304: 
associated with sudden and sometimes violent barometrical 
disturbance, from which I have been led to examine our own 
barometrical readings in connection with our periods of 
special telluric disturbance. JI have failed however to discover 
any relationship between them. ‘These periods appear to be 
associated indifferently with high or low, rising or falling 
barometer. 
I have on my notes several other points which I believe 
would have been of interest, but I must forego them, as I 
fear this paper will be deemed too long already. 
I would take this opportunity of thanking my numerous 
correspondents, who have from time to time assisted me by 
their communications. 
NOTES ON JEAN JULIEN HOUTEN DE 
LaBILLARDIERE. 
By Baron F. Von Mvetisrr, K.C.M.G. 
(Read 14th July, 1885.) 
Jean Julien Houton de LaBillardiere, born in Alengon 
(Orne), 28th October, 1755; died in Paris, 8th January, 
1834. He graduated in medicine in the University of Mont- 
pellier, but subsequently devoted his studies almost exclu- 
sively to botany. For this purpose he traversed first the 
European Alps, and travelled, then, through some portion of 
Britain. In 1786 and 1788 he was sent by Louis XVI. on a 
botanic exploration of Syria, which brought him also to the 
Lebanon. The literary result of this journey was his 
work, “ Icones plantarum Syrie rariores,”’ the first part of 
which appeared in 1791. When in 1792 the first search 
expedition was sent out under Admiral d’Entrecasteaux to 
ascertain the fate of Count La Pérouse and his crew, M. de 
LaBillardiere became botanist of the expedition, and had 
thus the splendid opportunity of rendering known much of 
the vast vegetation of South-west Australia (King George’s 
Sound having only in the year before been discovered by 
Captain Vancouver), and aiso of the southern part of Tas- 
mania, he being the first to explore phytologially the region 
where now the town of Hobart stands, although Bruni Island 
was visited during Cook’s second and third expeditions in 
1773 and 1777 already. At the war time LaBillardiere’s 
collections were confiscated in Java; but on his return to 
Francewere restored to him through the influence of Sir Joseph 
