SKETCH MAP OF HERON ISLAND

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I. & s c r i p t i o n of 'Ieron Islancl, by F. 3. Fosberg

11. Vascular p l a n t s of Iieron Island., by F. R. Fosberg and R. I.?. Thome 111. Some 03servations on t h e Tieron Islanci fauna, by Z. M. Nouiton

Issceied by

THE

PACZlTC SCIEXE BOARD

3?ation31 Academy of Sciences--National. Research Co:ulcil Vashington, D. C .

I)ecer.ber 31, 1 9 1 .

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E

SKETCH MAP OF HERON ISLAND

CAPRICORN GROUP QUEENSLAND, SHOWING DISTRIBUTION OF V E G E T A T I O N

0 I O O M E T E R S L APPROX.SCALE

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I. Description of Heron I s l a n d

bji

F.

N.

Fosberg

Heron Island, of t h e Capricorn Group, a t t h e south end of t h e Great B a r r i e r Zeef, Queensland, l i u s t r a l i a , i s t h e s i t e of t h e Marine Laboratory of t h e Great B a r r i e r Reef Committee and a l s o of a small r e s o r t . I t i s reached by a

4

t o

5

hour launch r i d e from t h e p o r t of Gladstone, Queens- land.

J. B. Jukes (Narrative of the Surveying Voyage of H.M.S. Fly

...

1:6-9,

1&7) gave a r a t h e r general account of t h e i s l a n d , b u t paid p a r - t i c u l a r a t t e n t i o n t o t h e beach rock, which he described i n d e t a i l , with one of t h e e a r l i e s t s c i e n t i f i c speculations as t o t h e o r i g i n of beach rock.

iieron I s l a n d i s a small i s l a n d , narrowly oblong o r b u l l e t shaped, about

45

a c r e s i n e x t e n t , formerly more than LOO acres, b u t s a i d t o kave been l a r g e l y swept away by a hurricane; it l i e s on t h e w s t e r n end of an elongate r e e f ,

5

miles long. Tbis r e e f i s separated from Wistari Reef by a narrow c h a m e l . It l i e s J u s t i n s i d e t h e t r o p i c of Capricorn a t l a t . 23026' 30" S, long.

151~55'

E.

ent-ire i s l a n d i s a s h e e t of f l a t c o r a l sand mostly one t o two nieters above high t i d e l e v e l . Tile iiighes-t p o i n t ( n e w t h e g-lest house) i s

3.6

meters above high water ( H . P. Manning, conversation, 1960). Along t h e south s i d e i s a dune r i d g e r i s i n g t o perhaps

3

meters a t most, above t h e general l e v e l of t h e i s l a n d . Along t h e n o r t h s i d e , a t l e a s t i n t h e e a s t e r n p a r t , i s a much l o v e r dune ridge, a t most a meter above t h e gen- e r a l l e v e l of t h e i s l a n d . On the northeast corner i s a notable sa.nd apron on t h e r e e f below t h e beach.

A broad s e r i e s of i n c l i n e d beds of beachrock extends along the e n t i r e south coast, lea.ving t h e c o a s t vhere t h e beach swings north and s h o r t l y disappearing. On t h e north c o a s t a narrower s t r i p s t a r t s a t the curve i n t h e v e s t end and. extends a. s h o r t d i s t a n c e along t h e beach. Tilen, s l i g h t l y o f f s e t t o seaward, a very narrow, much eroded and p i t t e d s t r i p extends perhaps n e a r l y iialf t h e 1engtl-i o f t h e i s l a n d . On t h e south s i d e l a g e numbers of s l a b s of beachrock have been t o r n loose and strewn along t h e upper p a r t of t h e beach. These beds a r e s a i d t o be completely buried i n sand a t times. Towazd shore, a t t h e extreme v e s t end, t h e 'beds on t h e south s i d e become h o r i z o n t a l o r even d i p s l i g h t l y toward shore. It i s hard t o t e l l whether -these a r e normally exposed beds o r have beeh l a i d bare by s t r i p p i n g o f f t h e upper beds f o r use a s bv.ilding stone f o r s e a w a l l s wound t h e r e s o r t , as t h i s a c t i v i t y was t a k i n g place during my v i s i t . There i s no o t h e r consolidated rock of any s o r t on t h e island.

