Philosophical InstitiUc of Canterhuinj. 755 



Annual Meeting : 18th April, 1896. 

 Professor Arthur Dendy, D.Sc, in the cliair. 



Abstbact of Annual Repoet. 



During the session seven ordinary meetings have been held, at which 

 nineteen papers were read. In addition, two popular scientific lectures 

 were delivered by Captain Hutton and Professor Dendy. The number 

 of members is the same as last year — viz., sixty-five — and the number of 

 associates is seventy-nine. The photographic section is in a flourishing 

 condition, and held a successful exhibition of photographs during the 

 year. 



The balance-sheet shows the total receipts to have been £G9, and the 

 expenditure £85 18s. 6d. This, with £41 10s. lid. brought forward from 

 last year, leaves the institute with a credit balance of £24 123. 5d. 



It is proposed, during the ensuing year, to make the ordinary meetings 

 more interestmg b}' microscopical exhibitions and short addresses. 



The report of the photographic section was read and adopted. 



Election of Officers fob 1896. — President — Professor 

 Arthur Dendy, D.Sc. ; Vice-presidents — Dr. W. Thomas, Dr. 

 W. P. Evans ; Hon. Secretary — E. Speight ; Hon. Treasurer — 

 Captain F. W. Hutton, F.R.S. ; Conncil—K. E. Webb, E. M. 

 Laing, S. Page, P. Marshall, F. C. Binns, and Dr. W. H. 

 Symes. 



Captain Hutton exhibited a female katipo, with nests and 

 young. The young spider differs very much from the adult, 

 the abdomen being white, with four longitudinal rows of black 

 spots, the rest of the animal yellow-brown with dark bands on 

 the legs. The nest is a spherical bag of pale-yellowish silk, 

 rather less than |^in. in diameter. 



Mr. Cockayne, who collected these animals at New- Brighton, said 

 that one of the adults squirted a sticky fluid out of its spinnerets at 

 another individual, and so captured it. 



Mr. Laing said tliat he liad found katipos in sand-hills more than 

 a mile from the sea. 



The President delivered an address on " The Holothurians 

 .of New Zealand." 



