NATURAL HISTORY.

Dominion, Volume 3, Issue 810, 6 May 1910, Page 2

NATURAL HISTORY.

THE PHILOSOPHICAL SOCIETY.

PRESIDENTIAL ADDRESS.

The Wellington Philosophical Society opened its 1910 session with an interest-' ing meeting at the Dominion Mueeum on Wednesday night. Most of-the evening was devoted to papers on Halley's comet (as reported elsewhere) and in order to allow tome for. that subject the president (Mr. A. Hamilton) )soinewhat shortened his address. . The Tararua Ranges. , Mr. Hamilton.dealt first with' the society's endeavours to further open up the Tararua Ranges for naturalists. ■Hβ reminded members that he had suggested last year that the society should en-: deavour to open up the southern end of the Tararuas by cutting a track on. the Quoin and establishing some iind of a permanent camp there. Early in the season, through the active co-operation of some of tho members, a tent was erected in a suitable place and it had been found' useful by explorers during the eeasorm Towards the end of the season, Mr.' Field, M.P., accompanied Mr.. Aston to Mount Hector from the Kaitoke end, and came out at Otaki. He (the president) wished Mr. Field to have a look at the iiaitoke end, with a view to the Bociety co-operating with him in his efforts to , have a good track cut from the Otaki side, for which purpose a sum had been., voted by the Government. He believed, lie Lands Department had now agreed to undertake the expenditure of this on the track, from the OtaM Gorge through the bush at' that end up to the clear land on Mount Denham. There' was-also a bridgn being placed across the creek at that end. He hoped that during the present season the' society would be able to complete arrangements for working on its end of the track, so that horses might be taken up with provisions and materials for erecting a per-' inanent hut. Ho also, thought the so--ciety should vote a small sum toward* the expense of clearing the approaches. After visiting Ruapehu he was of opinion that the society need not take- the initiative in building. a' hut on that mountain, as the people'of Rangataua were actively-interesting themselves in the matter. They would therefore be able to devote their energies to- co-operat-ing with those who were working on the Tararua tracks • both from Otaki and ■ from the Wairarapa, and it appeared that next summer they would be able to say that the Tararua Range was open to the study of naturalists to a better degree than it had ever been before.. The results of a small amount of collecting on the Quoin and adjacent parts showed that there was a vast amount of material of a most interesting character ready to hand. New species of- insects and newrecords for many lepidbpfera' had been obtained. The alpine insects were « so very local that as each 'fresh region was examined they might expect fresh' discoveries and additions to our flora and fauna. ; ,

Rainfall and Industry. Ho would liko to 6ee later on a small observatory biiilt on Mount Hector, at which self-recording instruments could be Installed for the purpose of making records during the winter time,'mainly of the rainfall and barometric pressure. Hβ approved of a suggestion that observations of this kind should be taken on Mount Bgmonl. The Isame should he done' at the headwaters of all the larger streams, with a view to getting a better understanding of the water power which would be valuable later on for industrial purposes. If electrical energy was to be provided ' for manufacturing, by water power, it would be necessary to have a knowledge of the probable rainfall, as well as the means of conserving and properly distributing the sugply of water i'or the energy required. The Chathams. ' H6"still 'hoped 'it "would be for the society to organise an espeditioa for the purpose of studying the natural history of the Chatham Islands. At-the time when he first brought the matter forward, other scientists in New Zealand could not co-operate, mainly because theywere engaged'in working up the material they had accumulated in the visit to the Campbell Islands. Members had doubt. less seen the two volumes issued by th» Canterbury Society, containing ■ an ' account of the expedition and its Ecientifio results, and would join in tho congratulations that had been offered to the editors, authors, and printers. He , hoped it would not be' long before they would have a volume of the same character oa the Chatham Islands. It might be possible to induce the Marine Department to so order the goings of the training ship Ainokura that she , should make soundings between New Zealand and the; Chathams.- . .'-... -. Deceased Scientists. 1 After making some suggestions for enhancing the ■ usefulness of the society's library, the president went on to say that the Hector Memorial Fund had reached a sum which would enable some practical benefit to accrue from it to science. The deliberations of tHe committee had not yet been announced, but before the next annual meeting he trusted that a satis> factory scheme for the utilisation-of the fund would be announced. The society had lost within the past few months two scientists who loved their country and enjoyed working in the fields of sciencerMr. A. P. Buller, who, for many years, studied with loving care the New Zealand lepidoptem, and Mr. G. E. Marriner, curator of the Wauganui, Museum, who was a well-trained observer in natural history, and . whose, death at an early age was much regretted. A very distinguished contributor to the society's tr.Uiijtions had lately passed away in tho person of Mr. G. Kirkaldy, entomologist to the Hawaiian Sugar Planters' Association. Mr. Kirkaldy was the recognised expert in hemiptera, and was preparing to devote special attention to those species of hemiptera which are injurious to vegetation in New Zealand. His work was recognised throughout the scientific world as of the highest mv. portance nnd interest. The rest of the evening was devoted to addresses on Halley's Comet, Messrs. J. Marchbanks, F. C. Hay, J. D. Climie, M. N. Watt, C. G. G. Berry, and Miss Helyar were elected members of the society.