Critical Notes on some of the Birds of New Zealand.

By Captain F. W. Hutton, F.G.S.

3. “Critical Notes on some of the Birds of New Zealand,”^* by Captain F. W. Hutton, F.G.S. In this paper the author gave reasons for the alterations made in the nomenclature, etc., in the “Catalogue of New Zealand Birds,” now in the press.

4. “On Experiments made to determine the Value of Different Coals for Steam Purposes,” by J. R. George. (See Transactions, p. 151.)

Mr. Marchant remarked that the coal imported from England was of very variable quality, and much of it very inferior, so that the tests were hardly fair.

5. “Notes on the Anatomy of the Kanae (Mugil sp.),” by F. J. Knox, L.R.C.S.E. (See Transactions, p. 189.) The author described a specimen from Porirua with five spines in its first dorsal fin. He also claimed to be the first to point out that the Mullets live entirely on the Diatomaceæ.

Captain Hutton thought that as the Mullet with five spines agreed in all other respects with the common Mullet of the north, the possession of a fifth spine must be looked on as a monstrosity, and not as proving a new species.