Sir James Hector said that the carvings on the karaka-trees mentioned by Mr. Tregear had been described by Mr. Travers in the “Transactions.”* Vol. ix., p. 19, and pl. i. There was another canoe of somewhat similar construction also in the Museum, presented some years ago

3. “On Adulterations in Drugs,” by C. Hulke, F.C.S. Abstract. The author stated that some three years ago he was annoyed when carrying out some researches at finding his work rendered useless and the results vitiated by the introduction of matter foreign to the materials he was acting upon, and also properly foreign to the reagents he was then using. He was too busy at that time to investigate the cause of the failure, and the circumstance was forgotten; but last winter it was again brought to his mind through his having to make a quantity of ammonium sulphide, and it was during its manufacture that he became aware of the cause of his former failure—viz., the impurity in the ammonia he had been using. He explained that his object in bringing the matter before the Society was to warn those who might seek to analyse their own ores to test the purity of their reagents, if possible, before using them, or they might possibly find things that were not in the specimen analysed. It was to the impurities of reagents, possibly and probably, that many of the discrepancies in the various analyses were due. The President stated that this subject had frequently given rise to complications in questions regarding poisoning, in law-cases. Mr. Maskell had found, in making preparations for the microscope, that the benzine sold by the druggists was very inferior, and no doubt adulterated. The only brand that could be relied on was Jackson's.

Exhibits.—During the evening Mr. Hulke exhibited a specimen of a strange spider that carried its young on its body without web or filament, but simply attached to the body, until they were able to run by themselves.

Annual Meeting: 19th February, 1890. A. de B. Brandon, President, in the chair. New Member.—H. M. Stowell. 1. The annual report and balance-sheet were read and adopted. Abstract The report reviewed the work of the year, mentioning that twenty-two papers had been read, and that interesting as well as valuable discussions had followed the various contributions. The microscopic section had pursued independent investigations into minute life, and had contributed an exhibit to the Dunedin Exhibition. Altogether, as far as scientific and useful work was concerned, the Society might fairly be said to have had a successful session. The report noted the formation of a Field Naturalists' Club, which should prove a powerful auxiliary to the Society. Twelve new members had joined the Society during the year