llinutes of Meetings. 5 



we, as representatives of its Scientific Institutions, beg especially to thank 

 you for the great work whicli you have achieved in collecting and preserving 

 the early traditions and poetry of its aboriginal inhabitants, thereby securing 

 the permanence of valuable records for the future stu.dy of Ethnologists. 

 In bidding you a hearty farewell, it is our earnest hope and prayer that all 

 honour, health, and happiness may attend you." 



Sir George Grrey replied, and stated that he was not aware until just 

 before the meeting that such an address would be presented to him. He felt 

 very grateful for the honour His Excellency and the G-overnors of the Society 

 had done him, and hoped that though about to leave New Zealand he might 

 still have it in his power to be of some assistance in advancing scientific 

 pursuits in the colony. He then spoke at some length as to the interesting 

 field open in this colony for contributing to science important observations 

 bearing on the study of the human race. Sir George Grey gave some 

 interesting examples of the curious results likely to ensue from a comparison 

 of the traditions and history of the Maori race with that of the early 

 inhabitants of Britain, and concluded by expressing his earnest thanks for 

 the address, and the great interest he would always feel in all matters 

 affecting the colony. 



After a few observations from the Bishop of "Wellington as to Sir George 

 Grey's academic career, and his acquaintance with the hard work by which 

 he had attained his present high political and scientific position, the meeting 

 adjourned. 



EiFTH Meeting, l^th Septemler, 1868. 

 His Excellency the Governor in the chair. 

 Address by the Hon. W. B. D. Mantell, on the Moa. 

 (Absteact.) 

 After a few appropriate remarks from His Excellency, the lecturer 

 commenced by saying that the subject was of too extensive a character to be 

 dealt with fully in one lecture, as it involved the consideration of difficult 

 questions in comparative anatomy, geology, and archaeology, and in the tradi- 

 tional history of the Maoris. After instancing examples, to show that JSTew 

 Zealand was not peculiar in the circumstance that huge birds without the 

 power of flight were the highest form of life previous to the arrival of man 

 in the islands, he proceeded to describe the different circumstances under 

 which the remains of the Moa are found, assigning the highest antiquity to 

 those that are found under the stalagmite in certain limestone caves similar 

 to the bone caves in which traces of the early animals which inhabited Great 

 Britain are preserved to us. He drew attention to the fact that in the 

 British caves, among the great variety of animals represented, there is 



