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OPENING MEETING, MAY, 1897 SESSION. 



The first monthly meeting of the 1897 session of the above Society 

 was held in the Tasmanian Art Gallery on Tuesday evening, May 4, 

 under the chairmanship of Vice-president Sir Lambert Dobson, C.J., 

 F.L.S. There was a very large attendance, including many ladies. 



THE LATE Mr. JAMES BARNARD. 



The Chairman said before the business of the meeting was entered 

 upon a duty devolved upon him. When he last presided at a meeting 

 of this Society, which was at its annual meeting some few weeks ago, 

 amongst other apologies was one from their old and much-respected 

 member, Mr. James Barnard. At the present meeting they knew that 

 the hand of death had taken Mr. Barnard from them, and he knew 

 that none present would feel that he was trespassing upon their time 

 if he ventured to utter a few words with reference to one who was the 

 oldest living member of the Royal Society. Mr. Barnard had died at 

 the ripe old age of 89, after a useful and well-spent life. Nature had 

 dealt with him kindly. He had maintained to the last his mental 

 faculties, and as far as his physical faculties were oonoerned, those 

 present were accustomed till within a few days of his death to the 

 familiar face and the friendly hand. Whilst they could scarcely express 

 regret at the demise of one who was taken away before the decay of his 

 mental and physical powers had reduced him to the helplessness of 

 second childhood, it was meet that they should pay a tribute to his 

 memory, more especially as a member of that Society. Mr. Barnard 

 became a member of the old Tasmanian Society in 1841, and in 1843, 

 when Her Majesty was pleased to constitute the present Society by 

 charter, he became one of the Council, and in 1878 became a vice- 

 president. During all that time he had worked faithfully, diligently, 

 and assiduously for the Society, and they might say, so far as the Society 

 was concerned, he died in harness ; and in his death he had not for- 

 gotten them, for amongst other bequests contained in his will was one 

 of £100 for the Royal Society, to be invested, and the interest thereof 

 applied to the purchase of scientific works. He was not a man wk© 

 mixed in the turmoil of public life. He led a quiet and unassuming 

 existence, and by an uprightness and integrity of character had won 

 the respect and esteem of his fellow-citizens, and his brother members 

 of the Royal Society were now desirous of uniting to record the high 

 esteem in which they held him for the long and faithful services he had 

 rendered to the Society. JRequiescat in pace. 



A photograph of the deceased member, draped in crape and sur- 

 mounted with a wreath of flowers, occupied a prominent place on the 

 right of the chairman. 



APOLOGIES. 

 The Secretary (Mr. Alex. Morton) read apologies for non-attend- 

 ance from His Excellency the Governor and from Sir James Agnew, 

 the latter of whom was too indisposed to attend. 



NEW MEMBERS. 

 Dr. V. F. Brotherus and Dr. Viklor Brotherus were elected corre- 

 sponding members of the Society, and Mrs. Jamieeon, Messrs. H. V. 

 Bayly and Samuel Percy Crisp, Fellows of the Society. 



