50 FIRST GENERAL MEETING. 



I felt grateful to the Dutch who had received the exiles so kindly, 

 and not quite so friendly to the English who had sent them away. 

 These Pilgrim Fathers, narrow and bigoted as they were, had in 

 them qualities that make successful colonists ; and we are greatly 

 indebted for what the}' did towards founding our nation. 



But Science knows no nationality, and we now come back to 

 our old home under the most pleasant auspices ; and it is an 

 especial pleasure to come to this hallowed shrine of science, Cam- 

 bridge University, where Whewell, Sedgwick, Darwin, and last, 

 but not least, Balfour, began their scientific work, and laid the 

 foundation of their life-work. 



I am sure all my associates who have come to this Congress 

 will do what they can to make it a success, and at no distant 

 day we hope to have the Congress meet in America. 



Prof. Salensky then spoke on behalf of the Russian Zoologists 

 in the following words : 



Je suis tres heureux de saluer le Congres International de 

 Cambridge au nom de 1' Academic Imperiale de Russie et de lui 

 exprimer les plus cordiaux souhaits de succes. 



Prof. MiTSUKURl spoke on behalf of the Zoologists of Japan : 



I need not remind you, Sir, and this audience, of many peculiar 

 phenomena in the distribution of animals and plants. We are told 

 that animals or plants which can hardly be distinguished speci- 

 fically are found in regions separated by half the circumference of 

 the earth. At the present stage of the world's progress in science, 

 there is a similar peculiarity in the distribution of scientific centres. 

 By far the largest number is amassed on the two sides of the 

 Atlantic, meaning by this, Europe and Eastern America. As we 

 go eastward from Europe, we meet no indigenous growth of science, 

 until we have left behind us the whole of the Asiatic continent. 

 i\t the extreme eastern edge of that continent, viz. in Japan, there 

 is a new growth, which, we sincerely hope, will become luxuriant 

 in time. I come here as a delegate from that far-off centre. 

 Although it is perhaps not familiar and known to you, the 

 greetings which I have brought with me to this Congress are 

 very hearty. We are taking a great interest in the International 

 Zoological Congress, and are hoping that it will be one of the 

 strongest forces for drawing nations together, and making a brother- 

 hood of the whole world. 



Prof. Newton replying as Chairman of the Reception Com- 

 mittee said : 



My duty is to thank the previous speakers for the kind terms 

 in which they have spoken of this place and of members of this 

 University past and present; yet among the former there is one 

 whom they have not mentioned, and I think it only befitting the 



