WeUtngton Philosophical Society. 533 



The Chairman reported that the Council was co-operating 

 with the councils of other societies in the colony in urging upon 

 the Goverinnen.t the desirablcncps of causing a botanical siirvey 

 of the colony to be made, and in recommending the appointment 

 as Government Botanist of one of the most eminent botanists 

 in the coloiiy — Dr. Louis Cockayne, of Christchurch. It was to 

 be hoped that the efforts of the societies would be successful. 



Papers. — 1. " Notes on the Entomology of the Routebum 

 Valley," by G. V. Hudson, F.E.S. 



12. " The Reason why Three Fingers only are carved in 

 Maori Images of Deities," by Dr. A. K. Newman. 



Mr. R. C. Harding expressed the opinion that, although Dr. Newman 

 might be right in thinking that Mr. W. T. L. Travers's suggested explana- 

 tion of the carving of only three fingers in Maori images of deities was a 

 mistaken one, yet the >atives who were Mr. Travers's informants might 

 possibly have given their explanation in good faith. It might very well 

 be that in the course of ages a knowledge of the real reason had been lost 

 by the Maori race. 



3. " Notes on Ferns." by H. C. Field. 



4. " Notes on New Zealand Echinoderms, with Description 

 of a Now Species," by H. Farquhar ; communicated by 

 A. Hamilton. 



5. " Note on the Bipolarity of Littoral Marine Faunas," 

 by H. Farquhar ; communicated by A. Hamilton. /'.>'o^ 



Fifth Mekting : Uh September, 1906. 

 Mr. Martin Chapman, President, in the chair. 



New Member. — Dr. J. S. Maclaurin. 



Paper. — " On Two Marine Gymnomt/xa,'^ by Professor 

 H. B. Kirk. 



An address on *' Petroleum " was given by Professor T. H. 

 Easterfield. 



Professor Easterfield illustrated his remarks by a number of experi- 

 ments on New Zealand mineral oils. 



The lecture was listened to by a very large audience, and at the close 

 a vote of thanks to Professor Easterfield was carried by acclamation. 



Exhibits. — L Mr. G. Hogben exhibited and described scismo- 

 grams of the great Chilian earthcjuake of August, 1906. 



2. Miss Mcstayer exhibited a crustacean {Paridotea mignlata) 

 found by her recently at Island Bay, Wellington. 



