Proceedings of the Royal Society for the month of October, 1890

The monthly meeting of this body was held on Monday, October 13. The chair was occupied by the President, His Excellency Sir R. G. C. Hamilton, and there was a good attendance of Fellows. Several ladies were also present. The following gentlemen were elected Fellows :F. J. Jacobs, J. H. Downie, W. G. Browne, L. Chambers Mr T. A. Urquhart, of New Zealand, was elected a corresponding member. The secretary drew attention to three specimens of Salmonidae hatched from the late shipment of ova brought out by Sir Thos. Brady, the gift of the Hon. J. W. Agnew. The fish were obtained from the Salmon Ponds, one answering undoubtedly to the description of the true salmon, the other two being unrnistakably trout. Mr. Jonston questioned whether the different circumstances surrounding the fish in these waters had not occasioned a breakdown of the racial distinctions between the Salmo salar and the Salmo trutta, together with the theoretical classification of the true Salmo salar. The circumstances also tallied with the experience of New Zealand in this matter. An update of the Australasian Association for the Advancement of Science, was given. In relation to the Antarctic expedition, a subscription list for the expedition was laid on the table. Mr. J. B. Walker read a paper on "Notes on the localities mentioned in the journal of Tasman's discovery of Tasmania." Two major voyages made by Tasman, the first of which he discovered Tasmania and New Zealand, (1642). And in the second of which he explored the west, north-west, and north coasts of Australia and the Gulf of Carpentaria (l644). Mr. Morton stated that he had lately been making a collection of Tasmanian spiders. Some of them he was unable to determine, and had forwarded to Mr. A. T. Urquhart, of New Zealand, the collection for examination. Mr. James Andrew read a paper on the subject of ostrich farming, and the possibilities of successfully introducing this industry into Tasmania