142 
The Australasian Scientific Magazine. [Nov. i, 1885, 
September 19, and in the course of his letter said : — Rest assured that I 
shall do my very utmost to secure a large collection of high-altitude 
plants. The Alpine flora of the Malayan mountains has been a source of 
the acutest pleasure to me for some years past, and I have, since I 
arrived, looked from the Astrolabe Range across the Owen Stanleys, with 
most ardent and longing eyes. On my arrival, which I hastened in 
advance of my Malays by coming with Sir Peter Scratchley, I made a 
journey of 50 miles into the interior to Sageri, to select a site for my first 
depot, and now that my carriers and assistants have arrived I am ready 
to start in a couple of days more for that spot. I shall work steadily in- 
wards from there, and in a very short time I hope to have laid a good 
foundation of a herbarium. I hope to spend here among these mountains 
the months between this and December, 1886, at least if I can afford it. 
With the composition of the expedition — we secured Mr. Hennessy, a very 
good navigator, and Mr. Anderson (detached from Sir Peter Scratchley’s 
expedition to aid me) as one of my botanical collectors, and with several 
experienced Amboinese, not new by many years to New Guinean 
climates — I ought to accomplish some good work. The expedition, how- 
ever, is handicapped enough for the 1 sinews of war.’ You must yourself 
know, that some £1,500 in all, to bring from Europe, and from the Malay 
Archipelago so large a company, and to support it for nearly two years, is 
a mere fractional item of the expenses. I am only too glad to work as I 
have done now for years without remuneration ; but as I have not the 
means myself to support this work unaided, I hope the friends of science 
whose servant I claim to be in spirit as in deed, will aid still further the e 
ploration of this region.” 
NATIONAL AGRICULTURAL SOCIETY OF VICTORIA. 
The monthly meeting of the council of the National Agricultural 
Society was held on Thursday afternoon, the 13th of October at the 
society’s offices. Present— Mr. J. M. Peck (in the chair), Messrs. Job 
Smith, F. S. Roberts, I). Mitchell, S. T. Staughton, A. Patterson, W. 
Thomson, D. R. Macgregor, W Learmonth, D. Munro, T. Learmonth, 
and J. G. Brisbane. A letter was read from Mr. Byron Moore, secretary 
of the Victoria Racing Club, in reply to a communication from the 
secretary of the society, inquiring the charge for certain properties, such 
as hurdles, water-carts, &c., which the club had lent to the society for the 
recent show. Mr. Moore stated that the club had great pleasure in ren- 
dering the society any assistance, and did not intend to make any charge. 
It was decided by the council to send a hearty acknowledgement of this 
courtesy. The committee appointed to make arrangements for the field 
trial of excavators entered for Sir Wrn. J. Clarke’s special prizes reported 
that they had fixed the date of the trial for Wednesday, the 4th of Novem- 
ber, at 10 o’clock a, m. The committee appointed to consider the letter 
from the Secretary for Agriculture as to borrowing money on the security 
of the site of the show-grounds reported that they had met, and after 
adequately discussing the matter, they had asked Mr. J. Buchanan, M.L. C. , 
and Mr. C. Young, M.L. A., to see the Premier and place the subject 
