710 president's address. 



Sir William Macleay's work as an investigator, though it was 

 extensive and useful, was none of it of an epoch-making character, 

 and it is mainly in the other ways to which I have directed 

 attention that he deserved well of the republic of science. Our 

 distinguished friend Baron von Mueller's phrase " the Maecenas of 

 Australian natural science " is scarcely an exaggeration ; and, 

 though he has had no Horace to enshrine his name in immortal 

 verse, yet his benefits are of such a kind as to ensure that his 

 name will be handed down to future generations. 



Sir William Macleay's services to natural science in this colony 

 as a collector of specimens which have proved, and are likely still 

 more to prove, of value in adding to faunistic knowledge are well 

 known to all of you. His most imposing enterprise in this direc- 

 tion was the expedition which he undertook in the year 1875 to 

 the Northern Queensland Coasts, to the Islands of Torres Straits 

 and New Guinea. 



In a paper which he read before this Society on his return in 

 October, 1875, Sir William Macleay gave a general sketch of 

 the results of his expedition, of some of the more interesting 

 phenomena observed, and some of the more important collections 

 which had been made. From this I quote the opening paragraph 

 and part of the last : — 



"It is now five months since I took my departure from Sydney 

 for a few months' cruise among the Islands of New Guinea and 

 Torres Straits. I was accompanied, as you are aware, by Mr. 

 Masters and Mr. Brazier, both members of our Society, and I 

 had, besides, with me two very competent taxidermists and 

 collectors — Messrs. Spalding and Pettard. The results of the 

 expedition I hope to be able to exhibit to you in a few weeks upon 

 the arrival of the ' Ch evert,' now on her way from Cape York. 

 In the meantime, I have jotted down, from memory, a few 

 notes and observations, which, I trust, will not be altogether 

 uninteresting to you." .... 



"Altogether," he sums up, "I have succeeded in getting together 

 a vast and valuable collection — a collection which, considering the 



