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XXXI. Notices respecting New Books. 



Journal and Proceedings of the lioyal Society of Neiu South Wales. 

 Vol. XXIJ. Part I. 8vo, Sydney and London, 1888. 



THE Anniversary Address (pages 1-43) by Mr. C. S. Wilkinson, 

 F.Gr.S., gives a favourable account of the Progress of Science 

 in Australia ; and, in noticing his own special subject, the President 

 draws attention not so much to past labours in the field of Greology 

 as to some of the work yet to be accomplished. In sketching out the 

 extent to which each successive series of rock-formations is known, 

 Mr. Wilkinson clearly indicates the points to which further research 

 should be directed. Imperfect or doubtful evidence has to be made 

 good, substantiated, or corrected, as the case may be, both as to 

 age, sequence, and thickness of some strata, and as to the 

 occurrence and characters of fossils. All the good Australian 

 workers in these and other departments of Natural Science are duly 

 mentioned ; and in Geology, more particularly the late Rev. W. B. 

 Clarke, the founder of Australian Geology, and the Eev. J. E. 

 Tenison- Woods, to whom the Society's "Clarke Medal" was 

 awarded in May 1888. 



In Mr. W. E. Abbott's paper (pages 59-76, with the discussion) 

 on " Eorest-Destruction in New South Wales and its effects on the 

 flow of water in watercourses and on the rainfall," the author stated 

 that on his land, a basaltic district, streams now flowed where there 

 was little water when the forests were standing. In the discussion 

 some good points were mooted, as to the decrease of atmospheric 

 pressure, perhaps by sular heat on the exposed ground, allowing the 

 subterranean water to flow out, — as to the local condition of the 

 soil, &c. Although pretty-well established that forests in general do 

 not increase local rainfall, yet the Society quite agreed that, if 

 forests were destroyed, a sufficiency of standing trees should 

 always be left (as, indeed, required by law) for the purposes of 

 shade and oruament. 



Mr. H. C. liussell, F.E.S., gives some interesting observations 

 (pages 76-78) on the variable red Star, jj Argus. This is now 

 proved to have remarkable fluctuations of brilliance at its minimum 

 as well as at its maximum ; and its minimum seems to have now 

 past, as its magnitude is again increasing. Its period is probably 

 about 80 years. 



In his " Notes on some Minerals and Mineral Localities in the 

 Northern Districts of New South Wales" (pages 78-88, with a 

 plate), Mr. D. A. Porter continues his remarks (made in 1884) on the 

 same subject, and notices Gold, Antimony, Stibnite, Molybdenite, 

 Actinolite, Axinite, Beryl, Zircon, Spinel, Gahnite, Pleonaste, 

 Yesuvianite, Rhodochrosite, Siderite, Calcite, Arragonite, Natrolite, 

 Heulandite, Chabazite, Analcite, Laumonite, and Stilbite. 



Mr. Walter ShelLshear, A.M.L, C.E., explains his " Simple plan of 

 easing Railway-Curves " (pages 89-97, with tables and a plate), 

 "without addiug (he says) materially to the work of the surveyor, 

 or overtaxing his brain with obtuse formula." 



