38 PRESIDENT'S ADDRESS. 



And when we remember what immense areas of research 

 accessible to low power workers remains ready and waiting to 

 be done, truly there need be no Alexander-like weeping for 

 more worlds to conquer. 



In this society we have yearly evidence of this, as, for example, 

 in the Fresh Water Algae, the Rotifers, the Oribatidee and 

 Acarina generally, and in other subjects. 



But even in microscopy there is, unfortunately, a fashion — a 

 tendency to a merely curious repetition of the work of others 

 — not so much it may be with a scientific purpose as by the 

 mere result of attraction by the newness of the objects. This 

 was true of tissue cutting and staining, especially of differential 

 staining. 



It is true of the mere mounting and staining of Bacteria and 

 many other matters. Not that I would, to such a group of 

 workers as this Club represents, suggest a reflection by this ; it 

 is simply recalled by the fact of the beautiful work done in our 

 very midst, and by one of our past Presidents, on so common an 

 object as the Blowfly. There are hundreds of similar " common 

 objects " awaiting work with solid persistence and moderate 

 powers, which many of us could really do in our leisure, 

 and by such work could enrich ourselves and benefit the 

 world. 



As a single illustration, may I suggest the Spider ? True, 

 a great deal of beautiful work has been done concerning the 

 anatomy of spiders, and their classification has been much 

 considered. No doubt, however, much remains to be done, 

 even here. But it is the work and habits of this group that 

 has been so comparatively neglected. 



Some really beautiful work has been done, even in the 

 microscopic investigation of this subject in regard to Epeira, 

 within the last few years. 



But this makes even more suggestive the possibilities of 

 work undertaken on this group. And I can speak the more 

 confidently because for the last five or six years my summer 

 vacations have been spent in their study ; not so much with the 

 hope of working out new facts as of fully familiarizing myself 

 practically with the old and the more recently investigated. 

 My time would admit of no more ; but I am convinced of the 

 delightful possibilities of the subject to a naturalist and a 



