14 a. He MAIDEN. 
July). 4, On some facts in the geographical distribution of land 
and freshwater vertebrates in Victoria.—( Proc. R.S., Vic., Vol. 1x., 
New Series). 
My predecessor announced, in his presidential address, the 
death of Mr. A. S. Olliff, a leading New South Wales entomologist, 
and now I have to chronicle the death of Mr. F. A. A. Skuse, cut 
off in early manhood like Mr. Olliff, whom he succeeded at the 
Australian Museum, and like him, a trained entomologist, one who 
had done excellent work, and one who, it was hoped, had a life of 
usefulness before him. Our scientific men are too few in number 
for us not to feel deeply the loss of two able men, so full of promise. 
The work of Mr. W. W. Froggatt, our Government Entomolo- 
gist, for the past year has been mainly published in the Proceedings 
of the Linnean Society of New South Wales, viz., papers entitled 
“On the bag-shelters of Lepidopterous larve of the genus Teara”; 
“The entomology of Grass-Trees( Xanthorrhea)”; and “Australian 
Termitide, part ii.” Mr. Froggatt also published an important 
paper on honey ants.’ , 
Marine Biological Laboratory and Public Aquarium.—A scheme 
which was discussed some years ago for the establishment of a 
Public Aquarium in Port Jackson, with, in association with it, 
tanks for experiments on fish culture, and a Biological Station or 
laboratory for investigations in marine biology, has lain dormant 
of late. But when the Fisheries Bill, now before Parliament, 
becomes law, the conditions ought to be more favourable for the 
establishment of such an institution. The Director of Fisheries, 
for whose appointment the bill provides, will assuredly demand 
that facilities such as would be provided in the way suggested, 
should be afforded, in order to enable him to make any sound 
improvements in the state of the fisheries of the Colony. Such a 
composite institution as that suggested, if placed inaconveniently 
eaccessible position, say in the Domain, would undoubtedly be a 
1 Report (Zoology) of the rege Expedition to Central Australia, 1896, 
pp. 385 - 92, pl. 27, figs. 1- 
Aeon ah pct haart ay Eset eta Aid 9 
