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WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 25th, 1907. 



Tlie Ordinary Monthly Meeting of the Society was held in 

 the Linnean Hall, Ithaca Road, Elizabeth Bay, on Wednesday 

 evening, September 25th, 1907, 



Mr. J. H. Maiden, F.L.S., &c., Vice-President, in the Chair. 



The Donations and Exchanges received since the previous 

 Monthly Meeting, amounting to 15 Vols., 67 Parts or Nos., 28 

 Bulletins, 2 Reports, and 1 Pamphlet, received from 50 

 Societies, &c., and 2 Individuals, were laid upon the table. 



DISCUSSION : NOTES AND EXHIBITS. 



The Chairman invited discussion upon the points raised in Dr. 

 J. B. Cleland's "Note on the resistance of the Vegetation of 

 Australia to Bush-Fires, and the Antiquity of the Australian 

 Aboriginal," communicated at the last Meeting. Messrs. 

 Fletcher, A. G. Hamilton, W. M. Carne, Baker, A. A. Hamilton, 

 Cheel, J. F. Campbell, Dr. Woolnough, Professor David, and the 

 Chairman took part in the discussion; the Secretary also com- 

 municated an interesting note from Mr. T. Stephens, of Hobart, 

 bearing on the subject. Evidence was adduced showing that 

 many Australian plants offered evident and characteristic 

 examples of adaption to arid conditions or the concomitant 

 circumstances, with which the Aboriginal was not in any way 

 concerned. Wattles in some cases will germinate freely without 

 any assistance from fires. The case of Lyperanthus nigricans 

 was comparable with that of certain Cape bulbs (Cyrtanthus)^ 

 both being examples of plants which are propagated largely b}^ 

 vegetative means, and in which the vegetative energy needs a 

 50 