The most notable vegetation type on t h e i s l a n d i s a 1011 f o r e s t of Pisonia grandis, of t r e e s perhaps

6

t o 8, r a r e l y 1 0 m. high. The p a l e gray o r cream-colored elephantine trunks of thi.s t r e e gfve a character t o t h e landscape t h a t i s n o t e a s i l y f o r g o t t e n . S c a t t e r e d i n t h i s f o r e s t

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a r e a few slender t r e e s of C e l t i s paniculnta, and, forming a very sparse lover story, shrubs of t h i s species, Ficus opposita*, and P i p t m s

argen-

t.em which a r e .. ..~- ^{~ ~}- ~ - . 2 - t o ~

4

m. t a l l . A shrub o r t a l l herb l a v e r , l o c a l l y " ,

q u i t e prominent and almost continuous, i s formed of Abutilon albesiens and, i n places, Euyhorhia cyathophora. In open places

i s

a & of Sledel-ia b i f l o r a a meter o r so t h i c k . "&ere the Pisonia i s t h i c k e s t t h i s shrub l a v e r i s soarse o r lacl.in&!. Tow herbs a r e almost lacking except f o r -

small patches of ~ t e n o t a $ & r n m i c r a n t m . ~t t h i s time, ( ~ c t o b e r 1960), a f t e r a long dry s p e l l , t h e Pisonia i s l a r g e l y l e a f l e s s , especia1.l.y t h e upper branches, and i s j u s t coming i n t o flover. 'This r e l a t i v e l y dense Pisonia f o r e s t occupies t h e c e n t r a l and western p a r t s of t h e island, except f o r t h e south dune ridge and a s t r i p along the north coast. ^{I t} has been disturbed on t h e northwest corner by the building of the r e s o r t , and on t h e s o u t h v ~ s t by t h e building of the Marine Biological Labor- a t o r y and c a r e t a k e r ' s house. .bound t h e r e s o r t buildings a s a preca.ution a g a i n s t storm damage, t h e upper branches of t h e Pi.sbnia have been lopped o f f . Occasional f a l l e n Pisonia t r e e s a r e observed i n the f o r e s t , mostly producing sprouts from Cheir trunks.

East of t h e middle of the island, e s p e c i a l l y near the south side, t h e Pisonia f o r e s t i s much more open. Here C e l t i s and F i c u s a r e more comon and l a r g e r , Pandanus i s occasional, an& t h e undergro1;th of

Abutilon and Wedelia is promiilent, with occasional patclies of Euphmbia cyathophora.

Along t h e north s i d e , b e i i n n i n i a t t h e r e s o r t , t h e f o r e s t , f o r a l i t t l e distance i n from t h e beach, i s dominated by C B -. stficordata, r a r e o r absent elsewhere o n t h e ' i s l a n d , with some

--

Pisonia. This f o r e s t i s not e s p e c i a l l y dense and has aslundergrovth; i n t'ne spaces jxtween t h e low-branching crowns of the Cordia, of ;\butilon, Wedelia, and Euphor- b

*

. Scaevola 6nd Tournefortia a r e com!!on i n the edges along t h e beach, with a loose s o d of S ~ o r o b o l u s virginicus a t t h e 'cop of the beach. Along t h e dune ridge on t h e south s 3 e i s an i r k e g u l a r s c r u b f o r e s t of Paifldanv.s, Casuarina, Tournefortia, and Scaevola. On t h e . s t e e p sand slopes above thc beach Euphorbia r.amoslssj.ma, Caliile, a n d 'D-iiarea a r e cornon.

---

East of t h e Cordia f o r e s t i s an a r e a of ooen sand, much dua ^~ ^~ _.

--

^. ^. ^.

^{- -}

LID bv

^-

t u r t l e s , with ~hcattered small Cas~laring, Ficus, ;caelr&.a, Pendane, and

~ o u r n e f o r t i a .

--

On t h e sand a r e Cakile -.-9 ' Vedelia L---,

-

Lepturus (mostly dead a t t h i s season), Euphorbia ereinophi.la, and Caw=; -. t h e l a t t e r i s pzra- s i t i c on many of the o t h e r p l a n t s .

Eastyard, and a l s o e a s t of the open Pisonia f o r e s t , tile undergrowth becomes t h i c k e r and?anda,nus

--

becornes dominant i n t h e t r e e layer. C e m Casuarina, Ficus, some 'jlournefor_t& and. s e v e r a l dense' patches of ~ Z i a n a a r e a l s o present. S c a e v d ~ and

--

Wedelia a r e csGon, a s well a s Abutilog.

A dead grass, probably Lepturus*, and Euphorbia e r e o h i l a r e common

ma

Cassytha is very prominent, t h i n l y covering t h e bushes and, l o c a l l y , t h e ground.

R t t h e e a s t end i s an i r r e g u l a r scrub 1 t o 2 m. high, of Tournefort,ia and Scaevola, open i n places, and with i r r e g u l a r l y s c a t t e r e d small k s - u

&a t r e e s . These t r e e s a r e e s p e c i a l l y notable a t tfle top of the beach and extend i n a l i n e on t h e lo1i dunes along about h a l f t h e north coast, and along the dune ridge on t h e south coast.

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The vegetation of t h e islarid has a considerably d i s t u r b e d look.

