Fifth Meeting. 2nd September, 1882.
W. T. L. Travers, F.L.S., President, in the chair.
1. "On the Decline of the Hawaiian Eace and the peculiar Forms of Disease prevalent among them," by Dr. Hutchinson.
Sixth Meeting. 30th September, 1882.
W. T. L. Travers, F.L.S., President, in the chair.
New Member.—G. V. Shannon.
Seventh Meeting. 21st October, 1882.
W. T. L. Travers, F.L.S., President, in the chair.
New Member.—T. Turnbull.
1. The society nominated for election an honorary member of the New Zealand Institute.
2. "Remarks upon the Distribution within the New Zealand Zoological Sub-region of the Birds of the Orders Accipitres, Paessres, Scansores, Columbæ, Gallinæ, Struthiones, and Grallle," by W. T. L. Travers. (Transactions, p. 178.)
This paper discussed the distribution of certain birds in relation to the question of the former connection of New Zealand with other islands of the Pacific.
Dr. Hector considered this a most important contribution to the statistical branch of natural history and that it would form a valuable supplement to Dr. Buller's recently published manual. He thought that the distribution of birds was very much controlled by the abundance of their favourite food at periods when they were not engrossed in the business of nesting.
3. "Remarks on some Bones lately discovered by Mr. H. T. Wharton in Oaves at Highfield, Canterbury," by Dr. Hector.
This was a description of a valuable collection of the bones of Aptornis and Dinornis found by Mr. Wharton and presented by that gentleman to the Museum. The point of interest was the association of these bones with those of the rat, kiwi, kaka and weka, suggesting that no great period had elapsed since the deposit took place.
The President stated that he had some years ago found bones in the Collingwood district under similar circumstances and had sent them to England, but unfortunately they had been lost.
4. "On a new Mineral belonging to the Serpentine Group," by S. H. Cox, F.C.S., F.G.S. (Transactions, p 409.)
5. "On the Non-metallic Minerals of New Zealand," by S. H. Cox. (Transactions, p. 361.)
This is a continuation of the paper read and published last year on the metallic minerals by the same author.
6. Dr. Hector exhibited some views of the comet and a diagram of its orbit, and by the aid of a model gave a most lucid and interesting explanation of the phases through which it has passed since the 7th September, when it was first observed. He mentioned, as a
