The Field Naturalista Club of Victoria.

Ordinary Meeting.

The usual monthly meeting of this Club was held at the Royal Society's Hall, on Monday evening, the 17th April, the attendance being good, and Mr. H. Watts occupying the chair. After the preliminary business, which consisted of several nominations for membership, and the promise by Mr. D. Le Soüef of a paper on Snakes, was dispatched, the reading of the papers in the programme was proceeded with. These consisted of, first, a few notes by Mr. D. Best, on some Coleoptera collected in the vicinity of Dandenong by Colonel Hutton. The specimens, for the most part, comprised the commoner kinds of beetles to be found around Melbourne, the majority being Longicorns, with a few Elaters and some of the less numerous families.

Dr. T. P. Lucas followed with a further contribution of his essays on Geology, and his remarks relative to the origin of mineral veins and the occurrence of gold provoked an animated discussion, many members taking part therein, the majority appearing to dissent from the views expressed by the writer.

The Rev. J. J. Halley, one of the Vice-Presidents of the Club, at the invitation of the Chairman, offered a few observations on his recent visit to Europe, alluding to the interest shown in anything Australian by the Zoological Institute at Naples and by the various Microscopical Societies in England. He promised to give, on page 101 a future occasion, for the benefit of the Club, a more detailed account of what he had seen and learned during his visit.

The exhibition of specimens, which always follows the reading of papers, was an interesting one, comprising some fine exotic Curculio and Longicorn beetles shown by Mr. C. French. A rare bird of the genus Knot, undescribed by Gould, by A. J. North. Some rare shells, notably Cyprœa madagascarensis and Cyprœa decliris, also Conus betulinus and Corbula truncata the latter, a shell recently found in Victorian waters, and not hitherto known as inhabiting them—by Mr. J. F. Bailey. Some fine birds, viz.,—Fairy Prion, Crescent-marked Oriole, Painted Quail, and Allied Dottrel, by T. A. F. Leith. A Queensland Alligator's Egg, by Mr. J. E. Dixon, and by Mr. F. Spry, Lepidoptera collected by him since previous meeting.

After a pleasant conversazione the meeting was brought to a termination.

Annual Conversazione.

That the Second Annual Conversazione of this Club should have attracted so large an audience as crowded the rooms of the Royal Society's Hall on Wednesday evening, the 26th April, is evident proof of the growing popularity of this deserving young Club, and must have been a source of great gratification to its members. It was certainly a disappointment that the retiring President, Professor F. McCoy, F.G.S., &c., was unable, owing to a severe attack of bronchitis, to be present; but his valuable address lost none of its interest in the hands of the Rev. J. J. Halley, one of the Vice-Presidents, who, at short notice, kindly undertook the reading of it. The address, which appears further on, detailed the proceedings of, and the useful papers contributed by, members of the Club during the past twelve months; but the portion most deserving of attention was that referring to the intention of the Club to offer to the scholars attending the schools in and around Melbourne prizes for the best collection of and essays on Natural History, the same to be sent in prior to the next Annual Conversazione. This announcement was received with considerable applause, and is certainly a step in the right direction. The address was immediately followed by a Lecturette entitled "Beauties and Curiosities of Protophytes, a first form of Plant Life," by the Rev. J. J. Halley, who treated this so instructive a subject, illustrated as it was by diagrams, in his usual genial and comprehensive manner. A second Lecturette on a somewhat similar subject, entitled "Microscopic Life around Melbourne," was delivered by Mr. H. Watts.

