492 



SCIENTIFIC NEWS. 



[Nov. 9, 1888. 



the distribution of life, both plant and animal, on the surface of the 

 continent. He traced more particularly the distribution of the flora 

 over the various regions, and sought to account for its present 

 peculiarities by reference to such changes in the level of the land and 

 the like as seem to have taken place since the Cretaceous period. 

 He pointed out the fallacy of the idea popularly entertained that 

 there was evidence of the existence in Tertiary times of an extension 

 of the sea through Central Australia, the Tertiary beds of that region 

 bearing evidence that they were not of marine but of lacustrine 

 origin, containing remains of fresh or brackish water or land ani- 

 mals, but of no marine forms. He showed that this region was, at 

 the time when other parts further south were subjected to the action 

 of glaciers, a region of great rainfall and consequent formation of 

 great valleys and great accumulations of fluvialite deposits. He 

 followed out the effects of these conditions and of various oscillations 

 of climate which Australia had undergone in more recent periods in 

 determining the leading peculiarities in the geographical distribution. 



The first paper read was one by Mr. W. M. Hamlet, F.I.C., 

 F.C.S., On ike Action of Metallic Salts in the Development of Asper- 

 gillis nigrescens. Certain samples of bread submitted to Mr. Ham- 

 let for analysis were found to be densely crowded with the hyphae 

 and conidia of a mould-fungus —Aspergillus nigrescens - and, on 

 analysis, a small quantity of zinc was found in the bread, to the 

 presence of which, probably derived from galvanised iron tubs or 

 vessels used in the baking, the specially active growth of the mould 

 was ascribed. 



Dr. Joseph Bancroft, of Brisbane, read a paper and gave a 

 demonstration of the respiration in the roots of shore plants that 

 inhabit the undrained mud-banks of the coast of Queensland. It 

 appears there is a remarkable organ that springs up from the 

 roots of avicennias covered with circular pores. The pores throw 

 off flakes of white corky cells. This action of the plant opens up air 

 communication with the pithy roots, that live permanently in foetid 

 mud. These organs he calls "breathers." They are 18 in. high 

 in Avicennia and in Sonneratia, brought from the Johnson River by 

 Dr. Tom Bancroft, are upwards of 6 ft. in length, and 6 in. in dia- 

 meter, tapering to a point. The breathers never throw out leaves, 

 but when wounded will become forked. In Brugueira, another 

 shore plant, knees are thrown up on which lenticels are developed. 

 Mangroves show lenticels on their many-legged stems. The Swamp 

 cypress of the Southern States of America throws up knees which 

 are cut off and used for buckets. Dr. Bancroft believes the function 

 of the cypress knees will be found analogous. Roots of the shore 

 plants were immersed in water, and on air being forced through them, 

 it appeared in bubbles at all the lenticular apertures. Dr. Bancroft 

 is of opinion that gardeners will profit by the understanding of the 

 value of these lenticels being kept clean and free from lichenous 

 growth on the stems of their fruit-trees. 



A lengthened discussion, in which Mr. Tyron, of Brisbane, Pro- 

 fessor Baldwin Spencer, Professor Anderson Stuart, and the Pre- 

 sident took part, then followed on the nature of these lenticular 

 openings and the office they performed in the economy of the 

 plant. 



Papers were read by Mr. Arthur Dendy, M.Sc, F.L.S , bearing 

 the following titles : Preliminary Notes on the Structure and De- 

 velopment of a Honey Sponge (Stelospongus flabelliformis) ; On the 

 Minute Atiatomy of an Australian Land Planarian. Papers were 

 also communicated by Mr. W. J. M'Kay, B.Sc, on The Development 

 of the Pineal Eye in some Australian Lizards ; by Mr. A. Fletcher, 

 B.Sc, On a Myxosporidium infesting Australian Frogs; by Mr. 

 W. A. Haswell, M.A., D.Sc, On the Striated Muscular Fibres in 

 nvertebrates and in the Muscular Tissue of Peripatus. 



Section E.— Geography. 



The section met under the presidency of the Hon. John Forrest, 

 C.M.G., Commissioner for Crown Lands of Western Australia. 

 The President did not consider it advisable on this occasion to con- 

 fine his remarks to a particular geographical subject.as is usual in old- 

 established societies, as he thought a few general observations on sub- 

 jects within the wide scope of the geographical section of the Asso- 

 ciation would be more useful on the present occasion. He pro- 

 ceeded to remark on the territorial divisions of Australia, and made 

 a graceful allusion to the work of explorers who have passed away. 

