OTAGO INSTITUTE.

Evening Star, Volume IX, Issue 2626, 18 July 1871, Page 3

OTAGO INSTITUTE.

Last evening the annual general meeting of the Otago Institute was held in the Provincial Council library, which had been placed at the disposal of the Institute by thr Speaker for the purpose : the \ ice-President (Mr J. S. Webb) in the chair. The annua report was read as follows - “In presenting the second annual report of the Otago branch of the N. Z. Institute, the Council has much pleasure in congiatulating the members upon the advance made during the past year. The numb, r of mom beS if now 1 124. showing an the preceding year of 44. The itce p ; from subscriptions now amount to Lll--7s It will be observed that there is a discrepancy between the number of member., and tbe amount of the subscriptions-tinsll- - by the fact that many of tbelattei yet many omissions iu this icspcct, that it was determined at abate meeting of the Council to depute some one to collect these outstanding or longstanding subscriptions. “During the year four Council and eight ordinary meetings of the Institute have been held, at the latter of which several papers of importance have been read Mr Justice Chapman “On the Politico -Economical aspect of Railways; Mr M Kerrow On the Physical Geography of the Lake District Mr H. Skey “ On Periodic Vertica. Oscillations of the Earth's Atmosphere, am the connection existing between the kudu,' tions of pressure, as indicated by tin barometer, and by changes in the weather ; Mr G M Barr “On the Mechanics and Mechanical Economy of Kaliwius Mr R, Wildin" “ On Central I'orces, especially regards 0 Force varying directly as the distance Mr J. T. Thomson, in two paper-, “On some Ethno'ogical Considerations a to the Whence of the Maori,” and on s “Description of a simple contrivance to; economising the current of large rivers foi gold sluicing, town supplies, and mill power; Mr Peter Thomson “ On Rock Pools am their contents” A joint paper by MessrWebb and Wilding, entitled ■ Rotes or Captain' Hutton's paper on Sinking 1 ends ; Mr J. S. Webb “Notes on some points in the Botany of Otago.:” Mr A. C. Punhe, “Notes on a supposed new species of Lit tern and on tbe skeleton of a bird found in Dunedin;” and by the hon. secretary, “A Report on the N. Z. Whale Fisheries.’ “ Of these papers, several are published in the current vol. of the Transactions, together with three others read at too late a neriod of the year to admit of their publication in last year’s volume. Mr A. Bathgati “ On the Lepidoptera of Otago ; Mr L. 0. Beal “On the Disp sition of Alluvial Dc posits on the Otago Goldfields;” MrPetei Thomson “On the Sand IMines iu the neiyh borhood of Dunedin ; Mr J. ol ‘ the Natural History Collection m the Otago Museum;” Mr Brent “ On Modern Method.Of Geometry.” The publication of Mr J. I Thomson’s interesting paper “ On tbe \\ hence { of the Maori,” is but postponed. It was received ill Wellington' rather too late for ik appearance iu this year’s vol., accompanied as it was by several illustrations requir.ng to be lithograpl c l . The last paper read be ton the Institute by Mr Deter Thomson, contained an excellent suggestion—the formation of a Naturalist’s Field Club amongst us It is well to draw your notice again to the subject at this meeting, so that steps may hi taken to organise such a society lin ing the present winter, and prepare for its work duriii" the approaching summer. It is per haps needless to say that large and a,most unexplored tit Ids for research in the vaiious departments of physical science lie c.ose to us Some of these are especially suitable foi the out-dqor naturalist, and would repay his Jealous labor amongst them with a rich harvest, . . . . , , , “ The first important instalment of our library arrived safely from Home a few days a „ 0 and consists of the following standard works, “Dana’s Mineralogy, Owen’s Anat. and Phys. of the Yertebrata and Invertebrata, and also his Paleontology ; Dieffeubach’s N Z Streslecki’s N.S. W., Bcutham s Ilora Australieusis Sir H. 11. James Instructions for taking Meteorological Observations ; and lastly we have been fortunate enough to procure a perfect copy of that now extremely rare work, Cuvier’s Animal Kingdom, in xvi vols, with coloured plates, A sum oi LSO has been transferred to the library fund for further purchase of books, It is still to he regretted that the Institute docs not possess its own habitation. A suggestion Was made on the subject at tbe lust meeting of the Council, which it is hoped may put an end to tbe diffloulty. As it i?, the want of proper accommodation is increasingly felt. The Council has to express its thanks toW. H. Reynolds, Esq., the late Speaker of the Provincial Council, and to H. S. Fish, Esq., the Mayor of Dunedin, for the use of the chambers under their respective control. This has at all times been most politely and willingly accorded. A difficulty has always arisen in the present inode of election of members much valuable time being wasted. The Council would suggest that the election of members be made by itself as the managing body of the institute, such election being announced at the general meeting of the Institute, and subject to its veto. The than-s of this meeting are especially due to J. L. Gillies, Esq , the present Speaker, for permission \o use the Library on this occasion, as the Council is n6w sitting, and the permission must have ppen granted at some inconvenience to the Hutton, of tho Geological Staff, Wellington, was introduced, and made some very interesting remarks upon the collection of specimens in the Duuetiiu Museum. He particularly commented upon the fact that some very rare birds were to be found in the collection. He mentioned several species of procelUiria (petrels), the skew duck, or sea hen, a largo penguin, and the

black waika. He also pointed out that four specimens were wrongly named. Professor Sale, Messrs W. J, Douglass, W. H. Tewsley. George Miller, and F. A. Oswin, were admitted members of the Society. On the motion of Mr Brent, it was resolved that, in future, any person desiring to be a member of the Society may be elected by the Council on being proposed by two members and paying the annual subscription. His Honor Judge Chapman was elected President of the Society ; Dr Hocksn and Mr 11. Gillies, Vice-Presidents ; Mr Brent, Honorary Secretary; and Mr J. S. Webb, Treasurer, for the ensuing year. Mr J. S. Webb moved a vote of thanks to the Speaker and Provincial Council for carrying out the arrangement of providing a pi,ace of meeting for the Institute, notwithstanding the protraction of the session. This was seconded by Mr R. Gillies, and earned by acclamation. Mr Hawthorne moved a vote of thanks 'o Captain Hutton for the very interesting address with which he h.ad favored the Institute. Although not a naturalist himself, it was pleasant to learn, on such rel able authority, that the Dunedin Museum contained so valuable a collection, and he trusted it would be considerably augmented in tbe direction suggested. Mr. Hardy seconded the motion.

Mr. R. Gillies expressed a hope that whenever an officer of the Colonial Museum visited Dunedin notice might be given of it to the Institute .as a meeting might be ari anged at which valuable information might be obtained. He held in his hand a bone taken by him elf out of the tertiary lime--tone in the Oamaru district, in which Captain Hutton bad stated that no organic remains, excepting of fishes, had been found. On seeing it he iiuiru diately pronounced it to be a portion of the bone of some mammal, probably a whale. Captain Hutton briefly returned thanks and said that the officers of the Colonial Museum were anxious to attend meetings of a scientific character throughout New Zealand. Air. R. Gillies drew attention to the Frost Fish which had hitherto been supposed only to be secured when thrown upon the beach in frosty weather, but which had latterly been secured by the men at work on rlie breakwater at Oamaru, through becoming entangled in the sea weed. Mr. Deter Thomson said the specimen in the Museum was caught in tho middle of summer, in the month of January. Messrs. Hawthorne, J. T. Thomson, Peter Thompson, M'Kellar, E. B. Cargill, Blair, C. E., ami Professor Sale were elected Councillors for the ensuing year.