Auckland Institute. 439 



4. "On Art and Literature," by Alb in Martin. 



5. The President called the attention of the meeting to a group of Birds of Paradise 

 recently completed by the taxidermist to the museum. It included specimens of Paradisca 

 apoda, and P. raggiana, Cincinurus regius, two species of Petilorhis, and others. 



Fifth Meeting. 1st July, 1880. 

 Rev. Dr. Puechas, President, in the chair. 

 The Hon. Colonel Haultain gave a lecture on "Russia and the Turko- 



mans. 



Sixth Meeting. 19th July, 1880. 

 Rev. Dr. Puechas, President, in the chau*. 



New Members. — Mrs. Chamberlin, W. Leys, M. Rawlings. 



1. "On the Larva of Ceratognathus,'' by Captain T. Broun. {Transac- 

 tions, p. 230). 



2. "On some new species of Nudibranchiate moUusca," by T. F. 

 Cheeseman, F.L.S. [Transactions, p. 222) 



Coloured di-awings of the species described were exhibited. 



3. " On Runes," by Neil Heath, F.G.S. 



The author stated that the origin of the so-called Eunic alphabets, had engaged the 

 attention of the most distinguished philologists. Some of the characters bore a resem- 

 blance to one or more of the older languages — Latin, Greek, or Phoenecian. 



He considered that the hj'pothesis which derived the runes from a Phcenician source, 

 though it might account for some similitude, left many of the characters and matters 

 connected with them, wholly unexplained. The first nine letters of the Eoman alphabet 

 bore a striking resemblance to the corresponding runic letters, but the remainder were not 

 accounted for in any way. He was of opinion that if the runes were carefully compared 

 with the Greek alphabet, the whole of them could be traced back to some early Greek 

 forms, or to a combination of forms to be accounted for on well-known principles. 



Drawings of the old Bunic characters, showing their correspondences and differences, 

 were exhibited. 



4. The President said that his attention had been directed to the presence of a species 

 of house-ant in several localities in Auckland, evidently a recent importation from abroad. 

 .He wished that some member of the Institute would take the matter up, and give some 

 information as to the habits of this stranger. 



Seventh Meeting. 5th August, 1880. 

 Rev. Dr. Puechas, President, in the Chair. 

 Mr. J. A. Pond gave a lecture on " Explosives." 



