Miscellanea . 
391 
scribed some of the islands in Bass’s Strait, more especially with 
reference to their geology. 
Mr. R. C. Gunn exhibited a specimen of greenstone from the 
summit of Brady’s Look-out, a conical hill on the top of the west¬ 
ern mountains. This rock was highly magnetic, with polarity, 
and was a powerful loadstone—acting upon any common needle 
suspended by a thread. 
May 7, 1845. 
Lieutenant M. C. Friend, R.N., F.R.S., read a paper on an 
improved Pluviameter. (Printed at page 328, vol ii. of the 
Tasmanian Journal.) 
Mr. James Grant produced thin sections of various kinds of 
wood cut by a machine made by himself. They seemed admira¬ 
bly cut for the purpose of microscopic examination, and to ob¬ 
serve their structural character. 
Dr. W. Paton dre w attention to the fact that a severe frost 
which destroyed all the fruit in certain localities at Norfolk Plains 
for the last three years, happened about 1st November in each 
year. 
C. S. Henty, Esq., observed that an old resident at George 
Town (Mr. Manifold) had informed him that a severe frost had 
occurred there every year, for the last twelve years, between the 
1st and 9th December. 
Mr. Ronald C. Gunn exhibited specimens of a fossil Helix 
from the (freshwater?) limestone at Risdon, near Hobart Town, 
where a second species is said to be occasionally found. The one 
now produced was abundant, and certainly did not appear to 
agree with any known existing shell in Tasmania; although the 
formation is usually considered a recent one, and is so described 
by Mr. J. B. Jukes at page 11, vol ii. of the Tasmanian Journal . 
Specimens of Rock from Portland Bay and Mount Macedon, 
Port Phillip, were exhibited; as also a Varnish prepared from 
the resin of the Xantkorrhcea arborea (or largest grass-tree) dis¬ 
solved in alcohol. 
Some beautiful lithographic drawings of fossil teeth of the 
Diprotodon from Mount Macedon, Port Phillip, were shown. 
They were drawn on stone by Mr. G. A. Gilbert of Melbourne, 
from sketches by Mrs. E. C. Hobson, for the Tasmanian 
Journal . 
June 4, 1845. 
Mr. James Grant read a paper “ On the structure and habits 
of Thylacinus Harrisii,” being the first of a series on the Mam¬ 
mals of Tasmania. 
The secretary drew the attention of the members to the very 
perfect list of all the mammalia of Australia, with their geogra¬ 
phical distribution, by J. E, Grey, Esq., F.R.S., published in the 
