Wellington Philosophical Society. 735 



" New Zealand and its Inhabitants " there is a good figure of the flower. 

 This is one of the most interesting things in his booli. ]\Ir. Taylor made 

 mistalces in the ornitliology of the country, but he was most observant 

 and devoted to natural history. It was satisfactory to learn from the 

 President that this plant had been met with in the Hangitikei district, 

 and he hoped it would yet turn up in his own bush in the Manawatu. 



Mr. ]\Iaskell said, if it were likely to be found in the South he would 

 get some friend to be on the look-out for it. 



The President said that the plant occurred at the Thames, East 

 Cape, New Plymouth, Upper Whanganui, and Rangitikei, but was most 

 plentiful at East Cape. He could not speak positively about the South. 



Sir W. Buller exhibited the following: — 



1. An albino tui {Prosthemadera novce-zealandice). This was the first 

 instance he had met with of a perfectly wliite tui. It was a young male, 

 from Stewart Island. Entire plumage milk-white, with tinge of cream 

 on shoulders, back, and sides ; even the bill and feet are white. 



2. Specimen of tree lizard described by Mr. Colenso as Naultinits 

 versicolor (Trans. N.Z. Inst., vol. xvii., p. 150), so called on account of 

 its having the faculty of changing its colour under the influence of 

 certain emotions. It was obtained by Mr. A. Luff at Vogeltown, and he 

 presented it to the Museum in that gentleman's name. Mr. Luff remarks 

 that this lizard in its colour resembled the bark of the manuka-tree upon 

 which he captured it, about oft. from the ground. 



The President exhibited specimens of the fruit of the mako- 

 mako {Aristotdia raceviosa), which he thought would become 

 an article of export from this colony. It was found of great 

 use in colouring wines, and would probably prove superior to 

 the Chilian species, which w^as largely imported into France 

 for that purpose. 



The President submitted for inspection a number of 

 coloured drawings of New Zealand Veronicas which he bad 

 received from Sir Joseph Hooker, who had prepared them for 

 publication in Curtis's Botanical Magazine. Most of them 

 had been made from cultivated plants, and differed slightly in 

 appearance from wild specimens, owing probably to the dif- 

 ference in soil and climate ; but there was no structural 

 difference of the slightest importance. The series was 

 specially interesting, as it comprised several forms which had 

 not been named or described. 



Eighth Meeting : IStli November, 1895. 



Mr. T. Kirk, President, in the chair. 



New Members. — Mr. A. McDougall, Mr. H. D. Bell, and 

 Mr. T. Hislop. 



The President informed the meeting that steps were being taken to 

 found a national memorial to the late Right Honourable T. H. Huxley, 

 and that those wishing to subscribe to the fund for the memorial could 

 do so by communicating with Professor Parker, of Dunedin, who was 

 acting as general secretary in New Zealand. 



The President also stated that news had just been received of the 

 death of Professor G. V. Riley, the head of the Agricultural Department 



