XLII. 
requirements of local workers. In this connection also must be mentioned the 
enthusiastic efforts of the late Count Castelnau, the first resident naturalist to 
undertake systematic work on Australian fishes, and who in Melbourne—where 
he died in February, 1880—published his “Contribution to the Ichthyology of 
Australia,” in nine Parts,* and supplemented these a little later, during a two years’ 
residence in Sydney, by five additional papers, including an important “ Essay on 
the Ichthyology of Port Jackson,” published in Sydney.t+ 
Steady progress in the advancement of knowledge of the two groups Lepidoptera 
and Coleoptera being ensured by the active interest in them evinced by naturalists in 
the different colonies, Sir William Macleay became seized with strong desire to see 
some of the other groups which had hitherto not received attention taken in hand in 
a similar manner by local workers, especially the Diptera, at which he at one time 
had serious thoughts of making a commencement, and indeed he made some progress 
with an introductory essay, as appears from an unpublished MS., entitled “ The 
Australian Diptera,” in which he says :— 
“Tt is not without reluctance that I undertake the task which I now impose upon myself, of making 
a descriptive catalogue of the Dipterous insects of Australia. Age, with its accompanying infirmities, is 
the reverse of a qualification for a work which necessitates a great deal of detailed examination of very 
minute animals. But I feel that, for some time at least, the work will not be done at all unless done by 
me; there is no one here at present at all likely to attempt it, and an application which I lately made for 
an entomologist [7.¢., a dipterologist| from England failed of success. 
‘T have selected the Diptera in the first instance because I think them the most interesting and instruc- 
tive. Notwithstanding their insignificant size, there are no insects man suffers so much from in his person 
and property; a knowledge of them, therefore, becomes a matter of importance even from a utilitarian point 
of view, while to the true student of nature who seeks after knowledge for knowledge’ sake, apart from all 
considerations of mere gain, these marvellous little animals offer an inexhaustible field for original research 
of surpassing interest.” 
Ata later date he himself made special provision for the elucidation of Australian 
Diptera by the appointment of a specialist, and he lived to see, with considerable 
satisfaction, some substantial progress made in this direction before matters again 
came to a standstill through his complete prostration by illness and the consequent 
withdrawal of the timely aid which alone made the undertaking possible. 
Nothing, however, more clearly shows that Sir William was no narrow-minded 
specialist interested only in his own particular little group of the Animal Kingdom, his 
breadth of view and large-hearted interest in the welfare of natural science generally, 
and his earnest desire to see biology in all its branches steadily advance, than his 
attitude towards the subject of original research. For a number of years he 
* Proceedings of the Zoological and Acclimatisation Society of Victoria. Vols. I. and II. (1872-73). 
+ Proceedings of the Linnean Society of New South Wales, Vols. II. and II. 
