HAWKE'S BAY PHILOSOPHICAL INSTITUTE. 



Annual General Meeting. 1th February, 1881. 



The Eight Kev. the Bishop of Waiapu, President, in the chair. 



Election of Officees for 1881 : — President — The Eight Eev. the 

 Bishop of Waiapu; Vice-president — E. H. Bold, O.E.; Hon. Secretary and 

 Treasurer — W. Colenso ; Council — Messrs. Baker, Carhle, Colenso, Locke, 

 Spencer, Sturm, and Weber ; Auditor — T. K. Newton. 



ABSTRACT OF ANNUAL EEPOET. 



During the past winter session six ordinary meetings were held, at which nine papers 

 prepared by members were read. 



The number of members is 85, being an increase of 7 on the number of the previous 

 year ; but, in reality, the increase is 16, as three of the members whose names were 

 printed in the annual report of last year, have since died, and six others have also left the 

 Hawke's Bay District, and therefore resigned. 



Throughout the year some Zoological, Botanical, Palaeontological, and Geological 

 specimens have been collected by a few of the members of the Institute for the Museum. 



Thirty volumes of valuable scientific works (mentioned in the last annual report as 

 being ordered from England) have been received and are now in the library of the society, 

 together with a few others obtained here in New Zealand, and another large lot, to the 

 amount of £60, has lately been ordered from London. 



A further sum of £3 18s. 6d. has been contributed towards defraying expenses of 

 publication of the " Transactions of the New Zealand Institute." 



The audited statement of accounts shows a balance of £200 5s. 2d. remaining to the 

 credit of the society. 



First Ordinary Meeting. 9th May, 1881. 

 Dr. Spencer, in the chair. 



1. " Historical Incidents and Traditions of the Ancient Maoris of this 

 East Coast, showing much of their habits, customs, and ways of thinking 

 in the olden times — ages before they were first visited by Europeans," 

 Part II., by W. Colenso, F.L.S. {Transactions, p. 8). 



2. The Hon. Secretary also showed several interesting specimens of insects, and of 

 plants (Cryptogams), lately collected by him in the Seventy- Mile Bush ; also, a very large 

 fiat white bone, artificially shaped into something like the form (and size) of the blade of a 

 garden spade, measuring, extreme length 16 inches, breadth (at its broadest end) 7 inches, 

 and 4 lines in thickness, which is very uniform throughout ; the broad end is bevelled 



