# Transactions and Proceedings of the New Zealand Institute/Volume 1

Original edition was published in 1868, and this Second edition was printed in 1875 with minor errata changes
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.
1875.
PREFACE.
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.
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:—
* History, mythology, ethnology, &c., of the Maori race.
* Fisheries—best localities, and seasons for fishing.
* Extraordinary meteorological phenomena.
* Hot springs, landslips, wearing away of coast lines and river banks, and other natural phenomena.
* Formation and progress of sand dunes.
* Formation of sandbanks in rivers, and bars to harbours.
* Occurrence of rare plants, animals, and minerals.
* Habits of animals, especially of those destructive to trees and cultivated plants.
* Mineral and metalliferous deposits.
* Localities for fossils.
* Naturalization and diffusion of introduced plants and animals.
* Resources of the colony in cements, concretes, plasters, building stones, &c., &c.
* Resources of the colony in materials used in the manufacture of glass and pottery.
* Substances found in the colony available for dyeing or tanning.
* Machines and processes for the extraction and treatment of ores, and for the preparation of flax.
* Duration of native timber under various circumstances.
* Plans and descriptions of mines.
* Cause of failure of introduced grasses on some of our soils.
* Effect as manure of various substances found in the colony.
* Plants suitable for live fences in this country.
* Medicinal plants.
* Trees available for timber.
* Arboriculture.
* Proposed lines of railway.
* Harbour improvements.
* Experiments in the improved breeding of stock.
* Experiments in this colony on the culture of the vine, the hop, sugar-beet, rice, barley, European flax, New Zealand flax, &c.
* Adulteration of food.
* Sanitary condition of our cities, and means of improving them.
* Effects of our climate on diseases.
* 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.
NEW ZEALAND INSTITUTE.
MINUTES OF MEETINGS, 1868. :
| 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 | $\scriptstyle {\left.{\begin{matrix}\ \\\\\ \\\ \\\ \ \end{matrix}}\right\}\,$ | 108 |
| | Section through the Basin of Te Tarata, Rotomahana | $\scriptstyle {\left.{\begin{matrix}\ \\\\\ \\\ \\\ \ \end{matrix}}\right\}\,$ | 108 |
| VI.— | Geological Sketch Map of the Chatham Islands | $\scriptstyle {\left.{\begin{matrix}\ \\\\\ \ \end{matrix}}\right\}\,$ | 112 |
| | Arid Island, Hauraki Gulf | $\scriptstyle {\left.{\begin{matrix}\ \\\\\ \ \end{matrix}}\right\}\,$ | 112 |
| VII.— | Takiroa Caves | $\scriptstyle {\left.{\begin{matrix}\ \\\\\ \ \end{matrix}}\right\}\,$ | 6 |
| | Ngatimamoe Paintings, Takiroa Caves | $\scriptstyle {\left.{\begin{matrix}\ \\\\\ \ \end{matrix}}\right\}\,$ | 6 |
| VIII.— | Plan of the Crater of White Island | $\scriptstyle {\left.{\begin{matrix}\ \\\\\ \ \end{matrix}}\right\}\,$ | 464 |
| | Lake Hope, White Island | $\scriptstyle {\left.{\begin{matrix}\ \\\\\ \ \end{matrix}}\right\}\,$ | 464 |
This work was published before January 1, 1929, and is in the public domain worldwide because the author died at least 100 years ago.
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