Wellington PhilosopJdcal Society. 523 



The President remarked that persons engaged in testing the properties of plants 

 adapted for feeding stock in tliis colony were engaged in work beneficial to the whole 

 community, and therefore he welcomed the paper now contributed by Dr. Curl. At the 

 time he observed with regret that no mention was made of the condition under which Dr. 

 Curl's experiments were performed, such as quality of soil, time requisite for the matura- 

 tion of the iDlant, mode in which fed off, and other elements necessary in order to form a 

 correct opinion of the value of each kind. Not more than two or three of the species 

 mentioned in the paper were adapted for mixed pasturage, although most would doubtless 

 be found of value as fodder. He remarked that Agrostis solandri, recommended by Dr. 

 Curl, was a collective species, chiefly consisting of two New Zealand grasses, Agrostis 

 CBinula and A. hillardieri. Poa aquatica was merely a synonym for Glijceria aquatica, 

 although the two are given by the author as distinct plants. Glyceria fluitans was a grass 

 of undoubted value, as was proved by the condition of horses and cattle feeding upon it, 

 wherever naturalized in the colony. Referring to Dr. Curl's use of the term "acchma- 

 tized," he stated that a fallacy was involved in the popular acceptation of the term, as 

 there was no evidence to show that plants or animals possessed the power of gradual 

 adaptation to peculiarities of climate or soil other than those for which they were originally 

 fitted. This was generally recognized by scientific men, who used the term naturahzed 

 instead of acclimatized. 



4. " Preliminary Note on the Presence of one or more Hydro-carbons of 

 the Benzol Series in the American Petroleum, also in our Petroleums," by 

 W. Skey. {Transactions, p. 469.) 



5. " On a Property possessed by Essential Oils of whitening the Preci- 

 pitate produced by mixing a Solution of Mercuro-iodide with one of Mer- 

 curic-chloride," by W. Skey. {Transactions, p. 470.) 



6. " Preliminary Note on the Production of one or more Alkaloids from 

 Fixed Oils, by the Aniline Process," by W. Skey. {Transactions, p. 471.) 



7. "On the Production of Platino-iodides of the Alkaloids," by W. 

 Skey. 



8. " On a further Occurrence of the Australian Tree SwaUow 

 (Hylochelidon nigricans) in New Zealand," by Walter L. BuUer, C.M.G., 

 D. Sc. (Transactions, p. 360.) 



The author remarked on the extraordinary fact of such a bird performing a journey on 

 the wing of upwards of a thousand miles without a break or rest. 



Dr. Hector wished to be informed whether tliis bird was gregarious in its native 

 country, and whether it had come over singly or in flocks ? 



Mr. Martin Chapman gave some interesting particulars of the breeding habits of the 

 tree swallow, as observed by him in Australia, where it is not gregarious like the sparrow. 

 He advocated its introduction and naturalization in this country. 



Dr. Duller stated that a flight of these swallows had been seen at Wakapuaka, near 

 Nelson, in 1856, when specimens were obtained by Mr. Lee, one of which is now in the 

 Otago Museum. 



The President said that he believed the bird was of more frequent occurrence in New 

 Zealand than was commonly supposed, and he mentioned the chcumstance of a pah- being 

 shot at Auckland some time ago. With regard to the proposed introduction of this 



