ROYAL SOCIETY. 



APRIL. 1888, 



The opening meeting of the ISSS session of the Royal Society of 

 Tasmania took place on Monday evening, April 23rcl, and was held in 

 the upper room of the new wing recently added to the Museum, which is 

 intended to be ultimately used as a temporary picture gallery, but was 

 made use of last night for the special purpose of permitting some technical 

 subjects to be dealt with by the aid of bome large apparatus for illus- 

 tration. A large number of Fellows, and an unusually large number of 

 visitors were present, including Sir Thomas Brady, the Inspector of 

 Fisheries for Ireland, who accompanied Sir Kobert and Lady Hamilton 

 and a party from Government House. 



His Excellency the Goverxor, who took the chair as President of the 

 Society, said : Ladies and gentlemen, let me first say how pleased I am 

 to see such a large gathering here this evening. The fact of the 

 addition of these two fine rooms to the Museum buildings enabled the 

 Council of the Royal Society on this occasion to depart from the usual 

 programme of opening nights, and instead of having papers read and 

 discussions upon the.-n, to have a meeting more of the character of a 

 conversazione, with the exhibition of certain mechanical processes. But 

 we have also another item on the programme here this evening which I 

 think will interest you all. There was no matter which the Royal 

 Society took up last year which was of greater interest than the 

 introduction of a new supply of salmon ova under the supv,fiutendence 

 of Sir Thomas Brady. (Cheers.) As you all know, it was through the 

 liberality of Dr. Agnew that this experiment was enabled to be tried, 

 and I am sure you will all regret, as I do, the absence of that gentleman 

 this evening. (Cheers.) I begged him to come and stay at Government 

 House and meet Sir Thomas Brady, and be present at the unpacking of 

 the ova, but he was most unfortunately prevented. Sir Thomas Brady, 

 as j'ou are no doubt aware, has arrived. The Council has made him an 

 Hon. Member of tiiis Society, and he has been good enough to undertake 

 to make a few remarks upon the work he took in hand for this Society. 

 From the columns of the Press we have heard a good deal about what 

 has happened since the ova arrived here, but a great deal of the work 

 began before the ova arrived here, and we hope to hear from Sir Thomas 

 some account of this work, and I do not think I need ask you to give 

 him, what I am sure you will give him, a very warm reception. (Cheer.s.) 

 It would be unreasonable to expect Sir Thomas Brady would to-night 

 give us an elaborate paper, for tlic preparation of wliich he would have 

 had but very little time, and all that we can expect him is to give us the 

 salient points of his observations, and tlie steps he took to ensure 

 success. After he has expressed these to us I would ask him to be kind 

 enough to tell us what his opinion is as to the fish we really have here, 

 for I am sure it would be very interesting to have his opinion. I am not 

 going to anticipate anything he will say to you, but there is one point I 

 particularly wish to notice, lie will tell you that tlirough the kindness 

 of Mr. Robert Moore, of Londonderry, not only was tiiis ova given 

 gratuitously, but that gentleman's hatcheries and men were placed at the 

 disposal of Sir Thomas Brady so as to allow the ova to be developed 

 into that state moat suitable for the voyage. I think the colony owes 

 a great deal of gratitude to Mr. Moore. (Cheers). I will not detain 



