17 



soft tissues of the animal are supplied from it, and are connected 

 with the valve by nerve strands at the muscular scars. The author, 

 therefore, regards the valves of Triyonia as brain-case containing 

 sense-organs above, the brain in the centre, and the nerves 

 supplying the soft organs inside. 



If these conclusions are correct, they are of startling import- 

 ance. The bivalve shells are classified as having no brain, and a 

 very small nervous system in the soft tissues. It is now claimed 

 for them to have a large brain and nervous system. They are 

 superior to the univalves, in which one of the valves is represented 

 by the operculum. No doubt tlie paper will evoke much attention 

 from comparative anatomists. 



Another important paper by the same author, on the Desert 

 Sandstone, occupies a considerable portion of the year's proceed- 

 ings. The author describes the Desert Sandstone as a formation 

 spread more or less over the whole extent of the Australian Con- 

 tinent. It has been a great puzzle to all geologists, principally 

 on account of its broken character, peculiar stratification, and 

 the absence of any fossils. Tlie author regards it entirely as a 

 volcanic ash, and as belonging exclusively to the tertiary volcanic 

 emanations. The evidences upon which these conclusions are 

 built up are partly the microscopic appearances of the sands, and 

 partly geological considerations, for which the paper itself must 

 be consulted, and on which it gives ample detail. 



I trust, gentlemen, that, for the reasons above stated, you will 

 kindly accept of these few words in place of a presidential 

 address, and that you will permit me to reiterate my warm thanks 

 for the honour of having been elected to hold the high office of 

 President of your Society, as well as for the great kindness and 



the pie, 



lulness -r 





deration, I wil 



>ffer th.> 



S>x-irty t 



lu> best wishes 



iss, and : 





. your Presidei 



