MEETINGS OF SOCIETIES. 269 



Papers. — (1) " Note on the nest and habits oiArbanitis 1/uttoni," 

 by P. Goyen, F.L.S. The tube which this spider inhabits is branched. 

 The entrance to the main tube is quite uncovered, but the branch 

 which makes a more or less acute angle with the main tube extends 

 to the surface of the ground, and is there covered by a rude sort of 

 hinged lid, which so closely resembles the surrounding surface as to 

 be indistinguishable from it. The spider is too heavy and sluggish to 

 escape from its enemies or catch its prey in the open. It therefore 

 lies in the branch of its tube, whence it can attack its prey in flank or 

 rear ; or, if an enemy too powerful for it should enter its tube, it can 

 make its escape to the surface. The author exhibited specimens of 

 the tubes. 



(2) " Description of a new species of Marptusa, with notes on its 

 habits," by P. Goyen, F.L.S. This spider is found along the coast of 

 Otago on cliffs and rock, just above, at, or just below high-water 

 mark. These rocks are frequented by two or three species of flies 

 which the spider resembles in colour and mode of progression. " So 

 striking is this resemblance that I for some time mistook it for a fly. 

 The resemblance extends to the habit of running forward quickly, 

 stopping, and rubbing its pulpi, just as a fly rubs its fore-legs, until 

 it is within striking distance of its prey, when it jumps upon it with 

 unerring aim." The author considers the case exceedingly interesting 

 as affording in a class of animals in which it has not been before 

 observed a striking example of aggressive mimicry. 



(3) " On the genus Aplornis with more especial reference to 

 Aptornin defossor, Owen," by A. Hamilton. The author gave a 

 historical account of the various finds of bones of Aptorni*, from those 

 sent home by the Eev. W. Williams to Dr. Buckland in 1842, to the 

 present time. The last and most important find of these bones was 

 made in 1889, in some limestone caves in Southland by Mr. W. S. 

 Mitchell of Lake Manapouri .Station. Six or seven individual birds 

 are represented, and in four cases the skeletons can be reconstructed 

 without much doubt as to the bones having belonged to individual 

 birds. Most important of all, the bones are not mixed with those of 

 any other species. Descriptions of the most important bones are 

 given in the paper, and the author exhibited an almost complete 

 skeleton of this species. 



(4) " On Moa gizzard-stones," by A. Hamilton. This paper 

 describes the occurrence of numbers of heaps of gizzard-stones, in 

 some cases along with small quantities of fine sand, on the peat- 

 mosses of Swampy Hill, near Dunedin, at an elevation of over 2,000 

 feet. In two cases the heaps were found in a completely isolated 

 position among the peat, the stones being held more or less together 

 by interlaced masses of comminuted vegetable matter of a pale 

 yellow colour, quite distinct from the hue of the enclosing peat. 

 Along with much matter wdiich could not be distinguished, this 

 vegetable material was found to contain great numbers of seeds of 

 Pentachondra and Ccqyrosma. The weights of stones in the two 

 masses were respectively ih and 61b ; the largest separate pebble 

 being a little over lioz. The nearest locality from which quartz 



