WELLINGTON PHILOSOPHICAL SOCIETY. 



Eikst Meeting: 13th July, 1892. 



Sir Walter Buller, President, in the chair. 



The President thanked the members for electing him to 

 the chair for the current year. He assured them he would 

 do all in his power to promote the welfare of the Society. 

 He would deliver his address at the end of the year. 



New Members. — Major-General Schaw, C.B., E.E., Dr. 

 Chappie, and Mr. E. B. Eoy. 



Papers. — 1. " On Eels and their Propagation," by E. O'H. 

 Canavan. {Transactions, p. 191.) 



Sir James Hector said that this was a useful paper, although it did 

 not add much to our knowledge of the subject. The Maoris could give 

 us a great deal of information about eels. They had endeavoured to 

 establish eels at Lake Taupo, but without success. Perhaps the Huka 

 Falls prevented their getting there, and the soil was not favourable to 

 their travelling overland — it was deficient in moisture. They were found 

 in the Upper Waiau, but not in the Clarence River ; the moving shingle 

 was unfavourable. The paper rather raised a question than settled it. 

 We must have more accurate information regarding the distribution of 

 eels in New Zealand. 



Mr. J. P. Maxwell thought that young eels could get over any diffi- 

 culties in the way of travelling ; they could even climb stone walls. 



Mr. Maskell considered the eels in New Zealand a neglected fish. 

 The paper would be useful in bringing the subject into more prominence. 

 He did not think the eei was altogether a night feeder, although prefer- 

 ring that time. He had caught them in daylight as well as at night. 

 The Maoris also caught them in the day-time. He had caught them 81b. 

 to 101b. weight in the Clarence River, when the water was turbid. 



Mr. McKay said eels travelled underground in some parts of Canter- 

 bury. 



Mr. G. Beetham said the natives could not succeed in establishing 

 eels at Taupo. Eels were not so numerous in Wanganui River as 

 formerly ; volcanic dust may have killed them. They feed in the day- 

 time. 



Sir Walter Buller said there were several distinct varieties of eels 

 known to the Maoris, and distinguished by name. These, no doubt, all 

 belonged to the common species, but had become slightly differentiated 

 by their surroundings. Thus, there was a rich-flavoured white-bellied 

 eel inhabiting the clear mountain-streams, and a dark-coloured muddy- 

 flavoured eel inhabiting the swamps. Whatever might be thought of 

 eels, they had always been, and were still, a valuable property to the 

 natives of New Zealand. Those who had travelled much in the interior — 



