Ixi 



other papers on behalf of the poor harmless so-called ' Guana ' (Sleeping 

 Lizard). In my many business callings over all parts of Tasmania I 

 have found a general desire to destroy these reptiles under the erroneous 

 impression that they are venomous! It is very generally admitted that 

 the sleeping lizard {Cyclodus nigrolutem) will attack and kill snakes ; and 

 I can certainly, of my own experience, assert that they will kill young 

 snakes. What a pity then to destroy them ! "] 



The Hon. Secretary read a paper contributed by Dr. E. T. Higgins 

 and Mr. W. F. Petterd, entitled a "Description of a new species of 

 Mus, with a list of the terrestrial animals of Tasmania." 



Conversational discussion ensued, and the meeting closed with the 

 usual vote of thanks to the authors of the paper and to the donors of 

 presentations. 



OCTOBER, 1883. 



The monthly evening meeting of the Society was held on Monday, 8th 

 October, Mi-. C. H. Grant in the chair. 



The Hon. Secretary (Mr. Barnard) brought forward the following returns 

 for the month of September, viz. : — 



1. Number of visitors to Museum : — 



On Sundays, 896 ; on week days, 735 ; total, 1,631. 



2. Ditto to Gardens.— Total, 5,940. 



3. Plants, etc., received at Gardens : — 



From Lady Dry, 24 varieties of seeds from Ceylon. 

 From H. Low and Co., London, 1 case plants. 

 From Mr. C. F. Creswell, Melbourne, 26 plants. 



4. Sent from Gardens : — 



To Mr. C. F. Creswell, 1 case plants (various.) 



5. Books and Periodicals received. 



6. Presentations to Museum. 

 Meteorology : — 



1. Hobart, from Captain Shortt, Government Observer, weather report 



for September, 



2. From ditto, table of rainfall at various stations in Tasmania. 

 The following are the results of the Hobart observations : — 

 Barometer. — Mean, of three daily observations, 29'781iB. 

 Thermometers. — Means. : Max. 58*4 ; Min., 42-3 ; dry bulb, 51*5 ; wet 



bulb, 47-1. 



Humidity. — Dew point, 42*5 ; humidity, "714 ; elastic force of vapour, 

 •272. 



Condensation. — No. of days' rain, 11 ; amount collected, l'99in. 



Clouds. — Mean daily amount (0 — 10 scale) ; 6*7. 



Wind. — Mean force, 2 (0 — 12) ; prevailing direction, N.W. and S. 



Remarks. — The highest temperature in the shade was 69* on the 11th ; 

 the lowest, 37 '2, on the night of the 22nd. Highest recording of the 

 barometer, 30-233in. at 9 a.m. on the 16th ; lowest, 28-840in., from 3 to 6 

 a.m. on the 3rd. The rainfall during the month was less than that of 

 September, 1882, excepting in the S.E. portion of the colony, where it was 

 greater. The heaviest fall registered in Hobart was l"17in. on the 4th, and 

 at Fingal 34in. on the 12th. A strong gale of wind blowing from the 

 southward, on the 4th. In the latter part of the month the sky to the 

 westward, for an hour or two after sunset, was illuminated with an 

 unusually rose-tinted appearance, caused by the zodiacal light, seldom seen 

 in the higher latitudes except at the beginning of spring to the westward, 

 after sunset, and at the beginning of autumn to the eastward before sunrise. 

 Earthquake shocks are still felt in the disturbed districts, the observers at 

 Launceston and Falmouth report eight for the month. 



