PRESIDENTIAL ADDRESS. 



As this black infernal vomit solidified and cooled, it spurted 

 and spat its imprisoned gasses and liquid remains into the air, 

 forming small volcanic vents some of which still dot the land- 

 scape, while others lie as deep dark tarns, unsuspected, on the 

 level plain. 



The exact geological date of this tremendous outpouring 

 is as yet hard to determine, but several lines of reasoning tend 

 to show that it is of Pliocene age. 



What the effect of this fiery cataclysm must have been upon 

 animal and vegetable life geologists do not seem to have paused 

 to consider. To my mind it suggests a reasonable cause for the 

 destruction of the gigantic marsupials such as the NototJu'riuin 

 and the DipniUHhm. 



It is true that the remains of these gigantic marsupials have 

 been referred to Post- Tertiary times, but this is largely owing to 

 the remains being found in alluvial and allied deposits, and as 

 these have been accumulating all through the Tertiary epoch, 

 there is no reason why they may not be much older than has 

 hitherto been supposed. 



This suggestion also affords an explanation of the remark- 

 able character of the Australian flora. The mass of the species 

 are of temperate or sub-temperate forms, the true tropical genera 

 are either confined to certain definite lines of scrub, or are dotted 

 sporadically like aliens in a native army. In fact, the old 

 original tropical flora was either exterminated or survived in 

 mountain fastnesses like the dark human races of the Eastern 

 Archipelago. The war of extermination was indeed a fiery trial. 



Here it is that such forest belts as the Atherton Scrub have 

 such a profound scientific interest. When we consider further 

 that the timber is of great commercial value, and that practically 

 no reliable information has been gathered concerning it, it is not 

 too much to hope that the Government will immediately see 

 their way to despatching our Hon. Sec, Mr. J. F. Bailey to report 

 thereon, he being the only person qualified to carry out such an 

 investigation, for it would be almost cruel to ask his father to 

 undertake so arduous a duty. 



[(■ ) C/n'lhf(/(ic Limcstom'. — After nearly a year's detailed map- 

 ping and investigation in this area, I have been led to the con- 



