202 THE VICTORIAN NATURALIST. 



Nylander, of Paris, entitled Synopsis Methodica Lichenum, 

 omnium huc-usque cognitorum. The first volume was issued 

 1 858-1 860, and part of the second appeared subsequently. And 

 these instalments of a universal lichen manual are so excellent 

 as to cause exceeding regret that, from the very advanced age 

 of that eminent lichenologist, we cannot hope to have them 

 continued by him. This book is, however, out of print, and so 

 rare that it is sold in England for its weight in silver. 



In Hooker's " New Zealand Flora," a copy of which is in the 

 Melbourne Public Library, there is a short chaper on lichens, 

 with descriptions of many New Zealand species. And from this 

 book the student can get some help, for there is much similarity 

 between the lichen floras of Victoria and New Zealand. But 

 even the lichens of New Zealand, although far better known than 

 those of Victoria, have not as yet been very thoroughly explored. 



Mr. F. M. Bailey, the Government botanist of Queensland, 

 has published a synopsis of the Queensland flora, in which he 

 gives descriptions, by Dr. Chas. Knight, of the new species- 

 found in Queensland, some of which are found also in Victoria. 



But the most useful book for our purpose is Leighton's 

 " British Lichen Flora." Although it gives only those lichens 

 which are found in Great Britain, Ireland, and the Channel 

 Islands, it will prove a great help to the Victorian lichenologist, 

 from the fact that very many lichens are common to Victoria and 

 the British Isles. This book can be obtained only from the 

 author. Rev. W. A. Leighton, Shrewsbury, England. Both 

 Leighton's and Hooker's books are written in English. In 

 Nylander's and Bailey's books the descriptions of the lichens are 

 in Latin. 



If the student find that he is unable to name all his specimens 

 himself, as is sure to be the case, it will be utterly useless for 

 him to submit them to anyone but a speciaHst. And, unfor- 

 tunately, there are, at this present time, very few skilful lichen- 

 ologists in the world in active work. There are none in Australia. 

 This is the more to be regretted because lichens ought to be 

 studied while growing. As a rule, new species cannot be 

 thoroughly understood unless they are examined in situ. As the 

 Rev. Mr. Babington says, "the more difficult species of the 

 southern hemisphere, even of the higher genera {e.g., Stic/ei), will 

 never be properly elucidated till they have been described and 

 limif^ by someone who is familiar with them in a living state."' 

 I trust, therefore, that some of our Victorian youth may be 

 stirred up to devote their leisure to the vigorous and persevering 

 pursuit of this study, so that in time we may have Victorian 

 lichenology redeemed from the inglorious obscurity in which it is 

 at present involved. 



