lv PROCEEDINGS, MAY. 
MAY, 1893. 
There was a large attendance of ladies and gentlemen at the monthly 
meeting of the Royal Society held on Tuesday, May 138, at the Museum. 
Sir Lambert Dobson presided. 
TASMANIAN LICHENS AND AUSTRALIAN MOSSES, 
The Secretary (Mr. A. Morton) asked that, with the exception of the 
first paragrah in “ Notes on Tasmanian Lichens,’ by Mr. John Shirley, 
B.Sc., Inspector of Schools, Queensland, the two papers left over from the 
previous meeting might be taken as read. The other paper was one on 
* Australian Mosses,” by Mr. R. A. Bastow, F.L.8., Melbourne. Both 
writers are corresponding members of the Tasmanian Royal Society. 
A RECENT VISIT TO NORFOLK ISLAND. 
The Bishop oF TASMANIA read an interesting paper entitled “Notes on 
a Recent Visit to Norfolk Island.” He stated that his visit in August, 
1892, was but a hurried one, and his engagements were numerous, but L 
seized every opportunity that presented itself to me to discover all I could 
of the characteristics of this little spot so unique in its history from many 
points of view. My chief informant was Dr. P. H. Metcalfe, the medical 
officer of the island, indefatigable alike in the discharge of his professional 
duties and in the promotion of many branches of science. The first view 
obtained from the deck of a vessel reveals a larger island with two satellites. 
The largest of the latter is Phillip Island, a precipitous mass of red_ basalt 
set in the bluest of seas, and forming a striking feature in the landscape. 
Close to the shore of Norfolk Island is the little Nepean Island. 
The basalt of Phillip Island is remarkable for the brilliance of its colouring. 
A close examination shows that the rock, where disintegrated, has taken 
numberless delicate and vivid hues. As my informant defined it, “it is 
like mottled soap.” There was a time when Phillip Island was covered in 
many places with grass and herbage, and the pines were numerous, Sad 
havoc has been caused amongst the vegetation by the introduction of rabbits. 
These little pests ate up every green thing, the grass died, and then the 
heavy rains washed the soil away. The rabbits themselves are now perish- 
ing, but a few are still to be found—thin and diminutive, the mere wrecks 
of their species. Dr. Metcalfe states that it is a source of wonder to him 
how the pines that are still standing exist at all. Their roots are exposed 
to the air, and seem to have scarcely any foot-hold on the bare and stony 
ground. He states also a remarkable fact—that here the mutton birds lay 
their eggs under the roots of the trees, and under boulders, as there is no 
soil. ‘To those who know the ordinary habits of the mutton bird this is a 
surprising fact, and argues at least an extreme affection on the part of 
these petrels for this island, since it has induced them to change their modes 
to suit the circumstances. Nepean Island is merely a mass of low, flat 
rock. There are, I think, two pines still standing on it, and douotless these 
will soon perish. This spot is a rich hunting ground for the collector of 
eggs. I come now to the main subject of my paper. From the sea the 
view discloses cliffs of about 100ft. high, broken here and there by gullies 
which form rocky bays, where, however, boats could only land in very calm 
weather, and from the landing stage there would most likely be no path 
upward except for a goat or a Melanesian, who seems as sure-footed and as 
free from fear as the aforenamed quadruped. Above the cliffs there are 
visible masses of pines, interspersed with stretches of grass, so green and 
thick that it recalled memories of an English landscape, Whether you 
land at the old township or at the Cascades you are at once amongst these 
grassey valleys, dotted here and there with pines, forming an enchanting 
prospect. Guavas grow wild in the gullies, bananas—a sort of wild 
