272 Proceedings. 



One egg of the ostrich, with two perfect specimens of Cassis tuberose, 

 were presented from Mrs. Garrett, of Macquarie-street. 



Sir William Denison placed before the meeting a specimen of 

 of iyi^?2i<e converted into ;Vf, obtained by His Excellency in the bed 

 of the Ouse river. Sir William also submitted a specimen of iron ore, 

 procured in the vicinity of the Mersey river by one of the district 

 surveyors. 



A specimen oi Hematite ore of iron was submitted for examination, 

 having been forwarded from Break-o'-Day Plains by Mr. Groom. 



Specimens o^ iron pyrites (yellow variety — mundick of miners) from 

 the Lake country were submitted, having beeu forwarded through 

 Mr. Barnard by Mr. Berlhon, whose shepherd had collected them. 



Mr. Hull sent some well grown and productive ears oi millet raised 

 at Tolosa. 



Mr. Makeig, of the Treasury Department, presented two ornamented 

 waist belts of aborigines of the Fejee Islands. 



The Secretary placed before the meeting a sample of Manna, 

 obtained from the white gum-tree in the Domain here. A discussion 

 arose as to the season when it appears — the tree on which it is found — 

 and the mode of production ; in which Mr. G. W. Walker, Mr. 

 D.A.C.G. Mitchell, Mr. Hone, Major Last, Dr. Agnew and others, 

 joined. 



The Secretary submitted a small (probably uudescribed) hairy Crab, 

 caught about the level of low-water mark on the rocks near " the Snug" 

 point, in D'Entrecasteaux Channel, It is remarkable for the size and 

 comparative strength of its claws, and for its lurking in a state of 

 perfect concealment under a red membrane-like covering, from which 

 it springs on its unwary prey. It much resembles the Dromia 

 hirsntissima of the Cape of Good Hope, 



The Secretary presented for the Museum some Baskets manufactured 

 by the Aborigines of Tasmania from the strap-shaped leaves of certain 

 Cyperaceous jjlants common on the sand-hills by the seashore, and 

 used by them in their wild state for carrying shellfish and other 

 edibles, together with articles of the toilet. Necklaces worn by 

 Tasmanian Aborigines, and ingeniously prepared by them from a small 

 and highly pearlaceous shell ( a turbine,) common on our coasts, were 

 also added to the Museum by Mr. Milligan, 



The Secretary read a note from Mr. Walter Mantel, of New 

 Zealand, expressive of his desire to aid in furthering ihe views of 

 the Society. 



