ABSTRACT OF PROCEEDINGS. XXX111. 



THE FOLLOWING PAPERS WERE READ ' — 



1. "Current Papers, No. 4," by H. C. Russell, b.a., c.m.g., f.r.s. 



This paper began by calling attention to the fact that during 

 the years 1896 and 1897 the prevalent winds over Australia and 

 the Indian Ocean were north-west, and that as a result, com- 

 paratively few current papers were received, because the wind 

 forced the bottles, carrying current papers, towards the south 

 and in this way prevented them from resting in the Australian 

 Bight, the great dumping ground for bottles. It was also shewn 

 that during the past year north-west winds had been few and 

 light, while southerly winds had been frequent, and as a conse- 

 quence, current papers had been frequently received. On many 

 days they came in pairs, and on one day three current papers had 

 been seen, which is the maximum for one day, and during the 

 past year 105 had been received. Referring to the drift of the 

 disabled steamer Perthshire, it was shewn that the direction the 

 steamer took was just that which the author had found to be the 

 course of bottle-papers, and that although the Perthshire was 

 driven by many winds, it would appear that the final result did 

 not produce any deviation from the drift-line of that part of 

 Tasman Sea. Reference was made to the unusual number of 

 breaks in propeller shafts, and to the greater speed of current 

 papers and the great number of violent storms which the author 

 thought all pointed to unusual energy in the sea and atmosphere, 

 which may have caused the unusual strains on propeller shafts. 



2. "Note on the occurrence of Glaciated Pebbles in the Permo- 



Carboniferous Coal-field near Lochinvar, N. S. Wales," by 



Professor T. W. E. David, b.a., f g.s. 

 Strong evidence of glacial action was observed in this part of 

 the Permo-Carboniferous coal-field of N. S. Wales, by the late 

 Government Geologist, Mr. C. S. Wilkinson, over sixteen years 

 ago. In 1885, Mr. R. D. Oldham, Assoc r.s.m., of the Geological 

 Survey of India, discovered a faintly scratched and slightly 



e-Oct.4, 1899. 



