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Second Meeting: 22nd July, 1896.
Mr. W. T. L. Travers, F.L.S., president, in the chair.
New Members.—-Mr. F. E. Clarke and Mr. John Young.
Papers. — 1. “On Polynesian Migrations,” 1st section— chapters I., II., and III., by Mr. Joshua Rutland; communicated by Mr. E. Tregear. (Transactions, p. 1.)
Sir James Hector was glad to hear this paper read. It was most interesting, and afforded a large amount of information on all branches of science. Of course, until Mr. Tregear had read the whole of the paper it was not possible to have any lengthy discussion on the subjects brought forward. The question as to what plants might be considered indigenous to this country was an important one, and perhaps Mr. Kirk, who was preparing a new work on the botany of New Zealand, would be prepared to make known his views in the matter. He himself thought that all plants found flourishing by the first arrivals should be looked upon as indigenous.
Mr. Maskell said Mr. Rutland had written an able paper entitled “The Fall of the Leaf,” and he thought any paper from this gentleman would be sure to be interesting.
Sir W. Buller, in reference to what Sir James Hector had said, expressed a hope that Mr. Kirk would include in his forthcoming Flora of New Zealand descriptions of all the plants found in this country by the first European discoverers, whether actually indigenous or introduced by the Maoris when they came to Hew Zealand, and whether these plants had become presumably extinct or not. The rule in zoology was to include in the indigenous fauna all animals that had found their own way to the country as distinguished from those introduced by man—for example, in his “History of the Birds of New Zealand” he had included all stragglers from Australia and elsewhere, without considering whether the arrival was ancient or recent. Any bird winging its own way across the ocean to this land, from whatever cause, would by the accepted rule be entitled to a place in our own fauna.
Mr. Kirk said botanists were a little more particular than ornithologists. He could not include all plants found here as indigenous. If he did there would be no end to the collection. The rule was that all plants that had become naturalised should be described, although they might have been introduced by Europeans. Among the plants that would cause some difficulty he instanced a species of Cordyline, which had never been known to have flowered in New Zealand, and which might turn out to be a plant that flowers in a warmer climate. There were also several other plants that would require to be added to the list of naturalised species.
Sir James Hector would like to add that the plant referred to by Mr. Kirk was the curious Ti-tawhiti,* supposed to be a Cordyline, and which, as stated, never flowered in New Zealand. It was grown by the natives in the Taranaki district, and had large bunches of rather thick green leaves for a palm-lily, with long intervals of stem. These were tightly ligatured by the Maoris, and pegged down, when they developed a large
[Footnote] * The Ti from a distance.
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amount of sweet starchy matter, which was used as food. When in Sydney Botanic Gardens, the Director, Mr. C. Moore, had shown him a thicket of what seemed to be the same Cordyline, which he said he (Sir J. Hector) should know, as it came from New Zealand, and he (Mr. Moore) informed him that it had a blue flower. He (Sir James) had brought plants and suckers to New Zealand, some of which were in the late Mr. Mantell's garden, and others should now be in the Wellington Botanic Gardens. One most interesting point in the paper just read was raised by the statement that Cook had found the natives possessed the tapa-cloth plant, and that he had seen it growing. Its native name, “Aute,” was included in Maori vocabularies, but the plant seemed to have disappeared from Maori settlements, though now again common under cultivation in gardens. Yet this plant, interesting on account of its economic uses and its distribution among the Pacific Islands, was not mentioned, in the “New Zealand Flora” either as an introduced or native plant. There were many other plants in the same anomalous position, and they raised a very curious question that might greatly affect certain views as to the geographical distribution of plants and the migration of the human race among the Pacific Islands.
Sir W. Buller said the Ti-tawhiti was a narrow-leafed Cordyline, and very scarce. He believed he had once seen the flower, which was of a pale-blue colour. The Maoris valued it because of its edible qualities.
Mr. Harding said Mr. Colenso, of Napier, had a rare plant of this kind in his garden. He understood it was Cordyline edulis, and the sole representative of the species.
Mr. Travers said there was a very similar plant growing in a garden near Plimmer's Steps, in Wellington, but he understood it was from Queensland.
Mr. Tregear said the chief value in this paper was the fact that it was so suggestive, and turned our attention to so many interesting facts. It was a sort of text-book to several branches of science. There were many statements that he could hardly agree with. The occurrence of many of the plants named was, he thought, purely accidental.
2. “On Formol for preserving Natural History Specimens,” by S. H. Drew, of Wanganui; communicated by Sir W. Buller. (Transactions, p. 288.)
Sir J. Hector considered Formol very good for preserving specimens, and in most respects better than spirits, but care must be taken regarding its strength.
Mr. Maskell said, in the event of an antarctic expedition formol would be very generally used, but it must be dealt with carefully, and in most cases a weak solution used, so as to preserve the delicate colours of invertebrates.
4. “Natural History Notes,” by S. H. Drew, of Wanganui Museum: (1) On Orthagoriscus mola (sun-fish); (2) on Botaurus poeciloptilus (bittern); (3) on. Carpophaga novce-zealandiæ (wood-pigeon); (4) on Cnemiornis (extinct goose); (5) on moa remains found at Wanganui (Transactions, p. 284.)