The Royal Society of Western Australia 
To promote and foster science in Western Australia 
Patron 
Her Majesty the Queen 
Vice-Patron 
His Excellency Lieutenant-General John Sanderson AC 
Governor of Western Australia 
COUNCIL 2003-2004 
President 
Immediate Past President 
Senior Vice-President 
Hon Secretaries - Meetings 
- Proceedings 
- Membership 
Hon Treasurer 
Hon Editor 
Hon Journal Manager 
Hon Librarian 
Publicity Officer 
Members 
GG Thompson MEd PhD 
JE O'Shea BSc (Hons) PhD 
A Bevan BSc (Hons) PhD 
C Walker BSc (Hons) PhD MBA 
M Brocx BSc (Hons) 
M Bennet-Chambers BSc (Hons) 
P O'Brien BSc (Hons) PhD 
PC Withers BSc (Hons) PhD 
JE O'Shea BSc (Hons) PhD 
MA Triffitt BA ALIA 
V Semeniuk BSc (Hons) PhD 
R Davis BSc (Hons) 
L Delfs BSc (Hons) 
P Drake BSc MSc 
G Fulton BSc (Hons) 
R Hough BSc (Hons) PhD 
K Meney BA PhD 
L Milne BSc (Hons) PhD 
A Pearce BSc MSc 
The Royal Society of Western Australia was founded in 1914. The Society promotes exchange among scientists from all fields in 
Western Australia through the publication of a journal, monthly meetings where interesting talks are presented by local or 
visiting scientists, and occasional symposia or excursions on topics of current importance. Members and guests are encouraged 
to attend meetings on the third Monday of every month (March - November) at 8 pm, Kings Park Board offices, Kings Park, 
West Perth, WA 6005. 
Individual membership subscriptions for the 2003/2004 financial year are S50 for ordinary Members and $25 for Student and 
Associate Members. Library, company and institution subscriptions are $70 for the 2003 calendar year. Prices include GST. For 
membership forms, contact the Membership Secretary, % W A Museum, Locked Bag 49, Welshpool DC, WA 6986, or visit the 
website http://www.ecu.edu.au/pa/rswa. 
The Journal of the Royal Society of Western Australia was first published in 1915. Its circulation exceeds 600 copies. Nearly 100 
of these are distributed to institutions or societies elsewhere in Australia. A further 200 copies circulate to more than 40 
countries. The Society also has over 350 personal members, most of whom are scientists working in Western Australia (see 
website http://www.ecu.edu.au/pa/rswa). The Journal is indexed and abstracted internationally. 
Cover design : The four subjects symbolize the diversity of sciences embraced by the Royal Society of Western Australia. Mangles' 
kangaroo paw (Anigozanthos manglesii ) and the numbat ( Myrmecobius fasciatus) are the floral and faunal emblems of Western 
Australia, and stromatolites are of particular significance in Western Australian geology (artwork: Dr Jan Taylor). The Gogo Fish 
{Mcnamaraspis kaprios) is the fossil emblem of Western Australia (artwork: Danielle West after an original by John Long). 
