66 



and if the Sauroid fishes were such as Ichthyosmirus and Plesiosaurus. 

 He regretted that he could not be present during the former lecture as well 

 as on this occasion, but shoidd like to add another question. He remem- 

 bered that geologists of a few years' back had called attention to the 

 persistence in Australia of secondary forms such as Trigonice and 

 Terebratuke, and would wish to know whether these resemblances had 

 been increased or lessened by subsequent investigations ? 



The Rev. J. E. Tenison-Woods said that he was not aware of the 

 Gault having been found in Australia ; but both Ichthyosaurus and 

 Plesiosaurus had, but of new species, showing how widely the genera 

 had formerly extended. He did not think that the resemblance between 

 Australia and the Mesozoic had increased with a more extended study of 

 its natural history, and, taking them altogether, they were not very strong, 

 it must be admitted, and confined to isolated instances subject to no 

 apparent rule. 



Mr. Stephp:ns bore testimony to the cretaceous character of the forma- 

 tions around the Gulf of Carpentaria. He himself had seen fossils, such 

 as Belemnites, Inoceramus, etc., which, he was informed, might be gathered 

 in great quantities from the surface. He was quite sure that the only 

 reason why they were not better known was the difficulty of transport, as 

 every fossil had to be brought down many hundred miles on horseback. 



His Excellency said that in New Zealand extensive Mesozoic forma- 

 tions had been discovered, which were very similar in every respect to 

 contem23arary formations of Europe. Many years ago, when out exploring, 

 he had come ujion fossiliferous cliffs, which had at once attracted his atten- 

 tion as being so like the blue Lias clays which he had known almost from 

 his childhood in Lynre Regis, and other places in Dorsetshire. Since then 

 the beds had been examined, and determined to be true equivalents of 

 the Lias, and the usual Ichthyosauroids of such formations had been 

 found. The resemblance between the two deposits must have been 

 very close when it had struck his unpractised eye, for at that time he had 

 given scarcely any attention to the subject. 



The Secretary proposed that on this occasion a special vote of thanks 

 should be accorded to the Rev. Julian Tenison-Woods, not only for the 

 interesting matter he had just brought under their notice, but also for 

 the invaluable work he had done in the cause of the Natural History of 

 Tasmania since they had the honour of having him as a working member. 

 The results of this work would appear in the Ti-ansactions, but he (the 

 Secretary) had had such opportunities of observing the vast amount of time 

 and labour it had cost, that he felt the Society was under the deepest 

 obligations for it. It was, therefore, with feelings of the greatest pain he 

 had just learned that Mr. Woods was soon about to leave Tasmania. He 

 was sure they would all feel that the Society could sustain no severer loss. 

 They would greatly miss in the future those learned, lucid, and eloquent 

 addresses with which Mr. Woods had illustrated so many subjects, and as 

 to wliich it might truly be said, — "Nullum quod teti git nnn ornarit." He 

 did not know if the reverend father was ever likely again to visit Tas- 

 mania, but if such should be the case he (the Secretary) could cer- 

 tainly say that from no portion of the community would he receive a 

 warmer welcome than from the members of the Royal Society. (Applause.) 



The Bishop cordially seconded the motion, and observed as to the 

 remark by Mr. Woods, that he had refused to describe some new Tas- 

 manian shells which had recently been shown him because the owner could 

 not afford to deposit them in the Museum where his descriptions could if 

 required be tested by future naturalists, that he felt this remark was 

 entirely due to that modesty which was characteristic of the true student 

 of science. Descriptions from the pen of Mr. Woods, however, had nothing 

 to fear from criticism. At the same time he hoped the specimens referred 



