( cxxxiv ) 



That legislation of this kind has been beneficial in the past, 

 and is still beneficial, requires no proof from me. We know 

 that " The Wild Birds' Protection Act " in England and on 

 the Continent has helped to re-establish, sometimes in quite 

 large quantities, birds which, at the time it was passed, were 

 on the verge of extinction. Legislation, however, of this 

 nature is not enough, because it is useless to protect anything 

 from the direct attacks of mankind when the home where 

 it lives, or where it can live, is destroyed or partially destroyed 

 by other causes. The protection of nature, therefore, has 

 been, and is being attempted by endeavouring to conserve 

 in its natural state certain areas where the wild life of this 

 globe still exists, such an area being known as a " Nature 

 Eeserve." 



During the course of my address I propose to lay the facts 

 before the Fellows under two principal headings. I propose 

 first to outline the efforts that have been made, both direct 

 and indirect, in this and other countries, towards the pre- 

 servation of nature, showing at the same time how the efforts 

 which were not primarily intended for this purpose have 

 given the world beneficial results. I trust, then, that the 

 Fellows will allow me to show them some illustrations of various 

 areas in the world where the preservation of nature on lines 

 such as I have indicated above is being carried out, and to 

 submit to them a few pictures and notes of various live 

 creatures whose protection is especially desirable. 



The first effort to create nature reserves — indirect ones, 

 it is true, but still, nature reserves — seems to have been made 

 in this country in the year 1838. As the outcome of a Royal 

 Commission The Aborigines Protection Society was founded. 

 The result of the founding of this Society has been the creation 

 of native reserves in many parts of the world, and the remains 

 of the North American Indian, which still flourish, and of 

 some of the Australian races, doubtless result from the 

 well-merited action of this country. 



The Fellows whom I have the honour of addressing to- 

 night perhaps scarcely realise in what need of protection many 

 of the aboriginal races of the world are. It is only necessary 

 to remember that not very long ago a reward was paid for 



