MELO THE GEELONG NATURALIST. 
include his “Key to Victorian Plants,” which is the recognised handbook 
in Field Naturalists' work. In economic botanical literature his “Select 
Plants eligible for Naturalisation,” oceupies a high place, and has been 
translated into several languages. Any one of these contributions to 
botanical knowledge would readily entitle him to undying honor. 
The deceased baron also took a lively interest in the work of explora- 
tion. On several occasions he was engaged in the active work himself, 
and was the means of making known vast territories. Every expedition 
sent out during the past 40 years owed much to his efforts in organisa- 
tion or practical counsels. 
In recognition of his unequalled scientific attainments he was created. 
a Baron by the King of Wurtemburg in 1871; knighted by Her Majesty 
in 1879; invested with numerous foreign decorations, and elected a 
member of every important scientific society in the world. 
By Baron von Mueller's death the scientifie world has suffered an 
irreparable loss, but the memory of his devotion to science will linger 
long in our hearts, and be the stimulus to greater efforts on our part. 
AA AAA 
SURVIVAL OF WATER PLANTS DURING DROUGHT. 
H. T. Trsparr, F.L.S. 
Dunrxa one of the excursions of the Melbourne Field Naturalists’ 
Club a few weeks ago, my attention was drawn to a small temporary 
pond of water in a paddock near Oakleigh. From its appearance 
it was quite evident it had only been filled during the rain which 
had fallen within a very few days. The whole bottom of the pond 
was covered beneath the water with a coat of fresh green grass, 
which had not had time to discolor. On examination we found that 
the water was partly covered by several kinds of water plants. - 
There was no other water near at hand, in fact, the nearest per- 
manent water was some miles away. The question then arose: 
How were these water plants preserved when the water was dried 
up? During the discussion it was mentioned that Professor Spencer 
on his journey to the McDonald Ranges in S. Australia, had re- 
marked numberless depressions in the hot arid desert through which 
they passed. Whilst his party were amongst the Ranges, it came 
on to rain. Now from the appearance of the country, this must 
have been the first rain for a long time, years perhaps. Whenthey 
were returning they found the depressions full of water, and they 
also discovered many water plants therein. Here then was a much 
harder problem than that set by the pond at Oakleigh. Try to 
imagine what the plants had to undergo in these depressions, since 
the last rain had fallen. Think of the gradual drying up of the 
water until the plants which had floated freely at the surface lay 
on the mud, and further as the pitiless sun rose day after day 
turning the mud into dust, and the hot sirocco-like wind driving 
everything before it in its resistless course. Think, I say, what 
chance these delicate water plants had of surviving such an ordeal. 
In working out a question like this it will be necessary to under- 
