﻿Anniversary Address, . 3 



with, the Colonial Museum has been already so far carried into effect that 

 the Laboratory has been adapted for the reception of a certain number of 

 students. 



NEW MUSEUM AT CHRISTCHURCH. 



It would be improper, on this occasion, to omit mention of the Museum 

 which has been opened during the past year at Christchurch. That institution 

 is an eminent proof of the recognition which the claims of science receive in 

 the Province of CanterbiTry, and of the admirable manner in which the liberal 

 support granted by the Provincial Government has been applied. 



REVIEW OF VOLUME III. OP THE " TRANSACTIONS " OF THE INSTITUTE. 



I will now proceed to refer briefly to the annual volume in which the 

 proceedings of the several A ffiliated Societies are published. Our third volume, 

 that for 1870, fully keeps up the character of its predecessors, and has been 

 received with greater interest, from the fact that the large amount of carefully 

 selected matter which it contains is more amply illustrated by drawings and 

 figures than either of the volumes previously issued. 



ZOOLOGY. 



The name of Mr. Walter BuUer, eminent among those of the contributors 

 to the Zoology of New Zealand, appears at the head of several excellent papers 

 — all interesting and valuable, as might be expected from so accomplished an 

 observer in this branch of science, and especially in his own favourite depart- 

 ment of ornithology. I would recommend particular attention to Mr. Puller's 

 description of the huia (heteralocha Gouldi), that rare and beautiful bird held 

 sacred by the Maoris, which can be known in its native state to few colonists, 

 but of which very perfect specimens are preserved in the Colonial Museum. 

 Worthy also of especial notice and careful study is the conclusion of Mr. 

 Potts' elaboi'ate Essay on the Birds of New Zealand, the commencement of 

 which appeared in the volume of our Transactions for 1869. There are other 

 contributors to Zoology in the volume now before us, whose distinguished names 

 would alone vouch for the value of their remarks. Foremost among these is 

 the name of Dr. F. J. Knox, who remains devoted to the natural history 

 of the Cetacea, and who has furnished some important papers on this and on 

 other subjects. Moreover, it is gratifying to find among the contributors to 

 this section of our Transactions, Dr. J. E. Gray, of the British Museum. 

 This gentleman, so eminent in the scientific societies of Europe, has supplied 

 a description of a new species of whale discovered in the seas around New 

 Zealand. It may here be mentioned that during my visit in last February, in 

 H.M.S. ' Clio,' to Milford Sound, I was myself so fortunate as to shoot three 

 seals, which appear to belong to a species that has hitherto escaped accurate 

 notice. 



