Transactions and Proceedings of the New Zealand Institute/Volume 1

TRANSACTIONS

 

AND

 

PROCEEDINGS

 

OF THE

 

NEW ZEALAND INSTITUTE,

 

1868.

 

VOL. I.

 

EDITED AND PUBLISHED UNDER THE AUTHORITY OF THE BOARD OF GOVERNORS OF THE INSTITUTE,

BY

JAMES HECTOR, M.D., F.R.S.

May, 1869.

 

SECOND EDITION.

 

New Zealand:
GEORGE DIDSBURY, GOVERNMENT PRINTER, WELLINGTON.

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1875.

PREFACE.

 

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The original edition of the first volume of the Transactions and Proceedings of the New Zealand Institute having long been exhausted, the Government, at the request of the Board of Governors, undertook its republication.

As will be seen, the arrangement of the first edition has been somewhat changed. No extensive alterations have however been made in the Papers as originally published; and whenever at the request of authors any corrections have been made which were not merely verbal, the words added have been put in italics after those to be omitted, which are in square brackets.

Wellington, 31st May, 1875.

PREFACE TO FIRST EDITION.

 

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In issuing the first volume of the Transactions of the New Zealand Institute, the Editor has to acknowledge the many imperfections of the work, both in the typography and in the general arrangement, inseparable from a first effort to publish in a combined form the Reports of Societies only recently organized.

It will be observed that the size of the volume has been very considerably increased by the insertion of matter which does not properly belong to the proceedings of the current year, such as communications of earlier date to the various Societies, and by the publication of eight essays which were written originally in connection with the New Zealand Exhibition, 1865. In future, therefore, the volume will be less bulky and expensive, and it is hoped free from the errors which, unavoidably, have crept into the present issue, from various causes.

The volume is divided into three parts—the first part consisting of the Proceedings of the various Societies which are now affiliated under the New Zealand Institute Act, derived principally from the newspaper reports of the meetings, corrected and forwarded by the Secretaries, with abstracts of the papers not printed in the Transactions.

In most instances the authors, at the request of the Board, furnished the abstracts of their several papers when required; but in some cases it was found impossible to communicate with the authors in time for publication, in which ease the Editor, on his own responsibility, made the necessary abstracts.

The second part of the work consists of the Transactions of the Institute, containing the papers read at the various meetings which were considered worthy of being printed in extenso. In making this selection, the Governors have dealt liberally with the various authors, in order to encourage future efforts.

Many of the papers are of a most important character, and all are valuable contributions to scientific literature, particularly those bearing on the natural history and resources of the colony.

The Governors regret that two very learned and important papers, both by Captain Hutton, viz. "On Sinking Funds," and "Plight of Birds," could not be printed, owing to the impossibility of procuring, in Wellington, the type for the algebraic formula which they contain.

It is necessary also to explain that, owing to the difficulties of communicating in time, only those authors who resided in the neighbourhood of Wellington could be furnished with proofs for revision, but every opportunity was afforded to make corrections consistent with the due progress of the work through the press.

In future it is intended to have extra copies of the papers printed off for the various authors, as is customary in other scientific societies, provision for the purpose having been inadvertently omitted from the printer's contract this year.

In the third part will be found the essays already alluded to as having been written for the New Zealand Exhibition, 1865. Five of these—viz. "On Ornithology," by Mr. Buller; "Geology," by Mr. Crawford; "Trees and Plants," by Mr. Ludlam; "The Maori Races," by Mr. Shortland; and on "Botany," by Mr. Colenso—appeared in print shortly after that period, and were circulated to a certain extent among scientific persons; the remainder of the edition was purchased by the Government from the Exhibition Commissioners, and has been placed at the disposal of the Board of Governors for incorporation with this volume. The remaining essays now appear in print for the first time, and constitute a very important addition to the work: that by Mr. Colenso, "On the Maori Races of New Zealand," being especially worthy of attention under the present circumstances of the colony.

A few statistical tables, which are not generally available, have been added, giving information on subjects referred to in the body of the work.

The Editor has also been desired to give publicity to the following list of subjects on which special information is desirable, which has been circulated among the Members of the Auckland Institute, in the hope that it may be found useful, as suggesting future communications to the various Societies:—

1. History, mythology, ethnology, &c., of the Maori race.
2. Fisheries—best localities, and seasons for fishing.
3. Extraordinary meteorological phenomena.
4. Hot springs, landslips, wearing away of coast lines and river banks, and other natural phenomena.
5. Formation and progress of sand dunes.
6. Formation of sandbanks in rivers, and bars to harbours.
7. Occurrence of rare plants, animals, and minerals.
8. Habits of animals, especially of those destructive to trees and cultivated plants.

