Ixxii 



Howe Island ; also a freckled duck {Anas, noevosa), shot at Ross, on April 

 12. This species of duck is found in Victoria, South Australia, and 

 Western Australia, but has never been reported as found in Tasmania 

 before. 



Colonel Leqge strongly advocated the formation of a complete collection 

 of Tasmanian bird skins carefully labelled, locality, etc. He stated he was 

 of an opinion that there were yet one or two new species of birds in the 

 back country, which had hitherto been over-looked by collectors and others. 

 He trusted the Council of the Royal Society would endeavour to have 

 air-tight cabinets made for such a collection, similar ones being used 

 in the British Museum, and other leading museums. 



The Curator of the Museum said he was glad that Colonel Legge had 

 brought the matter before the fellows, and referred to the excellent skin 

 collection the Australian Museum, Sydney, had in their possession. He 

 said a great deal might be done by our country friends in forwarding to 

 the Museum specimens of animals or birds, which, if not actually wanted 

 for the Museum collection, would be valuable for exchanges with other 

 museums. 



The Chairman (His Honor Judge Dobson) stated that he wished to bring 

 under the notice of the meeting a subject which he was sure would be of 

 interest to them all. He alluded to the wanton and mischievous de- 

 struction of the tree ferns at Mount Wellington. Many glens and other 

 locahties on the mountain had been utterly robbed of all their beauty and 

 attraction by the stupid destruction of these trees, some of which he had 

 no doubt represented a growth of fifty to a hundred years. He was 

 sorry to say, too, that this desecration was permitted by many of whom 

 better things might have been expected, and, in very many cases for the 

 mere decoration of a ballroom, trees were cut down which we could never 

 hope to see replaced in a lifetime. He thought something might be done 

 to stop this senseless waste of beauty, as far at least as the Mount 

 Wellington Reserve was concerned, by constituting it a people's park, 

 atod making it penal to remove ferns or other trees. If Government took 

 the initiative in the preservation of the ferns it was probable that many 

 private individuals, who may act rather in a spirit of thoughtlessness than 

 otherwise, might be induced to follow the good example. 



After discussion, in which almost all present joined, it was resolved that 

 a committee be appointed in order to bring the views of the meeting under 

 the notice of the Government. 



Mr. Justice Dobson, the Mayor (Mr. Belbin), Colonel Legge, Mr. C. H. 

 Grant, and the hon. secretary (Dr. Agnew) were appointed as the com- 

 mittee. 



A vote of thanks to the authors of papers and donors of presentations 

 closed the proceedings. 



JULY, 1844. 



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

 July 7, Mr. James Barnard, V.P., in the chair. 



Mr. Wentworth Hardy, who had previously been nominated by the 

 council, was balloted for, and declared duly elected as a FeUow of the 

 society. 



The Chairman apologised for unavoidable absence of the hon. secretary 

 (Dr. Agnew), being away on official duties. 



The following usual returns were brought forward, viz. : — 



1. Number of visitors to the Museum. — June — Sundays, 930 ; week - 

 days, 1,258. Total, 2,188, 



