Wellington Philosophical Society. 621 



1. " How New Zealand may continue to grow Wheat and other Cereals," 

 by J. C. Crawford, F.G.S, [Transactions, p. 149.) 



Mr. Kirk considered the remarks in the paper regarding the sterile nature of the 

 Auckland soil required modification. He had seen very fair crops grown in that locality 

 with little or no manure. 



Dr. Hector agreed with the author that a good deal of potash was taken out of the 

 colony in the grease of wool, and he knew that this potash grease is saved in England, 

 and used in the after manufacture of wool. With regard to the Auckland soil, he con- 

 sidered it was inferior in some places chiefly owing to the want of drainage or breaking up, 

 Soluble silica is the constituent most essential, and therefore a clay soil is, on the whole, 

 the best, as it retains maniu-e longer. Altogether he thought Mr. Crawford's remarks 

 were valuable. 



Dr. Newman considered that possibly a time would come when it would be difficult 

 to procure sufficient food of the ordinary kind, and the wisest plan would be to manufac- 

 ture the various constituents mentioned directly into food for consumption. He did not 

 see why they could not be as easily manufactured into food themselves as used to assist 

 in producing food from other sources. 



Mr. Young thought with Mr. Crawford that much could be done with the assistance 

 of chemistry in keeping up the quality of the soil. The most economical and best agent 

 to employ would be phosphatic guano, which he thought could be procured in large 

 quantities from numerous islands. 



Dr. Buller pointed out that, in the neighbourhood of the hot springs, there was 

 a quantity of nice, soft mud, sometimes eaten by the natives, which might serve the 

 purpose indicated by Dr. Newman. 



Mr. Kirk said that the sulphur works at Auckland would supply sulphuric acid, which 

 would be most useful for our soils. He stated that nitrogen only formed a very small 

 proportion of the dried plant, frequently less than 1 per cent., and rarely so much as 3 per 

 cent., and therefore could be more easily supphed. 



2. "Additions to List of Species, and Notices of rare Occurrences, since 

 the publication of ' The Birds of New Zealand,' " by Walter L. Buller 

 C.M.G., Sc.D. [Transactions, p. 361.) 



3. "Remarks on the Long-tailed Cuckoo (Eudynamis taitensisj," by 

 Walter L. Buller. [Transactions, p. 353.) 



4. " On the specific Value of Prion banksii,'' by Walter L. Buller. 

 [Transactioyis, p. 351.) 



5. "Further Notes on the Habits of the Tuatara Lizard," by Walter L. 

 Buller. [Transactions, p. 349.) 



Dr. Hector considered Dr. BuUer's papers were most interesting, and no doubt some 

 new species would yet be added to the birds of New Zealand — instancing a red wattle-bird 

 in the western forest, of which he had information. With regard to the tuatara, he 

 agreed with Dr. Buller that the two species — Sphenodon puncl^tum and S. guntheri — would 

 hold good. As regards their feeding habits, he found that they would eat almost anything 

 that moved. 



The President considered that the difference in disposition might be accounted for by 

 difference in age, and no doubt the temperature had some influence on their habits. 



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