ANNIVERSARY ADDRESS. 3 



he has been busy observing the almost daily earth tremors of that 

 interesting region. The crater of Assamayama, one of the most 

 active of Japanese volcanoes was sounded by him. Five different 

 times, and from five different points, did this daring Professor 

 endeavour to touch the bottom of what by many was believed to 

 be a bottomless pit, the result was that at the fourth sounding 

 the line after striking the bottom when 800 feet had run out, 

 suddenly became slack, and Professor Milne's conclusion is that 

 the depth at this particular place did not exceed 750 feet. The end 

 of the line for several feet was thoroughly carbonized, shewing as 

 was expected, that the temperature of the lower region of the 

 crater is tolerably high. What the " bottom " means, Professor 

 Milne does not profess to know. Still whatever the gain to 

 Science, the attempt deserves to be recorded in the scientific work 

 of the year. 



In Geological research there does not appear to have been 

 much advance calling for special notice, although there has been 

 no diminution in the amount of work carried on. Advantage 

 was taken of the occupation of Egypt to make some explorations 

 by way of boring in the Delta of the Nile, to the results of which 

 Geologists attached great importance. A deep bore had been 

 made and carried to a depth of 190 feet from the surface, or 

 164 feet below the mean sea level, yet nothing had been reached 

 but sand and clay with small pebbles. A derangement of the 

 boring apparatus prevented further progress, but the work is to 

 be continued so as, if possible, to get down to the rock. Letters 

 have lately appeared in the Sydney Press, from the pen of one of 

 our ablest Geologists, descriptive of his journeys in the northern 

 portion of this Continent but little known to explorers ; and, 

 on the return of the Rev. J. Tenison- Woods from his recent 

 travels, we may hope to hear the | result of his investigations 

 into the geology of the Islands of the Eastern Archipelago which 

 he has visited. Much interesting information may be looked for 

 from the pen of so close and able an observer. 



