poisoned. It descends into Wellington during hard weather, and if the Empire City is not spared, we must look for a like visitation from time to time. Some say that the colour of our rat is not dark enough to admit of the opinion that it is a “Kiore Maori.” But the Mus rattus is said by a distinguished naturalist to change from black to grey—very old individuals becoming decidedly hoary (Trans., vol. iv., p. 184). We should hesitate, therefore, before pronouncing positively as to the classification of a rat from colour alone. Anatomical structure, size, and habits seem to be more important elements to consider. 3. As to what it is that causes the death of so many of our visitors— for their corpses in various stages of decomposition lie about our properties everywhere—there need be no difficulty. Their enemies are numerous. Every man's hand is against them. Dogs and cats worry them about our houses. Native birds pounce upon them in the open fields. Their more powerful congeners—the brown rats—wage war against them à outrance. A survey party in Motueka the other day dug out a rat hole, and found therein a Norwegian female and her young, and by their side about twenty skins and other remains of the smaller rat. Besides these enemies they have to contend with disease, probably occasioned by change of food and surroundings. Moreover, they do not seem to have the experience or cunning of the brown rat as to the avoidance of danger; and as their numbers are so great, their slaughter is proportionately wholesale. Between them and the brown rats there will of course be a war of races. But the black rat, neither in Europe nor here, has ever been a match for the other rodent. We shall not have these interesting strangers amongst us long—already they are diminishing in numbers, and soon they will probably retire to their mountain fastnesses as mysteriously as they descended upon us. If we did not welcome their coming, I think without doubt we shall speed the parting guests.

Art. XXIII.—Notes on the Dolphins of the New Zealand Seas. By James Hector, C.M.G., M.D., F.R.S. [Read before the Wellington Philosophical Society, 26th November, 1884.] In 1872** Trans. N.Z. Inst., vol. v., art. xix. I collected all the information at my command respecting the dolphins that frequent our coasts, and distinguished the species according to the mode of classification adopted by the late Dr. Gray hi his catalogue.