Otago Institute. 439 



The President made some remarks on Te Puohu's raid 

 through Otago, and suggested that the route of the invaders 

 was by the Mataura Valley, and not by the Clutha or Moly- 

 neux Eivers. 



Professor Benham read a note on Cordyceps sinclairii 

 (Transactions, p. 4), a fungus that infests and destroys the 

 larvEe of Cicada. 



Specimens were exhibited. 



From microscopic examination it appears that this form of Cordy- 

 ceps reproduce onlj' by coaidia, as no asci are to be found in any of the 

 specimens examined. 



The Professor also announced the occurrence of a new 

 species of Balanoglossus off our shores. (Transactions, p. 9.) 



The specimens were obtained at Port Chalmers. The genus had not 

 hitherto been recorded from the Southern Hemisphere. 



Mr. Hamilton read a paper on a curious form of pendant 

 ornament found in New Zealand. 



He exhibited specimens, which generally had the form of a much- 

 conventionalised fish-hook. 



Mr. Hamilton also gave an outhne of a paper dealing with 

 the various forms of fish-hooks, &c., used by Maoris. 



Mr. Crosby Smith contributed notes on new species of 

 marine algse found on the valves of Mytilus, and exhibited 

 microscopic preparations thereof. 



Sixth Meeting: 10th October, 1899. 



Mr. F. Pu. Chapman, President, in the chair. 



Captain F. W. Hutton, F.E.S., delivered a lecture on 

 "The Geological History of New Zealand." (Transactions, 

 p. 159.) 



In his introductory remarks Captain Hutton said no systematic 

 geological survey had as yet been made of New Zealand. Nevertheless, 

 in the intervals between an examination of the mines and mining dis- 

 tricts Sir James Hector managed to get a sketch-map made of the 

 greater part of the country, while some of the more important districts 

 had been examined in detail. A good deal was known about the general 

 geological structure of New Zealand, but it was not known accurately. 

 While something had been done towards unravelling the geological struc- 

 ture of the colony, the paleontology had been sadly neglected. Nearly 

 all we knew about the palgeontology was either due to the Government of 

 Austria or the result of private enterprise. The large collections that 

 had been made by the Survey Department had never been classified, and 

 were practically wasted owing to the apathy of the Government. It was 

 a great pity that this should be so, fcr the geographical position of New 

 Zealand gave to its geology a world-wide interest. It was in New Zea- 

 land alone that we had any record of the ancient flora and fauna that 



