Proceedings. 167 



application that we have overlooked the value of the Bokhara clover. I had almost 

 seed enough to spread over a forty-five acre paddock now in wheat, and trust to see 

 the plant floiu'ish as grass, to be eaten down when the wheat is off : I have also two 

 other plots of Bokhara growing, which wiU produce a large quantity of seed. 



Mr. Dixon's efforts fully and fairly test the adaptation of these grasses to the 

 soil and climate of this island, and then* value for the purposes of dry provender 

 and pasturage cannot be estimated too highly, subject, as we are, to seasons of 

 aridity, in which every green thiag becomes withered and dried up. 



A few small cubes of yellow pyrites of iron from the Fingal gold diggings were 

 presented by Mr. H. HuU. 



Mr. BelbiQ, of Liverpool-street, sent to the Museum skins of the Axistralian 

 Egret Serodias si/rmato;phoriis, GouLD, and King-fisher Alcyone azurea, Lath., 

 shot by him at Kent's Group, Bass's Strait. 



Alexander Eeid, Esq., of BothweU, presented, through Dr. Officer, a stuffed speci- 

 men of an imusuaUy large Ornitliorhynchus, obtained in the Clyde River. 



A specimen of Malachite, picked up by Mr. "W, E. GibHn in this neighbourhood, 

 but probably of Adelaide origin, was presented by that gentleman. 



From Alexander Macnaughtan, Esq., were received a fine model of a Chinese 

 war junk, two glazed cases of insects, and one hxmdred preserved bird skins from 

 Ladia, together with a magnificent collection of corals from the Indian Ocean, 

 numbering upwards of twenty species, and comprising Fungice, CaryojpTiyllioB, 

 Favonioe, Meandrinw, Astrece, Catenoperoe, Madrejooroe, Porites clavaria, &c., 

 with a miscellaneous collection of shells, embracing species of the following genera — 

 Melo, Cymha, Conus, Txirho, Turhinella Meleagrina, Tridacne, Eostellaria, 

 Fteroceras, Fusus, Stromhus, Cassis,lDolium, Terebra, Cyprea, Valuta, Oliva, 

 Sulla, Auricula, Nerita. 



Captain Edward Sayers, of the James Cruicksh<xnk,~3ent a few fresh Nutmegs 

 for the purpose of being planted and cultivated at the Society's Gardens. 



The receipt, per Creole, of a case containing twenty-two plants, chiefly Australian, 

 for the Society's Gardens, from Mr. Mason at Melboiu-ne, was announced. 



A Meteorological Table, exhibiting a daily statement of observations on the Aneroid 

 and Syphon Barometers, the Sympiesometer and Thermometer, &c., for the month 

 of December, taken at Government House by Mr. HuU and Mr. F. Stanley Dobson, 

 was placed before the meeting. 



A letter from S. P. Griffin, Esq., U. S. Navy, written on behalf of Lieutenant 

 Maury, and addressed to His Excellency the President of the Eoyal Society of 

 Van Diemen's Land, and Sir W. Denison's reply, were read. The Secretary also 

 read a communication from Sir W. Denison to the Society representing the import- 

 ance to science, navigation, and commerce, of the inquiries and pursuits to which 

 Lieutenant Maury has devoted himself, and soliciting the co-operation and aid of 

 members in aecumxdatiag information and facts, to enable Lieutenant Mam-y to 

 construct charts of the winds and currents, &c., in these latitudes, which may be 

 sufficiently accurate to be practically available in the navigation of the neighbouring 

 seas and coasts. 



