ABSTRACT OF PROCEEDINGS. XI. 



depression of a few years ago, and to the fact that there were now 

 several societies in Sydney for special subjects, and that on 

 account of the extension of the tramlines the residents were more 

 scattered than formerly, and as they had more difficulty in 

 attending the meetings they refrained from joining the Society. 

 He suggested that perhaps it might be more convenient for 

 members to meet in the afternoon instead of in the evening. 



The President thought that if, in addition to the monthly 

 meetings, they annually held a reception and a conversazione and 

 gave courses of lectures as well as an annual dinner, the Society 

 would greatly benefit, and its objects would be largely promoted. 

 The President referred at length to the Intercolonial Catalogue 

 of Scientific Literature. This work, he said, would annually fill 

 17 vols., and would contain from 160,000 to 200,000 entries 

 yearly, and would prove an inestimable boon, as it would relieve 

 scientific people from much of the trouble now attendant upon 

 hunting up references to scientific subjects. He trusted that some 

 effort would be made to collect and forward material from Aus- 

 tralia for inclusion in this catalogue. He was also strongly in 

 favour of a federation of the leading Scientific Societies in Aus- 

 tralia, and the establishment of a national Australian Academy, 

 and suggested that a site for such an academy, museums, art 

 galleries, and a Federal University, and other Scientific and 

 Educational Societies might be reserved in the capital of the 

 Commonwealth. The organisation proposed would somewhat 

 resemble the Continental academies so far as its scope was con- 

 cerned, but under rules more like those of the Royal Society of 

 London. If the proposal were carried out it would be of great 

 benefit to Australia not only in its general usefulness, but in the 

 stimulus it would give to the younger Scientific men, since 

 election to it, would depend upon fitness and merit. It would be 

 very gratifying to all who were interested in the matter if with 

 the new century and the inauguration of the Commonwealth there 

 was increased attention paid to the question of instruction in 

 Science in the schools, and better provision made in this direction, 



