Philosophical Institnte of Canterhury. 55 



f 

 as living organisms, and by using tlie experimental — i.e.. the truly scientific — method, 

 infused new life into botanical science. He was speedily followed b\ many trained 

 observers, especially in the domain of floral biology, so that now more than five thousand 

 communications had been made in that subject alone, and various elaborate works 

 publislied. Here, too, New Zealand early played her part in the excellent account of the 

 fertilisation of the indigenous plants by Mr. G. M. Thomson. Darwin's work on 

 climbing-]ilants was of the highest charactei-, but it was perhaps sur])assed by his epoch- 

 making studies on Drosern and other carnivorous plants. In bis " Animals and Plants 

 under Domestication " there is a perfect mine of information regarding cultivated plants. 

 It is interesting to note that Darwin was well awaie of the existence of a stoneless plum, 

 so that Burbank's so-called " creation" is very far from deserving tha": name. As for 

 Darwin's position as a botanist, he himself never considered that he deserved such a 

 title, but used to wish he on.ly were such a one as Hooker ; but, without intending to 

 detract in the slightest degree from the high achievements of tha": trulv great man, if 

 originality of thought, success on little-trodden or unbeaten paths, and influence in 

 advancing the science ard stimulating research, count foi anything, then Darwin really 

 was the greater botanist. 



^Ir. Speight said that Darwin was in many respects a very eminent and distinguished 

 geologist. He was essentially a pioneer, but even as a pioneer he showed marked ability. 

 The position of geology as a science when he was a young man was unsatisfactory in the 

 extreme. It was overweighted by theory and unsupported by observation, and it 

 merited the scorn and distrust of the educated community. In the early part of the 

 nineteenth century a marked advance was made, largely o>ving to the work of two great 

 Englishmen, William Smith and CJharles Lyell. The former was the founder of strati- 

 graphical geology, and the latter insisted on the uniformity of geological processes in time 

 past as in the present. His great work, "The Principles of Geology,"' which appeared in 

 1830, inspired Darwin with enthusiasm, and he sailed from England in the year 1831 

 determined to apjily those principles in the lands he was to visit. Darwin's work as an 

 active field geologist was practically restricted to the years 1832-37- The result of his 

 observations he published in 1844. His geological wi-itings, though limited in amount, 

 were well worth careful study. The speaker referred briefly to Darwin's work on coral 

 islands, on the structure of South America, and on volcanic islands. Special reference 

 was made to his work on the cleavage and formation of rocks, and to the various theories 

 which he advanced and which were not accepted in his day, but which later had received 

 the ai)inoval of the geological world. Lantern-slides were exhibited to show the 

 structm-e of volcanoes, the noted spine of Mont PeU'e, various luidscapes in southern 

 Patagonia, and tha formation of coral islands, and the scope and bearing of Darwm's 

 work in these connections were briefly explained. The speaker ccncluded by pointurg 

 out that, though the year 1844 ended Darwin's special work as a geologist, the experience 

 he had gained was invaluable when discussing the special iialpeontological evidence in 

 support of his theory of natural selection. 



