Wellington Philosophical Society. 589 
5. “A revised Arrangement of the New Zealand Species of Dacrydium, 
with Descriptions of new Species," by T. Kirk, F.L.S. (Trans., p. 888.) 
6. *An Enumeration of recent Additions to the New Zealand Flora, with 
critical and geographical Notes," by T. Kirk, F.L.S. (See Appendiz.) 
The retiring President then delivered the following Anniversary 
ADDRESS. 
It is my duty, on retiring from the office of President of this Society for the past 
year, shortly to refer to its labours since the last annual address was delivered, and I 
can only regret that urgent business engagements and the limited time at my disposal 
prior io my contemplated departure for Europe have prevented my doing such justice to 
the subjects of those labours as they deserve. Unfortunately, too, my predecessor was 
unable to deliver the usual address, and the Society was thus deprived of the advantage 
of his review of the work done during his term of office, besides which he has necessarily 
left the duty of doing so to less able hands. 
A glance at the Transactions of the New Zealand Institute for the year ending May, 
1877, will, I am happy to say, show that the interest taken in those classes of scientific 
subjects which have ordinarily occupied the attention of members of this society, has in 
no degree abated, for we find that of the miscellaneous essays 19 out of 29 were con- 
tributed by members of this Society, of those on zoology 12 out of 38, on botany 12 out 
of 15, on chemistry the whole, and on geology 5 out of 9, whilst several of the remaining 
published papers are reprints from the eontributions of foreign authors to the “ Annals 
and Magazine of Natural History,” a fact which increases the proportion in which our 
. Society contributed, during the year in question, to the Transactions of the Institute. 
But it is not alone by the number of its contributed papers that our Society may be 
considered as distinguished in its labours during the year now under review. Many of 
bees papers are of high scientific value and interest, not merely RD the facts stated 
in them have resulted from careful observation—a matter of primary importance in all 
scientific work,—but because the conclusions deduced from those facts are thought out 
and given in the spirit of sound philosophical enquiry. 
Amongst the more important contributions I may instance those of Dr. Newman, 
Mr. Rous Marten, Mr. Coleman Phillips, Dr. Hector, Dr. Buller, Mr. Kirk, Dr. Curl, 
Mr. Thomson (the Surveyor-General), Mr. Buchanan, Mr. Skey, and Mr. A. McKay; and 
although some of these papers open questions of a controversial character, there can be 
little doubt of their respective values as additions to the common stock of scientific 
knowledge. 
As in the preceding year, so in the past one, our Society takes foremost rank in 
contributions to the Transactions, for I find that it has contributed 8 miscellaneous 
essays, 13 papers on zoology, 12 on botany, 3 on chemistry, and 8 on geology, whilst the 
range of subjects is in no degree narrowed, and the treatment has been characterized by 
the same amount of care and research. 
It is, however, fair to observe in this connection that our Society has the advantage 
of numbering amongst its members several gentlemen connected with the scientific staff 
of the Government, who naturally enjoy far greater opportunities of observation than fall 
to the lot of the majority of the members either of this or of the other societies affiliated 
to the Institute. It cannot be denied, however, that in some parts of the colony such 
opportunities as do occur are not taken advantage of, and thus many facts, which, if 
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