188 Pi'oceedings, 



Destructive Distillation : — ^At a low temperatm-e it yields — 



(1) An oily matter. 



(2) A tarry matter. 



(3) Gives an acid reaction to the water in receiving-vessel. 



At white heat gives off a large quantity of gas of a pecuharly phospho=- 

 rescent odoiir. 



(Query. Is acid reaction due to phosphorus ?) 

 €ras on standing deposits a large quantity of a black tarry liquid matter, and 

 some oUy substance. 



"EICHAUD LEE." 



The Secretary read an elaborate analysis of the combustible schist of the Mersey, 

 made at the Andersonian University, Glasgow, by Professor Penny, accompanied 

 with a table shovring the proportions per cent, of volatile matters — fixed carbon, 

 ash, sulphur, and water in various coals, analysed by Professor Penny. 



A letter was read from J. Macquorn Eankine, Esq., P.E.S.S.L. & E., actnow' 

 lodging his election into the Society and promisiag contributions. 



The Secretary announced the receipt at the Gardens of a case of plants from 

 Messrs. Low and Co., of Clapton, London, — all dead. 



The following communication from the Eev. T. J. Ewing, of New Town, in 

 reference to the Ornithology of Norfolk Island, was read : — 



" JVew Town Parsonage, 9th September, 1854. 



" Mx Deae. Sie, — As the Settlement of Norfolk Island is so soon to be giveri 

 up, I wish through you, as Secretary of the Eoyal Society, to endeavour to get the 

 permission of His EsceUency the Lieutenant-Governor to have a complete collec- 

 tion of the Birds of the Island formed before it is abandoned. The ornithology 

 of that small spot is interesting on many aecoimts. Many of the bnds originally 

 described by Latham, and figau-ed in Lambert's Icones, are supposed to have been 

 brought from there. Several species, chai-acterized by Govdd as fi-om Austraha, 

 are also attributed to Norfolk Island, — such as Fachycephala xanthoprocta and 

 Fachycephala longirostris. The Merula Nestor, a fitne thrush, described by 

 Gould as having been collected by Stm-t on the Murrumbidgee, is the Turdus 

 foliocephaUhS of Latham, said by liim, and no doubt truly, to be from Norfolk 

 Island. 



Most interesting would it be to know if the curious Nestor prodwctus, or long- 

 billed Phillip Island Parrot, is still in existence. Major ChUds told me in England 

 that the last of its race was tame in his garden when Commandant of the Island. 



I have often had specimens of the Plati/cerciis Pennantii, the Lowry Parrakeet 

 of Port Phihip, brought from Norfolk Island. Does it breed there? If so, it must 

 have escaped from confinement at first: there is also another lesser Green 

 Parrakeet. 



