New Zeahnid /iis/i/i/fe Science Crjrif/ress. 489 



was the first representative of our men of science who had come much 

 later into the Institute than the foregoing. His scientific work in New 

 Zeahmd broke new ground wlien lie carefully studied the earthworms and 

 through this study threw great light on the relation of the New Zealand 

 biological world to that of South America. 



Perhaps the most noticeable change brought about since the reorganiza- 

 tion of the New Zealand Institute has been a. considerable improvement 

 both in the matter and in the mode of presentation of the papei's published. 

 The greater number of the papers which have appeared of recent years 

 would have been accepted by the scientific journals of Great Britain or 

 America, if the numerous papers strictly of local interest be excluded from 

 this estimate. 



This too brief history of the New Zealand Institute has cleared the 

 path for an account of what the Institute has done towards advancing 

 science. This can be seen, in part, by giving a few statistics regarding 

 the papers which have appeared in the fifty volumes of the T rem met ions. 



To begin with, the total number of papers in the fifty volumes is 3,117, 

 making about sixty contributions each year. The above estimate does not 

 include abstracts of communications published in the Proceediitgs ; if such 

 are considered, the contributions of all kinds exceed four thousand. The 

 whole of these papers, many the results of months of toil, have been pro- 

 duced without pay of any kind, while many have represented no small 

 monetary outlay. Only a few of the authors were professional scientihc 

 men ; most were daily engaged in other pursuits — they had onlv their few 

 hours of leisure for study and research. All classes of the comnninitv have 

 borne their share in the labour of love : there are contributions 1)V more 

 than one Governor of the colony ; there are others by working-men. Class 

 distinctions cease to be in the pages of these historic volumes. 'J'aking 

 the papers themselves, there are certainly various degrees of merit. Some 

 have gained a place in the select scientific literature of the Avorld- no 

 mean achievement — while a few should never have been published. 

 Generally speaking, there are not many papers which do not fill a want, 

 and as a whole they shed a strong light upon the natural history of New 

 Zealand, and tell not a little regarding the general progress of the Dominion. 

 Surely no five hundred pounds yearly of the people's money has been spent 

 more profitably or more for the benefit of the people themselves than 

 that which has produced these fifty volumes. 



If an analysis be made of the contents of the fifty volumes, using the 

 same classification of subjects as in the index to the first forty volumes, 

 except that the two headings " Trade " and " Economics " are united 

 under the latter name, the following is the result, the number after each 

 subject denoting the number of published contributions : Zoology, 1,143; 

 botany, 654 ; geology, 503 ; anthropology, 204 ; physics, including astro- 

 nomy and meteorology, 152 ; chemistry, 135 ; engineering, 76 ; mathe- 

 matics, 40 ; economics, 37 ; history, 34 ; presidential addresses, 29 ; 

 metaphysics, 22 ; medicine, 20 ; literature, 15 ; education, statistics, and 

 obituary notices, 12 each. 



Certain of the above numbers do not reflect accurately the scientific- 

 output of members of the Institute. At times specially important ]:)a])ers 

 have been published in scientific journals of Great Britain. Geology since 

 the very early days of the colon}- has had State assistance, and much 

 research has found its way into Government publications. So, too, the 

 Departments of Agriculture and Lands have published a good deal which 



