Otago Institute. 647 



Seventh Meeting : 1st December, 1914. 



Mr. E. Gilkison, Vice-President, in the chair. 



Papers. — 1. "A Remarkable Case of Bifurcation in Lumbricus rubellus," 

 by Dr. W. B. Benham, F.R.S. 



2. " On Lumbricillus macquariensis," by Dr. W. B. Benham, F.R.S. 



3. " Notes on some New Zealand Polychaetes," bv Dr. W. B. Benham, 

 F.R.S. 



4. " Cainozoic Fossils from near Oaruara," by Professor P. Marshall, 

 D.Sc, F.G-.S. 



5. " The Geology of Tahiti," by Professor P. Marshall, D.Sc, F.G.S. 



6. " Ainbrym Island and its Recent Eruptions," by Professor P. Marshall, 

 D.Sc, F.G.S. 



7. " Graptolites from Golden Ridge, near Collingwood," by Dr. T. S. 

 Hall ; communicated by Dr. P. Marshall. 



Annual Report.— The annual report and the balance-sheet for 1914 were 

 read and adopted. 



Abstract of Annual Report. 



During the year the Council has met nine times for the transaction of the business 

 of the Institute. 



The Council supported the Manawatu Philosophical Society and the New Zealand 

 Forest and Bird Protection Society in their endeavours to induce the Government to 

 adopt and pass a private Bill having for its object the extension of the boundaries of 

 Tongariro National Park. The attention of all local Members of Parliament was drawn 

 to the proposal, and their co-operation in the matter sought. As a result, presumably, 

 of the efforts of this and kindred societies the Government has, by an Order in Council, 

 we understand, enlarged the park to the desired extent. 



It is to be regretted that the efforts made by the Institute last year to secure the 

 restoration of the protection accorded to the fur seal in New Zealand waters have not 

 borne fruit, as the present Government still adheres to its policy of licensing sealers 

 to pursue their calling among the southern islands. M such a policy is persisted in, 

 the extinction of the fur seal in these waters will, it is to be feared, be a matter of only 

 a very few years. 



During the year the Council, on behalf of the Institute, contributed the sum of £50 

 towards the sum required to purchase for the Museum the specimens placed there on 

 deposit some years ago by the late Mr. Hamilton. The result has been a valuable 

 addition to the collection of moa remains, for which the Otago University Museum 

 has so long been noteworthy. A donation of £15 was also made to the Augustus Hamilton 

 Memorial Fund, and one of three guineas to the Alfred Russell Wallace Memorial Fund. 



During the year the New Zealand Institute has remitted to the incorporated societies 

 for their consideration a proposal that each society should hereafter contribute 2s. 6d. 

 per member to the funds of the Institute. Your Council, believing that the statutory 

 grant received by the Institute is quite inadequate to enable it to carry on its work 

 successfully, has agreed to the proposed levy being made for at least one year. 



Meetings. — Seven ordinary and two special meetings of the Institute have been 

 held during the year. At the ordinary meetings there have been read or received fifteen 

 papers embodying the results of original research. 



Of more general interest to members were the following addresses : " Natural 

 Sources of Power " (presidential address), by Mr. F. W. Payne ; " The Geology of 

 Tahiti," by Professor P. Marshall, D.Sc. ; " The Agricultural Development of the West 

 Indies," by Mr. D. Tannock ; " How a Muscle works," by Professor J. Malcolm, M.D. ; 

 and " The Shakespeare-Bacon Controversy," by Mr. T. W. Whitson, the last-named 

 a paper of exceptional merit. 



Taking advantage of the presence in Dunedin of two distinguished visiting scientists 

 (Professor W. M. Davis, of Harvard University, and Professor E. E. Prince, Commis- 

 sioner of Fisheries, Canada), your Council arranged for two special public meetings 

 in the Y.M.C.A. Hall, Professor Davis speaking on " The Origin of the Coral Reefs of 

 Fiji," on the 20th May, and Professor Prince on " The Fisheries of Canada and New 



