PROCEEDINGS. 



APBIL, 1886. 



The members of the Royal Society of Tasmania commenced their 

 session for the year 1886 at the Museum building on April 13. Mr. 

 James Barnard, vice-president, occupied the chair, and there were 

 also present the Acting-Chief Justice (His Honor Mr. Giblin), the 

 Premier, Dr. Agnew (who has acted as honorary secretary of the 

 Society for many years), the Minister of Lands (Hon. N. J. Brown), 

 and a fairly large number of ladies and gentlemen, 42 Fellows being 

 present. 



ELECTIONS. 



The following gentleman was elected corresponding member of the 

 Society : — Baron von Groddeck, of Germany. 



The Revs. Geo. W. Shoobridge and G. F. M. Fielding, M.A., 

 were elected Fellows of the Society. 



chairman's address. 



The Chairman said : I need scarcely remind the Fellows of the 

 Society that we have commenced this session under altered conditions 

 and circumstances, and that since our last meeting effect has been given 

 to the provisions of the Act of Parliament for transferring the control 

 of the Museum and Botanical Gardens from the Royal Society to a 

 board of trustees. This change, however, is more nominal than real, 

 for the trustees have been derived largely from our own governing 

 body. Besides, there is the additional advantage of a blending in the 

 person of Mr. Morton of the dual positions of assistant secretary and 

 librarian of the Royal Society with that of curator and secretary to the 

 Museum ; and, moreover, our highly esteemed honorary secretary and 

 senior vice-president (Dr. Agnew) has been elected to be chairman of 

 the board of trustees. Hence it is evident that the interests of the Royal 

 Society are in safe keeping, and that we may fairly expect that 

 the same intimate relations will continue to subsist as heretofore 

 between the now two distinct bodies. For instance, any specimens 

 presented to the Royal Society, in the illustration of papers or otherwise, 

 will be ultimately deposited in the Museum, and, conversely, all con- 

 tributions direct to the Museum, will be exhibited on our table at 

 the monthly meetings of the Fellows of the Royal Society. 



Although this has not yet been settled by the board of trustees, yet 

 it will, no doubt, be considered mutually advantageous in the interests 

 of science, that the descriptions of the presentation to the Museum, as 

 well as a list of the exchanges of plants and seeds at the Botanical 

 Gardens, should be published as heretofore in the " Papers and Pro- 

 ceedings of the Royal Society," and thus sustain the interest of that 

 valuable publication. 



CONTRIBUTIONS. 



The Hon. Secretary (Dr. Agnew) read the following list of 

 contributions to the Library since the last meeting : — 



Adelaide University Calendar for the Academical Year 18S6 

 (bound), from the University. 



Agriculturist Gazette, current numbers. American Agriculturist, 

 do. 



Annals and Magazines of Natural History, December 18S5, January 

 and February 1886. 



Annual Report of the Surgeon-General United States Army, 

 1885, from the Department. 



