58 Presidential Address. [vl^j 



Nat. 

 XXXVII. 



reservation in the Malice district of several areas as sanctuaries 

 for those interesting forms of bird-life which, peculiar to the 

 region, could not be acclimatized in the National Park at 

 Wilson's Promontory. 



SClfeNCE AT GOVERNMENT HOUSE. 



In view of his early departure from Australia, His Excellency 

 the Governor-General, Sir Ronald ^lunro Ferguson, G.C.M.G., 

 kindly invited some twenty-five prominent members of various 

 scientific societies and kindred associations of Melbourne to 

 afternoon tea at Government House on Saturday, 24th July. 

 In the course of an informal chat Sir Ronald expressed the 

 opinion that there should be a closer union of the scientific 

 societies of the various States, and that there might be a 

 council of representatives of such societies qualified to deal 

 promptly, in case of need, with questions of general interest 

 which might arise from time to time. 



His Excellency said that he regretted that the time had 

 come when he must sever the interests which had grown up 

 during his residence in Australia, and which would be long 

 remembered by him. Ho had been greatly interested in 

 Australian forestry, and, the conditions here being so different 

 to those of the homeland, he could not claim to be more than 

 a learner : but on liis return to Scotland he would again become 

 a practical forester and do his utmost to ]>romote the. cultiva- 

 tion (jf trees. 



Before leaving for Sydney and P)risbane His Excellency 

 forwarded the following message to tlie ImcUI Naturalists' 

 Club : — 



" One of m\- n'grets on heaving Melbourne' is that 1 hav(> not 

 had time to go on more excursions with the Victorian Naturalists' 

 Society. I ^;i^v enough of tin- society, however, to apprehend 

 the good fi'llowship, love of country, knowledge of n;itiin;, that 

 is (-ngendered by its discussions and peri'grinations. Its 

 membership cannot be ioo numerous. 



" The close association of tlie I<"ield Naturalists' ("lub with 

 the Royal, the Forest Teague, and other learned societies is 

 the surest guarantee for that awakening of public attention 

 to the ne(xl to conserve national pleasure grounds and to 

 protect our forests from fire. It aids also in cuhivating that 

 taste for geology uid physical geograph\- which adds so greatly 

 to the joy and ' .tcrtst of life. 



"The soci<'t\ is in good hands, and 1 wisii it, with all my 

 heart, all the support and consideration which it has earned, 

 and the prosperous future which is its due. 



" R. M. iT:RGrsox. 



" Government House, I2tli August, 1920." 