9. Mineral and metalliferous deposits.
10. Localities for fossils.
11. Naturalization and diffusion of introduced plants and animals.
12. Resources of the colony in cements, concretes, plasters, building stones, &c., &c.
13. Resources of the colony in materials used in the manufacture of glass and pottery.
14. Substances found in the colony available for dyeing or tanning.
15. Machines and processes for the extraction and treatment of ores, and for the preparation of flax.
16. Duration of native timber under various circumstances.
17. Plans and descriptions of mines.
18. Cause of failure of introduced grasses on some of our soils.
19. Effect as manure of various substances found in the colony.
20. Plants suitable for live fences in this country.
21. Medicinal plants.
22. Trees available for timber.
23. Arboriculture.
24. Proposed lines of railway.
25. Harbour improvements.
26. Experiments in the improved breeding of stock.
27. Experiments in this colony on the culture of the vine, the hop, sugar-beet, rice, barley, European flax, New Zealand flax, &c.
28. Adulteration of food.
29. Sanitary condition of our cities, and means of improving them.
30. Effects of our climate on diseases.
31. Machines and processes for the washing of sheep, and on boiling-down establishments.

In conclusion, the Editor begs to acknowledge the great assistance he has received in the publication of this work from the Governors, and especially from Mr. Travers, who kindly superintended the revision of a large proportion of it.

The acknowledgments of the Board are also due to the Secretary, Mr. R. L. Holmes, for the efficient and painstaking manner in which he has performed the duty of passing the volume through the press; and to Mr. John Buchanan for his valuable assistance in the preparation of the illustrations.

James Hector.

Wellington, 5th May, 1869.

CONTENTS.

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NEW ZEALAND INSTITUTE.

