AUCKLAND INSTITUTE.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XXVII, Issue 8404, 4 November 1890, Page 5

AUCKLAND INSTITUTE.

The lash of the ordinary meetings of the present session of the Auckland Institute was held yesterday evening at the Museum, Princes-street. Mr. James Stewart, C.E., president of the Institute, occupied the chair, and there was a fair attendance. Donations to the Library and Museum. Official Record of Tasmania for 1890, the Chief Secretary Tasmania skin of weka, A. Smithson ; boltania sp., Captain Hopkins; New Zealand shells, R. Wright; Maori stone axe, P. Duncan ; wood enclosing kauri gum, Waitemata Sawmill Company ; silver coin, R. Black. Immortality in the Animal World,—

Professor Thomas read a paper on •' Immortality in the Animal World." He explained that his paper was a short: account of recent advances in biological theory on a subject which had been attracting a great deal of attention in England during the last few years. The immortality he wcr going to speak about was of a material kind, and was not absolute or spiritual. He pointed out that a large proportion of the lower orders of animals did not die of old age but by accident, and he briefly described the characteristics of death, adding that for every death there must be a corpse. A corpse was a proof of death. Among the lowest forms of life, namely, the protozoa, multiplication took place by fission or division into two parts. Professor Thomas pointed out on a diagrar.: the process in the case of the amoeba, one of the protozoa. In this case there was no death. There was no corpse. The original individual simply split up into two. The two started growing, and after a time again divided into four, and so on. This process went on for year after year and century after century, lb had been going on ever since life existed on the globe, and would continue till all life ceased. There was no death, except by actual destruction, by accident, and the amoeba was potentially immortal, and lived indefinitely. In the language of Punch : • Amoeba's young anil over fair, More fair ami young us fines go on ; Oh, deathless monad, free from care, Would that I were what you are, a protozoon.

Among the metnzoa, or higher animals, pome lived only a few days, while others lived for centuries. According to Professor Weismann, death came through the survival of the fittest to live. The longer animals lived, the more they became injured and damaged, and they became thus but little fitted for reproduction. It was an advantage, therefore, to the species for the individual to die after a certain time. The species in which the individuals died, consequently, had an advantage over allied species in which the individuals did nob die, and being the fittest survived. The reproductive cells in the higher animals were, like the protozoa, potentially immortal, and the only part which was mortal was the body or the " clothing " of the reproductive cells, which, from the point of view of Nature, were more important than the body. Professor Thomas also touched on the question of the transmission of acquired characters. lie explained that Professor Weissman had cut off the tails of a number of white mice for six generations. In all a thousand individuals

had been examined, and in no case had the slightest effect been produced on the size of the tails of the progeny by the cutting off of the tails of the parents. This threw considerable doubt on the already doubtful cases of transmission of acquired characters. In civilised countries it had been the custom to educate the rising generation for a number of years. The question was whether any effect was produced on the race by this continued education. Was any of this acquired education or its effects transmitted? This was a point of very considerable importance, and so far "the evidence was against the theory that the education of parents had any effect on the mental powers of the children. The physical evidence was against any such transmission of acquired characters. Considerable discussion arose on the paper, in which Mr. Peacock, the president, Dr. Purchas, and Kev. Mr. Bates, took part. Dr. Purchas held that when one individual became two individuals, the original individual practically died. Professor Thomas, in reply, asked if the original individual died, where was the corpse. An animated discussion then arose upon t ho very knotty point of " What is an individual 1" but no conclusion was arrived at. The president said the subject was a very large one indeed, and lie hoped Professor Thomas would resume it at a future meeting. If lie did so, they would be much indebted to him. New Species of Spiders.—A technical paper on " New Species of Spiders," by Mr. A. T. Urquhart, was taken as read. Thermal Springs in Lake Waikare.— Mr. Cheescman read a short note by Mr. If. P. M. Haszard on "The Thermal Springs in Lake Waikare, Lower Waikato." Mr. Has/.urd gave some interesting particulars about the existence of these springs, and the condition of the bottom of the lake.

Notes on a Visit to the Three Kings Islands. — Mr. T. F. Cheesetnan read a paper entitled "Notes of a Visit, to the Three Kings Group.'' In the spring of last year great quantities of wreckage were washed up near the North Cape, Mrfiich were supposed to belong to the missing ship County of Carnarvon. As it was considered possible that the ship might have been lost on the Three Kings Group, and that some of the crew might have reached the shore, the Government despatched the Hincmoa to make a careful search, and Mr. Cheoseman was granted a passage. The Three Kings Group consists of one large island called tho Great lung, two smaller ones known as tho East and West King, and a group of small rocky islets distinguished by the name of the Prince's Islands. Mr. Cheeseman succeeded in landing on the Great King and the Western King, and exploring thorn. Large numbers of sea birds were found breeding on the islands, and an interesting account was given of their habits. Several new species of plants were discovered, and specimens of them were exhibited to the meeting. On tho Western King great numbers of the puka tree were seen— plant hitherto believed to be found in a wild state only on the Hen and Chickens Islands, near YVhangarei, from whence it has been introduced into cultivation. A full account was given of its peculiarities, and a young tree was exhibited to the meeting to show the immense size of the leaves, some of them being quite two feet six inches long. Another curious plant inhabits the group, which possesses seed-vessels so viscid that small birds (such as the whiteeye) which happen to alight on it are often caught, and are unable to extricate themselves. The paper concluded with some speculations on the past geological history of the group. Most likely the whole of the islands have been formerly connected with the mainland, from which they are separated by only a shallow sea. Their geological structure was stated to be the same as that of the North (Jape. Njcxt Mutiny!. — The • President announced that the next meeting of the Institute would be held en November .17, when Mr. E. A. Mackechnie would give a lecture on the study of Hhakcspcre.