Auckland InstUute. 15 



I'int' ({ltd iton loiulition of life. Thf study of inetabolic; processes had recently made 

 great advances, which were discussed' at some length, and the lecturer concluded 

 that nothing exactly analogous to the process was known in the inorganic world. 

 Metabolism, which might be a manifestation, or cause, or result of unknown 

 physical conditions, was, the lectirrer submitted, the proximate known physical 

 basis of vital procesaes. 



Passing to a discussion of the reactions of living objects, the distinctive 

 characters of those reactions appeared to be a continual self-adjustment, and re- 

 ad j.ustment to external conditions — in other words, adaptability. The analogy 

 between automatic devices designed to meet a certain purpose, and adaptive 

 response to all conditions, with continual readjustment, was, the lecturer said, 

 superficial and misleading. 



Since the physical conditions of the metabolizing organism differed in a funda- 

 mental manner from any to be found in non-living objects, it was not surprising 

 that the principle of the self-adjusting mechanism could not be deduced from 

 inorganic phenomena. And, since the readjustment was known in some cases to 

 be accompanied by sensibility, it was not unreasonable to suppose that the physical 

 phenomena corresponding to sensibility constituted that self-adjusting mechanism 

 which is distinctive of living organization. 



Third Meeting : ^fh July, 1910. 



Di'. R. Briffaiilt, President, in tlie chair. 



Mr. S. E. Lamb, B.Sc, delivered a popular lecture on " Ferro-con- 

 crete Structures," illustrated with numerous lantern views. At the close 

 a discussion arose, in which the President, Mr. Moore, and Mr. W. E. 

 Bush took part. 



