REPORTS. 425 



probably not have been either collected or preserved had this 

 Society not been in existence. Continued observation of the 

 specialities and peculiarities which distinguish the fauna and 

 flora of the different islands has led to the consideration of 

 the cause of these diversities, and to discussion as to the 

 period at which each island became separated from the conti- 

 nent, and the manner in which this severance was brought 

 about. It is hoped the resnlt will give us clearer and more 

 definite ideas on this difficult and important subject. 



The Council regret that they could not see their way to 

 org-anise excursions during the summer months. In our small 

 and confined area it is difficult to find new localities of suffi- 

 cient interest to draw all sections of the Society ; but there 

 are always novel features of rock formation exposed during 

 quarrying operations ; fresh points of interest in the fauna 

 and flora ; and relics of arch^ological interest which have not 

 been described or even mentioned in the Transactions of our 

 Society, and these might be made the destination of sectional 

 excursions. 



The Council desire to tender their hearty thanks to the 

 ladies and gentlemen who assisted in making the annual 

 Soiree so great a success ; and they also desire to gratefully 

 acknowledge their obligations to the Gnille-Alles Library for 

 the gratuitous use of a room in which to hold our meetings, 

 and for access to their Reference Library. 



During the present year the following publications have 

 been received by the Society : — 



Smithsonian Institute : — 



Annual Report for 1906. 



Report of the National Museum for 1907. 

 Portici : — 



Bolletino del Laboratorio di Zoologia Generale e 

 Agraria. 



Do., Vol. II., 1908. 



University of Rennes : — 



Travaux Scientifics, Vol. IV., 1905. 



Vol. v., 1906, and 2e Partie. 

 Philadelphia : — 



Proceedings of the Academy of Natural Science, 



Vol. 59, Part HI., 1907. 

 Do., Vol. 60, Part I., 1908. 

 Do., Vol. 60, Part II.,. 1908. 



Wisconsin Academy : — 



Transactions, Vol. 15, Part II., 1907. 



