46 



Erebus and Terror," page 47, plate 29. This fish was first discovered 

 in Western Australia by (Sir G. Grey.] 

 12. Two fish caught off the South East Coast of Tasmania. [These are 

 also unknown to the fishermen.] 



The Secretary requested special attention to the very liberal and valuable 

 presentation of books before the meeting, from the American Government, 

 the Smithsonian, and other scientific institutions in the United States, 

 comprising the following publications : — 



Smithsonian Contributions to Knowledge, vol. 15, 1867. 



Ditto Iveports for 18GG-67. 



American Patent Office Eeports, 1SG3, vols. 1 and 2. 



Ditto ditto, 18G4,vols. 1 and 2. 



Ditto ditto, 1865, vols. 1, 2, and 3. 



Ditto ditto, 1866, vols. 1, 2, and 3. 



Department of Agriculture, Washington, Report of, for 1866. 



Ditto, ditto, monthly ditto, 1866-67. 



Boston Society of Natural History, Memoirs of, vol. 1, part 3. 



Ditto, ditto, Proceedings of, vol. 11, 1866-68 



Ditto, ditto. Conditions and Doings of, 1866-8. 



Portland Society of Natural History, Proceedings of, vol. 1, part 2, 1869. 



Ditto, ditto, 6th Annual Report of Secretary of Maine Board of Agri- 

 culture, and Reports on Scientific Survey, 1863. 



Ditto, ditto, 2nd Annual Report on Natural History and Geology, State 

 of Maine, 1861. 



Ditto, ditto,Reports of Commissioners of Fisheries State of Maine, 1867-8. 



Essex Institute, Salem, Massachusetts, Proceedings of, vol. 5, Nos. 5 to 8. 



Museum of Comparative Zoology, Harvard College, Cambridge, Mass. 



Ditto, ditto, Annual Report, 1868. 



Ditto, ditto. Bulletin of, Nos. 6 and 7. 



Ditto, ditto, Contributions to Fauna of Gulf Stream, by F. de Pourtales, 

 1867-8. 



American Academy of Arts and Sciences, Philadelphia, Proceedings of, 

 Vol. 10, Nos. 78 and 79, 1867-8. 



Ditto ditto, " General Connotations of Magnetism," and " Some Remarks 

 on the Fall of Rain as affected by the Moon," by Pliny Earle Chase. 



National Academy of Sciences, Washington, Report of, 1866-67. 



Cincinnati Astronomical Society, Annual Address. 



Ditto ditto,' Oration on laying corner stone of Observatory. 



Columbia Institution for Deaf and Dumb, 10th Annual Report of. 



Public Schools, Washington, 22nd Annual Report. 



The Secretary, after reminding the Fellows that at the last meeting of 

 the Society the subject of the Ramie plant (BceJimcria XiveaJ, from which 

 the grass cloth of China is manufactured, had been discussed, read the 

 following observations on it by Mr. F. Abbott, the Superintendent of the 

 Gardens : — 



" In reference to the China grass, (Bcelimcria Nivea,) seeds of which have 

 been forwarded to the Society, through Dr. Milligan, it may be interesting to 

 the Fellows to learn that the plant has already been in the garden 10 or 12 

 years, but no attempt has yet been made to extend its cultivation. 



" It is very doubtful whether the climate of Tasmania will be found suitable 

 for the successful cultivation of this fibre. The plant which is indigenous to 

 China, India, Sumatra, &c. , requires a rich porous soil, and warm moist climate ; 

 under these conditions it grows rapidly and affords from two to three cuttings 

 during the season. 



" In Queensland, whei'e the plant succeeds well, great difficulty has been 

 experienced in extracting the fibre; this difficulty appears to have been generally 

 experienced, as the English Government, through the Indian Office, are at pre- 

 sent offering an award of £5000 for the invention of a machine capable of 



