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deal more in botany than tliey had done. Of course, insect life 

 here was very interesting. An American naturalist told him 

 there were some forty thousand species of lepidoptera, and he 

 had not the least doubt that there were a vast number of insects 

 which were not yet known to science. His friend had been 

 preparing a list of Trinidad insects and had sent him a draft list 

 which he had not yet had time to go through and compare with 

 lists published in the colony, but he had sent him a list of the 

 insects that had been sent from Trinidad, and there was not at 

 all a complete list made yet and published anywhere. So that 

 there was an immense amount of work before them — (The 

 Governor: Some pleasure too) — and plenty of pleasure too. 

 He took that for granted. (Laughter.") He could not imagine 

 anyone not liking to dabble in natural history, and he quite 

 endorsed His Excellency's remark that it Avas healthy occu- 

 pation. He could not imagine anyone having hard brain Avork 

 which tried his temper, in this hot climate, not feeling relief in 

 going out in a flannel suit and enjoying himself with a butterfly- 

 net or in collecting plants. He did not know much about the 

 animals, but he saw one* in the room which he once hoped would 

 prove to be the natural enemy of the parasol ant, if they could 

 And the natural eneni}' of the parasol ant he thought it Avould be a 

 great thing to do. He agreed with His Excellency that to pre- 

 tend to be a highly scientific societv and lay down the law too 

 quickly would be a great mistake. But they could name their 

 species, and pursue scientific methods, and work towards an end 

 Avhich was capable of bearing good fruit, and if they could only 

 make one discovery ani find out for instance the natural enemy 

 of that parasol ant, they would have done a good deal. The 

 thing to cultivate, if they meant to do anj' scientific work, was 

 to learn in the first place how to do it. The next thing Avas how 

 to preserve their specimens, and to try and make the right ob- 

 servations, but they must be accurate and not alloAV their 

 observations to run aAvay Avith them, and Avhatever conclusions 

 they came to, they should haA'e some evidence in support of 

 them. They all had to get it into their minds to take accurate 

 notes. If they could keep aAvay from imagination they mig-ht do 

 good Avork, although they might be nominally pleasing fhem- 

 seh-es. They ought to meet together no doubt for mutual 

 recreation and not aspire too much to being able to determine 

 the enemy of the cane-borer or parasol ant. It Avould probably 

 take one or tAvo generations to find that out. In the meantime 

 if there Avere excursions he should probably go out and he should 

 thoroughly enjoy himself, as he thought every one Avith any 

 sense must do, If they Avould only take part in them. (Applause.) 



♦ Armadillo. 



