422 JOURNAL OF SCIENCE. 
in company with Professor Tucker and a lad named Bydder, and 
when within about 100 yards of shore, their craft capsized. Pro- 
fessor Tucker managed to regain hold of the boat to which he 
clung until assistance arrived, while the boy swam ashore, but 
Professor Walker appears to have sunk at once. The deceased 
was only 26 years of age, was a fellow of Queen’s College, and 
second wrangler in 1879. He had only been in Auckland a 
fortnight. ee 
SHEEP EATING THISTLE HEADS.—Regarding Mr. D. Petrie’s 
note (General Notes, Journal ot Science, No. 8) concerning the 
above, I beg to state that in our part of the country (Hawke’s 
Bay) it is a very common thing to see sheep eating thistle heads, 
indeed, they are very fond of them (leaves as well), and, were it 
not for the abundance of thistles on the large “runs” during the 
summer months, many sheep would die of starvation. 
I have made several enquiries, and find that the farmers in 
this district value the common thistle plant, not only as food for 
sheep, but for cattle also. The latter have been seen to break 
the plant off, close to the ground, and gradually eat the whole of 
it. I know of several instances where both sheep and cattle 
have been saved from starving through having plenty of thistles 
to eat. The mouth of the sheep becomes very hard, the skin 
almost like leather, after feeding for some time on thistles. 
CHAS. P. WINKELMAN. 
MEETINGS OF SOCIETIES. 
NEW ZEALAND INSTITUTE. 
Wellington, March 2uth.—A meeting of the Board of Gover- 
nors of the New Zealand Institute was held to-day, the following 
members being present :—His Excellency the Governor (in the 
chair), the Hon. Mr. Rolleston, Hon. W. R. Johnson, Hon, W. Man- 
tell, Mr. Mason, M.H.R., Ven. Archdeacon Stock, Mr. McKer- 
row, and Dr. Hector. Of the seven names proposed by incorpo- 
rated societies throughout the Colony, the following gentlemen 
were elected hon. members of the New Zealand Institute, in terms 
of the Act:—Sir W. Thomson, F.R.S., Professor ot Natural 
Philosophy, University of Glasgow; Dr. W. B. Carpenter, F.R.S., 
C.B., of London; and Mr. R. L. J. Ellery, F.R.S., Government 
Astronomer at Melbourne. Accounts were passed, and it was 
shown that the funds in hand will cover the cost of printing 
Volume XV ot the Transactions, the publication of which is well 
advanced, 450 pages having already been printed. The volume 
will contain 60 articles, besides the proceedings and the appendix, 
and will be illustrated by 41 plates and 16 woodcuts, It is ex- 
pected to be ready tor distribution early in May. 
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