 He made a plea for the systematic teaching of Australian explora- 

 tion in our schools, and what more useful work would there be than 

 teaching the rising generation the way in which the Continent we 

 live in and love so well has gradually been opened up to the enter- 

 prise and commerce of the world. After briefly, but eloquently, 

 describing the changes which civilisation has wrought in Australia 

 within the space of the past IOO years, the question might arise in 

 our minds as to what Australia would be like in another century, 



and that such thoughts should stimulate us to great exertions. The 

 old way of travelling by cart and coach has given way to the rail- 

 way, and the old way of shepherding our stock is fast disappearing ; 

 in fact, our present ways are not the old ways ; and so it must be 

 with the work of exploration. The old way must be superseded by 

 the new ; no longer must it be the love of adventure, and the fascina- 

 tion of discovering new mountains and new rivers, but our aim must 

 be to examine and map the treasures of the earth. The man of science 

 must now with care and with skill, and with slow but sure steps, 

 follow on the steps of the early geographical traveller, and the pro- 

 secution and accomplishment of this great work be commended to 

 the Governments and people of Australasia. As a rule, expeditions 

 have been badly provided, have received but scant encouragement, 

 and have had but small Government support. It therefore has 

 frequently happened that fertile tracts of country have remained 

 unknown and unutilised for years, just because a Government has 

 not had sufficient knowledge and enterprise to have it examined and 

 reported upon. As far as pastoral pursuits are concerned, the 

 enterprise of the squatter lhas done good and lasting work. The 

 question of federation must also occupy attention. At present the 

 people of Australia were in many respects as foreign people to 

 one another. 



Papers were also read by Mr. James Stirling on the Physiography 

 of the Australian Alps ; by Sir Edward Strickland on Emin Bey ; 

 by Mr. H. G. M'Kinney, M.E., on The Rivers of New South Wales ; 

 by Mr. James Panton, P.M., on Supposed .Further Traces of Leich- 

 hardt ; by Mr. G. S. Griffiths, F.G.S., F.R.G.S., on Antarctic Ex- 

 ploration the Duty of Australasia; and by Sir Edward Strickland, 

 K.C.B., F.R G.S., Epitome of the State of our Geographical Know- 

 ledge of Australasia. 



Section G— Anthropology. 



Dr. A. Carroll delivered his presidential address on the Move- 

 ments of Races from Asia to America and Australia. The paper dealt 

 with the little progress hitherto made in the progress of anthropo- 

 logy in Australasia or the Pacific since the entrance of the Spaniards 

 to these regions ; how little true advancement has been made in the 

 study of the Pacific islanders in comparison with the peoples of other 

 regions, and their ancient history, especially the Egyptians, Baby- 

 lonians, etc. ; the movements in High Asia 4,000 years ago of the 

 various races and mixed peoples ; the reactions of these upon the 

 Davidians, the " Kush," and the various Babylonian colonisers and 

 Syrian peoples, and the obliteration of the " Kush," who were after- 

 wards absorbed by the " Shemites," etc. ;the earlier natives of China 

 —the " Mon," the "Lo," the " Yun," the "King," the "Mao"— 

 some of whom were long before this immigration civilised nations ; 

 the quarrels of the Aryans, their separation, their advance towards 

 India and to Media, Persia, etc.; the introduction of their dialects, 

 myths, poetry, hymns (as the "Rig" and other " Vedas "), their 

 native worship and their sun, etc. ; myths and the families of these ; 

 and the history of the races of the world to the present era. 



Mr. J. J. Wild read a paper on The Outline of Anthropological 

 Science, which he explained was a new science developed by the 

 intense intellectual activity of the 19th century. It was the science 

 of man, and had led to a series of most surprising discoveries of the 

 pre-historic race. The instruments of discovery had been the pick 

 and the spade in turning over the soil of Italy, Greece, Syria, and 

 Egypt. In all the terrible catastrophes which had overwhelmed 

 man he had always come forward in a higher type of humanity and 

 rising toward the higher destiny. 



The Rev. G. Pratt read a paper on The Genealogy of the Sun and 

 an Ancient Samoan Legend, which described the intercourse between 

 the inhabitants of heaven and earth, and related the uplifting of the 

 sky. 



Among the other papers were : A Co?)iparative View of the 

 Customs of the Papuan and Malay Races of Polynesia, Rev. S. 

 Ella ; Some Niceties of Expression in the Languages of the New 

 Hebrides, Rev. J. Copeland, M.A. ; Maori Art, Mr. A. Hamilton; 

 Notes on the Last of the Tasmanian Aborigines, Hon. Dr. Agnew. 



Section H.— Sanitary Science and Hygiene. 



Dr. Bancroft, of Brisbane, delivered the presidential address, 

 choosing for special reference the various hygienic aspects of 

 Australian life. The many difficulties with which sanitary science 

 had to contend were referred to, especially the slowness of the 

 recognition of its paramount importance. He then adverted to the 

 question of longevity, and pointed out that while these warmer 

 countries are favourable in many respects to long living, the death- 

 rate among children under the age of five was rather startling. He 

 then proceeded to remark upon certain conditions of life which may 



