Philosophical Institute of Canterbury. 447 



Greeks and Komans, we shall, like them, give due prominence in om- educational course 

 to scientific studies, bearing in mind that science is but another name for the knowledge 

 of God's works and of His will as expressed in what we term natural laws, and that the 

 better we understand these laws, and the more we live in accordance with them, so in 

 proportion will be not only our natural prosperity, but our success in battling with the 

 ignorance, disease and misery, which must ever be present in this world whilst it is 

 inhabited by sinful men. 



And what work can be more noble than this ? or how can we pay too much honour 

 to those men who devote their lives to the advancement of science, casting as it were 

 their bread on the waters of public opinion, and content to take for their reward the 

 satisfaction of having worked for the benefit of their fellow men. Let this then be the 

 spirit in which the work of this and of kindred institutions shall be carried on, each of its 

 members, i"n his own special sphere of action, carefully recording facts and collecting data 

 for future reference, on all points of scientific interest that come within his observation, 

 without thought of personal distinction or consideration of pecuniary gain ; and so by our 

 separate, yet united endeavours, we may be able to assist in laying broad and deep, the 

 solid foundations of a natural life, greater and more noble than was that of the classical 

 nations of antiquity, and in fostering the growth of a national literature, which shall con- 

 tinue to bear fruit after the very names of Greece and Eome have faded into oblivion. 



Third Meeting. Is* April, 1880. 

 E. DoBSON, President, in the chair. 

 New Members. — W. Malcolm, Major Bamfield. 



Election of Honorary Secretary. — Gr. Gray was elected Honorary Secre- 

 tary in the place of N. K. Cherill, resigned. 



PA.PEES. 



1. " On a Volcanic Dyke in the Heathcote Valley," by A. D. Dobson. 

 (Transactions, p. 391.) 



2. " Notes or Suitable Subjects for Papers," by C. W. Adams. 



Fourth Meeting. Qth May, 1880. 

 E. Dobson, President, in the chair. 



New Members. — Eev. W. C. Harris, J. E. Gwatkin, J. E. Pickett, E. 

 Schmidt. 



Vacancy in Council. — N. K. Cherill was elected to fill the vacancy in 

 the Council caused by the resignation of G. Gray. 



PAPERS. 



2. "On the Hymenoptera of New Zealand," by Professor Hutton. 



3. " On the Causes tending to Alter the Eccentricity of Planetary Orbits," 

 by Professor A. W. Bickerton. ( Transactions, p. 149.) 