The exhibits as a whole were unusually good, but the palm must be given to the Birds, the display of which was greatly superior to that of the previous year. Especially noticeable were the Paradise Birds, Pigeons, &c, from New Guinea, shown by Mr. C. French, as was also Mr. T. A. F. Leith's very handsome case of Australian Birds; and Mr. A. Coles, of Kyneton, is to be complimented upon the superior manner in which his exhibit of Wading Birds and Flying Gurnet was mounted. Mr. D. Le Souëf had a fine specimen of the gorgeous Himalayan Argus Pheasant, also one of Imperial Pheasant, page 102 and a very nice little collection of Indian and other Butterflies, Snakes, Lizards, &c. The conchological specimens (principally shells of the genus Cypræa) of Mr. J. F. Bailey proved very attractive, more especially as the exhibitor devoted most of the evening to affording visitors every information in connection with them. Mr. Bailey had also a fine lot of Minerals and Fossils collected during the past twelve months, as well as several cases of Insects. Deserving of mention also was Mr. W. R. Guilfoyle's exhibit, comprising four vols, of dried plants indigenous to the Colony, all arranged in their natural orders, and these, with his large photos, of the Wellingtonia gigantea, or mammoth tree, and Miss Guilfoyle's collection of Fish, &c., in alcohol, formed a most interesting group. Australian Insects were exceedingly well represented by portions of the cabinet collections of Messrs. D. Best and C. French. The former includes 350 species of Longicorn and 230 of Buprestis Beetles, as also a fine case of Hymenoptera, or Wasps;—the latter comprised a varied collection of four drawers Buprestis and one of Cetonia Beetles, a case each of Butterflies, Hawk-moths, and timber-feeding Moths, amongst all of which were many exceedingly rare and beautiful specimens. Mr. French had also a fine case of large Longicorns containing 52 species of the genus Batocera. In the case of beetles shown by Mr. F. H. Du Boulay were some rare species of some of the best families of Australian Coleoptera: this exhibitor had also a case of Butterflies. The sole exhibitor of Marine Algæ, Hydrozoa, and Bryozoa was Mr. H. Watts, whose carefully-prepared specimens, which were hung on the wall, attracted a good share of attention. Occupying a table by itself was a most interesting collection of 64 species of Victorian dried Ferns, very carefully mounted, and shown by Mr. F. Pitcher. Mr. J. E. Dixon's two cases representing Insect Architecture showed some of the many curious forms of habitation adopted by our hymenopterous and other insects, and evidently proves Mr. Dixon to be a close observer of their habits. A case containing a select series of the eggs and nests of the Australian Falconidæ was shown by Mr. A. J. Campbell, and Mr. P. Dattari exhibited a large case of very fine exotic Beetles. On a screen were hung a number of Native Weapons, &c., from Cape York and New Ireland, sent in by Messrs. T. G. and W. Sloane; and adjoining them were several Zulu assegais, from Mr. J. H. Matthias, who also showed specimens of the blue clay in which the diamonds are found at the South African fields. Mr. F. Wisewould had a number of Victorian Snakes, and the young of Native Bears and Opossums in various stages of development; and Mr. C. French, jun., had a very creditable case of Victorian Insects of his own collecting. Mr. J. F. Roberts exhibited two very curious plants, one being the rare Amorphophallus zebrina, and the other the equally rare orchid Cypripedium superbum. The complete collection of dried Epacridæ of the Grampians, recently presented to the Club by Mr. D. Sullivan, of Moyston, also formed an interesting exhibit. The Rev. J. J. Halley had in the kindest manner brought with him one of his Microscopes, but owing to his being so occupied with the Address and his Lecturette, he unfortunately had but little time to devote to it. A pleasing feature page 103 in connection with the exhibits was the collection of rare live ferns and other plants kindly lent for the occasion by Messrs. Law, Somner, and Co.

The President's Address.

"Another pleasant year has passed, and we again meet to celebrate our usual annual 'commencement,' as the University men say, by a Conversazione on the second recurrence of the anniversary of our opening day.

"The Field Naturalists' Club of Victoria now has on its Roll one hundred and forty ordinary members, including nearly all the best known Victorian lovers of Nature, and of the out-of-door exercise which is inseparable from the working of a Field Naturalists' Club, and which gives it both its great healthy attraction and' its peculiar usefulness. This substantial increase on the number of .last year is a very satisfactory proof of the favor with which the Club is viewed, and gives promise of increased prosperity and usefulness in the future. Amongst the Honorary Members, as you know, are the most distinguished Naturalists in every department of Natural Science in this and the other Australian Colonies.

"The papers read at the regular meetings during the year have embraced almost every branch of practical Natural History, and were as interesting as they were varied.

"The first paper of the year was a highly valuable one, by Mr. F. C. Christy, on the 'Lepidoptera of Japan.' Mr. Christy is a very old colonist, well known in the old time for his knowledge of English Lepidoptera, of which he had a considerable collection of his own taking or breeding, and who had begun to work well upon our Victorian Lepidopterous Fauna. He was thus well qualified, on going to Japan, to commence the study of the Lepidoptera of that country, and to quickly recognise the curious fact, which had struck previous observers, of the great resemblance of the Lepidopterous Fauna of Japan to that of Europe; many of the species even being identical. In this instance the great curiosity is that the near resemblance to the European Lepidopterous Fauna is much more striking than in many of the intervening countries at a less distance. Both the Moths and Butterflies show this curious agreement, and it is not at all confined to species which could in any probable way have been imported.

"Mr. H. Watts, who for many years has been well known as an industrious and successful investigator of our shore Fauna and Flora, has at several of the meetings exhibited and described many fine and interesting species of Sea-weeds, and that group of minute molluscoida, the Polyzoa, of which group our shores exhibit a greater variety than probably any other part of the world.

