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made to construct the necessary guide rails so that it may be opened to public inspection. In the opinion of the Honourable the Colonial Secretary it is far superior to any cavern yet discovered in Australia, and is situated in a district remarkable for the beauty of its scenery and for the inducements it offers to the sportsman and the tourist.

Although we have mentioned the caves that are open to inspection, they are only a few of the total number existing. No doubt as time goes on and opportunity offers others will be made accessible, and probably beauties even yet undreamt of will be unveiled to view. At present, although the grandeur of the Lake Cave will probably make the most lasting impression, the attractions of each are so distinct in character and so special in charm that comparison is difficult. While for a single effect the universal verdict favours the Lake Cave, to the Yallingup must be awarded the palm for diversity of formation and for displaying the greatest variety of exquisitely-shaped objects of delicate and fragile beauty. We have confined ourselves to what can only claim to be a more or less prosaic description of these marvels of Nature. To attempt even feebly to do justice to their wonderful beauty and incomparable charm requires command of a language more romantic than English and better supplied with superlative expressions. No others known excel them and few, if any, rival them. The far-famed Jenolan Caves of New South Wales do not equal them. If nothing else existed in this State in the way of scenery the caves are alone sufficient to dispel the statement that Western Australia has no natural advantages to interest the tourist and the visitor. All the caves are thoroughly well ventilated, and widely known medical men of the highest standing in the State have not only expressed the opinion that no constitution can possibly suffer from an exploration of their wonderful and mysterious recesses, but have gone farther and stated that "the country is the ideal health resort of Australia." At Yallingup a commodious and modern hotel—the Cave House—has been erected, and suitable provision for visitors made at Margaret River. Every facility is offered to tourists by the Government in the way of cheap fares and coupons covering all expenses for the round trip. The whole of the caves may be viewed in five days, and the expenses, inclusive of rail and accommodation charges, need not exceed five guineas. Nothing is left undone in the way of popularizing the district, and it may safely be said there is no part of Australia that will so amply repay a visit.

These are not more than 35 miles from Perth and within four miles of the coast. Situated amid the hills, they are picturesquely placed in a district abounding in interest for the sportsman. They are neither so well explored nor so convenient of approach as those farther away from the capital, but there is little doubt that in course of time they will be equally accessible and their beauties as well known. So far as they have been examined they exhibit practically the same features as the caves of the south-west, with which in the opinion of many they need not fear comparison. A feature of some of them is their immense size, chambers having been found that extend from 400 to 600 ft. in length. From the general nature of the country, which the resonance of the ground proves to be honeycombed with caverns, it is more than probable that an extended search will reveal many other caves of possibly even greater beauty. So far the efforts of the authorities have been almost entirely confined to the better known caves of the south-west, but there is no doubt that they might wisely extend their operations and make these interesting curiosities of Nature available to the pleasure-seeker.

Inland scenery of a natural character is no doubt largely wanting in Western Australia. The flat and uninteresting nature of the landscape and the absence of permanent water combine to bring about the general appearance of a desert. But there is a gradually widening belt of country stretching inland from the coast that presents a scene of the greatest importance—the view of cultivated fields, of extensive vineyards and orchards, and of an ever-increasing acreage of wheat—which not only rejoices the eye, but gives solace to the mind in the knowledge that here is something possessing beauty and utility together, bringing prosperity to the State and happiness and comfort to its people

The first record we have of a scientific climatologist is that of the great astronomer and geographer Ptolemy. He divided the surface of the globe, from the Equator to the Arctic circle, into climates or parallel zones, corresponding to the successive increase of a quarter of an hour in the length of midsummer day.

Climate in its modern acceptation signifies that peculiar state of the atmosphere in regard to heat and moisture which prevails in any given place, together with the meteorological conditions generally, in so far as they exert an influence on animal and vegetable life. The infinitely diversified character which climate dis-