NOTES ON THE PUBLICATIONS OF THE 

 ROYAL SOCIETY OF TASMANIA. • 



By Fritz Noetling, M.A., Ph.D., etc. 

 (Read nth April, 1910.) 



I. THE PUBLICATIONS OF THE TASMANIAN 

 SOCIETY. 



It appears that the first scientific society in Tasmania 

 was started -in 1838 under the auspices of Sir John 

 Franklin. The name of this society is, however, some- 

 what uncertain. In the introductory remarks to the 

 first volume of its transactions it was called " The Philo- 

 sophical Society of Tasmania," but it does not appear 

 that this name found favour, because subsequently the 

 name " Tasmanian Society " was adopted. The object of 

 this society was the study of natural science, in particular 

 that of Tasmania. Under the title, " Tasmanian Journal 

 of Natural Science, Agriculture and Statistics,' etc., this 

 society published three volumes of transactions, viz.. Vol. 

 I. (1842), Vol. II. (1846), \^ol. III. (1849)- 



In the meantime two societies, having more or less 

 the same object in view, were started, viz., on the 14th 

 of October, 1843, ^^^ Botanical and Hortcultural Society 

 of Van Diemen's Land, and on the 12th of September, 

 1844, "The Royal Society of Van Diemen's Land." It 

 looks somewhat strange that in so small a community as 

 Hobart was at the beginning of the forties, there should 

 be room for three scientific societies; but notwithstand- 

 ing this it is certain that between 1843 and 1849 ^^ere 

 existed in Hobart three scientific societies, viz., (i) The 

 Tasmanian Societv (1838); (2) The Botanical and Horti- 

 cultural Societv of Van Diemen's Land (1843); The 

 Royal Society of Van Diemen's Land (1844). As it might 

 have been expected, there was no room for three societies 

 working practically on the same lines. The Botanical 

 and Horticultural Society never issued any publications, 

 and the Royal Society only published annual reports for 

 the years 1845 to 1849. Apparently towards the end of 



