Wellington Philosophical Society. 427 



the destruction of the native species. The Californian or plumed quail 

 was introduced more than twenty years ago, and had spread all over the 

 islands with great vigour, and in many pares become quite abundant. It 

 had the advantage of being to some extent a roosting bird, and thus 

 escaped a certain class of enemies, but it seemed to be gradually suc- 

 cumbing to the continued attacks of fowlers with nets, who caught them 

 in large numbers for the market and for the supply of canneries ; and it 

 was rare now to see the large flocks of this Californian quail which used 

 to be common in many parts of the country. The Virginian quail {Per- 

 dix (Ortyx) virginiana) was often termed the " American partridge," or 

 the "bob-white," which represented its clear call-note. Its flesh was ex- 

 cellent in autumn, as it fed on grain, and took a lot of it. It sheltered in 

 the low trees and brushwood round the open fields, and in winter became 

 very bold, approaching human habitations in search of food, and boldly 

 fighting witb poultry for a share of their grain. At this season as many 

 as ten or fifteen were frequently caught at one time under a drop-coop 

 trap. This bird was the largest of the quails, and laid fifteen to twenty- 

 four pure-white eggs under the shelter of a grass-tuft. The chicks ran 

 about as soon as they were out of the shells, and the little ones were led 

 off by their mothers to the best feeding-places. These quail roosted on the 

 top of a knoll in the middle of open ground, sitting in a close circle with 

 their heads directed outwards and their tails touching, so that they were 

 on the alert against attack. 



Mr. Tregear exhibited a cone-shaped frame of cane 

 covered with cobwebs. 



He said the exhibit was from Tanna, New Hebrides, where similar 

 cones were used as head gear by dancers. In Samoa these frames were 

 put in dark places, where they were spun over by poisonous spiders. 

 They were then used as a means of inflicting a cruel punishment, which 

 consisted in placing the cones on the heads of oSending natives, who suf- 

 fered terribly from the bites of the insects. 



Mr. Hustwick said a similar thing was used in Madagascar, only it 

 was an enclosure with the spiders in the roof. 



The following exhibits were shown, and explained by Sir 

 James Hector : — 



1. K karaka log with Moriori workings showing owner- 

 ship, obtained at Chatham Islands. 



Mr. Travers pointed out that these marked logs were used for fixing 

 boundaries. He had mentioned this in a paper he had read some years 

 ago. 



2. Specimen of the group Centipedes {Julidce), collected by 

 Mr. F. J. Eobertshaw, of Picton, from a bunch of bananas. 



This was the third specimen obtained, and had been distinguished 

 as Spirosterptes fijiensis. They were quite harmless, except on account 

 of the strong and unpleasant odour which they give ofi. 



3. Two specimens of crayfish — Parancphrops setosus, from 

 Urenui Creek, Taranaki district, collected by Mr. Halcombe ; 

 and Paranephrops horrichis, from Foxton, obtained by M^. 

 W. T. L. Travers (a gigantic specimen : length, including out- 

 stretched arms, 11 in.; carapice, Sin. ; abdomen, 4 in.; an- 

 terior legs, 5-5 in. ; greatest width of carapice, 1-5 in, : probably 

 a new species, but agrees with the species quoted in many 

 respects). 



