OTAGO INSTITUTE.

FIRST MEETING. 12th May, 1885. Professor Scott, President, in the chair. The meeting took the form of a conversazione.

SECOND MEETING. 10th June, 1885.

Professor Scott, President, in the chair.

The following resolution was proposed by Mr. G. M. Thomson, and was carried unanimously :-"That the Institute draw the attention of the Government to the recent wholesale deportation of Tuatara lizards which has taken place from this colony, and respectfully suggest that steps be taken to preserve these animals in the localities in which they still occur."

Papers.-1. "Notice of some new Native Plants," by D. Petrie, M.A. (Transactions, p. 296.)

2. "On an Index-Collection for small Zoological Museums, in the form of a Genealogical Tree of the Animal Kingdom," by Professor Parker. (Transactions, p. 73.)

THIRD MEETING. 23rd June, 1885.

Professor Scott, President, in the chair.

Mr. G. M. Thomson and Professor Parker gave a microscopical demonstration "On the Preparation of Vegetable Tissues."

FOURTH MEETING. 14th July, 1885.

Professor Scott, President, in the chair.

Professor Black delivered a lecture on ་་

Explosives."

FIFTH MEETING. 21st July, 1885.

Professor Scott, President, in the chair.

Professor Black delivered his second and concluding lecture on plosives."

"Ex.

SIXTH MEETING. 11th August, 1885.

Professor Scott, President, in the chair.

New Members.-Arthur Kitchener, J. W. Moore.

Fapers.-1. The Secretary read a paper "On the Habits of the Black Woodhen, and of the South Island Crow," by A. Reischek. (Transactions, p. 105.)

2. "Note on a Skeleton of Notornis, recently acquired by the Otago University Museum," by Professor Parker. (Transactions, p. 78.)

3. "

M.A.

Description of a new Species of Acana," by D. Petrie,

4. "On Inebriety, and the Duty of the State with regard to Inebriates," by Dr. De Zouche.

The following resolutions, proposed by Mr. G. M. Thomson, were adopted :

(1.) "That, as no work dealing with the systematic botany of New Zealand is now available, the Institute again bring under the notice of the Government the desirability of having a new Handbook of the Phanerogamic Flora of New Zealand prepared and printed, and respectfully urge that steps be taken to have such a work carried out."

(2.) That as such a work would, in course of time, be largely taken up, so that most of the cost of publication would be ultimately recouped. this Institute undertake to guarantee the disposal of 100 copies, provided the retail selling price of such work does not exceed twenty-one shillings.'

(3.) "That copies of these resolutions be sent to the other affiliated Societies of the New Zealand Institute, asking their co-operation in this matter."

SEVENTH MEETING. 25th August, 1885.

Professor Scott, President, in the chair.

Dr. Lindo Ferguson gave a microscopical demonstration "On the Preparation of Sections of Bones and Teeth."

Professor Ulrich gave a microscopical demonstration "On the Preparation of Rock Sections."

EIGHTH MEETING. 8th September, 1885.

Professor Scott, President, in the chair.

Professor Parker exhibited a pair of very fine trout from Lake Wakatipu, stuffed by the Museum taxidermist.

Dr. Hocken's lecture "On The Early History of New Zealand" was postponed until the next meeting.

NINTH MEETING. 22nd September, 1885.

Professor Scott, President, in the chair.

New Member.-Captain Boyd.

Dr. Hocken gave the fourth of his series of lectures "On The Early History of New Zealand."

TENTH MEETING. 13th October, 1885.

Professor Scott, President, in the chair.

Paper. Regarding Evolution the Previous Question of Science," by the Rev. Dr. Macgregor.

ANNUAL MEETING. 10th November, 1885.

Professor Scott, President, in the Chair.

Papers.- "Critical List of the Crustacea malacostraca of New Zealand," by G. M. Thoinson and C. Chilton. (Transactions, p. 141.)

Professor Parker exhibited some botanical models made by him, also a number of stuffed fishes and prepared skeletons, which were to be sent from the museum to the Colonial and Indian Exhibition, 1886.

ABSTRACT OF ANNUAL REPORT.

Eleven meetings have been held during the session. At four of these original papers were read.

