632 Proceedings. 



provement in the financial position is reported, and the special thanks 

 of the society are due to the Honorary Treasurer and the then Honorary 

 Secretary, J\Ir. A. V. Macdonald, for their efforts in effecting this. 



No additions were made to the library, which was owing to the large 

 amount due for books purchased during the last and previous years ; but 

 the Council hope that additions may be made during the coming year. 

 The library has been catalogued. The number of members now on the 

 roll is 100. 



Election of Officees foe 1891. — President — Mr. H. Hill ; 

 Vice-president — Mr. L. Lessong ; Treasurer — Mr. J. S. Large ; 

 Secretary — Mr. Geo. White; Auditor — Mr. T. K.Newton; 

 Council — Drs. Moore and Spencer, Messrs. J. W. Craig, 

 H. H. Pinkney, P. S. McLean, and J. T. Carr. 



Exhibits. — During the evening two interesting exhibits 

 were placed before members. The first was a specimen of the 

 bloom of Crinum asiaticum, concerning which there was quite 

 a history to tell. Its introduction was due to Mr. Bidwill, 

 whose name is w'ell known to botanists, and who was the first 

 European to ascend Tongariro. He visited Mr. Colenso at the 

 Bay of Islands some fifty-four or fifty-five years ago, and on 

 his return to Australia he sent over a number of seeds and 

 bulbs. Of these only two tubers of Crinum grew, and when 

 Mr. Colenso came to Hawke's Bay he brought these with him, 

 and for twenty-five years watched and waited to see them 

 bloom, but in vain. At last his patience was rewarded by a 

 fine spike of bloom, and since then the plants have year after 

 year sent up flower-stems. The exhibit was much admired. 

 The other exhibit was a fine specimen of the star-fish, caught 

 at the Spit by a fisherman, and sent to the Museum by Mr. 

 Brugh. It was a large specimen, being about 18in. measured 

 across the extended rays, of which there were eleven. 



