[mcmurrich] presidential ADDRESS 7 



possible exact study of their behaviour; in 1880 Laveran discovered 

 the protozoan parasite of malaria, opening up a new field for investi- 

 gation of the causation of disease; in 1881 Pasteur demonstrated the 

 protective efïectof vaccination in anthrax; in 1889 Brieger discovered 

 bacterial toxins; in 1890 von Behring and Kitasato established the 

 principles of serum-therapy; in 1896 VVidal observed the phenomenon 

 of agglutination; and in 1903 Richet began his contributions on 

 anaphylaxis. 



I have ventured upon this brief review of the progress of Zoology 

 during the last fifty years in order to establish a standard, as it were, 

 by which Canadian contributions may be judged and it must be con- 

 fessed that a consideration of the brilliant results that such a review 

 reveals makes one turn to an examination of Canadian achievements 

 with a feeling of despondency. We are a young country with young 

 institutions, and our youthfulness is shown more strikingly perhaps 

 in the biological than in the other sciences. For in the biological 

 sciences the first step toward progress is a stock-taking of the material 

 available for study and the energies of Canadian zoologists up to the 

 present have been very largely expended in such stock-taking investi- 

 gations, that is to say in systematic zoology. The field is a large one, 

 the labourers are comparatively few, and notwithstanding much that 

 has been accomplished much remains to be done. Of many of the 

 zoological groups, indeed, our faunistic records are almost blanks. 

 These blanks should be filled in, but it must not be forogtten that in 

 systematic work the danger is ever present that it may become the 

 sole aim and end of zoological studies, instead of being merely a method 

 preparing the way for progress by leading to or accompanying investi- 

 gations of broader questions. I do not mean to disparage systematic 

 zoology; it has played an important part in the development of the 

 science and still has its part to play. But we are celebrating the 

 fiftieth anniversary of our birth as a Nation and we have behind us 

 not only the experiences of that half century but the accumulated 

 knowledge of many generations presenting for our examination prob- 

 lems of the greatest general interest and importance. It is true that 

 these have not been altogether neglected in Canada in recent years; 

 at our Agricultural Experiment Stations, at our Marine Biological 

 Stations and at our Universities such problems are finding investigators. 

 But only a beginning has been made and Canadian Zoology is yet far 

 from reaching the standard that has been established in zoological 

 investigation. 



But while one may thus criticize the present one must not forget 

 the achievements of the past and must give due credit to those who, 

 unconfronted by the broader problems of to-day were pioneers in the 



