AUCKLAND INSTITUTE.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XXVII, Issue 8326, 5 August 1890, Page 6

AUCKLAND INSTITUTE.

Tin: monthly meeting of tho Auckland Institute was held last evening, Mr. James Stewart, president, occupying the chair. There was rather a thin attendance owing to attractions in other places.

New Members. — The following list of new members was submitted :—Messrs. W. Davics, Whakatane ; P. L. Dignan, Auckland ; A. Smith, Auckland.

Donations.—The following donations to the Library and Museum were received :— "Journal of the Royal Society of New South Wales, vol. 23," tho Society ; " Prodromus of the Zoology of Victoria, decade 20," tho chief Secretary, Victoria; Live Kiwi, J. Phillips ; skin of morepork, A. Black ; silver ores from l'uhipuhi, D. C. Wilson, county engineer, hangarei ; crystallised quartz from Coromandel, B. Collins ; Polynesian curiosities, Mrs. Claxton, per Sir W. Fox. Microscopical Structure of Oiiinemuri Gold.—The secretary, Mr. T. P. Cheeseman, read a paper by Dr. Hauesler on the microscopical features of gold at Ohinemuri, the result of his own investigations and experiments. The Kingfisher.—"Notes on the Kingfisher " (Halcyon mni-lux), was the name of the next paper, contributed by Mr. J. W. Hall. It gave details of the habits of this interesting bird. Takaue, or Kakapo.—Mr. James Parks, F.G.S., lecturer at the Thames School of Mines, contributed a paper on this subject, which was read by Mr. Cheeseman, and he gave his experience of the habits of those birds.

The Birds of the Kermadeo Islands. — paper bearing this title was read by Mr. Chceseman. Ho stated that at tho close of a paper printed in vol. '20 of tho Transactions of the Mew Zealand Institute lie had given a list of the birds observed daring a visit made to the group in 1887. Since then, Mr. Bell, the well-known resident on Sunday Island, had forwarded many specimens, and much additional information. Captain Fairchild had also brought numerous specimens on the occasion of his annual visits "in the Hinemoa. His previous catalogue only contained the names of 22 species, but lie was now enabled to add 16 more, making a total of 38. The ornithology of tho Kermadec Islands had several noticeable features. The first, and perhaps the most remarkable, was the fact that the islands had no species con-' fined to it. So far as was at present known, all its birds are found in other countries as well. Tho land-birds, without exception, are natives of Now Zealand, and the sea-birds aro either found in our waters, or are common on tho coasts of Australia and Polynesia, Norfolk Island, and Lord Howe's Islands, which are of the same size, have the same physical features and climate, and are situated nearly in tho same latitude, each have peculiar birds found nowhere else, and it is surprising that none exist on the Kermadec Islands. Another peculiarity was tho paucity of resident species, or birds living permanently on the islands ; and the great number of sea-birds —terns, petrels, etc., which make yearly visits for breeding purposes. Out of the 38 species mentioned in the catalogue, not more than 12 or 15 are permanent residents. Tho remainder make their appearance in the spring, many of them in enormous numbers, make use of. the islands as a nestingplace, and disappear in the autumn so soon as their young have attained sullieiont age. Mr. Cheeseman then made some remarks on each species known to inhabit the islands, giving particulars of their breeding habits' and exhibiting specimens of the birds and their eggs. The Age of Pulp.—This was a paper contributed by the Rev. P. Walsh, a speculation on the wood fibre industry. It was an ideal of the substitution of pulp for steel, wood, and other materials. The discussion on ic was postponed. The meeting then adjourned.