"Our illustrious colleague, Baron von Mueller, has contributed no less than three papers, during the year, on new or rare plants recently discovered,—one of them being the rare Orchid Pterostylis vittata found by members of the Club near Brighton. And, as of the Baron it may well be said that he adorns every subject which he page 104 touches, our transactions will have a lustre in his subjects for which we are all much beholden to him.

"Mr. W. H. Wooster, of Springfield, Goldie, has entered upon a series of interesting papers detailing his observations on the animals of his district. And here I might point out that the most interesting and important observations in every branch of Zoology hitherto published, at home and abroad, have been of the nature of local Faunas; as, similarly, the best works, containing the most valuable observations on living plants, are of the nature of local Floras. There is so much to observe everywhere, which has not yet been duly set down upon paper, that any persons confining themselves to the local natural productions of their own parish or township might write in time a most useful treatise which would last, like White's 'Natural History of Selborne,' or Paget's 'Natural History of Yarmouth,' or Mac-gillivray's 'Natural History of Dee-side,' as standard highly valued field contributions to knowledge for all time. It is astonishing also how little technical knowledge is necessary to begin such works or series of observations with, as one may see by noting the early life and mental condition of those charming describers of the natural objects of their districts under the greatest difficulties, Hugh Miller, of Cromarty, and Peach, of Cornwall. Mr. Wooster has already given us his observations on the Native Bear (Phascolarctos), Opossums, Bandicoots, &c., and is understood to be preparing early continuations of his observations on the lower animals of his locality for the Club. Observations such as these on the habits in a state of Nature of even our commonest animals are highly desirable, as so few of the observations made are accurately recorded; and nothing is more calculated to make our Club really useful to Science, as genuine field observations on any of the living inhabitants of our country.

"Our excellent Secretary, Mr. Best, has continued his papers on the 'Longicorn Coleoptera of Victoria.' These wood-eating beetles are wonderfully numerous in Australia, and although the grand series collected by that excellent Melbourne Entomologist, the late Dr. Howitt, never fails to excite my astonishment, yet not only Mr. Best but my excellent assistant in this department of the National Museum, Mr. W. Kershaw, have added to the series enormously, and new species are being added every year. Considering the injury done by the larvæ of these beetles, as well as those of the many wood-eating Lepidoptera, to the timber of our forest trees, it is astonishing that their natural enemies in other countries, the Wood-peckers, should be entirely absent from Australia.

"Another of our Entomological colleagues, Mr. C. French, has chiefly added to our transactions during the year by his papers on those favorite plants, our Native Ferns, his monograph on which will be completed in one more paper, already promised.

"Mr. D. Sullivan, of Moyston, has given two interesting papers of great value, as showing to our members the true type of a Field-Club paper, namely, local Fauna and Flora of the immediate neighbourhood of the dwelling-place of the observer. In this case, Mr. Sullivan has added greatly to the interest of that mountain range by page 105 giving us a 'Census of the Grampian Plants,' If we had such a census of the natural products of many other restricted localities in Victoria, we should be showing the great value of our Field Club, not only in making known many new species, but, what is still more valuable, noting and recording the habits and geographical distribution of species already known, His second paper adds to his reputation as a most diligent and observant collector in the same district of a very restricted group of plants representing in Australia the Heaths of similar latitudes in South Africa,—it is his monograph of the 'Epacridœ of the Grampians.' It is to be hoped that Mr. Sullivan, Mr. French, and our other botanical observers will give of their superfluous stores to form an Herbarium to be kept in the rooms of the Club for reference, and as a help and incentive to the other members desiring to attain a knowledge of the native plants of our Colony.

"Mr. J. F. Bailey, who has often added to our knowledge of Victorian Conchology, has given three papers on general Conchology during the year. And, similarly, Dr. Lucas has treated of general Geology, with the object of aiding the members who may be desirous of making field observations on the Geology of our locality.

"Mr. Goldstein, who is so practised an observer, and so skilful in preparing objects for the microscope, has given very interesting demonstrations of the 'Yeast-plant,' and the changes of the Protococcus.

"One of the most valuable and interesting of all the essays we have had contributed to our meetings is the admirable paper on the 'Marine Fauna of the Eastern coast of Australia,' by that accomplished comparative anatomist, Mr. W. A. Haswell, whose studies under the best observers of Germany and England render his settlement in this part of the world a lucky chance; for the working out of many problems concerning our Marine Fauna required just such skilled and well-trained observations as he is so well fitted to make and contribute to our literature from time to time.

