270 Transactions of tJie [Sess. 



each other as to whose contributions will prove most worthy of 

 being read, and that each will covet the honour, and that it will be 

 accepted as a token of no small attainments when a paper is selected 

 for our meetings. 



For systematic work, we must appoint standing committees for 

 each of the following subjects — namely, Fauna, Flora, Geology, 

 Archaeology, and Microscopy ; and it will be the duty of the 

 members of such standing committees to find out the subjects on 

 which each member of the Club has special knowledge, or which 

 they propose to study. Having found out this, it will be the effort 

 of each committee to direct, aid, and encourage members in their 

 studies, so that in time they may write papers for the meetings of 

 the Society. I feel sure if each of these committees was started 

 under the care of an energetic convener, they would together do 

 splendid work, and promote our best interests as a scientific Club. 

 From my own standpoint, I think the sooner they are started the 

 better for the Club. We have good proof of this in the success 

 that has attended the meetings of the Microscopic section under the 

 presidency of Dr Macfarlane, and I trust we are only at the begin- 

 ning of that success. It has long been my belief that nothing would 

 do more to popularise and make the work of this section even more 

 interesting than it has been, than the reflection of magnified living 

 organisms upon a screen, when the life-history, structure, and habits 

 of such organisms could be studied and explained. I can conceive 

 of no more profitable lessons from the book of Nature than we might 

 thus receive in this hall. I understand there are certain difficulties 

 in the way of minute objects being clearly reflected upon canvas ; 

 but from what I have seen at our meetings, I think sufficient success 

 has been attained to enable us to use this mode of illustrating a sub- 

 ject with great advantage, even though every detail of the picture 

 is not brought out as clearly as we would like. Besides, when such 

 difficulties cross our path, it should inspire us with a fresh resolu- 

 tion to do our best to overcome them ; and in a Club like this, we 

 have an opportunity of illustrating the old adage that " two heads 

 are better than one." I hope these difficulties will soon be satis- 

 factorily solved, and that we shall then acquire microscopic 

 apparatus that will enable us to enhance the attractiveness of our 

 meetings, and open up some pages of what is to a large extent, to 

 many of us, a sealed book. 



The Field Club, to be of real use to its members, must be an 

 educational institution, and we must always have many schemes at 

 work, so as to develop the enthusiasm of every member in a greater 

 or less degree. Without enthusiasm, the Club will gradually decay 

 and die. When I think of the thorough training and splendid 

 equipment that some of you possess, combined with first-class 

 opportunities, I almost feel ashamed thus to address you. But j 



