560 Proceedings. 



The nomination for the election of honorary members of the New Zealand Institute 

 was made in accordance with Statute IV. 



Prof, Scott gave a lecture on " The Meclianism of Voice and Speech." 



Twelfth Meeting. 2Qth November, 1878. 

 W. N. Blair, President, in the chair. 



1. " On the Scientific Form of Harbours," by W. G. Jenkins. 



2. "Note accompanying Specimens of the Black Eat (Mus rattus, L. j," 

 by Taylor White ; communicated by Prof. Hutton. (Transactions, p. 343.) 



3. " Descriptions of some new Slugs," by Prof. Hutton. (Trans- 

 actions, p. 331.) 



4. " Description of a new Species of Isopodous Crustacean (Idotea)," 

 by George M. Thomson. (Transactions, p. 250.) 



5. " On the New Zealand Entomostraca,'" by George M. Thomson. 

 (Transactions, p. 251.) 



Annual General Meeting. Bth February, 1879. 

 W. N. Blair, President, in the chair. 

 New Members. — T. B. Low, — WiUiams, of Shag Point. 

 The Eeport of the Council was read and adopted. 



ANNUAL EEPOET. 



The Council has much pleasure in presenting its Annual Keport to the members of 

 this Institute, and in congratulating them on the progress made. 



During the last session, thirteen General Meetings have been held. At five of 

 these, lectures were delivered to large and appreciative audiences, and the Council 

 would take tliis opportunity of recommending the continuance of these popular lectures, 

 as tending to foster a more general interest in the success of the Institute. The other 

 eight meetings were devoted to the reading of papers, and were fairly attended. At 

 these, twenty-five papers were read by twelve authors, of whom two are resident in the 

 North Island, and one in Sydney. This is the largest number of papers yet read in one 

 year before the Institute, the numbers for 1875, 1876, and 1877 being respectively 15, 21, 

 and 16. Of these papers, sixteen relate to Zoology, three to Botany, and six to Mis- 

 cellaneous subjects. 



Since the last Annual Meeting, 29 new members have joined the Institute. Against 

 this addition, however, 41 names have been removed from the list, of members who have 

 died, retired, or left the district, leaving a total membership of 212. One member has 

 become a life-member. 



The balance-sheet shows that the receipts for the year amounted to £264 2s. lld« 

 (including a balance from last year of £64 2s. lid.), wliile the expenditure was £205 

 15s. 9d., leaving a balance in the Treasurer's hands of £58 7s. 2d. There is also a sum 

 of £79 8s. 5d. in the Government Savings Bank to the credit of the Institute. 