"Mr. Le Souëf, the indefatigable Honorary Secretary of our Zoological and Acclimatisation Society, exhibited living specimens of the two largest serpents of our warm Northern frontier, namely, those Great Rock Snakes, the Carpet Snake (Morelia variegata), and the true Diamond Snake (Morelia spilotes), which are by some considered distinct species, and by others to be only varieties of the one. They are the peculiar Australian generic representatives of the Rock Snakes or Pythons of South Africa and India, and the Boas of South America.

"Two pleasant papers on the 'Carenums of Mulwala,' New South Wales, were contributed by Mr. Thomas G, Sloane, of that place; and the last for the year was by Mr. W. R. Guilfoyle, on the 'Pituri plant and its curious effects on the functions of animal life.

Field-Days.

"The Excursions of Members of the Club into the country on the 'Field-days' have been as well carried out and planned as formerly, and, considering the difficulties which most of the members, who are page 106 nearly all busy men, find in leaving their business by day, they have been fairly well attended. In all eases they have been productive of great enjoyment to the members, who, after reaching the locality chosen for the meeting, break up into little groups of twos or threes according to their particular studies; and, on re-uniting, the results have always been the acquisition of many rare and, of course, in a new field like this country, innumerable "new" or undescribed and unnamed species. The collections made during these excursions, when properly prepared, have usually been exhibited at the general conversaziones which are held at the end of each of the ordinary monthly meetings of the Society, and are a source of great enjoyment to all lovers of Nature, and show the advantages of a Field Club in bringing the natural products of a district under notice in a very striking and satisfactory way. The members are thus enabled to exchange their duplicate species of one locality for those of another, and every object suggests an interchange of observations and experiences of the collectors, which is so interesting and valuable that I am sure, if informally recorded in a kind of common-place book belonging to the Club, we should soon have a delightful volume which would be eagerly read both here and at home.

"A new interesting movement of practical utility for enabling the younger observers to learn the methods of preserving and setting up specimens of Birds, Fish, Insects, and Plants, &c., has been commenced during the past year with excellent results, and the information and instruction given at the meeting held for the purpose was so highly appreciated that several other meetings of the same kind will be held from time to time.

"A good commencement of a Natural History Library has now been made, and, in addition to various standard works furnished by the members and friends to the cause, the Club subscribes to several of the more important English periodicals on Natural History subjects.

The Future.

"Amongst the projects for the future it is intended to offer prizes to the pupils of the State Schools in the various parts of the Colony for the best collections of specimens of the natural productions of their locality, with papers relating to them; the papers and specimens to be sent in in time for the Annual Meeting and Conversazione next year. When we remember the great good which followed from my old friend, the late Rev. Professor Henslow, encouraging by prizes the formation of collections of Plants and Insects, and papers on their places of occurrence, &c., by the school children of his parish; and recall the delightful evidence which he has given of the growth of intelligent habits of observation and orderly records of facts in plain, clear, truthful language, by these young people of both sexes in Suffolk—the children often adding great varieties, and sometimes entirely new additions to the previous scientific records of the country, in which they often anticipated the Professor (to his great delight) in recognising—and remembering his evidence on the influence for good of such occupations on the character and habits in after-life as those children page 107 grew up, I think the Club is not only deserving of commendation for setting such an object before it, but that probably the Government, through the Education Department, might be inclined to lend a helping hand to the good work.

"I may now make a few suggestions for the next year's work. In the first place, so little is known and so much is ready to hand which, if carefully and accurately observed and recorded, would be a real addition to human knowledge, that every member of the Club may be assured that he can do really good work without any great sacrifice of time or money. Field observations are the main things wanted of members of the Club, and as I know that many a good observer is stopped on the threshold by not knowing the name of the object he desires to write about, and as a large proportion of the natural objects about us actually have no names, or are at present undescribed, I will mention an excellent plan to overcome this difficulty. In all cases, if you can get a specimen of the object, preserve it and designate it in your journal or note-book by a number; having distinguished it in this way, all your observations can go on unchecked. If you send such a numbered specimen to be preserved in the Museum of the Club, all the future observations on A, B, No. 1, or No. 50, &c., can be referred safely to the right species when that is determined, and each further observation on the given species might refer always to it under the same number, an index being made as you go on to show at what pages of your journal entries concerning No. so-and-so are to be found. In this way the observer need not stop to determine the species at first, and many a good observation may be saved that might otherwise be lost.

