MEETINGS OF SOCIETIES. 1 87 



naturalists of Europe, I republish the same here, with an earnest appeal 

 to the members of this Society and all interested in the progress of 

 scientific research in the department of Natural History, for which this 

 Colony and Sydney especially, offers such a rich harvest. I may add 

 that the Royal Society of London has lately granted £50 towards this 

 object : — 



"Biology Department, University of Sydney, 



"12th December, 1890. 

 " Dear Sir, — It is intended to re-establish the Sydney Biological 

 Station on new lines and in a more convenient position. The site of 

 the former Station at Watson's Bay was resumed for military purposes 

 in 1886 — the Government giving the sum of £500 as compensation for 

 the loss of the building. This sum, with interest that has accrued, is 

 all that the Trustees have at present at their disposal ; and, in order to 

 establish and equip the Station in a suitable maimer, five or six times 

 this amount will be requrred. The Government have intimated thpir 

 willingness to assist by granting the use of a site suitable for the purpose. 

 It is intended to construct one large Laboratory, with Aquaria and 

 other necessary appliances, two or three smaller Laboratories, store- 

 room and workshop, accommodation for a fisherman to act as boatman 

 and caretaker, and, if possible, accommodation for a naturalist. With 

 regard to this last, it is thought eminently desirable for the success of 

 the undertaking that there should be attached to the Institution a resi- 

 dent naturalist continually engaged in researches on the fauna of the 

 coast. The rest of the work done at the station would be carried out at 

 their own expense by biologists from this or the other colonies, or visit- 

 ing us from Europe. The results would be for the most part published 

 in the local scientific societies' publications. The following gentlemen, 

 the Trustees appointed • by the Government, will be glad to receive 

 contributions towards this national undertaking : — Hon. E. S. Combes, 

 Dr. J. C. Cox, Prof. W. A. Hasweil, Prof. Arch. Liversidge, Hon. Jas. 

 Norton, Dr. E. P. Ramsay. 



Trusting to have your support and co-operation in this important 

 undertaking, I am yours very truly, 



"William A. Haswkll, 



"Professor of Biology, University of Sydney, 

 "Hon Secretary and Treasurer. 



" The Forest Department of N.S.W. — The Department of Forests 

 which formerly was a branch of the Mining Department, has during 

 last year been re-formed as a separate Department under the 

 Colonial Secretary, the services of Mr. J. Ednie Brown, F.L.S., as 

 Director-General of Forests, (who successfully filled a similar position in 

 South Australia) having been secured. The importance to the colony 

 of a well managed Forest Department will at once be apparent by the 

 following few facts, with which I have been kindly supplied, and which, 

 I am sure, will be highly satisfactory reading to every well-wisher of 

 this colony :■— The number of Forest Reserves is 944, and the area of 

 reserves already proclaimed amounts to 5,579,000 acres, of which there 

 .are about four million acres covered with more or less wood timber 



