402 



Fifth Meeting. September 18, 1869. 



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



In accordance with clause 7 of the New Zealand Institute Act, it was necessary for 

 the Societjr to appoint one of its members to vote in the election of Governors of the New 

 Zealand Institute for the ensuing year, and Mr. J. C. Crawford was unanimously selected 

 for this office. 



Papers read : — - 



(1.) "On Thorough Drainage," by Mr. Crawford. (See ante, p. 211.) 



Mr. Travers qixite agreed with the suggestions made by Mr. Crawford, but thought 

 there would be some difficulty in carrying out the system of thorough drainage in New 

 Zealand, as he was afraid the proprietors of land would not work harmoniously in the 

 matter. There should be an Act passed on the subject. 



Mr. Hamilton thought there would be a difficulty in draining the clay hills effectually, 

 so as to produce percolation, as the superficial layer of soil is the most tenacious, and the 

 water runs off the surface. 



(2.) "On the Mysticetus, or Right Whale," by F. J. Knox, L.R.C.S.E. (See 

 ante, p. 21. ) A specimen of the head of Balcena margvnata, Gray, was exhibited at the 

 meeting, to illustrate this paper. The author gave a most interesting account of the 

 habits on whales in general, and pointed out particularly the difference between the 

 Mysticetus and the Rorquals, a drawing of which latter he exhibited. The use of the 

 baleen was graphically described, especially as there were some fine specimens with the 

 head above mentioned. 



(3.) "On the Upper Tertiary Fossils of New Zealand^ with Lists of the Species," by 

 J. Buchanan. (See ante, p. 163.) 



(4. ) " On the Tertiary Series of Oamaru and Moeraki, Otago," by C. Traill, communi- 

 cated by Dr. Hector. (See ante, p. 166. ) 



Sixth Meeting. November 13, 1869. 

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



The Honorary Secretary, Mr. R. Pharazyn, intimated resolutions received from the 

 Governors of the Institute to the effect that papers intended for the "Transactions," will 

 in future require to be forwarded in the form in which they are read before the Society, 

 and that authors will be entitled to receive twelve copies of then' papers in a separate 

 form. 



Dr. Hector called attention to two live specimens of the mud fish from Hokitika, 

 Neoclianna apoda of Gimther. The specimens were swimming actively in clear water, 

 and had perfect vision, although their eyes are small, so that the undeveloped state of 

 the eye in the specimen previously received, and described by Dr. Giinther, must have 

 been exceptional. 



The Hon. W. Fox remarked that these mud fish were not peculiar to Hokitika, as 

 five years ago he remembered seeing a fish dug up from a gravelly clay ten feet below 

 the surface, at Rangitikei, and he believed that it was identical with the fish exhibited. 



A remarkable meteor observed in Wellington on the 8th inst., at 11.30 p.m., 

 was described in a paper by the Rev* A. Stock. It appeared suddenly in E.S.E., at an 

 altitude of about 20°. It fell with a very rapid motion, vertically. When it was first seen 

 it appeared about three times as large as Venus, and shone with a yellow light. It 

 suddenly appeared to diminish to a point of light, each diminution being accompanied 

 with a shower of sparks failing vertically. It as suddenly increased to its old brilliancy, 

 as suddenly diminished, then increased. Thus there were three brightnesses, and two 

 darker intervals. Another peculiarity was that it showed all the prismatic colours. 

 There was no train of light left after its disappearance. 



Mr. J. Kebbell and Mr. Gillon corroborated Mr. Stock's observations. 



Papers read : — 



(1.) " On some New Species of New Zealand Plants," by J. Buchanan. Specimens 

 were laid on the table. (See ante, p. 88. ) 



(2.) Dr. Hector gave a short abstract of an elaborate report by Mr. T. Kirk, of 

 Auckland, "On the Botany of Cape Colville Peninsula." (See ante, p. 89.) This paper 

 gave the results of a survey that had been made for the Geological Department, with the 

 view of obtaining an accurate record of the original vegetation, as the flora of the district 

 is undergoing rapid modification by the gold diggers. In this paper several new species 

 of plants were described, of which specimens were exhibited. 



(3. ) "Description of the Mechanical Apparatus employed in raising the s.s. Taranaki," 

 by J. T. Stewart. (See ante, p. 203.) 