Trails and roads have been cat i n t o t h e Pisoiiia f o r e s t , and around t h e r e s o r t and t h e l a b o r a t o r y 5reeds a r e very abundart, e s p A a l l y Euphorbia c?jatho?hora and Gnaphalium sp. Exotic p l a n t s have been s e t o u t i n some abundance, b u t except f o r one small coconut t r e e , a few Tapayas, an oleander aad one o r ti..i0 p l m e r i a s , most of them a r e s t i l l small.

Yuch of t h e appearance of disturbance comes from t h e burrowing of t h e wedge-tailed s h e a r d a t e r s o r mutton-birds ( P ~ f f i n u s pacificus) ~,fn:.ch s t i r up t h e g r o m d on most p a r t s of t'ne i n t e r i o r , and from t h e holes dug by green t u r t l e s ( ~ h e l o n i a m@as) and occasional loggerheads ~ l s s o c h d y s c a . r e t t a ) , which l a y t i 1 e i r eggs here, t h e fonmer i n g r e a t nuabers. T k

ground around t h e margins of t h e e a s t e r n h a l f of t h e i s l a n d appears t h o r - oughly churned up by t h e i r a c t i v i t i e s .

Eefore t h i s v i s i t I confidently azrticipahed f i n d & phosphatic hardpan s o i l s , with raw humus a c c m l d l i o n , o f t h e Jemo s e r i e q X s i m i l a r t o those found i n t h e C e n t r a l P a c i f i c a t o i l s . LIe condii;i.ons, a s described, with Pisonia f o r e s t growing on c o r a l sand, with abundant s e a - b i r d s , seemed p e r f e c t f o r development of s o i l s of t h i s s e r i e s . Actual.ly, no phosphatic hardpan whatever was found, and only a very smzlL patch shored any raw humus accumulation. This l i t t l e a r e a was, apparently by chance, not disturl3ed by shearwater burrovs.

The absence of e i t h e r phosphatic hardpan o r an extensive raw humus l a y e r was a n t i c i p a t e & by D r . W. Stephenson, of Brisbane University Z o o l o ~ y Department, i n a conversation before t h e v i s i t . IIe s a i d t l m t tlie constant s t i r r i n g up of t h e s o i l by t h e a ? e a r ~ i a t e r s and mixing i n of cor-a1 sand w i t h t h e h m u s vould probably prevent much acc~unulation of hwfl,us, and.

consequently, no phosphate rock formation could t a k e place granting t h e c o r r e c t n e s s of my theory* on t h e process. ? l i s p r e d i c t i o n was r e a l i z e d . The absence of phosphate rock i n t i i s area, vhere n e u t r a l i z a t i o n of t h e humic a c i d i t y by calcium carbonate sand i n t h e r u l e , may p o s s i b l y be regarded a s f u r t h e r evidence f o r t h e soundness of t h e t h e o r j .

Nearby Mast Head i s l a n d i s described (by 11. F. Manning, conversation 1960) a s having t h i c k P i s o n i a f o r e s t a l s o , b u t with abundant n e s t i n g of c r e s t e d t e r n s (TVmlosscus b e a i r ) , t h e bymrowing s h e a n r a t e r s being p r e s e n t b u t n o t predominating a s a t Heron I s l a n d ( s e e B a r r e t t , C., Nat. Geogr.

Mag.

58: 354-384,

1930, vho r e p o r t s sheamraters t h e r e ) . It i s suggested t h a t a vell-developed l a y e r of raw hiunus overlying a bed of phosphatic hardpan w i l l be found t h e r e . Phosphate has been e x p l o i t e d on Lady E l l i o t Island, 60 miles t o t h e s o u t h e a s t of IIeron I s l a n d , b u t no information i s r e a d i l y a v a i l a b l e a s t o i t s nature snd o r i g i n .

J. B. Jukes ( ~ a r r a t i v e of t h e Surveying Voyage of H.M. S. Fly 1: 2, 1847), i n h i s account of " F i r s t Bunker's Island", described what must c e r t a i n l y be Jemo s o i l as follo~.rs, "The ~ w t e r i a l s of t h e e n c i r c l i n g ridge .were q u i t e 1011, and t h i n l y covered with vegetable s o i l among the t r e e s ; b u t t h e sand of t h e c e n t r a l p l a i n , which was dark h r o m , ims s u f f i c i e n t l y

-- *

Fosberg, F. R., S o i l Science,

78

: 99-107,

1954.

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compact t o be taken up i n lumps, and a l i t t l e underneath the surface it formed a kind of s o f t stone, with embedded fragments of coral. Some vegetable s o i l a l s o 7ms found, a few inches i n thiclrness i n some places, the r e s u l t of the decompositim of vegetable matter and b i r d s ' dung."

Saville-Kent, i n The Great Barrier Reef of Australia..

.

^101-102

^@39g,

quoted Jukes' description of F i r s t Bunker's I s l a n d and assumed t h a t it applied t o Lady E l l i o t t Island. However, Julres (op. c i t . opposite p.

