448 Proceedings. 



the BlaoJc fisJi, avMcIi is known to occasion great sickness or vertigo to ttose 

 wlio slaughter thera when stranded. Some years ago, two men were actually 

 drowned while cutting the throats of several of these fishes in Massacre Bay, 

 having fallen on their faces in a few inches of water ; Mr. Mackay, one of 

 the party, saved his life and that of one of his companions only by extra- 

 ordinary exertions. 



3. " On the Greographical Botany of New Zealand," by James Hector, 

 M.D., F.E.S. {Transactions, p. 157.) 



This was explanatory of a series of essays on the above subject, written 

 by Sir D. Monro, and Messrs. Travers and Buchanan, for the New Zealand 

 Exhibition, 1865, but which had not been printed for want of funds. They 

 were now laid on the table to appear among the Transactions of the Society. 



Dr. Hector, in communicating these essays, explained the chief physical 

 peculiarities which regulate the distribution of the vegetation of the South 

 Island, illustrating the same by maps and diagrams. The greatest altitude 

 in such a section of the island w^as about 10,000 feet, but the mean elevation 

 of the ridges that connect the summits of the higher mountains was only 

 5,000 feet ; while there occur breaks or " passes " in the mountain chain, 

 which, by permitting the passage of the western winds, give rise to local 

 modifications of the flora at the points where they led out on to the eastern 

 slope. These breaks have all about the same altitude of less than 2,000 feet 

 above the sea level, being sufficiently low to allow of the transfusion of many 

 species of plants. After alluding to the marked difference in the character 

 of the flora, caused by the climate, on the moist western slopes of the island, 

 and the comparatively arid district in the intei^ior and parts of the east coast 

 where forests are rare. Dr. Hector described the division of the flora into 

 zones, according to position and altitude. 



Considerable discussion ensued, in which Messrs. Travers, Hart, Hamilton, 

 and Pharazyn took part. 



4. " On the Mineralogy of Gold in New Zealand," by J. Hector, M.D., 

 P.E.S. 



Absteact. 

 The author explained that the manner of distribution of alluvial gold is 

 a separate question from the distribution of gold in the rock matrix. On 

 the former subject he had already explained his views, and the object of the 

 present communication was, to explain the conditions under which gold 

 occurs in the rock matrix of New Zealand, and the minerals and rocks 

 associated with it. The introductory portion of this paper involved a large 

 amount of theoretical geology, which the author illustrated by maps and 

 longitudinal sections of the island. The second part of this paper had to 

 be deferred. 



