12 



MAY, 1871. 



The monthly evening meeting of the Society was hehl on Tuesday, 

 tlie 0th May, M. Alli)ort, Esq., F.L.8., F.Z.S., in the cliair. 

 The ftjUowing returns were brouglit undernotice, viz. : — 



1. Visitors to Museum during April, 817. 



2. Visitors to (Jardeiis during April, 2,050. 



3. Time of leafing, ilowering, &c., of a few standard plants in Botanic 



Gardens during April. 



4. Books and periodicals received during April. 



5. Presentations to Museum during April. 



Meteorological Returns. 



1. Hobart To'«ti, from F. Abbott, Esq., table for April, with summary 



of observations. 



2. Westbury, from F. Belstead, Esq. , tables for March and April. 



3. Swansea, from Dr. Story, table for March. 



4. Port Arthur, from J. Boyd, Esq., table for April. 



5. Sydney, from the Government Ol^servatory, printed tables for 



February. Abstract of Meteorological Observations made in New 

 South Wales, to end of 1SG9, byH. C. Russell, Esq., B.A., Govern- 

 ment Astronomer. 



6. Melbourne, from E,. J. Ellery, Esq., table for March. 



" Notes on the Meteorology and Mortality of the Hobart Town regis- 

 tration district for May, 1871," by Dr. E. Swarbreck Hall. 

 The presentations to the Museum were as follow : — 



1. From Rev. Mr. Whitmee, two Mats as worn on festive occasions 



by women of Samoa. 



2. From Mr. Barwick, Tea Tree, a specimen of Eyton's Duck 



( Leptotarsis Eijtoni, Gould) found dead near Richmond. 

 [The occurrence of this bird in Tasmania is remarkable, and difficult 

 to be accounted for, it being an inhabitant of the north-west coast of 

 Austraha. Gould states that "the farthest south it was afterwards 

 met with was on the Albert River, in the Gulf of Carpentaria, in 

 latitude 18° S."] 



3. From Mr. W. Holmes, Jerusalem, a Parrot unusually marked. 



4. From Mr. G. Whitcomb, a fine specimen of Kauri gum, from 



New Zealand. 



5. From Mr. W. B. Watchom, a Spider Crab. 



6. From Mr. Lukin Boyes, a pair of Musk Ducks (Biziura lohata) 



shot at Austin's Ferry ; a small Bat. 



7. From Master A. Haywood, a Portuguese copper Coin, 1814. 



8. From Sir R. Officer, a Land Rail (Rallus pectoralisj shot at New 



Norfolk. 



9. From Mr. Robert Gatenby, Macquarie River, a male specimen 



of the Native Tiger (Thjlacinus cynoeephalus. ) 

 The Secretary read the following letter from Mr. Ellery, President 

 of the Ptoyal Society of Victoria, and Government Astronomer : — 



Royal Society of Victoria, 

 Victoria-street, Melbourne, 22nd April, 1871. 

 Sir, — A proposition has been brought before this Society for a joint 

 expedition from the several AustraHan colonies to Cape Yorke Peninsula, to 

 observe the total echpse of the sun, which will take place on the 12th 

 December next. 



The scientific interest of this phenomenon is very great, and the points 

 to be determined are important. As far as is known there will be no further 



