186 THE VICTORIAN NATURALIST. [Vol. XXIV. 



remarkable fact that before the Melbourne University had any 

 scientific laboratories worthy of the name he was analyzing rocks 

 and cutting sections of them in the little laboratory that he had 

 fitted up for himself amongst the Gippsland mountains. Not 

 only this, but he was in constant communication with the leading 

 petrologists in England and Germany. It was during this period 

 also that, more important still, he turned his thoughts seriously 

 towards the study of the Australian aborigines, gaining tlie entire 

 confidence of the members of the Kurnai tribe, with whom 

 especially he came into contact, and by whom he was regarded as 

 a fully initiated member of the tribe. 



Dr. Lorimer Fison, who had for many years been living as a 

 missionary in Fiji, where he had done most valuable work, had 

 returned to Australia. He had become deeply interested in the 

 studies of the great American ethnologist, L. H. Morgan, and, 

 perceiving the fundamental importance of investigating the 

 Australian aborigines, had written to the leading Australian 

 papers asking for the co-operation of those who had a knowledge 

 of the natives. By good fortune this letter was seen by Mr. 

 Howitt, and, once more, the two men who years before had 

 casually met on the banks of the River Murray, came into contact 

 and formed a deep and loyal friendship, which was only 

 terminated by the death of Dr. Fison at the close of last year. 

 In 1880 these two workers published conjointly the volume 

 " Kamilaroi and Kurnai," of which it may be truly said that it 

 laid the foundation of the scientific study of the Australian 

 aborigines, for it was in this work that, for the first time, we had 

 given to us a detailed, accurate account of the social organization 

 of Australian tribes. Other workers have extended our know- 

 ledge, but it was Howitt and Fison who laid the foundation and 

 pointed out clearly the essential features of the beliefs, customs, 

 and organization of Australian tribes. 



In 1889 Mr. Howitt became Secretary for Mines in Victoria, 

 and in 1896 he was appointed Audit Commissioner. During 

 these later years all his spare time was spent in scientific work, 

 but to those who knew him intimately and were able to appreciate 

 justly his knowledge and capacity for research, it was a matter of 

 deep regret that so much of his time should have to be spent on 

 what was mere routine work, which a man of far less capacity 

 could have done. Not only was this so, but his experience as a 

 police magistrate, and his ripe knowledge, caused him to be 

 appointed by the Government on commissions and boards of 

 inquiry which entailed the expenditure of lime and energy that 

 might have been far better spent in scientific investigation. 

 Meanwhile, however, he was quietly accumulating information for 

 future use — looking forward to the time when he would be free 

 from departmental work and able to devote himself entirely to 

 research. In 1889 he published a valuable paper in the transac- 



