308 



THE PRESIDENT S ADDRESS. 



the advanced students in the Club, and would at the same time 

 greatly enhance the usefulness of that deservedly popular Manual. 

 The same course might be pursued with other works treating of micro - 

 scoj)ical subjects. In this manner the tendency to desultory work 

 would be restrained, and yet a sufficient variety imparted not to 

 weary the manipulator by the monotony of his labours. 



Another element in the scheme set forth in the original prospectus 

 must not be overlooked, and that is the proposal to institute " occa- 

 sional field excursions for the collection of living specimens. '''' This 

 department of our Club's work has been, year by year, organised and 

 carried out by our Excursion Committee, many members availing 

 themselves of this opportunity of visiting, in company with adequate 

 guides, the most favourable localities for obtaining those living 

 specimens which form objects of great interest, not only to those 

 who collect them, but also to others, who, less favourably situated 

 in this busy city, and j^recluded from joining in the Saturday after- 

 noon excursions, are yet enabled to enjoy the results of them at our 

 gossip meetings. 



Now, here, gentlemen, in this rough outline of our Club's work, we 

 have depicted a scheme containing every assistance towards good 

 work which could be desired ; and when in addition we consider that 

 we have the self-sacrificing and loyal assistance of such officers as 

 our honorary Librarian, ever ready to point out to the enquiring 

 student whatever suitable book he may require ; or our honorary 

 Curator, never absent from his post at our cabinet of objects ; and 

 the services of an indefatigable honorary Secretary, working with 

 a will and a determination to forward the best interests of our 

 Society, the consideration forces upon us a very serious reflection — 

 with all this admirable organisation, what are we doing in advancing 

 the knowledge of Microscopical Science ? How is it that a body of 

 six hundred energetic enthusiastic workers in microscopical wonders 

 have so little to produce in our Journal as the result of their work ? 



I fear it must be traced to a want of system in our work. We 

 seem to me to be like an army having the weapons of our warfare in 

 our hands, but waiting for a commander who would lead us on to 

 victory, while fields of interest lie unconquercd at our feet, lines of 

 investigation waiting to be worked out cross our every path ; but 

 while we are pausing in indecision, Time is slipping from beneath 

 us. Life is not long enough to work out any line of investigation 

 thoroughly — why then wait ? There is no mine of microscopical 



