286 JOURNAL OF SCIENCE, 
toth October, 1882.—J. T. Thomson, Esq., President, in the 
chair. 
A paper was read by the Rev. P. W. Fairclough on the ‘ Con- 
stitution of Comets,” in which the author gave a sketch of the 
most recent theories on the subject. The paper was illustrated by 
two diagrams. 
17th October, 1882.—Thos. Denniston, Esq., in the chair. 
Under the auspices of the Institute, Mr. J. T. Thomson read 
extracts from a paper on ‘Capital and Labour.” There was a 
large attendance. The paper was printed in full in the Southland 
Times of 18th inst. 
GENERAL NOTES. 
> 
Mr. J. T. THOMSON’S NEW WIND-MILL.—A radical error 
was made inthe account given of this mill in the last number of 
the journal (p. 236). Itis there stated that “as the wind increases 
the pressure overcomes that of the weight, and gradually drives 
the sails back until in a gale they merely present their edges and 
the wheel comes to a stand still.” This is exactly what the wheel 
does not do. On the contrary, as long as the weight is attached 
the mill continues to revolve in the severest gales at an uniform 
speed, and never stops fora moment. Butif the wheel be re- 
moved the mill stops at once. 
NEW ZEALAND FERN EXCHANGE.—Mr. Chas. P, Winkel- 
mann, of Te Aute College, Hawkes Bay, is desirous of obtaining 
ferns from all parts of the Colony, and will return in exchange 
specimens of all species growing in Hawkes Bay district. 
LINNEAN SOCIETY OF NEW SOUTH WALES.—The following 
extract from a circular dated Sydney, 22nd Sept. explains 
itself :—“ The conflagration which has this morning destroyed 
the Garden Palace, with all its contents, has therewith also swept 
away the whole property of the Linnean Society of New South 
Wales. Library, Correspondence, Records, Instruments, and 
Collections have entirely disappeared. Our loss, so far as we 
can estimate it in money, amounts to about £3,000, but a great 
portion is quite irreparable.” The loss is a colonial one, and the 
sympathy of all colonial scientific workers will be extended toa 
society which has done so much in the past. We would suggest 
that the societies in existence in this colony, should give practical 
proof of this by forwarding complete sets of all their publications 
to the nucleus of the new library, which will probably be at once 
formed. 
ERRATUM.—In p. 197, line 19 from the bottom, for “arriving” 
read “arising.” The former word completely alters the sense. 
