Otago Institute. 541 



narrower pinnae than nsual ; the ordinary fern had been discovered in the 

 vicinity of Dunedin many years ago. 



Third Meeting, llth June, 1874. 

 J. T. Thomson, F.E,.G.S., President, in the chair. 



1, " Preliminary Remarks on some Birds of New Zealand," by Otto Finsch, 

 Ph.D., of Bremen, Hon. Mem .N.Z.I. {Transactions, p. 226.) 



Captain Hutton, who read this paper, said that the correction in the 

 systematic position of many of our birds was of very great importance. The 

 paper was but a forerunner of a small book on the birds of New Zealand 

 which Dr. Finsch would shortly publish. This book was to be called, 

 '^ Synopsis of the Birds of New Zealand"; it would be printed in English, and 

 its cost would be about ten shillings. 



2. "Notes on the reported Collision of Biela's Comet with the Earth's 

 Atmosphere," by Henry Skey. [Transactions, p. 148.) 



The President said that his observations on the Comet of 1843 had led 

 him to suppose that comets were ellipsoids of matter, the nucleus of which 

 was alone visible under ordinary circumstances, but that the portion called 

 the tail was rendered luminous by the diffraction of the light of the sun by 

 the margin of the nucleus. This accounted for the tail always being directed 

 away from the sun, while the ellipsoidal shape of the comet was the cause of 

 the contraction of the tail as it approached the sun, and its lengthening again 

 when it receded from it. 



Mr. Peter Thomson exhibited some Ferns found by the Field Naturalist 

 Club in the neighbourhood of Dunedin. 



Captain Hutton exhibited Paper Pulp made from the red tussock grass, 

 presented to the Museum by Mr. E. M'Glashan. 



Fourth Meeting. I'^th July, 1874. 

 J. T. Thomson, F.R.G.S., President, in the chair. 

 New members. — Vincent Pyke, — . Malcolm. 



1. "Description of some Moa Pemains from the Knobby Banges," by 

 Captain F. W. Hutton, F.G.S,, with Anatomical Notes, by Dr. Millen 

 Coughtrey. (Transactions, p. 266.) 



In the discussion that followed it was suggested that the preservation of 

 the skin and tendons was due either to the dryness of the climate, or to some 

 antiseptic property in the soil. 



