H.-7

Sess. 11.—1879. NEW ZEALAND.

ELEVENTH ANNUAL REPORT OF THE NEW ZEALAND INSTITUTE, 1878-79.

Presented to both Houses of the General Assembly by Command of Sis Excellency.

The following are the dates on which meetings of the Board have been held since the publication of the last report —namely, 4th September and 10th December, 1878 ; 23rd January and 17th May, 1879. The members who retired from the Board in compliance with the Act were Messrs. Travers, Waterhouse, and Mason, all of whom were reappointed by His Excellency the Governor. The following gentlemen were elected Governors by the incorporated societies, under clause 7 of the Act:—The Hon. Robert Stout, M.H.R.; Thomas Kirk, F.L.S.; and Dr. Buller, C.M.G., F.R.S. The undermentioned names were added to the list of honorary members of the Institute: —Professor Max Miiller, the Rev. Tenison Woods, and Professor Garrod. The following list will show the number of members now on the roll of the Institute : — Honorary members ... ... ... ... ... 30 Ordinary Members. Auckland Institute ... ~. ... ... ... 276 Hawke's Bay Philosophical Society ... ... ... ... 74 Wellington Philosophical Society ... ... ... ... 251 Nelson Association ... ... ... ... ... 50 Westland Institute ... ... ... ... ... 133 Canterbury Philosophical Institute ... ... ... ... 109 Otago Institute ... ... ... ... ... 212 Total ... ... ... ... ... 1,135 The volume for the year (XI.) was received from the publishers towards the end of May, and copies are now being distributed to the members of the incorporated societies, and those persons and institutions mentioned in the appended free list. It has been found necessary this year, owing to the large increase in the number of members, which requires a corresponding increase in the number of volumes printed, to levy a proportional contribution (under clause d of the regulations) from each society of 2s. 6d. per volume, in order to meet the cost of publication, the annual vote being now insufficient for that purpose. Volume XL contains 86 articles and several short notices and abstracts, which appear in the Proceedings, 19 plates, and 625 pages of letterpress. The following are the sections of the work, as compared with last year's volume :—

1879. 1878. Pages. Pages. Miscellaneous ... ... ... ... 186 190 Zoology ... ... ... ... ... 216 154 Botany ... ... ... ... ... 66 78 Chemistry ... ... ... ... 26 36 Geology ... ... ... ... .. 22 48 Proceedings ... ... ... ... 66 63 Appendix ... ... ... ... 42 60 625 629

The volumes of Transactions now on hand are, — Vol. I, second edition, 440; Vol. 11., none ; Vol. 111., 8; Vol. IV., 6 ; Vol. V., 70 ; Vol. VI., 75 ; Vol. VII., 165 ; Vol. VIII., 33; Vol. IX., 170 ; Vol. X., 20; Vol. XL, The statement of accounts herewith shows a balance to the credit of the Board of £140 16s. 3d. The annual reports of the several departments attached to the Institute are also appended. James Hector, Approved by the Board, 21st July, 1878. Manager. Hercules Robinson, Chairman.