ABSTRACT OF PROCEEDINGS. XV. 



observations. It will he readily understood that safe and suc- 

 cessful navigation depends largely on a knowledge of the move- 

 ments of the sea surface drifts and the path of the main ocean 

 streams, and it is with the object of adding to such scanty infor- 

 mation upon the subject as has been obtainable hitherto, that the 

 author compiled his paper. In a far more comprehensive form 

 the Hydrographical Office purposes to publish current charts of 

 the Pacific Ocean, and to quote Oapt. Hep worth's words, " then 

 these records of ocean current with which I have been dealing, 

 the study of which has appeared to me somewhat like the perusal 

 of stray fragments of a torn up document, will have complete 

 contexture, and it will be known whether the theories adopted by 

 me in their interpretation be correct or otherwise, but in the mean- 

 time it is hoped they will be of some value to the navigators of 

 the Pacific." 



The reading of the paper on "A group of Water-spouts" by 

 H. C. Russell, b.a., c.m.g., f.r.s., was postponed till the next 

 meeting. 



EXHIBITS. 



1. Mr. R. A. Bastow, Fitzroy, Victoria, exhibited a key to 

 tribes and genera of Melanospermse (olive-green or brown algse) 

 which he had prepared for the use of students. This key will be 

 reproduced by photo- lithography in the same size as the original 

 drawing, and will form Plate 1 in the Society's Journal for 1898, 

 Vol. xxxii. 



2. A facsimile (in metal, presented by the Trustees of the 

 Public Library of New South Wales) of the Tablet erected on 

 Inscription Point near Cape Solander, the southern head of Botany 

 Bay. The original was affixed to commemorate the foundation 

 of the Philosophical Society of Australasia in 1821 (the precursor 

 of our Society) and as a record of the landing-place of Cook and 

 Banks in Botany Bay in 1770. 



The following donations were laid upon the table and acknow- 

 ledged : — 



