which had been presented to us had been handed over to the care 

 of the Austrahan Museum, as we had no home of our own, they 

 became merged in the library belonging to the Museum, and all 

 efforts to trace and recover them were without avail ; but since 

 the Society is making exchanges with some 350 Societies and 

 Institutions in all parts of the world, the annual increase to its 

 library of journals and transactions is very great, and starting 

 from in 1874, the library now shews a total, in round numbers, 

 of some 5,000 bound books and a very large number of unbound 

 books and pamphlets. 



With this cursory glance at a few points in the history of our 

 Society prior to the Centennial year of the Colony, we now find 

 it through the instrumentality of one of its Honorary Secretaries, 

 Professor Liversidge, acting as the starting point from which the 

 " Australasian Society for the Advancement of Science " has been 

 established. 



Having been prevented, by the state of my health, from taking 

 an active part in this important Scientific Congress, I am unable 

 to describe, from personal observation, the various sectional 

 meetings, excursions, &c., which took place during the first meeting 

 of the Association held in Sydney during the past year. It is 

 fitting however, that I should place on record a brief epitome of 

 its development and inauguration in this city. I am indebted for, 

 and have epitomised the following facts from the very able address 

 of its President : — 



'• Up to the year 1831 no organised Association for the promo- 



had existed in Great 



that year, 



however, Mr. (afterwards ' Sir ') David Brewster, supported by 

 Sir Roderick Murchison, Sir John Herschel and others, initiated 

 the first Association for tlie advancement of Science. The first 

 meeting was held in York, when 353 persons were present. It has 

 since won tlie confidence of various Governments who have adopted 

 and acted upon its recommendations, and regularly placed in its 

 keeping sums of money for the promotion of Science. Its subse- 