3)

i l l u s t r a t e d Lady E l l i o t t Island, r e f e r r i n g t o it by t h a t name. Prom the location, a s described i n Jukes n a r r a t i v e , it seems more l i k e l y t h a t F i r s t Bunker's I s l a n d was Lady Musgrave Island, a few miles t o t h e north of Lady E l l i o t t .

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11. Vascul.ar

-

p l a n t s of Eeron I s l a n d

li'. R. Fosberg and 3. F. T?lorne

Through t h e coirctesy of t h e Great B a r r i e r Eeef Committee, t h e a.uthors were a b l e t o make c o l l e c t i o n s of t h e vascular p l a n t s of Iieron Island.

These c o l l e c t i o n s , niade a t d i f f e r e n t seasons, May and OctoSer, couplemen'i.

each o t h e r and it seems yroper t o make a combined r e p o r t of them, and t o include s e v e r a l records from t h e h e r b a r i a a t Brisbane and S y b e y .

No

systematic search f o r such r e c o r d s could be made, because of l a c k of t h e . Also added a r e sigh* records of species planted, mostly i n pots, a t .the r e s o r t on t h e i s l a n d .

A previous l i s t , by il. 3. I{. MacGilLivray and.?'. A. Rodmy, based on c o l l e c t i o n s m d e i n 1927, published i n t h e Report o f t h e Great B a r r i e r Reef C o r n i t t e e vol. 111, pp.

58-63, 1931,

has been included, shoving some changes i n t h e f l o r a and some, a l s o , i n t h e nomenclature.

The Fosberg c o l l e c t i o n s c i t e d were made on October

5-5,

1960, and a r e deposited i n t h e U. S. National Her-barium. Those of Tllorne were made on May

8-9,

1960, and a r e i n t!?e Herbarium,of t h e S t a t e University of Iorra, with a se-t a-t tlx? Brisbane Herl~ariunl. F. R. Fosberg i s finaLly responsible f o r t h e determinations, 'though preliminary- i d e n - t i f i c a t i o n s of many of t h e specln~ens rrere made by S . F. Blake, L. S. Smith and

R. F,

. .

iihorne.

Po1podiun p p c t a t m ( L . ) ST?.

--

Pot p l a n t seen by Posberg, 1960.

. .

Pinus sp.

--

Very c h l o r o t i c seedlings s e e n ^.by ^. Fosberg, 1960.

. . . . . . . . .

Cupressaceae . .

Cupressus s e r ~ e r v i r e i i s ?:L . ,

Pot p l a n t seen by Fosberg, 1960

Pandanaceae

- ,

- - .

^, . ⁷^,

.

~ a c ~ i l l i v r a y and Rothray

i93i,

p.

63,

s

.

pedtmculatus R. B r .

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This v a r i a b l e $].ant i s , i n ~.ustra.l.ia, co~ifinonly re f e r r e d t o P.

pedunculatus R.

Br.,

b.2:~ seems t o be w e l l within t h e range of v a r i a t i o n of t h e videspread f a c i f i c s t r a n d s p e c i e s ,

Cenchrus echinatus_ L.

F o s b e r a m E ~ o r n e 2.7236.

D i g i t a r i a c i l i a r i s (Xetz. ) Koel.

~ o s b e ~ g ~ ~ ~ " n o r n e 2.7234.

This species, t h e t r o p i c a l r e p r e s e n t a t i v e of t h e common D. sangain-

- ---

a l i s has been c a l l e d

D.

adscendem

(HSK)

IIeni-. 'Jy Iknrard l u h i s

-.1

Monograph of t h e Genm D i g i t a r i a b u t Panicurn c i l i m e _-_-₂

----

Eetz.

(1.736)~

basionym f o r

2.

c i l i a r i s , i s e a r l i e r than Pani.cm adscendem IBiC _--.-. _---.-

(1815))

basionyni D. adsceiidens.

-

^-.--

ELeusine i n d i c a !L. ) Gaertn.

Fosberg-0; Elorne 27238

MacGillivray and Rodway

1931, P. 63.

gr=rostis c i l i a n e n s i s ( A l l . ) Lut.

Thorne 27212

k p t m u s re'De:Is var. s u b u l a t x Pos'~.

Fosberg

41583, 4 1 3 6

Thoime 27216

MacGLllivray and Rodmy 1931, p.

63,

a s L.

-

r 2 e n s

--

R. Sr.

Sporobolus G i y i n i c u s L.

Fosberg

41313;

Tllorile 27235

NacGillivray and Rodtray 1931, p.

63.

Stenotaphrvm micran'~hun (&sv.

----

) Iiu%b.

~ o s b e r f i l 5 9 0 , 41331

MacGillivray and Rodmy

1931,

p.

63,

a s Stenotanhrum s u b u l a t w . Thuarea

---

i n v o l u t a ( F o r s t . ) X. & S.

