396 



in a scientific point of view, from the fact of their being apparently identical with corals 

 hitherto only found as fossils in the older Tertiary rocks. 



Papers read : — (1. ) " On the Sand-worn Stones of Evans' Bay," by W. T. L. Travers, 

 F.L.S. (See ante, p. 247.) 



In this the author gave an account of the mode in which certain curiously shaped 

 stones, which appeared to be "flint implements," were formed by the cutting action of 

 sand blown by the wind across a line of boulders between Evans' and Lyall's Bays. 



(2. ) Mr. J. C. Crawford read a short notice on the preservation of meat by bi-sulphite of 

 lime, as proposed by Messrs Medlock and Bailey. The only objection to the process 

 seems to be that the meat is too nasty to eat after being subject to the process described. 

 A remedy may however be found for this, and the subject is of such importance as to be 

 well worthy of careful investigation. He considered it desirable that we should carefully 

 consider all plans and inventions which may be brought forward, having for their object 

 the preservation of meat in these colonies, where it is superabundant, so that it may be 

 transmitted in a marketable state to Great Britain, or other parts of the world, where the 

 supply may be deficient. 



As the bisulphite of lime is not an expensive article, the price named being 3s. 6d. 

 per gallon, it will be easy for those who wish to try the experiment of preparing meat 

 for shipment by this process, to do so without having to incur a large outlay. 



(3. ) An instrument for dusting vines and fruit trees affected with blight, with flour of 

 sulphur, etc., was then described by Mr. Crawford. It is much used in France, and 

 would no doubt be useful here, and any tinman can make it ; but as Mr. Travers and Mr. 

 Richmond remarked, the true remedy for blight and creeping things of all kinds is the 

 judicious importation of birds, bearing constantly in mind the complex way in which the 

 law of "natural selection" operates on every kind of animal life. As an illustration Mr. 

 J. C. Richmond stated that the honey-eating birds had almost disappeared in some 

 districts, owing to the bees having deprived them of their natural food. 



(4. ) A paper by Mr. Skey ' ' On the Production of certain Crystalline Phosphates and 

 Arseniates was read by Dr. Hector. (See ante, p. 146.) 



Mr. Richmond exhibited some native curiosities taken from Ngatapa, given to him 

 by the East Coast friendlies ; some Raupo bread, prepared from the pollen of the 

 swamp flag, Ty-pha angustifolia, being amongst them. 



Second Meeting. June 19, 1869. 

 J. C. Crawford, F.G-.S., Vice President, in the chair. 



The Secretary laid on the table eleven publications which have been presented to the 

 Society since the previous meeting. 



There were also several scientific works and periodicals placed on the table for the 

 use of members of the Society, and eight volumes of the Catalogue of Fishes in the British 

 Museum, presented to the Institute by the Trustees. 



The election of the following new members was then announced by the Secretary :— 

 Messrs. W. Best, J. Martin, N. Marchant, T. M. Stewart, H. Willcox, and the Rev. H. 

 W. Ewalcl. 



The Chairman, Mr. J. C. Crawford, then stated that as was the case last year, during 

 the session of the Assembly the meetings of the Society would be at more frecpient 

 intervals, and that the next meeting would be held on the 17th of July. He then delivered 

 the following 



ADDRESS. 



In opening the proceedings of the Wellington Philosophical Society for the session of 

 1869, it has fallen to my lot to make a few introductory remarks, and to glance at the 

 events which have occurred since our meetings of last year. 



I will first congratulate the members of the Society on the receipt of the first volume 

 of "Transactions and Proceedings of the New Zealand Institute," which has lately been 

 put into our hands. It appears to me in every respect a most creditable production for a 

 colony of an age of less than thiz'ty years, and although its bulk has been materially 

 increased by the incorporation of Essays, which were originally written for the New 

 Zealand Exhibition, yet the mass of matter contained in the ordinary ' ' Transactions and 

 Proceedings " is ample, and full of information of more than ordinary interest. 



With regard to the Essays contained in this volume, I have been particularly struck 

 with the care which has been bestowed upon those contributed by Mr. Colenso ; and that, 

 by him, on the "Maori Races," I consider particularly interesting. 



As it appears to me that the usually received theory to account for the peopling of 

 the Polynesian Islands (New Zealand inclusive) by the brown-coloured, Maori-speaking 

 race, is quite untenable, I had commenced a paper on the subject, which I proposed to 

 read at some meeting of this Society, but I find much that I had to say has been fore- 



