714 Proceedings. 



Sixth Meeting : 14tli October, 1891. 

 Professor F. B. de M. Gibbons, President, in the chair. 



Paper. — " On the Working of Greenstone, or Nephrite, by 

 the Maoris," by F. E. Chapman. {Transactions, p. 479.) 



The reading of this paper was followed by an exhibition of a fine col- 

 lection of greenstones from the collections of Messrs. Chapman and 

 J. White. 



Annual General Meeting : 10th Noveviber, 1891. 



Professor F. B. de M. Gibbons, President, in the chair. 



Papers. — 1. "On the Genns Aptornis, with more especial 

 Eeference to Aptornis clefossor, Owen," by A. Hamilton. 

 (Transactions, p. 175.) 



Mr. Hamilton exhibited a complete mounted skeleton of Aptornis 

 defossor, and a number of bones of the extinct eagle (Harpagornis moorei), 

 from caves in the District of Southland. 



2. "On New Zealand Araneae," by P. Goyeu, F.L.S. 

 (Transactions, p. 253.) 



3. "Notes on Sea-fishes," by G. M. Thomson, F.L.S. 

 (Transactions, p. 202.) 



4. " Note on the Cleistogamic Flowers of Melicope simplex," 

 byG. M. Thomson, F.L.S. (Transactions, p. 416.) 



■5. " On some Maori Bone Pendants from Otago," by A. 

 Hamilton. 



6. "Notes on some New Zealand Aniphipoda and Isopoda," 

 by Charles Chilton, M.A., B.Sc. (Transactions, p. 258.) 



Professor Parker exhibited a species of BranclieUion, a leech 

 with external gills, belonging to the family Ehynchobdellidae, 

 and occurring as an external parasite on the common skate 

 (Baja nasuta). A single specimen had been found some years 

 previously, but on the present occasion a skate dissected in 

 the Biological Laboratory presented a colony of thirty or forty 

 of the parasites on an area of Sin. or 4in. in circumference. 

 They varied in length from ^in. to l|-in., and were all so firmly 

 attached by the posterior sucker that on their removal the 

 fish's skin presented a number of smooth, circular, convex 

 areas. The smaller specimens, treated with Flemming's 

 chrom. osm. acetic solution, flattened under a comjDressor, 

 and mounted entire, make very beautiful microscopic objects. 

 The only species of this interesting genus mentioned in the 

 ordinary works of reference is B. torpiedinis, of Europe, a 

 parasite on the torpedo. If the present form turns out to be 

 new, it might be called B,. rajce. Professor Parker also ex- 

 hibited specimens of Dujardinia, a polychsetous worm, from 

 Port Chalmers. 



