BY JOSEPH LAUTERER, M.D. XI 



Australian Alps, and gathered a great amount of material for 

 his herbarium, the half of which went to London to Sir 

 W. J. Hooker and Mr. Benthani. In 1855 and '56 he accom- 

 panied Gregory's expedition across Australia, and in 1856 he 

 was appointed Government Botanist to. the Colony of Victoria. 

 This position he held until his death in 1896. He added 2,000 

 species to those previously known in Australia, all of which he 

 described and named himself in a classical way. He re-examined 

 and re-arranged all the other Australian plants, to the number 

 of 7,000. He was knighted by the English as well as by the 

 German Government, and Sir William Hooker called him the 

 prince of Australian botanists. This was a just reward for his 

 lifelong exertions ; still, sorrow and grief were not spared to him 

 in his old age, as the Governments of the Colonies wanted to 

 save money two years ago by withdrawing the scientific 

 apponitments. It is true the sword of Damocles (as Baron von 

 Mueller called the impending trouble in a private letter to me) 

 did not fall on his head, but the uncertainty caused many 

 sleepless nights to the old decrepid man. In 1896 I had the 

 last New Year's gratulation from him. He expressed his belief 

 that that year would be the last of his earthly career. He 

 died on the 10th October, 1896. 



Of the 120,000 vascular plants which are described on the 

 globe, Australia possesses about 10,000. South Australia has 

 now a good local Flora by Prof. Tate, and New South Wales 

 was presented with a good one by Mr. Moore in 1893. Mr. 

 Maiden and Mr. Campbell, of the Agricultural Department, are 

 publishing excellent pictures of the plants growing wild in New 

 South Wales. 



Queensland and the Royal Society can look with pride on 

 our Colonial Botanist, Mr. F. M. Bailey, the never-resting 

 author of the " Synopsis of the Queensland Flora" — one of the 

 best local Floras in the world. The first edition is completely sold 

 off, and it is to be hoped that the learned author will soon start to 

 compile a second edition of the excellent book, though it will 

 only bring him toil and sleepless nights, and no recompense 

 but glory. Mr. Bailey's knowledge is not restricted to the 

 native plants of Australia (which is mostly the case with other 

 botanists). He gave us an excellent catalogue of the plants 



