604 Proceedings. 



Mr. Harding said the curious part of Mr. Tregear's account was that 

 these subjects should be influenced by any one ; it was unlike mesmerism 

 in this particular. 



Mr. Travers gave instances of the hypnotic condition, which were 

 very extraordinary. His impression was that a similar influence was 

 exercised by the tohungas upon the Maoris. He thought that the general 

 verdict was that hypnotism was a thing rather to be avoided than used. 



Mr. Tregear, in reply, said the difference between mesmerism and 

 hypnotism was that in the former the person was under the influence of a 

 stronger will. This was only one stage, but when a person was under 

 hypnotic influence he went through three stages, and, being under the 

 influence of suggestion alone, was at the mercy of everybody who chose 

 to make a suggestion. It would be interesting to find that this power 

 was known to the Maoris. 



2. "On Two New Globe-fish" {Tetrodon gillbanksii and 

 Tetrodon cheesemanii) , by F. E. Clarke. {Transactions, p. 243.) 



3. "Note on a Specimen of Lopliotes, sp.(?)," by F. E. 

 Clarke. Specimens exhibited. {Transactions, p. 251.) 



Sir James Hector said the Plectognathi form an interesting group 

 of fishes having some affinity to the sharks and rays, but having some 

 solid bones, though no ribs. They are so named from the curious twisted 

 conformation of the jaws. There are three groups — the globe-fish, the 

 sun-fish (which is enormously large), and the leather-jackets. Globe-fish 

 live on Crustacea, and have a habit of distending their bodies with air 

 and expelling it forcibly with a hoarse noise. They are not edible, and 

 are sometimes very poisonous if the gall or any of the viscera remain 

 in the fish when cooked. Pison said the symptoms were impaired sensi- 

 bility of the tongue, and rigid cramps, cold sweat, and death. Similar, 

 though modified, symptoms are caused by the prick of the spines. 

 Father Dutertre has described how this fish approaches the bait (a crab) 

 with caution, tastes it, retires, returns, and swallows greedily ; theii blows 

 its body up like a balloon, rears like a turkey-cock, wheels round and 

 round, and becomes furious. It then has recourse to stratagem, lowers 

 its spines, and allows itself to be drawn in, but the moment an attempt 

 is made to secure it the fish suddenly resumes its dangerous activity. 

 The Tetrodon is much smaller than the Dioclon, It also inflates itself 

 when tickled, and the boys on the wharves make a cruel sport by burst- 

 ing them with a loud report. One species is very common in the Nile, 

 spreads over the country during the inundations, and when decom- 

 posing becomes most dangerous. The Mussulmans inflate these fish, dry 

 them, and then hang them in bunches from the pinnacles of the minarets 

 of their mosques. The Japanese hold one species in high estimation as 

 food, but they clean and prepare them with the greatest care; notwith- 

 standing, the epicures often fall victims, and die in two hours. When 

 not well cleaned they are so deadly as to be used by suicides. There is 

 a plant named Rex amarois, which is said to be an antidote to the poison, 

 but anise greatly increases its virulence. One species has electric organs, 

 and gives off smart shocks when touched. 



4. "On the Chemical Position of Cyanogen, and its 

 Inability to combine directly with Gold and Silver," by 

 W. Skey : an abstract was read by Sir J. Hector. {Transac- 

 tions p. 574.) 



Mr. Hustwick said it was not generally accepted that cyanogen alone 

 was a solvent for gold, and that, though the Cassel Company claimed 

 the sole use of cyanogen and its compounds, they virtually abandoned the 

 claim to cyanogen alone, because their specification required it to be 

 used in the presence of an alkali. 



