Wellington Philosophical Society. 717 



and spread the germs of fearful zymotic diseases was pointed out, 

 and Mr. Massee, in his paper, stated that millions of pounds' worth of 

 damage to crops of grain by rust and other affections could be traced to 

 poisonous fungi. This loss migbt be easily prevented by experts im- 

 parting knowledge to those concerned. He considered the information 

 ooncained in Professor Massee's paper to be most valuable. 



The President thanked Sir James Hector for tlie interesting and in- 

 structive explanation he had given on tliis subject. He hoped other 

 members would take the maiter up and add to our information. 



Mr. Travers, who had at one time collected this class of vegetable 

 organisms, said he handed them to a visiting Swedish nataralist for his 

 museum, and had not since heard of them. Among the English only 

 one form of fungus (the mushroom) was eaten, but on the Continent, 

 iind in Russia particularly, many other forms which we looked upon 

 with disgust were eaten, and found to be an extremely nutritious and 

 valuable food. It was difficult to say what form of vegetable life was 

 not attacked by the germs of disease propagated by different forms of 

 fungi. Unquestionably this fungi study was a highly valuable one. It 

 was interesting to knoJv that this was only the first part of a paper which 

 Professor Massee was contributing in sections to the New Zealand In- 

 stitute. 



Mr. Hudson said the fungus eaten was the yellow one, found under 

 pine trees. 



Sir James Hector, in reply to Mr. Richardson, said it was no use to 

 cut them to get rid of them, as they did not grow again. 



2. " On the Interaction of Cyclones on one another," by 

 Major-General Schaw, C.B., K.E. {Transactions, p. 567.) 



Sir James Hector explained the system followed by his department 

 in recording weather observations. He said that advices as to weather 

 indications were received by him daily, not only from all parts of the 

 colony, but from Australia, and even more distant parts. Until a short 

 time ago these used to be sent out all over the colony through the Press 

 A.ssociation, but for some reason or other the Association h8,d discon- 

 tinued this valuable practice. Sir James Hector expressed surprise, coo, 

 that the newspapers did not publish the weather chaic daily. He thought 

 that the subject treated by General Schaw was fully explained by the 

 diagrams used in the j\Ieteorological Office. 



Mr. Harding said the newspapers in Australia and England paid a 

 good deal of attention to these v^eatber diagrams, and always used them. 



3. "On the Use of Formaline," by Dr. G. Thilenius ; 

 communicated by Sir J. Hector. {Transactions, p. 10 1.) 



The question was raised as to whether anything further 

 had been heard of the kumi, the strange animal or reptile 

 alleged to have been seen near Gisborne recently. 



Sir James Hector said the word " kumi " appeared in Mr. E. Tre- 

 gear's Maori-Polynesian dictionary, one of the definitions given being 

 " a huge fabulous reptile." 



Mr. Tregear told the members that, so far as his use of the word was 

 concerned, he considered the animal mythical, but it aid not follow that 

 it was actually so. The only knowledge he had on the subject was that 

 the early expUrers were lo'd by Maoris that there was a kind of big 

 lizard, sometimes 5 ft. or 6 ft. long, which was eaten. That it should be 

 eaten was rather surprising, considering the aversion, and even horror, 

 with which the Maoris regarded lizards. If such a Surange animal as 

 was reported really existed, it would perhaps turn out to be a species of 

 Australian iguana. 



