728 Proceedings. 



Fourth Meeting : 21st August, 1895. 



Mr. T. Kirk, F.L.S., President, in the chair. 



Pajyers. — 1. "On the Unusual Abundance of Certain Spe- 

 cies of Plume-moths during 1894-95" (with specimens), by 

 G. V. Hudson, F.G.S. {Transactions, p. 379.) 



Sir James Hector would like to know about what time of the year 

 these moths occur, and are they injurious to plants? Is it the caterpillar 

 of this moth that perforates the leaves of the Piper cxcehum ? 



Sir W. Buller said that the Piper e.vcelsiim is attacked in private 

 gardens as well as in the bush, the plants in his garden having their 

 leaves completely riddled. 



The President thought that the abundance or absence of these in- 

 sects was owing to the scarcity of the plants they feed on, and also to 

 temperature ; but no definite conclusion has yet been arrived at on the 

 subject. 



Mr. Hudson, in reply, said that he was not yet sufficiently acquainted 

 with the life-history of these moths to say positively if they injured 

 plants. He knew they fed on Piper c.vcelstaii, but did not think they in- 

 jured the plant. They occurred from November to February. Perhaps 

 it was the absence of their special enemies that caused these moths to be 

 so abundant during the seasons mentioned. 



2. "Notes on New Zealand Ornithology in the Marl- 

 borough District," by Walling Handley ; communicated by 

 Sir Walter Buller. {Transactions, p. 360.) 



The President said that a record of this kind was very valuable. 

 Unfortunately, some of our native birds were fast disappearing from 

 many districts where they were once numerous. He was glad to hear 

 that the pigeon was still plentiful in Marlborough, as there were very few 

 localities in which it was to be found in any quantity. 



3. " Further Notes on the Ornithology of New Zealand," 

 with an exhibition of specimens, bv Sir Walter Buller, 

 K.C.M.G., F.E.S. {Transactions, p. 326.) 



4. " On the Occurrence of the Nankeen Kestrel of Aus- 

 tralia {Cerchneis cenchroides) in New Zealand," bv Sir Walter 

 Buller, K.C.M.G., F.R.S. (Transactions, p. 359.)" 



Mr. Travers said his son had examined Stephen Island, and had 

 come to the conclusion that there were not more than about a dozen of 

 the small wrens on the island. He would not have sent all those he 

 obtained — seven in number — to England had he at first known they were 

 so scarce. He believed that now tlie birds were absolutely extinct on the 

 island. The whitehead he understood was common on the wooded hills 

 at the back of Paraparaumu. The various islands should be visited, and 

 collections made for our museums ; and he agreed that steps should be 

 taken to protect our birds. The rail at the Chatham Islands is fast being 

 destroyed. He considered that the naturalists themselves do a great deal 

 of mischief in getting rid of the rare birds. 



Mr. Hudson thought that science was much indebted to Sir W. 

 Buller for the extremely interesting and able paper just read. In 1893 

 he himself had written a short paper pointing out the immediate neces- 

 sity for making extensive collections of New Zealand plants and animals, 

 .so many species of which would no doubt shortly become extinct. 



