XCVll 



Tasmania. The nearest approach to it was the common wallaby (Hal- 

 maturus"Billardieri). Waterhouse says, referring to this species: — ^*'It 

 is readily distinguished from other small species of its group by its 

 short ears, long dark-coloured fur, and the rufous and sometimes 

 yellow tint of the under parts of the body." Gould connects the 

 warmer and more sombre-coloured coat of this species with the dense 

 and humid vegetation of the forests which it frequents, where the sun 

 sometimes does not penetrate at all. He speaks of much diversity 

 of colour, but only on the throat and under surface of the body, 

 which in some specimens are of a deep reddish buff, while others have 

 the same parts much lighter. 



A POPULAR DELUSION. 



The Curator drew attention to a small lizard (Hinulia S. sp.) 

 which he produced alive before the fellows, and handled in their 

 presence, saying that it had the reputation of being poisonous, but it 

 was not really so, and if death had ever occurred from a bite from 

 the reptile it must have been caused by sheer fright. Because it had a 

 blue tongue, and was fond of putting it out, the lizard had got a bad 

 reputation, and was called the death adder, but it did not deserve it. 



CLOSE OF THE YEAR. 



Mr. James Barnard, V.P., said: — In moving a vote of thanks to the 

 authors of the papers which have been read to us, and to the numerous 

 contributors to our Museum, I desire to congratulate the meeting 

 upon the success of the session of 1884, which has just terminated 

 as shown by the uninterrupted regularity of our evening meetings, 

 and by the number and variety of the papers possessing scientific in- 

 terest which have been brought forward. During the past year we 

 have had the return among us of our highly-esteemed vice-president 

 and hon. secretary, the Hon. Dr. Agnew — (applause)— whose increasing 

 interest in, and exertions on behalf of, the society we are all prepared 

 to acknowledge and appreciate. (Applause.) We have also had the 

 good fortune to secure the services of a gentleman remarkable for zeal, 

 intelligence, and industry, combined with experience, in the person 

 of Mr. Alexander Morton — (applause) — the curator of the Museum. 

 Full evidence is afibrded of the value of that appointment by the 

 improvements which he has already efi'ected in the Museum. (Hear, 

 hear.) I also congratulate the meeting on the large accession of mem- 

 bers to the roll of fellows during the past year. Several of those 

 recently elected gentlemen have already contributed papers, 

 possessing scientific merit, and I think there is reason to hope that 

 the session of 1885 will result in unabated interest being shown in the 

 proceedings of the society, and to increase and maintain the advance- 

 ment of its objects. I have great pleasure in making the usual 

 formal motion — formal, but real — that our thanks be given to the 

 readers of papers, and also to the donors of gifts to the museum. 

 (Applause.) 



Dr. Perkins seconded the motion. 



The Chairman said that before putting it to the meeting, he should 

 like to call attention to the splendid collection of animals which they 

 had just received from Sydney, and which was in itself almost enough 

 to stock a museum. It was a collection ut Foreign animals and the 

 marsupials of Australia, which it would be especially interesting to 

 compare with the marsupials of Tasmania. They had also had a 

 salmon sent to them, so that actually, instead of breeding salmon 

 they were importing stuffed fish from New South Wales. Still it 

 was a very noble fish, and would be useful for purposes of comparison. 

 They had gained 50 new members, and he would also mention that they 

 had no less than 28 papers read before them during the last 



