Proceedings, <&c., for 1887. 195 



The President called attention to a specimen of a new and 

 interesting acacia, forwarded by Baron von Mueller for the 

 inspection of members. 



The President then read the Progress Report of the Port 

 Phillip Biological Survey Committee, and said it was evident that 

 the Committee, judging by this very satisfactory report, was 

 taking up the matter in a suitable spirit, and intended to do the 

 work thoroughly. 



Mr. Ellery moved the adoption of the Report, expressing 

 great pleasure at finding that a start had been made at such very 

 desirable and useful work. Much had been done by a few 

 energetic individuals, such as Dr. McGillivray, Mr. J. Bracebridge 

 Wilson, and others. The information collected by them should be 

 collated by the Committee in a permanent form. He hoped to 

 see the results in the Transactions before long. Mr. Rosales 

 seconded the motion. 



At the invitation of the President, Professor Spencer on the 

 part of the Committee, gave a short account of the work done. 

 It was surprising how much had been done before by individuals. 

 Mr. Wilson had a very complete collection of the sponges in the 

 bay, which were exhibited at the Conversazione. The biological 

 results would appear in the Transactions. The motion for the 

 adoption of the report was then put and carried. 



The Librarian reported the receipt of 85 new scientific 

 publications. 



The discussion on Mr. G. R. B. Steane's paper was then resumed. 



At Mr. Ellery's suggestion, Mr. Steane gave a resume of the 

 paper " On Rainfall and Flood Discharge," which was read at the 

 last meeting. (See Transactions, Art. XTV.) 



Mr. Ellery pointed out the great importance of the question, 

 as regards roads, drainage, and water conservation. Mr. Steane 

 had collected a large quantity of exceedingly useful information. 

 He had shev^n that in districts like Sandhurst, there was little 

 soakage ; of other districts, very little was known of the run off, 

 or of the differences that took place in the course of the year. 

 This could be determined for different classes of soil. A know- 

 ledge of the intensity of rain, especially in the towns, is very 

 desirable. In Sandhurst, rain had fallen for five minutes at the 

 rate of six inches an hour. To learn this important datum, one 

 or more self-registering rain gauges should be maintained in 

 every borough. The only records at present are at the Observa- 

 tory. But a thunderstorm is sometimes only a few yards in 

 width, so that rain gauges should be multiplied as much as 

 possible, as the engineer should know exactly what he has to 

 contend with. He also required to learn the discharge of rivers. 



Mr. Newton C. Jennings, C.E., F.R.I.B.A., a visitor for 

 whom, at the request of Mr. Ellery, permission was granted to 



o 2 



