79 
Sept, i, 1885.] The Australasian Scientific Magazine. 
with countless other kinds of shrubs and trees, any 011c of which would 
form a conspicuous ornament anywhere. Martin’s grand picture of the 
Garden of Eden, the lovely picture of the Palace Beautiful, in one of 
the editions de luxe of the ‘ Pilgrim’s Progress/ or some of the best views 
of Brazilian forest scenery, may give some idea of the Mount Wilson 
vegetation, but only an idea, for the reality surpasses all pictures. No art 
could create a garden one-twentieth part as beautiful as this glorious hill- 
side, formed in the midst of sandstone mountains by this basaltic outcrop. 
The same soil and vegetation continue during the entire ascent of the 
mountain. At the top of the ridge, in close proximity to each other, are 
four or five cottages, with flowers, tree-fern, and ornamental plants in the 
lovely enclosures surrounding them. One of these is embosomed in 
flowers, the most conspicuous among which are many varieties of the 
gladiolus and the phlox, and the clover paddocks being as green as Nature 
ever painted. Looking north, the Liverpool Range, just over Murrurundi, is 
plainly visible like a faint blue cloud, the distance being fully eighty miles. 
In the immediate foreground is a wild country of rugged mountains and 
profound valleys, through which the foot of man never trod. Looking 
south, the most conspicuous objects are Mount Hay, Mount George, and 
Mount Tomah, and the wonderful gorge of the Grose, with other summits 
of minor importance — the whole making a landscape on which the memory 
is glad to dwell.” 
The Sydney Morning Herald says: — “On Saturday last Captain Wag- 
staffe, of the ship I, a Hogue, liberated a number of English birds, which he 
brought out with him last voyage, at Burnt Bridge Creek, Manley. They 
were mostly chaffinches, green linnets, and yellow-hammers, all insect- 
eating birds. Captain Wagstaffe writes : — ‘ I chose near the creek so that 
they would know where to find water. The little creatures were no sooner 
out of the cage than they flew to the water, and immediately took a good 
bath after their long voyage from England. We watched them for some 
time, and they seemed perfectly at home in this their new country. This 
creek lies about two miles from Manly, quite in the bush ; and I hope they 
will not get shot by some of the boys we have about Manly and neighbour- 
hood.’ ” 
Jamaica, as is well known, is particularly rich in ferns. Although the 
island is comparatively so small, it contains about five hundred species of 
ferns, which is one-sixth of the ferns of the whole world. To express its 
richness in another form, it js mentioned in the last report of the Botanic 
Gardens of Jamaica, that within an area about the size of Wales, Jamaica 
contains twelve Jimes the number of ferns found in the British Islands, and 
more than ten times the number of ferns found in the whole of the United 
States. The Jamaica ferns arc remarkable not only for their number, but 
also for their great variety and beauty. They are found in all sizes, from 
those scarcely a quarter of an inch long to large, tall-growing trees forty to 
fifty feet high, and with stems six feet in circumference. Again, they are 
widely distributed, and found in all districts, from the arid plains of St. 
Catherine and Clarendon, to the highest peaks of the Blue Mountains, 
from the calcareous rocks of the northern coasts, bedewed with ocean 
spray, to the cloud-capped ridges of the highest mountains. 
I he death of Dr. Nachtigal is announced, who, it will be remembered, 
played an important part in the German annexations on the west coast of 
Africa. He was on his way home at the time to make report to the 
German Chancellor on his mission. No particulars of his death have come 
