera, L., and Archontophoenix Alexandrce, H. 

 Wendl. and Drude, a Queensland palm. 



At the Agricultural Department, in George-street, overlooking 

 the river, which is spanned by a magnificent bridge fully a quarter 

 of a mile long, and where most of the public offices are situated, 

 I renewed my acquaintance with the Queensland Colonial 

 Botanist, Mr. F. M. Bailey, and was pleased to find him well, and 

 (though now at the age of 8i years) still able to carry on his 

 duties with interest and energy. 



In and around Brisbane, and in fact throughout all of northern 

 Queensland, I noted that many of the houses are built on piles 



