27 



13. From W.Archer, Esq., F.L.S. — " Owen's Odontography." 2 vols., 

 4to (text and atlas), bound half Prussia, cloth sides. 



The Chairman referred to the discovery of Trilobites and other Silu- 

 rian fossils, which he had reported to the Royal Society in July, 1873, 

 and read extracts from letters of the Eev. W. B. Clarke, to whom 

 he had sent specimens, and who had forwarded them to England and 

 America for examination. Both Mr. Etheridge and Mr. Lesquereux (of 

 Columbus, Ohio, U.S.) had identified the genera of Phacops, Ogygia, 

 Calymene, and Conocephcdites, and considered the rock to be the equiva- 

 lent of the Potsdam sandstone, and Professor Dana recommended that 

 the formation be worked out. He (Mr. Stephens) remarked that, besides 

 the Trilobites, he had detected an Orthis, an Euomphalus, and some 

 other forms which could not yet be identified, and regretted that he 

 had had no leisure during the past year for even the careful examination 

 of the rock specimens which had been sent him from the Mersey dis- 

 trict. The Chairman also laid before the meeting a section, kindly fur- 

 nished by Mr. Hainsworth, of a coal shaft, recently sunk at the Don, 

 through the marine limestone, full of Palseozoic fossils, and resting com- 

 formably on coal measures, in which a 20in. seam of excellent quality 

 is now being worked. This, he remarked, was nothing new to several 

 of the Fellows, as the relative position of the two formations had been 

 previously pretty well known through circumstantial evidence ; but 

 as this was the first time that the proof had been exhibited in an unmis- 

 takeable form, he thought it desirable to have the fact placed on record. 



A short discussion followed on the connection between the flora and 

 fauna of the coal measures of New South Wales. 



Mr. M. Allport produced specimens of Blue Gum and Jarrah Wood, 

 presented by Mr. John Watson, — well known as a good judge of timber 

 — which had been sunk close to the wharf ; and other specimens of 

 Jarrah, furnished by Messrs. Belbin and Dowdell, which had been sunk 

 further down the channel about two years ago, for the purpose of testing 

 their respective capabilities of withstanding the action of the Teredo. 

 In the case of the specimens sunk near the wharf, the Blue Gum was 

 seen to have suffered severely, while the Jarrah was scarcely touched. 

 On comparing the portions sunk down the channel, however, it was 

 evident that the Jarrah indicated no peculiar immunity from the 

 worm, as the specimens were much riddled. At the wharf, it was to be 

 recollected, the water is not so salt as in the channel, and this might 

 account for the Jarrah escaping in this locality, as any admixture 

 with fresh water weakens the action of the worm. Further up the 

 river towards the brackish water, timber never suffers from the Teredo. 

 Mr. Watson suggested that it was scarcely a fair test to put down 

 wood which had been cut and exposed to the weather for a lengthened 

 period. In this case the natural juices of the timber would be dissipated, 

 and if these were the active principles which enabled the wood to with- 

 stand the worm, of course their absence was fatal. If this theory be 

 correct, it seems clear that perfectly fresh wood should be used for 

 piles. In the experiment above alluded to the blue gum was known 

 to be well seasoned, and was, therefore, perhaps, unfairly tested, and 

 the same may have been the case with those specimens of the Jarrah 

 which were attacked. 



The Rev. J. E. Tennison Woods, F.G.S., F.R.G.S., &c, &c, read 

 a long, able, and highly interesting paper on the " Physical and Zoolo- 

 gical relations between Australia and Tasmania." 



After some discussion, a special vote of thanks was given to the Rev. 

 J. E. T. Woods ; also thanks to the donors of presentations, especially 

 to Lieut. Legge, for his contribution of native bird skins. 



The proceedings then terminated. 



