limvke's Bay Philosophical Institute. 619 



Sixth Meeting : IZth September, 1886. 

 The President in the chair. 



Papers. — 1. " On the Causes of Volcanic Action," by J. 

 Hardcastle. (Transactions, p. 338.) 



2. " An Enumeration of Fungi recently discovered in New 

 Zealand, with brief notes thereon," by W. Colenso, F.E.S. 

 (Transactions, p. 301.) 



3. Mr. N. Heath communicated to the Society the result of an experiment 

 made by Mr. Murray, of Napier, who procured some porpoise-sliins from the 

 Mahia, and had them prepared in England, hoping that they might be of 

 use for the manufacture of boots, &&. ; but the result showed that the skins 

 were utterly worthless, and the tanner informed Mr. Murray that porpoise- 

 leather is made from the skin of a small species of whale (Beluga). 



Exhibits. — The Honorary Secretary exhibited stuffed specimens of 

 Gonorhynchus grayi and Ghilomycterus jaeulifera, and two species of Holo- 

 thurians from Port Aliuriri. Mr. Heath brought a skin of Diodon maculatus, 

 presented to the Museum by Captain Crayshaw, of Dunedin. Mr._H. 0. 

 Johnson, of Hastings, lent for exhibition a beautiful specimen (in spirit) of 

 Coronula balcEnarii, on which were growing three fine specimens of Alepas 

 eornuli. Casts of the vertebra and humerus of Maidsaurus haasti were also 

 shown, and a beautiful kiwi-feather mat, lent by the Hon. Secretary. 



Seventh Meeting: 11th October, 1886. 

 The President, Dr. Spencer, in the chair. 



Papers. — 1. " A Description of some newly-discovered Phgeno- 

 gamic Plants," by W. Colenso, F.R.S. {Transactions, p. 259.) 



2. " A Description of some newly-discovered Cryptogamic 

 Plants," by W. Colenso, F.R.S. (Transactions, p. 271.) 



3. " Description of a new ScapMtes,'" by H. Hill, B.A. 



(Transactions, p. 387.) 



4. " On the Geology of Scinde Island," by H. Hill, B.A- 



(Transactions, p. 441.) 



5. " On the Fishes of Hawke's Bay," by A. Hamilton, of 

 Petane. 



6. " On the Nest of a curious Trap-door Spider," by A. 

 Hamilton, of Petane. 



Eighth Meeting : 12th November, 1886* 

 The President in the chair. 



1. The President delivered his valedictory address* 



Abstract. 



In bringing to a conclusion this, the twelfth session of our Philosophical 

 Institute, I think I am in a position to congratulate you on the progress 

 that has been made since the last annual meeting. The number of papers 



