Wellington PhilosopJiical Society. 437 



According to the generally received idea, the Maoris were quite ignorant of the nse of 

 the bow and arrow ; yet remembering the rather lengthy discussion which recently took 

 place between Messrs. W. Colenso and Coleman PhilUps on the ignorance, or otherwise, 

 of the Maoris concerning the use of projectiles, I am inclined to think that these two 

 bits of stone are likely to prove more interesting than at first sight would be expected. 



The next item (No. 3) is a long and curious four-toothed comb, presented to me by 

 Mr. Page, who picked it up at the same spot where the articles above-mentioned were 

 afterwards obtained. 



It is made of whalebone, and measures 7 inches in total length, and 1^ inches in 

 width, the teeth (all of the same size) being long. There is no attempt at ornamentation, 

 with the exception of the curved top which bears a small point inclining to one side, and 

 serves to soften the otherwise very rigid outline of the whole implement. 



7. " Notes on Dr. Dudgeon's Experiments regarding the Temperature 

 of the Breath," by W. Skey. 



8. " Notes on some species of Diurnal Lepidoptera," by Percy BuUer. 

 (Communicated by Dr. Bnller.) (Transactions, p. 237.) 



9. " Eemarks on the New Zealand Olives," by T. Kirk, F.L.S. 



10. " On the Occurence of Triodia in New Zealand," by T. Kirk. 



11. "A Eevision of the New Zealand Lepidia, with description of New 

 Species," by T. Kirk. 



12. " Notes on Plants recently added to the New Zealand Flora," by T. 

 Kirk. 



13. " Notes on Plants from Campbell Island," by T. Kirk. 



14. "Descriptions of New Plants," by T. Kirk. (Transactions, p. 384.) 

 Dr. Hector exhibited several new additions to the Museum, among others rich gold 



quartz specimens from Te Aroha, coal found at Eketahuna (which he stated to be of good 

 quality, and probably extending through the Wairarapa district), galena and zinc blende 

 found in the Tararua mountains, and auriferous quartz specimens from Terawhiti. With re- 

 ferencetothe latter, Dr. Hector said a new reef had been found in a fresh locality by some 

 bush burners under quite different conditions from the former so-called reefs. The for- 

 mation was different from that at the old workings, and the new reef was better defined and 

 of a more promising kind of quartz. The specimens showed gold freely, and contained 

 about three ounces to the ton in a very finely-divided form. This was a most encouraging 

 circumstance. The reef was about 1,100ft. above sea-level, and it ran about N.W. Speci- 

 mens had been brought to him a day or two before, and he could see at once it was 

 wholly a different class of stone from anything previously from Terawhiti. It was 

 exactly similar to the reefs at Golden Point and Cape Jackson, across the Straits. He 

 had gone out to the ground himself and seen the reef, which, however, had not yet been 

 sunk upon sufficiently to reveal its trend and dip. He thought now there was a much 

 better prospect than ever before of testing definitely whether there was payable gold at 

 Terawhiti. 



