APEIL, 1867. 



The monthly evening meeting of the Fellows was held on Tuesday, the 

 '9th April, J. Barnard, Esq., in the chair. 



E. Atherton, Esq., who had been previously nominated hy the Council, 

 was, after a ballot, declared to be duly elected a Fellow of the Society. 



The Secretary, Dr. Agnew, laid on the table the following returns for 

 the past month ; — 



1. Visitors to Museum, 494. 



2. Ditto to Gardens, 2274. 



3. Plants received at Gardens : — From Botanic Gardens, Sydney, 29 (of 



which 9 were new to the Gardens). From T. Young, of Sydney, 

 3 Plants, and 6 varieties Gladiolus. From Mr. Henderson, 

 Sydney, 15 Plants. 



4. Plants, &c., sent from Gardens : — To Mr. Henderson, Sydney, 42 



Plants. To Messrs. Grant and McMillan, 95 papers Australian 



5 Time of leafing, &c., of a few standard plan.ts in Botanic Gardens. 



6. Books and periodicals received. 



7. Presentations received. 



Also Meteorological Eeturns from Hobart Town for March ; Port 

 Arthur for February, and Westbury for March. 

 The Secretary read the usual Monthly Analysis of the Meteorological 

 tecords, and Health Eeport of E S. Hall, Esq. 

 The Presentations to the Museum were — 



1. Specimen of Saw-Fish (PristisJ, from W. L. Crowther, Esq. 



2. Ditto of Chimmra Amtralis, from Mr. M. Browne. 



Mr. M. AUport observed that although information had been given in the 

 newspapers from time to time of the movements of the Salmon, he thought 

 it only due to the Society to make a formal report on the subject. The 

 young fish which went away in October 1865 returned in February 1867. 

 This tends to prove that they are absent 15 months, and not 3 as some 

 writers at home stiU maintain. In favor of their absence being of 15 

 months' duration he might also observe that when they left the river they 

 wore, of course, the Smolt dress, and those which have been seen are 

 Grilse. Were it the case, as some suppose, that two trips had been made 

 to the sea they should now have been Salmon, as the change from Grilse 

 to Salmon is known to take place on the second visit to the sea. He him- 

 self had no doubt that they had made only one sea trip, and that 15 

 months was the period of absence. At the same time he would observe 

 that when the smaller rivers begin to be stocked we shall be able to carry 

 out further investigations with greater accuracy. Nets, which in so large 

 a river as the Derwent would be almost useless, and which would be liable 

 to be swept away at any time by floods and floating trees, would be of the 

 greatest benefit in a small and easily managed stream, and the return of 

 probably the very earliest fish could be detected. At home, in order to 

 settle this much vexed question, the second dorsal fin, called the " dead fin," 

 has been cut ofi", the fish sent to sea, and a reward offered for its capture 

 on its return. In the course of 3 or 4 months a Grilse would be brought 

 with@ut the fin, and the reward claimed. It haa been suggested that in 

 Buch instances the claimant may have obtained a grilse, cut ofi" the fin, 



