Jan., 1910.] THE VICTORIAN NATURALIST. 125 



indicated without their use. But don't mistake the gHb use of 

 polysyllables for knowledge. 



In spite of the views of some people who should know better, 

 there is a very large amount of scientific^work, especially in 

 natural history, that lends itself admirably to treatment by 

 amateurs, and which need not be obscured by scientific verbiage. 

 There is a mean in all things, even in the use of technical terms. 

 The English language is flexible and elastic ; its vocabulary is 

 enormous, and the neglect to express one's views in simple terms, 

 but to prefer to use technical ones, is frequently k form of laziness 

 and carelessness that everyone should guard against. If there 

 are two ways of expressing an idea, take the simple one, and you 

 will find it harder to cheat yourself into believing you understand 

 it and can communicate it to others. 



Anyone who has had any teaching experience, or who has tried 

 to explain some scientific fact to his friends, knows well how 

 wonderfully his ideas are clarified by the necessity of translating 

 into simple English some thought that he thinks he understands 

 when clothed in technical terms. A wise man long ago said, " By 

 teaching shalt thou learn." 



Science deals with facts and ideas, and is not concerned with 

 modes of expression. Clarify your ideas and your language will 

 to a large extent look after itself. 



But I did not intend to write rules for English composition. I 

 meant to point out some work that is awaiting the doing. Some 

 of it can be done by members of this Club, and we can publish 

 their results. Much of it I, for my own part, would like to see 

 presented to some other society, and in its fulness published else- 

 where. I say this, not because I want to harm the Club to which 

 I owe so much, but because I wish it well, and do not desire to 

 see its digestion ruined by strong meats and strong drinks and its 

 keenness blunted by listening to papers it cannot follow, 



A good deal of what I have just said I dealt with in the address 

 previously mentioned, and in that address I further pointed out 

 some work that wanted doing. I am glad to say that my words 

 on that occasion directed the energies of one or two people into 

 definite channels, with excellent results. I venture, therefore, to 

 point out some further requirements, and to ask for help. 



Our protozoa, the minute life of our ponds, is still neglected. 

 " Pond-lifers" gather it, and look at it, and guess at a few names, 

 and 1 hope there will always be nature-lovers who will do so. 

 But will someone carefully investigate any one group of these 

 animals ? There is an enormous field for research in the study of 

 the distribution of the protozoa. Besides, it is a reproach that we 

 have no one who can name them. 



In Victoria we have given too little attention to our fresh-water 

 sponges ; and surely we have more than a couple of genera of 

 fresh-water hydrozoa. Can anyone say whether we have a fresh- 



