MEETINGS OF SOCIETIES. 405 
Council.—One death, that of Mr. H. J. Buckland, an old and 
valued member of the council, took place. The vacancy was filled by 
the appointment of the Right Rev. Dr. Sandford, Bishop of Tasmania. 
Finance.—The income has been:—Government grant in aid to 
Museum, £200; grant to gardens, £600; annual subscriptions to Royal 
Society, £196 10s. ; sale of plants, £128 3s. 2d. ; making, with balance 
from 1883, £1,199 lls. 2d. The expenditure amounted to £1,169 
Is, 5d., leaving a balance to credit of £30 9s. 9d. 
It is a matter of deep satisfaction that the grant for 1885 to the 
Museum has been augmented by £100, and that to the Gardens by 
£200. These additions have been long and urgently needed. 
Museum.—The collection is gradually approaching to that con- 
dition, so much to be desired, in which it will ee represent the 
geology, the flora, and the ons of Tasmania. 
Gardens.—Many of the plants suffered severely from the drought 
during the early part of the year, and some apparently acclimatised 
were quite destroyed. Dahlias, Asters, Stocks, Phloxes, and other 
autumn flowering plants either did not flower at all, or did so in a very 
imperfect manner. Hitherto the greater number of the introduced 
plants have been procured by exchange, effected by sending Norfolk 
Island pines and Tree ferns (Dicksonia antarctica) to Europe. By late 
advices, however, we learn that the Tree Fern can now be purchased in 
London for less than the freight from Tasmania, and that the Norfolk 
Island pine is propagated by cuttings, in France, to such an extent as to 
keep the Home market fully supplied. 
The following gentlemen were re-elected members of the council :— 
Mr. Justice Dobson, Messrs. J. W. Agnew, M.D., C. H. Grant, and 
Russell Young. Messrs. John Macfarlane and Frank Butler were 
re-elected auditors of the society. 
Catalogue of Birds.—Colonel Legge intimated his intention of 
preparing a catalogue of the birds of the colony during the year, and 
hoped the society would accept it as part of its proceedings. 
ROYAL SOCIETY OF NEW SOUTH WALES. 
ORIGINAL RESEARCHES. 
The Society offers its Medal and a Money Prize for the best com- 
munication (provided it be of sufficient merit) containing the results of 
original research or observation upon each of the following subjects :— 
SERIES IV.—To be sent in not later than May Ist, 1885. 
No. 13.—Anatomy and Life History of Echidna and Platypus. 
The Society’s Medal and £25. 
14._-Anatomy and Life History of Mollusca peculiar to Aus- 
tralia. The Society’s Medal and £25, 
15.--The chemical composition of the products from the so- 
called Kerosene Shale of New South Wales. The 
Society’s Medal and £25. 
