Wellington Philosophical Society.

Transactions and Proceedings of the Royal Society of New Zealand, Volume 29, 1896, Unnumbered Page

Wellington Philosophical Society. First Meeting: 8th July, 1896. Mr. W. T. L. Travers, F.L.S., President, in the chair. New Member:—Mr. Frank Maxwell Leckie. The President delivered his opening address, Antarctic Explorations, Röntgen Rays, and the Discovery of Argon being the subjects of the address. (Transactions, p. 111.) Major-General Schaw was sure he spoke the feelings of all present when he proposed that the thanks of the meeting be given to the President for his address, which bad given so much information in so cleat and pleasing a way. Mr. Travers had alluded to the speaker's paper as to the need of pendulum experiments being made further south. He had also alluded to Mr. Proctor's theory that the peculiarly low atmospheric pressure towards the South Pole was caused by the centre of gravity of the earth being south of the equator. All the facts hitherto ascertained by pendulum experiments showed that, on the contrary, the centre of gravity of the earth was north of the equator. He was very glad that the President had again drawn attention to the necessity of making exhaustive pendulum experiments as near the South Pole as possible. Sir James Hector had much pleasure in seconding the vote of thanks to the President for the valuable and well-rendered résumé he had given of the most prominent scientific discoveries made during the past year. With respect to Antarctic Exploration, he fully agreed with the views of the President. As to the interior of Antarctica, he had always held the opinion that the snowfall must decrease towards the interior and round the pole after crossing the ice-cliff border, across which moisture could not penetrate far without being deposited, as the average maximum temperature was below 32°. His views had often been expressed to the Society that it was rather a disgrace that no earnest attempt had been yet made to explore such a large and totally unknown area of the earth's surface. Mr. Tregear said it was a pleasure to the younger members of the Society to know that Mr. Travers was once more in the chair, and still active and doing good work. He complimented the President for his able address. Mr. Harding said they had heard a most interesting address. It was a curious thing that Argon was so nearly discovered nearly a hundred years ago by an old chemist, and that forty years ago they were on the brink of discovering the Röntgen rays. He was glad to hear that coloured photographs could now be obtained. Mr. Hustwick said it was Dr. Priestley who so nearly discovered Argon.

Mr. Travers returned thanks for the manner in which his address had been received. Second Meeting: 22nd July, 1896. Mr. W. T. L. Travers, F.L.S., president, in the chair. New Members.—-Mr. F. E. Clarke and Mr. John Young. Papers. — 1. “On Polynesian Migrations,” 1st section— chapters I., II., and III., by Mr. Joshua Rutland; communicated by Mr. E. Tregear. (Transactions, p. 1.) Sir James Hector was glad to hear this paper read. It was most interesting, and afforded a large amount of information on all branches of science. Of course, until Mr. Tregear had read the whole of the paper it was not possible to have any lengthy discussion on the subjects brought forward. The question as to what plants might be considered indigenous to this country was an important one, and perhaps Mr. Kirk, who was preparing a new work on the botany of New Zealand, would be prepared to make known his views in the matter. He himself thought that all plants found flourishing by the first arrivals should be looked upon as indigenous. Mr. Maskell said Mr. Rutland had written an able paper entitled “The Fall of the Leaf,” and he thought any paper from this gentleman would be sure to be interesting. Sir W. Buller, in reference to what Sir James Hector had said, expressed a hope that Mr. Kirk would include in his forthcoming Flora of New Zealand descriptions of all the plants found in this country by the first European discoverers, whether actually indigenous or introduced by the Maoris when they came to Hew Zealand, and whether these plants had become presumably extinct or not. The rule in zoology was to include in the indigenous fauna all animals that had found their own way to the country as distinguished from those introduced by man—for example, in his “History of the Birds of New Zealand” he had included all stragglers from Australia and elsewhere, without considering whether the arrival was ancient or recent. Any bird winging its own way across the ocean to this land, from whatever cause, would by the accepted rule be entitled to a place in our own fauna. Mr. Kirk said botanists were a little more particular than ornithologists. He could not include all plants found here as indigenous. If he did there would be no end to the collection. The rule was that all plants that had become naturalised should be described, although they might have been introduced by Europeans. Among the plants that would cause some difficulty he instanced a species of Cordyline, which had never been known to have flowered in New Zealand, and which might turn out to be a plant that flowers in a warmer climate. There were also several other plants that would require to be added to the list of naturalised species. Sir James Hector would like to add that the plant referred to by Mr. Kirk was the curious Ti-tawhiti,* The Ti from a distance. supposed to be a Cordyline, and which, as stated, never flowered in New Zealand. It was grown by the natives in the Taranaki district, and had large bunches of rather thick green leaves for a palm-lily, with long intervals of stem. These were tightly ligatured by the Maoris, and pegged down, when they developed a large

