MEETINGS OF SOCIETIES, 27 1 



some years previously ; but on the present occasion a skate, dissected 

 in the biological laboratory, presented a colony of thirty or forty of 

 the parasites on an area of three or four inches in circumference. 

 They varied in length from about J in. to 1J in., and were all so 

 firmly attached by the posterior sucker that on their removal the 

 fish's skin presented a number of smooth circular convex areas. The 

 smaller specimens, treated with Flemming's chrom osm. acetic 

 solution, flattened under a compressor, and mounted entire, make 

 very beautiful microscopic objects. The only species of this in- 

 teresting genus mentioned in the ordinary works of reference is 1L 

 t'orpedinis of Europe, a parasite on the torpedo. If the present form 

 turns out to be new it might be called B. rajce. Professor Parker 

 also mentioned that he had found at Port Chalmers a single specimen 

 of the polychtctous worm (Dujardinia), interesting from the length of 

 its cirri. 



(11) Professor Parker called attention to a very beautiful and 

 accurate model in plaster of paris of the neighbourhood of Dunedin, 

 made to scale for the Otago Museum by Mr. A Hamilton, Registrar 

 of the University, and expressed the opinion that the teaching of 

 geography in the primary schools of the colony would be vastly 

 improved if similar models could be obtained and employed, instead 

 of compelling the children, as was too frequently the case, to learn 

 lists of names of natural features, regarding which they could form 

 no accurate opinion. 



The annual report was then read and adopted. The following is 

 a brief extract : — ■ 



Six meetings were held during the session. At these 17 papers 

 were read, and one lecture on the Early History of New Zealand was 

 delivered. Six new members have been added to the roll. The 

 library has received a number of additions. The ordinary revenue 

 was £204 lis. 0d., (including a balance of £97 9s. 0d.), while the 

 expenditure was £91 17s. 5d., leaving a balance in hand of £1 12 13s. 

 7d. There is also on fixed deposit a sum of £286 13s. 5d. 



The following were elected office-bearers for the next year: — ■ 

 President: C. W. Adams, Esq., C.E.; Vice-Presidents: Prof. Gibbons, 

 M.A., and Dr. Hocken ; Hon. Sec. : A. Hamilton, Esq.; Hon. Treas. : 

 E. Melland, Esq.; Auditor: D. Brent, M.A.; Council: Prof. Parker, 

 F.R.S., Prof. Scott, M.D., Rev. H. Belcher, M.A., LL.D., Messrs. F. 

 R. Chapman, Alexr. Purdie, M.A., Geo. M. Thomson, F.L.S., and D. 

 Wilkinson, F.R.S.M. 



The retiring president then delivered an address on " The rise 

 and development of the science of Political Economy." 



WELLINGTON PHILOSOPHICAL SOCIETY. 



Wellington, 29th July, 1891.— E. Tregear, Esq, President, in the 

 chair. 



Papers. — (1) "On the Necessity for the Establishment of an 

 Expert Agricultural Department in New Zealand," by W. M. Maskell, 



