PRESIDENT’S ADDRESS. sig 
neighbours there will never rest until both the geography and the 
natural history of their portion of the country is well known and 
accurately recorded ; and in the accomplishment of this end, the 
great national capacity for scientific exploration and investigation 
will, doubtless, be substantially aided by the German Government, 
if even the entire work will not be undertaken by the State. A 
revision of the rules has included the adoption of a new rule 
giving to the council the power to establish sections for the 
furtherance of original research. It is matter for regret that this 
change has not yet borne fruit, but as we become stronger in 
members who are specialists, it may be expected that sections will 
be formed. ‘There is no doubt that the best of scientific work is 
done by those who, whether by themselves or in association with 
others, devote their attention to the furtherance and elucidation of 
special subjects of research. The transactions of the year have 
been marked by the reading of a considerable number of papers, 
covering a large number of subjects. Biology has not occupied 
more than its fair share of the time of our meetings; while 
ethnology, meteorology, geology, botany, industrial botany and 
horticulture, pathology of plant diseases, forestry, &c., have each 
in their turn been the subjects of papers and of ensuing discussions. 
The Society has also been indebted to one of its members for a 
very valuable contribution on the science and art of preserving 
perishable articles of food by means of refrigeration. The 
exhibits at the meetings have been varied and instructive, and for 
these we are much indebted to our excellent colleagues, Mr. C. W. 
De Vis, Curator of the Queensland Museum, and ‘his coadjutor, 
Mr. H. Tryon, our honorary secretary. Mention of the museum 
reminds me that the society is under an obligation to the trustees 
of the museum for permission to meet in their library ; but I would 
urge upon my successor and the council for the coming year the 
need for something more than a suffrance occupation of a locus in 
guo. 1am not without hope that an arrangement may be come to 
by which we may lease the right to meet and to shelve our books 
in the convenient room which, by the kind permission of the 
Right Rev. Dr. Webber, Bishop of Brisbane, we are occupying 
to-night. Our library comprises a large number of books, perio- 
dicals, reports, catalogues, &c., on scientific subjects, which, for 
want of arrangement and facility of access, are practically useless ; 
and as it appears that the labour of evolving order out of the 
chaotic mass of material which we have collected, has warned one 
honorary librarian after another off the task, we might with advan- 
tage apply some of our funds to a work which, when done, would 
have much value to members in rendering available for research a 
