Wellington Philosophical Society.

Transactions and Proceedings of the Royal Society of New Zealand, Volume 6, 1873, Unnumbered Page

Wellington Philosophical Society. First Meeting. 6th August, 1873. James Hector, M.D., F.R.S., President, in the chair. New members.—Charles W. Purnell, Thomas Lewis, Charles Rous Marten, F.R.G.S., F.M.S., W. S. Moorhouse, Hugh Calders, Wilson Heaps, George Michell Nation, G. H. Wilson. Various publications received since last meeting were laid on the table, and a list of the principal donations lately added to the Colonial Museum was read. The retiring President delivered the following anniversary

Second Meeting. 18th August, 1873. J. C. Crawford, F.G.S., Vice-President, in the chair. His Excellency Sir James Fergusson and about 30 members were present. 1. “Port Nicholson an ancient Fresh-water Lake,” by J. C. Crawford, F.G.S. (Transactions, p. 290.) The Hon. Mr. Waterhouse wished to know whether any fresh-water shells had been found, or any evidence of glacial action. The author stated that fresh-water shells were mixed up with marine shells. He had observed no glacial marks. Mr. George pointed out that in the borings for the patent slip at Evans Bay no shells were found deeper than 2 feet below the surface. Dr. Hector described the character of the valley which descends from the Tararua Mountains, the lower part of which forms Wellington harbour, and said that he considered it a valley of erosion, and that there was no evidence of its ever having been occupied by the sea to a much greater extent than at present. Drifts belonging to earlier valley systems are to be found up to 1,000 feet above the sea, but only on the west side of the barbour. The destruction of these showed that the harbour basin had been, at all events, greatly widened, if not also excavated, since these drifts were formed, and there was no reason to suppose that they, or any of the subsequently formed deposits that skirt the harbour, were of marine origin. Except the slight rise of the shore-line in very recent times, the most evident change has been the erosion by the sea of the ancient barrier across the outlet of the harbour. This was, no doubt, assisted by inequalities in the movement of the parallel ranges among which the harbour lies. Such inequalities of movement have actually been observed within the last thirty years, and their tendency appears to be to throw the outlet of the valley towards the east. He, therefore, on the whole, was inclined to agree with the author of the paper. Captain Hutton agreed with the author that the harbour had been hollowed out by sub-aerial denudation, but there was no evidence that it had ever formed a lake. The pleistocene beds, on which a large part of Wellington was built, were distinctly stratified, and therefore must have been deposited in still water; but they rose to a height of 150 feet above the sea level, and were continued uninterruptedly across to Island Bay. Wellington harbour had, therefore, geologically speaking, three openings, viz., the present entrance, that between Evans and Lyall Bays, and that from Te Aro to Island Bay. But no lake can have more than one opening, consequently the pleistocene beds of Thorndon, Te Aro, and the cutting going down into Evans Bay, must be either marine, or else they must have been formed in a lake in which Mount Victoria and Miramar Peninsula stood as islands. The latter

supposition would necessitate the subsequent total removal of the barrier from Cape Terawiti to Pencarrow lighthouse, which must have existed to form the lake. This could not have been removed since the period in which Mr. Crawford supposed that the harbour existed as a lake, and if therefore it had ever been a lake it must have been at a much more remote period, probably not later than the lower eocene. Mr. W. Travers attributed the boulders mentioned by the author to ballast for canoes. He had observed no trace of glacial action in the district, and it was impossible for him to conceive why the appearance of the action of ice should be absent if it was to that that the excavation of the harbour was to be attributed. The Hon. Mr. Mantell thought that more facts were required to prove the correctness of Mr. Crawford's views. Sir Charles Lyell had collected many interesting facts regarding the effects of earthquakes in this district. He might mention, as an additional fact, that in 1855 a fence in the Wairarapa lying north and south had all the rails drawn from the mortise holes, while one lying east and west had remained uninjured. The author considered that a glacier did pass down from the Hutt. He did not think there had been an outlet to Island Bay, but that the original outlet was through Evans Bay. He agreed that a lake generally had only one outlet, but that meant one at a time. There is no reason why lakes may not have had different outlets in different periods. 2. “On Cnemiornis calcitrans, Owen, showing its Affinity to the Lamellirostrate Natatores,” by James Hector, M.D., F.R.S. (Transactions, p.76.) The skeleton, on which the author founded his paper, was exhibited. The Hon. Captain Fraser, who discovered the bones, gave some interesting information regarding the locality where they were obtained.

