Page:Transactions NZ Institute Volume 9 Supplement.djvu/23

Rh Dr. Hector remarked that there were on the table this evening this plant, a bird (Procellaria antarctica), and a fish (the Red Mullet), which were all discovered in New Zealand by Captain Cook's Expedition, and had not been since found until now.

New Members.—Allison D. Smith, Capt. T. C. Rowan, of New Plymouth.

1. Mr. W. T. L. Travers said that, before the ordinary business was proceeded with, he wished to lay on the table, for the inspection of members, some specimens of a small Brown Beetle, which is very destructive to the young fruit in the gardens and orchards. He exhibited also some small green apples, with the skin blighted and discoloured owing to the attacks of this beetle. He also wished to mention another fact in natural history which had recently come under his observation. He had for some time past noticed a large species of Yellow Slug infesting the heaths in his greenhouse, their slimy tracks being visible everywhere. He was at first inclined to destroy them, but, on more closely watching their habits, he discovered that they were in reality scavengers, and were completely cleansing the plants of a disgusting little Aphis, which he had been unable to eradicate. The slug appeared to be exclusively carnivorous, and he observed it feeding with avidity from a pot of lard, scooping up the fatty matter in a very remarkable way. He might also add that, on mentioning the circumstance to Mr. Martin Chapman, he found that he had made the same observation on the habits of this slug, which had entirely cleansed some rose plants of the swarms of Aphides which infested them.

2. Mr. Kirk said that, at the request of the President, he had much pleasure in calling the attention of members to a beautiful pot-plant (Medicago marginata), sent over from Government House by Lady Normanby for inspection. It was generally known as the "Snail plant," from a peculiarity in its legumes, which are coiled round in the form of a disc, with coherent inner margins. This was the first time he had met with this plant in the Colony.

3. "On the Longitude of Wellington Observatory," by the Venerable Archdeacon Stock, B.A. (Transactions, p. 217.)

In reply to a question from Mr. Thomson as to whether he had compared the personal error, the author stated that, unless he had gone to Sydney, such a comparison would be impossible; and, moreover, for all practical purposes it was quite unnecessary, as the personal error was never more than one-third of a second in reliable work, and that he considered absolute longitude a mathematical impossibility.

Mr. Thomson said it was usual to compare the personal error, and that in the absence of such comparison he considered the observations very incomplete.