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Volume 31, 1898
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Philosophical Institute Of Canterbury.

First Meeting: 4th May, 1898.

Appreciation of the Mr. W. M. Maskell

Dr. W. P. Evans, President, in the chair.

New Members.—Mr. W. H. Hammond, Miss L. Stevenson, Miss E. Kitchingman.

The following resolution was passed: “The Philosophical Institute of Canterbury hereby places on record its regret at the death of its late member, Mr. W. M. Maskell, and its appreciation of his services in the cause of science, especially in entomology, and requests the President to convey to Mrs. Maskell its sympathy with her in her sorrow.”

Papers.—1. “An Instrument for roughly determining the Relative Thermal Conductivities of Liquids,” by Dr. W. P. Evans. (Transactions, p. 555.)

Dr. W. P. Evans exhibited a model in illustration of his paper.

2. “On the Burning and Reproduction of Subalpine Scrub and its Associated Plants, with Special Reference to the Arthur's Pass District,” by Mr. L. Cockayne. (Transactions, p. 398.)

Mr. L. Cockayne exhibited botanical specimens and photographs in illustration of his paper.

Professor Dendy exhibited a large specimen of Raoulia mammillaris (the vegetable sheep), lately obtained from Mount Torlesse, and drew attention to its peculiar scent, somewhat resembling that of a lemon-scented verbena.

Professor Dendy exhibited a number of specimens of New Zealand lizards, including Lygosoma grande and Naultinus elegans (with newly born young), from the South Island, and Naultinus grayi, from the North Island, and pointed out that the latter is probably specifically distinct from N. elegans.

Dr. Evans exhibited new chemical apparatus.

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Captain Hutton exhibited and made remarks upon a moabone obtained from the silt at St. Martins, Port Hills, and presented to the Museum by Mr. R. M. Laing.

Second Meeting: 1st June, 1898.

Dr. W. P. Evans, President, in the chair.

Address.—Professor Bickerton delivered an address on “Some Recent Advances in Experimental Science,” illustrated by numerous experiments.

Captain Hutton exhibited some fragments of prehistoric pottery from Japan, and a volcanic bomb supposed to have been ejected from Mount Herbert.

Professor Dendy exhibited the specimen of Naultinus grayi, from the North Island, already shown at the last meeting, together with two young of the same animal, born about the 27th May. The young were compared with those of Naultinus elegans, from the South Island, and shown to be quite different, being without the characteristic pattern of the latter,* and of a bright yellowish-green tint (almost uniform) on the dorsal surface, and very much paler beneath.

Third Meeting: 6th July, 1898.

Dr. W. P. Evans, President, in the chair.

Address.—Mr. R. M. Laing delivered an address on “Hypnotism : Its Fallacies and Facts.”

Fourth Meeting : 3rd August, 1898.

Dr. W. P. Evans, President, in the chair.

Address.—Mr. L. Cockayne delivered an address on “The Cultivation of New Zealand Alpine Plants,” largely illustrated by specimens and lantern slides.

Papers.—1.“On the Genus Weissia,” by Mr. R. Brown. [Transactions, p. 437.)

2. “Corrections in the Names of some New Zealand Rocks,” by Captain Hutton. [Transactions, p. 483.)

[Footnote] * The diamond pattern is already well developed in the newly born of N. elegans.

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3. “Supplement to the Stenopelmatidæ of New Zealand,” by Captain Hutton. (Transactions, p. 40.)

Fifth Meeting : 7th September, 1898.

Mr. L. Cockayne, Vice-president, in the chair.

Mr. J. B. Mayne delivered an address on “The Cell,” illustrated by numerous diagrams.

Paper.—“An Inquiry into the Seedling Forms of New Zealand Phanerogams and their Development. Part I: Introduction.” (Transactions, p. 354.)

Mr. Cockayne exhibited the seedling and adult forms of Veronica armstrongii.

The Hon. Secretary exhibited a collection of scale-insects, belonging to the society, which was made and presented to the society by the late Mr. Maskell some years ago, and suggested that it might be desirable to present them to the Canterbury Museum. The matter was referred to the Council.*

Sixth Meeting : 5th October, 1898.

