174 JOURNAL OF SCIENCE. 
plants of ZL. procera growing almost in a small creek. L. pumila 
has since that date been found on the hills near Akaroa, and one 
specimen was discovered at Ohinitahi last year. It is a fern that 
may be overlooked without much difficulty. 
This desirable plant is very easy to cultivate, both under glass 
and also in the outdoor fernery. I have seen quite a large patch 
of it thriving luxuriantly in a cool green-house; out of doors I 
have grown it the past two years. It does best with plenty of 
air, yet must have shelter. 1, HPe ris 
MEETINGS “Ob SOCIE TPES: 
——__<—-—- - 
MOUCKEAND INSTITUTE. 
Auckland, June gth, 1884.—H. G. Seth Smith, Esq., President, 
in the chair, 
New members—Prof. Aldis, Dr. Bond, Messrs. A. Kidd, W.C. 
McDowell, D. Nolan, and C. Ring. 
The President read an inaugural address, from which we learn 
that “ since the annual meeting held on the 25th February last, the 
sum of £7000 has been paid by the executors ot the late Mr. 
Edward Costley to Messrs. Aickin, Peacock, and myself, as the re- 
presentatives of the Institute, being the first instalment ot the 
amount of probably £12,000 which is estimated to be the share of 
this Institute in Mr. Costley’s estate. The sum already paid over 
has been invested upon good security by your representatives. 
Small portions of the landed endowment of the museum have been 
sold, and the sum of about £1000 has been accumulated in the 
hands of the Government from this source. I cannot refrain trom 
repeating the expression of opinion contained in the annual report, 
that ‘“‘the management of the endowment would have been far 
better placed in the hands of the Council of the Institute, as the 
body most directly interested.” The sum of £42 has been paid to 
the Institute as a grant under the provisions of the Public Libraries 
Subsidies Act, and an order for books to that amount kas been 
despatched.” 
& Papers—1. “‘ Notes on a bird called Malau,” by Rev. S. W. 
Baker. The bird Malau was stated to be found only on the little 
island Ninafou, to the northward of Tonga. It is confined to the 
immediate vicinity of a deep crater-like lake. In the light soil 
surrounding the lake it excavates tunnels sometimes six feet in 
length, and in them deposits its eggs, which are sometimes as many 
as twenty innumber. The bird does not sit upon the eggs, but 
leaves them to be hatched by the heat of the sun. The young 
birds are fully fledged when they emerge from the egg, and take 
care of themselves without any assitance from the parent birds.— 
Mr. Cheeseman stated that Mr. Baker’s bird was a species of 
mound-builder called Megapodius Pritchardii. A specimen was 
in the Museum, presented some years ago by the late Captain 
Rough; and acoloured drawing would be found in the “ Proceed- 
ings of the Zoological Society ” for 1864. 
