Appendix, has increased from 255 in 1868, to 342 in last year. The 

 Governors also distribute, as presentations or in exchange, about fifty copies 

 in addition, to various Learned Bodies and Public Libraries. 



Although the supply of algebraic type, obtained for the purpose, is still 

 imperfect, the two papers by Captain Hutton, reserved from last year, have 

 been printed in this volume ; the deficiencies being supplied by a few letters 

 and signs not generally used in mathematical formulae, for which the reader's 

 indulgence is requested. 



Amongst the papers reserved are several relating to purely medical 

 subjects, chiefly communicated to the Medical Section of the Auckland 

 Institute. As these papers do not contain matter of general interest, the 

 Board considered it advisable to hold them over for future publication, in 

 a separate form, for the professional reader. 



Whenever it was found possible, without delaying the progress of the 

 work through the press, proof sheets were submitted to the authors for 

 revision, but in the majority of cases this was found to be impracticable ; 

 in which case the final revision, as well as the preparation of the papers 

 for the press, was performed by the Editor. In one instance, the author, 

 Mr. Potts, came from Canterbury to revise the proof sheets of his paper on 

 " Birds," for which attention the Editor desh'es to express his thanks. 



Although every care has been taken to avoid typographical errors, it 

 is necessary to call the attention of authors, and the Secretaries of Societies, 

 to the desirability of forwarding the manuscripts in a more legible form ; 

 as, in several instances, the papers had to be re-copied before they were 

 placed in the hands of the printer, thereby greatly increasing the chance of 

 misinterpreting the author's meaning. 



Several small errors have been observed since the work has passed 

 through the press, but only those that seriously affect the author's meaning 

 have been placed in an errata slip. 



The Illustrations to the present volume have all been drawn on pre- 

 pared paper, by Mr. Buchanan, and transferred to stone at the Government 

 Lithographic Press, — the Hon. the Colonial Secretary having allowed the 

 Board to make an ari-angement with the Government Printer, for the 

 purpose of securing for the work the superior appliances and skill available 

 in the Government Printing Office. 



The Editor has again to acknowledge the great assistance which he has 

 received from Mr. R. L. Holmes, who, at considerable personal inconvenience, 

 remained in Wellington to superintend the passing of the work through the 

 press. 



The thanks of the Board are also due to Mr. J. Buchanan, who has 

 devoted a large portion of his leisure time to the illustrations of the 

 work. 