Fosberg 41332; 'i'hornc 2723.7

IvIacGillivray and Rod1ia7 L'131, p.

63

as E u ~ e g sarmentosa Pers.

Paknac C

- n u c i f e r a L.

Planted seedlings, seen by Fosberg, 1360

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Mons.tera fleliclosa iie7berin.

Pot p l a n t seen by Fosbepj, 1963 Scindapsus aureus & Ancke) Engl.

Zebrina aendula Schnizel

Pot p l a n t seen hy Posberg,

1360

iiosta sp. ?

-

Sansevieria guineensis ( J s c q .

--

) X i l l d . Pot p l a n t seen by Fosberg,

lgGCi

M a r a ~ ~ t a asundinacea I,. I

Po't p l a n t seen by Fosberg, 1960

Casu.arina e q u i s e t i f o l i a var. jncana Bentll.

Fosberg 41301;

316%

2 7 2 l r MacGillivray cw;d K0dvra.y 1931, p.

63.

Ulmaceae C e l t i s p e n i c u l a t a (Z:?dl. ) Planch.

T b e r g T 5 B ; 413.5; Thorne 27225

Moraceae Ficus o p ~ s i t a Miq.

P o s b e r g ~ 8 4 ,

41531, 413.18,

41324; I'hornc 27227, 2'7240; PIary E.

GiLham, s.n.; Sydney Univ. B i d . Soc. i n

194C

YicGillivray and iio6~1ay

1931,

p.

63.

(10)

P m

obliqua var. p e k i o l a r i s (Bentk. ) Corner

MacGillivray and Rodway 1931, p.

63

( a s F. p l a t ~ o d a var. p e t i o l a r i s ) , described a s having complex b u t t r e s s e d

t T d i s .

Ficus sp.

Urticaceae P i p t u r u s argenteus ( F o r s t . ) Xedd.

Fosberg 41580; B o r n e 27241

1kfacGillivray and Rodway

1931,

p.

63

Proteaceae Idacadamia t e r n i f o l i a F. v. M.

Polygonaceae Rumex v e s i c a r i u s L.

Cultivated, Fosberg

41341

The s e p a . 1 ~ l a c k t h e = g i n a l ne-rve c h a r a c t e r i s t i c of tb.e inore commonly c u l t i v a t e d ii.

-

roseus.

Nyctaginaceae Eoerhavia re-gens L.

--

~ o s b e r ~ F l 3 0 9 ; Thorne 27230; Gillham i n 1950; Sydn. Univ. Biol. Soc.

i n

1948.

MacGillivray and' Rodway

3.931

p.

63,

a s B.

-

d i f f u s a L.

This s t r a n d species, taken i n t h e broad sense, has u s u i l l y been c a l l e d B. d i f f u s a L., b u t study

of

t h e Linnean specimens and of l i v i n g m a t e r i a l i n Ceylon, type l o c a l i t y of 13.

--

d i f . T u h sr.ggests t h a t t h e p a n t r o p i c a l p l a n t i s

g.

=ns L.

Cornmicarpa chinen* (L. ) Iieim.

Fos'oerg

4135;

i4auritzon i n

1936

This species has u s u a l l y been c a l l e d 9oerhavia re7anda Wil.ld, and t h e genus Cornmicarpa should probably be regarded a s a s e c t i o n of Boerhavia. However, s i n c e Valeriana chinensis L., t h e e a r l i e s t name, has not been t r a n s f e r r e d t o Boerhavia t h e above n m e

.-.-,

i s used f o r t h e time being.

M i r a b i l i s J a l a p a L.

Planted, seen by Fosberg, 1960

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P i s o n i a r a n d i s R. Br.

Fosberg

ILt- ^1591,

41303, ll-131'7,

41319;

Thorne 27233; Sydn. Univ. Biol.

Soc. i n 1948.lhcGillivray and Rodway

1931,

p.

63,

as I?.

-

brunoniana

- -

E n a .

Auaranthns v i r i d i s L.

---

^--..

Fosberg 41306; Tnorne 27239

Pnrtrzlaca o l e r a c e a L.

--.-

F o s b e r g W 3 G ~ h o r n e 2-(242

Lauraceae

Nandina ckmestica lT1un11. _,-_--

Ca1:il.e edentula ( B i g e l . ) Book.

--

Fosberg 111300; Thorile 27218 Cornnopus didymus ( L . ) J.

.

^Smith

~ o s b e r g T l 3 3 8 ; lkolmne 2 7 2 4

* p i d i m virginicrun L.

Posberg 111305; Yhorne 27223 Sisymlxium o r i e n t a l e L.

Fosberg K3'07;;;15i;orne 27246

Crassulaceae ICalancl~oe sp

.

^?

Pat p l a n t seen by Fosberg, 1960

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Cassia sp. ^!

