676 president's address. 



time to devote to writing as fully as I could have desired, upon 

 subjects of natural histor}-. Under such, circumstances it is a 

 consolation for me to know that the Society has not suffered by 

 the inability on my part to contribute more largely, for I have 

 the satisfaction to state that during my tenure of office there has 

 been no lack of interesting papers furnished by the scientific 

 labours of its members, and read at our monthly meetings, 

 which exhibit a steadily progressivejsupply of fresh and reliable 

 materials illustrative of Australian objects. It cannot, therefore, 

 but be anticipated from the'results already obtained, that year 

 after year the uniform progress of a literature appropriated to the 

 diffusion and advancement of science will be consistently main- 

 tained, incited as it is by the many additional charms presented 

 by a country where so many treasures still lie unexplored. 



Three parts of our proceedings for 1882 have already appeared 

 in print, and have been distributed not only among our own 

 members, but also freely to many of the kindred institutions at 

 home and abroad. These, I am happy to say, have been 

 favourably reviewed in all, and they are many, of the scientific 

 periodicals of the day, which 1 and several others have had the 

 opportunity of perusing, and I entertain no doubt that the 4th 

 Part, which will complete our 7th Yolume, will meet with 

 similar approval. 



Twenty-six members have been elected during 1882, and I 

 deeply regret to add that the Society has lost by death four 

 highly esteemed members, namel}^ Dr. Alleyne, M.D., President of 

 the Medical Board, Mr. William Forster, M.L.A., the Hon. S. 

 D. Gordon, M.L.C., and Sir William Macarthur. These gentle- 

 men have been for very many years past so well and so 

 honourably known — I may say throughout the length and 

 breadth of the land — that it is sufficient for me simply to record 

 their deaths to ensure a sorrowful feeling at the loss of such friends. 



It will thus be seen that the number of additional members on 

 the Society's muster-roll since my last address has steadily 