"The habits of few of our native quadrupeds are as yet well recorded, and anything added is worth having. The Birds are much better known than those of most countries, but of several species the nests and eggs are not well described. Of Reptiles, the Snakes are pretty well known, but the Lizards and their habits have been little observed. Of Frogs, the exact sounds uttered by the different kinds are scarcely recognised, although with a lantern in country gardens on Summer nights the determination of which sound belongs to which frog is easy. The metamorphoses and early habits of the immature young of the Sand-frogs and the Tree-frogs are scarcely known. Of all fishes, the time and seasons of coming, and going, and of spawning, have yet to be recorded in successive years by many observers. Of Mollusca, the males of our so-called Paper-Nautilus have not yet been found, and the habits of most of the other Cuttle-fishes would form an interesting record. The tongues, with their patterns of teeth, have yet to be figured for most of our univalve shells. And the general distribution of the bivalves, and especially the soft Ascidian Molluscoids, have yet to be recorded. The soft compound Ascidians, which abound on our shores after storms, or which are easily dredged, have often the most strikingly beautiful colors when fresh, which disappear shortly after death; and the record of these, either by description, or, better still, by the aid of a box of moist colors, would be good work for a Field Naturalists' Club, and which none other can so well be expected to do. Very few of the Worms, page 108 either of land or sea, are yet known of their proper living colors, and these, with their habits and distribution, are to be noted. Of Insects, the multitude unknown is almost unlimited. The late Dr. Howitt here, and his friend, Mr. Bakewell in London, working together, have done wonders with the Coleoptera or Beetles: and his collections bequeathed to the University are now under my care, and available to the members of the Club for reference; but the other orders have been little worked, and I have many hundreds of new species of Neuroptera, Diptera, Lepidoptera, Hymenoptera, and the lower types, as well as of the Arachnida, or spiders, from the neighbourhood of Melbourne. The chief good work for the members of our Field-Club in connection with these is the observation and record of habits, the breeding and noting the larvæ with their food, habits and cocoons of the Lepidoptera, and the habits and colored drawings from life of the Spiders, with their webs, trap-doors, and other food-catching or dwelling structures. The attempt to describe the new species without the means of referring to the great European Collections, and the extensive literature of every group in all the languages of Europe, is only likely to burden the subject with useless synonyms. The Zoophytes, or Corals, and Hydroida, as well as the Echinodermata, or Sea-Urchins, and Star-fish, are pretty well-known from dried specimens, but their colors when alive, and particularly of the Sea-Anemones, are only partially known. From time to time the Decades of the Zoology of Victoria, which I am publishing for the Government, will give some help in identifying many objects on which further field observations may well be made; and the Southern Science Record, published by some members of the Club, affords a vehicle for publication which will give zest to the coming year's labors.

"And now, with many hearty good wishes for the success of the Club, I must again thank you for your kindness in enabling me to address you a second time as President."

The audience, having enjoyed a pleasant evening's entertainment, gradually dispersed, and the second Annual Conversazione of the Field Naturalists' Club of Victoria terminated shortly after 10 o'clock.

The Royal Society of Victoria.

The ordinary meeting of this society was held on the 20th April, Mr. R. L. J. Ellery, the President, in the chair. A number of new members were elected.

Mr. James Stirling read a paper on "The Phanerogamia of the Mitta Mitta District," in which, he gave an interesting description of flora found in that neighbourhood.

A paper was read by Mr. W. W. Culcheth, C.E., on "Notes on Irrigation," which occasioned some discussion, in the course of which, Mr. Kernot expressed a doubt whether successful irrigation was not impracticable in this country, on account of the high price of labor. Mr. Culcheth said, he thought, the labor difficulty might be overcome, and he knew of no conditions which would render an irrigation scheme impracticable here.

The Microscopical Society of Victoria.

The usual monthly meeting of the Microscopical Society of Victoria was held on the 27th April. The Vice-President (Rev. J. J. Halley) occupied the chair, and there was a fair attendance of members.

Mr. G. Matthews, of Ballarat, was nominated as a country member.

The Acting Secretary acknowledged receipt of the February number of the Journal of the Royal Microscopical Society, and the Proceedings of the Linnean Society of New South Wales, vol. vi, part 4.

Mr. Bale submitted a design for a Stage-micrometer, in which a plate bearing the slide is moved across the stage against an opposing spring by a fine screw with graduated head: the eye-piece being furnished with a single cobweb, or silk fibre, the screw is turned till one extremity of the object is coincident with the cobweb, then turned further till the image of the object has completely crossed it; the number of the divisions of the screw-head which have passed an index point giving the diameter of the object. This system of micrometry does not appear to be in use in England, but in some German microscopes it is applied to one of the screws which control the stage-movements.

