664 Proceedings. 



study itself ; the very slightest variation seemed sufficient to induce them 

 to make a new species. But with the Coccids they had been careful in 

 this respect, and hence the few new species : they required an organic 

 character, and not a mere colour. It was a question as to how far we 

 were warranted in making long lists of species on small, trivial, and 

 external characters. 



Mr. Hudson was sorry Sir W. Buller was not present, as he would 

 more fully answer Mr. Maskell on this subject. What applied to Coccids 

 did not apply to other insects ; each case should be judged on its merits. 

 If colour and other characters are constant, then we must accept them as 

 sufficient. 



Sir J. Hector said that Mr. Maskell's list would be most valuable, as 

 it would contain all the known species of Coccids up to date, with 

 remarks and information that will be most useful to fanners and fruit- 

 growers. 



The President also said the list would be of the greatest use. 



4. " On Baryte : a Bare Form," by Sir J. Hector. 



This specimen was handed to Sir J. Hector by Major- 

 General Schaw. It is a nodular variety, known as "Bologna 

 stone," and is composed of sulphate of baryta, or heavy spar. 

 It commonly occurs in differently-formed crystals, and is used 

 as a substitute for white-lead, and also in sugar-refining. 

 This particular form is remarkable for its brilliant phos- 

 phorescence after heating with charcoal. Bologna phosphorus 

 was made by powdering this material and cementing the 

 powder with gum. The locality is the glauconitic marls, 

 inland of Akiteo. 



5. " Pele's Hair (Volcanic Glass-fibre)," by Sir J. Hector. 



The sample exhibited by Sir J. Hector was forwarded by 

 the Customs Department, and was taken from a box that was 

 cast up on the north-west side of Portland Island. The box 

 was found by Mr. C. H. 0. Eobson, the lighthouse-keeper, on 

 the 9th September. It was strongly made of 2in. pitch-pine 

 boards, without any marks. It contained a mass of the 

 liLrous variety of volcanic glass known as Pele's hair, packed 

 in charcoal, in which were a charred cotton-reel and fragments 

 of bamboo. 



Pele is the Hawaiian name for the goddess that presides 

 over Kilauea, the great volcano of the Sandwich Islands. 

 The hair is formed by the action of the wind on the jets of 

 very fluid lava or volcanic glass, which it blows to leeward in 

 delicate films, each weighted by a little spherical globule of 

 the glass. The films accumulate to leeward of the pool in 

 great masses, like mown grass, and lie all pointing in the 

 same direction. 



6. " On the Occurrence of a Mineral Belt in the Heart of 

 the great Schist-formation of Otago," by Sir J. Hector. 



The author exhibited a large series of specimens of serpen- 

 tine, asbestos, and other magnesian rocks from the south end 



