8 President's Address 



volume, which will bring our publications to date. Thence- 

 forward it is in contemplation to publish our Transactions in 

 pamphlet form, either monthly or quarterly, and complete a 

 volume every year ; thus placing before the public the every- 

 day work of the Society, and affording the authors an 

 opportunity of having the subjects they have treated thrown 

 open to general discussion while still possessing their 

 original freshness and interest. For several years past, with 

 only the exception of the one just ended, this chair was filled 

 by Sir Henry Barkly, our able Governor, of whose excellent 

 management, and the ability he brought to bear on many of 

 the most interesting of our papers and discussions, it may be 

 out of place for me to descant. The Koyal Society owes 

 much to him. 



On his resignation. Professor M'Coy, my immediate pre- 

 decessor, was, I think, quite unanimously elected, and 

 certainly the Society have to congratulate themselves on the 

 results of the year, no less than on the eclat of his name and ' 

 his prestige as a man of science. 



Having premised thus much of our present condition, and 

 a word or two of our future intentions, permit me now to 

 lay before you a very brief outline of the subjects treated of 

 and discussed during the by-gone year. 



At the first Ordinary Meeting, held on the 16th May, a 

 paper was read by W. H. Archer, Esq., Registrar-General, 

 " On a Genus of Coleoptera, hitherto unknown in Victoria/' 

 of which large and beautiful specimens were exhibited. 



This was followed by an exhaustive paper " On the 

 Surface and Underground Drainage of Melbourne," by A. 

 K. Smith, Esq., C.E. This valuable paper led to much dis- 

 cussion by the members, and as" one evening was not sufficient 

 for it, it was adjourned to our next meeting, with a direction 

 that it should have precedence of all papers. In fact, this 

 paper and the discussion upon it, led to an animated discus- 



