614 Proceedings. 



Hudson, F.E.S., T. Kirk, F.L.S., Major-General Scliaw, 

 C.B., E.E., Sir James Hector, K.C.M.G., F.R.S., R. L. 

 Mestayer, M.Inst.C.E. ; Secretary and Treasurer — R. B. 

 Gore ; Auditor — T. King. 



The President proposed a vote of thanks to the Auditor 

 and to the Secretary, which was carried. 



Pajyers. — 1. " Notes on the Ornithology of New Zealand," 

 by Sir W. Buller. {Transactio7is, p. 179.) 



Sir James Hector said he considered the notes on the birds valuable. 

 He had just received the concluding volume of Professor Newton's great 

 work, the " Dictionary of Birds," and was interested to find that, from 

 the examination of the specimens in the flesh sent Home for compari- 

 son, it had been decided that the flightless duck of the Auckland Islands 

 (Nesonctta aucklandcia) was only a modified form of the red teal of 

 New Zealand {Anas chlorotis). Dr. Collins, who shot specimens of the 

 former in the Auckland Islands, was certain that he saw the same 

 flightless duck in a small permanent pool on the top of the Snares Island, 

 which would be a new locality. 



Sir W. Buller said he had listened to Sir James Hector's remarks 

 with much interest. He had not yet received the fourth volume of 

 Professor Newton's "Dictionary of Birds." The announcement made 

 by Sir J. Hector about Nesovetta aiichlandica was therefore new to him, 

 and its importance, from a Darwinian point of view, could hardly bo 

 overestimated. If Professor Newton was right in his conclusion that 

 Nesonetta auchlandica was a direct descendant from Anas chlorotis— 

 and he, for one, would pin his faith to tbe Professor — they had here a 

 wonderful instance of evolution, for the brown duck of New Zealand and 

 the flightless duck of the Auckland Islands were not merely distinct 

 species, exhibiting entirely different habits, but represented different 

 genera. As to the flightless duck of the Snares, which Dr. Collins de- 

 scribes as being exactly the same as that found at the Auckland Islands, 

 he had no reason to doubt that there was such a bird on the Snares, but 

 he thought it very unlikely that it would prove to be the same as Nesonetta 

 auchlandica, for it might have taken many hundreds of years to developo 

 the flightless form, and, as there would be no communication between 

 the Auckland Islands and the Snares, the development (assuming the 

 New Zealand bird to be the ancestor) would be on divergent lines. The 

 Snares bird would in all probability prove to be something quite new, 

 and it was very desirable to obtain specimens for critical examination. 



The following papers were read by Mr. T. Kirk, F.L.S. : 

 2. " Description of a New Genus of Graminece " {Trans- 

 actions, p. 497). 3. "Remarks on Paratrophis heterophylla, 

 Bl., of New Zealand " {Transactions, p. 49b). 4. "On Car- 

 michaelia, Cor alio spar tium, Huttonella, and Notospartium " 

 {Transactions, p. 501). 5. " Notes on the Botany of the East 

 Cape District" {Transactions, p. 509). 6. " On the History 

 of Botany in Otago " {Transactions, p. 532). 



Sir James Hector said the East Cape district was very interesting 

 from its geological structure. He had surveyed it in 1874, and published 

 a map and sections. A large area was occupied by green sandstonet^, 

 conglomerate, and shales of Upper Secondary age, and the Hikurangi 

 Range was in geological structure not unlike the Hokonui in Southland. 

 This might account for the exceptional character of the flora mentioned 

 by the author. 