Mr. Allen exhibited an interesting Lichen, found in the Cape Otway forest, belonging to the genus Cladonia, and known as the Coral Lichen.

Mr. Halley described his visits to the principal Microscopical Societies of England, and gave an interesting account of the Royal Microscopical Society and the Quekett Club, also of the Leeuwen-hoek Club, of Manchester, which is limited to seven members, who meet at each other's houses in rotation.

Among the exhibits were some sections of Australian plants, double-stained very successfully by the Rev. T. Porter, also a variable low-power objective by Zeiss, shown by the same gentleman, and Synapta spicules, Trichina spiralis in human muscle, Meridion circulare, a species of Schizonema, and other diatoms, shown by Mr. Halley.

The Royal Society of New South Wales.

The annual meeting of the Royal Society of New South Wales was held on 3rd May, in the Society's large hall, Elizabeth street. There was a good attendance, and Mr. H. C. Russell, the president, occupied the chair.

Several new members were introduced.

The balance-sheet showed that the receipts for the year, including a balance in the Union Bank of £8 15s. 7d., were £1,048 0s. 3d., while the expenditure was £987 7s. 10d., leaving a balance in the bank of £60 12s. 5d. The building fund account showed a balance in hand of £35 12s. 3d., and the Clarke memorial fund account, £218 2s. 3., which is placed in the Oriental Bank as a fixed deposit.

The motion was put, and adopted unanimously.

The ballot for the election of the officers and council was taken, and the result afterwards announced as follows:—President, Mr. Chr. Eolleston, C.M.G.: Vice-Presidents, Messrs. Robert Hunt, F.G.S., and F. N. Manning, M.D.; Hon. Treasurer, Mr. H. G. A. Wright, M.R.C.S.E., and L.S.A., Lond.; Hon. Secretaries, Professor Liversidge and Dr. Leibius; members of council, Messrs. H. C. Russell, B.A., F.R.A.S., W. A. Dixon, F.C.S., C. S. Wilkinson, F.G.S., Charles Moore, F.L.S., G. D. Hirst, W. G. Murray.

The following new members were also elected:—Messrs. Samuel Corn well, jun., Fletcher Dixon, Alfred G. Milson, James Milson, Alexander James O'Reilly, B.A., (Cantab.), Alfred Shewen, Mark W. Trail, Sydney A. Want.

Reports from the sectional committees were read, showing that the following officers had been elected for the session:—Microscopy: Chairman, H. G. A. Wright, M.R.C.S.E.; Secretary, P. R. Pedley; Committee, Dr. Ewan, F. B. Kyngdon, G. D. Hirst, H. O. Walker. Medical: Chairman, Dr. P. Sydney Jones; Secretaries, Dr. H. N. Maclaurin, Thomas Evans, M.R.C.S.E.; Committee, T.C.Morgan, L.R.C.S., Edin., A. Roberts, M.R.C.S.E., Dr. Mackellar, G. Bedford, M.R.C.S.E., Dr. Craig Dixson, Dr. Ewan^*

The Linnean Society of New South Wales.

