The Scottish Naturalist. 1 1 



the society is the centre, will come to receive most special at- 

 tention. It suggests itself at once, that the study of the Fauna 

 and Flora of this district is the occupation for which a society is 

 most fitted. A local society should therefore be most ardently 

 devoted to this object, and should not consider its task com- 

 pleted until lists of every species to be found within its bounda- 

 ries have been made, and all facts as to their distribution, times 

 of appearance, &c, are known and recorded. 



Each member should devote himself to one special group of 

 beings, and work it out ; or, where it is possible, a number of 

 members devoted to the study of the same group, should form 

 themselves into a section, having their own chief member or 

 president, and conduct their labours apart from the general 

 business of the society, occasionally reporting the results of 

 their researches at the meetings. In a large society composed 

 of hard-working members, where this system of labouring in 

 sections could be thoroughly carried out, a very few years of 

 earnest application would produce, at least, an approximation 

 to a knowledge of the Fauna and Flora of a district. 



The careful compilation of exact lists of the species inhabit- 

 ing different parts of the country, is by no means a work of little 

 account. The science of Zoology, in the directions which it has 

 of late years taken, has thrown new and startling light on the 

 question of distribution of species ; and the solution of great 

 problems may now rest on the occurrence or non-occurrence 

 of particular forms, in this or that region of country. In pursu- 

 ing this line of research, then, you may contribute in some 

 small degree to the general cause and progress of science. 



The greatest thinkers in Natural Science positively need the 

 assistance of a large number of observers, to enable them to 

 pursue with accuracy their line of thought, and eliminate their 

 theories. Take for example, Mr. Darwin's work on " Animals 

 and Plants under domestication " : see what a vast accumulation 

 of facts and observations are recorded in elucidation of the 

 doctrines he propounds ; one man — ten men— could not in a life 

 time have personally made these observations; they are, in truth, 

 the work- of a varied army of labourers, each member deserving 

 of much praise, which the master-spirit who collected and ar- 

 ranged their contributions in wondrous sequence, is not slow to 

 acknowledge. 



