4:(}S Proceedings. 



Moresby did of those he met, as living a life of such perfect happiness that he 

 called the islands "The Archipelago of Contentment." As regards the 

 characteristics of races, it may be interesting to note, in connection with 

 Captain Moresby's description, that the Papuans have the upper teeth projecting 

 considerably beyond those of the lower jaw, and, contrary to what is usually 

 stated, there is no such roughness of the skin as would constitute a race 

 characteristic. The colour of the skin, too, is in general of a chocolate 

 brown — not of a bluish-black colour, as has been previously asserted ; and the 

 hair of the head is not naturally disposed in tufts or clumps, but grows just as 

 it would upon the head of a European. Mr. Galton, from whose review 

 I have culled the above remarks, completes the picture by observing that the 

 Papuan maidens begin, even at the tender age of seven years, to cultivate the 

 art of which Mr. Turveydi'op was the distinguished professor. 



You will find at page 391 of the Transactions for 1873, a short notice of a 

 discussion on Solar and Terrestrial Padiation, introduced by Mr. C. P. Marten, 

 who explained that the black bulb thermometer in Southland frequently 

 ranged as high as 170°, being 30° higher than in Sydney, and much higher 

 than it has ever reached in the North Island. 



As some doubts are implied in the printed report of the correctness of the 

 readings, I wish to state that Mr. Marten is not only an enthusiast in 

 meteorological pursuits, but a most painstaking observer, with whom my 

 duties as first Director of Meteorological Stations in New Zealand brought me 

 in very pleasing communication. As this is a subject on which I formerly 

 took much trouble, and may claim for myself the merit of having established 

 all the principal Meteorological Stations in New Zealand, and as it was a 

 great comfort to have the co-operation of Mr. Marten, I am anxious to explain 

 why T believe the observations referred to are correct. Of course we all know 

 how difficult it is to prevent "cooking" of observations. In looking over my 

 correspondence with a distinguished savant who had a great deal to do with 

 getting up meteorology in India, he notices how discouraging it was to work 

 at the results of people who had no training in the use of instruments. The 

 stu])idity of some observers is impregnable. An intelligent, well-educated 

 man supplied him a long series of wet-bulb observations obtained by holding a 

 thermometer under water and reading off — the bulb was wet, what more could 

 be wanted ! You will understand, then, the comfort, in starting a number of 

 Meteorological Stations, of having a Member of the Meteorological Society of 

 England for a coadjutor. 



I did not join in the discussion further than to inquire what was the 

 vapour tension at the time those high indications of the black bulb ther- 

 mometer were taken. I shall explain why I asked for that information. 



The black bulb thermometer is always exposed, for observation, to the 



