WELLINGTON PHILOSOPHICAL SOCIETY.

New Zealand Times, Volume XXXI, Issue 4791, 31 July 1876, Page 2

WELLINGTON PHILOSOPHICAL SOCIETY.

The first meeting of the above society for the present season was held in the new lecture room at the Colonial Museum on Saturday evening last, the President, Dr. Buller, C.M.G-., in the chair. There was a fair attendance of members, and on the table were exhibited several interestingobjects of natural history. After the Secretary had read the minutes of last meeting and announced the election of Captain Campbell-'Walker and Mr. H. M. Brewer as members of the society, the President read a paper by Mr. J. C. Crawford, EM., who was unable to attend, “On the Probable Origin of Minerals in Eocks, especially Gold and Silver.” The paper was a theoretical one, and the Hon. Mr. Mantell suggested that any discussion upon it should be postponed till Mr. Crawford could be present to take part in it. The hon. gentleman said he had listened carefully to it, and could only say that it left on his mind the impression of a pleasant dream. The next paper was a “ Description of the New Zealand Court in the Philadelphia Exhibition,” by Dr. Hector, F.E.S.. The Hon. Mr. Mantell, by whom it was read, stated that this was merely a precursor of a more complete account which the special commissioner was preparing for the New Zealand Government. [The paper, which is of special interest, is printed in another column as a separate article.] Mr. Mantell then read numerous extracts from private letters receivedfrom Dr. Hector, showing that he was working hard in the interests of the colony, and that the New Zealand Court was looked upon as the most successful iu the colonial group. The meeting was much amused at Dr. Hector’s undisguised' distress at the expected advent of a liveMaori, for whom there was no accommodation provided in the Exhibition buildings, and at the alarm produced by Mr. Mantell’s telegram, “ Eima Eau awaits your orders at San Francisco.” The hon. gentleman had taken the precaution of announcing, in Maori, a remittance of ifioOO. Dr. Hector telegraphed back in great consternation that Eima Kau would get no lodgings. Mr. Mantell gave the meeting a circumstantial account of the steps he had taken to give effect to the wishes of the commissioners, which he was glad to say had ended in failure, only two “ seedy ” representatives of the race having responded to his call, both of whom had bolted from their wives. (A laugh.) One of them was suffering from heart disease ; the other, who had apparently learnt the art of “ doing good by stealth,” had helped himself to a pair of boots at a country store before leaving Foxton. (A laugh.) He felt very thankful, therefore, that he had been able to send these men back to their disconsolate wives. (Laughter and applause.) Dr. Buller read a paper “Onthe occurrence of the Eoyal Spoonbill (Platalea regia) in New Zealand.”, A noble specimen of this bird, received by the author from Charles Hulke, Esq., of Foxton, was exhibited. In the notes which accompanied the bird, Mr. Hulke states that it was shot iu April last, near the mouth of the Manawatu river, where it was consorting with three paradise ducks, and that on measuring the specimen before skinning it, he found that it spanned 4ft. 2Jin. from tip to tip of wings, and 3ft. Oin. from the end of the large spoon-shaped bill to the extremities of the

tarsi. Dr. Buller stated that this species is tolerably common on the eastern and northern coast of Australia, and that the example obtained at Manawatu was a mere straggler to our shores. This is the first authentic record, however, of its occurrence in New Zealand, and we may congratulate ourselves on so conspicuous an addition to our avifauna. _ f) Mr. Kirk read “ Notes on Panaxlineare. The author referred more particularly to the . changes which this plant undergoes before it reaches maturity, ns elucidated by a large series of specimens collected by himself and Mr. J. D. Enys, in the Waimakariri district, in Canterbury. The next paper was one “ On the Durability of Matai Timber,” by J. Buchanan, F.L.S. This paper was an interesting one, and excited some discussion. Mr. Kirk was of opinion that the author 1 hid committed an error as to age of the p-frb'u’ular specimen described in his paper, as v u.id long since come to the conclusion that '■'•ui the case°of New Zealand trees more than one ring is formed annually. The Hon. G. Randal Johnson said that he had, during a long residence in the colony, made observations on the durability of the matai as fencing timber, and he had found a considerable amount of difference in this respect in different specimens. He was inclined, on this ground, to believe that there was more than -; 10 species of matai in New Zealand; and he gave illustrations of his argument. Mr. Kirk said there was only one species of matai known to botanists, but that, as Mr. ■Johnson had himself suggested, the differences referred to might be due to sexual characters. Dr. Buller was of opinion that the dura’ bility of the timber would depend in a great measure on the season of the year in which the tree was cut down. Mr. Buchanan replied generally, and defended his views as to the age of the particular specimen described. • The next paper was a lengthy one by Dr. Buller, entitled “ Notes on the Tuatara Lizard of New Zealand (Sphenodon punctatum), -with theDescriptionof aSupposedNewSpecies.” In this treatise the author gave a full history and description of the Tuatara, which differs in some important structural characters from all other known vaurians, and in its osteology is the most bird-like of all existing lizards. He referred in terms of eulogium to Dr. Gunther’s exhaustive memoir on the anatomy of this singular form, pointing out the characters which, in the opinion of that distinguished naturalist, entitles the Tuatara to rank per se as a distinct order of reptilia, equal in systematic rank to the ophidians and the crocodilians. The paper further embodied numerous interesting notes by Captain Mair on the natural history of this remarkable reptile, as observed by himself on Karewa Island, in the Bay of Plenty. Prom a scientific point of view, however, the most important part of the paper was that relating to the discovery of a new species, which Dr. Buller proposes to name Sphenodon Giintheri, in compliment to the greatest of living herpetologists. The author pointed out in detail the characters which distinguish the two allied forms inhabiting Karewa Island and The Brothers, expressing a fear, however, that he may have been anticipated by some naturalist at Home, Sir Julius Yogel having recently sent to England a number of specimens from the last named locality. Live specimens of the two forms were handed round for the inspection of members. That from Karewa Island was of a dull olivaceous brown, approaching to black ; the other -was of a dull olive green, irregularly spotted, and marked all over the body with pale yellow. A very beautiful photograph of a pair of these lizards, by Bartlett, of Auckland, was also handed round. So perfect was this picture that even the expression of the eyes was discernible. The Hon. Mr. Mantell stated that in the Colonial Museum there were some specimens of the egg of this singular reptilian form. Dr. Newman made some very pertinent observations on the anatomy of the Spenodon, and gave his views on the remarkable manner in which the tail is reproduced in this as in many other lizards when accidentally broken off. Dr. Buller expressed a hope that Dr. Newman would dissect one of the Museum specimens, and give the society the benefit of his special knowledge in this branch of science. Mr. Mantell said that while it was very well known that lizards lost their tails, it would be interesting to members to know that according to the old whalers (whom he always believed) they also had the faculty of fitting them on again at a moment’s notice, and he referred the meeting to some amusing notes on this subject, by Dr. Hector, in one of the past volumes of “ Transactions.” Dr. Buller in reply to a question from Dr. Newman, stated that among the Polynesian nations the superstitious dread of lizards was universal. The Hon. Mr. Mantell read a paper by J. Buchanan, P.L.S., “On the Hoot of the Marattia,” or bulbous fem of New Zealand, which led to some discussion, the paper being illustrated by carefully executed pencil sketches, the work of the author. Among the objects handed round for the inspection of members was a beautiful photograph of Dinomis elephantopus, in the Dunedin Museum, forwarded by Captain Hutton ; and a map illustrating the recent earthquake shock.