MINUTES OF MEETINGS, 1868.
		PAGE
Inaugural Meeting	1
Reply by Mr. Fox to the President's Inaugural Address	1–2
On recent Earthquakes and Wave Phenomena. By Dr. Hector	3–4
Valedictory Address by the Governors of the Institute to Sir G. Grey, K.C.B.	4–5
Address on the Moa (abstract). By the Hon. W. B. D. Mantell, F.G.S.	5–7
Inaugural Address of the President, H.E. Sir George F. Bowen, G.C.M.G.	9–15
TRANSACTIONS.
Art. I.—On Boulders and Travelled Blocks in the Wellington Province. By J. C. Crawford, F.G.S.	19–20
Art. II.—On the Measurements of Dinornis Bones. By Julius Haast, Ph.D., F.R.S	21–30
Art. III.—On Hybridization, with reference to Variation in Plants. By W. T. L. Travers, F.L.S.	31–35
Art. IV.—On the recent Earthquakes and Wave Phenomena observed in New Zealand. By James Hector, M.D., F.R.S., Director of the Geological Survey of New Zealand	35–40
Second Communication on the same subject. By Dr. Hector	40–42
Third Communication on the same subject. By Dr. Hector	42–47
Art. V.—On a new Mode for the direct Desilvering of Argentiferous Gold. By William Skey, Analytical Chemist to the Geological Survey of New Zealand	47–48
Art. VI.—Notes on Herr Finsch's Review of Mr. Walter Buller's Essay on New Zealand Ornithology. By the Author	49–57
Art. VI.a.—Notes on Mr. Walter Buller's Essay on the Ornithology of New Zealand. By Dr. Otto Finsch, Bremen. Translated from the German	58–73
Art. VII.—On the Celtic Origin of the English Vowel Sounds. By the Right Reverend C. J. Abraham, Bishop of Wellington	73–75
Art. VIII.—On the Island of Rapa. By Captain John Vine Hall	75–83
Art. IX.—Notes on Plants observed during a Visit to the North of Auckland. By T. Kirk	84–88
Art. X.—On the Botany of the Great Barrier Island. By T. Kirk	88–99
Catalogue of Plants found on the South and South-east Coasts of the Little Barrier Island. By T. Kirk	99–100
Catalogue of Naturalized Plants observed at Kororarika, Bay of Islands. By T. Kirk	100–101
Art. XI.—On some Experiments in Hydraulic Mortar, in Auckland. By James Stewart, Assoc. Inst. C.E.	101–104
Art. XII.—Notes on the Birds of the Great Barrier Island. By Captain F. W. Hutton, F.G.S.	104–106
Art. XIII.—Notes on the Birds of the Little Barrier Island. By Captain F. W. Hutton	106
Art. XIV.—Notes on the Basin of Te Tarata, Rotomahana. By Captain F. W. Hutton	106–108
Art. XV.—Description of Arid Island, Hauraki Gulf. By Captain F. W. Hutton and T. Kirk	108–112
Art. XVI.—On the Geology of the Island of Pakihi. By Captain F. W. Hutton	113
Art. XVII.—On the Utilization of the Phormium tenax. By W. T. L. Travers, F.L.S.	114–119
Art. XVIII.—On the Chatham Islands. By H. H. Travers	119–127
Art. XIX.—Notes on the Rock Specimens collected by H. H. Travers, Esq., on the Chatham Islands. By Julius Haast, Ph.D., F.G.S., F.L.S	127–129
Art. XX.—On the Present State of Applied Science in the Canterbury Province. By E. Dobson, C.E., Provincial Engineer.	129–145
Art. XXI.—On the Wave Phenomena observed in Lyttelton Harbour, 15th August, 1868. By Captain F. D. Gibson, Chief Harbour Master	146
Art. XXII.—On the recent Earthquakes on Land and Sea. By Julius Haast, Ph.D., F.R.S.	147–154
ESSAYS.
On the Geographical Botany of New Zealand. Explanatory of the three following Essays. By James Hector, M.D., F.R.S.	157–160
On the Leading Features of the Geographical Botany of the Provinces of Nelson and Marlborough, New Zealand. By Sir David Monro, M.D.	161–174
Remarks on a Comparison of the General Features of the Flora of the Provinces of Nelson and Marlborough with that of Canterbury. By W. T. L. Travers, F.L.S.	174–179
Sketch of the Botany of Otago. By John Buchanan, of the Geological Survey of New Zealand	181–212
On the Ornithology of New Zealand. By Walter Buller, F.L.S.	213–231
On the Geographic and Economic Botany of the North Island of New Zealand. By William Colenso, F.L.S.	233–283
On the Cultivation and Acclimatization of Trees and Plants. By A. Ludlam	285–304
On the Geology of the North Island of New Zealand. By the Hon. J. Coutts Crawford, F.G.S.	305–328
A Short Sketch of the Maori Races. By Edward Shortland	329–338
On the Maori Races of New Zealand. By William Colenso, F.L.S.	339–424
PROCEEDINGS.
Wellington Philosophical Society.
On Building Materials for New Zealand. By J. C. Crawford, F.G.S.	429–430
On the Amount of Silver in Gold from Makara. By W. Skey	430–431
Results of an Analysis of the fixed Constituents of Rain Water, collected from a Galvanized Iron Roof. By W. Skey	431
On Supposed Coal from the Auckland Islands. By W. Skey	431
On Extract of Towai Bark. By W. Skey	431
On the Water from the Whangaehu River, Onetapu, Auckland. By W. Skey	431–432
On Phosphate of Lime for Manure. By W. Skey	432
On Coal from Preservation Inlet. By W. Skey	432
