74 



been formed from tlie fatty matters intermixed with the muscular tissue, 

 the decomposition of which gives rise to the ammoniacal element in the 

 resulting soap. 



3. " Critical Notes on the Ornithological portion of Taylor's Nexo 

 Zealand and its Inhabitants " by Walter Buller, F.L.S., etc. (See 

 Transactions.') The paper dealt with not less than twenty-six errors of 

 descriptions and nomenclature of iTew Zealand birds, contained in 

 Mr. Taylor's recently published work. 



Dr. Hector bore testimony to the general inaccuracy of the book. 



4. " On the Cultivation of some species of Native Trees and Shrubs," 

 by T. IT. Potts and W. Gray. (See Transactions.) 



The President thoTight it very absnrd that the indiscriminate extirpa- 

 tion of New Zealand Flora should be carried on so ruthlessly as it 

 had hitherto been done, and thought that some eifort should be made to 

 preserve specimens before tlrey had all disappeared. 



5. " On the Birds of New Zealand," by T. H. Potts. (See Trans- 

 actions.) This was a continuation of the paper, by the same author, 

 published in Vol. II. of the Transactions of the New Zealand Institute. 



6. " On the Nomenclature of Pocks in New Zealand," by E. PL 

 Davis, RC.S., F.CS., of the Geological Siirvey Department. (See 

 Transactions.) The object of the paper was to draw attention to the 

 embarrassment to the stiidy of Mineralogy, caused by the adojDtion 

 of different systems of naming rocks ; and, as an example, syenite 

 was instanced, which, by the followers of one school would be called 

 diorite. The necessity was pointed out for New Zealand geologists and 

 mineralogists adopting a uniformity of principle in their nomenclature, 

 in order to place their observations on a true basis, and so avoid the 

 ridiculous confusion that must follow the want of unity of principle in 

 bestowing names. 



7. " On the Production of Mono-hydrate of Chloride of Barium," 

 by W. Skey, Analyst to the Geological Survey of New Zealand ; with 

 "Notes" on ics Crystallization, by E. IT. Davis, F.C.S., F.G.S. (See 

 Transactions.) 



8. " On the Absorption of Sulphur by Gold," by W. Skey, (See 

 -Transactions.) The paper was intended to show that most of the loss of 

 gold experienced at the Thames, in the process of amalgamation, was 

 due to the presence of sulphur, which, being unfavourable to amalgama- 

 tion, caused a considerable quantity of gold to escape. During the 

 author's labours at the Thames he tested tailings from several mills. By 

 a careful amalgamation he obtained a yield of 1 dwt. to 1| dwt. to the 



