660 Proceedings. 



Sir James Hector did not think the young of the tuatara was so 

 scarce as was supposed. Professor Thomas, of Auc.kland, had obtained 

 some eggs, and had hatched them out. He would be very glad to get one 

 for the Museum. It would be interesting to ascertain the condition of 

 the obsolete eye in this lizard in the early stage of its existence. 



Sir Walter Buller, in reply, said he recognized the first claim of the 

 local institutions, but in some cases it was better to send objects Home to 

 specialists, who had better opportunities of working them out. In this 

 country we are often placed at a great disadvantage through not having 

 the necessary books of reference and collections for comparison. He 

 acknowledged and admired the industry with which Sir; J. Hector and 

 other workers applied themselves to original research, but as a rule there 

 was too much material for the limited number of workers. Take, for 

 example, the case of the adult tuatara. We had been collecting and 

 studying this lizard for years ; but it remained for Professor Moseley, of 

 Oxford, to make the extraordinary discovery of its possessing a third and 

 obsolete eye at the top of its head. The birds referred to by Mr. Maskell 

 were the gannet (Dysporus serrator), very similar to the English species, 

 but easily distinguished by the black feathers in the tail ; and the common 

 tern, or sea-swallow (Sterna frontalis). Their appearance in the harbour 

 was due to the long-continued storms on the coast, where both are very 

 plentiful. He mentioned several breeding-places where they are met in 

 countless numbers. Mr. Maskell had expressed a hope that they would 

 remain with us, as their evolutions on the wing were most interesting to 

 watch ; but this was quite impossible. They would disappear with a 

 change of weather as suddenly as they had come. As he happened to 

 have another young tuatara hatched out at the same time, he would send 

 that to the British Museum, and present the specimen now on the table 

 to Sir James Hector for the Colonial Museum. 



A large and handsome collection of insects lately deposited 

 in the Museum were exhibited. It had been made and ar- 

 ranged by Mr. Norris. 



Mr. Hudson said this was a very fine collection, and Mr. Norris 

 deserved much praise for his great industry. There were several valuable 

 specimens in the collection, especially the glow-worms, the large green 

 moth, &c, and the examples illustrating the life-history of white and black 

 moths. Until more interest is taken in science in New Zealand, collec- 

 tors will be disposed to send their collections to England and other places 

 where they will attract more attention. 



Sir James Hector said he would like to get a list of the fine collection 

 now exhibited, with a view to publication ; and Mr. Norris promised to 

 supply this. All the specimens had been obtained in the neighbourhood 

 of Tinakori Road and the Botanic Gardens. 



Eighth Meeting : 9tJi September, 1894. 



Major-General Schaw, President, in the chair. 



Before the meeting commenced, Sir James Hector, on 

 behalf of the members, congratulated General Schaw on his 

 return to the chair after his long illness ; and General Schaw 

 thanked those present for their kind expressions. 



The President, before proceeding with the ordinary business of the 

 meeting, read an extract from an article in the Royal Engineer 



