400 TITE PROCEEDINGS OF THE LINNEAN SOCIETY 



The Royal Society of New South Wales has published a volume 

 of its Transactions during the year, which contains the proceed- 

 ings of the previous year — 1875. I have not been able to 

 ascertain that any portion of the proceedings of 1876 have been 

 published, nor do I know whether any Papers bearing on Natural 

 History have been read at its meetings, excepting two, which 

 have appeared in the columns of the Herald. 



On the Periodicity of Droughts. By Mr. Russell, Govern- 

 ment Astronomer ; and, 

 On the Effects of Forests on Climate. By the Rev. W. B. 

 Clarke, F.R.S., &c, &c. 



Of publications not connected with any Society, there have 

 been several throughout the year. Mr. Fitzgerald has issued the 

 second part of his beautifully illustrated work on Australian 

 Orchids ; Professor Liversidge has given us a treatise on the 

 Minerals of New South Wales ; and, from the Department of 

 Mines, comes a " Report of Progress of the Geological Survey of 

 New South Wales," by C. S. Wilkinson, F.G.S , Government 

 Geologist, with " Descriptive Notes on the Tertiary Flora of 

 New South Wales," by Baron F. Von Mueller, C.M.G., M. 

 and Ph. D., F.R.S. 



In the neighbouring colony of Victoria considerable progress has 

 been exhibited during the past year in scientific research, but 

 not much in those branches of science which are usually 

 comprised under the term Natural History. The Papers read at 

 the meetings of the Royal Society of Victoria related exclusively 

 to Astronomy, Chemistry, Mathematics, and Mechanics. 



The Medical Society of Victoria, also, has been doing good work. 

 A number of Papei's have been read of scientific merit, and 

 considerable interest has been excited by discussions upon the 

 subject of the efficacy of the injection of ammonia into the veins 

 in cases of snake poisoning, but the mass of the Papers have been 



