president's address. 543 



Naturalist in these Countries during 1832-4." This volume was 

 issued in London in 1834, and during the same year "Notes on 

 the Natural History and Habits of the Ornithorhynchus para- 

 doxus," was also published. Amongst the other works written by 

 Dr. Bennett may be mentioned " Gatherings of a Naturalist in 

 Australasia" (1860); "Acclimatisation: its eminent adaptation 

 to Australia" (1862) ; "A trip to Queensland in search of fossils" 

 (1871); and a pamphlet on "The Introduction, Cultivation, and 

 Economic Uses of the Orange and Others of the Citron Tribe," 

 published in Sydney in 1871. 



In 1836 Dr. Bennett finally determined to settle in N. S. 

 Wales, and began a successful career as a medical man. Although 

 he soon secured a large practice, the doctor still devoted much 

 time to his scientific work, which obtained world-wide recognition ; 

 and for fifty years he kept up a constant correspondence with Sir 

 Richard Owen, who was his college companion and intimate 

 friend. Darwin was also among the deceased doctor's friends, 

 and Darwin's methods of investigation were closely followed by 

 him. In 1859 Dr. Bennett became an F.R.C.S. and an M.D. of 

 Glasgow University. 



From the time of his arrival in Sydney he took the keenest 

 interest in our Botanic Gardens, and did much to advance them 

 towards their present state of perfection. He was one of the 

 chief founders of the Australian Museum ; he acted for some time 

 as its secretary, and afterwards became one of the Board of 

 management. The now defunct Acclimatisation Society owed 

 much to his friendly aid, and he was also one of the Vice-Presi- 

 dents of the Zoological Society. During the whole of his resi- 

 dence in the colony he kept up an active scientific correspondence 

 with friends at home, particularly with the Linnean Society, of 

 which he was one of the oldest members. On the 11th of 

 December, 1889, the Council of the Royal Soc. of N.S.W. awarded 

 him the Clarke Medal for 1890, in recognition of his meritorious 

 scientific labours, and more particularly on account of his very 

 valuable contributions to the Natural History of N. S. Wales. 



