394 JOURNAL OF SCIENCE. 
('. linariifolia, Hook, f—Common throughout the East and 
South of Otago, in bush. 
(. repens ? Hook. f.—Common in the plains and valleys of 
the interior of Otago; Pukeuri (Waitaki) ; Teaneraki. 
C'. pumila, Hook. f.—-Maungatua (near Taieri Plain), 2500 feet ; 
slopes of Mount Tyndall, 3000 feet ; flowers in Jan. 
CO. virescens, Petrie. —Dunedin ; Saddle Hill; Otepopo. 
CO, rubra, Petrie.—Dunedin. 
Nertera setulosa, Hook. f.—Dunedin ; St. Bathans ; Southland ; 
and probably common in grass and open scrub. 
Asperula perpusilla, Hook. f.—Common at low levels and in sub- 
alpine localities throughout Otago. 
D. PETRIE. 
(To be continued). 
GENERAL NOTES. 
— + 
Moa Remains.—During 1884 Mr. Wilmot, surveyor, Queenstown, 
found the skeleton of a Moa in a cave on the Garvie Mountains, but 
not in a good state of preservation. The cave is situated about a 
quarter of a mile south-ecst of Mount Cameron, and at an altitude of 
5,250 feet above sea level. —_—_—_—__. 
WEIGHTS AND Mrasures.—In a lecture delivered in Philadelphia, 
on September 29th, 1884, Sir William Thomson spoke as follows on 
this subject :—‘‘ You, in this country, are subjected to the British 
insularity in weights and measures ; you use the foot and inch and 
yard. I am obliged to use that system, but I apologise to you for doing 
so, because it is so inconvenient, and I hope all Americans will do 
everything in their power to introduce the French metrical system. 
I hope the evil action performed by an English Minister, whose name I 
need not mention because I do not wish to throw obloquy on any one, 
may be remedied. He abrogated a useful rule, which for a short time 
was followed, and which I hope will soon be again enjoined, that the 
French metrical system be taught in all our National Schools. 1 do 
not know how it isin America. The school system seems to be very 
admirable, and I hope the teaching of the metrical system will not be 
let slip in the American Schools any more than the use of the globes. 
I say this seriously. I do not think anyone knows how seriously I 
speak of it. I look upon our English system as a wickedly brain- 
destroying piece of bondage under which we suffer. The reason why 
we continue to use it is the imaginary difficulty of making a change, 
and nothing else; but I do not think in America that any such 
difficulty should stand in the way of adopting so splendidly useful a 
reform.” a 
A VALuABLE New An&#stTHetTic.—We learn from a recent number 
of “‘Science” that Dr. Koller, of Vienna, has demonstrated the value of 
hydrochlorate of cocaine as a local anesthetic. If three or four drops of 
a four per cent. solution be placed in the eye, it becomes quite insensible 
to pain. Under its influence, almost any operation may be performed 
