Botany Of Rotuma
pp. 57-58 · Read in the full issue
From Our Own Correspondent
Honolulu, Oct. 5.
DR. HAROLD ST. JOHN, botanist of the University of Hawaii and Bishop Museum, Honolulu, has returned from field work on Rotuma, the isolated isle north of the Fiji group, with at least 100 specimens of new botanical species. He is enthusiastic about his discoveries; but, ahead of him, lies at least three years’ solid work of full identification and report before the Bishop Museum can publish a Rotuma botanical bulletin for distribu tion throughout the scientific world. (Why Rotuma, one of the few remain ing “blind spots” of Pacific botany, was chosen, was reported in the “P.1.M.” of June, 1938).
Dr. St. John said that Rotuma is rich
with botanic specimens found nowhere else. He describes the coconuts as among the largest he has seen. He is grateful for the many courtesies and the generous help given him by Fiji government officials and by the Fiji community as a whole.
Mr. E. B. Buxton, meteorologist for Pan-American Airways, who has been at Auckland for some time, passed through Sydney in October, on his way to Manila (Philippine Islands) to which station he has been temporarily assigned.
Dr. K. Washington Gray, chief geolo gist, and Mr. C. Walker, constructional engineer, of Australasian Petroleum Co., arrived in Port Moresby in October by the mail plane, to commence operations on behalf of the new oil company.