46 Proceedings. 



4. " The Post-glacial Climate of Cauterbiiry," by R. Speight. 



In this paper the author advtinces tentatively an hypothesis that during the 

 j^ieat extension of the glaciers in Pleistocene times the climate was in all pro- 

 bability steppe-like in character over the eastern slopes of the Southern Alps, and 

 that at a subsequent time it became much moister than at present, this moist 

 climate being succeeded by the present modified steppe conditions. This hypo- 

 thesis is based partly on geological and partly on biological considerations. The 

 following facts are cited in this connection : Extensive forests once existed over 

 areas which are now treeless and dry ; peat bogs appear to be shrinking ; the land 

 Mnllusca are also of a wet-climate type, and not suited to their present surround- 

 ings. It IS admitted that the evidence put forward is suggestive rather than 

 convincing, but the authoi' hopes that the paper may serve to draw attention to a 

 question which has attracted considerable attention in other parts of the world, 

 and that some work may be done heie to correlate distant changes with those that 

 occurred here — if, indeed, these changes took place. 



Eighth Mketia-g : 19fh Ortoher, 1910. 



Present : Mr. K. M. Laiiiji: (President), in tlie chair, and twenty-five 

 others. 



Animals Protection Act. — A letter was received frora Colonel R. 

 Heaton Rhodes, M.P., re the proposed alterations in the Animals Pro- 

 tection Act, and also a copv of the Act introduced into Parliament bv 

 Sir W. J. Steward, M.P. 



The following- resolution was carried : " That this meeting of the 

 Institute most heartily apjiroves of the Bill introduced into Parliament 

 by Sir W. J. Steward to provide for the protection of birds indigenous 

 to the Dominion, and hopes that it ma}- be accepted by the House during 

 the present session of Parliament." 



Dr. Moorhouse expressed, on behalf of tlie Canterbury Acclimatization 

 Society, its hearty support of tlie measure. 



Paperii. — 1. " The Geology of tlic Kermadec Islands." by W. R. li. 

 Oliver. 



Abstract. 



The physical features and geological structure of the islands comprising the 

 Kermadec Group are described, and an attempt is made to record the order in 

 which the various volcanic materials were laid down. 



The islands are built up almost entirely of volcanic matter, but fragments of 

 Jioinblende granite are included in the pumice tuffs forming the most recent crater 

 in Sunday Island, whilst some of the older tuffs, which are submarine, contain 

 fossil corals and molluscan shells. According to the author's observations, the first 

 eruptions were submarine, but shallow-water conditions obtained. The structure 

 of Sunday Island shows it to be built up in comparatively recent times on a sub- 

 merged base, and that it never exceeded its present dimensions more than can be 

 accounted for by marine denudation. It is contended that there is no evidence to 

 prove that any land actually existed above sea-level in the vicinity of the Ker- 

 madecs when the first volcanic eruptions which resulted in the present islands took 

 place. 



The bi()l(jgical evidence which, with apparent exceptions, seems to support the 

 supposition of an oceanic origin for the Kermadecs is biiefly reviewed. The pre- 

 sence of the Pacific rat {Miif< cxalans), the candlenut-tree [Aleurites moluccana) , 

 and the Polynesian ti {Cordi/liiie tcr/ninalis) is perhaps suggestive of a continental 

 connection ; but the author has elsewhere given reasons for supposing these to be 

 intioduced by Natives, of whose occupation on Sunday Island there is ample 

 evidence. 



