PROCEEDINGS, MAY. IX 



cortical lichens, by the numerous species of Thelotrema, GrapliiSy 

 Chiodectoyi, Glyphis, Trypethelium, and Forma. These genera, which 

 are allied to the Ascomycetes among the fungi, are largely represented in 

 Queensland, on the eastern or seaward side of the coastal ranges. All 

 of these, except the Porince^ appear along the coasc of New South 

 Wales, but are less numerous there both specifically and individually. 

 In Victoria neither Strigulce nor Porinm have been found, unless in a 

 very undeveloped state, and the other genera have far fewer repre- 

 sentatives than in the more northern colonies. They are most 

 frequent in the eastern part of Victoria. I discovered many species of 

 Graphis and Thelotrema, and several Chiodecta, on the seaward slope of 

 the dividing range to the east of Melbourne, and especially on the 

 Gippsland coast, and one Glyphis and one Trypethelium at the lakes 

 entrance in Gippsland. It remained to be seen whether or not my 

 theory would be supported by lichenological explorations in eastern 

 and north-eastern Tasmania. I had opportunity to test; it on Mount 

 Arthur and in bt. Mary's Pas" ; and I found some of the same Graphides 

 and Chiodecta and even a Trypethelium, which I had collected near 

 Sydney and at the lake entrance in Victoria. Two or three species of 

 Chiodecta I found, not only on Mount Arthur^ but even as far south as 

 Mount Wellington. The genus Trypethelium is especially tropical or 

 sub- tropical, and the presence of one of this genus in bt. Mary's Pass 

 testifies to the geniality of the climate in eastern Tasmania. As in 

 Victoria, so in the more southern colony, the warm current down the 

 east coast of Australia brings southward conditions favourable to the 

 growth of sub-tropical licheus, These facts, I think, suggest to the 

 medical faculty what probably their experince has already proved, that 

 the climate of east Gippsland and the eastern coast of Tasmania must 

 be pre-eminently benehcial to invalids. Lichenological observations 

 indicate that both of these places are favoured by a much milder 

 winter, as well as a cooler summer, than the other parts of their 

 respective colonies. 



Mr. Grant thought that the subject was a most interesting"^ one 

 from a botanist's point of vievv', and from the specimens laid upon the 

 table it would seem that they were beautiful in foim, and extremely 

 interesting in every way. The collection of mosses were well worth 

 looking at. They were done up in a most convenient form for examina- 

 tions. There was no difficulty in getting at them, and the names 

 were put upon them clearly and legibly. The Society was, he was sure, 

 deeply indebted to the donors, from whom he hoped to have more 

 «hortiy, 



CORRESPONDENCE. 



CuUenswood House, St. Mary's, May 2, 1892.— The Secretary of the 

 Royal Society of Tasmania. Sir, — Having received a communication 

 from Mr. E. D. Atkinson, of Wynyard, relative to the terrible destruc- 

 tion of the young of fuffinus brevicanda, or *' mutton bird," at the 

 Straits Islands, for the boiling down of their fat, I beg to bring the 

 matter strongly before the Council of the Royal Society, with a request 

 that a deputation of its members may wait upon the Government, and 

 suggest the passing of an Act during the coming session of Parliament, 

 which shall put a stop to the destruction of this species for the purpose 

 complained of. I cannot do better than transcribe from Mr. Atkinson's 

 letter what he says in reference to the slaughter of the birds : — " When 

 I was there, and for some time previous, the young birds were being 

 taken for the purpose of ' fatting,' that is, boiled down for their fat. 

 On Green Island alone, five men were obtaining 2,500 birds a day, and 

 this would be going on for several weeks. On Lhapel and Babel Islands, 

 which are much larger, the same thing was going on, but on a mush 

 larger scale. Some hundreds of thousands will be destroyed in this 