Pot p l a n t seen by Fosberg1960 Delonix r e ~ i a ( ~ o j e r ) Rat.

Planted s e e d l i n g seen by Fosberg, 1963 Erpthrina

-

sp.

Pot p l a n t seen by Posberg, 1960 Samanea saman (Jacq. ) &rr.

---

Planted seedling seen by Fosberg, 1960

Sophora tomentosa L.

Fosberg 21596-

W i b u l u s c i s t o i d e s L. _--.

Fosberg 11.13-41321; Ti~orne 27229 MacGillivray and Rochay 1 9 9 , p. 62

Tropaeolun majus L.

Planted, seen by Fosbere;, 1960

Svriana maritima L.

Fosbe-41323; morne 27220

MacGillivray a d l?o&l.ia;i 1931 p. 62

Euphorbiaceae Codiaeum variegatun ( L . ) 31.

Pot p l z t seen $I Fosberg, 1960

i%phorbia c l u t i o i d e s

--

( l o r s t . . ) C

.

^{A .} ^Garcl.

Fosberg 41598, 41327; Thorne 27226

MacGillivray and Rodmy 1931, p.

63,

a s

g.

eremophila A. Cum.

Euphorbia =atho_phora

- --

^IJurr.

Fosberg 41335; !Il~ori?e 27243 Euphorbia. p r o s t r a t a h i t .

-

Thorne 27222

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Euphorbia pulcherrlma

-

Wiild.

Pot p l a n t seen by-Fosberg, 1960

It i s lsy no meaas c e r t a i n t h a t t h i s p l a n t i s r e d l y E_. ramosissi.m, a s t h e glands a r e greenish, r a t h e r t l i m rrhite, b u t it

i s

certaFnly n o t E.

-

^-1a t o t o am3 a t l e a s t s t ~ p e r f i c i a l l y reseinbles t i e ?.ridespread E.

-

ramosissima.

Euphorbia t i r u c a l i i L.

Plaated, seen by Fosberg, 1960

Abutilon albescens Niq.

Fosker~41587,1.1320; 'i'11orne 27244; ChadMi.ci< i n

1951;

Gillham i n 1958.

MacGillivray and Rodtray

1931,

p. as A.

- --

indicum G. Don.

This has been u s c a l l y r e f e r r e d to A_. n c L. o r A. indicurn var.

e u s t r a l i e n s e I:oc~,c, b u t i s r e a l l y much c l o s e r t o A. asiaticum

-

L. It s h o ~ l d perhaps be regarded as a v a r i e t y of t h e l a t t e r .

Carica papaya L.

Planted seedlings seen by Fosberg, 1960

Cucurbitaceae Cucurbita ST.

w-

Begonia sp.

Pot p l a n t seen by Fosherg, 1960

&=m leptophyllum (Pers. ) F.v.M.

I .-- Fosberg

+1333

L i i n o n i ~ bonduel.ii --.-- (Lestib. ) O.I<tze Cultivated, Fosberg 41311.2

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The l e a v e s of t h i s specimen a r e :musual f o r

&.

?>ondueJ.ii, more n e a r l y resembling those of L. b r a s s i c m f o l i a .

-

^-0 The inflorescence, however, i s t h a t t y p i c a l of

-

L. boncluelii, with l i n e a r ap'gendages a t t h e nodes.

Nerivm i k h n n ivlill.

Planted, seen by Fosberg, 1960 Plumeria r u b r a L.

-- ----

PLaated, seen by Fosberg, 1960

I-J~o$-~ grgr~l.i:S1ora 1 . a ~

NacCi!:i;:::.:iy alnd Roddvi3y

1911,

pp. GO,

62

(on p. 60 i n one paragra;?h

s a i d t o have " a l a r g e purple ?lover and 1ea:vcs o f t e n a f o o t i n d i m e t e ~ "

and i n a l o v e r paragraph " i t s flowers v e r e pure white, opening i n t h e evening and c l o s i n g af-ker t h e sun rose i n i;he morning," t h i s l a t t e r on One Tree

island)

white flowered species t o which t h i s name i s cornonly bui;

inc::-r:.xtly apglied i s &o~:ioea ^{. .}.- .

-

^.-^tuba^.^.

^-

(Schlecht. ) Don, :inich i s f r e - qu%xf.iy round l n u i ~ ~ z s t e r .

.

^...

-

^I.oil co-ra:L is!.:ri~ds and aoes n o t have lzaves up t o ^r

-

^: ^o ^?,am.i s probably S t i c t c m x d i a t S i i f o l 1 a 2 _-.-. -. a f o o t

~ ~ h i c h has p a l e p:lr@ f l o ~ , ~ ~ i . s and l a r g e leaves, b u t does not u s u a l l y occur on a t o l l s . Nei-Uler were seen by us on Heron Island, nor rqas any o t h e r morning glory.

