Botanical Discovery.'] INTRODUCTORY ESSAY. c\\v 
In 1826, Mr. Robert William Lawrence, a settler in Tasmania, commenced exploring the 
northern parts of that island, and forming collections, which were communicated to Sir W. II. far 
up till 1832, when he died. Some of these plants were published in the 'Companion to the 
Botanical Magazine,' 'Journal of Botany/ ' Icones Plantarum,' and elsewhere. 
In 1830, Mr. John Lhotsky visited New South Wales, the alps of Victoria and Tasmania. 1 1 is 
collections are dispersed. 
Ronald Campbell Gunn, Esq., F.R.S. and L.S., to whose labours the Tasmanian Flora is so 
largely indebted, was the friend and companion of the late Mr. Lawrence, from whom he imbibed 
his love of botany. Between 1832 and 1850, Air. Gunn collected indefatigably over a great portion 
of Tasmania, but especially at Circular Head, Emu Bay, Rocky Cape, the Asbestos and Hampshire 
Hills, Western Mountains, Flinders and other islands in Bass' Straits, the cast coast, the whole valley 
of the Derwent, from its sources to Recherche Bay, the lake districts of St. Clair, Echo, Arthur's 
Lakes, and the country westward of them to Macquarie Harbour, and the Franklin and Iluon rivers. 
There are few Tasmanian plants that Mr, Gunn has not seen alive, noted their habits in a living state, 
and collected large suites of specimens with singular taet and judgment. These have all been trans- 
mitted to England in perfect preservation, and are accompanied with notes that display remarkable 
powers of observation, and a facility tor seizing important characters in the physiognomy of plants, 
such as few experienced botanists possess. 
I had the pleasure of making Mr. Gunn's acquaintance at Ilobarton, in IS 10, and am indebted 
to him for nearly all I know of the vegetation of the districts I then visited ; for we either studied 
together in the field or in his library ; or when he could not accompany me himself, he directed one 
of his servants, who was an experienced guide and plant-collector, to accompany me and take charge 
of my specimens. I can recall no happier weeks of my various wanderings over the globe, than those 
spent with Mr. Gunn, collecting in the Tasmanian mountains and forests, or studying our plants in 
his library, with the works of our predecessors Labillardiere and Brown. 
Mr. Gunn made a short visit to Port Phillip and Wilson's Promontory, and collected largely, 
noting all the differences between the vegetation of the opposite shores of Bass' Straits. 
Mr. Collie, one of the naturalists in Captain Beechey's voyage to the west coast of North Ame- 
rica, visited South-western Australia about the year 1832, and made collections in Swan River and 
Leuwin's Land. 
Mr. James Backhouse visited Australia in 1832, and spent six years there. The journey was 
undertaken, as his narrative informs us, "solely for the purpose of discharging a religious duty/' 
but owing to his knowledge of botany, his connection with a fine horticultural establishment (the 
Nursery, York), and his love of observing and collecting, the results of his journey have proved 
extremely valuable in a scientific point of view, and added much to our familiarity with Australian 
Mr. Backhouse first landed at Hobarton, and then, and on two future occasions, visited numerous 
parts of Tasmania, on the Derwent and Clyde, Macquarie Harbour, Port Arthur, Spring Bay, vari- 
ous stations on the north coast, and the mountainous interior ; he also twice visited New SouthWales, 
and made excursions to the Blue Mountains, Bathurst, Moreton Bay, Newcastle, Maitland, Port 
Macquarie, Illawarra, and Goulburn ; and afterwards went to Port Phillip, Adelaide, King George's 
Sound, and Swan River. The journals of these various extensive journeys are extremelv good, and 
though specially devoted to philanthropic objects, they omit no observations on natural history, and 
especially of botany, that their talented author considered might be worthy of such a record. Mr- 
