(PRESIDENTIAL ADDRESS). 
QUEENSLAND FOSSIL FLORAS. 
By A. B. Watkom, D.Sc. 
(Delivered before the Royal Society of Queensland, 24th 
March, 1919). 
The past year has been one of great activity amongst 
the members of the Society engaged in research work, as 
evidenced by the fact that Volume XXX. of the Proceedings 
contains no fewer than seventeen papers. That we have 
been able to publish a volume somewhat larger than usual 
is due to the financial assistance rendered by the University 
of Queensland and the Walter and Eliza Hall Fellowship 
Fund towards the publication of certain papers, and also 
to the continuance of the Government grant. We have 
to express our gratitude for this assistance, and especially 
to the Queensland Government, which, in a time of rigorous 
financial economy, has seen its way to recognise in a prac- 
tical manner the value of the publication of the results of 
original scientific research work. 
The membership of the Society remains about the 
same, and now that conditions may be expected to return 
gradually to normal, it is hoped that the number of 
members will show a steady increase. The attendance of 
members at the ordinary meetings of the Society has been 
far from satisfactory. As a result, a scheme has been 
brought before the Council whereby at certain meetings 
during the year lectures on popular subjects will supplement 
the papers, which are usually on more specialised branches 
of science. The object of this scheme is to make the 
meetings of more general interest. The Council has 
expressed its approval, and it is hoped to bring the scheme 
into operation during the coming ‘year. 
We are fortunate in being able to report that, as far 
as we know, those members of the Society who have been 
‘on active service during the past year are all safe, one of 
