PROCEEDINGS OF THE POLYTECHNIC ASSOCIATION. 397 



from the arsenal at Turin were found to be damaged in the same way. In 

 1S33 Audonin exhibited sheet lead from the roof of a building which had 

 been grooved by insects. la 1843 a case was reported in which it was 

 shown they will attack stereotype metal. The insects live in the larva 

 state in the interior of old trees, and after metamorphosis, quit their retreat 

 for the purpose of reproduction. They do not eat the lead, but simply bore 

 it out to make their escape from the wood with which it is in contact. 



V Billiard Balls. 



It will be remembered that a large premium was offered in this country 

 for an artificial substance having the properties of ivory required in bil- 

 liard balls M. Dupre, of Paris, has produced a material from paper pulp, 

 sulphate of baryta and gelatine, which is highly commended by some of 

 the leading billiard players in that city. 



The Dinornis. 



The bones of this gigantic bird were exiiibited to the Linnivan Society 

 by Mr. Allis. The remains of one adult and a young brood of live were 

 discovered lately in New Zealand. It is tliought, on examining portionv>« 

 of feathers still remaining, that they died within ten years. If any of the 

 species are still living, it is not strange that they should have eluded for 

 mer searches for them. Explorations are now being made by Dr. Haast, 

 through the center of New Zealand, to ascertain whether the animal is 

 extinct. 



Great Photographic Feat. 



Dr. H. Draper, of this city, has succeeded in making a photograph of the 

 moon more than four feet in diameter, by means of his glass reflector in his 

 observatory at Hastings. 



The selected subject for discussion, 



The Manufacture of Straw Goods, 



was then taken up, when Mr. B. Garvey made the following remarks: 



J/r. President and Gentlemen — I.shall not examine the subject of straw 

 hat manufacture with regard to its historical interest, nor consider it as a 

 source of national wealtli. To give an idea of its importance, it will be 

 enough to advert to the fact that straw hats are worn to some extent by 

 men, women and children in every civilized country of the world; and, al- 

 though ihe manufacture of the coarser kinds of hats is almost eo-extensive 

 with the market, yet for the finer kinds, which embody elegance of design 

 with perfection of finish, there is an extensive market in wiucii to compete 

 with England, which now enjoys an almost exclusive monopoly of the mar- 

 kets of the world. 



In the rude form of the manufacture, from the sowing of the seed to the 

 trimming of the finished hat, the work was performed by the farmer or his 

 family; but perfection of manufacture demands division of labor, and ac- 

 cordingly we find that this manufacture now^ives employment to no less 

 than ten different trades, each more or less independent of all the others, 

 viz.: 1, the farmer; 2, the merchant; 3, the dyer; 4, the bleacher; 5, tho 



