274 Transactions.—Zoology. 
to cause the sheep to pick or bite the wool from its sides, flank, and other 
parts, until the fleece becomes more or less ragged and wasted. The skin 
becomes rough, and shows symptoms of disease. It is not contagious, but 
attacks sheep of all ages. It is more damaging in flocks that have been 
closely bred ‘in and in’ for many years; indeed this is the case with most 
diseases. As both a preventative and cure, wood and cob ashes with salt 
are used, with partial success.” 
Arr. XXXIX.—Notes on Zoological Researches made on the Chicken Islands, 
East Coast of the North Island. By Anpreas Retscnex. Communi 
by Professor von Haast, PH.D., F.R.S. 
[Read before the Philosophical Institute of Canterbury, 4th August, 1881.] 
Ix December of last year I paid a visit to that cluster of islands called the 
Chickens, situated east of Wangarei Bay, on the East Coast of the North 
Island. There are six islands, three of which are of some size, and three 
are small. The first are covered with bush, with the exception of a few 
abandoned Maori plantations, now overgrown with flax and scrub. They 
are hilly and contain copious springs of excellent water. On the large 
western island two good boat harbours are situated on the southern and 
western side, and between the islands are good places for small vessels to 
anchor. In examining the summits of these larger islands I found remains 
of Maori pahs with numerous cooking places and kitchen middens neat 
them. In excavating amongst them I found only one polished stone ax¢, 
but several specimens of chipped flint, together with a quantity of mussel 
and other marine shells, of which the animals have evidently served 48 
food to the former inhabitants. On the smaller islands the bare rocks 
show mostly, covered here and there with patches of low sorub. All the 
