NATURALISTS' FIELD CLUB.

Otago Witness, Issue 1340, 4 August 1877, Page 17

NATURALISTS' FIELD CLUB.

An indoor meeting of the Naturalists' Field Club was held on the 30th. Mr T. Mackenzie occupied the chair. The Secretary read the minutes of the last two meetings, which were confirmed. Some specimens of fossils, part of skull of a whale (the otolite, and flower) were exhibited by Mr M. Hislop, who found them lately at Waikouaiti. Mr Petrie laid before the meeting the terms of competition for the prize offered by him at the last annual meetiner. There were to the effect that the specimens must belong to the sub-class corolliflorse, and that competitors giva an assurance in writing that they were gathered by themselves during the season 1876-77. Mr P. Thomson and Mr Purdie have consented to act as judges, and the specimens are to be submitted at the annual meeting in September. Dr Coughtrey's prize is also open for competition at the same meeting. Mr P. Thomsou read an interesting paper on a botanical tour he made during last summer to Riverton, Orepuki, and Longwood. The paper treated of men and manners, as well as the botany of the district, and described some remarkable outcrops of coal and other minerals discovered by the miners in the course of exploration for gold. The deplorable state of the roads and tracks leading to this outlying part of the Province was very graphically and feelingly depicted. A general desiro was expressed that the paper should appear in the annual report, and a vote of thanks was passed to the reader. The paper was illustrated by specimens of the more interesting and beautiful of the plants collected during the tour, and a short discussion took place on some points touched upon. Mr T. Mackenzie showed a number of lichens collected during the late season. A vote of thanks was passed to the chairman, and the meeting adjourned to the end of September, when the annual meeting will be held.