PRESIDENTIAL ADDRESS.—SECTION WD. 
ON THE RISE AND EARLY PROGRESS OF OUR KNOW- 
LEDGE OF THE AUSTRALIAN FAUNA. 
By J. J. FLETCHER, M.A., B.Sc. 
>> 
1824.—‘* Kaneguroos live in burrows under the ground, and subsist on 
vegetable substances, and chiefly on grass. . . . Only three 
species have as yet been ascertained, all of which are natives of 
New Holland.” BINGLEY (a). 
1797.—** All your genera [of the Protea family] are, I suppose, taken 
mostly from New Holland plants; some of them are not famihar 
to me, but I can see the justness of the characters you establish. 
I wish you would also examine the Cape Proteas, because the two 
Floras are much more alike than it is supposed they are,—not 
only parallel, but are both fragments of a whole.”, 
ABBE CORREA (0). 
One of the signs of the times of late years has been a mani- 
fest revival of scientific interest in Antarctica, the Sixth Conti- 
nent of the Globe. As a result it is gratifying to know that 
important developments may be hopefully looked for early in 
the new century. If these should include the discovery of an 
important recent land flora and fauna, what a stir it would 
create! What steps would be taken to make the most of the 
absolutely last chance of investigating an undisturbed conti- 
nental flora and fauna! How it would certainly quicken a 
general interest in the Australian land flora and fauna, and 
enliven the study of their origin! Unfortunately whatever else 
the renewed exploration of Antarctica may bring to light, the 
most sanguine biologist hardly dares hope for more than very 
little indeed, if anything, in the shape of highly organised terres- 
trial plants and animals. 
The pregnant opportunity of taking charge of a continental 
flora and fauna of great intrinsic merits in an absolutely undis- 
turbed state, and under natural conditions, did, however, once 
present itself to biologists within the period in which biology 
began to wear a somewhat modern aspect—and only once. This 
(a) Bingley’s Animal Biography, or, Popular Zoology. Vol. I., p. 296 (1824). 
(b) Extract from a letter from Abbé Correa to Sir James E. Smith, under date March 
23rd, 1797. Memoir and Correspondence of the late Sir J. E. Smith. Vol. II., p. 215 (1832). 