Remarks on some of the Coleopterous Insects which injure Trees in the neighbourhood of Wellington. By R. H. Huntley	432–433
Proposed Improvement in the Mechanical Separation of Liquids from each other in certain Analyses for Alkaloids. By W. Skey	433–434
On the Solubility of Alkaloids generally in certain Hydrocarbons, and the proposed Substitution of Benzol for Ether in the Separation of certain of the Alkaloids. By W. Skey	434
Notes on the proposed Substitution of Cyanide of Potassium for Sodium, in certain amalgamating Processes for the Extraction of Cold from Metallic Sulphides, &c. By W. Skey	434–435
Report on the Geology of the Country between the Lower Clutha and Mataura Rivers. By John Buchanan, Geol. Survey of N.Z.	435
Report on the Geology of the Great Barrier Island. By Captain F. W. Hutton, F.G.S	435
Notes on the Earthquake felt in Wellington on the 1st of February, 1868. By the Bishop of Wellington	436
Notes on New Zealand Agricultural Implements. By R. Pharazyn, F.R.G.S.	436
On a new Chiton found in Wellington Harbour. By W. T. L. Travers, F.L.S.	437
On a Fluke from the intestinal Canal of a Snapper. By W. T. L. Travers, F.L.S.	437
Suggestions and Experiments on the Smelting of Taranaki Iron Sand. By R. Pharazyn, F.R.G.S.	437–438
Yield of Gold throughout the World, from the Discovery of America in 1492 to the present Time	439–440
Account of Analyses made by Geological Survey Department. By Dr. Hector	440–441
On Indications of Changes in the Level of the Coast Line of the Southern Part of the North Island. By J. C. Crawford, F.G.S.	442–443
On Variation in the New Zealand Flora. By John Buchanan	443
Account of a Meteor seen at Karori, near Wellington, 5th August, 1868. By E. Baker	443–444
On the Orthography of the Maori Language. By J. C. Crawford, F.G.S.	444–445
Description of the Maori House at the Colonial Museum. By Tareha, M.H.R.	445–446
Notice of a Sword-fish presented to the Museum by Dr. Knox. By Dr. Hector	447–448
On the Mineralogy of Gold in New Zealand. By Dr. Hector	448
On the Analysis of Auriferous Rocks from the Thames Gold Fields. By Dr. Hector	449
On New Zealand Mean Time. By Dr. Hector	451–453
On the Merits of Patent Slips. By J. R. George, C.E.	453–455
On the Merits of Graving Docks. By J. Balfour, C.E., Marine Engineer	455
Auckland Institute.
Inaugural Address of the President, Frederick Whitaker	456–463
On the Crater of White Island. By Dr. Rolston and Lieut. Edwin	463–465
On the Mechanical Principles involved in the Flight of the Albatros. By Captain F. W. Hutton, F.G.S.	465–467
Notes on Land and Fresh-water Shells, collected in the Northern Part of the Province of Auckland, April, 1868. By T. B. Gillies	467–468
On Thames Auriferous Quartz. By Geo. Ford, Gold-mining Chemist	468
On Agricultural Chemistry. By John Lowe, C.E.	470–471
On Sinking Funds. By Capt. F. W. Hutton	472
On the supposed Rise in the Land about Auckland. By the Rev. A. G. Purchas, M.R.C.S.	472
On the Preparation of Native Flax. By the Rev. A. G. Purchas, M.R.C.S.	472–475
Analyses of Waters from Hot Springs at Waiwera, near Mahurangi, Auckland. By Dr. Hector	476–477
Description of the Wangape Hot Springs. By Captain F. W. Hutton, F.G.S.	477
On some remarkable Circumstances connected with the Saving of Gold. By F. Whitaker	477–479
On the best Method of saving Gold at the Thames. By the Rev. A. G. Purchas, M.R.C.S.	479–481
APPENDIX.
Meteorological Statistics of New Zealand, to end of 1867	485–487
List of Members of Societies incorporated with the New Zealand Institute	488–490
Contents.
List of Illustrations.
Board of Governors of the New Zealand Institute	xiii.
Abstracts of Rules and Statutes of the New Zealand Institute	xiii.–xv.
List of Incorporated Societies	xv.
Officers of Incorporated Societies, and Extracts from the Rules	xv.–xvii.

ILLUSTRATIONS.

To face page.
I.—	Diagram of Earthquake Wave felt on New Zealand Coast		40
II.—	Chart of Harbour of Rapa		76
III.—	Sketch of Harbour of Rapa		78
IV.—	Bird's-eye View of Rapa, Native Forts, &c.		80
V.—	Section showing Botanical Distribution in Altitude across the Province of Otago	$\scriptstyle {\left.{\begin{matrix}\ \\\\\ \\\ \\\ \ \end{matrix}}\right\}\,}$	108
	Section through the Island of Pakihi
	Section through the Basin of Te Tarata, Rotomahana
VI.—	Geological Sketch Map of the Chatham Islands	$\scriptstyle {\left.{\begin{matrix}\ \\\\\ \ \end{matrix}}\right\}\,}$	112
	Arid Island, Hauraki Gulf
VII.—	Takiroa Caves	$\scriptstyle {\left.{\begin{matrix}\ \\\\\ \ \end{matrix}}\right\}\,}$	6
	Ngatimamoe Paintings, Takiroa Caves
VIII.—	Plan of the Crater of White Island	$\scriptstyle {\left.{\begin{matrix}\ \\\\\ \ \end{matrix}}\right\}\,}$	464
	Lake Hope, White Island