136 THE VICTORIAN NATURALIST. 



form of the present work of reference. Now, " what these writings 

 may perhaps aspire to is to bring together some condensed data, 

 in popular language, on all the principal utilitarian plants hitherto 

 known to prosper in extra-tropical countries." The Baron is to 

 be heartily congratulated upon his success in producing so widely 

 useful a work, and that his book has already been adapted by 

 Professor Naudin for the use of the countries bordering on the 

 Mediterranean. For the volume is full of suggestive and of 

 scrupulously exact information, which, when practically applied, 

 will tend to the revival of agriculture in the countries of the Old 

 World as to its establishment in the New. The Baron's ambitions 

 are noble : To clothe the plains of the interior with herbage for 

 our flocks and herds, to preserve or renew or establish forests of 

 useful timber trees, to introduce varieties of fruits "all over the 

 Australian Alps," to teach selector and squatter and others who 

 have the land in their hands how they may make the best and 

 most varied use of it. These can compare with the highest 

 achievements of pioneer or statesman. These aims have had 

 much direct success already, and the issue of a seventh Victorian 

 edition, much enlarged and with valuable appendices (especially 

 that of Genera indicating herbage, culinary roots, cereal grain, 

 &c., &c. ), will do much more. Every journalist, and everyone who 

 wants to know what to do with his land, should furnish himself 

 with a copy. 



Of the " Key" we have already spoken fully. It has extended 

 to 560 pp., and is a complete Flora of Victoria. The Baron has 

 further defended his position with regard to the use of separate 

 terms in botanical and zoological descriptions, in a paper read 

 before the Australasian Association last year, and published in 

 the proceedings of the Royal Society of New South Wales. We 

 have not space at present to speak of this. No doubt members 

 of the club will make good use of their new Flora. 



New Australian Lepidoptera. — Dr. Lucas continues his 

 enthusiastic work amongst the Lepidoptera. He writes that he 

 has now some 3,000 species of Australian moths and butterflies. 

 He has recently (26th September) described nine new species of 

 the genus lodis in the " Proceedings of the Linnean Society of 

 New South Wales." One of these is Victorian, and was obtained 

 at Fernshawe and Moe ; the rest are Brisbane moths. The 

 Doctor considers Brisbane a much richer collecting ground than 

 Melbourne. He has been especially fortunate with "the Blues" 

 and " the Emeralds," of both of which he has beautiful collec- 

 tions. 



