April, 1917. The Queensland Naturalist, 
56 
Another very large Dynastid named Scapanes solidus 
has become extremely scarce about Brisbane through the 
destruction of the large turpentine, tallowwood and other 
stringy bark Eucalypts. Many times the huge larvae of 
these were taken by a friend and myself from the large hollows 
of these trees, as also living and dead beetles. This larva^ 
like the cetonid mentioned, fed only on the decaying matter 
of the tree. Whether the beetle itself, as also the Xylotrupes 
is harmful is a moot question. The latter is said to score 
the bark of cedars, to obtain the sap, but there are not many 
cedars left to attack. 
ECOLOGICAL NOTES ON THE LITTORAL FAUNA 
AND FLORA OF CALOUNDRA, QUEENSLAND. 
By T. Harvey Johnston, M.A., D.Sc., C.M.Z.S., Biology 
Department, University, Brisbane. 
A Presidential Address to the Queensland Field 
Naturalists’ Club, Brisbane, 22nd February, 1917. 
During my year ot office, I have frequently called the 
attention of our members to the necessity for making and 
recording careful observations regarding the fauna and flora 
of our neighbourhood. I now propose to submit to you 
the following notes which are of a preliminary nature, a 
more detailed account being reserved for the near future. 
Ecology is that particular branch of biology which deals 
with the relationship of organisms to their environment, 
i,e., to their surroundings, and to one another. In the case 
of the marine fauna and flora, it will be recognised that 
organisms along the sea-shore are influenced by the tide, 
sea temperatures, storms, coastal currents, salinity, presence 
or absence of suspended mud, as well as the nature of the 
coast {e.g., whether muddy, sandy or rocky, whether the 
rocks be sandstone, basalt, etc.) In this short account, 
I do not intend to enter into detail regarding these factors. 
Owing to its biological interest, I have, for several years 
past, paid periodic visits to Caloundra, chiefly during May 
and June, but lately from November to March also. 
Caloundra lies at the northern extremity of Moreton Bay, 
immediately to the north of Bribie Island, from which it is 
separated by the very shallow and rather narrow Bribie 
Passage, or Pumice Stone Passage. The latter name has, 
no doubt, been bestowed because of the quantities of pumice 
which sometimes litter the neighbourhood, this having been 
carried from the New Hebridean volcanoes by the Notopectian 
current. 
