l28 THE VICTORIAN NATURALIST. [Vol. XXVI. 



"Plant Geography," and ask yourself a host of other questions of 

 a similar nature that need answering, and many of which anyone 

 who really tries can reply to. 



I have propounded a series of problems that will keep the Club 

 busy for many a day, and I wish to emphasise the fact that because 

 we are members of a Club the way is prepared for anyone to attempt 

 to answer some @f these questions. If you want to know where to 

 go to find your specimens, how to preserve them, how to store 

 them, how to manage breeding boxes or aquaria, or where to see 

 the literature that may be necessary to start you on your path of 

 discovery, there is some one or other in the Club who can satisfy 

 your wants, affl|j.nwill be only too glad to do so. Ask ! There is 

 no need to sei^f the bellman round announcing the fact that you 

 are preparing to begin, nor is there any necessity for you to 

 attempt to rush into print before you have accumulated some 

 carefully tested observations. Don't baulk the end half-won for 

 an instant dole of praise. 



I have sought to direct observation to our fresh-water and land 

 forms, because it is they that are rapidly passing away with the 

 onrush of civilization. The marine forms of life need investi- 

 gation, too, but they can wait, as they have waited for ages past. 

 The land fauna and tiora, however, must be studied by this 

 generation or it will be too late to answer many of the questions 

 that will be asked concerning it by those who come after us. 

 Some of it has already perished. 



What I have said I should like to qualify by one remark. I 

 fully recognize that the great bulk of our members have neither 

 time, opportunity, nor inclination to undertake work such as I 

 have indicated. They have to remain satisfied with what they 

 gather on our excursions or at our meetings, but it must be 

 remembered that this is v^^hat all of us have to do when subjects 

 outside our own special ones, if we have any, are being dealt with 

 in the Club. The Club needs the support of all its members, 

 whether they are original investigators or not. All I ask is that a 

 dozen or so will devote some of their spare time seriously to some 

 problem that requires settling, or will do something, however 

 small, to help on the knowledge of natural history in our State. 

 Everyone can help. Everyone can do something to open up the 

 path to fuller knowledge. There will be difficulties and dis- 

 appointments to face. After careful work has brought you to the 

 knowledge of some fact, quite possibly you will find that you have 

 been forestalled. But you will have learned the joy of research, 

 and will be fitted to cope with some new problem that will speedily 

 present itself. If you are puzzled about the choice of a subject, 

 let me recommend the lines — 



' ' Do the work that's nearest, 

 Though it's dull at whiles. " 



There is no need to go to the polar regions for a subject. It 

 lies here, under your hand. 



