25 



by means of charcoal. The Melbourne gentleman before referred to, had 

 estimated that charcoal could be produced in the locality at a cost of 

 ten shillings i^er ton ; and if so, no doubt it would be desirable to enter- 

 tain the question very fully. The ores were of two kinds, magnetic 

 oxide, yielding by assay, 70 per cent, of iron, and brown hematite having 

 a rather less per-centage, both are in great abundance, and their point of 

 occurrence fully described in the report upon the iron ores of Ilfracombe, 

 by Mr. Gould, in the library of this society. 



Mr. Stephens said that he had to report an interesting addition to 

 the Flora of Tasmania, a Tree Fern [Cyathea affinis) lately discovered 

 on the North Coast. During a journey to Circular Head in February 

 last, his attention was called by Mr. S. B. Emmett to an unusually 

 tall and slender tree fern, which on examination appeared to be quite 

 distinct from the two genera already described. The general character 

 of the fern, its great height (40 feet, or thereabouts), and the mode of 

 its occurrence brought to recollection one of a similar description dis- 

 covered a few years ago in the Cape Otway ranges by a party of the 

 Geological Survey of Victoria, and then named C. medullar is. The 

 Circular Head specimen, however, differed in some points from Hooker's 

 description of C. meduUaris, which is common in New Zealand, but as no 

 frond exhibiting the fructification could be discovered all speculation as 

 to its generic character was futile. Some months later Mr. Emmett 

 succeeded in obtaining a seed-bearing frond, and forwarded it to Mr. 

 R. C. Gunn, who identified it as a species of Cyathea. Mr. Gunn for- 

 warded the frond to Baron von Mueller who has removed all doubt by 

 pronouncing it to be Cyathea. affini^, under which name he also describes 

 the tree-fern from Cape Otway. Baron von Mueller further stated that 

 it is stni an open question, which he hopes soon to settle, whether 

 C. affin'is is really distinct from C. meduUaris. 



In answer to a question from Mr. Gellibrand who thought that the 

 interesting stranger must be identical with a noble tree-fern of New 

 Zealand, which was highly esteemed as a food producer by the Maories, 

 Mr. Stephens stated that Cyathea meduUaris was famous for a pre- 

 paration resembling arrowroot, which was obtained in great abundance 

 from the heart of the stem. 



Mr. M. Allport proposed a vote of thanks to Mr. Walter Gellibrand 

 for his very valuable and interesting donation. He was glad Mr. 

 Atkinson had conmienced deep dredging, and that he had already been 

 rewarded by a discovery. He hoped that other naturalists would follow 

 in the same course, as he was fully persuaded that it was one which 

 must be attended with very briUiant results. 



Thanks having been accorded, the meeting separated. 



