OTAGO INSTITUTE. 



FiEST Meeting: 12th May, 1891. 



A conversazione was held in the Museum buildings, when a 

 number of interesting biological preparations, made in the Bio- 

 logical Laboratory, were exhibited under microscopes. Several 

 cases of Indian butterflies, from the collection presented by 

 Major-General Fulton, were also exhibited. 



Second Meeting : OtJi June, 1891. 



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



Papers. — 1. " Note on the Occurrence of Cancer in Fish," 

 by Professor Scott. {Transactions, p. 201.) 



It was stated in the discussion which followed the reading of Dr. 

 Scotfs paper that the Aeclimatisatiou Society proposed to obtain the 

 opinion of the officials of the United States Fisheries Commission 

 on the subject of the cancerous growth. Specimens in illustration of the 

 paper were exhibited. 



2. "On certain Volcanic Appearances in Dowling Street, 

 Dunediu," by L. 0. Beal. 



Mr. Beal exhibited samples of the rock and earth from the Dowling 

 Street cutting. 



3. " On the Structure of the Mammalian Ovum," by Pro- 

 fessor T. J. Parker, F.E.S. 



The author states that sections of the ovary of a kitten 

 recently prepared for class purposes in the Biological Labora- 

 tory exhibit the unusual character of a number (six or eight) 

 of nuclear bodies in the vitellus. Each is globular, about 

 0-Olmm. in diameter, and consists of a cortical and a medullary 

 substance, taking on slightly different tints with borax- carmine. 

 They are apparently germinal spots, which have passed from 

 the germinal vesicle into the vitellum — a phenomenon which 

 has been described by His in fishes, and by others in Myria- 

 pods and Ascidians. The germinal vesicle contains, as usual, 

 a single germinal spot. 



Professor Parker exhibited a series of spirit specimens 

 illustrating the growth of a curious fungus — Ilcodictyon — and 

 also some curious cup-shaped sponges from Tasmania presented 

 to the Museum by A. Hamilton. 



