March, 1909.] THE VICTORIAN NATURALIST. 179 



The approach to Townsville is heralded by the treeless Castle 

 Hill, which rises so abruptly as to appear almost perpendicular 

 from a seaward point of view, and nestling round its base lies the 

 city, with Mt. Stuart to the west and Mt. Elliot to the south, 

 while about six miles to the north lies Magnetic Island, so named 

 by Captain Cook because the action of the compass was affected 

 when his vessel was in proximity to it. This island is well 

 patronized as a watering-place by the Townsville folks, the 

 vegetation being left in its natural state, and Abrus precatorius 

 flourishes exceedingly, its seeds, red with black spot (prayer seeds), 

 being greatly admired, and gathered by tourists as souvenirs. 

 Along the beaches many handsome shells, and occasionally large 

 pieces of coral, may be found. 



At " Acacia Vale," a show spot lying some four miles to the 

 west of Townsville, I noticed some fine specimens of Poinciana 

 regia, and was struck by the particularly fine growth of the 

 cocoanut palms, which were to be seen here in full bearing, with 

 the fruit adhering closely to the axil of the leaves of the main stem. 

 I examined a nut which had fallen to the ground and in which 

 the process of germination had started ; the " plumule " had grown 

 about a foot and the " radicle " had already taken hold of the 

 earth. This particular specimen I brought back with me, and it 

 was afterwards exhibited in the Government Botanist's exhibit at 

 the Royal Show in September last, and is now in the carpological 

 collection at the Melbourne University. After spending a delight- 

 ful hour in the shade of a huge Robinia, and partaking of some 

 choice strawberries, ripe and luscious as only Queensland straw- 

 berries can be, I was compelled to bid a reluctant farewell to the 

 genial hostess, Mrs. Gulliver. The monotony of 'the drive back 

 to Townsville was broken by the sight of a flock of fully a hundred 

 Ibis, with their striking plumage of glossy black body and white 

 breast, feeding along the mud flats, which cover some miles in 

 this locality, and which at high tide are inundated by the waters 

 of Ross Creek. Nearer to the city the growth of the castor oil 

 plant was so prolific as to have become a vegetable pest. 



Our steamer, a vessel of 6,500 tons, was of too large a type 

 to pass through the famous Hinchinbrook Channel, and, in con- 

 sequence, I was unable to see that interesting part of the voyage. 

 A few miles out from Townsville a whale was sighted playing 

 about a few hundred yards from the vessel. Forging away to 

 the north the view presented the bold heights of Bartle Frere and 

 the peaks of Bellenden-Ker, the highest points of these two 

 mountains being respectively 5,400 feet and 5,200 feet, and after 

 rounding Cape Grafton, at the entrance to Trinity Bay, we were 

 soon berthed at a wharf facing the main street of the town of 

 Cairns. The city itself is only a few feet above sea level, and 

 during the hot weather is often scourged by dengue fever and 

 other pestilent diseases peculiar to moist tropical climates. On 



