vi President's Address 
(or Xanthorrhea), in illustration of which samples of resin, 
spirit, and picric acid were exhibited. ' 
Mr. Bonwick’s paper, entitled “The Volcanic Rocks 
of Rome and Victoria compared,” is the next one on the list. 
This was a most interesting communication, giving the 
results of Mr. Bonwick’s observations during his late visit to 
Italy. Dr. Bleasdale next gave a short description of a new 
gem, now for the first time found in Victoria—the green 
sapphire, or Oriental emerald, discovered I believe in Gipps — 
Land. Avery valuable paper by Professor Halford comes 
next, itis “On the Absorption of Colouring Matter by the 
Blood,” in which he gave the results of a long and careful 
series of experiments on this subject. 
At our next meeting an elaborate contribution to 
mathematical science, communicated by Chief Justice Cockle, 
of Queensland, was read by Sir Redmond Barry, “ On Different 
Equations and Co-resolvents.” I also contributed a short 
paper on “The Rainfall in Victoria.” A paper by Mr. Thos. 
Harrison, on “ A Geological Trip to the Coalfields of New 
South Wales,” occupied our next sitting. Mr. C. Wilkinson’s 
paper, “On the Theory of the Formation of Nuggets in the 
Drift,’ was received with considerable interest, and led to an 
animated discussion ; in illustration of this paper, which — 
detailed some experiments made with relation to the 
behaviour of weak solution of chloride of gold in the presence 
of organic matter, Mr. Wilkinsonexhibited specimens of quartz 
with pyrites, upon which gold from the solution had been 
deposited simply by the presence of organic matter. JI may 
mention with relation to this paper, that further investi- 
gations of Mr. Wilkinson’s theory are being made at the 
chemical laboratory of the Geological Survey, by Mr. Cosmo 
Newberry, who informs me that there are two points con- 
nected with it which appear to be settled :—Ist. That no 
metallic nucleus is necessary for the formation or growth of a 
