THE HAWKE'S BAY PHILOSOPHICAL INSTITUTE.

Daily Telegraph (Napier), Issue 3108, 14 June 1881, Page 3

THE HAWKE'S BAY PHILOSOPHICAL INSTITUTE.

This flourishing little society held their ordinary monthly meeting last night; there was a fair attendance of members, and several additional lady visitors, whom we were right glad to see there.—Mr Bold, V.P., occupied the chair. A letter was read from the President, the Bishop of Waiapu, apologising for his absence, which was wholly unintentional. The hon. secietary read another interesting paper on tbe Historical Traditions of the East Coast, in which were contained several spells and charms, some of which were made, or uttered, under peculiar circumstances, and were all very quaint and original. Mr Colenso, as he read his paper, gave many explanations of the peculiar old Maori beliefs arjd customs ; some of which were very amusing, and all of a very ancient date, drawings, &c, of the New Zealanders, from Parkinson's Journal (Sir Joseph Bank's draughtsman), were also shown to illustrate his paper. Dr. Spencer proposed and Mr Weber seconded a cordial vote of thanks to Mr Oolenso. The few Moa bones (or, rather, portions of a single bone —a femur) lately obtained in excavating at the rear of St. Paul's Cburch in this town were shown. And a large lot of fossils of the Coral and Bryozoa orders, collected by Mr John Stewart of Takapau in that neighborhood, and by Mr Colenso at Waipawa, were also exhibited ; these were very interesting being; wholly new, and occupied some considerable time in their examination. The hon. secretary gave several explanatory descriptions, both Palaeontological and Geological, concerning them. ■ Votes of thanks were also given to both

Mr Stewart and to Mr Colenso for these specimens. Mr Hamilton, of Petane, who was present, also exhibited some very fine specimens of an elegant fern (Asplenium? Trichomanes) which he had lately obtained near Petane ; this species, being rather a rare fern in tbe N. Island, gave great satisfaction. A copy of the XIII. vol. of the Transactions N. Z. Institute," just issued, was also laid on tbe table. We notice that of this book, which contains over 500 pages, more than one-fifth of its pages were contributed by the H. Bay Society. The hon. secretary informed the meeting, that copies of this volume, just received, had been sent by him to all members who had paid their annual subscription. This volume, containing several plates, has been issued early this year. We vv'cre pleased to see a favorable review of it in tho Wellington papers of last week. Three new members were elected,— the Rev. W. Goodyear of Te Wairoa, Mr Bowerraan of Napier, and Mr Rainbow of Tomoana near Hastings. These should make the society tot up to nearly 90 members. The meeting did not close till past 10 o'clock.