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.