Third Meeting. 1st September, 1873. J. C. Crawford, F.G.S., Vice-President, in the chair. About thirty-five members were present. New member.—William Mouton. 1. “On the Formation of Mountains; a Reply to the Rev. O. Fisher,” by Captain F. W. Hutton, F.G.S. (Transactions, p. 284.) Mr. Carruthers, C.E., said he had great difficulty in seeing how arches of such magnitude could be supported in the manner pointed out, as they would rise, so far as he could see, in an irregular form. He also thought that the elasticity of the rocks would be sufficient to take up the pressure, unless the heat was considerable, say 200°. 2. “On a New Genus of RallidŒ,” by Captain F. W. Hutton, C.M.Z.S. (Transactions, p. 108.) 3. “List of the AlgŒ of the Chatham Islands, collected by H. H. Travers, Esq., and examined by Professor John Agardh, of Lund,” communicated by Baron Ferd. von Mueller, C.M.G., M.D., F.R.S., Hon. Mem. N.Z.I. (Transactions, p. 208.)

Fourth Meeting. 22nd September, 1873. Captain F. W. Hutton, F.G.S., Vice-President, in the chair. New member.—E. W. Lowe. 1. “Notes on Delphinis forsteri,” by James Hector, M.D., F.R.S. (Transactions, p. 85.) The Chairman pointed out the value of this paper, and said that this

Dolphin had not been obtained for description since the time of Captain Cook until now. 2. “Notes on the Glacial Period,” by A. D. Dobson, C.E. This paper was read by Dr. Hector, who made some remarks regarding it, and said that more exact information and sections were required before anything definite could be said on the subject. He considered that many of the auriferous alluvial deposits that rest on shelves at a high elevation, nearly parallel with and close to the coast, were left in this position by the erosive action of the sea destroying the seaward side of the valley in which they were originally formed. The cliffs, on the top of which they rest, must at least have been cut by the sea since these alluviums were formed. He, however, agreed with the writer in most of his conclusions. The Chairman agreed with the author that the gravels of the Moutere Hills in Nelson were older than the glaciers, but the Canterbury Plains could be proved to be younger than them. At Motanau, on the East Coast, a raised beach with recent marine shells occurred at an altitude of more than 100 feet above the sea, while at the mouth of the Conway the raised beaches attained an altitude of 300 feet. He had never visited the West Coast, but Mr. Hacket had described the moraines at Okarito as being rudely stratified, and containing rounded boulders of granite, while at a height of 200 to 300 feet above the sea they were all levelled at the top. This could only be due to marine action. He could not agree with Dr. Hector that the beach terraces on the West Coast were valley terraces, one half of the valley having been washed away by the sea, because he thought that rain would have removed the terraces before the sea could wash away the other half of the valley. 3. “On the Spread of Cassinia leptophylla,” by W. T. L. Travers, F.L.S. (Transactions, p. 248.) 4. “On some New Species of New Zealand Plants,” by John Buchanan, of the Geological Survey of New Zealand. (Transactions, p. 241.) 5. “Notes on the New Zealand Wood-hens (Ocydromus),” by Captain F. W. Hutton, C.M.Z.S. (Transactions, p. 104.) 6. “Notes on some New Zealand Fishes,” by Captain F. W. Hutton, C.M.Z.S. (Transactions, p. 104.) 7. “An Introduction to the Study and Collection of the Araneidea in New Zealand. With a Description and Figures of Cambridgea fasciata, L. Koch, from Chatham Island; and also of a New Species of Macrothele, Auss., M. huttonii, Cambr., found at Wellington, New Zealand,” by the Rev. O. P. Cambridge, M.A., C.M.Z.S. (Transactions, p. 187.) The first part only of the paper was read at this meeting.

