206 THE AUSTRALIAN NATURALIST 
mens of Vosmos bipinnatifolia, from Arncliffe, in which the 
majority of the flowers showed marked proliferous growth. 
Mr. J. M. Petrie, D.Se., F.I.C., Linnean Macleay Fel- 
low in Bio-chemistry, gave an exceedingly attractive lecture 
entitled: ‘‘The Romance of Chemistry.’’ He exhaustively 
explained the nature of Sir Oliver Lodge’s ether cor- 
puscles, and the electron. The atom was a complex world in 
itself, revolving, vibrating, and flying about, aggregating into 
more complex atoms till the heaviest lost their internal co- 
hesion, and burst again into electrons. Then came the mole- 
cule formed by the union of atoms, and constituting all 
known substances. ‘‘There is a romance running through 
all these that we seldom dream of,’’ said Dr. Petrie. ‘In 
thinking ot the vast energy stored in a single atom, remem- 
ber that whenever we have bodies rotating with infinite high 
velocities, a musical note is produced as in the hum of the 
gyroscope. Hach rotating electron must be singing its own 
song, and for ever. Shakespeare wrote the music of the 
spheres :—‘‘There’s not the smallest orb which thou behold’st, 
but in his nature like an angel sings.’ So we can think of 
the tiny worlds, like the poet’s celestial orbs :— 
“For ever singing as they shine, 
The hand that made us is divine.’’ 
The lecture was listened to with the greatest interest, and 
was very highly appreciated. 
3rd June, 1913.—Mr. E. 8. Edwards, M.A. (president) 
in the chair, present about 70 members and visitors. The 
following were unanimously elected members:—Miss ©. Le 
Plaistrier, Messrs. G. F. Maguire, G. C. Currie, P. L. 
Harris, T. D. Mutch, and the Ven. Archdeacon F. E. Havi- 
land. 
A lecture was delivered by Mr. G. A. Waterhouse, 
B.E., B.Sc., F.E.S., on “The Geographical Distribution of 
Butterflies,” which was illustrated with a fine series of speci- 
mens. . 
Mr. D. G. Stead, F.L.S., exhibited a portable hot-air 
pump for use in aquaria, and contributed ‘‘Bird Notes’’ and 
a note on “‘Temporary Sterility in the Rainbow Trout.’’ Miss 
F. Sulman, a fine collection of New Zealand herbarium 
specimens and read notes thereon. Mr. A. A. Hamilton, 
specimens of six interesting plants with notes. Miss Mabel 
Brewster, the life history of a dipterous parasite of the ‘‘Woo- 
ly Bear’ caterpillar. Mr. E. Cheel, two species of clover 
infested with clover rust (Vromyces trifolii) and an interest- 
ing undetermined fungus producing sclerotia, very similar to 
those of the so-called ‘‘Black-fellows’ Bread’? (Polyporus 
mylittae); a Leucopogou collected at Mount Kosciusko by 
Mr. Stead. 
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