WELLINGTON PHILOSOPHICAL SOCIETY. 



Fifth Annual General Meeting. 2^th January^ 1872. 

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



abstract report of the COUNCIL. 



During the past year nine general meetings have been held, at which forty- 

 two original papers on various subjects were read, all of which have been 

 forwarded to the Governors of the New Zealand Institute for publication in 

 the fourth volume of the Transactions. Amongst the authors of these papers 

 will be found the names of seven new contributors, indicating the increasing 

 interest taken in the labours of the Society. 



The Ijalaiice sheet shows that the actual receipts for the past year, 

 including balance from previous account, amounted to <£138 Is. 7d., and the 

 expenditure to .£40 2s. Id., leaving a balance in hand, exclusive of any arrears 

 of subscriptions, of <£97 19s. 6d. The subscriptions of fifty members are in 

 arrear, but will probably be soon collected. Twenty new members have joined 

 the Society, making the number at present 126. 



The Chairman stated that an appropriation of £28 would shortly be made 

 for the purchase of the Reports of the Geological Society from its commence- 

 ment to within the last year or two. 



Election of Officers for 1872: Pre^ic^eTi^—^James Hector, M.D., F.R.S.; 

 Vice- Presidents — -J. C. Crawford, F.G.S., John Kebbell ; Council — Captain 

 F. W. Hutton, F.G.S., Charles Knight, F.R.C.S., W. T. L. Travers, F.L.S., 

 John Buchanan, H. F. Logan ; Hon. Treasurer-^ . M. OUivier ; Hon. 

 Secretary — =E,. B. Gore. 



1. A letter received from the Smithsonian Institute was read regarding 

 certain publications presented to the Society. 



2. Observations on Naultinus pacijicus, Gray," by F. J. Knox, L.B.C.S.E. 

 (See Transactions, p. 307.) 



Mr. Travers suggested that lizards cast their tails in the same manner that 

 crabs could cast off a wounded limb. 



