853 



The promised Bill for the preservation of Native Faunar- 

 and Flora in the western portion of Kangaroo Island has been 

 still further deferred in consequence of the economic stress due 

 to the late drought and the present deplorable war. It is 

 greatly to be feared that this continued postponement will 

 prove fatal to the Society's efforts to prevent the entire destruc- 

 tion of many interesting forms of life. 



The Government, having established a Board of Visitors 

 to the Adelaide Observatory, has appointed the President of 

 this Society as one of its members. 



Three of our Honorary Fellows have during the year 

 received recognition of the value of their work from other 

 scientific bodies. Professor W. H. Bragg, now of the Uni- 

 versity College, London, who commenced his investigations 

 into the phenomena of radio-activity while on the staff of the 

 University of Adelaide, has, in conjunction with his son, been 

 awarded the Barnard Gold Medal of the Colombia University, 

 New York; Mr. J. H. Maiden has been honoured with the 

 Linnean Medal of the Linnean Society of London : and Pro- 

 fessor David has received the Wollaston Medal, the highest 

 award in the gift of the Geological Society of London, for his 

 important contributions to the geology of Australia and 

 Antarctica. 



The Library has increased considerably during the year, 

 principally through exchange of our publications for those of 

 other bodies, but to some extent through free donations, 

 including a set of fifty-nine volumes of the "Actes de la 

 Societe Linneenne d'Histoire Naturelle de Bordeaux," pre- 

 sented by our President, and one folio publication of special 

 interest to Australians, which was presented by the Royal 

 Society of London. This is ''Illustrations of Australian 

 Plants, collected in 1770 by Banks and Solander during 

 Captain Cook's voyage round the world," now reproduced for 

 the first time. The binding of the Library has been continued 

 and is still in hand. For this the Society has gratefully to 

 thank the President for the financial aid already given and • 

 promised. 



The question of the copyright of the Society's publica- 

 tions, which was somewhat indefinite, has been considered by 

 the Council, who has repealed Section III. of the By-laws and 

 replaced it by another, which, in accordance with Rule 44, 

 will be presented to this meeting for approval. 



The present membership of the Society comprises 10 

 Plonorary Fellows, 6 Corresponding Members, 77 Fellows, and 

 one Associate. 



Jos. C. Verco, Presidenf. 



Walter Rutt, Tion. Secretary. 



September 30, 1915. 



