88 REPORTS ON THE STATE OF SCIENCE. — 1915. 



of collecting stations at suitable places in the several climatic zones of 

 Australia. The voluntary services of a number of qualified and experi- 

 enced observers have been secured. The number of stations at present 

 established is sixteen, and these are distributed over the Continent as 

 shown in the attached map (1). Samples of rain-water are now being 

 collected at each station every day on which rain falls. 



A great deal will depend on the amount of care bestowed upon the 

 collection of the samples of rain-water. In the choice of agents for 

 collecting the samples the Committee was guided by the advice of one of 

 its members, Mr. H. A. Hunt, Commonwealth Meteorologist, who was 

 able in nearly every case to recommend, from personal knowledge, a 

 resident observer possessing exceptional qualifications for this work. 

 The Committee wishes to place on record an acknowledgment of its 

 indebtedness to the following lady and gentlemen who are so ably and 

 enthusiastically assisting it in carrying on this work : 



Miss J. Heinrichsen, Ballarat, Victoria. 

 S. Hebbard, Esq., Technical School, Sale, Victoria. 

 A. H. Bisdee, Esq., Wihareja, Steppes, Tasmania. 

 W. M. Lee Bryce, Esq., The Resident Magistrate, Thursday Island, 

 Queensland. 



F. Pairley, Esq., M.I.E.E., F.E.M.S., Woombye, Queensland. 



Dr. H. Priestley, Australian Institute of Tropical Medicine, Townsville, 



Queensland. 

 R. Gordon Edgell, Esq., Bi'adwardine, Bathurst, New South Wales. 

 E. J. Cook, Esq., P.M. Hergott Springs, South Australia. 

 Simon Ockley, Esq. , Comaun, Penola, South Australia. 

 W. A. Doran, Esq., P.M. Eucla, Western Australia. 



G. R. Kirkby, Esq., P.M. Carnarvon, Western Australia. 



Major G. T. Wood, The Resident Magistrate, Broome, Western Aus- 

 tralia. 

 G. G. Lavater, Esq., A. E.V.I. A., Narrogin, Westei'n Australia. 

 Dr. Mapleston, Port Darwin, Northern Territory. 

 J. McKay, Esq., P.M. Alice Springs, Northern Territory (Central). 



Each observer is provided with a glass rain-collecting gauge and a 

 set of specially prepared stoppered bottles in which the samples are 

 forwarded. A set of instructions has been drawn up for the guidance of 

 observers in collecting the samples. A copy of these instructions, 

 together with the several enclosures for the use of observers, is appended 

 to this report (Appendix A). 



The samples of rain-water are being sent to Melbourne by post. The 

 postal charges, which are naturally very heavy, are being defrayed by 

 the Commonwealth Meteorologist, with the sanction of the Minister of 

 Home Affairs. The Committee desires to express its appreciation of 

 this unsolicited and valuable concession. Special packages had to be 

 devised for sending the bottles through the post. After repeated trials a 

 double cardboard box lined with corrugated paper was found to be 

 satisfactory. Samples are being sent regularly through the post from 

 stations upwards of three thousand miles distant from Melbourne, but 

 up to the present time no breakages have occurred. 



In order to deal with the large number of samples to be examined, 



