i55 
Nov. i, 1885.] The Australasian Scientific Atagazine. 
within which Australia is comprised are those that mark only the extreme 
eastern portion of Asia, so that, strictly speaking, Austral does not accu- 
rately describe our position in respect to that continent. I will not 
enlarge further on these points. The little I have said will, I think, suffice 
to prove that “Australia ” is alone the befitting title for this great division 
of the British realm ; and, hoping that the meeting may fully concur in 
this opinion, I will conclude my note by begging the chairman and mem- 
bers to take immediate action thereon, for if anything is to be done it 
should be done promptly. A draft of a Federal Council Adoption Bill, 
prepared by the Premier of Queensland, has been received by the Cabinet, 
and will no doubt be speedily submitted to Parliament. Whether that bill 
contains any generic term for our federated provinces I can only conjec- 
ture, but whilst we still have the opportunity let us do what we can to 
insure for our united states a name to which no just exception shall here- 
after be made. 
Colonel Crawford added that just as the name Hobart Town was altered 
to Hobart, so the opportunity of federation should be taken to adopt the 
more euphonious name of Australia for the group. 
Mr. Justin McC. Browne called attention of the Fellows to a series 
of interesting articles in Notes and Queries, which appeared a few months 
since, on the subject of the use of the words Australia and Australasia. 
Mr. R. M. Johnston said that statisticians used the term Australasia to 
mean the Continent of Australia, and the Islands of New Zealand and 
Tasmania. 
Mr. E. D. Swan : And Fiji. 
Mr. R. M. Johnston : When such a term was generally used, it would 
require very great courage to suggest any alteration. It was, however, 
one which would very fairly come within the scope of the dealings of the 
Federal Council. 
Mr. J. B. Walker said they were indebted to a Frenchman, President De 
Brosses, for the term Australasia, he having conferred it in 1756. He had 
brought down a book “ Histoire des Navigatiors aux Terres Australes,” 
Paris, 1756, showing the charts of that day for the inspection of the Fel- 
lows. Australia now, as he understood it, was used for the Continent 
and Australasia for the larger group. He did not know whether the 
shorter term being more euphonious would be sufficient reason for alter- 
ing it. 
Colonel Crawford : But we have nothing to do with Asia at all. If 
you have anything call it South-eastern Asia. It makes me writhe to 
think of the incongruity. A Frenchman may have introduced the word, 
but I won’t be guided by any Frenchman. (Laughter.) A century ago, 
too — what did he know about it? (Renewed Laughter.) Let us use our 
own common sense. Weaie famous for misnomers in this island. 
The Chairman said no doubt the Colonel’s remarks would elicit discus- 
sion and call attention to the subject, and so he would attain the object he 
had in view. 
ORNITHOLOGY. 
The Curator stated that the Council of the Royal Society had received 
during a month a letter from the President of the Intercolonial Permanent 
Ornithological Committee, Vienna, which he would read to the Fellows, 
in doing so he was of opinion that among the Fellows of the Society were 
many close observers of the habits, etc., of the birds of Tasmania, and 
the co-operation of those gentlemen, would materially assist the object, 
