XXXVI. ABSTRACT OF PROCEEDINGS. 



His connection with scientific effort in Australia was 

 very important. He was Honorary Secretary of the Philo- 

 sophical Society of Australasia founded in 1821, of the 

 Australian Philosophical Society formed in 1850, and of the 

 Philosophical Society of New South Wales formed in 1855, 

 and which became the Royal Society of New South Wales 

 in 1866. He presided at the sixteenth monthly meeting of 

 the Society as late as the 9th December, 1857, was Hon. 

 Secretary in 1857-8, and a member of Council in 1858-9, so 

 that he must be regarded as a most important link between 

 the first scientific society in Australia and our Society to- 

 day. Dr. Douglass practised his profession at Parramatta 

 and Sydney. He appears to have had various disagree- 

 ments with the authorities of the day. 



According to the "Sydney Morning Herald " of Decem- 

 ber 2, 1865, Dr. Douglass, of Douglass Park, Oamden, died 

 on December 1, 1865, at his residence, Ocean Street, 

 Woollahra, near Sydney. It may thus be seen that Dr. 

 Douglass, a member of the first scientific society in Aus- 

 tralia, lived just long enough to see the present name of 

 Royal Society about to be adopted for the Society to which 

 he last belonged, for the resolution to change the name 

 was passed on 1st November, 1865, and confirmed on 6th 

 December, 1865, to take effect from the 1st May, 1866. 



In the "Sydney Morning Herald " of December 2, 1865, 

 is the following: — 



"Dr. Douglass was a fluent speaker in his best days, 

 and took great pleasure in legislative debates. He was from 

 position, and certainly from inclination, on the side of authority, 

 not without a moderate leaning to all popular ideas. Dr. Doug- 

 lass initiated and followed up several important reforms. He 

 introduced into this colony, before it was adopted in England, the 



