MEETINGS OF SOCIETIES. 45 
S. H. Cox, F.G.S. (This paper, which dealt with the ores ot 
arsenic, antimony, tellurium, and bismuth, was the second of a 
series on the same subject.) 
Dr. Hector in commenting ‘on the paper, pointed out the 
similarity of the mineral deposits of the Thames and Coromandel 
districts to those of the Comstock in America, and of Schemnitz 
in Hungary. He considered from the nature of the rocks and 
associated minerals, that there was reason to expect that as mining 
works were carried on to greater perfection, a somewhat similar 
developement might take place atthe Thames. He also pointed 
out that the minerals found on the West Coast occur under condi 
tions and in a formation similar tu those at Gympie Creek in 
Queensland. 
2. Mr. Romilly gave an account of a recent inspection of some 
of the less-known islands of Western Polynesia, and exhibited 
several hundred objects illustrative of the domestic life and mode 
of warfare ot the islanders. He pointed out that Mr. Wallace 
was in error in supposing that the natives at Astrolabe Bay (New 
Guinea) were to be distinguished as a race that did not use bows 
and arrows, or manufacture pottery. The latter he had seen the 
women making; and he produced specimens both ot pots and ot 
powertul bows and arrows, the latter with bamboo tips, which 
he had obtained there.. In reply to a question by Mr. Chapman, 
the author stated that the natives of the interior ot the islands 
were smaller, and darker-coloured; also better armed, especially 
with stone weapons, than the Coast natives, with whom they were 
continually at war; but each seemed to maintain their own districts. 
His Excellency Sir Arthur Gordon commented on the fact 
that while the natives of each little group of islands, even when 
quite ciose, produced objects having distinctive and peculiar 
characters, still there was an extraordinary similarity between 
those trom localities furthest apart. This he attributed, not to 
the common origin of the natives who designed the objects, but to 
the gradual developement of similar designs under similar circum- 
stances, and he instanced the identical form of the stone axes ot 
the prehistoric period in Europe with those of recent manufacture 
in New Zealand, and also the similarity of earthen pots made in 
_ Fiji with those made by the natives in the Amazons. 
MUCKLAND INSTITULE. 
3rd October.—T. Peacock, Esq. (president) in the chair. New 
members—Mr. A. Bull and Capt. Thomas. 
Papers—1. Ancient Swiss Lake Dwellings, by Neil Heath. 
2. On the Flora of the Nelson Provincial District, by T. F. 
Cheeseman, F.L.S. | 
3. Recent advances in Photography, by Josiah Martin, F.G.S, 
14th November.—T. Peacock, Esq., (president) in the chair. 
New members—Kev. D. W. Runciman, Capt. Fidler, Messrs. H. 
N. Garland, W. H. Grace, Jas. Haslett, W. C. Kensington, G. 
_W. Williams, and G. S. Smith. 
Papers—1. On New Species ot Coleoptera, by Capt. T. Broun. 
This paper described 40 new species, 