During the session a resolution has been passed affirming the desirability of a re-issue of the phanerogamic portion of the "New Zealand Flora." A resolution has also been adopted on the question of the preservation of the tuatara.

Seven new members have been elected, making the total number 197. The receipts of the session, including a balance of £97 8s. 3d. from last year, amount to £216 58. 3d. The expenses, including £12 paid as a contribution of 1s. 6d. per member, towards the expenses of the " Transactions," amount to £187 5s., leaving a balance of £29. Os. 3d. The reserve fund in the Post Office Savings Bank is now £193 3s. 8d.

ELECTION OF OFFICE BEARERS FOR 1886.— President · - Professor Parker; Vice-presidents- Dr. Hockin and Mr. G. M. Thomson; Honorary Secretary Professor Scott; Honorary Treasurer-Mr. J. C. Thomson; Council-Alexander Wilson, M.A., Dr. Petrie, M.A., D. Colquhoun, M.D., F. R. Chapman, J. De Zouche, M.D., H. Skey; Auditor-D. Brent, M.A. The retiring President delivered an address.

ABSTRACT.

In the course of a general review of the work of the New Zealand Institute during the last seventeen years, he specially dealt with the science of anthropology, pointing out that the ethnological papers in the "Transactions" deal mainly with the Native race-the Maori-and much valuable information is to be found scattered through the volumes. In some respects this is all that could be desired, but some important questions are passed over almost in silence. The numerous papers of Colenso and others tells us much of their habits, history, traditions, and language; but no one has as yet taken up systematically the subject of Maori anthropometry. Here in the South Island we are placed at a great disadvantage. We have few Maoris, and these have largely intermarried with the white race; but in the North Island the Maori, though rapidly decreasing, according to almost all authorities, is still numerous, and it is to be hoped that someone will put on record a careful set of observations of

this kind before it is too late. This, one of the finest of the savage races, ought not to be allowed to pass into decadence before this is done. There are four papers of an anthropometric character in the "Transactions." Three deal with the colour sense of the Maori, and to these I shall refer again. One, read before the Wellington Philosophical Society by Mr. Knox, gives a short description of the skeleton of an aboriginal Chatham Islander. It is printed in volume v., and it is quite within our power to write papers of this kind down here. We may not have the living Maori, but we may surely have his bones, at least his skull. Much may be learned from a series of careful measurements of the skull alone, and this is a branch of the subject to which I shall willingly devote myself when opportunity offers. But I find that Maori skulls are not easily got. Collectors of Maori relics usually look on skulls as curios, and hoard them up in little private museums, where they lie hidden during the collector's lifetime, and after his death, not at all improbably, are lost, or, being unauthenticated, become useless for the purpose I speak of. There is nothing to prevent amateurs measuring and recording the skulls in their collections; but since Broca's time craniometry has become a not particularly easy matter, and the instruments required are expensive. It is, of course, a simple enough matter to take certain measurements of a skull, but the great value of an inquiry of this kind lies in the results being such as may be compared with the work of others. Thus all measurements ought to be done in the same way, and modern anthropologists almost invariably follow the directions of the distinguished Frenchman I have referred to, and for this system of measurements a number of special instruments are required. I hope the time will come when I shall be in a position to publish in our "Transactions" some addition to our knowledge of this subject. The other three papers are devoted to the colour sense of the Maoris, of their power to appreciate and distinguish colours. One of these, by Mr. Stack, is published in volume xii. The remaining two, by Mr. Colenso, are to be found in volume xiv. Perhaps a brief allusion to these papers will not be out of place. Some years ago a theory was propounded that primeval man was colour-blind, that the world to his sense of vision was dull and grey. The sky gave him no sense of blue; for him there was no green in the forests, no yellow, no red in the flowers or the sunsets; these and the rainbow affected our ancestors as but mixtures in varying proportions of black and white. That as the centuries passed on our colour sensations gradually came to us, first red, then orange, then yellow, then green, then blue. That the Homeric Greeks were at the stage of being able to distinguish red and yellow with their shades and mixtures, the second stage of the evolution of the colour sense according to this theory. From that day to this the education of this sense has gone on continuously, and we are now able to see the range of colour from red to violet, but much of the spectrum is yet unmastered. The principal supporters of this theory are Mr. Gladstone and Dr. Magnus, a German oculist. It is mainly by philological arguments that they endeavour to convince us of the truth of their theory, but it would be out of place to discuss the question now, suffice it to say that much was written on both sides in 1877 and 1878, and that two of the papers were read by Mr. Stack. If cultured Homeric man had a feeble colour sense, if green and blue had not then emerged from the pervading grey, then savage man of the present day will also most probably to some extent be colour blind. Mr. Stack, therefore, gives us the result of his 30 years' experience of the Maoris in this matter. Unfortunately, he looks at this experience in the light of the new discovery, and tries to make the two agree. The result is curious. He states decidedly that the Maoris have a very feeble colour sense in all colours; but though they are in advance of the besiegers of Troy, in that they have a certain slight appreciation of green, they were till quite lately still blind to blue, the colour they use in tatooing; also that on the arrival of the Europeans they all at once had revealed to them the entire scale of colour. This paper is not convincing, and is mainly interesting as being the cause of

