XXIV. ABSTRACT OF PROCEEDINGS. 
Mig. the ‘‘Bunya-Bunya, Araucaria Bidwilli, ‘‘ Native 
Honeysuckle ’’ Banksia spp., Hucalypts etc., which were 
exhibited and their history traced back to the Oolitic, 
Kocene and other respective periods of the earth’s history. 
Incidently the Fauna was also laid under contribution to 
prove the geological age of this continent, reference being 
made to the Port Jackson Shark, Cestracion Phillipi, 
Ceratodus, Mollusca and Marsupials, the idea being to 
show that our fauna and flora instead of being as 
popularly supposed the newest on the world’s surface are 
even ‘‘older than the hills.”” The long line of botanical 
investigators received special reference. The first of 
this class was the Buccaneer W. Dampier who visited 
the North West Coast in 1688 and whose botanical 
collections are now in the Sherardian Herbarium, Oxford 
University. Sir Joseph Banks was specially mentioned, 
reference being made to the debt of gratitude which 
Australia owes to this eminent man of science who 
was the real founder of the establishment of a British 
community on this continent, and who also contributed 
largely from his private fortune towards its scientific 
investigation. The botanical labours of Robert Brown, 
A. Cunningham, Baron von Mueller, Sir J. D. Hooker and 
others received well merited recognition. The systematic 
classification and peculiar characteristics of this remark- 
able flora was dealt upon at some length, whilst its 
affinities to and differences from existing floras were 
fully demonstrated. The latter part of the lecture was 
devoted to the valuable economics of this unique flora 
and was capitally illustrated with well prepared lantern 
slides and specimens, the genus Hucalyptus receiving very 
marked attention. Very effective and interesting exhibits 
of forest (primary and bye) products formed a special 
feature of the lecture, an object lesson in themselves. 
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