Fifth Meeting. 13th October, 1873. Charles Knight, F.R.C.S., President, in the chair. About fifty members were present. New members.—George Hall, George Thomas. Publications received since last meeting were laid on the table. Publications received since last meeting were laid on the table. The President said he regretted having to announce, on the first time of his taking the chair, the death of the Rev. Richard Taylor, F.G.S., a member of the Society, who had been from a very early period in the settlement of the Colony such an indefatigable worker in the cause of science. 1. “Notice of a Variation in the Dentition of Mesoplodon hectori, Gray,” by James Hector, M.D., F.R.S. (Transactions p. 86.)

The specimen on which the paper was founded was exhibited. It was found on the beach at Kaikoura by Mr. J. R. W. Taylor, and was presented by him to the Museum. 2. “On the Fossil Reptilia of New Zealand,” by James Hector, M.D., F.R.S., Director of the Geological Survey of New Zealand.(Transactions, p. 333.) Specimens illustrating this paper were exhibited. 3. “Description of the Patent Slip at Evans Bay; Wellington, and of the mode of erecting or constructing the same,” by J. Rees George, C.E. (Transactions, p. 14.) The author illustrated his paper with a large number of drawings and sections. Mr. O'Neill, C.E., and Mr. W. Travers complimented the author on the able and successful manner in which this work had been carried out, and said it was a credit to the Province, and the paper would prove of great use to engineers. 4. “On the Extinct Glaciers of the Middle Island of New Zealand,” by W. T. L. Travers, F.L.S. (Transactions, p. 297.) Dr. Hector said that one cause for the former greater extent of the New Zealand glaciers appears to have been lost sight of in recent discussions on the subject. He had pointed it out to Sir Charles Lyell, who mentions it in the last edition of his “Principles,” and also applies the same idea to the European Alps. The theory was that the elevation of the New Zealand mountains was probably coincident with the submergence of the low land in the interior of Australia, which is covered with a post pliocene marine formation. The equatorial north-west winds would thus impinge on the New Zealand Alps without, as at present, being deprived of a large amount of the aqueous vapour by passing over the arid plains of Australia, and by the condensation of snow by the mountains, would be therefore very much in excess, and consequently the glaciers much larger than at present. According to this view the true place to seek for evidence of the age of the glacier period in the Alps of East Australia and New Zealand is in the interior of Australia. A slighter degree of change at a later date must also have been due to the destruction of a large forest growth in Australia by fire, during the early period of its occupation by those we now call the aborigines, which is rendered probable by the circumstances under which the Diprotodon and other extinct and gigantic Marsupiates are found, and such a change must also have exercised an indirect influence on the climate of New Zealand. He differed from Mr. Travers' explanation of the phenomenon of Lake Guyon, as he considered it to be a portion of a valley that had existed prior to the

scooping out of the valley of the Dillon, and gave instances to show that the rapidity of the destruction of mountain ranges and the excavation of valleys was much underrated. The cutting through of a very slender mountain ridge or côl was frequently the cause of changing the whole drainage system, throwing immense bodies of ice in a new direction, and completely cutting off the supply from former valley channels. He thought, in every case, that the glaciers thus cut off from supply had remained in the lower part of the valley till an immense quantity of shingle had passed over them, and on melting left the deep lake hollows. The cutting through of côls was the origin of most of the lower passes. Sixth Meeting. 24th November, 1873. Charles Knight, F.R.C.S., President, in the chair. About fifteen members were present New members.—H. Eustace Brandon, J. D. Baird, C.E., Charles Godfrey Knight. Mr. J. C. Crawford, F.G.S., 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. The nomination for the election of Honorary Members of the New Zealand Institute was made in accordance with Statute IV. 1. “Descriptions of some New Zealand Lichens, collected by John Buchanan in the Province of Wellington,” by James Stirton, M.D. Glasgow; communicated by John Buchanan. (Transactions, p. 235). Seventh Meeting. 16th January, 1874. Charles Knight, F.R.C.S., President, in the chair. New members.—W. H. Jones, Charles Hepburn Robson, James Nelson Williams, George Henry Davies, William Brown

Seventh Annual General Meeting. 26th January, 1874. Charles Knight, F.R.C.S., President, in the chair. About thirty members were present.