10 The South Australian Naturalist. 



fauna and flora in Australia. It Avas particularly important 

 that it should be studied here, on the spot. As long ago as 

 1790 John Hunter, a man of great note in England, had had 

 the extraordinary pleasure to receive the first consignment of 

 Australian animals ever sent to Europe. He dissected them, 

 and was persuaded that he was dealing with something extra- 

 ordinarily mysterious. He said he could not solve the mystery, 

 because, unfortunately, no one in Australia had made observa- 

 tions of the living animals, and they were absolutely necessary 

 before he could proceed further. One of the sad things, said 

 the Professor, was that here in 1920 they were still so desper- 

 ately lacking in observations made on actual living animals 

 and plants. They were dreadfully behind in that side of 

 biological science Avhich meant Life History. He would like to 

 place it on record that John Hunter had been the first man who 

 had definitely said that observations which should be made 

 were not being made in Australia, and it was useless to send 

 dead and dry animals and plants to experts in other lands for 

 examination. Unfortunately, they were still doing that. They 

 were not doing sufficient here to solve the problems of living 

 animals and plants. There was, observed the Professor, an 

 urgent need for a real appreciation of science in Australia by 

 Australians. The Wild Flower Exhibition and the general 

 work of the Field Naturalists' Society would have a very good 

 influence on South Australia. They must raise up a generation 

 which loved Nature and would investigate the lives' of the 

 creatures. They wanted a race of boys and girls who would 

 carr}^ on the work which the society was doing. They wanted 

 a few more men like Captain White and Mr. Bellchambers. 

 There they had two men whose names would live in the history 

 of. South Australia, and they Avanted lots more of them in future. 

 One thing which would tend to make the study of science much 

 more popular in Australia would be to cease sending their 

 exhibits to the old country for investigation, and to stop 

 importing men here from other parts of the world to study 

 them here. They must train up their own scientists. The 

 Professor then declared the Exhibition open. 



To ensure success, seventy public schools throughout the 

 State were circularised, by permission of the Education Depart- 

 ment. The schools in the various districts entered enthusiastic- 

 ally into the scheme, and many fine parcels of native flowers 

 Avere received. The season had proved an exceptionally good 

 one for wild flowers, and this was reflected in the glorious dis- 

 play on the tables. Special certificates were awarded to the 



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