-ea pes-caprae ( L . ) Sweet

M~cGil1i;~rr.y and Rodway

1931,

p.

62

Not seen e i t h e r by Thorne o r Fosberg.

Boraginaceae Cordia subcordata

Lam.

Fosberg 41312; lhorne 27232

NacGillivray and I?od~?ay 1931, p. 62 Tournefortia argentca L.

r,

Fosberg

41593;

'I'horne 27224

Petunia v i o l a c e a Lindl.?

Planted, seen by Fosberg, 1960 Solmum lycopersicum L.

--

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S o l a w n niprun I..

~osbe-47; Tllorne 27211

Labiatae S a l v i a g l e n d e n s Sello-VT ex R. & S.

--

Jacaranda sp.

Scaevola s e r i c e a Va21l

Fosber=9?,

$1597, 4131k,

11.132; Thorne 27213

iulacGillivray and Rodway,

1931,

p. 62, a s

5.

Loenigii Vahl.

Most p l a n t s seen m e of t h e glabrous form, b u t with sornc v a r i a t i o n between white and. purple i n flower color.

Scaevola s e r i c e a Vahl. ( ~ m b e s c e n t f o m )

-

Fosber-

One clump, represented by Fosberg 41320, i s pubescent and has purple f l o m r s

.

Compositae

Gnapnalim lutc0-~~1'i)'un L.

Fosberg

4 1 585

NacGillivray ,and Rodjray 1931, p. 62 Sonchus oleraceus L. .-

--

Fosbere7c1337

li'edelia b i f l o r a c i . vnr. canescens (Gaxd. ) Fosb, ^;

~ o s b e ~ ~ 1 ~ 6 ,

41594;

I";iorne 27214

MacGillivray and iiodT?a.y

1931,

p. 62, a s

-

2. b i f l o r a

-- LC.

This i s not e x a c t l y i d e n t i c a l with t h e Gt~.arn n a t e r i a l on .which t n i s v a r i e t y i s based, b u t u n t i l a d e t a i l e d a n a l y s i s of tiie comglex i s attempted, t h e canescent-leafed p l a n t s a r e probably b e s t r e f e r r e d here.

(16)

Page 14 is missing Page 14 is missing

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- ^{1 5} -

111. Some observations on t h e Heron I s l a n d fauna by

James M. Moulton-&

A primary o b j e c t i v e of recording undelwater sound and of i d e n t i f y i n g b i o l o g i c a l sources of some of i t s components i n the Beron I s l a n d a r e a

has been p a r t i a l l y r e a l i z e d during October and November

1960,

during ~ r h i c h I have been a guest investig&or a t t h e Heron I s l a n d marine Research S t a - t i o n , a s w l l as a f i l b r i g h t schol.ar i n t h e Departmen-t of Zoology a t tlthe University of Queensland. A s elsevhere, t h e primary b i o l o g i c a l sources of underwater sound a r e f i s h e s and i n v e r t e b r a t e s ( c h i e f l y alpheids and stomatopods); porpoises ( ! h r s i o p s ) have a l s o been recorded.

The end of t h e yearly so-~thward migration of vha.les p a s t the Capri- corn I s l a n d s occurred i n e a r l y October. A s i n g l e u n i d e n t i f i e d ~.rhale ?$as seen t h r a s h i n g tine water v e s t of Heron I s l a n d on October

b,

and an a d d t and caLf of t h e hump-backed whale ( ~ e g a p t e r a novaeangliae) passed through the channel between I-Ieron I s l a n d and Wistari Reef on October

7.

The wedge-tailed sheamraters ( R ~ f f i n u s p a c i f i c u s ) appeared on Heron Isla.nd on October

8

and t h e f i r s t c a l . 1 ~ v e r e recognized during t h e even- i n g of October 10. Tne bulk of them v i l l have l e f t t h e I s l a n d by the end of A p r i l (H. F. Pktianr~ing coiversation, 1960). According t o I s l a n d residents, a r r i v a l was a b i t e a r l i e r than usual t h i s year. I.Tumbers mounted r a p i a - y t o thous.ands, t h e b i r d s s e t t l i n g and ';urroving on f r e q l e n t l y t r a v e l l e d ground a s r e a d i l y a s i n l e s s a c c e s s i b l e vegetated areas. The S u r r o ~ r s a r e generally about t h r e e f e e t i n l e n g t h and t h e inner burrow i s about

8

inches i n diameter. ???e b i r d s r e t u r n t o tb.e I s l a n d a t dilsk each evening i n a g r e a t f l i g h t ; occasional s t r a g g l e r s come i n l a t e r i n t h e evening.

A s of t h i s d a t e (November

17)

eggs have not been l a i d i n any bwro?rs exwined, a d tine paired b i r d s f r e q u e n t l y remain i n t h e burror?

dirirng the day. The events of breeding behavior strikingly p a r a l l e l those of Leach's p e t r e l i n t i e Bay of Fvndy. Another p a r a l l e l l i e s i n t h e odor o r t h e o i l emitted during breeding from t h e male b i r d . The male mutton-bird emits t h i s o i l i n copious m o ~ u i t s u h i l e preening the female.

