Page:Transactions NZ Institute Volume 16.djvu/27

Rh The various Museums which are under the charge of the Institute, and the incorporated Societies, have all been more or less enriched during the last year; notably that at Auckland, by the beautiful and valuable Pompeian statue presented, amongst other works of art, by Mr. Mackelvie. This Museum is also one of the many institutions at Auckland which have been so largely benefited by the munificence of the late Mr. Costley; and, although it will not actually belong to the Institute, the Auckland members will have the additional advantage of the splendid library presented to that city by Sir George Grey.

The large volume of Transactions and Proceedings for 1882 gives evidence of the genuine and valuable work that is still being done by the Institute. Amongst the essays which are printed at length in the volume, I wish especially to refer to Mr. Meyrick's learned and careful account of his examinations concerning the Micro-lepidoptera of New Zealand, a comparatively new field for zoological research. The object of such inquiries may not at once be obvious, but they are nevertheless of great value as being immediately connected with important agricultural interests; the minute moths, which form the subject of investigation, being amongst the most frequent causes of blight in plants. I am glad to observe that Mr. Meyrick intends continuing these investigations, and publishing the results through the medium of the Institute. Mr. Colenso's rambles through the forest have added materially to our knowledge of the ferns and plants indigenous to this country; and I trust that, although it seems a matter of great difficulty, the attention which Mr. Arthur has drawn to the question of the disease which is now playing havoc amongst the trout in Lake Wakatipu may ultimately lead to the discovery of some means whereby it may be overcome. The acclimatization of foreign varieties of fish is of such importance as a means of increasing the food-supply of this country, that it is a matter for serious concern that a disease should have appeared amongst the one variety—English trout—which it was hoped had been successfully introduced.

I am particularly glad to find that the attention of members in both Islands has again been drawn—as it had on several previous occasions—to the important, but too often forgotten, subject of forest conservation. As was pointed out by Captain Walker, in the interesting and exhaustive addresses delivered by him in 1876 and 1877, which are printed in the 9th volume of the Transactions, silviculture is doubly useful: first, on account of the value of the product; and, secondly, on account of the change of climate it brings about.