AUCKLAND INSTITUTE.

Auckland Star, Volume XVII, Issue 246, 19 October 1886, Page 2

AUCKLAND INSTITUTE.

A.MERTI.VO of the iucklanl Institute took p!ace lastovecing at the Muicutn, when Professor Brown provided, Mr Checsctnan opened Iho procoo-'iogs byreadiog ulist of prcsentitlocs to tho Museum, which wero as follows :- Giai_t Petrol, J. Harding; kiwi. K. Waste?; collection of geysoritos t rom Rotornn, K. B. Ilick'on ; reck crystal from Ktnmare, Ireland,'J. l-'onsidine; photographs of inscribed stones from Easter ißland; sllnarand Btoue from Rarotonga, S B. Bits : Maori storo adzes, A. Wilson.

Mr Cheeseman thon read a paper by Mr Woetmnn, of thoSurveyDepartm-nr, on the discovery of ir.oa romfins on the Great Barrier. This gentleman was informed; by a Mr A. Mtrtia of moa bones hetng round some time since, noar the mouth of tho principal stream in tho nland, tho Dwana. Mr Weetman cauied a search to bo made, and discovered tho tibia. metitareuH, anil femur boncp. and part of a rib of ono of thoso bir-ia. These bones were in company with thoso of seals, and being discovered in a sandy, flat placo. noar to un Biiciont pa, tho writer oxDre.-ted his opinion that thoy formed the remains of a b.-gone fo,st. Those romains constituted tho iiret recorded find of moa b nss on tho island.

Mr Chenseman next read a paper describing the New Zealand species of coiiro-mo known to the natives by tho naino of knramii. At the closo of the paper, the lecturer handed round a collection of dried specimen?, illuH-ating >he clv sot plants Bpoken of, collected by himself.

i'rofoi-sor Thomas then reua a very Interesting paper by Mr Kohrhok on tho'-Bell Jiird. the Piodicl, and iho Bush Robin," and spoko feelingly of the r.ipid extermination of New Zealand birds going on.

Judge Kenton suggested that lUiiturii (tho I.ittlo Hai fieri should ho oiir'-.'ni-.cd h, the 15.)----vennioiit,—it would cost, about £,'i,ollfl,- in an endowment for the Institute Birds and animali now dying out eiould also bo preserved then-on. Several menitui-.-i espresatd their oeiivon that rattier tha.i tho Aocliiiiatisition Society should be "Howel ti hiv pnythiug to do witn 'Us is'.ucd it would bo bettor to leiva It alr.nrt nlug ther; that Society being, as Prof ssor Hioivn put It. a ' Sporling Social}-." Mr L. J. Bagnall thoo rend a paper on kahi kntoa as a bu lriirg tinih-r, and illustrated his Rood opinion of us durability with snndiy sneclmons of timhor which had been exposed to weathor tor lone periods of timo. Dr. Murray Moore Bhoweel a spicimen ot worm-eaten knhitaten. Tha discusti -n on thii paper wag, on the motion ot Mr Bartley, postponed till tho next meotiDg.