liv President's Address 



Observations in South Australia, by the Rev. Julian Woods, 

 a work in which our esteemed associate has given a most 

 interesting and graphic account of the rock formations and 

 fossils of the district in which he resides ; and has thus set 

 an example, which, if extensively followed, would enable the 

 scientific world to form a general idea of the geology of this 

 vast continent, and to settle the vexed question of its 

 primaeval history, at a much earlier peiiod than can other- 

 wise be hoped for. 



Look again to the distinguished men who preside over the 

 scientific establishments of Victoria, almost all of whom we 

 have the honour to number on our roll. The annual history 

 of these departments furnishes, as is well known, the clearest 

 indication of the rapid progress the arts and sciences are 

 making in our midst; and there is, assuredly, not one of 

 them of which the colony has not just reason to be proud. 



The Melbourne library, under its zealous and intelligent 

 librarian, now boasts so large a number of books, and, thanks 

 to the efforts of Sir Redmond Barry and the liberality of 

 Anglo- Australians, is becoming so rapidly enriched by ad- 

 ditions to its art collections, that steps have been taken, I 

 rejoice to perceive, towards commencing the erection of the 

 new wing. 



The Museum of Natural History also, wisely, in my opinion, 

 kept distinct from these treasures of literature and art, has 

 assumed such large proportions, under the fostering care of 

 Professor M'Coy, that it is at length about to be relieved from 

 the mining models and machinery which have obstructed a 

 close inspection ; but which, when properly arranged in the 

 adjacent building, which is rapidly springing up, will form the 

 nucleus of a museum of economic geology and a school of 

 mines worthy of a country as prolific in metallic and mineral 

 resources as any on the face of the globe. One of the func- 

 tions assignable to a school of mines will be greatly 



