122 NOTES ON A BRUSH TONGUED MOSQUITO 



up ; many of these are occupied ; the work is being done,. 

 but a great deal of it does not seem to come to the Societies 

 which exist for its furtherance and development. We 

 are sometimes tempted to ask are these bodies getting 

 out of touch, or sympathy, with their mission, so that 

 the workers do not receive from them a warm hand grip, 

 and an encouraging word, and for want of them, keep 

 aloof. That at least is not the case with the Society here. 

 Its Council are only too glad to welcome all work that bears 

 on it the stamp of originality. We have suffered some- 

 what from our inability to present, what we do get, in a 

 better illustrated form. In bygone days a Government 

 grant enabled us to secure engravings to illustrate 

 adequately some of the subjects read at our meetings. 

 But when, in darker times than these, the knife of retrench- 

 ment ruthlessly lopped off that source of revenue, and we 

 had to depend only on members' subscriptions, then as 

 honest men, making the Society pay its way, we did 

 our best to keep the flag flying, but could not afford 

 expensive engravings for the illustration of papers, and. 

 on that account some work done in this State is said ta 

 have gone to others who were able to furnish them in a 

 superior style. That has told against us, and other States 

 have gained credit for work which otherwise might have 

 appeared in our pages. But we believe that better times 

 are coming. The establishment of the University in 

 Queensland ; the gathering of the most gifted of our youths 

 from all parts of the land must give an impetus to 

 scientific work. 



The presence of Professors and teachers, who having 

 Avon laurels in other lands, and now make this fair city 

 their home, cannot but have a powerful uplifting force. 

 Their sympathies must be with us. And as, amid their 

 onerous duties, some at least occasionally will be able 

 to grace this platform, they will give the Royal Society 

 a deeper inspiration, and make it a mightier force than it 

 has ever been before. 



To-night I msh to bring before you some interesting, 

 features of one of the species of mosquitoes found in our 

 neighbourhood. Certain kinds of these insects are knownj. 

 to carry very serious diseases, and the whole family are re- 



