OTAGO INSTITUTE.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 13079, 15 September 1904, Page 2

OTAGO INSTITUTE.

Tho monthly meeting of tho Otago Institute was held at the Museum 011 Tuesday evening, Dr Benham presiding. There was a fair attendance of members.

Tho Chairman opened proceedings by dealing with a few exhibits, the first of these being a small foraminifcra, dredged last year 011 tho 100-fathom line, at the time- of tho Sciencc Congress sitting, and which had been omitted in tho "Challenger" compilation. Tho Chairman also exhibited a collection of flies, and drew attention to semo additions to tho Museum bird collection. Among theso hist was a specimen of tho Emperor -penguin (tho largest type), which had been obtained from tho assistant surgeon of the Discovery, and stood nearly 3ft in height. Two very interesting specimens cf fledgling albatross were also shown, different 111 the colour of their down and distinct species, though coming from neighbouring islands. Tho one specimen was a ltoyal albatross, and the other a " Wanderer" albatross, and they were secured at the Campbell and Auckland Islands.

Mr G. M. Thomson exhibited a collection of slime-fungi specimens that bad benn sent to him, in all 36 distinct types. Mr Thomson emphasised the necessity •or desirability that-Field Club members should specialise in their researches, mid thought tho colic,ciiion referred to should bo a good starting point. Professor Park contributed technical papers, with interesting introductions thereto, on "Tile (Jeucsis of Ore Deposits" and'"A Itevision of the i'liddlo Tcrtiarics of Otago and Southland," incorporating in tho former his own observations undo on the lianraki gokllicld during 10 or 12 years.

Dr Marshall exhibited two specimens of rock obtained from' Alilford' Sound, and gave most interesting account of t.lio same. These, lie stated, were rarities in the mineral world, and were particularly heavy, weighing about half as much again as quartz.. Tito density of rocks increased in proportion to tlir-ir distance from the earth's surface, and at a distance of' 170 miles beneath tho earth's surface the den-

sity of tho earth would correspond to that of the rocks shown. These rocks, therefore, must have come from a depth of 170 miles beneath the actual surfaco, find if samples of the earth's crust 170 miles below the surface oould bo obtained they would be similar to the specimens shown. Such pieces of stone were yery seldom oxposed to the surface, and their composition was very peculiar, containing as they did none ,of the substances that would support vegetable growth, there being further a marked resemblance in composition between tlicm and 'many""meteorites. They could be found forming barren mountain ranges on tho West Coast, and in New Zealand • their occurrence was much more extensivo than probably in any other i runtry in tho world, and this was ail indication that at somo period New Zealand had' been subject to some enormous disturbance, the appalling force of Which had been sufficient to raise up a column of this very heavy rock 170 miles in depth. Tho Chairman next discoursed shortly on earth-worms of tho North Island, which, ho indicated, wero more elcscly allied to those of Australia than to those of tho South Island. He wont on to quote from a scientific volume on the subject in reference to earth-worms as an experimental article, of diet among tho old Maoris, tliero having been elsewhere no previous record of earth-worms e.s a diet, and the reference inelndedtho interesting fact that the. two most prized specimens of worm were reserved for the chiefs, and it 'was said that tho sweet flavour remained in • the. mouth two days.

The final contribution was a discussion initiated by Mr fl. M. Thomson on the metric system. Mr Thomson said ho found a general ignoranco to prevail on tho subject. from tho school standpoint, tho introduction of tho metric system would be n great improvement, and probably only tho conservatism of the British race prevented its falling into lino in the adoption of -1 lie. system universallv adopted by the Continental nations. The most interest, ing point about the metric system was that it thorp was relaliotiship between ovnrything in tho way of measurements and weights. He hoped the time would come when tho _ system would bo adopted hero in its entirety. Mr Thomson aho gave a general outline of details of the system, and an interesting discussion followed, in which most of these present joined.