12 PRESIDENT'S ADDRESS. 



protoplasmic-cell to maturity. A subsequent Anniversary Address 

 to the Society in 1879 embraces the phenomena of the growth of 

 the egg-cell of animal and vegetable life by cell multiplications. 

 His address the following year (1880) "On the aspects of 

 vegetation in the littoral districts of Provence, the Maritime Alps, 

 and the western extremity of the Ligurian Blviera," shews him to 

 be a lover of Nature, both physical and botanical. 



Dr. Wallace's important work, " The Geographical Distribution 

 of Land Animals with the relation of living and extinct Fauna," is 

 the Naturalist's text-book of the first order. His most recently 

 published work, entitled " Darwinism," is intended, as he says, to 

 give such an account of the theory of Natural Selection as may enable 

 any intelligent reader to obtain a clear conception of Darwin's 

 work. He incorporates original and important statements of his 

 own views and observations, which are of great value to the 

 student of Natural History. Among much that is interest- 

 ing are his remarks on the uses of colour in animals. He 

 insists that coloration has a definite purpose in Nature, either 

 for protection or concealment and recognition by those of similar 

 species, that the sexual difference of colour is only prominent 

 among the higher and more active animals. Doctor Wallace's 

 observations, too, on the nests of birds are equally interesting. He 

 shews that when they are open and the female sits exposed in her 

 nest, as is the case w r ith pheasants, &c., instead of being brightly 

 coloured like the male she escapes observation by being furnished 

 with a sombre plumage suited to the environments of her nest, and 

 conferring upon her greater security during her period of incubation. 

 In these cases, where the sexes are equally brilliantly coloured and 

 conspicuous, such as the Kingfishers, Woodpeckers, Toucans, 

 Parrots, &c., they all nest in holes in the ground or in trees, or 

 build a domed or covered nest, so as completely to conceal the sitting 

 bird. In an interesting chapter upon the ornaments, brilliancy of 

 colour, and other accessories peculiar to many males, Doctor 

 Wallace takes a different view to that of Darwin, who regarded 

 them as causes of attraction for female preference. Doctor 



