604 Proceedings. 



Science, he did yeoman's service for the cause which he had so 



much at heart. That a copy of this resolution be forwarded to 



Mrs. Hutton, together with an expression of the Institute's deep 



sympathy with her and with the members of her family in their 



bereavement." 



The above was moved by Mr. G. M. Thomson, seconded by Dr. Hocken, 

 and Drs. Benham and Marshall spoke to the motion. 



Professor Benham exhibited a probably extinct species of 

 wren (T raver sia lyalli) obtained on Stephen Island, and a species 

 of gigantic weta (Hemideina broughi) from the West Coast. 



Papers.— I. " Treatment of Partially Decomposed Pyritic 

 Tailings by the Cyanide Process," by Mr. F. Shepherd ; com- 

 municated by Professor Park. (Transactions, p. 558.) 



2. " Portobello Fish - hatchery, with Scientific Notes and 

 Record of Observations," by Mr. G. M. Thomson, F.L.S. 

 (Transactions, p. 529.) 



3. " The Gem Gravels of Kakanui, with Remarks on the 

 Geology of the District," by Mr. J. Allan Thomson, B.Sc, Rhodes 

 Scholar. (Transactions, p. 482.) 



4. " Geological Notes on the West Coast," by Dr. Marshall. 

 (Transactions, p. 560.) 



5. " Note on the Occurrence of Two Rare and Two Intro- 

 duced Moths," by Mr. G. Howes. (Transactions, p. 509.) 



Mr. G. Howes read the following note on " Fruit -destruction 



by Small Birds in Central Otago " : — 



I have lately returned from a trip through Central Otago, and while 

 in the Teviot and Alexandra districts had my attention called to a new 

 phase in the destruction of fruit by small birds. Until this year fruit 

 has been comparatively safe until it ripened. Now they are attacking 

 the trees while still in flower and just as the fruit forms. Roxburgh and 

 Coal Creek have over thirty orchards producing fruit for the market. Of 

 these half a dozen only have escaped serious loss from the ravages of small 

 birds. Some orchards have only one-tenth of their usual crops left. The 

 smaller outlying orchards have been practically stripped, the larger ones 

 adjoining each other not having suffered so heavily. The birds, of whom 

 the green linnet seems the worst offender, attacked the apricots after the 

 fruit was formed, and the cherries while still in flower. When I left they 

 were attacking the peaches and plums also. I visited the two largest 

 orchards at Alexandra, and they have suffered greatly. Mr. Iverson 

 will be a very heavy loser, having some 20 acres of fruit-trees, and yet only 

 able to save the fruit on trees immediately about his house. The introduc- 

 tion of owls has been advocated, and if they are to be introduced there 

 could be no better districts than the Teviot and Alexandra for the experi- 

 ment. There are but few native birds for the owl to destroy, and the hill- 

 sides swarm with destructive introduced birds. 



Dr. Hocken read the second part of his instructive paper on 

 " The Rev. Samuel Marsden and Early New Zealand Missions." 



Dr. Hocken sketched in a most interesting manner the terribly uphill 

 and disheartening work of a missionary in the early days of the convict 

 establishment in New South Wales. 



