£54 Proceedings. 



of sparrow clubs and similar institutions a wholesale slaughter of the smaller birds took 

 place. But it soon became evident that as the birds decreased the insects increased, and 

 he was happy to say that public opinion was fast undergoing a change, as was evidenced 

 by the Small Birds Protection Act. Here in New Zealand, where the native birds were 

 evidently unable to accommodate themselves to the changed conditions brought about 

 by the advent of the European settlers, and were fast diminishing in numbers, it was 

 almost a public duty to introdiice others to take their place and perform their work ; and 

 he felt certain that ultimately the colony would thank the Acclimatization Societies for 

 having taken the matter up. 



Mr. Barstow agreed with much that the author had advanced, but could not assent 

 to the view that the rat was the sole enemy of the New Zealand birds. He had long 

 been of opinion that the introduction and spread of the honey-bee had much to do with 

 the disappearance of the honey-eating species, such as the korimako. It was a common 

 statement among the Maoris that the bees had appropriated the honey on which the 

 korimakos fed, and had thus absolutely starved the birds to death. By many people the 

 rat was credited with being the cause of the extinction of the native quail, which bred on 

 the ground, and (so ran the story) was especially liable to have its eggs or young taken. 

 But the same reasoning should apply still more strongly to the case of the pihoihoi, or 

 ground lark, which nevertheless still very fairly maintained its numbers. 



6. " Technical Education," by J. C. Firth. 



The author stated that he had been induced to bring this matter under the notice of 

 the Institute in consequence of the perusal of an excellent report issued by the Minister 

 of Education for Victoria. After reading some extracts from this report, Mr. Firth 

 offered some verbal remarks of his own as to the system of technical education now 

 widely established in Germany, and recommended its introduction, in a modiiied forin, 

 into New Zealand. 



A discussion arose, in which the Chairman, Col. Haultain, Mr. Mitford, and the 

 author took part. 



7. " Notes on blowing up Snags in the Waikato Kiver with Dynamite," 

 by K. E. Hunt. {Transactiuns, p. 161.) 



This paper, which was fully illustrated with plans and diagrams, was read by Mr. 

 Firth in the absence of the author. 



Sixth Meeting. 19th November, 1877. 

 E. C. Barstow, President, in the chair. 



1. The following letter, addressed by Capt. G. Mair, F.L.S., to Mr. 



Cheeseman, was read : — 



" By cutter ' Leah ' I send you a branch of a marine plant called by the natives 

 Totaramoana or Eimumoana. It was brought up from thirty-five fathoms at Whale 

 Island, where it is very abundant on the Hapuka fishing grounds. In the old days, before 

 the introduction of iron, this plant was much prized by the natives, who dredged for it to 

 make their fishing-hooks from. They bent it when green into the required shape, which 

 it retained when dry and became as hard as ebony. Several hundred pounds weight of 

 fish were caught on these hooks. When taken out of the water the plant was covered 



