"24 J. H. MAIDEN. 



IV. Other Scientific happenings of broad Australian 

 interest. 



1. Northern Territory Expedition, 1911. — Tiie Expe- 

 dition was organised by the Commonwealth Government, 

 through the Department of External Affairs, for the purpose 

 of investigating a number of scientific problems in the 

 Northern Territory, and with a view to obtaining informa- 

 tion to serve as a guide in formulating a policy for the 

 administration of the country. The members were Pro- 

 fessor Baldwin Spencer, University of Melbourne (leader); 

 Professor Gilruth, University of Melbourne; Dr. Anton 

 Breinl, School of Tropical Medicine, Townsvilie ; and Dr. 

 W. G. Woolnough, University of Sydney. The range of 

 study included general biology, ethnology and anthropology, 

 human and animal diseases peculiar to the country or likely 

 to be introduced, geology and mining. 



Professors Spencer and Gilruth visited Melville Island, a 

 place hitherto practically unknown from the point of view 

 of scientific investigation. The aborigines have always 

 been fierce and hostile, but, thanks to the splendid influence 

 of Mr. Cooper, a buffalo shooter who has obtained the con- 

 fidence of the blacks, the scientists were able to carry on 

 their investigations without mishap. Professor Spencer 

 was able to examine a peculiar isolated type of aborigine, 

 practically unaffected as yet by contact with civilization, 

 and obtained very valuable results. At the present time 

 he has returned to the island and is carrying his researches 

 a stage further. Professor Gilruth was able to examine 

 the buffalos, descendants of introduced stock, and to inves- 

 tigate their relation to the question of migration of the 

 cattle tick. 



The whole party journeyed overland from Darwin to the 

 Roper Bar a distance of some 400 miles. Thence Professors 

 Spencer and Gilruth and Dr. Breinl returned via the Roper 