The monthly meeting of this Society was held on Wednesday evening, 26th April, at the Free Public Library, the President, Dr. James C. Cox, F.L.S., in the chair. Dr. William Williams, Darling-hurst-road, was elected a member of the Society. The following donations were acknowledged:—Southern Science Record, vol, 2, No. 3, March, 1882; Eucalyptographia, 8th Decade, by Baron Ferd. von Müeller, K.C.M.G.; Journal of the Microscopical Society of Victoria, vol. 1, No. 4, vol. 2, No. 1; Results of Rain and River Observations in New South Wales during 1881, by Mr. H. C. Russell, Government Astronomer; Catalogue of the stalk and sessile-eyed Crustacea of Australia, by Mr. William A. Haswell, M.A., &c., from the Australian Museum. The following papers were read:—L. Botanical Notes in Queensland, part 2, by the Rev. J. E. Tenison-Woods, F.L.S. 2. Description of a new Gobieso from Tasmania, by Mr. E. P. Ramsay, F.L.S. 3. Descriptions of Australian Micro-lepidoptera, No. vii., by Mr. E. Meyrick, B.A. 4. Notes on a species of fly (Stomoxys) said to have caused the death of several persons in New Caledonia, by the Hon. William Macleay, M.L,C. Mr. Brazier exhibited part 4 of the page 112 French "Journal de Conchologie," 1881, with a plate showing a splendid figure of his Bulimus Rossiteri, described in page 586 of vol. vi of the Proceedings of the Linnean Society of New South Wales. Also a specimen of his new Partula Layardi, from Havanah Harbour, Vate, or Sandwich Island, New Hebrides, and an albino variety of the species from the same locality. Dr. Cox exhibited and read a descriptive note on a stone hatchet from Barranjoey, Broken Bay. The Curator of the Australian Museum exhibited collections illustrative of the fauna of Lord Howe Island, which had been recently obtained there by Mr. Alexander Morton, including the following:—Birds: Porphyris melanotus, Strepera crissalis, Porphyria melanotus, Procellaria Gouldii; Halcyon vagans, Dactylositta trivirgata. Echini: Strongylocentratus (sp.?), Hipponœ esculentus, Echinometra lacunter, Breynia Australasia. Geological specimens: 20 specimens of various rocks, from the sea-level to a height of 2,840 feet: some specimens of recently formed rocks, containing semi-fossilized shells of Bulimus divaricatus and Helix (sp.?), and portions of the carapace of a turtle. Mollusca: Five recent species of land shells, Helix sophiœ, Helix textrix, Helix (sp.?), Vitrina Hillii, Bulimus divaricatus, two species of oysters — Ostrea mordax, Ostrea cuculiata; Tridacna elongata. Corals: Tulipora (sp. P), and a large reef-coral. Fishes: two species of Serranus, and about 10 species of rock fish (Labrida?). Mr. Ramsay also exhibited a native head-dress, from New Guinea, beautifully ornamented with the feathers of the Paradise Bird. The Rev. J. E, Tenison-Woods exhibited, among other rare Bryozoa from New Caledonia, a specimen belonging to a new genus, cup-shaped, with the cells on the external surface. A special vote of thanks was accorded to Dr. R. R. Read for his donation of a very rare and valuable book, "Figures of Molluscous Animals, selected from various authors, etched for the use of students, by Mrs. Maria Emma Gray." This example was a presentation copy from Mrs. Gray to T. P. Woodward, and contains a large number of MS. notes and corrections.

Royal Society of South Australia.

At the usual monthly meeting of this Society, held on Tuesday evening, May 2, there was a good attendance of members, His Honor Chief Justice Way occupying the chair as President.

The Hon. Secretary announced a long list of donations to the library; also that the Waterworks Department had forwarded specimens of the strata gone through in the well-boring at the Waterworks Yard on the North-East Park Lands.

Mr. D. B. Adamson showed a very ingenious planetary map of the Southern Hemisphere, whereby the position or time of rising or setting of any indicated star or planet may be discovered almost instantaneously, and at any time of the day or night.

Professor R. Tate directed attention to a pseudo-morphid of quartz after calcite, forwarded by Mr. J. G. O. Tepper from Clarendon. The same gentleman had also forwarded a piece of fluor spar and a presumed fossil in slate from Field's River.

Mr. S. Pollitzer mentioned that during an excursion to the neighbourhood of Field's River in search of the traces of the glacial period in this colony, some time ago discovered by Professor Tate, he had found a large block of granite, quite distinct from the prevailing geological character of the district; and Professor Tate stated, in reply, that Mr. Stirling Smeaton had also found traces of the same erratic character further north.

Dr. E. C. Stirling exhibited and explained Williams's Freezing Microtome, intended for making large sections of animal tissues for microscopical purposes by the medium of ice and gum solution. The instrument may be popularly described thus:—A cylindrical wooden box, about six inches diameter and six inches high, having a metal cylinder in the centre, is filled with equal parts of ice and salt. This is then covered with a glass lid, having in the centre a small round or square metal plate. On this plate the tissue to be operated upon is gummed after being saturated with highly concentrated gum solution. This metal plate comes into contact with the cylinder, passing through the middle of the ice and salt mixture, and the gum above is consequently frozen; but as it freezes in its natural state without undergoing crystallization, it enables the razor to cut the frozen tissue without fracturing it. The razor is mounted in a frame, regulated by set-screws, enabling the operator to shave off a section 1/600 of an inch in thickness, or even thinner. Dr. Stirling exhibited several large sections of animal tissues, mounted for microscopical purposes, as made by the use of this instrument, and remarked that one possessed an historical interest. He explained that when in England lately he made application to the Home Secretary for licence to try some experiments upon dumb animals, with a view to testing the virtues of ligatures made from the sinews from kangaroo-tails, which he believed to be far superior to those made of "cat-gut," so-called, because the latter, being made by a process of partial decomposition, were liable to melt away within twenty-four hours when used as a ligature around an artery, and thus occasion great danger to the patient; but the sinews from the kangaroo tails, being in a natural state, would last for many days, and in the meantime a proper closure of the artery would take place, and the ligature would in time be absorbed. The Home Secretary, in his wisdom, refused the application, and he was obliged to wait for an opportunity to try the experiment upon a human subject. This opportunity occurred, and proved to be eminently successful, though the patient died. The death, however, occurred through other causes, and the ligature was then examined, after a lapse of ten days, and it was found that the artery was properly closed, whilst the ligature was in process of absorption, as shown by the section of the artery now exhibited by him. Some discussion followed upon this, and in answer to questions, Dr. Stirling said he considered the sinews made ligatures far superior to any others known.

