Van Diemenh Land. .ST? 



^ i 



m 1818, by the late Dr. Jos. Arnold. It has been named 

 Rafflesia, from Sir Thomas Stamford Raffles under whose 

 aiiepices Dr. Arnold travelled. 



This flower springs immediately from a horizontal root. 

 The stem is covered with round imbricated floral leaves, 

 of a darkish brown colour, and not very unlike a cabbage. 

 The size of this flower is surprisingly great, when fully ex- 

 panded its diameter is three feet, and its v/eight is fifteen 

 pounds. Its tube holds twelve pints. 



Mr. Brov/n in treating of the afiinities of this singular 

 plant, compares it principally to the aristolochias and passi- 

 floras. He has not undertaken to decide however, to which 

 of these two species it approiiches the nearest. He sus- 

 pects that it is parasitic upon the root which supports it; but 

 to decide this question more fully, further observation ap- 

 pears to be necessary. 



The largest flower that has hitherto been found is the 

 purple flower of the aristolochia cordifolia. According to 

 the measurement of Humboltits diameter is sometimes six- 

 teen inches. Upon the borders of the river Magdalena 

 children amuse themselves in covering their heads with it. 



An. de chimie, Aug. 1820, 



24. Chinese Dictionary. 



Mr. Morrison is advancing with his Chinese Dictionary. 

 The second part of this important work was begun in 

 April 1811. It will contain one thousand pages in 4to and 

 more than twelve thousand Chinese characters explained by 

 numerous examples. In the month of April 1817, they had 

 finished six hundred pages, comprising nearly eight thou- 

 sand characters. The impression of all the volumes will 

 require at least ten years. 



25. J^an Diemen^s Land. 



A printing office was established in 1818 at Hobart's town 

 in Van Diemen's land, to v^hich convicts are sent from Eng- 

 land. The first book published there was the history of 

 Michael Howe, a convict, who, at the head of twenty eight 

 brigands, disturbed the Deace of the colonv during six years. 



Vol. in.. ...No. 2. ' 48 



