Philosophical Institute of Canterbury. 17 



Second Meeting : 7th June. 1911. 



Present : Mr. A. M. Wright, President, in the chair, and nearly one hundred 

 others, including the officers of the s.s. "Terra Nova," and Captain 

 Bo lions of the G.s.s. " Hinemoa." 



New Members.— -Messrs. W. \V. Garton, Richard Finch, T. Fletcher 

 G. D. Hansford, W. D. Kirkpatrick, B. Seth Smith. C. Foweraker. I. E. 

 Newton, M.A., G. Whitehead, B.A.. H. D. Acland. 



Address.—" The Natural History of Whales." By D. G. Lillie. B.A., 

 Biologist to the Antarctic Expedition. 



The lecturer first gave a brief outline of the phylogenetic development of the various 

 orders of the mammalia, with special reference to the whales, and detailed the chief 

 differences between these animals and fishes. He showed the relationship between the 

 whales and the mammals most closely connected with them, specially mentioning the 

 modification of the various organs to suit a marine environment. He noted that the 

 grooves which appear in the skin of the rorquals probably function in respiration. The 

 lecturer concluded with an account of the classification of whales and of their habits. 

 The address was illustrated with an extensive and excellent series of drawings. 



In moving a hearty vote of thanks to the lecturer Mr. Edgar H. Waite referred to 

 the original work which had already been done by Mr. Lillie in connection with whales, 

 a subject of investigation of the greatest difficulty. 



in acknowledging the vote of thanks, Mr. Lillie gave some brief indications as to 

 how the different species of whales could be determined by any one seeing them from 

 the deck of a ship, but said that it was scry difficult indeed to come to a correct conclu- 

 sion without long experience. 



Third Meeting : 12th July, 1911. 



Present : Mr. A. M. Wright, President, in the chair, and forty others. 



Neiv Members. — Messrs. W. Goss, J. Deans, and W. C. Colee. 



Address. — " Recent Advances in Radioactivity." By D. C. H. Florance, 

 M.A., M.Sc. 



The lecturer gave a very clear and interesting account of the methods adopted 

 during the last two years for investigating the phenomena of radioactivity, and illus- 

 trated his remarks with exhibits and experiments. He paid special attention to the 

 series of products derived from uranium, and the behaviour of atoms under the influence 

 of the a, ,3, and y rays. At the close he was accorded a very hearty vote of thanks. 



Papers. — 1. "The Action of Alkyl Iodides on Copper - oxide." Bv 

 H. G. Denham, M.A., D.Sc, Ph.D. (See page 29.) 



2. " Note on the Species of Hydra found in New Zealand." By G. 

 Archey ; communicated by Dr. Chilton. (See page 25.) 



3. " Additions to the Fish Fauna of the Kermadec Islands." Bv Edgar 

 R. Waite, F.L.S. (See page 28.) 



Inset— Proc. pt. i. 



