WELLINGTON PHILOSOPHICAL SOCIETY.

New Zealand Times, Volume XXXIV, Issue 5551, 13 January 1879, Page 2

WELLINGTON PHILOSOPHICAL SOCIETY.

A meeting was held in the Colonial Museum on Saturday evening, Dr. Newman, vice-presi-dent, in the chair. The following new members were announced :—Mr. J. Brown, Mr. W. France, Mr. G. J. Binns, Mr. George Ashcroft. PAPERS. 1. "Catalogue of Plants Collected in the Okarito District,” by A. Hamilton. The introductory portion of the paper, describing the district, was read by Mr. T. Kirk. 2. “ Notes on Mr. Hamilton’s Collection of Okarito Plants,” by T. Kirk. F.L.S. In this paper Mr. Kirk described the new plants discovered by Mr. Hamilton, one of which (Euphrasia longiflora) he characterised as being the most interesting plant recently added to the flora, and almost deserving generic distinction. He stated the chief addition made by the author of the collection to our knowledge of the geographical distribution of New Zealand plants, and other results of great value. 3. “On a Curious Duplication of Tusks in the Common Wild Pig,” by A. Hamilton. This paper was read bjr Mr. T. Kirk, and was illustrated by two drawings of the jaw. Dr. Newman thought more notice should be taken of such monstrosities. Evolution taught us that such monstrosities were nearly all reversions to some old type, showed the ancestry of tne animal, e.g., children who breathed through their necks, branchial clefts, like their amphibious ancestors. Everyone at a certain time of life had two sets of teeth in his or her jaw, and one specimen in the Hunterian museum had three sets. One odd,, useless structure had never been explained, viz., the corn on the inside of a horse’s forelegs.

Mr. T. Kibk pointed out that the monstrosity described by Mr. Hamilton was an instance of duplication combined with distortion, and could hardly be explained by the supposition that it was an instance of reversion to a remote ancestral type—a theory which was now being pushed to extreme lengths. i. On “ The Export of Fungus from New Zealand/’ ; by Thomas Kirk, F.L.S. The author pointed out that although the great order of fungi comprised a vast number of species, very few had been utilised by man, so that any addition was of special interest. The export of fungus dated from 1872, and had gradually advanced until in 1877 it was. valued at over £11,000; during the six years ending 1877 the total value was over £32,000, two-thirds of which probably represented the amount actually received by the collectors, who were mostly settlers striving to maintain themselves on their land. The fungus was confined to a single species (Hirneola poly- • tricha) common in all forest districts in tha colony. No labor was involved beyond collection and carriage. Inquiry by the Commissioner of Customs showed that it was used by the Chinese as a medicine for purifying the blood, as food on fast days, and recently we had learned that it was largely used in soups, &0., as ordinary food. It appeared that it was retailed in China at 10Jd. per lb. As only Id. per lb. at most was paid to the collector,, somebody realised a high rate of profit. 5. “ Description of New Species of Lycopo«dinm”; by T. Kirk, F.L.S. 6. “ Description of New Species of Hymenophyllum”; by T. Kirk, F.L.S.

Specimens illustrating these papers w exhibited. e

7. “Notes on Mr. Howard Saunders* * of the Larid® or Gulls;” by W. I , t,,;,.;' C.M.G., &c., was read by Dr. New man " ’ 8. “Description of ef Pomader . TIT P r ’ eo *' or > G.M.G., f' Was egg,,] Mr. Buchanan. • *

AsDr.Hector s paper ; 3 very ehort and o{ considerable interest, we shall here transcribe it, with the exception o' the scientiac descrip . tion of the plant:—

The tree which I h ave to introduce to the society wa.s disoav ere( j during my recent visit to the Mokau, dr itriot, under circumstances of some interest beyond the mere botanical importance of a, n ew addition to the flora of the country. It, is a very local plant, being confined to. about an acre of ground on a spur of the low so.ndy hills that extend along the coast between the Mokau and the Mohakatina rivers. The peculiar habit of the tree first attracted my attention, having a resemblance to a clump of apple trees, so that at first glance I thought it to be an old orchard, I afterwards was nmch interested in hearing from the ua- - tivea that a peculiar tree was growing on the spot where their ancestors first camped when they abandoned the “ Tai nui” conoe, in which they came from Hawaiki, and that this tree had sprung from the rollers or skids and the green boughs that were brought as flooring to the great canoe. On my doubting this, they offered to take me to the place, and if I could not recognise the tree as being found elsewhere in New Zealand, they would consider it as a proof that the tradition was correct. To my surprise they took me to the clump of trees I had previously observed, and as it is certainly a tree quite distinct from any - hitherto described from New Zealand, the tradition receives a certain amount of conformation, and I need hardly point out that if it were true, and we could hereafter determine the original habitat of this tree, it might give us a clue to the whereabouts of the mythical Hawaiki, or the place from whence the Maori ormnally immigrated to New Zealand. Kibk spoke of the discovery as being of .' great interest, but was inclined to believe theplant would prove identical with an Australian; species, notwithstanding its larger size. In, other .parts of New Zealand the, natives had traditions that certain trees were the paddles •

or canoe pole?, which had been fixed in the ground on landing, and had taken root ; and as the genus pomaderns was restricted to Australia and New Zealand, he feared that we could not expect to find the plant discovered by Dr. Hector in other countries. Mr. Buchanan thought that if tho_ plant was a new species we were as much in the dark as ever, and that if it proved to be identical with the Australian species it would upset many pet theories with respect to the “Whence of the Maori.” The following papers were taken as read : D. “Notes on some New Zealand Crustaceans,” by T. W. Kirk.

10, “On a Collection of Plants from the Alpine District of Nelson,” by J. Buchanan, F.L.B.

11. “On New Genera and Species of Fossil Brachiopoda," by Dr. Hector, C.M.G., &c. 12. “Notes on the Fossil Botany of New Zealand,” by Dr. Hector, C.M.G., &e.

13. “ Catalogue of the Hitherto Described Worms of New Zealand,” by Professor Hutton, C.M.G.S.

It was announced that the annual meeting and conversazioni!!! will in all probability be held on Friday week.