XIV. ABSTRACT OF PROCEEDINGS. 



were observed by the trio, and a strange thing was that they 

 circled around the "Wookata" in a tantalising way. 'It was 

 about 3 o'clock,' says Captain Nelsson, 'that the man at the wheel 

 remarked, Do you see these lights flying about?' I replied, 'Yes, 

 there are a great many more lights about than I have ever seen 

 here.' Just then I saw a mysterious light off Cape Spencer, which 

 disappeared as suddenly as it came into view. Presently the 

 helmsman said, 'It is strange, but I have seen lights on the port 

 bow, then right ahead, then on the starboard side.' I stepped 

 inside the wheelhouse, and on coming out again saw two lights 

 just over the starboard bow, no distance away, but high up. They 

 seemed to pass us. They were as bright as our masthead lights, 

 and as far as I could judge, were 200 or 300 yards distant. The 

 lights appeared to be 10 yards apart, one a little above the other. 

 I could not make it out. I said to the man at the wheel, ' Did 

 you see them V He answered, 'Yes, they are like German airships 

 flying about.' I did not know what to think. I feel sure I saw 

 something unusual — something which in my 45 years' experience 

 at sea I had never observed before.' The second engineer also 

 declares he saw the strange lights " 



The phenomenon was perhaps a natural one and not due 

 to human agency, and these two incidents are therefore 

 recorded, for what they are worth before this Society, so 

 as to attract scientific attention should they be manifested 

 again. 



exhibits : 



Dr. J. B. Oleland exhibited, on behalf of Mr. Edwin 

 Cheel and himself, the following Australian Fungi : — 



Stropharla stercoraria. — The record is newfor Australia. 

 This Agaric is closely allied to S. semiglobata, the chief 

 naked-eye differences being given by Massee as a distinct 

 cord-like pith in the stem, a flocculose stem when young 

 and a flat cap at maturity, the latter being persistently 

 semi-globose. The spores of S. semiglobata are given by 

 Massee as 12ft x 6/*, by Cooke as 13 to 14/* x 8 to 9/*. 



