Otago Institute.

Transactions and Proceedings of the Royal Society of New Zealand, Volume 5, 1872, Unnumbered Page

Otago Institute. First Meeting. 12th March, 1872. R. Gillies, Vice-President, in the chair. New member.—Charles Rous Marten. 1. “Observations on the Zodiacal Light, tending to show its Connection with the Sun's Motion in Space,” by H. Skey. (See Appendix, p. xliii.) 2. “On the Taieri Floods,” by G. M. Barr. (See Transactions, p. 111.) Annual Meeting. 22nd July, 1872. T. M. Hocken, M.R.C.S.E., Vice-President, in the chair. New members.—Professor Black, M.A., D.Sc., A. Fleming, M.D., G. M. Thomson, John Hardy, Thomas George, James Fulton.

Third Meeting. 18th August, 1872. His Honour Mr. Justice Chapman, President, in the chair. The President gave the following

(Abstract.) Bovicthys, sp. Dorsal, 8—19; anal, 15. Head three times in length, and four times diameter of eye; inter-orbital channel one-third of same; base of first dorsal less than half that of second; pectorals reaching to anal. Upper surface light brown with olive blotches, and dull white patches on the sides; white beneath. Stomach contained crustacea (Phronima). Rocky pools, Lawyer Head. Differs from B. variegatus chiefly in the number of fin rays. Fourth Meeting. 17th September, 1872. The Rev. Dr. Stuart, Vice-President, in the chair. New members.—James Wilkin, W. T. Glasgow, G. E. Barton, F. R. Chapman.

(Abstract.) The author said that the subject of his remarks was presented to the society by Mr. Jennings as a cross between a cat and an opossum, said to be bred by Mr. Jones, of Ballarat, Australia.

It is a very well known fact that we can only get crosses or hybrids between closely allied species, and when produced they are sterile. The wide difference between the feline and the marsupial races forbids us to expect a cross or hybrid. The domestic cat crosses readily with various wild species, and it would appear that the character of the domestic breeds has at least in some cases been thus affected. The author described the varieties and peculiarities of cats as mentioned by several writers, sufficient in his opinion to account for the appearance of this specimen, without supposing that it is a cross between the cat and opossum. He believed it to be only a cat.

Fifth Meeting. 29th October, 1872. The Rev. Dr. Stuart, Vice-President, in the chair. His Honour Mr. Justice Chapman was chosen to vote in the election of the Board of Governors for the ensuing year, in accordance with clause 7 of the New Zealand Institute Act.

Sixth Meeting. 19th November, 1872. J. T. Thomson, F.R.G.S., Vice-President, in the chair. New member.—Allan Holmes. The Secretary announced the receipt from London of additions to the library. The nomination for the election of honorary members of the New Zealand Institute was made in accordance with Statute IV. 1. “On the Influence of Temperature on Infant Mortality,” by Dr. Deck. (See Appendix, p. xxxv.) The Rev. Dr. Stuart suggested that the contemporaneity of the fruit season and the greatest temperature had an important share in the increase of the death-rate among children. The subject of infant mortality had been forcibly brought under his notice during the performance of his ministerial duties. Especially he had noticed that nearly all illegitimate children, subjected as they were to bad nursing and lack of care, died in infancy. A short conversation ensued, during which Dr. Deck gave some further explanation of the subject treated upon. 2. “An Astronomical Telescope on a New Construction,” by H. Skey. (See Transactions, p. 119.) A model of this invention was exhibited by Mr. Skey, in which the rotatory motion was given to the vessel containing mercury by means of an electro-magnetic engine. The vibration of the floor of the room, however, rendered the action of the speculum indifferent. 3. “Notes on the Zodiacal Light,” by J. S. Webb. (See Appendix, p. xlvii.) Mr. H. Skey, in reply to some remarks in this paper on the theory he had brought before the Society on a former occasion, said that no doubt the vast extension of the Zodiacal Light in other directions than that in which he conceived it to have its greatest extension must be conceded. He had not intended to preclude this view of the shape of the zodiacal envelope.