Professor Tate mentioned that whilst in the Northern Territory he had seen Mr, Foelsche, who had shown him the several plants used by the natives there medicinally, including the Sarcostemma australe, which, it had been stated, was used by the natives as a remedy for page 114 small-pox. As the disease supposed to be small-pox had not prevailed amongst the natives there since the occupation by the present white population, there were no means of ascertaining the reputed virtue of the plant, which extended as far south as the vicinity of Port Augusta, or even further, and during one period of water famine had supported horned cattle for some time by milky juice, when eaten by them.

The President asked if it was known when the last epidemic of supposed small-pox occurred in South Australia, and the Assistant Secretary stated that in the early part of 1839, when he arrived here, many of the natives were much pitted with marks, which they ascribed to a visitation just previous to the advent of the white men on these shores. Other speakers followed, and it was mentioned as a curious circumstance that the disease, which appeared to be so fatal to the aborigines, seemed never to have been communicated to the white settlers; but it was also pointed out that the epidemic in South Australia occurred before its settlement by Europeans, whilst that in the Northern Territory occurred after the abandonment of Port Essington, and before the advent at Port Darwin of the present settlers.

The Assistant Secretary mentioned that he had noticed great quantities of blood exuding through the skin and at the caudal extremities of some Port Jackson sharks which he had caught and carefully abstained from wounding in any manner. The body on the softer parts assumed a red blotched appearance, and the blood seemed to come out like a perspiration whilst the sharks were dying.

The Hon. Secretary stated that Mr. W. L. Wragge, one of the members, had received the gold medal of the Scottish Meteorological Society for a valuable series of observations taken during several months on Ben Nevis, Mr. Wragge taking the higher station, and Mrs. Wragge recording at the lower one at Fort Willian.

The paper upon "Diurnal Lepidoptera of Balhannah District," being almost purely technical, was taken as read, Professor Tate giving a brief résumé of its contents; and the same course was adopted with Mr. J. G. O. Tepper's paper upon "Some South Australian Lizards."

The Eoyal Society of Tasmania.

A monthly meeting of this Society, the first of the present session, was held at the Museum, on Monday, April 17, Mr. Justin McC. Brown in the chair.

Mr. W. F. Ward, Government Analyst, who had previously been nominated by the Council, was balloted for, and declared unanimously elected as a Fellow of the Society.

The Hon. Secretary (Mr. Barnard) brought forward the usual returns.

The Secretary called special attention to the extent and value of the donation (No. 10), from the Trustees of the Australian Museum, as an act of great liberality, especially coupled with the promise of a future gift of skins of New Guinea Birds, whenever mounted specimens are available for the purpose. "In exchange, the Trustees page 115 would be glad to receive skins or skeletons of Thylacines (Native Tigers), and skulls or skeletons of small Whales; also fresh-water Fishes and Crustaceans."

The Secretary read a letter from Baron F. von Mueller, K.C.M.G., with a short paper, entitled, "Remarks on the Vegetation of King's Island."

Mr. R. M. Johnston, F.L.S., followed with a "Note and Description of the first discovered representative of the Genus Pupa in Tasmania," with a drawing of the Shell.

The meeting closed with a vote of thanks to the writers of the papers, and to the donors to the Museum, making especial mention of the presentation of Birds from the Australian Museum, and of Shells from Miss Lodder.

At 8 o'clock the members adjourned to the upper rooms of the Museum, when an exhibition of the telephone took place, at which a number of ladies were present by invitation. Mr. R. Henry, the superintendent of telegraphs, conducted the proceedings, and commenced by giving a lucid and interesting description of the construction and uses of the instrument. Communication was made with Pearson's Point, Mount Nelson, and Battery Point; the extreme distance traversed being about 20 miles. The experiments were very successful, and afforded much gratification to those who witnessed them. Twelve telephones were employed on the occasion, by which means the various messages and replies were made audible to a number of persons simultaneously. In addition to conversation held between the several stations, music and singing were introduced, the airs being distinctly heard in the room.

In conclusion, Mr. Henry gave explanations of the working of the phonograph and microphone, which were attentively listened to.