Otago histitute, 439 



The nomination for the election of Honoi'ary Members of the New Zealand 

 Institute was made in accordance with Statute lY. 



1. " On Observed Irregularities in the Action of the Compass in Iron 

 Steam Vessels," by A. H. Ross. {Transactions, p. 10.) 



The Chairman then inti'oduced Captain Hutton to the society, and, in doing 

 so, dwelt upon the large field that Otago presented for scientific enquiry. For 

 instance, the circumstances under which gold had been deposited at the Blue 

 Spur had to him always been a perfect enigma. Captain Hutton would be 

 able to investigate, and perhaj)s solve, this and similar enigmas, and his labours 

 would bring the Province under the notice of savans in Europe, which could 

 not but prove beneficial to it, 



2. " List of the Insects recorded as having been found in New Zealand 

 previous to the Year 1870," by Captain F. W. Hutton, C.M.Z.S. 

 (Transactions, p. 158.) 



The author said the list now offered was nearly complete. The difficulty 

 in this matter was that the species were so numerous that no person would 

 undertake the task of naming them all. The Beetles alone, for example, were 

 more numerous than all the plants of New Zealand. The only way that he 

 could see by which the task could be performed was for the General Govern- 

 ment to place a sum, say ^300, on the Estimates (as they did with the flora) 

 to pay some young entomologist at home to collect into one volume, and translate 

 tlie descriptions already printed, which numbered about 1,000. A beginning 

 of the work of naming the species could then be made. As a preparatory step 

 he had prepared the list in his hands. He had stopped at the year 1870 

 because there was no later copy of the " Zoological Record " in the colony, and 

 he therefore could not feel sure as to what had been done. He concluded by 

 again urging the Institute to bring its influence to bear on the General 

 Government to vote the money required to pay some one to bring out a 

 catalogue of all the genera and species of New Zealand insects already known. 



Annual General Meeting. 17th February, 1874. 



J. T. Thomson, F.R.G.S., Yice-President, in the chair. 



Jfew 7riembers. — Captain F. W. Hutton, F.G.S., C.M.Z.S., — . Johnston, 

 D. Petrie, A. T. Thomson, G. Shrimpton. 



The Annvxal Report and Balance Sheet were read and adopted. 



The Secretary reported the arrival of additional Apparatus for the 

 Spectroscope. 



Election of Officers for 1874. — President — J. T. Thomson, F.R.G.S. j 



