THE AUSTRALIAN NATURALIST. 183 
days. he first five chapters deal with the outward voyage and 
arrival in Sydney. 
Her second Australian book was entitled, “My Home in 
‘Tasmania,’ during a residence of nine years. It was pub- 
lished in London in 1852, dedicated to Our Most Gracious and 
beloved Queen, and the preface was written at Riversdale, 
Great Swan Port, Van Dieman’s Land, July 18th, 1850. 
Her second voyage from Sydney to Hobart was much 
more eventful than ler first from England, and the present 
inter-State traveller ean have little idea of the pleasure of sea 
travel in 1844. 
The sailing ship, “Sir George. Arthur,’ was an old coal 
boat, that had been previously bringing coal from Neweastle, 
and Mrs. Meredith says, “dirty and covered with coal dust, and 
built, as much as possible after the model of a brewer’s yat.” 
It was ten days before they sighted Point Pillar, and none of 
the lady passengers had come on deck until they passed that 
landmark. 
This book gives a very interesting account of country life 
in Tasmania in those days, and is illustrated with seventeen 
wood-euts, some of them illustrating the trees and animals of 
the district. Her notes, not only on the natural history, but 
the social conditions are well worth reading, and I can recom- 
mend these two volumes to all bush naturalists. 
Mrs. Meredith’s third publication, and the most important 
from. the botanical point of view, is “Some of My Bush Friends 
in Tasmania,” native’ flowers, berries and insects drawn from 
life, illustrated in verse, and brightly deseribed. Published in 
London, 1860. This book is also dedicated to the Queen, and 
the preface was written at Twamley, Tasmania, August 6th, 
1859. This book is much better known to Australian natura- 
lists than the two earlier ones. It contains eleven full plate 
coloured lithographs of Tasmanian flowers with a few insects, 
and clusters of berries, other drawings illustrate the letter- 
press. 
The fourth book issued by our old-time bush naturalist is 
an account of a holiday trip to Victoria, and is entitled “Over 
the Straits,” a visit to Victoria, with illustrations from photo- 
eraphs, and the author’s sketches. London, 1861. This book 
was written on her return to her home in Tasmania, and is de- 
dicated to Sir William 4 Beckett, late Chief Justice of Victoria, 
Mrs. Meredith was again very unfortunate in her third 
voyage from the mouth of the Tamor to Port Phillip, for the 
first night out they ran into a gale and were driven eastward 
