93 



peculiar suitability of Cluistchurcla, by reason of its central position, 

 were incontestable, and hoped the recommendation of the Council would 

 be taken up with spirit. 



The motion was then carried unanimously. 



Mr. Jollie moved, — " That a Committee, consisting of the President, 

 the Honorary Secretary, Mr. Davie, Dr. Powell, and the mover, be 

 appointed to draw up a petition embodying the above resolution." 



Dr. Barker seconded the motion, which was also carried without a 

 dissentient. 



Mr. Marshman moved, — "That a general meeting of the Philo- 

 sophical Institute be called for to-morrow (Thursday) night, at half-past 

 seven o'clock, to consider the draft of the petition and enable members 

 to append their signatures thereto." 



Dr. Coward seconded the motion, which was carried ne'm. con. 



Dr. Powell in accordance with previous notice moved, — " That the 

 two upper rooms of the Literary Institute be engaged for the Council 

 and General Meetings of the Institvite." 



Mr. Hart seconded the motion, which was agreed to. 



The President then read some notes relative to some erroneotis 

 statements made by Mr. Buller in a paper concerning the specific names 

 of New Zealand birds. (Withdrawn by the author.) 



Mr. Fereday submitted for inspection a number of sand-worn stones 

 which he had collected during a recent visit to the boulder bank between 

 Evans' and Lyall's Bays, "Wellington, and stated that they were speci- 

 mens of the stones referred to in the paper written by Mr. W. T. L, 

 Travers, and published in the Transactions of the Ne%o Zealand Institute, 

 Vol. ii. The stones presented a very peculiar appearance, caused by the 

 action of the sand driven across their surface by the various winds 

 prevalent in the locality they were taken from. 



The specimens excited considerable interest among the members. 



Mr. Davie remarked that he had specimens of a similar kind which 

 he had picked up in the gorge of the Rakaia. 



The President laid upon the table a volume of the Ihis, containing 

 Dr. Haast's remarks on the Kakapo : presented by Mr, Walter Buller. 



Mr. Seeley exhibited a photograph of a remarkable pass at the head 

 of the Godley glacier, visited by him during the autumn of the present 

 year, and made some observations concerning its altittide, which is under 

 6000 feet. 



1. " On the Analysis of the Registry of Mortality in the Christ- 

 church District for the last ten years," by Dr. Powell. 