Mr. Colenso's contributions.

The conclusions arrived at were so much at variance with what he had been led to believe from his exceptional experience, that he felt he must not let them pass uncontradicted. The result is a very valuable contribution to Maori anthropology. He shows, to me most conclusively, that so far from the Maoris being deficient in sensibility to colour, they are in advance of most of us in that respect. He gives us instances from his own experience of this, and he tabulates a list of 80 words and phrases meaning red and its various modifications. He is very far indeed from believing in the blue-blindness of Mr. Stack. Indeed, one cannot read his paper and have any serious doubt as to the Maori possessing, and having possessed before the advent of the Europeans, a fine perception of colour. In this they agree with other savage races-races whose very existence often depends on their ability to note minute variations in colour. Mr. Grant Allen, who, in his interesting work on the evolution of the colour sense, gives a careful adverse criticism of the Gladstone-Magnus theory, publishes the result of an extended inquiry into the colour perception of existing uncivilized races. He sent out circulars to competent persons, missionaries, Government officials, and others, in all parts of the world, requesting answers to twelve questions regarding the colour sense of the savage people amongst whom they were living. The answers received "bore out in every case the supposition that the colour sense is, as a whole, absolutely identical throughout all branches of the human race.' To complete our knowledge of the Maoris in this respect, and to make it more definite and exact, it would be well for someone to test a large number of them with some good colour test, such as Holmgren's wools. This could easily be done by anyone. Nothing but care and patience are required, but the results would be well worth recording. I cannot let you go without alluding to the gaps that death has made in our ranks during the past year. Two of my predecessors in this chair, Mr. Arthur and Mr. Montgomery, have, like the runners of old, handed on the torch of life to others. These gentlemen were wellknown and valued members of the Institute, and to both we owe regret and gratitude. Members of our body for a number of years, from first to last they had the interests of the Institute at heart, and in the various capacities of President, Vice-president, and member of Council, they were intimately associated with the many details of its management. Mr. Arthur was one of our oldest and most active members. He joined the Society in 1869, the year of its birth. From 1878 continuously till his death he was a member of the Council, or Committee of Management. He was Vice-president on two occasions, in 1878 and 1883, and he was our President in 1882. It will be long before we forget his enthusiasm as a worker in that branch of science to which he devoted his leisure. To it several of the volumes of the "Transactions" bear worthy and lasting witness. I do not think I go too far, or under-estimate the work of others, when I say that the success of fish culture in Otago is mainly due to Mr. Arthur's zeal and fostering care. Mr. Arthur's papers in the "Transactions" on fishes show where his tastes lay. Up to the last he lost no opportunity of observing and recording what he could of our fishes, native and introduced. Of literary tastes, Mr. Montgomery did not contribute much in the way of papers to our proceedings. But much helpful work may be done in an organisation such as ours in other ways, and in such Mr. Montgomery was always ready and willing to assist. He joined the Society in 1877, and as President in 1883, Vicepresident in 1881 and 1884, and as member of Council from 1879, he did good work for us, heartily doing what came to his hand to do.