395 



arranged in alphabetical order, with cross-references to the species concerned. Through 

 the help of friends in Perth or in the country I cleared up many doubtful points, 

 some of which dated from DrummoncTs time. I made free use of red ink for under- 

 lining and cross-references. I had an excellent map of Western Australia, mounted 

 on linen for folding in the pocket, and the Surveyor-General kindly furnished me with 

 such detailed maps as I required for the botanical exploration of a particular district. 

 I did not take many printed books, but only such extracts as I thought would be useful, 

 for I often had to travel light. Every detail I worked out before my tour commenced 

 was of help, and I would say to my readers, that time spent in examining specimens 

 and maps and working up the literature of a district before the journey is actually 

 entered upon, may readily give a botanical explorer better results, even if the time so 

 absorbed means some curtailment of that available in the field. 



Aid in the Study of Geography. 



We have only to mention the scanty writings of the famous collector of Western 

 Australia, James Drummond, and the later writings of Mueller, to note how valuable 

 a place-name may subsequently become. The species may not have been collected except 

 by the original finder, but if we have a place-name, we can search old maps, or consult 

 the Surveyor-General of the State concerned, or, failing these, write to the newspapers, 

 and thus draw upon the marvellous, frequently untapped, resources of the average 

 newspaper reader, who does not lay bare his knowledge without a stimulus. As an 

 example, the place-name Quangan used by Drummond is discussed under E. macrocarpa 

 in Part XV III, p. 240. The locality is still involved in some obscurity, as it probably 

 represents a vague district. 



I open vol. ii of the Fragmenta quite casually, and «,t p. 34, under E. tetraptera, 

 I find the type locality for it given as " Fitzgerald River." Western Australia, is of 

 course, the State concerned, and a little hunting up shows that it is in the south-west, 

 east of the Stirling Range. This is quite easy, but some localities cited are difficult 

 because they were not taken up on the official maps, or for other reasons. I repeat 

 that search of them is sometimes interesting, and often profitable. Muck of the know- 

 ledge of Australian geography that I possess I obtained plant-hunting. When I could 

 get no definite information as to a reputed locality, I have sometimes copied out the 

 context, journeyed to the district believed to be referred to, studied the local trees 

 and topography, have consulted the " oldest inhabitant," and in one way or another 

 have thrown light on the problem. 



Now that the map of Australia is so much better filled in than it used to be, 

 there is no excuse for an inquirer to send a Eucalypt with the information that it came 

 from such a vague locality as the Litbgow district or the Adelaide district. If the 

 species is a rare one, we may require the information for the records, every detail of 

 the locality being necessary, in order that we may trace its range. Even if the species 

 be a common one, it may still be necessary to record it ; indeed, it is remarkable how 

 careless we have been in regard to the range of common species in the past. 