Other b i r d s abundant on t h e Island, b u t l e s s closely observed, a r e noddy t e r n s n-A( s p . ) r.ihtch have a l a r g e rookery i n Pisonia t r e e s , r e e f herons ( D e a i g r e t t a

sacra),

the n e s t s 03' Vhich a m s c a t t e r e d through t h e noddy rookery i n P i s o n i a and Pandanus t r e e s , and s i l v e r g u l l s ( ~ a r u s -.-- novae- -.

h o l l a n d i a e ) and c r e s t e d terns-

--

b e r g i i ) which frequent t h e bea'ches b u t probably do not n e s t on the I s l m d . There i s a white-breasted s e a e a g l e ' s (Iialiaetus

--

l e u c o g a s t e r ) n e s t i n one of t h e t a l l e s t Pisonia t r e e s .

--

A number of o t h e r kinds of b i r d . ~ freqaent t h e Islam?~ vhich has a r i c h b i r d fauna. Old r e e f heron n e s t s a r e a t times f i l l e d with p a r t i a l l y gnamd Pandanus f r u i t s , probably by t h e i s l a n d rat Rattus exulaus. -.-

*

Department of Biology Bovdoin College

Brunswicli, Maine

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One of t h e most s t r i k i n g pop&a%ioo.s on the I s l a n d i s one of Cerithiilm

--

inonifilerum Kiener, a small $ast:opod cal.ied a clusteiwinlr.

TlrLs s n a i l behwes ~.r.ritii a t i d a l rhyttmi.city ol"considerable i n t e r e s t . On the f a l l i n g t i d e individuals of t h i s species aggregate together i n dense patches on a f l a t beachrock surface a t the r.~estern end of Vie Is- land. The c l u s t e r s axe vell-formed by the time the water de2th i s

14

inches; they disperse again on a r i s i n g tick when i-t reaciies a depth of about

4

inches over a c l u s t e r . During i:i@; t i d e , the snai1.s w e d i s - persed ratlner evenly over the bottom. Clusters may nwnber from 2 to over 1375 individuals; a few i s o l a t e d individuals are noted b e t w e n c l u s t e r s a t low t i d e , tile mean s i z e exceedjng t h a t of c l u s t e r i n g individuals. The smallest individuals ( g e n e r a l l y under

6

m. ) do not c l c s t e r b u t a r e s c a t - t e r e d in the sard. The composition of indiviclual clusCers v a r i e s from one low t i d e t o the ne,xt a s marking e q e r i m e n t s imve siiorm, and t h e clus-ters do not d.riays form i n the sac places on consecutive t i d e s . The c l u s t e r i n g behavior i s ppobal>ly a mechanism f o r r e t a i n i n g moistwe during low t i d e . 1ndi.vidujl.s i n a cl-uster a r e i n movement d.irin6: expos- ure. to the sun, s o some turnover occurs. A small amount of c o r a l sand i s intemrLnglec1 with t h e clv.sters, an8 a green a l g a often bi;ids the

c l u s t e r s loosely together. A c l ! ~ s t e r removed t o the laboratory d.isperses, anc? individuals move about separately i n shallow pans and aquaria.

The mechanisms involved here a r e of considerab1.e in-terest; it. would, f o r example, be of i n t e r e s t t o remove some of these animals t o other =areas f o r a study of r e l a t i o n of belmvior t o ticla1 rhyt-ims. A s t h e m o m t of s i l t and a l g a l s c u m v a r i e s on different, beachrock w e a s , the p w ~ u l a t i o n s

of Cerithium r c i l l va-ry; increasing surface accumdation dec-eases

--

^Cerith-

populations. The c l u s t e r s are most s t r i k i n g l y formed on f l a t , denuded beachrock.

T u r t l e s have been l a t e i n a r r i v i n g t h i s year, according t o Island r e s i d e n t s . The f i r s t t r a c k rias formed on the night of Nove&r 11.

-

^12,

and a f e v t u r t l e s have coGe up s i n c e -then. -2s I write t h i s , I have j u s t come from the digging s i t e of a l a r g e 'loggerhead preparing -to deposit her eggs within a score of ya.rds of the neakest buildings 'of the Is.l&nd resort.

Xhile the t u r . t l e s laying on Herofi Islanc? a r e the green (Chelonia ~ s d a s ) and logge.rhe&d ( ~ a l a s s o c h y & g c a r e t . t a ) ' ----

--

t & t l e s , a small hawksbil.1 7 i . S

captured on the reef i n mid-October. m e l a t t e r i s s a i d t o be unoomon.

i n the v i c i n i t y of Heron Island.

. ..