specimens. Gould's is a good illustration, and to him I refor you for 

 description of plumage. 



'•' Yours sincerely, 



" Edwaro D. Swan," 



A letter from Mr. A. K. Chapman, addressed to the secretary, was 

 read. The following is an extract : — 



"Sir, — I have the honour to bring under the notice of the lloyal 

 Society the desirability of some steps being taken to restore tlie rapidly 

 diminishing stock of our most valuable timber tree, the blue gum 

 ( Eacnljiptu.-i llJobuUis). 



" The blue gum is so eagerly sought after by shipbuilders that most 

 of the available timber has been cleared from the accessible spots in the 

 Huon district and other localities where blue gum formerly abounded. 

 Hundreds of young trees, of little present value as timber, but 

 inestimably valuable in a few years time if allowed to grow, are annually 

 felled merely for the sake of the seed, Avhich is exported in large quan- 

 tities to countries, the inhabitants of which have more forethought than 

 ourselves. " In France, Spain, Algeria, Egypt, California, the Mauritius, 

 and, coming nearer home, in the colonies of Victoria and New Zealand, 

 the Tasmanian blue gum is now being grown in large quantities, and 

 is highly esteemed, not only as an ornamental and useful timber tree, 

 but for the protection afforded by its shade, and for the valuable 

 medicinal qualities of its leaves. 



" Even in the cold climate of England an attempt is being made by 

 certain enterprising perfumers to grow blue gum trees extensively for the 

 sake of distilling the aromatic oil contained in their foliage. While so 

 mnch is being done to encourage the growth of this valuable tree 

 elsewhere, we in Tasmania seem to be doing our best to render it 

 extinct, and it is with a view to reverse this very undesirable proceeding 

 that I now address your society. 



I would recommend that the society should direct its attention to the 

 question of preserving the blue gum from extinction, and would suggest 

 that the (xovernment be requested to reserve a portion of the Crown 

 land in the vicinity of Port Arthur as a state forest and nursery for 

 young trees. Much of the land on Tasman's Peninsula is practically 

 valueless except for the purpose of growing timber, but with care and 

 attention I believe this land could be made a source of public wealth 

 if devoted to the purposes I have indicated." 



Discussion ensued, but the generally expressed feeling was, that 

 considering the enormous extent of country covered with the tree re- 

 ferred to, it was scarcely necessary to take any immediate action 

 towards its preservation. 



The Sfx'RETARy, after reminding the meeting that the Society on a 

 former occasion had addressed the Government on the subject of the 

 improvement of the Domain, mentioned that Mr. P. T. Smith had 

 recently taken a warm interest in the matter and had lately requested a 

 visitor to the colony, who was versed in matters of the kind, to inspect 

 the Domain with a view to giving such hints towards possible improve- 

 ments as he might think necessary. This he was kind enough to do, 

 and subsequently addressed the letter to Mr. Smith which he (Dr. 

 Agnew) would now proceed to read to the meeting : — 



" 24th Aprill875, 

 "P. T. Smith, Esq., Macquarie-street. 



"My dear Sir,— Since I had the pleasure of the drive through a 

 portion of the Queen's Domain with yourself and Dr. Agnew, my opinion 

 respecting that reserve for the purpose mentioned by you, is, that although 

 unrivalled as a site for an ornamental park, not only for the very exipiisite 

 views it commands, but from the natural conformation of the surface, 



