304i EEPOETS FBOM THE SECTIOJfS. 



unexplained, and many plienomena connected witli tlieir struc- 

 ture and habits, as yet untouclied upon. There is a large field 

 here that would amply repay a little perseverance, and eyen the 

 few facts already observed and which I have endeavoured to put 

 before you to-night^ cannot but strike with wonder when viewed 

 for the first time. 



That the animal and vegetable kingdoms are in many respects 

 closely allied none I think will be disposed to deny. Vegetable 

 food is we know the means of subsistence to the bulk of animal 

 life on the globe, but here we have an example actually of the 

 reverse ; for it has been proved that if these plants be deprived of 

 the means of obtaining sustenance through the insects caught by 

 them, as for example by enclosing them in a glass shade, they 

 quickly become sickly and die, their roots not being formed for 

 extracting nitrogenous or organic matter from the ground. 



SECTIOJS^ r.— GEOaEAPHY AIN^D ETHNOLOaT. 



At the preliminary meeting of this Section the following 

 Committee was appointed : — 



Chaismaj? .— Mr. E. Du Eaur, E.E.G.S. 



Committee. — J. Manning, C. L. Sahl, A. S. Webster, The 



Hon. L. Ean« De Salis, M.L.C. 

 Hois'. Seceetahy. — Wm. Eorde. 



Owing to the absence of some of the Committee from Sydney, 

 it was not thought advisable to call the Section together until 

 the September meeting, at which arrangements were made for the 

 preparation of lists from the Public Libraries of this and the 

 neighbouring Colonies, and from other sources, of all works bearing 

 on Exploration in Australasia and the Islands of the Pacific, also 

 for collating all information published on the Aborigines. 



These matters are proceeding. 



Tracings of Ice Charts showing the track of ships running 

 down easting have been promised to this Section from the original 

 belonging to Commodore Hoskins, E.N. 



Commander Hoskins, E.N., of H.M.S. " Pearl," and Lieutenant 

 Penn, of H.M.S. " Sappho," have kindly promised charts showing 

 the recent alterations in surveys, and also discoveries made by 

 the Admiralty in the Pacific. 



The Free Librarian of Tasmania has forwarded a list of works 

 on Exploration and the Aborigines. The Librarian Melbourne, 

 and the Secretary of the South Australian Institute, have 

 promised similar contributions. 



