Manchester Memoirs^ Vo/. x/vt. (igo2), No. Vi. 29 



ledge of the Biology of the Chatham Islands on a satis- 

 factory footing. This research should be undertaken and, 

 I am glad to say, to a large extent is being undertaken, 

 before it is too late. The Morioris are already practi- 

 cally extinct, and the fauna and flora are following them 

 under the baneful influence of civilisation. I must also 

 apologise for the sketchy and imperfect character of this 

 lecture, but I hope I have said enough to justify the 

 belief that the study of even one small group of islands 

 in the midst of the open ocean may greatly add to our 

 biological knowledge, and bring into clear light many of 

 the fundamental principles of life, such, for example, as 

 the influence of isolation upon the evolution of plants and 

 animals, and the disastrous results which, sooner or later, 

 are sure to follow upon any evasion of the struggle for 

 existence. 