amount of sweet starchy matter, which was used as food. When in Sydney Botanic Gardens, the Director, Mr. C. Moore, had shown him a thicket of what seemed to be the same Cordyline, which he said he (Sir J. Hector) should know, as it came from New Zealand, and he (Mr. Moore) informed him that it had a blue flower. He (Sir James) had brought plants and suckers to New Zealand, some of which were in the late Mr. Mantell's garden, and others should now be in the Wellington Botanic Gardens. One most interesting point in the paper just read was raised by the statement that Cook had found the natives possessed the tapa-cloth plant, and that he had seen it growing. Its native name, “Aute,” was included in Maori vocabularies, but the plant seemed to have disappeared from Maori settlements, though now again common under cultivation in gardens. Yet this plant, interesting on account of its economic uses and its distribution among the Pacific Islands, was not mentioned, in the “New Zealand Flora” either as an introduced or native plant. There were many other plants in the same anomalous position, and they raised a very curious question that might greatly affect certain views as to the geographical distribution of plants and the migration of the human race among the Pacific Islands. Sir W. Buller said the Ti-tawhiti was a narrow-leafed Cordyline, and very scarce. He believed he had once seen the flower, which was of a pale-blue colour. The Maoris valued it because of its edible qualities. Mr. Harding said Mr. Colenso, of Napier, had a rare plant of this kind in his garden. He understood it was Cordyline edulis, and the sole representative of the species. Mr. Travers said there was a very similar plant growing in a garden near Plimmer's Steps, in Wellington, but he understood it was from Queensland. Mr. Tregear said the chief value in this paper was the fact that it was so suggestive, and turned our attention to so many interesting facts. It was a sort of text-book to several branches of science. There were many statements that he could hardly agree with. The occurrence of many of the plants named was, he thought, purely accidental. 2. “On Formol for preserving Natural History Specimens,” by S. H. Drew, of Wanganui; communicated by Sir W. Buller. (Transactions, p. 288.) Sir J. Hector considered Formol very good for preserving specimens, and in most respects better than spirits, but care must be taken regarding its strength. Mr. Maskell said, in the event of an antarctic expedition formol would be very generally used, but it must be dealt with carefully, and in most cases a weak solution used, so as to preserve the delicate colours of invertebrates. 4. “Natural History Notes,” by S. H. Drew, of Wanganui Museum: (1) On Orthagoriscus mola (sun-fish); (2) on Botaurus poeciloptilus (bittern); (3) on. Carpophaga novce-zealandiæ (wood-pigeon); (4) on Cnemiornis (extinct goose); (5) on moa remains found at Wanganui (Transactions, p. 284.)

Third Meeting: 12th August, 1896. Mr. W. T. L. Travers, President, in the chair. Before the business of the meeting commenced feeling references were made by the Chairman to the deaths of the Hon. Robert Pharazyn, M.L.C., and Mr. Charles Booking Carter. The former was secretary of the Society twenty-five years ago, and remained an active member up to the time of his death, contributing many papers. Mr. Carter, although not a member of the Society, presented to the New Zealand Institute-books on New Zealand to the value of £600.or £700, and the collection was the largest and finest in the colony, many of the books being now out of print.

Abstract. Sir James Hector, in the course of his lecture, described the geological structure of the West Coast districts, and went on to say that Mr. Brunner, in 1846, was the discoverer of the Brunner Mine, finding a seam of coal at the river-level. In 1863 the first attempt was made to open the mine, but as recently as 1886 there was only a moderate extent of excavation. After giving particulars of the present mode of working the mine, and the incidents of the explosion and the recovery of the miners' bodies, the lecturer stated, as evidence of the terrific effects of the explosion, that the smoke from it came to the outlet against the draught through the workings; that the coal was charred over a very large area to a depth of 4in.; and that the body of one man was driven up an incline of 300ft. and smashed up against a wall of coal. At the top of the incline—at the motor-house—a man was smashed to pulp and a boy stripped of every particle of his clothing without being burned in the slightest degree. The explosion was, it was conclusively proved, not a fire-damp one, but an imperfect explosion of coal-gas, leaving white damp, the most deadly of all damps, and ½ percent. of which would be fatal if continuously breathed. The cause of the explosion was proved to be due to a miner having put in a big charge

