Anniversary Address. xxi. 



The various Museums which are under the charge of the In- 

 stitute, and the incorporated Societies, have all been more 01 less 

 enriched during the last year; notably that at Auckland, by the 

 beautiful and valuable Pompeian statue presented, amongst other 

 works of art, by Mr. Mackelvie. This Museum is also one of the 

 many institutions at Auckland which have been so largely benefited 

 by the munificence of the late Mr. Costley ; and, although it will not 

 actually belong to the Institute, the Auckland members will have the 

 additional advantage of the splendid library presented to that city by 

 Sir George Grey. 



TRANSACTIONS FOE 1882. 



The large volume of Transactions and Proceedings for 1882 gives 

 evidence of the genuine and valuable work that is still being clone by 

 the Institute. Amongst the essays which are printed at length in 

 the volume, I wish especially to refer to Mr. Meyrick's learned and 

 careful account of his examinations concerning the Micro-lepidoptera 

 of New Zealand, a comparatively new field for zoological research. 

 The object of such inquiries may not at once be obvious, but they are 

 nevertheless of great value as being immediately connected with im- 

 portant agricultural interests ; the minute moths, which form the 

 subject of investigation, being amongst the most frequent causes of 

 blight in plants. I am glad to observe that Mr. Meyrick intends 

 continuing these investigations, and publishing the results through 

 the medium of the Institute. Mr. Colenso's rambles through the 

 forest have added materially to our knowledge of the ferns and plants 

 indigenous to this country ; and I trust that, although it seems a matter 

 of great difficulty, the attention which Mr. Arthur has drawn to 

 the question of the disease which is now playing havoc amongst the 

 trout in Lake Wakatipu may ultimately lead to the discovery of some 

 means whereby it may be overcome. The acclimatization of foreign 

 varieties of fish is of such importance as a means of increasing the 

 food-supply of this country, that it is a matter for serious concern 

 that a disease should have appeared amongst the one variety — English 

 trout — which it was hoped had been successfully introduced. 



I am particularly glad to find that the attention of members in 

 both Islands has again been drawn — as it had on several previous 

 occasions — to the important, but too often forgotten, subject of forest 

 conservation. As was pointed out by Captain Walker, in the inter- 

 esting and exhaustive addresses delivered by him in 1876 and 1877, 

 which are printed in the 9th volume of the Transactions, silviculture 

 is doubly useful : first, on account of the value of the product ; and, 

 secondly, on account of the change of climate it brings about. 