Dr. W. P. Evans, President, in the chair.

New Member.—Professor R. J. Scott.

Mr. Dominick Brown moved, “That the President and Council be asked whether anything can be done by the Institute to promote antarctic exploration.

The motion was carried after a short discussion. †

Paper.—“On a Supposed Rib of the Kumi or Ngarara,” by Captain F. W. Hutton, F.R.S. (Transactions, p. 485.)

Captain F. W. Hutton, F.R.S., exhibited and made remarks upon an albino skylark.

[Footnote] * At a subsequent Council meeting it was resolved that all the late Mr. Maskell's collections in the possession of the Institute be presented to the Canterbury Museum.

[Footnote] † At a subsequent Council meeting it was decided that it was unnecessary to take any action.

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Seventh Meeting: 2nd November, 1898.

Dr. W. P. Evans, President, in the chair.

New Members.—Mr. William Reece and Mr. R. D. Thomas.

Address.—Mr. R. Speight delivered an address on “The Microscope in Geology,” illustrated by lantern slides.

The lecturer exhibited microscopic preparations of rock-sections in illustration of his address.

Papers.—1. “On the New Zealand Musci,” by Mr. R. Brown. (Transactions, p. 442.)

2. “Some Recent Additions to the New Zealand Moss-Flora,” by Mr. T. W. Naylor Beckett. (Transactions, p. 426.)

3. “Revision of the New Zealand Pleurotomidæ,” by Mr. H. Suter. (Transactions, p. 64.)

4. “New Zealand Polyplacophora,” by Mr. H. Suter. (Transactions, p. 59.)

5. “A Graphic Method of calculating Cubic Content of Excavation, as for Water-races on Uneven Ground,” by Mr. G. Hogben. (Transactions, p. 602.)

6. “The Wanganui Earthquake of the 8th December, 1897.” by Mr. G. Hogben. (Transactions, p. 583.)

7. The Tasmanian Earthquake,“by G. Hogben, M.A. (Transactions p. 594.)

8. “Revision of the New Zealand Phasmidæ,” by Captain F. W. Hutton. (Transactions, p. 50.)

9. “Notes on the New Zealand Acrididæ,” by Captain F. W. Hutton. (Transactions, p. 44.)

10. “On the Footprint of a Kiwi-like Bird from Manaroa,” by Captain F. W. Hutton. (Transactions, p. 486.)

The author exhibited the fossil footprint.

11. “Distillation Products of Blackball Coal: Part IV.,” by Dr. W. P. Evans. (Transactions, p. 556.)

12. “Analyses of Seventeen New Zealand Coals,” by Dr. W. P. Evans. (Transactions, p. 564.)

13. “Contact Metamorphosis at the New Brockley Coal-mine,” by Dr. W. P. Evans. (Transactions, p. 557.)

The author exhibited specimens from the Brockley Coal-mine.

14. “On Occlusion of Sulphuretted Hydrogen in Coal,” by Dr. W. P. Evans. (Transactions, p. 566.)

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Appreciation of the late Rev. W. Colenso, F.R.S.

Eighth Meeting : 22nd February, 1899.

Dr. W. P. Evans, President, in the chair.

The following resolution was passed : “The Philosophical Institute of Canterbury wishes to place on record its sense of the great loss science in New Zealand has sustained by the death of the Rev W. Colenso, who for so many years has done good work in philology, botany, and zoology.”

Address.—Professor Dendy delivered an address on “The Life-history of the Tuatara,” illustrated by diagrams and specimens. (Transactions, p. 249.)

Papers.—1. “On the Neuroptera of New Zealand,” by Captain Hutton. (Transactions, p. 208.)

2. “On the Seedling Forms of New Zealand Phanerogams : Part II,” by Mr. L. Cockayne. (Transactions, p. 361.)

3. “On Ligusticum trifoliatum,” by Mr. L. Cockayne. (Transactions, p. 424.)

4. “Descriptions of New Species of Astelia, Veronica, and Celmisia,” by Mr. L. Cockayne. (Transactions, p. 419.)

