Xll PKOCEEDINGS, AUGUST. 



AUGUST. 



The monthly meeting of this Society was held on Monday evening, 

 August 17. The President, His Excellency Sir R. G. C. Hamilton, 

 K.C.B., presided, there was a large attendance of Fellows, also a 

 number of ladies. 



NEW MEMBERS. 



Dr. 0. Burchard, of Hamburg, was elected a corresponding member, 

 and the following to be members : — Walter Spencer, M.D., Launceston; 

 W. F. M. Shells, M.R.C.S.E. ; George Henry Gibson, M.B. and 

 CM., Edioburgh ; Wm. Earle, Mount Zeehan ; Ernest Milton Law, 

 and vVm. Dubrelle Weston. 



MACQUARIE ISLANP. 



The Secretary read the following letter from Captain Fairchild, of 

 the New Zealand Government steamer Hinemoa. — " Wellington, June 

 3, 1891 : — I see your Government has prohibited sealing on the 

 Macquarie Island. It is a wise step, because if it had gone on a few 

 years longer there would not have been a seal or a sea elephant left on 

 the island. I think the penguins (the king penguin^ Aptenodytes longi- 

 rostris) should be protected for, say, five years on Macquarie Island, 

 or else they will soon be all gone — that beautiful bird is only found on 

 the Macquarie Island. There are none on any of the islands belonging 

 to New Zealand, and as they are such a helpless bird and so easily 

 eaught, there willj not be one left in five years if they go on killing 

 as they have the last year or two. So I hope soon to hear that the 

 king penguin are not allowed to be killed on Macquarie Island for the 

 sake of their oil. The man on the island told me he killed 15,000 last 

 year for their oil, from which he got 15 tuns of oil." 



Sir Lambert Dobson suggested that as the subject was a new one 

 it should be considered by the Council and afterwards by the Society, 

 so that it could go before the Government after mature consideration. 

 He moved, — " That the letter be referred to the Council of the Society," 

 which was agreed to. 



SCIENTIFIC INFORMATION. 



In the absence of the author, Mr. A. J. Ogilvy (the Secretary) Mr. 

 Morton read an abstract of the paper prepared by that gentleman, entitled 

 " Suggestions as to the best means for collecting scientific information." 

 The writer suggested that the Royal Society should obtain the services 

 of some resident in each district of the colony, if possible, to act as its 

 hon. representative in that district. He should commence as soon as 

 he conveniently could to collect specimens illustrating the geological 

 features and useful products of his district as, generally, of the granite 

 or other chief rocks, especially of the coal, limestone, fireclay, or other 

 useful products, for comparison with similar specimens from other dis- 

 tricts. Also any striking examples of petrifaction, crystallisation, etc., 

 in short anything likely to be of scientific interest. On hearing of 

 any interesting discovery in his district, he would put himself in 

 communication with the discoverer and report to the Society. He 

 would be the recognised agent of the Society in the district to whom 

 discoverer. 5 * and inquirers would voluntarily apply to give or receive 

 information ; to whom also the Society could refer for any special 

 local information it might require. Such an appointment would not 

 only serve many direct practical ends but would also arouse increased 

 interest among these co-operators in scientific subjects and in the affairs 

 of the Society ; would stimulate them to closer attention to their 

 surroundings, and would help to propagate an interest in scientific 

 progress throughout the colony. 



