the South Australian Naturalist. 81 



will turn over a few pages giving a list of species in, say, 

 Tate's "Flora of South Australia," he will be struck with the 

 large proportion of the names to which are appended the 

 initials "F. v. M." These represent the plants first described 

 and named by Mueller. He wrote other important works, such 

 as his monographs on the Eucalyptus, one of the most intricate 

 genus of our flora, on the Salsolaceous Plants, the Myoporineae, 

 and the Acacias. All these works are skilfully illustrated and 

 printed in Victoria. Last, but not least, he v/rote a little book 

 of an elementary character, entitled, *^ Introduction to Botanic 

 Teaching in the Schools of Victoria." It inculcates the prin- 

 ciples of the science by dealing solely with Australian plants ; 

 its woodcut illustrations are very effective. It seems a pity that 

 now Nature Study has become general in schools this book 

 has been allowed to go out of print. A copy of each of the 

 books enumerated in the foregoing list may be seen in the 

 Adelaide Public Library. 



Honours from sovereigns and learned societies were 

 showered on Mueller. We have already stated that he gained 

 the degree of Ph.D. at Kiel ; in 1(S57 the University of Rostock, 

 his native city, conferred on him the M.D. degree (honoris 

 causa). In 1859 he became a Fellow of the Linnean Society, 

 and two years later he attained the distinction of F.R.S. 

 (London), an honour which to the scientist is the blue riband 

 of the British Empire ; in 1888 he received the gold medal of 

 the Royal Society, another coveted honour. He was a corre- 

 sponding member of the French Academy. In 1867 Queen 

 Victoria made him a C.M.G., he being one of the first three in 

 Australia to receive this distinction. In 1871 the King of 

 Wurtemberg created him an hereditary peer, and he became 

 Baron von Mueller. On the completion of the ''Flora Aus- 

 tralis" in 1879 he was given another step in the British order, 

 and became Sir Ferdinand von Mueller, K.C.M.G. Portugal, 

 Spain, and other countries sent him orders of knighthood. He 

 was made a corresponding member of more than 150 learned 

 societies. 



It must be confessed that the old botanist derived real 

 pleasure from exhibiting his many orders. On grand occasions, 

 such as a levee at Government House, he appeared with them 

 all making a striking constellation arranged over his broad 

 breast, and then, through large spectacles, he beamed down his 

 satisfaction on poor mortals not so gorgeously bespangled. Of 

 course, there were a few superior people who, standing, figura- 

 tively speaking, on a lofty pedestal, and thinking themselves 

 above human frivolities, smiled patronisingly at the Baron's 

 dazzling splendours ; but at heart Melbourne was proud of her 



