﻿3-80 Froceedlmjs. 



three are new to science, and six others had nevei' formerly been found in 

 the seas round New Zeahxnd. They wei-e mostly of the Cod family, deep sea 

 fish, with slender tails, the formation of which would render their effoi'ts to 

 escape from rough or broken water of little avail. He hoped that a small 

 work, which is at present in course of publication from the Museum, would 

 assist in extending our knowledge of the fishes, as it gives a scientific descrip- 

 tion of each species, and figures of about forty species that are commonly used 

 as food. 



1. " !N"otes on the Remains of a Stone Epoch at the Cape of Good Hope," 

 by B. H. Darnell (See Transactions, p. 157). Specimens of stone implements 

 from the Cape Colony were exhibited. The object of the author was to point 

 out the similarity of the conditions under which these flakes were found to 

 the chert flake deposits of New Zealand, which contain Moa bones. Unlike 

 the Maoris, however, the aborigines at the Cape are not known to have used 

 stone implements within historical times. 



Some discussion ensued as to the manner in which these flakes were 

 formed. Dr. Hector maintaining that such flakes, though no doubt sometimes 

 used as knives, must have frequently been formed accidentally where masses 

 of chert were used in the cooking ovens, and from flakes thus formed, the 

 best would be selected for knives. 



Mr. Mantell stated that he had never seen stone of a kind that would 

 " fly " when heated and quenched with water used by the natives for their 

 ovens, and that in the ancient ovens he had examined, the chert only was 

 found in flakes. 



Dr. Hector pointed out in explanation of this that the ovens examined by 

 Mr. Mantell were near the coast where the chert does not occur in situ. 



2. " On the New Zealand Chitonidce" hj Captain F. W. Hutton, F.G.S. 

 (See Transactions, p. 173.) The author pointed that New Zealand is very 

 rich in Chitons, there being twenty-one species, three of which are new. 

 Mounted specimens of all but one species were exhibited. 



3. " On the Cause of the Suspension of Clay in Water, and its Precipita- 

 tion therefrom by certain Substances ; with Notes on Professor Jevous' Elec- 

 trical Theory in relation thereto," by W. Skey. 



(abstract.) 

 The author of this paper shows that the cause of the persistent suspension 

 of clay in water, and its precipitation therefrom by certain sxibstances, as 

 pointed out by him in 1868,* is connected with their chemical afiinity for the 

 water used ; that, in fact, clay is capable of combining to any extent with 

 free water" (such as distilled water), and in the hydrous state is suspended 



* " Chemical News," No. 168. 



