146 REV. W. WOOLLS, PH.D., F.L.S., ON AUSTRALIAN FLORA. 



into contact. Although West Australia with as yet a small 

 population stood not in need of a work on its plants for local 

 requii-ements, but much material was brought together already by 

 Drummond and Preiss. Sii' Joseph Hookei-'s work on Tasmania 

 is Avorld-famed, and gave also a further insight into the alpine 

 vegetation, the elucidation of the Flora of the Australian Alps 

 falling to the share of the writei-, with a slight exception, through 

 Dr. Lhotzky's travels. 



The solid treatment of the vegetable forms of life by the 

 genius of Bentham in the Universal Flora of the fifth continent, 

 founded on European experiences, should tend to prevent for all 

 future in Australia a danger from Avhich many other regions of 

 the globe did not always escape — the want of a rational recogni- 

 tion of specified limits, and the consequent undue multiplication 

 of generic and specific definitions which has embarrassed so 

 many of workers elsewhere. An intricate, perplexing, and burden- 

 some synonymy could be thus, we trust, for ever avoided. 



As Dr. Woolls says, for record of new forms really specific of 

 vascular plants our Flora seems now nearly exhausted, though 

 some South Asiatic and Polynesian plants may yet be traced 

 across to us. The Evasculares give, however, still scope for the 

 discovery of actual novelties and miiltifarious detail observations. 

 Vast exertions are, howevei', still needed by local observers, 

 particularly in the far interior regions of our continent, to fix 

 more exactly the geographic range of numerous species of both 

 phanerogams and cryptogams. 



The venerable and erudite author had evidently in view, when 

 engaged in this, the last of his writings, that a clearer perception 

 should be arrived at as regards the relation of the science of plants 

 to general requirements of life ; he himself having been un(;easing 

 to diffuse information. I feel touched with tlie praise which he, 

 carried too far away by the ardour of his friendship, lavished on 

 me, and the recollections of my scientific intercourse with such a 

 good man will remain amoug the most elevating thoughts of my 

 own life. It is particulai-ly gratifying that his long literary labours 

 should end before the Victoria Institute, Avhich in its religious ten- 

 dencies leads always up to the highest contemplations of human 

 destiny under divine ruling for eternity. 



P.S. — Mr. Aii'd, of Sydney, has kindly made some corrections 

 in the proof, consequent on the death of the learned author of the 

 paper. — Ed. 



