AUCKLAND INSTITUTE AND MUSEUM.—CONVERSAZIONE.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XVIII, Issue 6098, 3 June 1881, Page 5

AUCKLAND INSTITUTE AND MUSEUM.—CONVERSAZIONE.

The second annual conversazione, in aid of the fund for "monnting and setting xvp" the specimens in the various departments, was held last night in the Institute Building. It was a great success. We have already noticed, from a general point of view, the prominent features of the entertainment. It is strictly what the designation imports—a couversazione. The objects for exhibition seem to stimulate curiosity. The groups of foreign birds and animals recently stuffed for the museum by Mr. A. Reischek occupied the centre position in the building. They were surrounded with long rows of North American and New Zealand bird-skins, which are really the things that money is wanted for, so that they may appear as they ought to appear. A large specimen of the blue shark, anil the " hammer-headed" shark occupies a position in front. In the department of physical science, there was a large exhibition of scientific apparatus, Mr. J. A. Pond, Mr. J. Martin, and Mr. Percy Smallfield explaining the uses of the different beautiful models which wore arranged along the tables of the council room. The mechanical department of the exhibition was especially attractive. Mr. Herbert's iron turning lathe was in work; a wood turning lathe belonging to the same gentleman was " turning out " candlesticks of excellent shape, but Mr. G. Boyd's "throwing lathe " seemed to create a very great amount of interest. The way in which a very unpromising and slippery piece of mud, something resembling a half-boiled lump of hasty pudding, was "thrown " into a variety of forms, caused a good deal of amusement as well as interest. It required but the movement of the hand to make the lump assume the shape of a cup, a plate, a saucer, a jug, a pickle jar, a water bottle, or any other potter's vessel. Mr. Leighton was there with his numbering and paging machine. Mr. Howden exhibited fret work machines, worked by nice young boys, who seemed delighted with their work. Mr. Ellis was busy with his elecrrie pen. His performances resulted in illustrations of fossiliferous geology, a Pickwickian looking gentleman in the centre causing a great deal of astonishment to the plesiosauri, the dinotherium, and the other sublime creatures that lived before the flood. The list of scientificapparatuscompriseda large collection of geodetical and trigonometrical survey instruments, heliograph magnesium lamps, spectroscopes, thermo-electric _pile gomometer, chemical balances, electric and galvanic batteries, induction coils, &c. Mr, T. Peacock was working at Remington's type-writing machine, lent by Mr. Justice Gillies. The telescopes, an equatorial belonging to Messrs. Porter and Co., the fine instruments belonging to Mr. C. H. Street, Mr. T. Cheeseman, and Mr. Stevenson were conspicuous objects. But the celestial visitant, the comet, did not appear. Not a star was visible. Indeed, the weather was overcast and stormy. There was not a star to bo seen. The microscopes in the library were special favourites. The objects shown were not only beautiful in themselves, but very interesting. For the bookish man there was a case of rare books, contributed by Sir George Grey. The principal of was the "Eneidos of Virgil," printed by Caxton. It is a marvel of typography, considering the date. It was printed in 1490. It was bought at auction, held by Messrs. Puttiek and Simpson, in 1574, for Sir George Grey, for £191. Then there was the " Golden Legend," printed by Wynkyn de Wode, also in the fifteenth century ; and a beautiful example of the "Missale ad Romanum," all pen and handwork, with rich illuminations. This rare book cost £SO. There was another rare book of heraldry, entitled "The Garden of Armouries," and an old copy of Phcedrus, printed in IGGO. The two last books belong to the library of the institute. There were very fine photographs of the statuary in the Museum building, taken and exhibited by Mr. Frith, photographer, of Waterloo Quadrant. There was a series of fine photographs of statuary and antiquities in the British Museum, London. On the walls of the Museum were fiue collectious of implements, cloths, aud clothing, and other ethnological specimens lent by Mr. Kohn, Mr. S. Coombes, andothers. The exhibition of African curiosities lent by Mr. McKelvie, was also very interesting. The conversazione concluded with a lecture, by Mr. Josiah Martin, upon " Parasites," the illustrations being thrown on a large screen by the oxy-hydrogen lantern. The minutest objects were magnified a thousand diameters, aud that little creature the common flea appeared considerably tailor and more formidable than the giraffe at the other cud of the hall. The lecturer illustrated to the life the old quatrain—

The little fleas, that do us tease, Have other fleas to bite their.; "While these, again, have other fleas, So on ad infinitum.

Lest this would be more instructive than entertaining—although it was both—Mr. Percy Smallfield gave a lecture upon "The Kuined Temples on the Nile." These photographs were very good. Mr. Sheath exhibited and explained with successful experiments, the electric fire-alarms about to be set up in this city by the City Council. In Major Mair's office the telephone was at work. It appeared, however, that the arrangements made for telephonic communication with Onehuuga were not Quito perfect, as they were made rather hurriedly. Connection was, however, made with the Telegraph Station in Auckland. Conversations were held and a song sung to the satisfaction of all who took part in them or heard them. Oil Saturday evening, however, everything will be in full working order. The electric light .vill be exhibited ; the water-power engines will be in full operation. The conversazione of last night was excellent in every way. Mr. T. F. Cheeseman was indefatigable in his expositions, assisted by Dr. Purchas and Mr. F. Bartley, whose family contributed a first-class string band, which performed musical selections during the evening.