REVIEW.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XIX, Issue 6422, 17 June 1882, Page 6

REVIEW.

TRANSACTIONS OF THE NEW ZEALAND INSTITUTE, Vol. XIV.

The fourteenth volume of our annual record of scientific work is now in course of issue to the members of the various societies affiliated with the New Zealand Institute, and we are glad to say to say that it exhibits a decidcd improvement on the volume for ISSO. It not only contains a larger amount of valuable matter, but there is a smaller number of trivial papers. The governors have exercised a sound discretion in rejecting several papers of the clas3 that so greatly disfigured the preceding volume. There can be no question that the present volume exhibits a larger amount of good, although not obtrusive, work, performed by members of the different societies during the past year, while it contains but little that is at all likely to lower the importance of the volume in the estimation of scientific men in Europe and America.

The total number of papers is seventyeight, as against sixty-two in last year's volume. Of these thirteen were road before the Auckland Institute. In addition, short abstracts of two or three other papers are printed in the "proceedings." At present we can do little more than mention the titles of the more interesting papers in the volumes before us.

Tfic first paper, " Historical Incidents and Traditions of the Olden Times," pertaining to the Maoris of the North Island, &e., by W. Colenso, is unquestionably a contribution of great value to the history of the Maoris. It is, however, most unfortunate that the author is so needlessly lengthy in his style. The full title of the paper alone occupies six lines. The same fault of tediousness pervades Mr. Colenso's second paper, on the l.egends, &c., concerning the Kumara, being the fourth part of his contributions, towards a better knowledge ot the Maori race. Another paper on the "Fine Perception of Colours by the Ancient Maoris," shows conclusively, that contrary to the opinion advanced by Mr. Stack, the Maoris have a very keen sense of colour, extending even to the various shades of each colour. This is the most interesting of Mr. Colenso'3 papers in the present volume. [See also an addendum to this paper at p. 447.) Mr. \V. T. L. Travels gives an account of the great floods which took place in the northern part of the South Island, in Feb ruary, 1868, and states the result of observations made by himself in the flooded districts, from which he draws the startling conclusion that " not only were they the greatest which had occurred for a very long period of time, but that that period might properly be reckoned by thousands of years." The paper is one of great interest, aud will repay careful perusal, although the author's conclusions may be fairly disputed. Another paper by the same author "On the Reclamation of Sand Dunes" is of little value. It does not state a single new fact connected with the subject, nor offers a new idea, while the lists of plants recommended for the purpose are greatly inferior to those which have appeared in previous volumes. "On the Taieri River—Floods and their Prevention," by W. Arthur. The author proposes to prevent further damage from floods by impounding the stonnwaters in a series of reservoirs situated on various parts of the Taieri basin. Professor Von Haast gives an account of the Korotangi, a curious carved stone bird, believed iiy the Maoris to have been brought to New Zealand in one of the original canoes from Hawaiki.

Dr. Bakcwell has an interesting paper on "The Production of Inflammatory Action in Dead Animal Bodies," iu which lie recapitulates a series of experiments tending to show that " molecular life exists with a vigour and for a length of time hitherto unsuspected" after respiration has entirely ceased.

" On the conversion and civilisation of the Maoris in the Kouth of New Zealand," by the Rev. J. F. H. Wohler3. This is au extremely interesting paper, although of a kind not often seen in the "Transactions" of scientific societies. It affords a graphic picture of the life of self-denial which the early missionaries were called upon to practise, and a marked contrast to the life of the ordinary minister of religion in our towns and cities ; at the same time it presents the natives in a somewhat different light to that in which they are seen by most of us. After thirty-seven years of missionary life, the writer states : " I can positively say that tile coming of the Europeans has nothing to do with the dying out of the Maoris. They would have died out, only faster, if none of the stronger race had ever come to New Zealand." Dr. Newman's paper on "The Causes Leading to the Extinction of the Maori," is another paper of great interest. The concluding paragraph affords a singular parallel to the quotation we have made from Mr. Wohlcrs' paper. " I hope," writes Dr. Newman, "I have made it clear that the Maoris were a disappearing race before we came here." The author adds:—"Only one imported vice, viz., alcoholism, has iu the least helped to hasten the disappearance of the race."

Leaving the miscellaneous sections, wo pass to the zoological papers. Professor Hutton has six short papers on malacological subjects; one on a specie 3 of Potamopy rgus, fresh water shells, formerly referred to Uyd rob: n ; one a new genus of shells, Dardania, allied to Rissoa, the others chit fly on the structure of various species. W. Colenso describes two new molluscs, and Mr. Justice Gillies gives a valuable list of corrections and additions to Professor Mutton's catalogue of New Zealand Mollusca. T. F. Cheeseman describes a new species of Doris. T. \V. Kirk describes a new genus of molluscs, Huttonia, and records the occurrence of several species not hitherto observed in the colony. Amongst these we are surprised to notice the European Neritina fluviatilis, amongst ilcbri? brought down by the Waikanae River, a species most unlikely to occur in New Zealand. The same author also describes a new g»nus, and three new specie 3of cuttle-fish. The new genus is termed Steeiispupia, and appears to consist of a single species, so far as known, S. Stookii, an animal over eleven feet in length, and seven feet three inches in circumference, with an internal shell or " pen" six feet three inches long. Another new species, Arcliiteuthis Verrilli, is represented with a pair of arms twenty-five feet long, and four pair of sessile arms nine feet to ten feet long, aud from sixteen to twenty-ouo inches iu circumference, each armed with from sixtylive to seventy suckers, alternating iu double rows. We are inclined to think that bathing "somewhere in Cook Strait" must be at° tended with considerable risk when performed in company with these gigantic Cephalopoda. G. Chilton gives an account of several new subterranean crustacea obtained from a pump at Eyreton, nearChristchurch. Eyeless crustacea have lonjx been known iu various parts of the world, but have uot hitherto been observed in New Zealand. New crustacea are also described by G. M. Thomp-