5. “List of New Zealand Mollusca described in Foreign Publications since 1890,” by Mr. H. Suter. (Transactions, p. 255.)

Annual Meeting: 5th April, 1899.

Dr. W. P. Evans, President, in the chair.

New Members.—Mr. J. S. S. Cooper and Professor Arnold Wall, M.A.

Abstract of Annual Report for 1898

Since the last annual meeting eight ordinary meetings have been held, and an extra meeting. At these meetings twenty-five papers have been read, as follows: Botany, 8; zoology, 7; geology, 5; chemistry, 3; physics, 2.

At six of these ordinary meetings special addresses of a more or less popular character have been delivered—viz.: “On some Recent Advances in Experimental Science,” by Professor Bickerton; “On Hypnotism : Its Fallacies and Facts,” by Mr. R. M. Laing; “On the Cultivation of New Zealand Alpine Plants,” bv Mr. L. Cockayne; “On the Cell,” by Mr. J. B. Mayne; “On the Microscope in Geology,” by Mr. R. Speight; “On the Life-history of the Tuatara,” by Professor Dendy.

The attendance at the ordinary meetings has averaged 32.1, so that it will be seen that both in the number of papers read and in the average attendance there has again been an increase on the preceding year.

In addition to the ordinary meetings, a special meeting was held on the 21st September, in the Chemistry Lecture Theatre, when Captain

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Hutton delivered a popular lecture on “The New Darwinism,” which was well attended, and very highly appreciated by the public. A special general meeting was held on the 6th July for the purpose of making a slight alteration in Law VII.

The Council has met nine times since the last annual meeting, and amongst the business transacted the following items may be mentioned : The laws and rules of the Institute have been revised and reprinted; the old rule, No. XI., concerning the photographic section, which has ceased to exist, has been omitted.

A resolution urging upon the Government the desirability of protecting the eggs as well as the adult animals of the tuatara has been forwarded to the Colonial Secretary and complied with.

All the collections presented by the late Mr. W. Maskell to this Institute have been presented to the Canterbury Museum.

The Hon. C. C. Bowen was nominated to vote in the election of Governors of the New Zealand Institute.

The number of members of the Philosophical Institute of Canterbury at the present moment is seventy-five, as compared with seventy-seven in the preceding year.

The balance-sheet shows that the total receipts for the year have been £60 2s. 6d., and the expenditure £63 19s. 10d., which, with the balance carried forward from last year, leaves a balance in the bank of £17 19s. 11d. The sum of £50 0s. 7d. has been spent upon books and binding.

Additions to the library by donation and purchase have taken place as usual. Captain Hutton has succeeded Dr. Evans as honorary librarian, and has generously presented the Institute, with a set of “Natural Science” complete up to date.

It is deeply to be regretted that since the last annual meeting this Institute has twice been called upon to pass resolutions of regret and condolence—viz., on the occasions of the deaths of Mr. W. M. Maskell and the Rev. W. Colenso, while the Philosophical Society of Canterbury in particular has lost a most valued member by the death of Mr. C. B. Blackiston, its late honorary auditor.

The arrangement of a programme for the ensuing year, to be submitted to the incoming Council, has been left in the hands of the honorary secretary, who has much pleasure in announcing that Professor Arnold Wall, M.A., has kindly consented to deliver a popular lecture during the year, and Mr. J. S. S. Cooper an address on “Wireless Telegraphy.” Other arrangements will be announced in due course.

Election Of Officers For 1899.

Election of Officers for 1899.—President—L. Cockayne; Vice-presidents—R. Speight, Dr. W. H. Symes; Hon. Secretary—Professor A. Dendy; Hon. Treasurer—Captain F. W. Hutton; Council—Dr. Evans, H. R. Webb, R. M. Laing, T. W. Naylor Beckett, J. B. Mayne, and Professor Arnold Wall; Hon. Auditor—R. C. Bishop.

Presidential Address.—The retiring President, Dr. W. P. Evans, delivered an address on “Electricity in the Service of Technical Chemistry.”

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