president's address. 657 



and detached that when information can be obtained it is very 

 precious. It often happens that fossils are found by those who 

 are entirely ignorant of their value, and they are looked upon as 

 fossils and nothing more, as if they were not each of them bits of 

 history to be carefully treasured. If they are carried home they 

 lie about for some time and are eventually lost. Such relics 

 should be carefully preserved, the circumstances and manner of 

 the find in each case noted and reported to the Department of Mines. 

 I am certain that many interesting discoveries are lost to science 

 through neglect or ignorance. 



Another work that requires carrying out more fully and over a 

 larger field than at present is the formation of local herbaria, 

 including the forwarding of duplicate specimens to Sydney for 

 identification. The knowledge of the distribution of plants in 

 this country is far from complete, but it is a most interesting and 

 important subject. Ladies residing in the interior, many of 

 whom I know find their time hang heavily on their hands, would 

 earn the gratitude of the scientific world if they would undertake 

 to carry out this object, which would be more an amusement 

 than a toil. Many districts are out of reach of ladies, and must 

 be explored by the sterner sex. Local officers of the Government 

 service should also be expected to assist. The. great army of 

 forest rangers, surveyors, road superintendents and others might 

 have this work made part of their duties. Whenever an import- 

 ant commission is sent by the British Government for geographical 

 research into a little known country, for the delimitation of 

 frontiers or other serious work, a man of science is inyarial^ly 

 sent to assist in the expedition. In this case as it were we have 

 the new and undiscovered country close at hand. Why should we 

 neglect our opportunities ? 



The additions to our knowledge of the natural history of 

 Australia directly resulting from the operations of the " Horn 

 Scientific Expedition to Central Australia " promise to be of the 

 greatest interest and importance. Captain Sturt, the pioneer 

 explorer in this region and its outskirts (1844-46), was also the 

 first to furnish some insight into its natural history. In an 



