38 The Australasian Scientific Magazine . [August 1, 1885. 
rose-wood, Illawarra mountain-ash, tulip-wood, myall, cypress-pine, and 
others, is capable of being worked up into furniture and pannelling, beauti- 
ful ingrain, rich in colour, and susceptible of a high polish. The timber of 
the prickly-leaved ti-tree (Melaleuca styphelioides ) is said to be incapable of 
decay; that of the white ti-tree (Melaleuca leucadendron ) is said to be 
imperishable under-ground ; that of the turpentine-tree ( Syncarpia lauri- 
folia) resists the attacks of the teredo navalis in salt water ; and that the 
brush-bastard or white box ( Tristania conferta) has been known to pre- 
serve its soundness, when employed in building the ribs of a ship, for a 
period of thirty years. To the carver and wood-engraver the cork-wood 
(Duhoisia myoporoides ), the rose- wood ( Dysoxylon Fraser num ), and the 
pittsporum (undulatum) commend themselves as a serviceable substitute 
for European box ; while the cooper finds in the native ash ( Flindersia 
Australis ), the silky oak (Grevillea robusta ), the stave-wood ( Tarrieta 
actinodendron), the green and silver wattle (Acacia decurrens and Acacia 
dealbata ), and the swamp-oak ( Casuarina quadrivalvis ), excellent material 
for staves. Other kinds of timber are specially adapted for oars, spokes 
and naves, tool-handles, telegraph-poles, and turners 7 work. 
Professor Charles E. Bessey has communicated to The American 
Naturalist particulars of some changes that have taken place in the ames 
flora (Central Iowa) in fifteen years, and as they are observed all over 
great tracts, and the advance or retreat of some plants has been over 
distances of 150 miles, they appear to be unconnected with human opera- 
tions. Fifteen years ago there were no dandelions ; for the last half-dozen 
years they have been plentiful. Then there were no mulleins, now they 
are plentiful. On the other hand, the flea-bane and one of the dysodias, 
which were plentiful, have disappeared. Among the grasses, too, there has 
been a great change. Then there was none of the squirrel-tail grass 
( Hordeum jubatumfi but for the last ten years it has been abundant. Then 
there was no burr grass ; it is now frequently found, and appears to be fast 
increasing. Both grasses appear to have come in from the west and north- 
west. The buffalo-grasses of many kinds, which were so abundant, have 
disappeared, and have retreated 150 miles, but they have been followed up 
by the “blue-stem 77 grasses. These also grow in great luxuriance all over 
great tracts of the plains of Eastern Nebraska, and in Dakota it is the 
same ; the blue stains are marching across the plains, turning what were 
little better than deserts into grassy prairies. 
Why not Eat Insects. — The author tells us in his preface that he is 
fully conscious of the difficulty of battling against a long-existing and deep- 
rooted prejudice. We candidly admit that we are prejudiced. From our 
earliest years we have been taught to regard most of these things, which 
Mr. Holt avers are so toothsome and nourishing, as unclean. Moreover, 
we have some doubt as to the wisdom of such a radical disturbance of the 
balance of Nature as would ensue if Mr. Holt’s theories were universally 
adopted. It seems to us that though man has been given dominion over 
all creatures, he has also been taught discretion. Modern naturalists teach 
us the important work done by insects in relation to plant life; it therefore 
occurs to us that if we were to go to work seriously in capturing certain 
insects for our food many kinds would disappear altogether. Again, 
many kinds of the insects named by Mr. Holt as comestibles are already 
the proper food of various birds and animals which have already a place in 
our bill of fare. What will happen to these if we deprive them of their 
natural sustenance ? These are some ot the reasons why we do not cat 
insects. Mr. Holt scouts the idea of anyone turning up his nose at the 
