Proceedings of the Royal Society for the month of October, 1896

The Chief Justice (Sir Lambert Dobson) presided at the monthly meeting of the Royal Society of Tasmania held October 13th, 1896.. The Secretary (Mr. Alex. Morton) read letters of apology from Sir James Agnew, Hon. C H. Grant, Messrs. J. Barnard, J. B. Walker, and R. M. Johnston. In taking the chair, Sir Lambert Dobson said : In the last few hours death had claimed one whose name had stood amongst the foremost of the scientific botanists of the world. Baron Ferdinand Von Mueller had passed away, and it was fitting that on this first occasion of the meeting of the Society they should give expression to the deep regret the members felt at the loss that the scientific world, and Australia especially, had sustained in that sad event. Mr. L. Rodway read a paper on fungi in his usual interesting and instructive style. He said that whilst all other branches of plant life had ample attention paid to them the fungi were neglected because of vast numbers and variety, evanescence, and obscurity, which necessitated a painted copy and microscopical examination. Mr. J. R. McClymont, M.A., read a very interesting paper entitled *' An Explanation of the Voyage of Alvarado, as narrated by Galvano." The author said that when Cortes had accomplished the conquest, and, what was called euphemistically, the pacification of Mexico, he resolved to despatch an expedition to the Moluccas by a course near to the Equator. Galvano states that Cortes undertook this task in order that the new Viceroy, Mendoza, should not rob him of his honour. The paper, from a geographical point of view, was a most interesting one, and threw much light on the work done in the l5th and 16th centuries by the early navigators. Mr F. Lodge called attention to a reference in the Magazine of Art to an Austrian painter having painted an imaginary scene of the death of Sir John Franklin. He mentioned it in order that inquiry might be made to know if it was possible to obtain prints of the picture. The Secretary said he would make inquiries. The proceedings then terminated with a vote of thanks to the readers of the papers