The number of students attending lectures this year is 180, as against 167 last year.

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Professor Kirk has taken up temporary quarters in Miss Baber's school, in Pipitea Street. He has fourteen students, who talk about biology as though it were football or some other exciting pastime. An enthusiastic student writes that on the 22nd May "Kirk's Lambs" went "bug-hunting" at Petone, "bent on capturing and killing water-fleas, frogs, and other dangerous animals." This sounds like philanthropy. "After an interesting and exciting day," we are told, "the excursionists returned home richly laden with specimens." We wish the "lambs" luck every time.

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The budding biologists were somewhat lacking in facilities for work at first; but, thanks to Messrs. Hoby, Watson, Haylirh, Richmond, Evans, and Miss Myers, microscopes were obtained. Professor Easterfield threw in some antique skulls and a few venerable bones, so that now things are looking quite homelike at the Pipitea branch.

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Students will no doubt look upon the new seal (which appears on our cover) with feelings of intense relief. We have long desired (vainly) that the stain of "desideranda" should be washed away. We have ourselves "little Latin and less Greek," but we do not like to see the show given away on the College seal.

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Since our last number P. S. Foley has gone to other fields and pastures new. How we miss the smile of genial Pat. The Hockey Club lost a fine goal-keeper, the Tennis Club a mine of cheerfulness, and all of us a jolly good fellow, the day Foley left for Napier. Here's luck, Patrick.

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We regret to have to chronicle a painful scene which occurred during a recent hockey match. It was indeed de-plorable to see a member of the city Licensing Committee—one elected on the Reform Ticket at that—in the clutches of Beere. We are glad the matter was settled out of Court.

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The College has suffered considerable loss in the departure of G. V. Bogle, who has accepted the position of junior master at the Napier High School. Bogle has distinguished himself during the last two years as a good all-round man. At football, hockey, and tennis he has proved one of the most useful men in the College first teams. At hurdling and long jumping he has given considerable promise, and it was with great regret that the team heard of his inability to go to Auckland as one of our representatives at the Easter Tournament. Such a good athlete should prove of great advantage to a school, and we congratulate the Napier High School on its selection.

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We are asked to announce some results of a careful analysis of a valuable collection of stones brought from South Africa by H.O.S. The large diamond consists of 95% Sio2, and 5% veldt dust—total, 100%. Our correspondent remarks enigmatically, "Most people wonder why De Wet was not cornered." We don't.

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Mob Rule.

"The night of April 16th was calm. Everything was calm except the heart of the "Takapuna" and the manly breast of one who was, alas! seeking calmness and repose. But it was not to be. Forty tireless undergrads with the ferocity of Captain Kidd and the ruthlessness of Bluebeard, took possession of the ship. "Ties shall be fastened in bows,' rang out the staff-order—' double collars up, and coats inside out, trousers half-mast.' Hardly were the words uttered when a band of muscular ruffians proceeded to enforce the commands, and in a twinkling all resistance was overcome. Then with savage "hakas" and barbarous war-crys was night made hideous, and the eight bells for "mid" had long since tolled before sleep at last became possible. And in that lonely cabin who shall describe the joy of the afflicted one whose misery was no longer insulted by deeds of lawless violence or the shouts of an exultant rabble?" Who, indeed?

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One! Two! Three! We Want Murphy!

At break of day New Plymouth was reached, and even the afflicted one joined the piratical crew in an attack upon the town. A party of twenty at once laid siege to a fruit shop. It belonged to Murphy—presumably an Italian.

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"One, two, three," said a small voice, and then a mighty shout broke the morning stillness, "We—want—Murphy." Half the town started from slumber, fearing a riot; not so Murphy. For fully five minutes the raiders kept on repeating their polite request, and then Murphy, who had mistaken the call for the last trump, appeared on the scene with a look of unfathomed dread in his eye. He forgave, however, and now cherishes quite a kindly remembrance of twenty hungers—satisfied.

