160 FOUNDATION AND EARLY WOEK 



R.S. TAS. 



port to tlie Government on this subject; and at about 

 the same time experiments were carried out at the Ci-ystal 

 Palace, with a view to determine the most suitable tem- 

 perature and thei best means of obviating unfavourable 

 conditions of climate, etc., in th© course of the voyage to 

 Tasmania. (75) 



The Report for 1860 mentions the introduction of tench 

 into the pond at the Gardens ; and large numbers of this 

 fish were afterwards distributed throughout Tasmania. 



The Secretaries. 



Early in 1860, Dr. Milligan, -Who had served the Society 

 since 1848, obtained 18 months leave of absence to enable 

 him to visit England; and the Society placed on record 

 its appreciation of his services. Dr. Milligan did not re- 

 turn to Tasmania; but he did not forget th© Society, and 

 presentations to our Library and Museunij reached us al- 

 mo'st yearly until his death. He died in 1884, and by his 

 will he left the Society the sum of £350. 



The Honorable William Archer, F.L.S., M.H.A., (76) 

 acted as Secretary until July, 1861. Mr. Archer was a 

 botanist of some distinction, and to him, jointly with R. 

 C. Gunn, Hooker dedicated his Flora of Tasmania. 



In July, 1861, Dr. (after Sir James) Agnew became 

 Honorar}^ Secretary. Dr. Agnew remained Honorary Sec^ 

 retary until a time within the memory of most of the pre- 

 sent members; and the Reports for many years contain 

 tributes to the distinguished services he gave to the Society. 



The New Museum. 



With a reference to the building of the present Museum, 

 this narrative will fitly come towards a conclusion. To 

 the stim raised by the Society bj subscription, the Govern- 

 ment added £3,000; and when the sit© was at last settled 

 in 1860, a contract was let to Messrs. Seabrook and Son 

 to erect a building to designs by Mr. Henry Hunter. 



The portion of the building then erected was the two 

 rooms at the corner of Argyle and Macquarie Streets, the 

 two galleries paralle'i to Macquarie-street, and the entrance 

 hall and stairs. The total cost, with fittings, was about 

 £4,800. 



On 29th January, 1863, the Society held its first meet- 

 ing in th© new building, which, twice enlarged, has now 

 been our home for over 50 years. 



(75) /^ei9o/<, 1869, p. 24. 



(76) See Mr. Maiden's Records of Tasmanlan Botanists, tliese Papers 

 and Proceedings, iy09, p. 11. 



