Otago Institute. 539 



Third Meeting: 14th July, 1903. 

 Mr. A. Hamilton, President, in the chair. 

 Paper. — " Proven9al Troubadours," by Professor T. G. R. 



Blunt. 



Fourth Meeting: 11th August, 1903. 

 Mr. A. Hamilton, President, in the chair. 



The President exhibited a specimen of Sirex found im- 

 bedded in some " moulding " imported from America, and 

 made remarks on its life-history as illustrating the manner in- 

 which insects may be dispersed from one country to another. 



Professor Benham exhibited a fine specimen of Aturia 

 ziczac var. australis, recently presented to the Museum by 

 Mr. A. Hamilton, who had obtained it at Wharekuri. 



iVmongst other exhibits were specimens of the above 

 fossil in various conditions of fossilisation, which had been 

 remounted to show their characteristics ; also, a live lizard, 

 apparently a new species of Lygosoma, the pouched form of 

 Geotna, and other recent additions to the Museum. 



Professor Benham gave a resume of a paper on " The 

 Oligociiaeta of the New Zealand Lakes," founded on the 

 material collected by Mr. Keith Lucas during his recent 

 biological survey. 



Professor Park read a paper on " The Subdivisions of the 

 New Zealand Trias," which was discussed by the President,. 

 Dr. Marshall, and Professor Benham. 



Fifth Meeting : 8th Sejjtember, 1903. 

 Mr. A. Hamilton, President, in the chair. 



A paper on "The Sparrow Plague and its Remedy " was 

 read by Mr. A. Bathgate, in which the author advocated the 

 introduction of certain birds, such as shrikes, which in 

 America prey upon sparrows. 



A discussion ensued, in which members of the Otago Acclimatisation 

 Society (by invitation) took part, as well as Messrs. G. M. Thomson, 

 Gilkison, and Benham, all of whom strongly deprecated this method of 

 meeting the annoyance. 



