PRESIDENTIAL ADDRESS SECTION D. 101 



support to the latter division, almost entirely refusing support to 

 the former. Such a policy has been almost fatal to research, 

 for, despite the attitude of governing bodies, the scientist con- 

 cerned in research which has a patently economic value will admit 

 that it is impossible to draw a line of division, and further, that 

 so-called Applied ^Science is directly dependent on Pure Science. 

 Consequently, the progress made is comparatively small. The 

 present world-confiict has demonstrated to us all that in such 

 matters Germany was leading the way. The organisation charac- 

 teristic of that country appreciated the way in which the whole 

 was constituted, and realised the value of each unit. There we 

 find a whole-hearted Government support given to all that may 

 be called scientific research, and accompanying this policy a rapid 

 progress. In ever}- branch of Science — Pure and Applied — we 

 must admit thoroughness and minuteness. It is only by adopting 

 such a scheme that we can hope to advance, missing nothing by 

 the way. This amounts to the encoiu-agernent of the spirit of 

 research. Cultivate such, and then the rest is assured. Lhnit the 

 lines of research — for arbitrary choice of certain branches for 

 encouragement spells limitation — and then vv-e are lost. " Orga- 

 nisation and Thoroughness " should be our motto. 



l^erhaps the subject of Zoology is that, or one of those, 

 development of whose research is most likely to be overlooked. 

 There are a few divisions of the subject which have a patent 

 economic importance, and these are just those which receive some 

 attention at the hands of Government experts. Such divisions 

 are Entomology. Protozoology, etc. Yet these are not supported 

 as they should be, if the work is to be done thoroughly and scien- 

 tifically, and, further, tiiat work is far too localised. VVe have in 

 this country a number of universities, museums, and Government 

 departments, the stafifs of which are actively engaged in zoological 

 work. Progress is made under extreme difficulties, and although 

 much has been accomplished, can we say that it approaches what 

 might be expected from such a number? Routine work inten- 

 sified by understaffing, and lack of literature, combine to militate 

 against research work. More important still, there is very little 

 attempt towards co-ordination. 



It is time that we made up our minds to attack seriously and 

 scientifically the zoological problems in this coimtry, and 

 further to encourage South Africans to take their share in that 

 work. In glancing over the spheres of work in which research 

 is being attempted in this country, it is noteworthy that nearly all 

 the main divisions of the animal kingdom are receiving some 

 attention. It is, indeed, most fortunate that there is little over- 

 lapping. Protozoa, Ccelenterata, Phatyhelmintlies, Polychseta, 

 Oligochieta, Hirudinea, Nematoda, Crustacea, Myriapoda, Insecta, 

 Arachnida, Pisces, Amphibia, and Reptilia are all being investi- 

 gated. Much of this work is purely systematic, but it is the first 

 and essential step towards a deeper knowledge of the zoological 

 problems of this country. I am sure that workers in all these 



