In this paper, which was the special business of the meeting, the authors give an account of some investigations into the radio-activity of the Christchurch artesian system, and find that all the wells examined contain radium emanation in considerable quantities as compared with waters examined by Curie and Laborde (C.R., vol. 142, p. 1464) and others in Europe. To ascertain whether any effect upon trout was to be ascribed to radium emanation, inquiries were made and experiments conducted which show that the Christchurch water is fatal to a large proportion of healthy fish if these be confined near the outflow from the well; and that in a considerable number of those not dying, pop-eye results. Neither death nor pop-eye supervene if the water has run a short distance in an open channel. Experiments by the authors show that the radium emanation escapes very rapidly from the water. Marsh and Gorham (1904; “Report of the Bureau of Fisheries,” p. 345) ascribe somewhat similar effects to an excess of nitrogen; and an examination (at the request of the authors) of the gases contained in the waters by Mr. G. Gray, F.C.S., shows a slight excess of nitrogen over the saturation amount. The authors contend that it is still an open question. Experiments made by the Acclimatisation Society with the authors show that the death of trout-ova in the hatching-boxes fell off as these were removed further from the well, in a manner similar to the decrease of radium emanation. Further experiments are in progress. The paper was illustrated with lantern-slides and diagrams, and also with specimens of diseased fish. A long discussion followed, in which the following took part: the President, Drs. Chilton, Gibson, Moorhouse, Evans, and Talbot, and Messrs. G. Gray and Kuhn. Fifth Meeting: 5th August, 1909. Present: Dr. Charles Chilton in the chair, and over a hundred others. New Member.—Mr. F. S. Oliver. Mr. Edgar F. Stead then delivered his lecture on “Bird-life in New Zealand.” First of all he exhibited a number of skins of birds, including those of the kea, sparrow-hawk, and rifléman. He showed, too, the skin of a curlew stilt, the third he had secured in New Zealand. This bird, he stated, bred in the Yenesei Valley, and came here in the summer. The last specimen he obtained was still in its winter plumage. “Here is a knot,” the speaker continued, exhibiting a specimen with a brilliant breast and other conspicuous markings. “He is in his evening dress, which he wears when he goes courting, and it is quite an elaborate get-up.” After exhibiting and describing the bird-skins, he showed a large number of slides illustrating different phases of bird-life. The first of the slides depicted a colony of terns in the Rakaia River bed. These birds, he said, began to arrive early in October, and finally settled down on the shingle-bank thirty to fifty thousand strong. About the end of October they went up the river to select breeding-grounds. They displayed marvellous discretion in choosing spots not likely to be flooded by freshes in the river. The nests were built of small pebbles of a colour which strongly resembled the tintings of the young. From his own observations, the lecturer concluded that these birds would devour any eggs not in the nests. Another peculiarity was that, while the adult birds contented themselves with “silveries” found in the river, they went out to the sea for sprats for their young: probably the sprats were more nutritious. A picture illustrating the tern's sailing flight was displayed, and the lecturer pointed out the remarkable resemblance of the bird in that attitude to the monoplane. Keas, he said, inhabited high country, showing a preference for localities with scrubby bush and shingly mountain-slopes. They stayed in dark valleys, and emerged at nights, or when anything excited their curiosity. There was no more inquisitive bird than the kea. He would come within a couple of feet of a stranger, and pick at his boot-laces to see what they were made of. Of all the birds he knew, the kea was the most amusing. Five of these interesting birds he had in captivity would throw up tins merely for the fun of hearing them rattle when they came down again. He also showed a lantern-slide depicting a kea standing on the edge of a rock with a sheer fall of 150 ft., dropping chips and pebbles over the face in an ecstasy of whimsical delight. Another picture showed a male and female kea on top of a stump, and the female scratching her mate's head with her beak.