Vroceedingi. 181 



Geographical Society of London from tlie Eev. T. J. Ewing, of New To-wn, and 

 read a note from Mr. Ewing promising a paper on the Birds of Tasmania for the 

 August evening meeting. 



Mr. Hugh Hull presented for the Library a " Histoiy of Yan Diemen's Land 

 from 1824 to 1835," printed by Henry MelvUle, Hobarfc Town. 



A few geological specimens procured dvuring the antarctic voyage of the 'Erehus 

 and Terror were received from Mr. Payne, of MelviUe-street. 



The Secretary read a note from Mr. Alderman Elliston transmitting ten 

 Casts of Aborigines of Tasmania, taken in plaster of Paris by the late Mr. 

 Duterreau. 



A note was read from Mr. D. T. KUbm-n presenting a Folding Stereoscope, 

 the invention of Mr. E. EUburn, of Eegent-street, London, and patented by him 

 in England and France. 



Colonel Last presented from Lieut. Gayner, of Norfolk Island, the skins of a 

 Bittern (IBotauris Australis), and a Cuckoo (probably the female of Eudynamis 

 JB'lindersii, Lath.), with a dried specimen of Scolopendra. 



Mr. Rolwegan presented the Staff of Office (Hane) of a Chief of New Zealand. 



A Pish (not named, preserved in spirits) was received from Marcus Aitkin, Esq., 

 of Pingal. He had obtained it in a seine at the Scamander Eiver, on the East 

 Coast. 



A note from Mrs. "Walker, of Launceston, was read by the Secretary bringing 

 under the notice of the meeting a cranium which had been forwarded to her, and 

 alleged to have been found in the interior of New Holland. The lower jaw was 

 missing, and there were no teeth in the much-worn alveoh of the upper maxilla. 

 Having been examined by Drs. Agnew, Butler, and others, it was pronounced to 

 be the skull of a Seal of the genus Arctocephalus. 



The Secretary laid on the table a Eeport fi-om the Superintendent at the Gardens 

 of the despatch of a case of plants to Geelong per Iron Tasmania. 



His Excellency the President read a note from Mr. Francis Cotton, of Eelvedon, 

 Swanport, drawing attention to the unusual character of the season, as evidenced 

 by the fact, that in the first week of this month the raspberry plants vo. his garden 

 were covered with blossom and fruit in dififerent stages of growth up to ripeness in 

 several instances ; that many of his roses were then in fuU blossom, and that the 

 sweet briar hedges presented quite a gay appearance j Mr. Cotton observing, 

 " nothing of the kind has occurred before in our experience, which extends over 

 twenty-five years in this hemisphere." 



Sir W. Denison added, that in Dr. Hampton's garden the pear trees had not 

 only blossomed a second time, but produced a second crop of well-formed fruit. 



Several members adduced similar recent instances of blossom on fruit trees, 

 rose trees, &c. 



The Secretary read a note from the Eev. E. L. Eing, of Sydney, transmitting 

 a long, learned, and interesting paper upon Australian Entomostracans, illustrated 

 with carefully-executed drawings of new species. 



