]>ublic licalth. Without this great boon of health, even wealth a,u<X 

 ]t<)siti(ui were but of little avail to their possessor, or, to go further, 

 "What," as lias been facetiously runuirked, "is the whole world to 

 a man whose wife is a widow?" (A laugh.) He (Dr. Hall) was glad 

 to take tho present oi)portunity of heai'tily thanking the officers of the 

 Kegistration Department for the great courtesy he had invariably 

 received froin them, and he would especially name Mr. Seager, 

 who had on all occasions afforded him the most willing and valuable 

 assistance in searching the recoi'ds of the office. 



Mr. Bakn.vrd moved a vote of thanks to the donors of presentations, 

 with special thanks to Mr. Abbott and Dr. Hall. Dr. Hall's comnuini- 

 cation, he observed, was one which concerned our most vital interests, 

 and was of such a nature — involving as it did such long and elaborate 

 calculations and comparisons — that nothing but the fact that it was a 

 labour of love could have enabled him to carry it on to completion. We 

 were much indebted to him for the proofs that our climate is the finest 

 of that of all the Australian colonies, and the most conducive to long 

 life. To have this generally established must be of benefit to the 

 colony, and it would redound to the credit of the Royal Society to be 

 the means of propagating such information. With the names of Dr. 

 Hall and Mr. Abbott he would associate that of the Curator of the 

 Museum, IVIr. Roblin, the value of whose assistance in making the 

 innumerable calculations and reductions required for these returns, 

 was only known to those who were engaged on the subject. 



The motion was supported by Mr. Giblix and others, and carried 

 unanimously. 



The Secretary having intimated that the Microscopical Meeting had 

 been, unavoidably, postponed till the month of May, the proceedings 

 terminated. 



