42 
The Queensland Naturalist. 
October, 1927 
sun’s path by the planets, as the sun moved north, 
absorbed the sun’s magnetic constancy. As these con- 
stancies could be calculated for years ahead if was prob- 
able that when they were correlated we would have an- 
other exact means of gauging the weather. Unfortunately 
exact data was lacking, for when observations were being 
made in the past their significance was not realised, and 
no records were kept with that end in view. The lec- 
turer illustrated his address with slides. The president 
of the club (Mr. D. A. Herbert) presided. 
EVENING MEETING, 18th JULY, 1927. A brief 
account of the evolutionary history of the oyster was 
given by Dr. Whitehouse, showing how the many differ- 
ent genera of oysters were produced along definite evolu- 
tionary trends. The oyster illustrates very well the theory 
of Orthogenesis, which is the main contribution of palae- 
ontology to the theory of evolution. The lecturer con- 
cluded by showing how the theory would explain the 
many puzzling anomalies of different groups of the animal 
kingdom, even including the origin o-f man. 
OPEN SEASON FOR THE KOALA OR NATIVE BEAR. 
The decision of the Government to declare an open 
season for one month for the native bear, from August 
1st, brought forth a good deal of discussion. Mr. G. II. 
Barker (State Secretary, Royal Australasian Ornitholog- 
ists’ Union) moved that the following resolution should 
be presented to the Government “ That the Queensland 
Naturalists’ Club, together with the Nature Lovers’ 
League, views with the utmost abhorrence the action of 
the Queensland Government in allowing an open season 
to be declared next August for Queensland’s harmless, 
helpless, and much-loved native bear, and implores the 
Minister, before it is too late, to reconsider the position, 
and withdraw the proclamation.” 
Mrs. W. M. Mayo seconded, and the motion was car- 
ried unanimously. It was also decided to draw up a 
deputation of representatives of the various sections of 
animal lovers to urge the Minister to withdraw the 
declaration. 
Mr. Barker said that the matter was one of great 
urgency. He was gravely of the opinion that if the 
season was opened in August next it would mean the 
end of the native bear. Thanks were due to the Press 
