542 New Zealand Institute. 
his work in two papers, read before the Wellington Philosophical Society, 
in which he has scheduled all the minerals which are yet known in New 
Zealand. The total number of varieties mentioned is 74 metallic and 184 
non-metallic minerals, making 208 in all. He has since been engaged on 
an examination of the rocks, and is grouping and classifying them prior to 
description. He has also completed the classification of a fine collection of 
foreign minerals, including a valuable series presented some years ago by 
the Director of the Geological Survey of Canada, which has hitherto been 
inaccessible for reference. The examination of very large collections of 
New Zealand rocks has also been commenced, about fifty selected specimens 
of volcanic rocks having been sliced and prepared for microscopic analysis, 
and about a thousand specimens critically examined. During the past year 
collections of fossils have been made at twenty different localities, chiefly 
from Tertiary and Cretaceo-tertiary strata. The collections are not yet 
fully worked out, but the number of specimens added to the Geological 
Survey collections in the Museum cannot be short of 10,000 fossils. Nearly 
9,000 of these came from a single locality. The remaining collections, not 
numbering more than 1,300 specimens, are, though small, very valuable 
additions to our knowledge of the fauna of the beds from whence they 
came. 
PUBLICATIONS. 
The Seventeenth Museum and Laboratory Report (68 pages 8vo.), and 
the Fifteenth Progress Report of the Geological Survey, have been dis- 
tributed. The following are in the press: (1.) New Zealand Handbook, 
3 Ed., Dr. Hector. A new geological map has been prepared to accompany 
this work, and printed in colours, in the General Survey Lithographic 
Department; and a copy of the map, together with explanatory letterpress, 
has been forwarded to the Agent-General for incorporation with a similar 
work which he is publishing in London. (2.) The Sixteenth Progress 
Report of the Geological Survey, 1882. By Dr. Hector. With maps 
and sections; and including Special Reports on the Norsewood Lignites 
(Cox); on the Gold Fields of Cape Colville Peninsula (Cox); on Deep 
Alluvial Gold Mines in Westland (Cox); on the Geology of Shag Valley 
(Cox); on the Malvern Hills Coal Mines (Cox); on the Collingwood 
District (Cox); on Motunau District (McKay); on the Antimony Lode, 
Carrick Ranges (McKay); on Langdon’s Reef (McKay); on the Terawhiti | 
Reefs (McKay); on the Antimony Lode, Reefton (MeKay) ; on the Geology 
of the Reefton District (McKay). (3.) The Meteorological Reports for 
1880-82 are being included in one volume, which is now in an advanced 
state of preparation, and will be illustrated by diagrams showing the 
changes for each month. 
