PROCEEDINGS, MAY. Vv 
Solomon—arum lilies, and lemons in countless thousands meet the gaze of 
the delighted tourist. The lemons and guavas are the property of any 
who choose to pick them, and the former trees are covered with fruit at all 
times of the year. Seen at such a season as that during which I visited 
this spot, it is impossible to deny it the title of a little earthly Paradise. 
The pine indigenous here should be seen on its native soil in order to be 
appreciated. Specimens 200ft. high, and of great girth, are not infrequent. 
One of these still existing measures 35ft. 4ft. from the ground. <A grand 
avenue of these pines, planted by the convicts, extends for a mile and a- 
half in a straight line, and leads from the old township, with its long 
cleared valley and watermill, to the property of the Melanesian Mission, 
Specimens of the rocks of this island have been forwarded to Mr. Stephens 
for his inspection, and that he may favour the Society with his views upon 
them. Dr. Metcalfe informs us that there are scarcely any wild flowers. 
Great injury is being done to the original vegetation by the introduction 
of sheep and cattle, which are allowed to roam at will over great portions 
of the island, Even the young pines are unable to grow, though the grass 
everywhere is covered with little sprouts an inch or two in height. Palms 
and tree ferns are sharing a like fate. No young plants now grow to 
maturity. Dr. Metcalfe has chiefly turned his attention to the birds of the 
island and to ferns. He has given me a list of 10 species of sea birds 
which regularly visit this group, 16 land birds, and a further list of 13 
species, some land and some sea birds, which are visitors and do not breed 
here. In the name of the Royal Society I ventured to make a request that 
he would present to the Museum specimens of the eggs which he had 
collected, and the request was at once granted. I beg to present them in 
Dr. Metcalfe’s name to the Hobart Museum. (Applause.) In addition to 
the birds mentioned in the lists which I subjoin, the Rev. J. Palmer, of the 
Melanesion Mission, has introduced the pheasant, Virginian quail, and rock 
pigeon. These are all increasing in numbers, and do no injury to the 
island in any way. I think I am right in saying that there were no quad- 
rupeds indigenous to the island. Those which exist at the present time 
have been imported. There has been a steady deterioration in the breed 
of cattle and sheep during the last 10 years. I fear that little trouble is 
taken by the Norfolk Islanders in matters such as these which require fore- 
sight. The present by Lord Carrington of two good bulls has aided in 
restoring to some degree the breed of cattle during the last three years, 
but the horses are poor looking objects, and perhaps, as regards the sheep, 
it will sufficiently describe their present condition if I state that a common 
weight for a sheep in Norfolk Island is from 18lb. to 20lb. The remedy 
for this is, of course, the exercise of energy in importing fresh blood, and 
in the formation and fencing of proper paddocks of good grass. At 
present there is no method in the feeding of stock, and the land cannot 
carry the number of poorly-bred animals which wander everywhere, 
destroying much that is of interest to the scientific observer. As is well 
known, the community at Pitcairn Island were removed to Norfolk Island 
in 1856. Their representatives at the present day claim that the whole 
island was made over to them to the exclusion of all others, and that per- 
mission must be received from them before any new-comer has a right to 
settle. I am not competent to decide what can best be proved by docu- 
mentary evidence. But the question affects the condition of the old 
convict buildings. They are rapidly going to ruin. The central prison— 
the Octagon—is roofless, the partition walls of the cells are crumbling 
away, but the outer wall is, upon the whole, still in good preservation. 
The whole mass of the various structures is grouped in what is rather flat 
land, and bare of trees ; the situation is not nearly so beautiful as that of 
the analogous Port Arthur. There is no esplanade at the water’s-edge— 
nothing but a stone pier of no great dimensions. But for this there is a 
good reason, in the absence of any harbour. The landing had as often as 
not to be effected at the Cascades, upon the other side of the island. The 