W. Arbhur gives us a History of Fish Culture in New Zealand, which will well repay perusal. W\ M. Maskell continues his researches amongst the scale insects, or Coc cida.% and describes several new specie 3. W. Colenso describes several new species of Coleoptera.

J. Buchanan writes on Pseudo-scab and Lung-worm in sheep, and appends interesting extracts from the reports of Sheep Inspectors oil these animals.

1 rom a short paper on " The Birds of the Chicken Islands," by A. Reischek, we learn that the tuatara lives on sociable terms with at least three species of sea birds—two of them large petrels. The bird and the lizard are found inhabiting the same burrow, but with separate nests, so that they do not interfere with each other, one of the most remarkable instances of incongruous social relations thnt we have met with. The occurrence of the Eastern Golden Plover and the Australian Holler in the Auckland district is recorded by T. F. Checseinan. Dr. Buller gives some additional notes on the Notornis Mantelli, drawn from a specimen captured two years ago on the eastern shore of T? Anau, but the paper of the volume is unquestionably that by Professor Park on the skeleton of this bird. The author points out the chief features of resemblance between the breri-pinnate rails Notornis, Tiibonyx (of Tasmania), Porphvrio, Ocydromus, and the extinct Aptornis, and shows that the loss of the power of flight is accompanied by certain structural peculiarities, "which he indicates at length, and proves the correctness of Gould's conclusions is intermediate between Porphvrio and Notornis, approaching more closely to the latter. The four ralline genera named are looked upon ns degenerate forms, while Porphyrio is considered * * the nearest living representative of the typical ralline ancestor of Notornis," and Tribonyx " the nearest living representative of an important intermediate stage in the process of degeneration. Aptornis, the largest oi rails, "is a futthei development by degeneration of an Ocy- j dromiuetype.' 1 In his concluding remarks, the I author arrives atthe importantconclusionthat theßatita, instead of forming the actual ceu- I

necting link between reptiles birds are highly specialised degenera^ l * scendants of carinate birds. He i n ; i- dc " to look upon the typical Odontornith ' Arclircopteryx as arising from OrniM, dan reptiles of comparatively"!, gigantic Dinoaauria beinc a special a ment of the sam 0 typf. paper must bo looked upon as one of tW " important- contributions to comparativ tomy that has appeared in Ken- Zealand Passing on to botany, we find a 1* number of papers, many of which ,1 ge great value. The first is on the FresW° f Alga.- of New Zealand, by Dr. Spencer wluoh the author enumerates the species tW have come under his and a scrihes several which he considers new science. A valuable paper by T. F Ch« man is modestly entitled Flora of the Nelson provincialdistrict Iti * of the moat important local lists that tin. SCne been published, and like all Mr. topographical papers, is characterised by crp t accuracy, although one could wish that s description of the physical features of°t£ 8 district had been given. The same authn gives descriptions of certain new and rerphfi added species. W. Colenso gives ve £ lengthy descriptions of several pui? claimed to bo new tc science, but the d tinctive character for the most part -irmJ S " to be so slight that their general by botanists may be considered doubtful J. Buchanan has a paper on the Alpine Mora of New Zealand, in which he pL, drawings of several species discovered h himself and Dr. Hector on the Mouirt Aspiring range in 1803-4, and descriptions or several new species. New Diatoms are des ciibed by J. Inglis, and new Carices by ft Petrie. The occurrence of the Australian Epacris Mycrophylla in the Auckland diT trict is recorded by A. T. Urqutiart •" paper on the New Zealand olives i.y T shows that they attain larger dimensions in the southern part of this island than els* where. Mr. Kirk gives measurements of several specimens of Olea Cuiininshamii. amongst which we find one 70 feet hiph with a trunk 20 feet 7 inches in circumffr' ence at 5 feet from the base. Another 60 feet high. One specimen was estimated to contain 500 cubic feet of timber. Thesama author gives descriptions of Priodia and Atropis, two genera of grasses rocently added to the flora ; also a revision of the New Zealand Lepitlia, with descriptions of fournewspeeies. with other papers 011 recent additions to the New Zealand Flora, and on the plants of Campbell Island. J. A. Pond has a paper on the susar values of beets grown in NewZealand, which has already appeared in onr columns, and Mr. Justice" Gillies gives the results of an experiment on the growth of sor^huin.

