•258 BY JAMES BARNARDjV.P. 



dream of colonial statesmen ; but in science we have the 

 satisfaction of knowing that federation has been already 

 attained by the " Australasian Association for the Advancement 

 of Science," which has gathered into its ranks and welded into 

 one body representatives from all the several scientific societies 

 of Australia and New Zealand: and here I may remark that our 

 Boyal Society is to be congratulated that it is sending to that 

 Association early in January one of its most distinguished 

 members, who is second to none in scientific acquirements, and 

 who has ijeen selected by the Council of that Association to be 

 the President of an important section in the programme for 

 the year. 



But I have been getting off the rails, and must now come 

 back to the pleasing duty which I have undertaken, and that is 

 to offer to His Excellency the President our best thanks for 

 his admirable closing address of the session, as well as our 

 hearty acknowledgments of the eminent services which His 

 Excellency has rendered to the Royal Society during the past 

 three years. 



