582 JOURNAL OF SCIENCE, 
top and bottom, and the inclination or dip was from N.E. to 8.W., and 
was very slight indeed. It would, he thought, be an excellent household 
coal, but not fit for steam purposes. 
ROYAL SOCIETY OF NEW SOUTH WALES. 
Sydney, Sept. 2nd, 1885.—Professor Livers dge, F.R.S., President, ° 
in the chair. 
New Members.—Messrs. Wm. Chisholm, M.D., F. W. Elsner, 
F.R.C.S.1., E. F. Ross, M.R.C.S., &., and R. E. Roth, M.R.C.S. 
Paper.-—(1) *‘ History of the Floods in the Hawksbury,” by Mr. 
J. P. Josephson, A.M.I.C.E. The author gave particulars of floods that 
occurred between the years 1795 and 1881. In 45 years there were no 
less than 153 floods, the highest (62ft. 7in. above the ordinary level of 
the South Creek, a tributary of the Hawksbury) taking place in June, 
1867, with very disastrous effects, acres of land, farmhouses and other 
buildings, crops, &c., being swept away, and people in some places being 
reduced for several days to a state bordering on semi-starvation. There 
were 15 floods in 1870. The greatest number of floods (19) occurred in 
the month of March, 18 in February and 17 in June. Mr. Russell, the 
Government Astronomer, in proposing the vote of thanks heartily 
accorded to Mr. Josephson, said that gentleman’s paper was a very 
valuable one indeed for historical reference, and expressed his apprecia- 
tion of the fact that Mr. Josephson had called attention to the misstate- 
ments concerning the height of Hawksbury floods previous to 1867 
which had crept into certain standard works, especially Wentworth’s 
book. 
Sydney, Oct. 7th, 1885.—Professor Liversidge, F.R.S., President, 
in the chair. 
New Members.—Hon. W. J. Trickett, Messrs. J. W. Allworth, 
J. R. Baass, W. V. Miller, and P. F. Watson. 
Paper.-—(1) “The Ringal of the North West Himalaya,” by Dr. 
Brandis, of the Indian Forest Department (communicated by Baron 
Ferd. von Mueller). The ringal is a kind of bamboo which the author 
thinks might be introduced into the colony. 
MICROSCOPICAL SECTION. 
Sept. 14th.— Mr. P. Pedley, in the chair. A very interesting paper 
was read by Dr. Morris on experiments with highly refractive mounting | 
media. Dr. Morris gave a full account of his work, extending over a 
considerable period, amongst almost every possible substance that could 
be employed as a medium in preparing objects for the microscope, more 
especially having reference to media suitable for the exhibition of the 
strie on diatoms. He described his plan of manipulation in mounting 
in phosphorus and bisulphide of carbon, sulphur, sulphur and selenium, 
silver film, monobromide of napthaline, solid mercuric iodide, and the 
alkaloids and crystalline preparations. The lastnamed is exceedingly 
suitable for the display of bacteria, and doubtless for many animal 
tissues, being far superior in this respect to Canada balsam, and much 
easier manipulated. Professor Morris illustrated a portion of his paper 