The papers on chemical subjects are as usual, few in number. . Professor Bicberton writes on Kefrigeration, and offers various suggestions regarding its applications to the preservation ol butter and cheesc during the time occupied in transit to Europe. W Skey, Colonial Analyst, has a paper on tha so-called paraffin depositat Waiapu, in which he draws attention to the discrepancy in the results of the analytical examination made bj Mr. Dixon of Sydney, Mr. Cosmo Newborn of Melbourne, and himself. The deposit hi been termed " mineral grease" by Dr. Hector and contains, according to Mr. Dixon, 30 per cent, of paraffin, but according to Mr. Skey only 9"3 percent. Mr. Newberry's estimate is G3 per cent. About one-half of the deposit consists of a combustible mineral belonging to the class of oxvginated hydro-carbori3, and is supposed to be formed out of- some of the constituents of petroleum by oxydation and absorption of water. Its precise nature, however, is unknown, and it "has been all along mistaken both by professional analysts and those interested iu the article, for paraffin."

Another paper by the same author, on the poisouous principle of BrachyglottU, the pukapuka of the Maoris, is of considerable interest to colonists. A mixture of essential oil and rosin excuding from the twigs wa3 heated with acidified alcohol, when a rich deep blue liquid was obtained, and the same effect was absorbed on testing the leaves or yonng shoots, and in a feeble degree even the ola wood. The great majority of plants treated in this way afford not a blue, but a red coloured substance. It is not unlikely that the colouring matter obtained from Brathjglottis may prove useful as a dye.

A paper by Mr. J. A. Pond, on the Percentage of Citric Acid obtained from Limes grown in Auckland and Tahiti, is of considerable local interest, but ha 3 already appeared in our columns.

The geological papers are also few in number, and, with one exception,'of no'great importance. Mr. Stuart lias a paper ob the Formation of Lake Wakatipu, in which'he attempts to prove that the basin of the' lake lias been formed by subsidence of the extreme southern portion of the island, as from a. hinge, at a time when the Alpine range "stood at a much higher elevation than at present, at least 5,000 feet, more likely 10,000 feet, " and the present bed of the lake was occupied by a glacier. The author, however, makes no attempt to explain the want of evidence for this tremendous dislocation. As a matter of fact, the older tertiary beds of Otago exhibit r.o trace of the disturbance which must have taken place on Mr. Stuart's theory, and still occupy the horizontal position in which they were deposited. There can be but little doubt that the basin of Lake Wakatipu was excavated by glacier action. T. \V. Kirk describes certain recent additions to our Tertiaiy Fossils. W. McKay writes on a Deposit of Moa Bones near Motanau. Professor Von Haast has a short paper on the Thermal Springs of Hanmer Plains, in which he states that while bathing he was occasionally bitten by a small water beetle (Col'jmbda ntfuThe water of the different springs varies in temperature from 70" to 120* Falir., so that the insect possesses great power ofadapfci veness with regard to temperature. The most important paper in the section is one by S. Herbert Cox, Assistant Geologist, entitled Notes on the Mineralogy of New Zealand.' The present refer exclusively to the metallic minerals, and form an excellent account, of tha various forms of the different species at present observed in New Zealand. Amongst the localities recorded for cinnabar we observe no mention of the Thames gohl-fifild, where it has been found more than onee or twice, notably iu the Hape Creek, although in very small quantities. W. D. Campbell has a paper on Crystalline Rocks, which affords » summary of what is known on the subject; but is scarcely of sufficient interest to be included to the volume, although of considerable value in itself. A description of a remarkable Pseudomorph of Gold by the same author is of considerable interest.

The present volume of Transactions is ra all respects a great improvement oa its immediate predecessor, and will tend to maintain the high reputation which has beea established by scientific workers in Zealand.

It is with, the greatest pleasure we observe the names of new workers, and the evidence of widened interest in the scientific work 01 the colony so clearly shown by tins accession of new members, although to a suw»®r extent than in former years. The total number of sn' scribing members is 1262. Ouj local Institute has the largest number, 30-, and shows the largest increase. The \VelliDgjjOQ Philosophical Institute comes next with members, while the youngest of the affiliated societies, Unit of Southland, numbers 65.

The grant of £500 made by the Government in aid of the cost of printing the Trans* actions is thus supplemented by subscriptions to the amount of nearly Is it not quite time that this liberality on the part of private individuals, towards objects which have contributed so largely to the welfare of the colony, should DO acknowledged by our rulers in a less nigg ar j"7 fashion? It seems to us that the least tiia* can justly be done is to supplement private subscriptions to the extent allowed for subscriptions in aid of Benevolent Societies, and until lately, Public Libraries* £ for £, ; since' in addition to the subscnp* tioxis paid by members, all contributors totn® Transactions give their services gratuitously* We should be glad to see the attention o our representatives forcibly drawn to tn subject. The volume is excellently g°t I }P- Th® plates bv Mr. Buchanan aro beautifully clearj ami the whole reflects the greatest credi the manager of the New Zealaud lustitu e, Dr. Hector, and the assistant editor, ii • Bothamlev.