Otago Institute. 579 



Fifth Meeting : 10th September, 1907. 



The Vice-President, Dr. Marshall, in the chair. 



Exhibits. — Dr. Marshall showed, and remarked upon, a large 



species of Orthoceras from the Hokonui Hills, Southland. 



He expressed his opinion that the so-called phragmacone of Belenmites 

 otapirensis of Hector was an Orthoceras. 



Dr. Marshall exhibited fossils picked up on the beach at 

 Napier, Halysites and Favorites, which, if native to New Zealand, 

 are the first representatives of these genera to be recorded for 

 this country. 



Dr. Benham made remarks upon a cyclopean lamb's head. 



Papers. — 1. " The Early Visits of the French to New Zea- 

 land," by Dr. Hocken (p. 137). 



2. " The Occurrence of Comatula in the Coastal Waters of 

 New Zealand," by Dr. Benham. 



The species was obtained in Preservation Inlet. 



Sixth Meeting : 8th October, 1907. 



The Vice-President, Dr. Hocken, in the chair. 



New Members. — Messrs. J. Loudon, H. Massey, and W. 

 Livingston. 



Exhibits. — Mr. Gr. M. Thomson remarked upon the phe- 

 nomenon of certain beech-trees producing leaves earlier than 

 others, and indicated the relation to time of flowering. 



Mr. G. M. Thomson read a note in reference to the orchid 

 Gastrodia, as follows : — 



The genus Gastrodia belongs to a tribe of Orchidece (Arethusce) which 

 contains several leafless species, some of which have rather fleshy rhizomes 

 or tubers, and are evidently saprophytic in growth, while the species of 

 Gastrodia itself are said to be parasitic on roots. Three species occur in 

 New Zealand — viz., G. sesamoides, R. Br., which is found in the North 

 Island and in the botanically allied west-coast region of the South Island, 

 and is also found along the eastern side of Australia from Queensland to 

 Tasmania (it is the only Australian species) ; G. Cunninghamii, Hook, f., 

 which is common in the bush throughout New Zealand, and is endemic ; 

 and the closely allied G. minor, Petrie, which has been found in only one 

 locality, near Dunedin. G. Cunninghamii was formerly abundant in all 

 bush-covered parts of Otago, and some twenty years ago was still to be 

 met with in the Town Belt of Dunedin, but it has disappeared from many 

 localities with the spread of cultivation, the inroads of cattle, and the 

 competition of cocksfoot-grass and other aggressive introduced species 

 of plants. It is now some years since any specimens have been found in 

 the neighbourhood of this city. 



In September last, Mr. F. Challis, of North-east Harbour, brought me 

 a quantity of the rhizomes, which he had dug up in the bush at Catlin's, 



