526 Proceedings. 



Fifth Meeting. 2nd September, 1882. 

 W. T. L. Travers, F.L.S., President, in the chair. 

 1. "On the Decline of the Hawaiian Eace and the peculiar Forms of 

 Disease prevalent among them," by Dr. Hutchinson. 



Sixth Meeting. 30th September, 1882. 

 W. T. L. Travers, F.L.S., President, in the chair. 

 New Member. — G. V. Shannon. 



Seventh Meeting. 21si October, 1882. 

 W. T. L. Travers, F.L.S., President, in the chair. 

 New Member. — T. Turn bull. 



1. The society nominated for election an honorary member of the New 

 Zealand Institute. 



2. " Eemarks upon the Distribution within the New Zealand Zoological 

 Sub-region of the Birds of the Orders Accipitres, Paessres, Scansores, Columbce, 

 Gallince, Struthiones, and GralUe," by W. T. L. Travers. (Transactions, p. 

 178.) 



This paper discussed the distribution of certain birds in relation to the question of 

 the former connection of New Zealand with other islands of the Pacific. 



Dr. Hector considered tbis a most important contribution to the statistical branch of 

 natural history and that it would form a valuable supplement to Dr. Buller's recently 

 published manual. He thought that the distribution of birds was very much controlled 

 by the abundance of their favourite food at periods when they were not engrossed in the 

 business of nesting. 



3. " Eemarks on some Bones lately discovered by Mr. H. T. Wharton 

 in Oaves at Highfield, Canterbury," by Dr. Hector. 



This was a description of a valuable collection of the bones of Aptornis and Dinornis 

 found by Mr. Wharton and presented by that gentleman to the Museum. The point of 

 interest was the association of these bones with those of the rat, kiwi, kaka and weka, 

 suggesting that no great period had elapsed since the deposit took place. 



The President stated that he had some years ago found bones in the Collingwood 

 district under similar circumstances and had sent them to England, but unfortunately 

 they had been lost. 



4. " On a new Mineral belonging to the Serpentine Group," by S. H. 

 Cox, F.C.S., F.G.S. (Transactions, p 409.) 



5. " On the Non-metallic Minerals of New Zealand," by S. H. Cox. 

 (Transactions, p. 361.) 



This is a continuation of the paper read and published last year on the metallic 

 minerals by the same author. 



6. Dr. Hector exhibited some views of the comet and a diagram of its orbit, and by the 

 aid of a model gave a most lucid and interesting explanation of the phases through which 

 it has passed since the 7th September, when it was first observed. He mentioned, as a 