of blasting-powder in an improper manner, so that instead of breaking down the coal it blew out like a cannon-shot, with the result that the tremendous explosion took place. All the evidence went to show that the noxious gas produced arose from imperfect combustion, and was carbonic oxide or white damp, and that the foolish conduct of the person who fired the shot had been the cause of the disaster. Mr. Maskell considered the meeting greatly indebted to Sir James Hector for his clear and interesting explanation of the cause of the great disaster. It was satisfactory to know that the Commissioners had agreed as to the cause of the explosion, and they deserved thanks for their careful work. Mr. Harding had always wondered how it was that gunpowder could be safely exploded in so confined a space as a coal-mine. Mr. Tanner was glad to know what a blown-out shot was. He should have thought that special men only would have been employed in preparing for these dangerous explosions. General Schaw said that to him the most interesting part was the general description of the New Zealand coal-formations. One never could be quite sure, in making shot-holes, that they would not sometimes blow out. To fire a blast in a coal-mine was, he considered, an awfully risky thing. He hoped to see some other method adopted for bringing down the coal. Sir James Hector, in reply, said no gunpowder had been used in the Kaitangata coal-mine for some years; a flameless explosive was used, and it had proved most successful. He thought the use of gunpowder would be done away with altogether. He hoped to see hydraulic pressure used to bring down the coal, and this would be quite safe. Since the Brunner explosion, the firing was done only by skilled men, as suggested by Mr. Tanner. He described how the holes were bored and charged.

Fourth Meeting: 26th August, 1896. Mr. W. T. L. Travers, President, in the chair. Papers.—1. “A Phase of Hypnotism,” by E. Tregear, F.B.G.S. (Transactions, p. 83.) General Schaw said the condition mentioned by Mr. Tregear called “lata” was no doubt similar to hypnotism or mesmerism. He had witnessed exhibitions of this power, and it was very similar to that described in the paper. It was an interesting subject, but he was not sure that any real benefit had come from it. Sir James Hector thought this power was known among the Maoris; probably “lata” was the same as “rata,” which he thought meant “tame, or friendly,” and also “a friend, or adviser.” When travelling with Sir Grey among the Maoris he was always addressed as “Rata-o-te-Kawana.”

Mr. Harding said the curious part of Mr. Tregear's account was that these subjects should be influenced by any one; it was unlike mesmerism in this particular. Mr. Travers gave instances of the hypnotic condition, which were very extraordinary. His impression was that a similar influence was exercised by the tohungas upon the Maoris. He thought that the general verdict was that hypnotism was a thing rather to be avoided than used. Mr. Tregear, in reply, said the difference between mesmerism and hypnotism was that in the former the person was under the influence of a stronger will. This was only one stage, but when a person was under hypnotic influence he went through three stages, and, being under the influence of suggestion alone, was at the mercy of everybody who chose to make a suggestion. It would be interesting to find that this power was known to the Maoris. 2. “On Two New Globe-fish” (Tetrodon gillbanksii and Tetrodon cheesemanii), by F. E. Clarke. (Transactions, p. 243.) 3. “Note on a Specimen of Lophotes, sp.(?),” by F. E. Clarke. Specimens exhibited. (Transactions, p. 251.) Sir James Hector said the Plectognathi form an interesting group of fishes having some affinity to the sharks and rays, but having some solid bones, though no ribs. They are so named from the curious twisted conformation of the jaws. There are three groups—the globe-fish, the sun-fish (which is enormously large), and the leather-jackets. Globe-fish live on Crustacea, and have a habit of distending their bodies with air and expelling it forcibly with a hoarse noise. They are not edible, and are sometimes very poisonous if the gall or any of the viscera remain in the fish when cooked. Pison said the symptoms were impaired sensibility of the tongue, and rigid cramps, cold sweat, and death. Similar, though modified, symptoms are caused by the prick of the spines. Father Dutertre has described how this fish approaches the bait (a crab) with caution, tastes it, retires, returns, and swallows greedily; then blows its body up like a balloon, rears like a turkey-cock, wheels round and round, and becomes furious. It then has recourse to stratagem, lowers its spines, and allows itself to be drawn in, but the moment an attempt is made to secure it the fish suddenly resumes its dangerous activity. The Tetrodon is much smaller than the Diodon. It also inflates itself when tickled, and the boys on the wharves make a cruel sport by bursting them with a loud report. One species is very common in the Nile, spreads over the country during the inundations, and when decomposing becomes most dangerous. The Mussulmans inflate these fish, dry them, and then hang them in bunches from the pinnacles of the minarets of their mosques. The Japanese hold one species in high estimation as food, but they clean and prepare them with the greatest care; notwithstanding, the epicures often fall victims, and die in two hours. When not well cleaned they are so deadly as to be used by suicides. There is a plant named Rex amarois, which is said to be an antidote to the poison, but anise greatly increases its virulence. One species has electric organs, and gives off smart shocks when touched. 4. “On the Chemical Position of Cyanogen, and its Inability to combine directly with Gold and Silver,” by W. Skey: an abstract was read by Sir J. Hector. (Transactions p. 574.) Mr. Hustwick said it was not generally accepted that cyanogen alone was a solvent for gold, and that, though the Cassel Company claimed the sole use of cyanogen and its compounds, they virtually abandoned the claim to cyanogen alone, because their specification required it to be used in the presence of an alkali.

