PKESIDEXT S ADDRESS. O 



WiLLiAii Joseph Rainbow, elected a Member in 1893, migTated from Eng- 

 land to New Zealand iu 1873, and ten years later eame to Sydney. While en- 

 gaged in journalistic work, he became enthusiastically intei'ested in natural his- 

 tory; and, in 1895, he was appointed entomologist to the Australian Museum, 

 and continued to. hold that position until his death on 21st November, 1919 . He 

 was especially interested in the Araiieidae; and his numerous contributions to a 

 knowledge of this and other groups, include seventeen papers in the Society's 

 Proceedings for the years 1892-1902 ; and others in the Records of the Australian 

 Museum, and in the "Australian Naturalist." He was also the author of two 

 useful additions to our popular science manuals, namely "A Guide to the Study 

 of Butterflies," and "Mosquitoes: their Habits and Distribution." Mr. Rainbow 

 was personally known to many of us as a kindly, earnest, upright man, very 

 keenly interested in his work, and very desirous of helping others to realise the 

 attractiveness and the interest of the wonderful Australian fauna. One of his 

 sons enlisted soon after the outbreak of war, and was killed at the Dardanelles 

 on May 24th, 1915. This sorrowful event hastened the death of his wife soon 

 afterwards. Another son also enlisted, and returned a few days after his father's 

 decease . 



Recent events have brought about some changes directly or indirectly affect- 

 ing the scientific life of the community. Their decease has deprived it of two 

 of our scientific veterans — Sir Thomas Anderson Stuart, Professor of Physiology 

 in the University of Sydney; and Robert Etheridg-e, .Tunr., Director and Curator 

 cf the Australian Museum, both, at one time, Meml)ers of this Society, and the 

 latter, tor some years, a Member of Council. 



Several of our Menibeis have retired from acti\e work after [lutting up long 

 records of faithful and productive service. 



Professor Anderson Stuart, Dean of the Facidty of Medicine of the Uni- 

 versity of Sydney, and Chairman of Directors of the Royal Prince Alfred Hos- 

 pital, has been a very prominent figure in the educational and public life of the 

 State ever since his arrival in 1883. The development of the Medical School 

 and its growing infiuence as a factor in medical education, aft'ord abundant testi- 

 mony to his organising capacity and his forceful character. His death, on Feb- 

 ruary 29th, 1920, at the age of 61, closes an impressive chapter of personal his- 

 tory, as well as a very important stage in University history on the medical side. 



Robert Etheeidge, June., was, I think, the oldest scientific worker in liarness 

 iu Australia. His first contribution to scientific knowledge, a geological ([uarter- 

 sheet map of the Yan Yean district of Victoria (2 N.E.), embodying the results 

 of his field-work during the preceding year, was published in 1869. His last, 

 the second of two papers on the early history of the Australian Museum, was 

 issued on 4th December, 1919, about a month before his decease; so that his pub- 

 lished work covers a period of fully fifty years. He was the son of Roljert 

 Etlieridge, Senr., to whom there is a vei-y interesting reference in Geikie's "Life 

 of Sir Roderick Murehison" (1875) (Vol. ii., p. 259) to this effect— "Early in 

 July, 1856, Murehison betook himself into Gloucestershire to see some of his old 

 Silurian haunts. Mr. Ramsay joined him, and some time was spent by them 

 among the Silurian and Oolitic rocks of the Tortworth district, where they en- 

 joyed the hospitality of Loi-d Ducie, who accompanied them iu their excursions." 

 "Among the Cotteswold liills," Murehison records in his journal, "we 

 made various excursions in the range of the Lower Oolites, and were accom- 

 panied by a very intelligent person who had been in Imsiness in Cheltenham, and 



