172 president's address — section d. 



IV.— BIOGRAPHICAL NOTES. 



Let me suggest to you that four names stand out pre-eminently 

 in the botanical history of South Australia — Eobert Brown, George 

 Bentham, Ferdinand von Mueller, and Ralph Tate. I believe that their 

 work will endure as long as the flora of the southern State has devotees ; 

 at the same time, few scientific men are worthier than they of an im- 

 portant national memorial. The community is small, and she has 

 produced many distinguished men. When the time comes for national 

 memorials let not the claims of the grandmasters of the gentle science 

 of botany be ignored. 



Following are some brief biographical notes of men who have 

 advanced South Australian botany. They arp; arranged in alphabetical 

 order and supplement other references to their work. It is our duty 

 to collect biographical details in regard to botanical workers. Apart 

 from the value based on sentiment, they are indispensable to an adequate 

 knowledge of the flora. 



Angas, George French. — Author of " South Australia Illus- 

 trated." London, 1847, fol. Sixty beautiful colored plates, of 

 which Nos. 2 and 55 depict the flora, viz.. Grass-trees (Xanthorrhoea) 

 at Yankallilah ; botany, native flowers. 



Eldest son of George Fife Angas, born at Newcastle-on-Tyne. 

 England. In September, 1843, left London on an art tour through 

 Australia and New Zealand, and the above work was a product of 

 this tour. He also published " Savage Life and Scenes in Australia 

 and New Zealand," 1847, 2 vols., post 8vo. He returned to South 

 Australia, where he was resident when his father went out in 1850. 

 He died in London, October, 1886. 



Backhouse, James, born July 8th, 1794, died at York, England, 

 January 20th, 1869, was a member of a distinguished firm of nursery- 

 men at York. He was a Quaker of strong religious convictions, and 

 conceived the idea of visiting Australia, Norfolk Island, South Africa, 

 and other parts of the world as a missionary. His reports on his 

 religious pilgrimage were voluminous and contain many valuable 

 observations on the botany of the countries visited, for he was a sound 

 botanist. 



See " A Narrative of a Visit to the AustraUan Colonies," London, 

 1843. 



Chapter XLIII. of this work is almost entirely devoted to a visit 

 to South Australia in November-December, 1837. At pp. 510-11 are 

 notes on the plants of the Adelaide plains, also p. 515 ; pp. 519-20 

 give notes on a visit near to Mount Lofty. 



See also " Extracts from the letters of James Backhouse when 

 engaged in a religious visit in Australia, accompanied by George 

 Washington Walker." Fifth part, London, Harvey and Darton, 1839, 

 pp. 13-23 refer to South Australia. 



