Eighth Meeting. September 7, 1870.
Dr. Haast, F.R.S., President, in the chair.

The President made a few observations upon the recent earthquake, intimating his intention of submitting a paper at the next meeting of the Institute.

1. “On the Ardetta pusilla, by T. H. Potts. (See Transactions.)

The President read a letter from the Hon. John Hall, having reference to the petition forwarded to him, at Wellington, by the Institute, in respect to the establishment of a Colonial School of Mines in Canterbury. The letter stated that the only promise obtained from the Government on the matter was, that they would take into their consideration the advisability of establishing such a school at Wellington.

The President announced that the Museum would be open in about a fortnight, or at furthest, before the next meeting of the Provincial Council. There had been much more work than he expected in preparing it, and hence the delay.

Mr. T. Hall stated, in reply to a question, that the committee on Native Grasses had not yet procured much information. The winter however being over, they would no doubt soon be able to complete their labours.

The President said he had received a collection of seeds from Vienna, among which were thirty-five kinds of grass seeds. These had been placed in the hands of Mr. Armstrong, Government Gardener, who would sow them in the gardens.

Dr. Powell drew the attention of members to the circumstance of the curious phenomenon of Parhelion having been seen on Sunday last. Between the hours of three and five o'clock he saw two bright spots, one on each side of the sun, which had a tendency to form a circle of prismatic colours round the orb itself. They were ascribed to floating ice-crystals in the higher regions of the atmosphere. When the sun sank lower it was surrounded by a very bright halo.

Several members intimated that they had noticed the phenomenon, and a conversational discussion ensued thereon.