502 Proceedings. 



circumstances. IMr. Fifczherberfc had further stated that in the brick 

 buildings which were thrown down the mortar used seemed to make 

 very little difference. In many cases it was bad ; but where good cement 

 had been used the only difference noted was that the bricks, instead of 

 falling singly, came down in blocks of eight or ten together. This would 

 probabl}' not be much more satisfactory to the inmates than a rain of 

 single bricks. ]Mr. IMaskell also quoted from some notes on the same 

 earthquake given by Mr. H. S. Chapman (afterwards Judge Chapman), in 

 an article in the Westminster Bevicio, detailing the damage done. In this 

 article IMr. Chapman expressed the view that brick buildings in Welling- 

 ton might be safe enough if of one story only, or well tied together by 

 bonding-timbers, but not otherwise. Mr. IMaskell expressed his belief 

 that, if the recent shock experienced in Canterbury had occurred here, 

 one-half the large buildings of brick and stone would have been very 

 much injured, if they had not fallen down. Further, as a proof that men 

 of eminence did not think the earthquake of 1848 a light matter, and 

 considered great precautions necessary for the future, he quoted from a 

 letter written in 1888 to the Institute of British Architects by Mr. E. 

 Roberts, who was attached to the Boyal Engineers in Wellington in 

 1848. Mr. Roberts after that built a new gaol on Mount Cook, and took 

 the precaution of constructing it with specially largo bricks built in a 

 perfect cage of iron bars placed 5ft. apart, and running up from the 

 foundation to the roof. This gaol is of no great height. Surely in struc- 

 tures such as we have now, of three or more stories, much greater pre- 

 cautions than those of Mr. Roberts should be adopted. 



]Mr. Turnbull, in reply, said that he did not mean to make the 

 question a personal one. He explained that the Roman cement referred 

 to was not equal to our present cement. He could not say much as to 

 how the wooden buildings had stood during the severe shocks. 



A collection of minerals from Richmond Hill, Collingwood, 

 presented to the Musemn by Mr. H. P. Washbourne, was ex- 

 hibited. They comprised some beautiful specimens of tour- 

 maline, steatite, tremolite, amphibole, and iron-pyrites. 



Seventh Meeting: 17tJi, October, 1888. 



W. M. Maskell, F.R.M.S., President, in the chair. 



Paj^ers. — 1. " Notes on the Decrease of the Pheasant in 

 the More Settled Parts of the West Coast of the North Island," 

 by E. N. Liffiton. {Transactions, p. 225.) 



]\Ir. Higginson considered that the want of sufficient grain-food was 

 one of the chief causes of the decrease. 



Major Campbell said that in parts of the North whore there were 

 few wekas the pheasants increased, but as the small birds increased the 

 pheasants seemed to disappear. 



Mr. Coleman Phillips attributed the decrease of the pheasants to 

 the large quantities of poisoned grain that had been spread. There were 

 great numbers of hawks in the Wairarapa district, especially where the 

 rabbits were, and these hawks kept the pheasants away. The pheasants 

 ■would increase when the rabbits were cleared off. 



Mr. Park said he was able to fully corroborate all the author had 

 said with regard to the decrease of pheasants and the corresponding 

 increase of wekas in the Wanganui district. Both lived under the same 

 cover ; and as the weka had developed a proclivity for pheasants' eggs it 

 was quite obvious that the native game must ultimately drive out the 



