fj PROCEEDINGS OP THE ROYAL SOCIETY OF QUEENSLAND. 



ITINERARY. 



After a few days' stay in Port Moresby, I left in company 

 with the Papuan Government Greologist (Mr. Evan R. Stanley) 

 and fifteen carriers for the Sogori Plateau and Javararie, via 

 Sapphire Creek and the Astrolabe Range (about 2,000 feet). 

 After about a fortnight spent in this territory, I returned to 

 Port Moresby and after a few days' stay left for Yule Island 

 and Mafulu, again having the advantage of the company of 

 Mr. Stanley. 



At Yule Island twenty-five native carriers were obtained 

 for carrying the camping outfit, collecting gear, specimens, &c. 

 The journey was made over to the mainland and up the Ethel 

 River as far as Bio to by native canoes. Time did not permit 

 of much collecting along the banks of the Ethel River, though 

 the mangrove swamps, Nipa palms, and rich tropical vegetation 

 fringing the banks of the river and of Bioto Creek promised 

 a good field for the botanist. 



On reaching Bioto, the canoes were drawn up on the bank 

 and the five days' march to the mountains commenced, the 

 following places being stopped at en route : — Kubunah, 

 Fofofofo, DUava, Deva Deva, Mafulu, and Bella Vista. An 

 excellent well-graded road has been surveyed and made under 

 the direction of the Mission Fathers, from Bioto as far i.iland 

 as Ononge, which makes travelling in this country compara- 

 tively easy ; and ti aveller-. in the Mekeo, Dilava, and Mafulu 

 districts — the sphere of influence of the Roman Catholic 

 missions — are indebted to the missionaries for the faciiiti js with 

 which travelling can be accomplished in these parts of Papua. 



GENERAL NOTES ON THE VEGETATION. 



The vegetation about Port Moresby reminds one of much 

 of the open forest country in parts of North Queensland with 

 a similar rainfall (about 40 in.). It consists for the most part 

 of grass-covered hills with scattered white-barked eucalypte 

 {E. jmpuana and E. alba) of rather stunted growth dotted 

 about. 



Other very common trees on the hills are Alstonia scholaris 

 (Milky Pine), and Albizzia jprocera. A cycad {Cycas media) is 

 also very abundant. In the gullies and round the sea-beach 

 are found patches of thin scrub supporting a more varied 

 flora. Every here and there bright masses of scarlet can be 



