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

It was notified that Major-General Schaw, C.B., R.E., a member of the Society, had been elected a Governor of the New Zealand Institute for the current year, and that Professor Horatio Hale, of Ontario* Unfortunately, news has been received that Professor Hale had actually died before the election was made, and it was, consequently, void; and Professor Langley has been elected instead. (nominated by the Society), together with Mr. Richard Lydekker, of the British Museum, had been elected honorary members of the New Zealand Institute. Papers.—1. “On some Tick-parasites of the Kiwi,” by W. M. Maskell. (Transactions, p. 290.) In answer to questions, the author stated that the genus of ticks which in other countries infested animals, as in Queensland and elsewhere, affected birds in New Zealand. There was, he thought, a chance of these ticks going on to cattle in this country. He did not think the Queensland tick would come here, as it seemed only to thrive in the tropics. The difference between ticks and insects was that the insect had six legs while the tick had eight. Sir James Hector pointed out the importance of such a paper as that read, which was one of the first attempts to deal scientifically with the tick-pest. The President also referred to the value of the investigations by Mr. Maskell. 2. “Further Notes on Coccids, with Description of New Species,” by W. M. Maskell. (Transactions, p. 293.) The President said it was gratifying to know that Mr. Maskell was still investigating these injurious insects; the work was most valuable, and entailed a great deal of labour and close application.

3. Sir James Hector brought before the Society the necessity of the preservation of ancient Maori records. He said the rapid extinction of Maori customs, and the consequent loss to the scientific world of much information in an interesting branch of study, had rendered necessary prompt action on the part of the New Zealand Institute in order to preserve records of the unique characteristics of the race. The first step in this direction would be the publication of a valuable illustrated work upon Maori art, the first number of which was expected to be ready within a fortnight. He showed an advance copy of the first part of the five which would make up the volume. The first portion was devoted to Maori canoes, and was illustrated with excellently-taken and reproduced photographs of the carvings upon the Maori war-vessels. The other four parts would deal respectively with Maori habitations, weapons, ornaments, and dress. The work was being undertaken by Mr. Augustus Hamilton, Registrar of the Otago University, and arrangements had been made for Mr. Hamilton to go through all the Maori country and obtain the best photographs possible. The Institute had arranged for a complete collection of photographs and negatives of Maori art-workmanship.