Mermaid's second voyage; and it was highly
gratifying to my feelings to reflect that it was reserved for me to
complete several specimens discovered formerly in imperfect states by
those eminent naturalists who accompanied the above great
circumnavigator, in 1770, desiderata, that have been wanting ever since
this period of their discovery; no mediums of communication with those
particular parts of the coast having presented themselves.

The aggregate of the several collections that have been formed during the
progress of the four voyages under the general circumstances above
briefly referred to, and which, as constituting a small Herbarium, will
be thus collectively spoken of in the following remarks, does not exceed
one thousand three hundred species of Phaenogamous plants; of these five
hundred and twenty are already described by authors, the other portion
being in part unpublished species, previously discovered on other coasts
of Terra Australis, and in part absolutely new, referable, however,
mostly to well defined genera. Of Cryptogamous plants, there are but few
species, and of these, or parasitical Orchideae, none have been detected
in these voyages in addition to those already described: a circumstance,
that with respect to the North-west Coast can reasonably be accounted
for, from the non-existence of primary mountains, or land above very
moderate elevation; by the absence of lofty dense forests (points of
character necessary to that permanency of atmospheric moisture, which
constitutes an essential requisite to the existence of almost the whole
of these tribes): and the consequent general exposure to the sun of those
arid shores.

Limited in number as the new species really are, they will nevertheless
constitute, when added to the discoveries recently made, through the
medium of expeditions to the interior, from the colony of Port Jackson,
very important materials to carry on that Flora of Australia, so very
ably commenced by Mr. Brown. Since that eminent botanist has already
advanced much important matter in the valuable essay, published at the
close of the account of Captain Flinders' voyage, respecting the relative
proportions of the three grand divisions of plants in Australia, as far
as they had been discovered at that period, and has, from very extensive
materials, given us a comparative view of that portion of its Flora, and
the vegetation of other countries; I shall now simply submit a few
general r