CV 
Mr. E. D. Swan said the absence of the Woodpecker waa, according 
to Gould, owing to the Australian trees shedding their bark, so that 
the beaks of the birds would not be required to bore into the trees to 
get insects for food. 
Col. LEGGE said it would be very interesting to acclimatise them here 
and see the result. 
A paper by Mr. A. B. Biggs, Launceston, entitled ‘‘ The Lunar Kclipse 
of 30-3lst March, 1885.” The paper was not long, but of great interest 
to those who pay particular interest in astronomical studies. 
A paper, by R. M. Johnston, F.L.S., on the character and relation- 
ship of the upper paleozoic and mesozoic formations of Tasmania, 
and the associated diabasic rocks, illustrated by specimens collected by 
him in various parts of the colony, and an account of a collection of 
ferns made by Mr. J. R. McClymont at the Cascades. 
Prior to reading his paper on the character and relationship of the 
Upper Pal. and Mesozoic formations of Tasmania, with the diabasic 
rocks, Mr. Johnston announced that he had discovered at Porter Hill, 
near Hobart, an important series of beds, showing a gradual transition 
upwards, without stratigraphical break of any kind, from the common 
limestone restricted to marine organisms, to fine sandy shales where 
the marine organisms have altogether disappeared, with the exception 
of a minute ostracod. These upper beds are replete with plant remains, 
chiefly of ferns, allied to the genera — Gangamopteris, Cyclopteris, and 
possibly Pecopteris. The fossiliferous marine limestones and mud- 
stones, replete with the common forms belonging to the genera Steno- 
pora, Protoretepora, Fenestella, Spirifera, Strophalosia, Terebratula, 
etc., are followed by thin passaged beds of alternating dark brown 
sandstones and friable shales, where most of the common lower forms 
disappear, with the exception of Spirifer Tasmaniensis and P. Darwinii. 
In these shales a species of Cythere swarmsin the greatest number, to- 
gether with species belonging to the genera Modiolopsis, Tellinomya, 
and Theca. In these latter beds also the plant remains referred to 
begin to make their appearance, and in the uppermost shales the 
plant remains, and an occasional Cythere, with the articulated spines, 
probably of a species of Ichthyodorulites alone are to be found. Mr. 
Johnston is of opinion that these upper beds with plant remains are 
the equivalents of the Tasmanite stage of the upper marine beds of the 
Mersey. 
Mr. JoHnstTon also announced that Mr. McClymont had kindly for- 
warded to him for the society’s collection the following interesting 
ferns from the Cascades, Tasman’s Peninsula, viz.:—Lomaria patersoni, 
L. lanceolata, L. procera, L. discolor, Polypodium billardieri, Aspidium 
capense, Grammitis australis, Hymenophyllum rarum, H. crispatum. 
Mr. R. A Bastow read a paper entitled ‘‘ Jungermannia reticulata.” 
This interesting paper was accompanied with some beautifully-mounted 
specimens shown by the microscope. 
The Superintendent and Inspector of Fisheries, Mr. SAVILLE-KENT, 
F.L.S.,F.@.P., exhibited and made remarks upon the ova and living 
fry of the Cucumber Mullet, Herring, or Grayling (Prototroctes 
marena). The eggs taken and artificially impregnated from fish caught 
in the Mersey, at Labrobe, were rapidly hatching out in his aquarium. 
A period of precisely three weeks had elapsed from the collection of the 
eggs and the appearance of the first fish, the ‘‘eyed” condition of the 
ova having been entered upon on the expiration of the first fortnight. 
The artificial impregnation or collection of the eggs of this fish not 
having been previously accomplished it was a point of interest to ascer- 
tain whether they were deposited by the parent among the gravel in 
the river bed, as is the case with the Salmon Trout, and Kuropean Gray- 
ling (Thymallus), or whether, as obtains with another allied form, the 
