xxiv President's Address 



Professor M'Coy, an old member and former Vice- 

 President of the Royal Society of Victoria, after thirty years 

 of active and uninterrupted service at the Universifcy, has 

 recently left the colony on a brief visit to Europe; and the 

 Chair of Chemistry, vacant through the death of Professor 

 J. D. Kirkland, has been entrusted to Dr. Orme Masson. A 

 professor on Biology is expected to be shortly appointed. 



The Museum of Natural History, situated in the 

 University grounds, is suffering greatly from want of suffi- 

 cient accommodation. The building, which was at first 

 amply large, is now quite inadequate for the rapidly 

 augmenting collection; consequently great numbers of 

 valuable and interesting specimens are placed on the tops of 

 high cases, or are stowed away in dark and inconvenient 

 corners, and in this way the real utility of the institution is 

 considerably impaired. An additional building of at least 

 equal size to the present one is most urgently needed. 

 Among the recent additions to the collection may be noted 

 some most interesting and beautiful birds and insects from 

 New Guinea and the adjoining islands. 



In view of the recent discussions as to the reproduction of 

 the platypus, it may be worth mentioning that a very fine 

 group of these curious creatures is to be found in the 

 Museum, and also specimens of alleged platypus eggs. 



The Ballarat School of Mines reports a large increase in 

 the number of students. An Astronomical Observatory 

 has been instituted at Mount Pleasant, the whole expense 

 of building and instruments being borne by the Vice-Presi- 

 dent, Mr. Oddie. The Field Class and Science Society 

 connected with the School have been very active during the 

 year. The sister institution at Sandhurst is similarly 

 flourishing. The classes are well attended, and valuable 

 additions are being made to the Museum. The Meteoro- 

 logical Observatory is in active work, and an Astronomical 

 Observatory is projected. 



The Working Men's College, established through the 

 munificence of the Plon. Francis Ormond, has not yet 