Fifth Meeting: 9th September, 1896. Mr. R. C. Harding, Vice-president, in the chair. Papers.—1. “Australian Weather-charts and New Zealand Storms,” with diagrams and charts, by Major-General Schaw, C.B., R.E. (Transactions, p, 61.) Sir J. Hector said General Schaw deserved thanks for the heavy task he had undertaken in searching through the hundreds of weather-charts that were filed in this office. Without a much larger meteorological staff it was impossible to turn them to proper account. They were the result of an expenditure contributed by all the colonies, but New Zealand contributed only a small share. The information was exchanged by telegraph daily, and each of the colonies prepared a weather-chart similar to those exhibited, which were the Queensland charts: The speaker explained how, about fifteen years ago, after several conferences, he had prepared diagrams showing all the usual forms of isobars—twenty fox Australia and twenty-four for New Zealand. These were numbered, and the numbers for each day were interchanged by cable. Stereotyped blocks of these diagrams had been supplied to all the principal newspapers, and for some time they were used, but now they were not so that the New Zealand public no longer got any benefit from the daily telegrams, and the old-fashioned and obsolete method of weather-warnings had been resorted to by the newspapers. In some respects he differed from the General's views. Although it was convenient to treat all wind variations as closed curves, there was reason for believing that this was only true for the tropical circular storms, and to a modified extent for those in the Northern Hemisphere. In our south temperate latitudes the weather-changes were most frequently curves open to the south—that was, without easterly winds. The pressure-changes advanced eastward in great waves that died out as they approached the great sub-tropical areas of high pressure. In the advancing or east side of the wave the wind was north-west, and the barometer fell rapidly, while on the following or western side the wind was south-west and the barometer rose rapidly. The speaker illustrated this by the curves of the self-registering barometer, for the month of February, 1895, at Wellington, Dunedin, and on board the “Hinemoa” when at the southern islands. The curves showed that four great dips took place during the month, and that these intervened between north-west and south-west winds, there being no indication of the closing-in of the curves by easterly winds in the far south. Such intrumental curves were more trustworthy than isobars, which were necessarily to a large extent conjectural, and were therefore more useful for tracing the weather-changes. He thought we must not cling too rigidly to the theory of circular movements of the atmosphere in southern latitudes. Mr. Hudson said the members must feel indebted to both General Schaw and Six James Hector for the valuable information they had given on this most interesting subject of weather forecasting. 2. “On Two New Species of Lepidoptera” (Orthosia margarita, n. sp., and Asaphodes siris, n. sp.), by E. F. Hawthorne-Specimens exhibited. (Transactions, p. 282.)

