GENERAL NOTES. 125 
Westport—A. very severe shock of earthquake was felt here 
at 6.47 lastevening. It lasted over a minute: the direction being 
east and west. No damage was occasioned. 
Christchurch—A smart shock of earthquake was felt here at 
ten minutes to seven last night. 
Blenheim.—A severe shock of earthquake was felt here at 
6.50 last night. It lasted seven seconds, and the direction was 
from north to south. No damage is reported, but the audience 
in the Wesleyan Church, who were awaiting the service of song, 
were greatly alarmed, several ladies rushing to the door. 
Hlawera.—A severe shock of earthquake was experienced at 
6.50 last evening. The direction was N.E. to S.W., and was 
preceded by a loud rumbling noise; duration estimated from 
20 sec. to 30sec. It commenced with a prolonged slight shaking 
and then a heavy shock, and finished with slight shaking. No 
damage was done. 
On April 16th a slight shock was experienced in Wellington 
geo? a.m, which travelled ina direction. N.E. to $.W..:The 
same shock is recorded from Blenheim as occuring at 6.20 a.m. 
Again on April 25th., a sharp shock accompanied by a rum- 
bling noise was felt at Wellington at 11.55 am. ‘The seismome- 
ter recorded aslight twisting movement from S.W., displacement 
to N., followed by a moderate E.and W. undulation. Thesame 
shock was felt but only slightly at Blenheim at 11.53 a.m. 
On oe Ist a slight shock was experienced at Wellington at 
8.15 p.m.; direction 83 to W. 
PLANTS SUITABLE FOR CULTIVATION IN NEW ZEALAND.— 
In our last issue reference was made to this publication. Our 
attention has since been drawn to the fact that in the selection 
made, Baron F. von Mueller’s “ Select Extra-Tropical Plants ” 
appears to have been made extensive use of, but if so without ac- 
knowledgment. An article in the Melbourne Leader closes as 
follows :—“ Though the list will doubtless be useful in New Zea- 
land, it might have been more dignified on the part of the 
Government, and would certainly have been of more value to the 
colony, to have imitated those of Victoria, New South Wales, 
India, and U.S. America, in reprinting Baron von Mueller’s work 
on “ Select Plants.” 
WHAT A MUSEUM SHOULD BE.—The last annual report of 
the curator of the museum of comparative zoology at Harvard 
College, is a document of great value, as setting forth what the 
aims ofa museum should be. Instead of lavishing the funds of 
the institution in the erection of a building of great architect- 
ural pretensions, having the usual arrangement of wide halls and 
narrow encircling galleries, and seeking to exhibit all the collec- 
tions for the inspection of an unappreciative public,—a large 
but plain building has been erected in which the greater portion 
of the vast collections are stored where they can be examined by 
