286 [Dec. 1, 



placed themselves in communication with Mr. Lassell, and with 

 other gentlemen who took the most active part in the previous cor- 

 respondence, with a view of conveying in their reply the best infor- 

 mation which it is in their power to procure ; and they hope that 

 they may be able to submit the draft of the reply to the new Council 

 at its first meeting. 



I cannot close this brief notice without congratulating the Society 

 on the prospect thus opened of accomplishing an object of such 

 manifest importance as to have induced the Royal Society and the 

 British Association to solicit jointly the aid of Her Majesty's Govern- 

 ment in effecting it ; and however great their disappointment may 

 have been at the refusal which they received on that occasion, they 

 will, if the present hopes are realized, have no reason to regret that 

 it has been left to the Colony of Victoria to carry into execution an 

 undertaking which may well be expected to hold a high place in the 

 annals of science in all future time j and thus to set a noble example to 

 the other Colonies of the British Crown. With such extensive do- 

 minion, embracing almost every variety of natural circumstance, it is 

 only by the active cooperation of her colonies, according to the varying 

 measure of their ability, that our country can hope to fulfil her 

 scientific responsibilities. 



Another subject on which information may be interesting to the 

 Fellows, is that of the progress and approaching completion of the 

 Manuscript Catalogue of the Titles of Scientific Memoirs contained 

 in the Scientific Periodicals in all languages from the commencement 

 of the present century to the year 1860. The formation of this Cata- 

 logue was commenced under the sanction of the Council in 1858, and 

 has proceeded uninterruptedly to the present time. The titles are 

 written in quadruplicate, and are designed to form 1st, a Serial Index; 

 2nd, an Index arranged alphabetically according to Authors' names ; 

 and 3rd, a Classified Index, classified according to subjects in all 

 branches of science ; the 4th set of titles remaining available for pur- 

 poses not yet decided on. The first of these, *. e. the Serial Index, 

 already forms sixty-two MS. volumes, and includes the most important 

 series of Transactions and Journals ; the titles in each series being ar- 

 ranged in chronological order. These volumes have been placed in the 

 Library, where they are now available for reference ; and fresh volumes 



