X ON THE STUDY OF BIOLOGY 271 



pie; and inasmucli as, on a moderate estimate, 

 there are about a quarter of a million different 

 species of animals and plants to know about al- 

 ready, we feel that we have more than sufficient 

 territory. There has been a sort of practical con- 

 vention by which we give up to a different branch 

 of science what Bacon and Hobbes would have 

 called " Civil History." That branch of science 

 has constituted itself under the head of Sociology. 

 I may use phraseology which, at present, will be 

 well understood and say that we have allowed 

 that province of Biology to become autonomous; 

 but I should like you to recollect that that is a 

 sacrifice, and that you should not be surprised if 

 it occasionally happens that you see a biologist 

 apparently trespassing in the region of philosophy 

 or politics; or meddling with human education; 

 because, after all, that is a part of his kingdom 

 which he has only voluntarily forsaken. 



Having now defined the meaning of the word 

 Biology, and having indicated the general scope of 

 Biological Science, I turn to my second question, 

 which is — Why should we study Biology. Pos- 

 sibly the time may come when that will seem a 

 very odd question. That we, living creatures, 

 should not feel a certain aniount of interest in 

 what it is that constitutes our life will eventually, 

 under altered ideas of the fittest objects of human 

 inquiry, appear to be a singular phenomenon; but 

 at present, judging by the practice of teachers and 



