XXX EVENING MEETINGS. 



are in reality acquiring slipshod habits of thought and study. Moreover, 

 with more careful direction their talents might enable them to act as 

 guides and instructors in science to those who must be trained from its 

 elements. Again, in a country like New Zealand, where there exist so 

 many new varieties of life, how desirable is accuracy of observation ! 

 What to observe, when to observe, and how to take notes of our observa- 

 tions, are habits specially needful of acquisition. It is better to err on 

 the side of noting something which may have been already observed 

 than to risk missing an opportunity of contributing information concern- 

 ing the structure and habits of those plants and animals as to which 

 science is still in a state of infantile ignorance. Although our President 

 is a gentleman of the first rank in the field of scientific research, and 

 although we have among us many eminent men who devote themselves 

 to the study of various phenomena, there are many problems still un- 

 solved. But we entertain high expectations that the assembling of so 

 many men of science from other parts of the world will illumine our 

 efforts to fathom some of the mysteries with which Nature has surrounded 

 this, to us, new world of life. I think, ladies and gentlemen, that both 

 in respect of scenery and natural phenomena you will find much that is 

 not only interesting, but unique, in New Zealand. No matter to which 

 special branch of science you may have devoted yourself, you will find 

 something to study in New Zealand, and in New Zealand alone. 

 IMeteorologists will find something remarkable in the diversities of climate 

 over a country containing, from semi-tropical Auckland to antarctic 

 Southland, but 100,000 square miles. They will note the action produced 

 on our rainfall by our great central range of Alps, and the wonderful 

 difference within a few miles in tlie vegetation and appearance of the 

 country — on the western side dense green forests, and on the eastern side 

 vast brown plains; and they will, perhaps, be able to explain to us why 

 Cook Strait has earned the reputation of being the blast-pipe of the 

 Pacific. The naturalist will have ample opportunity to study the mar- 

 vellously successful results of acclimatisation. The Australian members 

 will be specially interested to compare whether those results have been 

 most successful here or on the continent in the cases of the rabbit and 

 the sparrow. Interesting and curious also are our deep-sea fish, such as 

 the frost-fish, which never allows man to capture him, but which occa- 

 sionally offers himself as a voluntary sacrifice on the gastronomic altar. 

 As regards New Zealand quadrupeds, the labours of the naturalist will 

 be considerably lightened by the knowledge that but one existed, and 

 that that one is believed to be extinct. He may, however, be able to 

 enlighten us as to the true character of the vegetable caterpillar, which, 

 going into the ground a grub, ought, according to European ideas, to 

 emerge as a perfect insect, but, in very antipodean fashion, appears to 

 become a plant instead. The ornithologist, under the able guidance of 

 Sir Walter Buller, will be able to study our so-called wingless birds, and 

 to tell us what prospect they have, now that men and dogs have come 

 to chase them, of recovering the use of those limbs of which long desue- 

 tude appears to have deprived them ; and whether there is any chance 

 of curing the kea of his acquired taste for sheep-fat, which has turned a 

 comical and interesting parrot into one of the anathematized class of 

 native pests. The botanist should revel in our wealth of ferns and alpine 

 plants, and may perhaps decide for us whether that complete illustration 

 of parasitical growth, the rata, initiates its all-devouring embrace as a 

 suppliant at the feet of its victim or round the neck of the devoted object 

 of its affection. Also, may not our farmers look to the botanist for some 

 help in the pursuit of agriculture, to learn something new of plant-life, of 

 suitability of soils and of insect-pests ? — so that not only our moral but 

 also our material position may be the better for this meeting. The 

 geologist will find an opportunity for studying the effects of volcanic 



