440 Proceedings. 



Eighth Meeting. 16th Aur/ust, 1880. 



Eev. Dr. Pukchas, President, in the cliair. 



New Members. — Miss Dobson, J. Ellingliam, C. S. George. 



1. The President called attention to several interesting additions to the Museum and 

 Library. Among the most important were a complete set of the publications of the 

 " Novara " Expedition, obtained through the kind offices of Drs. Hochstetter and Fischer ; 

 a copy of " Gould's Uranometria Argentina," presented by Mr. Murdoch ; 50 European 

 bird-skins, and a large series of European Hemiptera and Hyvienoptera, received in 

 exchange from the Geneva Museum ; and a skin of the beautiful Impeyan Pheasant, pre- 

 sented by Mrs. Wallis. 



2. "On a new genus of Opisthobranchiate moUusca," by T. F. 

 Cheeseman, F.L.S. (Transactions, p. 224.) 



3. " Names of Places, their origin and meaning," by the Eev. J. Bates. 

 The author cited Max. Miiller and other philologists in support of the theory, that 



the earliest names of places were descriptive of some peculiarity of appearance, or of some 

 relative comparison or contrast, or of some religious sense. He gave many illustrations 

 drawn from Europe and Northern Asia. Passing to New Zealand, Wai meant water — as, 

 for instance, Waitangi, sounding water, and so of similar composite names ; Roto meant 

 lake, as Piotorua ; Motu meant island, as Motutapu ; Puke meant hill, as Pukekohe. 

 Keligious feeling was very prolific of such distinguishing names, as in English names com- 

 pounded of Kil, Wig, Sel — as, for instance, Kildare, Wigton, Selby. Business, trade, and 

 commerce exercised their influence in originating such words as damask, from Damascus ; 

 calico, from Calcutta. The lecturer drew attentian to the silent influences which 

 co-operate in altering, developing, or diverting the growth of names, and even of language 

 itself. The progress of change was much slower in cultivated and civilized nations than 

 among people semi-barbarous or nomadic. These influences might be traced to varied 

 sources, and the origin of some of them was very remote. An Englishman of the present 

 day would have great difficulty in reading the English of the 12th or 13th century. He 

 would not be able to read Chaucer, or possibly Spenser, without the aid of a glossary. 

 The paper was full of varied and interesting information, and the lecturer was applauded 

 at is conclusion. — The President said the derivation of some of the Maori names was very 

 interesting. Eangitoto, for instance, signified " red" or " bloody " heaven, which pointed 

 clearly to a period when the volcano was in active operation. The word ranga was 

 usually connected with volcanic appearances. There was a matter of interest much wider. 

 The sounds of the letters I r d were convertible. Ruru in Maori was luhi in the Sandwich 

 Islands. Many tribes of Maoris pronounced d for I. — Mr. J. B. Eussell could not think 

 that Eangitoto was active since the arrival of the Maoris in New Zealand. — The President*, 

 But there have been many active volcanos since that period, and the Maoris could hardly 

 mistake that the volcanic mountains had a common origin. — Mr. Mitford bore testimony 

 to the convertibility of the sounds of letters by Maori tribes, particularly the Ngapuhi. 



4. " On the Spontaneity or Self-action of the Will, as opposed to all 

 doctrines of necessity," by the Eev. S. Edgar. 



The general purport of this paper was as follows : — (1) That the will is spontaneous 

 and self-acting, and not necessitated. (2) The will is for the organism the first cause, as 

 the Deity is the first cause for the universe. (3) The metaphysical data, "I think," 



