272 JOURNAL OF SCIENCE, 
forward fully by him, Mr. Colenso, in his paper on this subject 
read before the society last. year, and published in the last vol. 
(xiv.) of the Transactions of the New Zealand Institute, 
The Hon. Secretary showed several exhibits he had received 
from country members, among them a specimen of a species of rail 
(Rallus philippensis), received from Mr. W. K. Chambers, of Poverty 
Bay—a kind once plentiful in New Zealand, but now approaching 
extinction ; a fine coal-black mouse, from a lady in the 7o-mile 
Bush, believed to be a variety of the common mouse, which is 
known to be sportive in its colouring at home; and a specimen of 
petrified wood from Porangahau, found 7» situ underlying a lime- 
stone formation. 
gth Oct.—Dr Spencer, Vice-President, in the chair. 
New members—Messrs E. B. Bendall, H. J. Gilberd, and W. 
cott, 
Papers—(1.) ‘‘ Legends and Traditions of the ancient Maoris 
of the East Coast and of Hawke’s Bay,” Part , by Mr Locke, 
(2.) ‘‘ Fresh-water Alge,” by Dr. Spencer. Some of the species 
described were obtained from the hot springs, flourishing in waters 
of 130°-136 F. 
(3.) ‘“* New species of plants,” by Mr Colenso, F.L.S. These 
included species of Carmichelia, Olearia, and Symphogyna, collected 
at Blenheim, by Mr F. Reader. 
Numerous exhibits were made by several of the members, 
ROYAL SOCIETY OF NEW. SOUTH WALES. 
Sydney, 2nd August.—Mr. C. Rolleston, C.M.G., president, in 
the chair. 
New members—Rev. John Milne Curran, Mr. Haynes Lovell 
M.R.C.S., Mr. Mark J. Hammond, Mr. George Thos. Hankins 
M.R.C.S., Mr. Edward Palmer. ; 
The chairman read a letter from Professor James D. Dana, of 
Yale College, New Haven, Conn., U.S.A., acknowledging the 
award of the Clarke Memorial medal. 
The President announced that Professor Liversidge had been 
elected a Fellow of the Royal Society of London. 
Mr. J. S. Chard read a paper on “ A new method of determin- 
ing the true North or South.” The chief feature is the employ- 
ment of a specially-designed plane glass diaphragm in the telescope 
of a theodolite, on which are drawn circles and lines intersecting 
the centre thereof. When these circles are made to appear on 
two stars situated near the south pole, as explained by Mr Chard, 
the centre points to the south pole. The direction of the true 
south and the latitude is, therefore, found almost mechanically, 
and saving much time when compared with the methods 
previously used, which required some hours calculation. The 
true north or south is obtained by the various surveyors em- 
ployed in this colony in all over 1000 times per annum, and the 
saving ot some hours each time should prove of great advantage. 
Some discussion followed, and a vote of thanks to Mr Chard was 
unanimously passed on the motion of Mr W. J. Conder, seconded 
by Mr H. C. Russell, both of whom spoke in highly eulogistic 
