xlvi 



ABSTRACT OF PROCEEDINGS, MAY, 1905. 



The monthly meeting of the Eoyal So- 

 'Ciety of Tasmania was held at the Mn- 

 se^^m on Tuesday, May 16. The president. 

 His Exc-ellency Sir Gerald Strickland, 

 G.C.M.G., occupied the chair, and wa>s 

 accompanied by Lady Edelin-e Strickland 

 and suite. There was a good attendance, 

 including Eight Reverend Dr. Mercer, 

 Bishop of Tasmania, the Bishop of 

 Laranda, Sir Adye Douglas, Sir Elliott 

 Lewis, and several visitors, who were 

 introduced. 



Election. 



The following gentlemen were elected 

 Fellows of the society: — Captain de 

 Koghton, R.N., Alderman George Kerr 

 (Mayor of Hobart), Mr. W. S. Dawson, 

 A.M.I. C.E. (Engineer-in-Chief Metropoli- 

 tan Drainage Board), Dr. Kendall, Messrs. 

 John Dowbiggan Poster, Henry Mareellus 

 Xicholls, Lomns Smith, and L. H. Mac- 

 leod. 



Notes on Tasmanian Minerals. 

 In the absence of the author, Mr, W. F. 

 Petterd, Mr. A. Morton read his paper on 

 ^'Tasmanian Minerals.'^ In his introduc- 

 tory observations, Mr. Petterd wrote: — 

 "The present contribution to the mineral- 

 ogy of this State is of somewhat unusual 

 interest, inasmuch as it describes for the 

 first time an apparently new compound, 

 which, although of no commercial value, 

 is of some scientific interest. It is, in its 

 way, a humble congener of the more im- 

 posing crocoicite, for the occurrence of 

 vvhich in such magnificent developments 

 this island has obtained a great repute 

 among mineralogists in all parts of the 

 world, but, like it, is simply of scientific 

 importance. The Lefroy meteorite, now- 

 mentioned for the first time, is, although 

 of such remarkably small size, worthy rf 

 special note, and its detection in the pros- 

 pector's dish adds another to the roman- 

 tic discoveries of such objects from un- 

 known space. The already long list (.f 

 tlie different minerals recorded from time 

 to time as being found in this State is 

 still further augmented by the addition 

 0*^ no less than eighteen not heretofore 

 published. Respecting these concise notes 

 were given. Several of these, said the au- 

 thor, were of some scientific interest, and 

 two or three would be of industrial im- 

 portance if they could be discovered in 

 sufficient quantity. Notes on additional 

 localities for a few others which are al- 

 ready on record were given, with some re- 

 marks on the peculiar features presented 

 bv some few others. He had to record his 

 olDligation to Mr. J. D. Millen, A.S.T.C., 

 M.S.C.I., London, metallurgical chemist, 

 for undertaking the analysis of Bellite and 

 Hercynite. The following is the list of 



minerals of which particulars were given: 

 — Barnan.dite, Bellite, Cloanthite, Ena. 

 gile, Echeribe, Genthite, Gibbsite, Helio- 

 pby Hi te, Hercynite, Hydromanganocalcite« 

 Lefroy meteorite, Leucophanile, Mangan- 

 ite„ Minium, Niccolite, Pilotite, Plinthite, 

 Pimelite, Prouetite, Pyrargyrite, Pyrostil- 

 pinilie, Quartz, Scorodite, S;eiliophite, 

 Smertite, SteargiHite, Stephanite, Stibi- 

 conite, Touramline, and Wurtzite. 



His Excellency said he felt that it was 

 one of tne chaim-^ and enjoyments in belrg 

 present to listen to the arguments and tho 

 tlirusts and parries of discussion. Even 

 that paper, shoit: as it was, might give 

 scope to some remarks. He was impress- 

 ed himself with the principle which drew 

 to their attention the presence of rare or 

 unknown minerals in Tasmania. 



Mr. Morton eulogised the work of Mr. 

 Petterd in elaborating a list of the min- 

 erals found in Tasmania, and said his 

 work was recognit^ed not only in Austral- 

 asia, but throughout the world. 



Postponed. 



The reading of a paper by Mr. J. E. 

 McClymont, M.A., on "Birds Observed by 

 Crozet on hie voyage"" was postponed until 

 next meeting. 



Paper by Mr. E. M. Johnston, I.S.O., 



r.s.s. 



Mr. R. M. Johnston read a paper on "A 

 Proposed Psyohometer Index Designed 

 as an aid to the Better Determination of 

 Common Fungoid Illusions, and of the 

 Comparative Value of Mental Concepts." 



The author said he was aware that his 

 paper would probably give rise to great 

 differences of opinion, and perhaps very 

 virulent opposition to the view he had 

 taken up. He, however, had come forward 

 rather to show how to convey, with 

 a simple diagram, an eye-picture which 

 disclosed in a nalniral way the order of 

 the diminishing value of judgment which 

 was dependent upon the nature and con- 

 dition of the person's stage of observa- 

 tion. Closely condensed, Mr. Johnston's 

 argument was that the order and equilib- 

 rium of the mind are intimately con- 

 nected with the vigour, fulness, and health 

 of the organs of sense. Many persons, 

 he said, committed mental suicide for 

 the sensual deiifrht of a useless moment- 

 ary wonder. The insane, by disease, 

 were forced to live always within a world 

 of wonders such as those sought after, at 

 times, by the ignorant. He had pre- 

 pared a classified "Psychometer Index" 



