119 



Thomas, who for some time past Lad been devoting great atten- 

 tion to the subject, was prepared to read a paper on the 

 "Statistics of Hydatid Disease in Australia." And the present 

 was an appropriate time for the doctor's researches to be made 

 public. 



Mr. Smeaton reported that the amount subscribed towards 

 the Darwin Memorial Fund was £16 16s., but other persons had 

 promised. 



ALTERATION OF THE RULES. 



An alteration in the rules making the hour of meeting 8 p.m. 

 instead of 7.30 was confirmed. 



Mr. F. S. Crawford gave notice of motion that the Council 

 make arrangements for interim and informal meetings of 

 members. 



Mr. C. Todd made some reference to the comeb appearing in 

 the eastern heavens. He had watched it very carefully. It 

 occupied a very sparse star part of the heavens, and was a 

 grand object, occupying a part of the sky with no rival. He 

 saw it on Saturday morning, and it was then rapidly approach- 

 ing the sun, and the following Sunday it had passed its peri- 

 helion. It was so bright that it could be seen at noonday. 

 Mr. Eussell and Mr. Ellery had secured its meridian position. 

 Since it had passed its perihelion it had retraced its path 

 iimongst the stars, and was now receding from the sun, and as 

 it receded its tail increased very rapidly. It had increased 

 from fourteen degrees to twenty. As the tail grew the nucleus 

 became smaller, and it seemed as if passing from the head into 

 the tail. He produced a drawing of the appearance of the 

 eomet as seen on Tuesday morning. It was reduced to a very 

 bright streak, and looked like a ring fore- shortened. It was 

 not unlike the comet of 18'12 in some respects. 



Mr. Todd also mentioned that steps were being taken to 

 determine the longitude of South Australia, and the English 

 astronomers had selected Lieutenant Darwin to visit Australia 

 in connection with the work, and Mr. Stone had written that 

 Lieutenant Darwin would observe the transit of Venus next 

 December in Queensland, after which he would proceed to 

 Banjoewangie and Singapore, there to exchange signals with an 

 Australian observer at Port Darwin. It had been desired that 

 he (Mr, Todd) should go to Port Darwin to make observations, 

 but he could not leave. 



Exhibits. — Specimens of Fferosfi/lis pedunculata, an orchid 

 new for South Australia, collected at Clarendon by Mr. O. 

 Tepper, and in abundance at Battunga, near Echunga, by Prof. 

 Tate. 



