Anniversary Address. 3 



"as tlie small Harrier now flies leisurely during the day-time over the plains 

 and downs in search of its food, consisting of carrion, birds, lizards, and 

 insects, so the Harpagornis doubtless followed the flocks of Moas, feeding 

 either upon the carcases of the dead birds, or killing the young and disabled 

 ones."* Another gigantic bird, but belonging to a period of much higher 

 antiquity than that in which any Moa remains have hitherto been discovered, 

 is a huge Penguin {FalcBeudyptes antarcticus), the bones of which were found 

 imbedded in limestone rocks on the West Coast of the Nelson Province. 

 Dr. Hector further contributes a description of the Seals which I was fortunate 

 enough to shoot last year in Milford Sound, while I was there in H.M.S. 

 " Clio." They prove to belong to the species named by Dr. Grsij Arctocephalus 

 cinereus, and to difler from the Fur Seal of the Falkland Islands {Otaria 

 nigrescens), with which they had previously been identified. Mention should 

 also be made of two attractive papers on Natural History by Mr. Travers and 

 Mr. P. Thomson, respectively ; and of the excellent observations by Mr. 

 Fereday on the New Zealand Insects. 



BOTANY. 



The botanical papers in last year's volume are very interesting. The 

 important subject of the distribution of plants in these Islands receives 

 valuable elucidations from Mr. Kirk and Mr. Cheeseman. Mr. Kirk's 

 " Comparison of the Indigenous Floras of the British Islands and New 

 Zealand," showing the different effect of each on the landscape, is peculiarly 

 attractive for the general as well as for the scientific reader. There is also a 

 report, of a most practical kind, on the native and introduced grasses of the 

 Canterbury Province, and their fitness for different purposes of pasturage. 



If time permitted, I would gladly advert to several of the contributions 

 on Chemistry, Geology, and a variety of miscellaneous subjects. Indeed, the 

 slight sketch attempted above gives a very inadequate idea of the extent and 

 value of the work performed by the Institute and its affiliated Societies. We 

 must ever rejoice in the intimate connection and general prosperity of these 

 united associations, for (to quote the words of Mr. Travers in a recent address) 

 "each society is but one of a series of grafts upon the tree of scientific 

 knowledge which has been planted in this Colony ; and the fruit which each 

 of them bears must be good or indifferent, in proportion to the vigour of the 

 common stock, "t 



OFFICIAL JOURNEY OF THE GOVERNOR ACROSS THE CENTRE OF THE 



NORTH ISLAND, 



In my anniversary address of last year, after a brief review of the recent 

 TroMsactio'-as and present position of the Institute, I proceeded, in accordance 



* Transactions, Vol. IV., p. 194. + Transactions, Vol, IV., p. 356. 



