the depressed state of the mining interest in this colony, and the 

 possibility of a long continuance of the present low price of 

 copper, and feels that the only hope of reviving this interest 

 lies in a greater economy of production, resulting from the 

 intelligent application of science to the processes of seeking, 

 raising, and treating the ores. 



"2. While thanking the Council of the University for the 

 careful consideration which it has given to the suggestions 

 contained in the letter forwarded from this Society on the 20th 

 February, 1877, and acknowledging the force of the objections 

 raised by the Council to the establishment by the University 

 of a department commensurate with the School of Mines at 

 Ballarat, the Society begs to suggest to the Council that its 

 curriculum already comprises several branches of knowledge 

 bearing upon this subject, and that by the addition of a com- 

 paratively small number of subjects it might arrange for a 

 course of study which would greatly advance the object sought, 

 and would, by giving prominence to the importance of this 

 question, pave the way for a more comprehensive scheme. 



" 3. This Society believes that although the number of 

 students availing themselves of the suggested course might at 

 first be small, it would rapidly increase, and that the University 

 has in its power to stimulate the desire for higher scientific 

 attainments on the part of those who intend to devote them- 

 selves to this important industry, and thus to confer a lasting 

 benefit upon this community." 



The motion was carried, the Hon. B. T. Uinniss and Professor 

 Tate remarking that they did not think a larger staff was 

 required. 



Letter read from Mr. W. McLeay, Sydney, acknowledging 

 the honour done him in electing him honorary member. 



Mr. Thomas Tate showed some fine specimen of Gorbicula 

 Angasi found by him in the Torrens at the Beedbeds. 



Professor Tate read some notes upon the Conchology of King 

 George's Sound, concluding with a few remarks upon a new 

 species of Lepiclwus which he had named viridulus. 



Discussion upon Hon. B. T. Finniss's Paper, " The Philosophy 

 of Consciousness." 



Mr. Harry said crises occurred in the lives of every thought- 

 ful man when the consciousness of existence was unusually 

 strongly marked, and the puzzling question would thrust itself 

 on one, " How is it, not that I exist, but that, existing, I am 

 conscious of my existence?" Man was the only one of which 

 it could be said that he was absolutely conscious of his own 

 existence, and indeed with many of the most thoughtful of the 

 race the two facts in respect to which alone they would under- 

 take to be positive were that they existed and were conscious 



