XV111. ABSTRACT OF PROCEEDINGS. 



2. "The Initiation Ceremonies of the Aborigines of Port Stephens, 

 New South Wales," by W. J. Enright, b.a. Syd. (Com- 

 municated by It. H. Mathews, l s.) 



The author briefly dealt with what is popularly known as " man 

 making." On approaching the age of puberty, a youth is taken 

 away from the maternal control by the elders, or chief men, 

 instructed in the traditions and laws of his tribe, and made 

 familiar with occult rites which are kept secret from the uniniti- 

 ated, and from women. Until he passes through this ordeal he 

 is not permitted to fraternize with the men, or to join in certain 

 songs and dances known only to initiates. Thenceforth he is 

 qualified to take his part as a man of the tribe, to attend the 

 councils of the men, and so listen to and participate in all discus- 

 sions relating to matters of tribal concern. 



EXHIBITS. 



1. A comparison of the various modes of artificial lighting, by 

 Mr. J. L. Bruce, Technical College. 



2. A new form of Spectrometer, by Professor Liversidge, 



M.A., LL.D., F.R.S. 



The following donations were laid upon the table and acknow- 

 ledged : — 



TRANSACTIONS, JOURNALS, REPORTS, &c. 



(The Names of the Donors are in Italics ) 



Adelaide — Observatory. Meteorological Observations during 



1895. The Observatory 



Public Library, Museum, and Art Gallery. Report of the 



Board of Governors for 1897-8. The Board 



Royal Society of South Australia. Transactions, Vol. xxn., 



Part ii., 1898. The Society 



Auckland — Auckland Institute and Museum. Annual Report 



for 1898-99. The Institute 



Boston — American Academy of Arts and Sciences. Proceedings, 



Vol. xxxiv., Nos. 15 - 17, 1899. The Academy 



Brisbane — Department of Agriculture. Extracts from Queens- 

 land Agricultural Journal, Vol. iv., 1899 : — i. Contribu- 

 tions to the Flora of Queensland and New Guinea, by 

 F. Manson Bailey, f.l.s. ii. Economic Botany by F. 

 Manson Bailey, p.l.b. iii. Tick Fever, by C. J. Pound, 

 f.b.m.s. The Department 



