Wellington Philosophical Society. Fourth Annual General Meeting. 28th January, 1871. The Hon. W. B. D. Mantell, President, in the chair.

Abstract Report of the Council for the Annual Meeting. During the year eight general meetings and one special meeting have been held, and communications on fifty-nine subjects made. Of these forty-four have been forwarded to the Governors of the New Zealand Institute for publication in the third volume of the Transactions. The subscriptions during the year amount to £97 12s., showing an increase of £25 3s. over the previous year. The statutory contribution of one-sixth of the year's income (£16 5s. 4d.) has been made towards the maintenance and extension of the Museum. £50 has also been devoted from the funds of the Society to the improvement of the Botanic Reserve. £20 has been expended in procuring additions to the library, and arrangements have been made for receiving the following publications:— “Quarterly Journal of Science,” “Popular Science Review,” “Nature,” “Australasian,” “Field,” “Gardener's Chronicle,” “Builder,” “Engineer,” and “British Mechanic,” which may be consulted in the reading room at any time by members. The balance in the hands of the Treasurer is £60 10s. 7d. The number of members to whom the second volume of the Transactions was sent in May last was eighty-five. 103 members are now on the roll.

Election of Office-bearers for 1871 Election of Officers for 1871: President—W. T. L. Travers, F.L.S.; Vice-Presidents—W. L. Buller, F.L.S., F.G.S., J. C. Crawford, F.G.S.; Council—J. Hector, M.D., F.R.S., J. Kebbell, W. Lyon, F.G.S., Robert Hart, W. Skey; Hon. Secretary and Treasurer—F. M. Ollivier.

Extraordinary Flight of Beetles New members—A. Allan, W. Colenso, F.L.S., James Prendergast, and F. J. Knox, L.R.C.S.E. 1. Dr. Hector called the attention of the meeting to a live Katipo (a poisonous native spider), which had been sent from Wanganui by Mr. Walter