Mr. Iitg-leby said the comet did not set, but died away, 

 which made him hold the opinion that the tail was borrowed 

 light. He thought that the consideration of the circumstances 

 of the rapid fading away of the cornet might lead to useful 

 discoveries respecting the constituent elements, &c, of these 

 celestial phenomena. 



In reply to a question, Mr. Todd stated that the various 

 obstacles in the way of obtaining clear observations of the 

 recent comet had prevented him from being able to calculate 

 its distance from the sun, but, speaking roughly, and by no 

 means committing himself to the statement, he should say the 

 distance was under fifty millions of miles. 



Reference was made to the frequent recent occurrence in our 

 skies of large and brilliant meteors, and the theory that 

 showers of meteors usually followed the appearance of a comet 

 was briefly alluded to. A suggestion was made that in the 

 statistical and general records now being compiled by the 

 Society as much information as was possible should be obtained 

 respecting meteoric appearances, and the Secretary promised to 

 note the suersestion. 



•'so^ 



Ordinary Meeting, April 6, 1880. 

 Professor Ralph Tate, F.G.S., President, in the Chair. 

 Dr. John Rees, Hindmarsh, was elected a Fellow. 

 Mr. A. W. Dobbie was elected a member of Council in the 

 room of Mr. R. Hickson, resigned. 



The list of donations to the Library was read. 



NOTES AND EXHIBITS. 



Mr. P. G. Waterhotjse, C.M.Z.S., on behalf of the South 

 Australian Institute, exhibited land shells from South Sea 

 Islands, presented by John Brazier, Esq., C.M.Z.S., Sydney. 

 Possils, minerals, and shells, presented by Mrs. William 

 Jewell. 



Mr. W. Fowler, of Tarroo, Kulpara, forwarded a specimen 

 of fossil mangrove root, taken from a depth of 78 feet, or 

 about sea-level, in the District of Kulpara. 



Professor Tate said from what he knew of the country he 

 could quite believe the plant remains indicated the fact that 

 the land had been elevated above sea-level at a recent period. 



Mr. D. Brown, of Port Adelaide, exhibited some rubbings of 

 native wooden weapons showing incised ornament, which had 

 been forwarded to him from the interior. His correspondent 

 hazarded the opinion that the concentric rings indicated the 

 practice of sun worship by the people who have carved them. 



Professor Tate exhibited two specimens of similarly orna- 



