238 JOURNAL OF SCIENCE. 



The annual address was delivered by the retiring president, Mr. 

 A. C. Topp, M.A., LL.B., F.L.S., who expressed his regret that during 

 the past year he had been obliged to absent himself i rom so many meet- 

 ings of the club, but his public duties had prevented him from taking 

 the active part in the affairs of the club which he should have liked. 

 The most important field work accomplished by the club during the 

 year had been in connection with the excursions to the Kent group of 

 islands and to the Upper Yarra, and it was a matter for congratulation 

 that these somewhat prolonged excursions seemed now to be firmly 

 established as a necessary part of the annual doings of the club. Apart 

 from the actual results in the shape of new fauna and flora discovered, 

 and new knowledge acquired of geographical distribution, such trips 

 promoted one of the objects of the club in giving young naturalists a 

 training and experience Avhich would be of value to those of them who 

 in later life might take up on a larger scale the study of natural history 

 in unexplored or at least unsettled localities. Mention ought also to be 

 made of the visit of Messrs. Howitt, Dendy, and Lucas, members of the 

 club, to the Mount Wellington district in Gippsland, a report of which 

 was read at the February meeting. In addition to the results derived 

 from these excursions, it was encouraging to notice that during the 12 

 months the diligent collecting and trained observations of members 

 had resulted in the addition of several new species of animals 

 and plants to the Victorian fauna and flora, and many papers of interest 

 had been read at the periodical meetings. It was a matter for regret, 

 however, that geology still continued in the background. The annual 

 wild-flower show in October was, perhaps, a completer exhibition of 

 spring flowers from all parts of the colony than had previously been 

 shown. Allusion was made in the report to several other matters and 

 publications of interest to members as connected with Australian natural 

 history, and satisfaction was expressed at the fact that arrangements 

 had been made by the Mining department for a continuance of a syste- 

 matic geological survey of the colony. The circumstance that so excel- 

 lent a geologist as Mi'. A. W. Howitt was now the head of the depart- 

 ment was a guarantee that this work would be thoroughly and exactly 

 carried out. Congratulatory refei'ence was also made to two explora- 

 tions which, it might be hoped, would before long give results of great 

 scientific interest, namely the expedition despatched by Sir Thomas 

 Elder to the interior of Australia, and the Swedish- Australian expedition 

 to the South Pole now being organised by Baron Nordenskjold, and 

 promoted by the Victorian Antarctic committee. 



Baron von Mueller added a few words respecting the work of the 

 club and the expedition to the Antarctic regions, which, he now felt 

 assured, would soon be an accomplished fact. He moved a hearty vote 

 of thanks to Mr. Topp for his work as president of the club, and for the 

 excellent address which he had just delivered. 



An exhibition of lantern slides illustrative of the club's excursions 

 was given, and a numerous list of exhibits was shown. 



Melbourne, July 13th, 1891. — Professor W. B. Spencer, in the chair. 



New Members. — Mrs. C. French, and Messrs. E. Bolter, H. C. 

 Crofts, P. Dattari, C. Draper, S. Plowman, F.R.C.S., C. A. E. Price, 

 J. V. Smith, C. Troedel, and T. J. Watts. 



