PUBLIC MUSEUM.

Wanganui Herald, Volume XXXIII, Issue 9839, 4 September 1899, Page 1

PUBLIC MUSEUM.

ACCESSIONS BY GIFT FOR AUGUST

Mr J. D. Greig— "Bird photography." Mr J. H. Nixon— Old Maori grinding stono for sharpening stone implements. Mr H. G. Drew— Mounted, group of and female landrail and four chicks, and dab chick. Mr Sinclair — 3 live quail for aviary. Paki — 4 copies of Maori paper. Mr Ayes— Some small birds from Gonville.

Roy Spackman — Copper coins. Mr A. S. Campbell— Fore leg bone of bullock with iron, ring round bone. Thin ox must have stepped into the ring when quite a calf, and as the animal grew, the iron became embedded in the bone.

State Farm, Momoliaki, by Mr W. J. Palmer — 85 plants and trees. Mr S. Handley— 3 pieces of totara, showing stone axe cut marks, from the Rangitatau. bush, near Maxwelltovrn. Tho tree was 54 inches in diameter, and after felling, was sawn into longths for posts. When splitting the first length, old axo marks were seen that had been • covered up with 15 inches of bark and wood. That is to say — the Maoris had started to chop the tree and had got some distance in when, interruption came, thus work was stopped. The bark gradually grew over tho wounded part, aud wood formed, leaving- tlie cuts 15 inches insido tho tree when found. The Rangitatau. bush was famous for its totara trees and many canoes were fashioned in it. Mitchell and Co. — Osteological specimen. Mr R. C. Hughes, New Plymouth, by Judge Kettle— 2 boxes native trees. Mr C. W. Carr, Fcilding-^pottcd shag, male, shot on Rangitrikei River. This shag is seldom seen farther North than Banks' Peninsular, and so is interesting as a straggler. Mr A. A. Shernff— -Body of emu for Bkeleton. Miss Fanny Good, Oeo-^-18 obsidcau and chert flakes (old Maori knives). Dr G. R. Saunders— Vanilla bean. Messrs Laird and Sons— 2 pohokokawa trees. - Prison Department, per Mr It. 1 . Noble Beasley— Gun carriage for old gun. This gun was landed from H.M. gunboat and given to the Putiki natives with ammunition, just after the Te Rauparaha raid. Airs C. Burnett — 2 Kaffir snuff boxes, made out of gourds and decorated with . markings and dye. The Kaffirs are great snuff takers and wear these boxes subponded from the neck so as to bo alway* ready when wanted. Ono Kaffir fly duster, made of cow's tail hair. Mr J. Maekay— Book, "StudentsFlora of New Zealand, for Curator. Australian Museum annual report. Master Murphy — Stoat. Mr Fletcher— Sack of "thirds for Museum pets. Field Columbian Museum, Chicago, U.S.A. — Botanical scries Vol. I, No. 4, Antropological series, Vol. 11., No. 3, Annual report, Vol. 1., No. 3. FOR THE CURATOR. Dr B. G. Browne — "Oceanic Ichthyology" 3 vols. Mr T. Gill — "A comparison of the Antipodal faunas," transactions of Liunean Society, vol. All, parts 5, G, 7, 8, and 9. ACCESSIONS BY PURCHASE. Covering Slat, mado of green flax. These mats are used to cover the hot eton.es when cooking in tho Maori ovens, and a narrow mat, made of green flax used to put round stones to keep them together when cooking in Maori oven. Through the kindness of Jlr Goffe, wo have had tho opportunity of purchasing a very fine greenstone Hei Tiki. This tiki is 6 inches long by 3 -Jwido,

thick, and ucll sculpultuied and ia quite historical, having been brought hero many years ago by the Taupo natives when they were raiding this coast. They wore cleverly trapped at Waitota-ra and many of thorn slaiu and eaten. Wo also purchased at tho same time a bono flute of great age. This flute ii made of human bono and it is astonishing the amount of sound that an expert native player can bring out of it. Our attendance this month (3099) has boon very large. No doubt the animals in the grounds have caused tho additional interest inside. Most of our visitors overlook the donation boxes. I wish thry would not. The smallest amount would be acceptable, and enable us to do much "more to please and interest thoso who como to see us. S. H. DREW. Hon. Curator.