October, 1929 
The Queensland Naturalist 
51 - 
text-books, strictly accurate in details, though presented 
in language understandable by persons of ordinary edu- 
cation, or with a limited knowledge of the terminology 
of the particular subject dealt with. 
A work of the above description is “The Orchids of 
Victoria,” by Mr. E. E. Pescott, the well-known Vic- 
torian botanist and horticulturist. For many years past 
the author has paid special attention to the orchids of 
Victoria, and in the above work has now given students 
of botany in that State the benefit of his many years' 
study. 
A very noticeable difference between the orchids of 
this State (Queensland) and those of Victoria is, whereas 
in the former the epiphytic species number approximately 
the same (about 100 of each kind), in the latter, out of 
the total 118 species in the State, half a dozen species 
at the outside could be termed epiphytic. 
Though dealing definitely with the orchids of Vic- 
toria, many — in fact the great majority — spread beyond 
that State, and many species, common at least to all the 
Eastern States, are described. The book reviewed is one 
that can be recommended to all botanists and lovers of 
Australian wild flowers. 
0 
THE PLANT ECOLOGY OF PALM ISLAND, 
NORTH QUEENSLAND. 
(By Dr. D. A. Herbert, Department of Biology, 
University of Queensland.) 
The Palm Isles, consisting of eleven islands and a 
number of rocks and reefs, lie off the North Queensland 
coast opposite Halifax Bay. A partially submerged moun- 
tain range extends from Pelorus or North Palm Island on 
the north, through Orpheus and Fantome, reappearing a 
few miles south in Falcon and Brisk Islands. To the east 
of Falcon lies Eclipse Island, and to the west Esk Island 
and Dido Rock. The backbone ranges of Eclipse and 
Esk are parallel to that of Falcon, and the general trend 
is continued in Fly and Havannah Islands to the south. 
To the east of this chain runs a second range represented 
by the islands known as Curacoa and Great Palm. The 
main range of this latter runs south-east for about four 
miles, then turns to the south-west, reaching its highest 
point at Mount Bentley (1818 feet). From the bend a 
branch range runs out to the south-east as the backbone 
of a large peninsula. The westwardly directed branch 
branches again at Mount Bentley, the northerly spur end- 
