280 R. H. CAMBAGE. 
much the result of the position of the actual water-parting 
on the tableland, as that the eastern or ocean face of the 
plateau is fairly high and steep and at no great distance 
inland. The effect of the range in the south is to create 
three climates, a humid and adry one on the east and west 
sides respectively, and a cold one on the summit which 
acts as a barrier between two floras which would otherwise 
to some extent commingle at lower levels. 
In Queensland, a generally lower summit of the plateau, 
and an increase in temperatures owing to the more 
northerly position of the range, permit the western or dry 
influence to cross the mountains in various places, and allow 
mauy interior types of plant to thrive on the eastern 
watershed, while the moisture-loving or coastal brush plants 
are largely excluded from these invaded areas. This invas- 
ion occurs in the Goulburn River Valley near Cassilis in 
New South Wales, and at such places in Queensland as 
between Toowoomba and Brisbane, between Jericho and 
Rockhampton, and between Hughenden and Townsville. 
In no case where such a gap occurs does the eastern 
brush or moisture-loving flora pass through to the west, 
although it may reach there by other agencies. The 
absence of a high range extending along behind the coastal 
belt in Northern Australia is considered to largely account 
for the absence of any considerable rainfall in that locality 
during the winter months, and the absence of such rainfall, 
together with the siliceous nature of much of the soil, 
appear to account for the general absence of brush or 
jungle from the central and western portions of Northern 
Australia. The observations indicate that the rainfall and 
climate in Hastern Australia are very largely regulated by 
the topography, and the vegetation, after allowing for the 
differences of soils, is chiefly the result of rainfall and 
climate. It would therefore appear that the removal of 
the forests would not result in a greatly reduced rainfall 
along the east coast over a long period of, say, fifty years, 
but would very probably decrease the number of damp days. 