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To this day the villagers along the line tell with delight a strange legend of fifty bronzed and beardless faces that saluted them from the platform of the express with unhallowed and ghastly noises of stupendous magnitude. But the war songs grew thinner and wearier, and the last gurgle of heroic effort died languidly among the hills of Porirua.

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Lest anyone should suspect us of exaggeration we reproduce the words of the great Victoria College battle-cry, given under the leadership of our famous Maori chief, Rangitihi Whakahirahira (Paaka):—

Chief—E hoa ma e Tribe—Mahara ki Poneke
Ake ake kia
koa kia toa
kia kaha. Chief—A toia te waka Tribe—He e Chief—A toia te waka Tribe—He e Chief—A toia te waka ki
runga ki te maunga
E tu mai nei ka
whakatakotoria ki runga
kite ngaroparapara koa Tribe—Mehe tete waka
mehe tete waka
mehe pitau whakareinga.

We congratulate our readers that we are unable to reproduce the sound and the faces.

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We have again this year to thank Mr. H. E. Nicholls for his able assistance in preparing for "Rosencrantz and Guildenstern." Mr. Nicholls gave considerable time and trouble to a play which was first accepted and then, almost at the last moment, discarded. It speaks volumes for his kindness and skill that he helped us through, and that the play went off so well. The actors signed a round robin, which they presented to Mr. Nicholls after the performance. The words spoken at the presentation were not many, but they were meant.

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The method of scoring the tennis points at the Easter Tournament is unsatisfactory. Some scheme should be devised by which each representative makes an appreciable difference to the result. At present two men and two ladies are all that count, and it is possible for four really good players to carry off all the points against a good even team of twelve. If the team as a team were encouraged it would be much easier to get the best team away.

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"Oh Victoria,sempiterna
Sit tibi felicitas
Alma mater, peramata
Per aetates maneas."

—College song.

The excavations on the College site are now completed. The competitive designs, which were sent to Melbourne to be judged, are now in the hands of the College Council. No doubt some modifications will have to be made in the successful plan, and some time will be occupied in letting the contracts. Allowing for all delay, however, there appears no reason why the foundation stone should not be laid early next term.

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We are glad to be able to announce that The Spike came out last year with a cash balance of £1 7s. We have as assets 72 magazines and stock-in-trade valued at £2.

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We are always pleased to publish gems of oratory from the Debating Society. A correspondent, who is also a short-hand writer, sends us the following:—

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"Who would be a doctor? When the choice was first offered me and the chance given to prosecute the study of medicine at home, I spake to myself thus. These were my very words:—'New Zealand wants men, high-minded men, men who their duties know. New Zealand cannot afford to lose men of my calibre. I will go to Victoria College and study law. For is not justice holy, sacred, eternal? Does not every other consideration appear mean and sink into insignificance beside this?' And it is my chief ambition to become a successful advocate that I may defend the cause of the criminal and the spieler, that I may cheat the rope of the hangman and rob the gaol of its birds."

"It is especially gratifying to us older and experienced speakers to see so many younger students amongst our audience. We extend to them a hearty welcome, and feel sure that by paying attention to our words and gestures they will in time acquire the facility of speaking, the exquisite modulation of voice, the gracefulnass of gesticulation, and the force of logic possessed by us older hands."

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The Tug of War.

One of the most exciting contests of the Easter Tournament was the Tug of War. In the first pull Victoria and Canterbury Colleges had a great struggle. Victoria College had slightly the best of the ground, and managed to win. In the final with Auckland College there were three pulls. In the first Auckland succumbed to the best pull of the day. In the second Auckland had the advantage after a hard go. But in the great final both sides strained every nerve. Excitement ran high—cheers, hakas, shouts rent the air as the warriors on either side gained or lost an inch. Professor Easterfield passed along our line. With great shouts he urged us on, and at last as the night set in one long last heave brought us victory.