Presidential Address. 35 



them, since the more we know of them, the more we perceive the 

 wisdom and goodness of their Great Creator. "^^ 



In concluding my preliminary remarks, I may perhaps be 

 .allowed to quote from the address delivered before the Royal 

 ■Society of Edinburgh on November 8th, 1909, by Sir William 

 Turner, President of that Society. Reviewing the rise of 

 scientific study in Scotland, he said: — "The present methods 

 cf study are more exact, and opportunities for its pursuit are 

 more easily obtained ; instruments of research have become more 

 •powerful and more capable of assisting in penetrating deeper into 

 the secrets of nature; novel phenomena have been disclosed to 

 view, and call for interpretation by men of science. The field of 

 research is far from being barren and exhausted, for it is, and will 

 continue to be, capable of producing ever-ripening fruit. It will 

 be for t'he younger fellows and for those who may succeed them, 

 ,to bear their share in the extension of natural knowledge, to 

 undertake the responsibility of continuing the work of the Society, 

 and to preserve the place which it has gained in the forefront of 

 kindred institutions." I do not think I need apologise for thus 

 quoting from Sir William Turner's presidential address, since his 

 lemarks to the fellows of the Royal Society of Edinburgh so 

 •admirably express what I wish to convey to you to-night. And 

 Jiow, ladies and gentlemen, I again thank you for the honour 

 ,you have conferred on me in electing me your President, and will 

 'Proceed to read a paper which I have entitled 



Notes on the Sex Problem in Birds. 



Before commencing to read my paper to you to-night, I must 

 State that my knowledge of birds outside the British Isles is so 

 pieagre that I have been compelled to confine my study, for the 

 most part, of the sex problem in birds to those which are included 

 in the British list. It is in early spring that the difference between 

 the sexes is most marked, both internally and externally. The 

 distinction in size, colour, etc., which often signalises either sex 

 being termed secondary sexual characters ; and it is at this season 

 that the male (as regards most species) proves himself superior to 

 the female bird. Charles Darwin, writing of " sexual selection," 

 says :— " Amongst birds, ... all those who have attended to the 

 subject believe that there is the severest rivalry between the males 

 of many species to attract by singing the females. The rock- 



