228 JOURNAL OF SCIENCE. 
(3) “On Harvesting Crops, independent of weather, and on 
Entillage,” both by the same gentleman. 
Archdeacon Stock submitted to the Society a circular sent to 
him by Mr. Tebbutt, of Windsor Observatory, New South Wales, 
inviting assistance from New Zealand observers in systematic 
‘** comet seeking.” 
Dr. Hector explained that Mr. Tebbutt was a most zealous 
worker in this branch of astronomy, and had been foremost in 
discovering the Southern comets. He had been requested by the 
Astronomical Society at Boston, who had established a corps of 
comet seekers, to endeavour to get information from the Southern 
latitudes, and hence this appeal to New Zealand. He knew that 
there were many amateur observers in possession of good instru- 
ments, who might do valuable service in this direction. It wasa 
pity that we had not in New Zealand a properly-equipped astro- 
nomical observatory placed in a suitable position, and he believed 
if the societies combined in an appeal to Government something 
might be done in this matter. He would suggest that a copy of 
this circular be sent to the other societies inviting co-operation in 
this special matter of comet-seeking, and in an endeavour to 
bring about the establishment of a permanent observatory. 
The President concurred, and said he thought such an appeal 
would be successful. 
The meeting then discussed the subject of a paper by Dr. 
Meldrum, on ‘‘ Weather, Health, and Forests in Mauritius,” and 
the President pointed out that this bore immediately on the 
question of forest conservation in New Zealand. He gave ashort 
description of the damage done by the destruction of our forests, 
which brought about floods of a most disastrous kind. In 
confirmation of this, Dr. Hutchinson, who has recently arrived 
from the Sandwich Islands, stated that there, in consequence of 
this wholesale destruction of the forests, floods had occurred 
doing great injury. The water rushed down the bare hills and 
through the valleys, and then followed a long drought, and the © 
ground became baked, as there was no vegetation left to hold 
the moisture of the previous rain. He was glad to say that the 
settlers had at last seen the necessity of forest conservation, and 
great improvement was taking place. 
Mr. Chapman described a brilliant triple meteor seen by him 
on Wednesday last. It was travelling from the south. 
5th August, 1882.—W. T. L. Travers, Esq., president, in the chair, 
New members—Drs. Hutchison and Keyworth. 
Papers—(1). On the ‘‘ Thames Goldfield, and the Laws which 
govern the distribution of the Gold,” by Mr. S. H. Cox, F.G.S. 
The author alluded briefly to the geological structure of the 
Cape Colville peninsula, stating that the slates formed the base- 
ment rock ot the district, and had proved to be auriferous at one 
or two localities. Above this the auriferous series, consisting of 
submarine fragmental volcanic rocks, occurs, and overlying this 
again comes a series of miocene volcanic rocks, with which are 
interstratified thin seams of coal. With regard to the auriferous 
series he pointed out that the rocks were striking N.N.W., and 
dipping W.N.W., at an angle of one in two, and alluded to the 
difficulty which was experienced in determining this. He also 