Sixth Meeting: 23rd September, 1896. Mr. W. T. L. Travers, F.L.S., President, in the chair. Papers.—1. “Polynesian Migrations” (Chapter IV., Agriculture; Chapter V., Domestic Animals), by Joshua Rutland; communicated by E. Tregear, F.R.G.S. (Transactions, p. 20.) Mr. Richardson did not agree that the dog was not introduced as a domestic animal because it was allowed to go wild. It was well known that domestic dogs often went wild, also horses and cattle. Mr. Kirk said the fungus mentioned was similar to one eaten by people in South. America. It grew on the beech-tree as large woody masses. One of these, on the silver-beech in Preservation Inlet, was the most nutritious known; and another specimen in Tasmania was probably the same as that in New Zealand, but not the same as that of South America. Mr. Maskell said, no doubt this paper was very interesting. The facts seemed correct, but the deductions were not strictly logical. The point concerning the dog was one instance. Of course, it was well known that the common cat was often wild. He himself had seen in the South Sea Islands ordinary fowls in a wild state in the bush; and to say that they could not have been introduced by others because they were wild was, he thought, incorrect. And because the bark-cloth (tapa) was used in Madagascar and other places, that therefore it was impossible for it not to have come from some great central place, was also unsound reasoning. Mr. Hudson mentioned that, in connection with the knowledge of agriculture in ancient Egypt, some very interesting remarks were contained in Mr. Peck's new astronomical handbook. The author, in tracing the origin and meanings of the names of the zodiacal constellations, considered that they could only refer to certain agricultural operations performed by a race of people living in the Nile Valley about fifteen thousand years ago. This remote period was arrived at by taking into account the effect of the precession of the equinoxes on the apparent positions of the constellations since they were named. Mr. McLeod was in doubt as to whether the writer of the paper had given sufficient consideration to the hypothesis that similar climatic and other conditions prevailing for centuries in the various regions touched upon would tend to produce parallel results. General Schaw thought the paper was full of interesting facts, but he agreed with Mr. Maskell in thinking that the deductions from them were doubtful, and the general line of argument one in which he could not concur. He felt, however, that to attempt to criticize a portion of a paper was unfair. He himself had seen no reason to doubt the general history of the human race given in the Bible. He had no belief in ages of agriculture or ages of pastoral life, but that rather, from very early ages, men had followed various lines of life according to their tastes and surroundings, just as they do now. Mr. Travers said, what the writer of the paper said regarding the dog was that, had they possessed it in domestication they would not have allowed it to go entirely wild. As to the introduction of the kumara into New Zealand, the natives had deliberated over this, and had concluded that each of the canoes arriving here brought the kumara as part of their supply, not one canoe only. This fact was in Mr. White's History of New Zealand. The fungus referred to wets used in Russia, but did not appear to be valued as food by us. The kitchen-middens, he said, owed their

origin to those who visited the coast for food, and not to those living close by. He mentioned the Digger Indians, and their mode of life. He did not think the writer of the paper wished, to introduce the question of the origin of life. Mr. Tregear said he hoped the remaining chapters of the paper would be read. It was a useful paper, inasmuch as it might induce others to write on these subjects, and afford further information. There were many things in the paper that he could not agree with, but he considered it most valuable and suggestive. The writer did not, he thought, intend to introduce any question as to the origin of life. 2. “On Kerns and Serifs” —two old and carious words much used by English printers—by R. Coupland Harding. (Transactions, p. 95.) Mr. Tregear said Mr. Harding's paper was most interesting. He quite agreed with him in saying that Mr. Murray, in preparing his new dictionary, had no right to leave out, as he was doing, certain words which he considered not proper to appear. It quite spoilt the work for the purpose of reference.

Seventh Meeting: 7th October, 1896. Mr. W. T. L. Travers, F.L.S., President, in the chair. Papers.—1. “Further results, showing that Free Cyanogen does not dissolve or even attack Gold,” by W. Skey. (Transactions, p 576.) Sir J. Hector said that, for delicate experiments such as these researches required, Mr. Skey laboured under great difficulties, as the Laboratory was not properly equipped for such investigations. The conclusions arrived at were very important. General Schaw pointed out that the gold thrown down as described was considered by the author to be in an allotropic state, and its behaviour with cyanogen might be very different from gold in the ordinary state. Sir J. Hector said the behaviour of gold finely intermixed with cellulose might be very different from free gold. He would like to hear what Mr. J. S. Maclaurin had to say on that subject, on which he had brought very high chemical training to bear. Mr. Travers said the whole matter turned on the employment of the cyanide process for the extraction of ordinary gold. If the gold operated on by Mr. Skey was not in its common form the results would not have a practical bearing.

Eighth Meeting: 11th November, 1896. Mr. W. T. L. Travers, President, in the chair.

Ninth Meeting: 20th January, 1897. Mr. W. T. L. Travers, F.L.S., President, in the chair.

Abstract After the eruption of Ruapehu, in March, 1895, the sulphur stream which formed the highest source of the Wangaehu River ceased to flow, and the water had apparently, till within the last few days, been always sweet and pure. On the 15th instant large numbers of kahanaenae (New Zealand loach) floated dead in this stream, and others were dying and gasping for breath. The water had also again become turbid and sulphurous. The floating of dead fish continued for several days, and the water was still milky-looking, and smelt of sulphur. No doubt the fish floating down the Wangaehu were thus on their way to the salt water when they were killed by the sulphurous water, and the recent volcanic activity inland had reopened the sulphur spring. 4. “On the Oxidation of Mercury in Air and Water, and of Iron in Alkaline Solutions,” by W. Skey. (Transactions, p. 582.) 5. “On the Conductivity of certain Substances for Electricity of Low Tension,” by W. Skey. (Transactions, p. 581.)