Philosophical Institute of Canterbury. 531 



Zealand," a passage from a letter of mine having reference to two skins of the 

 New Zealand sparrow-hawk which I received for the Canterbury Museum 

 from Mr. W. Phillips, in order to modify the same by authority of that latter 

 gentleman. 



I have looked over the passage in question, and find that Dr. Buller, 

 without doubt in order to make my English in the sentence referred to (which 

 ^was not intended for publication) more suitable for the press, introduced a few 

 verbal alterations. Thus, I did not write I " secured " them from the nest, 

 but I " got " them from the nest, meaning I received them from the nest. In 

 order that the blame, if there be any, may settle upon the right person, I wish 

 to read here the passage from my notes, written, as it were, under the dictation 

 of Mr. W. P. Phillips, although I may add that it is very possible that that 

 gentleman intended the first part of his communication to be more of the 

 nature of a surmise, whilst I took it, like the latter part, as facts observed by 

 himself. 



"Wednesday, Feb. 14. — Keceived two skins of the sparrow-hawk, male 

 and female, for the museum from Mr. William Phillips, with the following 

 important information : — He observed them regularly fly up and down little 

 gully behind the station, where they had their nest, taking up food for their 

 young j finds that Nestor notahilis is sometimes a great nuisance, as it attacks 

 and kills the chicks of the poultry, besides going at the meat." 



It will thus be seen that I transcribed simply the first part of the above 

 given extract in a private letter, and alluded to incidentally, and which I never 

 thought would be printed, as otherwise I would have given credit to the 

 gentleman from whom the information was obtained. 



The honorary secretary read the following resolution, passed by the 

 council :■ — 



" That this council records its emphatic protest against the publica- 

 tion of the paper by A. McKay, on the Sumner Cave exploration 

 undertaken by Dr. Haast, in which paper the results of Dr. Haast's investi- 

 gations are appropriated and their publication forestalled, and this council 

 requests the representative of the Philosophical Institute, W. Rolleston, Esq., 

 to take what steps he may deem necessary to exclude it from publication in 

 the Transactions of the Institute." 



Dr. Powell said that if such things as this were allowed to be done they 

 could not, with any degree of self-respect, remain affiliated to the New Zealand 

 Institute. He trusted the general meeting would approve the action of the 

 council in this matter. 



It was moved by the Eev. C. Eraser, seconded by Professor Bickerton, and 

 carried unanimously, 



" That this meeting cordially approves of the resolution of the council no\V 



