Wellington Philosophical Society. 551 



gave an interesting account of thern and the trip he had just 



tnVon in fVio << Tnhnplfai 



taken in the " Tutanekai. 



Third Meeting : 28th August, 1900. 

 Mr. G. V. Hudson, President, in the chair. 

 New Members. — Dr. Fyffe and Mr. J. A. Gilruth. 



Papers. — 1. " On Metacrias strategica at Invercargill," by 

 George Howes ; communicated by Mr. G. V. Hudson. (Trans- 

 actions, p. 188.) 



Sir James Hector said this was a most interesting paper, and he 

 hoped to hear more from the author. 



2. "On the Fog in Wellington on the 19th June last," by 

 H. N. McLeod. {Transactions, p. 380.) 



Mr. Harding, in referring to the above subjeot, added some interest- 

 ing information regarding observations by his father on recent rainbows 

 at Napier. 



Mr. Hogben also made some remarks on rainbows. 



Sir James Hector had observed peculiar fogs over the Hutt Valley. 

 Sea- fogs were beneficial, but those from the mountains were sometimes 

 injurious to vegetation. 



3. "On the Papatu Cave, at Ormondville," by H. N. 

 McLeod. (Transactions, p. 343.) 



Sir James Hector referred to the probability of finding valuable relics 

 of natural history in newly discovered or little-explored caves of this 

 Island. He said he did not look on the searching for and removal of 

 such relios as vandalism ; in fact, he regarded their careful collection 

 as most meritorious. 



Mr. Travers mentioned the recent find of moa-bones at Mauriceville. 

 Instead of being carefully preserved, they had apparently been wantonly 

 destroyed— almost pulverised. 



Mr. McLeod remarked that in his belief the cave in question, which 

 had not been much disturbed, would be found to be a very valuable one 

 in the direction mentioned. 



4. " On Eats and Plague," by Mr. H. C. Field. (Trans- 

 actions, p. 443.) 



Sir James Hector remarked that there was something in the periodic 

 seven-year illness, for it had been experienced in America, the animals 

 at these periods suffering from some form of plague. 



Mr. Tregear said that if rats died in large numbers every seven years 

 it was a point of great interest and should be investigated ; it was not 

 generally known. There was no proof, however, of their having died of 

 plague. 



Mr. Harding did not think the paper bore out what it tried to prove. 



5. " Notes on late Additions to the Museum," by Sir J. 

 Hector. 



New exhibits at the Colonial Museum include a fine speci- 

 men of the king penguin, from Macquarie Island ; groups 



