4 
report to mate. During the year nine meetings 
have been held ; at which eight papers have 
been read by members of the society; and at 
another meeting a revision of the rules wa9 
considered at length, and ultimately agreed 
upon. 
“ The following is a list of papers read before 
the society during the year : 1. ‘ Comparative 
Meteorology/ Mr. Bartley ; 2. ‘ Geographical 
and Geological Observations in Northern 
Queensland, 5 Mr. Le Gould ; 3. ‘ On coral 
Islands,’ Mr. Boyce ; 4. c On the habits of the 
Regent Bird,’ Mr. Coxen ; 5. ‘ The Geology of 
Western Queensland’ (communicated), by Mr. 
Wilson ; 6. ‘ Thoughts suggested by the theory 
of Mr. Darwin/ Mr. Diggles ; V. ‘ On the 
habits of some of the spiders/ Mr. Bartley ; 
8. ‘ Remarks on the wave-line principle in 
ship building/ Mr. Pettigrew. 
“ From the foregoing it will be seen that the 
attention of the Society has been chiefly 
directed to the natural features of our own 
colony, with a view to make known as widely 
as possible the advantages by which we are 
surrounded, and the sources of wealth which 
only require knowledge and labor to render 
them available to the community. The papers 
which have been read may be thus epitomised : 
On the Climate of Queensland, 1 ; on the 
Geology of Queensland, 2 ; on the Natural 
History of Queensland, 2 j and to these 
must be added three valuable papers 
on subjects whose interest is not so im- 
mediately confined to our own colony, viz : — 
Mr. Boyce’s paper on ‘ Coral formation in the 
Maldives ;’ Mr. Diggle’s paper on the c Darwin 
Theory/ Mr. Pettigrew’s paper on the ‘ Wave- 
line principle in shipbuilding.’ 
“ Communications have also been received and 
read from Mr. Tiffin, on the ‘ Blast furnaces 
of New South Wales/ accompanied with speci- 
mens of slag ; and from Mr. Grimaldi, of 
Bowen, on the ‘Structure of the cell of the 
native bee.’ Some of the papers have been 
accompanied by specimens in illustration of 
the subjects treated on, which have in most 
cases been presented to the museum. The 
council feel that the thanks of the society on 
this account are specially due to Messrs. Tiffin 
and and Le Gould. 
“ Whilst on this point the council cannot ab- 
stain from expressing regret that the contri- 
butions to the museum have been very limited ; 
it would be difficult to overrate the value of 
either a public museum or library, and as it 
involves a vast outlay of time, labor, and 
money to accomplish either of these objects, 
present efforts are far more valuable than the 
promises of future help. 
“ e With regard to the society’s file of meteo- 
rological observations, taken at Brisbane, the 
council must report the severe loss sustained 
in this respect by the death of Dr. Barton, to 
whose unwearied diligence and scientific accu- 
racy we are deeply indebted. It may, possibly, 
be necessary to recommend some plan whereby 
the loss thus sustained may be made up. 
“ The society is also indebted to Mr. R. B. 
Sheridan, of Maryborough, for regular contri- 
butions of his meteorological observations taken 
in that town. 
“ In conclusion, the council would venture 
to suggest, as a topic of immediate importance, 
the study of the natives of Queensland, their 
language, religion, and the knowledge which 
they possess’ of the natural productions of the 
soil. An accurate and comprehensive treatise 
on their language and religion, although it 
might not be of commercial value, would be a 
vast acquisition to the linguist and ethnologist, 
and would do much to remove the reproach 
under which we now labor, viz., — that whilst 
the native can learn our habits, manners, 
and customs, we are unable to detect the spark 
of Divine intelligence which lies, to ns, con- 
cealed beneath his swarthy skin. 
“ To us, as a community, the knowledge the 
native possesses of the natural productions of 
the soil may be of more general value. There 
can be no doubt that they possess much know- 
ledge of the medicinal properties of herbs, which 
are unknown to us even by name or sight, 
androf roots which have long since supplied 
them with the staff of life ; and, besides thi9, 
their very nature and mode of living must have 
made them familiar with the habits of birds, 
animals, and fishes, some of which are unknown 
even to the most accomplished naturalists. 
No stronger illustration of this could be given 
than the fact which was discovered about a 
year ago by Mr. Waller, the taxidermist, and 
communicated to this society in a paper read 
by Mr. Coxen, when, for the first time, it was 
made known that the regent bird belonged to 
that class of birds known as bower builders. 
We cannot close our eyes to the fact that the 
field, whence we may reap this small yet very 
valuable harvest from the store of learning pos- 
sessed by the native, is daily decreasing, and it 
is hardly too much to anticipate that not long 
after the last Sydney native has gone to his 
rest we shall have the last Brisbane native 
known amongst us as the only remaining repre- 
sentative of his tribe.” 
The President of the Society (His Honor 
Chief Justice Cockle) then read the following 
ANNUAL ADDRESS. 
I am not aware that there is anything in 
the report of the council which demands 
further remark from me. The society will 
appreciate the labors of Mr. Bartley, Mr. 
Le Gould, Mr. Boyce, Mr. Coxen, Mr. Wilson, 
Mr. Diggles, and Mr. Pettigrew — of Mr. 
Tiffin, Mr. Grimaldi, and Mr. Sheridan, who, 
by interesting communications, have furthered 
its objects. I ought, however, to advert to a 
short paper drawn up at my request by Mr. 
Diggles, and handed to me privately. That 
