Proceedings of tJte Royal Society of Victoria. 13'J 



used, what was the need of bringing it here at all ? ]\Ir. 

 Bosisto's evidence regarding the arsenic was most important. 

 Wh}'' go to an unknown and possibly very dangerous agent, 

 when the desired object could be effected by a cheap and 

 possibly safe one ? 



The motion was put and cairied unanimously. 



Thursday, April 12th. 

 The President in the Chair. 



THE AUSTRALASIAN ASSOCIATION. 



The President said that a communication had been 

 received from Professor Liversidge intimating that the 

 Australasian Association for the Advancement of Science, 

 having been duly established, with the concurrence and 

 support of almost the whole of the scientific and learned 

 societies throughout the colonies, the first general meetino- 

 of the Association would be held in Sydney, on the 4th 

 September next, and continue for several days following. 

 The Association, it would be remembered, arose out of a 

 proposal made by Professor Liversidge in November 18S6, 

 on which occasion a meeting was held at the Royal 

 Societj^'s House in Sydney, under the presidency of 

 Mr. Russell, and at which a large number of the learned, 

 scientific, and professional societies of New South Wales, 

 New Zealand, South Australia, Tasmania and Victoria wej-e 

 represented. At that meeting it was resolved unanimously 

 that the Association should be formed on the lines of the 

 British Association, and that the first meeting should take 

 place in the Centennial year, 18S8. The time was 

 approaching for the holding of that meeting, and it was 

 hoped that the members of the Roj^al Society of Victoria 

 would not be slow in supporting so desirable a movement. 

 The Association did not propose to trench upon the 

 operations of oi' interfere with any existing scientific body. 

 Its meetings were intended to be annual, as were those of 

 the British Association. The first meeting would be held, 

 as already arranged, in Sydney, and the second meeting, 

 it was almost certain, would be held in Melbourne. Those 

 annual meetings on the lines of the British Association 

 would unquestionably do great good. They would bring 

 scientific men together, and would enable those who had 

 been working on different lines to come into personal 



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