Auckland Institute. 635 



and, in particular, to abandon the idea of an official meeting of the Association in the 

 Dominion. After the break-up of the Australian meeting, however, a considerable 

 number of members of the Association were able to visit New Zealand, and no small 

 number of lectures or addresses were delivered in the various centres. Six of these were 

 given in Auckland under the auspices of the Institute, and were fully appreciated by 

 the citizens, securing in each case a large and representative audience. 



Meetings. — Including the British Association lectures just alluded to, eleven 

 meetings have been held during the year, at which twenty-one lectures and papers were 

 given by members and others. 



Museum. — The attendance of visitors has been good, although not quite equal 

 to the standard of the two previous years. 



Much progress has been made in the Museum during the year. The additions 

 received by purchase or donation have been numerous and important, while a large amount 

 of material has been derived from collecting-trips made to various portions of the coast. 

 Perhaps the most attractive addition to the zoological department is a special group 

 illustrating the life-history of the spotted shag {Phalacrocorax punctatus). It contains 

 numerous specimens of adult males and females in full breeding plumage, together with 

 young birds in various stages of growth, nests, and eggs, and is an exact representation 

 of a portion of Shag Eock, in the Firth of the Thames, which is a great breeding colony 

 of the species. 



Two other conspicuous additions consist of a fine specimen of the mako shark 

 (Lamna glauca), and an equally good example of the singular thresher shark {Alopecias 

 vulpes), in which the length of the tail greatly exceeds that of the body. 



Another important addition is an exhibit prepared by the Auckland Harbour Board 

 for the recent Exhibition, showing the damage caused to wooden wharves by the Teredo, 

 Limnoria, and other genera of marine borers. This was very kindly presented to the 

 Museum by the Harbour Board. 



Several important donations have been made to the geological department, including 

 a large series of auriferous -lode specimens and minerals presented by the Talisman 

 Gold-mining Company, and an extensive set of named New Zealand fossils presented 

 by the Geological Survey. 



The Maori collection has been largely increased during the year. The most important 

 accession is a series of 336 greenstone, bone, and ordinary stone articles collected by 

 Mi - . F. R. Smith, with the assistance of Mr. C. Arnold and others, at Murdering Beach 

 and other localities near Dunedin, in the years between 1874 and 1878. After the 

 death of Mr. Smith the collection passed into the hands of his widow, from whom it has 

 now been purchased. The other additions include a superbly carved whakapapa, or 

 genealogical tree, originally obtained many years ago by Captain Preece in the Urewera 

 country during the Maori War, and an unusually large and boldly carved hei-tiki, 

 formerly in the possession of the well-known chief Honga Hika. Important donations 

 have been received from Mr. John Kenderdine, Mr. G. Graham, and Captain Bollons, 

 of the s.s. " Hinemoa." 



Library. — The annual balance-sheet shows that an expenditure of £197 2s. 8d. has 

 been incurred in the library during the year, £105 of which has been derived from the 

 Mackechnie Library Bequest and the remainder from the ordinary revenue of the 

 society. A consignment of about sixty volumes ordered from London was received last 

 June, catalogued, and placed in the library. 



Election of Officers for 1915. — President — Hon. E. Mitchelson ; Vice- 

 Presidents — C. J. Parr, C.M.G., Professor H. W. Segar ; Council — Professor 



C. W. Egerton, J. Kenderdine, E. V. Miller, Professor G. Owen, T. Peacock, 



D. Petrie, J. A. Pond, Professor A. P. W. Thomas, J. H. Upton, Professor 

 F. P. Worley, H. E. Vaile ; Trustees— T. Peacock, J. Eeid, J. H. Upton ; 

 Auditor — S. Gray. 



