246 Froceedings of the Royal Society of Victoria. 



The law said that, if the man had a sufficient idea of right 

 or wrong, he was responsible. The Executive sometimes 

 stepped in and, as he thought, wiongly pardoned the man 

 who was a danger to society. In one of our asylums there 

 was a terrible case of homicidal mania, and in his opinion, 

 that man should be removed simply for the protection ot 

 society. 



Mr. RusDEN called attention to an article in the Forum, 

 on the Elmira Prison in America. The conclusion it drew 

 was that, wliile the population was increasing three per cent, 

 the criminality was increasing fift}' per cent., and the writer 

 attributed that result to the humanitarian treatment of 

 criminals. 



After a few words in reply by Mr. Sutherland, on the 

 motion of C'olonel Goldstein, seconded by Professor Orme 

 Masson, the discussion v^as adjourned to the next meeting. 



Thursday, June 9th. 



The President (Professor Kernot) occupied the chair. 



The minutes of the preceding meeting were I'ead and 

 confirmed. 



Mr. J. B. Pritchard, an Associate, signed the Roll and was 

 introduced to the meeting. 



The Librarian reported that 1 14 publications had been 

 received since the last meeting. 



Mr. Sutherland read a paper " On the Nest and Eggs of 

 the Victoria Rifle Bird " (Ptilorhis victorise), by Mr. D. 

 Le Souef 



The discussion on " The Responsibilty of Criminals " was 

 resumed. 



Colonel Goldstein said that, in continuing the discussion 

 of M)\ Alex. Sutherland's paper on " The Resjjonsibilit}'^ of 

 C'riminals" i-ead at ti)e last meeting, it would be necessary 

 to state a few of the difficulties that occurred to the unscien- 

 tific public mind, which tended to prevent the formation of 

 just opinions on the subject. One difficulty was the great 

 divergence ajjparent between tlie views advanced by those 



