Proceedings of Learned Societies. 387 



for pastoral purposes. The climate was described as generally 

 healthy ; and the valleys of the Baren River and other districts were 

 shown to possess all the elements for the support of a vast popula- 

 tion. Sir Richard MacDonnell observed that the theories of vast 

 deserts and inland seas of Australia were gradually disappearing ; 

 and he could testify, from personal experience, that although it was 

 neither a rich nor a barren country, yet it possessed excellent ma- 

 terials for the development of pastoral wealth. He also said, that 

 if cotton were to be grown in Australia, he believed the fittest spot for 

 its cultivation would be found near the Victoria River. Sir Charles 

 Nicholson, of JSTew South Wales, agreed as to the adaptability of the 

 soil and climate for the growth of cotton, and stated that 200 bales, 

 of cotton shipped at Moreton Bay were daily expected in England. 

 Governor Kennedy, of Western Australia, exhibited two huge 

 oyster-shells, which he was told were worth £140 per ton when im- 

 ported into this country, a fact rendering that portion of Australia 

 as valuable as the gold-producing ones. 



ZOOLOGICAL SOCIETY.— Nov. 11. 



Discovery of a ISTew British Snake. — Mr. Frank Buckland 

 described the capture, and exhibited living specimens of the Coronella, 

 Icevis, a common European snake, but not hitherto ascertained to be 

 a British species. Several specimens have been captured in Hamp- 

 shire, etc. This snake is distinguished from the ordinary species, 

 Coluber natrix, by the scales not having a raised keel or central 

 elevated line ; it is also viviparous, as has been demonstrated by one- 

 captured specimen that produced several living young. 



CHEMICAL SOCIETY.— Nov. 20. 



Spontaneously Inflammable Gaseous Compound of Silicon ani> 

 Hydrogen. — Dr. Hoffmann made a communication to the members 

 on the preparation of this highly-interesting compound, illustrating 

 his remarks by a new and striking experiment. It is believed that 

 silicon belongs to the same group of elements as carbon, but though 

 the normal carburetted hydrogen, C 2 Hi, has been long known,, 

 indications only of the existence of the corresponding silicon com- 

 pound have been obtained, and these quite recently. Berzelius 

 pointed out long ago the existence of a body which he believed to 

 contain hydride of silicon — it was a solid, however, not a gas — and 

 will probably turn out to be the hydrated oxide of silicon, since 

 obtained by Wohler. It is to the latter chemist that we owe the 

 recognition of silicuretted hydrogen. In an experiment where 

 water was being decomposed by a galvanic current, bubbles of a 

 spontaneously inflammable gas were observed to rise from the- 

 aluminium electro-negative pole employed. Analysis proved the 

 aluminium to contain a considerable quantity of silicon as an. 



