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EFFECTS OF FOREST VEGETATION ON OLIMA-TE. 

 By the Key. W. B. Clarke, M.A., F.E.S., &c. 



[Head before He Royal Socleiy of N.S.W., 1 Novemler, 1876.] 



At our last meeting we had tlie pleasure of listening to a very 

 able and instructive paper on " Meteorological Periodicity," by 

 my learned colleague, the Colonial Astronomer, an essay which 

 exhibited the results of his diligence and thoughtful discrimina-- 

 tion. 



The topic was one in w^hich, in the course of my own researches, 

 more than forty years ago, entered into a- somewhat wider field 

 than Mr. Eussell has chosen for his special investigation, since it 

 embraced not only Meteorological but other Physical phenomena, 

 and especially the internal as well as the external influences that 

 produce either recurring or abnormal changes in the organism of 

 this planet and the health of its inhabitants. 



I confess I felt a desire, on the occasion referred to, to say 

 something relating to the last-mentioned of these eftects, but the 

 hour was late and the speakers had been many, and it was on the 

 whole better to have deferred my comments on Mr. Kussell's 

 remarks till the whole of his design had been completed. At the 

 same time I deem it fitting to acknowledge that my own inquiries 

 justify a full reception of many of his conclusions, although his 

 range of observation w^as limited rather to the illustration of our 

 Australian region than extended to the more universal evidences 

 derived from ancient as well as modern instances of " Meteoric 

 phenomena, Vicissitudes in the seasons, and Prevalent disorders 

 contemporaneous and in supposed connection with Volcanic 

 emanations," which was the subject of various essays published 

 by me'in the years 1833-4-5. 



I propose to-night to call attention to something in a different 

 direction which has also a bearing on the interests of the Colony, 

 which may have interest for some here present, and which only 

 takes the place which I expected would have been occupied to- 

 night by a discussion from another quarter on a somewhat allied 

 branch of inquiry, in which Forest vegetation will be considered 

 .under a different aspect, viz., in relation to Geological influences. 



