OF NEAV SOUTH WALES. 87 



The President of the Society, the Rev. W. B. Clarke, M.A., read 

 on the occasion of the annual meeting on the 12th May a very 

 lengthy address on a variety of subjects of the greatest interest to 

 the naturalist. The matter chiefly dwelt upon, however, was the 

 scientific results of the Challenger expedition, and a most elaborate 

 and interesting account of the wonderful deep-sea discoveries of 

 Professor Wyville Thomson and his able assistants takes up the 

 largest portion of this very able address. The reverend gentleman 

 has since supplemented his address by reading at a meeting of the 

 society only a month ago a further account of the Challenger dis- 

 coveries, bringing in fact our knowledge of their proceedings down 

 to the present day. 



A very useful little volume has been published during the year, 

 at the Government Printing Office, by the direction of the Hon. 

 John Lucas, Minister for Mines. It is entitled " Mines and 

 Mineral Statistics of New South Wales," and contains : — Notes on 

 the geological collection of the Department of Mines. By Charles 

 Wilkinson, Esq., Government geologist. — Remarks on the sedi- 

 mentary formations of New South Wales. By the Rev. W. B. 

 Clarke, M.A., F.G.S., F.R.G.S., &c. — Notes on the iron and coal 

 deposits of Wallerawang, and , on the diamond fields. By Professor 

 Liversidge, F.C.S., F.G.S., &c. ; and reports from the Wardens of 

 the various gold mining districts of the colony. 



Another work of a very useful character has just issued, or is 

 about to issue from the Government Printing Press. It is the 

 first part of a work on the birds of Australia, by E. P. Ramsay, 

 F.L.S., &c, Curator of the Australian Museum. The part now 

 published comprehends the whole of the raptorial birds, and if the 

 work is completed in the same careful and correct way as the first 

 part, it will prove of the greatest value to the ornithologist. 



I have not been able to hear of any Botanical publication in New 

 South Wales during the year.* 



In the colony of Victoria there are several societies of a more or 

 less scientific character. 



* This is a mistake. I find that (luring the year a very beautiful illustrated work on 

 the Orchids of Australia has been printed at the Government Printing Office by Mr. Fitz- 

 gerald of the Lands Department. 



