148 
The Australasian Scientific Magazine. [Nov. 1, 1885. 
cSzc., President of the Geological Society, London. An interesting letter 
was read by the Hon. Secretary, for Sir Lyon Playfair, Bart., who is a 
member of this Society, on the subject of the British Association’s pre- 
sent meeting, for which he is the president. Mr. R. T. Litton also ac- 
knowledged the receipt of some 50 volumes of valuable geological works, 
from a member of the society, the Hon. Ed. F. Litton of Dublin, for 
which a unanimous vote of thanks was passed. It was resolved after some 
discussion that the Society recognises the Australasian Scientific Magazine, 
as their official organ. After some interesting conversation on various 
subjects, the meeting dissolved. 
NEW SOUTH WALES. 
GEOGRAPHICAL SOCIETY OF AUSTRALASIA. 
The monthly meeting of the Sydney branch of the Geographical Society 
of Australasia was held in the rooms of the Royal Society, New South 
Wales early last month, Sir Edward Strickland, K.C.B., F.R.G.S. 
President of the branch, presiding. There was a moderate attendance. 
The Chairman stated that the object of the meeting was to listen to the 
reading of a paper on exploration in Northern Queensland by Mr. Christie 
Palmerston, a well-known explorer, commissioned by the Queensland 
Government to inspect the newly reported goldfields on the River John- 
stone, with a view of ascertaining their value. Alluding to the work of 
the Geographical Society, he expressed regret that the society was not 
more generously supported by the public than it hitherto had been. The 
work it did was of a very important kind, of which the well-organised ex- 
pedition recently sent to New Guinea was an example. He was afraid, 
however, that when the expedition returned to headquarters the society 
would be very short of funds. He thought the public ought to awake 
from their apathy in this matter, and support an institution which had a 
career before it in making known to the inhabitants, not only of the world 
outside, but of Australia itself, the many wonderful districts which 
Australia possessed. He contended that much more was known about 
the dark continent than many parts of this continent. The object of the 
society was to support the exploration of our land as much as possible, 
and make known, either by the reading of papers from the explorers them- 
selves, or in other ways, the information which was thus gained. The 
society possessed a large number of maps and information of all kinds 
bearing on the colonies generally, which might prove of great benefit in 
promoting the aims of commerce, if only it had a room large enough in 
which to display them. Only the other day some valuable information 
was sought from the society for the promotion of commercial enterprise, 
and which was certainly obtained, but it was only after a very great deal 
