426 Proceedings. 



land area, both of New Zealand and of the southern part of the American 

 Continent." 



He then proceeded to show that if a great depression were to take place 

 in the Northern Hemisphere a corresponding rise would occur somewhere else, 

 probably in the Southern Hemisphere, and a considerable amount of water 

 being also drawn off to fill up the gap formed by the northern depression, 

 these two causes would probably together have allowed of a junction between 

 New Zealand and South America in the direction of South Georgia and 

 Mounts Erebus and Terror. 



The author then gave a vivid description of the country from Buenos 

 Ayres to Mendoza, and of the grand scenery of the Andes between that place 

 and Santiago. Between Valparaiso and Santiago the country had been 

 travelled over by him, and with regard to the river Maypo he says that it 

 " attracted the attention of Darwin from the constantly grinding noise of its 

 shingle bed. This will recall to the New Zealand reader the grinding sound 

 from the beds of the Bakaia, "Waitaki, and many other New Zealand rivers." 

 " The southern parts of the Andes and the deeply intersected district of Tierra 

 del Fuego point to similar conditions to those of Dusky Bay, Milford Sound, 

 and the other depressed vallies of the south-west coast of New Zealand. 

 Tierra del Fuego appears to be composed of granites and silurian schists." 



The author concluded with a general description of the continent of South 

 America, and finished by saying that " there is a certain resemblance between 

 the Southern Indians and the Maori, both in colour and fleshiness. The 

 Patagonians whom I have seen were men with large bodies and short arms 

 and legs. Sitting on the ground or on horseback they would appear gigantic, 

 but standing up they would not be beyond the average height. It would, 

 however, be an injustice to the Maori to compare him intellectually with the 

 southern tribes of America." 



A discussion ensued, in which Drs. Comrie and Hector and Capt. Hutton 

 took part. 



2. " Contributions to the Ichthyology of New Zealand," by Capt. F. W. 

 Hutton, F.G.S., C.M.Z.S. (See Transactions, p. 259.) 



The President stated that he had obtained from the fishermen in Welling- 

 ton many of the specimens described by Capt. Hutton, showing that there is 

 still rich field for discovery in this branch of natural history. 



3. "Notes on the Stone Epoch at the Cape of Good Hope." by B. H. 

 Darnell ; communicated by Dr. Hector. (See Transactions, p. 138.) 



4. " Notice of a new species of Senecio (S. hectori),'^ by John Buchanan, 

 of the Geological Survey of New Zealand. (See Transactions^ p. 348.) 



