MEETINGS OF SOCIETIES, 79 
The election of office-bearers tor the ensuing session was then 
held, and resulted as follows:— President, Mr. W. Arthur, C.E. ; 
Vice Presidents, Messrs Geo. M. Thomson, and Geo. Joa- 
chim; Hon. Sec., Prof. Parker; Hon. Treas., Mr. D. Petrie, M.A.; 
Auditor, Mr. D. Brent, M.A.; Council—His Lordship the Bishop 
of Dunedin, Rev. Thos. Roseby, LL.D., Messrs Montgomery, 
Blair, and Gillies, Professurs Scott and Brown. 
Mr. Thomson, the retiring President, then delivered the fol- 
lowing address :— 
Among the many questions of interest which offer themselves 
for solution to the botanist, none possess more fascination than 
those dealing with the geographical distribution of plants; and if 
this is so in other parts of the world, it is doubly so in New Zea- 
land, where the existing conditions are almost unique. The pre- 
sent distribution of our flora leads up to a wider and far more 
interesting question, viz., its origin, and the investigation ot this 
brings under review many collateral subjects, among which may 
be considered the tormer land connections existing between what 
is now New Zealand and other parts of the world. 
The main question cannot be considered alone, but must be 
taken in conjunction with the origin and distribution of our fauna, 
and with the great geological changes which have been effected 
in past times, and which have brought about in our time a distri- 
bution of land and water very different trom that which existed at 
the end ot the Secondary or commencement of the Tertiary period. 
But it would be almost impossible in the limits of a single ad- 
dress to discuss the subject in all its aspects, and I shall therefore 
confine myself to a small portion only ot it, stating in the first place 
what has been written on this topic, and then pointing out some 
ot the interesting facts which an examination of it reveals. 
Every naturalist who has visited New Zealand has had his 
attention drawn to the many remarkable features of its fauna and 
flora, but Sir Joseph Hooker, Prof. F. W. Hutton, and Mr. Wal- 
lace are the only writers whose works I am acquainted with who 
have attempted to solve the problems presented to them. 
- The first-named botanist, in the introduction to the Flora 
Nove Zealandiz, has summarised the information at his disposal 
in a masterly essay, which forms the basis of our knowledge as 
to the distribution of the flora. But he has not sought to trace 
the origin of our species, more directly confining himself to their 
affinities and to their occurrence in other countries, but -not 
seeking to solve the question as to how they have found their way 
here. Between the publication of the Fl. Nove Zealandiz (in 
1853) and the issue of the Handbook (in 1867) about 200 species 
of flowering plants were added to the Flora; while up to date 
about 150 more species have been added, bringing the total up to 
1085 species. More close and accurate investigations of many of 
our local botanists are the means of continually adding to this 
list. Still the general conclusions arrived atin the Fl. Nov. Zeal. 
have not been materially altered by recent discoveries. 
Sir Joseph Hooker was struck by the preponderance of 
Australian types among those plants which he found to be 
common both to New Zealand and other countries of the world. 
Nearly one fourth of these plants were Australian, nearly one. 
eighth South American, and one-tenth common to both Australia 
