PHILOSOPHICAL SOCIETY.

New Zealand Times, Volume LXVI, Issue 3257, 14 October 1897, Page 2

PHILOSOPHICAL SOCIETY.

At the Philosophical Society’s meeting last night; -Mr* W. T. L. Travers presided. A paper on thejfish regaleons axgentens, on the Taranaki coast, together with drawings, made by Mr F. E. Clarke, of New Plymouth, was laid on the tablo. This fish has been described in the Transactions of the Society several times. The president remarked that he did not knowmuoh about its habits, but it bad been found in several places, including the West ladies. It was a deepsea fish, and very brittle ; wheu lifted it broke into pieces. An interesting paper on the vertical motion of wind was read by MajorGeneral Schaw, who exhibited a model of an apparatus showing whether the wind blew upwardsor downwards or horizontally. This apparatus, which he termed a wind vane, is now in operation on top of the time-ball, and has been for the past three weeks. Major Schaw said it was difficult to make proper observations in Wellington as it was land-looked by high hills. Dead level plains were required, such as prevailed in Canterbury. The paper alluded to the way bridges and other structures were affected by wave motions of the air, and averred that if definite information were available when they were being erected engineers would be aided considerably. Mr W. T. L. Travers read some interest-: ipg notes concerning limpets in Lyell and Evans Days, and exhibited speeimeM collected ui these localities, as well as some from the Kermadecs. A contribution from Mr Henryi on bird life in the West Coast §otfnds, brought the meeting to a close.