392 JOURNAL OF SCIENCE, 
In summer they spawn, and are full of roe about Christmas time, 
going always in small shoals at that time. 
‘‘ As food they are exceedingly good when fried fresh. It is 
the same as the dried fish sold as Picton herring. The fishermen 
have very poor appliances, and are not skilled at all in curing; 
I am sure their method could be greatly improved. 
‘““As to the numbers visiting Picton Harbour or Queen 
Charlotte Sound, I cannot say at all; but four smoke-houses were 
kept going all last winter. The hauls average 1} to 2 tons, but at 
times 10 tons have been landed.” 
Of specimens examined the formule are :—Weight, 3 ounces to 
53 ounces ; total length g inches to 10 inches. Fin vays, D 17 to 
18; P16to18; V8; Aim7to19; C.19. Branchostegals 7; Ver- 
tebre 48 to 50. Pylovic Caeca 100 (one specimen only). Scales, 
Lat. 160; Trans. 1 12 (one specimen only). 
(2.) ** Description of a variety of Celmisia sessiliflova ;” and 
(3.) ‘‘ Description of a new species ot Cavex (C. littoralis) ;’ both 
by D. Petrie, Esq., M.A. 
The President then delivered his farewell address, as follows :— 
In taking leave of the members of the Otago Institute as president 
for the year 1882, I intend to offer only a few general observations 
rather than select any special topic. The present century will, I 
take it, be recognised and distinguished by most men as that in 
which very wonderful and rapid advances have been made in 
scientific discovery. Not only have new fields of investigation 
presented themselves, and new standpoints been assumed for 
study, but old methods and theories have been abandoned, or to 
some extent overturned, and many wonderful discoveries of great 
utility have been achieved. The results to mankind are recognised 
as eminently beneficial, not merely in the actual accumulation of 
knowledge, but also in adding comforts and facilities to life, with 
the promotion of friendly relations between diverse nations. At 
the same time, the very success of modern science appears to have 
induced errors in thought and practice which are to be regretted, 
and which time alone can eliminate. I should like to refer to one 
of these only, and which I would designate smpatience or haste. 
This the spirit of the age has stamped more or less on all sciences, 
but notably on what may be called the speculative sciences, as 
geology and natural history. One consequence of this is that 
certain paths have had to be retraced, while others will yet have 
to be retraced, I believe; meantime the unbelieving public is not 
edified. Geology, which may be regarded as contemporaneous with 
this century, has proved uncommonly fertile in theories—due no 
doubt to the restlessness of the times, but also to the temptations 
presented by our almost absolute ignorance (scientifically speaking) 
of the past. It is not then to be wondered at, for example, that 
recent researches into the action of the tides go far to prove that 
the immense periods hitherto assigned as necessary to account for 
geological changes or formations are altogether at fault, and require 
reconsideration as having been vastly over-estimated. So also 
error is not absent from the theory of the manner of coal forma- 
tions, deduced from observations of imperfect operations presently 
to be seen on the surface of the earth. For there seems to be a 
radical difference between the nature of that force and its ultimate 
pressure, required to form peat in Ireland, or carbonised wood in 
the bends of the Mississippi River, and that which finished its — 
work when the world’s coalfields were laid to rest. Even the 
