Reports of Hutton Grantees

Mr. J. D. Campbell was granted £50 in 1951 and 1954 for research in New Zealand Triassic and Jurassic Brachiopods. He now reports that he has made no further claim on the Hutton grant and that he wishes to surrender the unexpended balance of £1 12s 3d.

Messrs. W. C. Clark and E. W. Dawson were granted £15 for study of the breeding biology of the white-fronted tern. As Mr. Dawson is now at Cambridge, Mr. Clark has reported that in the meantime he is carrying on the work alone. Twenty-five visits have been paid to nesting sites at Lake Ellesmere Many observations have been made on pre-egg behaviour, and the main features of this part of the breeding biology elucidated During the 1954–55 season all eggs laid were eaten by Black-backed Gulls (Larus dominicanus) During the 1955–56 season no eggs were laid in the usual colonies at Lake Ellesmere, and no other suitable colony could be found. Further observations were made on pre-egg behaviour, but because of the above difficulties the work has not progressed as rapidly as was hoped. Coloured rings and spring balances have been purchased, leaving a balance of £9 8s in the grant. Three hundred and one coloured rings were used at the Waitaki River in January, 1955. Several of the birds ringed at this time have since been reported from the New South Wales coast. A paper has been prepared on the trans-Tasman migration of the White-fronted Tern.

Dr. Maxwell Gage, who in 1955 was granted £50 for research in the Pleistocene History of Canterbury, has reported that field work was resumed at the end of 1955 university session. A cottage made available at Avoca provided an excellent base camp, and it was occupied on five occasions for varying periods. The work from Avoca confirmed earlier impressions of multiple glaciation, and advanced the investigation to the stage where the number of separate glaciations can be given with some confidence, and the extent indicated for all but one of them. The grantee reports in detail on the nature of the field work, stating that the major difficulty in the field continues to be in obtaining reliable height data The field programme for next summer is not yet decided but will probably be aimed at determining how far the Waimakariri chronology may be applied in other glaciated districts in Canterbury Expenditure in travelling and incidental requirements amounts to £14 11s 10d.

Miss V. H. Jolly, who was granted £90 for an investigation of the plankton of New Zealand lakes, reports that the apparatus purchased is now in use on a Limnological survey of the Rotorua lakes. Miss Jolly has not expended any of the grant during the past year.

Miss Aola Richards was granted £27 in 1955 for travelling expenses in studying the ecology and life history of the cave wetas at Waitomo Caves She reports that the whole of the grant was expended in two trips made to Waitomo Caves to continue and complete studies already commenced there.

Information has been obtained on the length of the life cycle, courtship and mating behaviour of Rhaphidophorids and the problem of whether the eggs are laid inside or outside the caves has been solved. Studies of the embryology and hatching of the eggs have been made, and the results make an interesting comparison with North American members of the same family. The result of these studies is to be presented shortly as a thesis for the PhD. degree, and it will then be published. Much interesting information has also been obtained on the life history and behaviour of the glow-worms at the request of the Tourist Department.

Dr. J. T. Salmon reports that the grant made to him for translation purposes is being used for work which is being carried out at present.

In moving the adoption of the reports by Hutton Grantees, Professor Richardson said he thought the Standing Committee should survey the Hutton grants over the last fifteen years as a measure of the value of such grants.

The reports were adopted.