president's address. 707 



was the author of several important contributions to Australian 

 geology, partly published in the Annual Reports of the Depart- 

 ment of Mines, partly in the Proceedings of the Royal Society of 

 N.S. Wales, partly in those of this Society. His duties took him 

 frequently away from Sydney to various parts of the country ; 

 but when in town he was a regular attendant at the meetings of 

 this Society, of which he was President in the years 1884 and 

 1885. His contributions to the Proceedings of this Society were 

 the following : — 



(1) Notes on a collection of Geological specimens collected by 

 William Macleay, Esq., F.L.S., from the Coasts of New Guinea, 

 Cape Yorke, and the neighbouring Islands. [Vol. I., p. 113.] 



(2) Notes on the Abercrombie Caves. [Vol. iv., p. 460.] 



(3) Notes on some Customs of the Aborigines of the Albert 

 District, New South Wales. [Vol. VIII -> P- 436.] 



(4) Presidential Address, 1884. [Vol. viil, p. 535.] 



(5) Presidential Address, 1885. [Vol. ix., p. 1207.] 

 Kenrick Harold Bennett, who died on June 30th, was one of 



that unfortunately not too numerous school of educated bush- 

 naturalists, who spending their lives in the country, engaged in 

 pastoral and other pursuits, are yet sufficiently in touch with 

 societies such as ours, to permit of their observations bein» 

 recorded and utilised. Mr. Bennett's observations were chiefly 

 on birds — their habits, their nesting, and their eggs ; and he 

 contributed a number of new facts in connection with these 

 subjects, many embodied in Mr. A. J. North's " Catalogue of 

 Birds' Nests and Eggs," published by the Australian Museum ; 

 but he at one time devoted much attention to native weapons, 

 implements, and utensils, in which he" was well versed. Several 

 papers from his pen have been published in the " Proceedings " of 

 this Society. 



More recently we have to deplore also the death of Sir William 



Macleay, to whom this Society owes, if not its very existence, at 



least its prosperous maintenance for a good many years, and to 



whom Australian Science is indebted for many benefits. William 



46 



