376 



Thus you observe that what at first sight looks like harren 

 scientific investigation — I refei' to the work of simply cataloguing 

 and describing species, and recording their habitat, without any 

 direct reference to economic questions — is in reality of the 

 utmost importance. If an insect pest appear (devastating the 

 timber or the foliage of a district), and no one knows whence it 

 <3omes, the clue to the method of checking its ravages is missing, 

 and the state of affairs is certainly serious. But if the scientist 

 be at once prepared to say, "This is such and such a species, 

 which is indigenous in such and such a locality, where it is not 

 known to be particularly harmful," it at once becomes tolerably 

 certaiti that a little intelligent investigation in the place indicated 

 will suggest the remedy. 



Nor can I omit to remark here that ths Governments of the 

 Australian colonies would act wisely if they were to accord more 

 substantial aid than they do to the study of Natural History 

 simply as abstract science, for no one can tell the practical value 

 that may eventually attach itself to the record of even the slightest 

 observation. In two of the sister colonies a "colonial entomologist" 

 has been appointed, whose special work is to investigate the means 

 of checking the ravages of insect pests ; and that is, of course, a 

 desirable precaution to have taken. But I venture to say that a 

 few persons possessing a fair knowledge of natural science 

 scattered over each colony, and especially in newly-occupied 

 country, and working tliere at Natural History as such — and 

 without any direct reference to economic questions — I venture to 

 say that a few such workers would be of almost incalculable value 

 in rendering the work of a "colonial entomologist" capable of 

 attaining its purpose. Civilization and agriculture are advancing 

 year by yeai-, and taking possession for man's use of new tracts of 

 country containing — beyond the possibilities that make for wealth 

 and maintenance — multitudes of natural phenomena and forms of 

 life which are so nicely balanced in numbers and power that no 

 one of them is able to become seriously injurious to the others, 

 but many of which might become so elsewhere if man should have 

 the misfortune by any accident to convey them to distant localities. 

 Surely, then, it is of the utmost importance that simultaneously 

 with the advent of commerce and traffic, science should be repre- 

 sented, and should make its census of the local forms and condi- 

 tions of life ; so that if at some future time some form of life, 

 harmless in its natural abode, should make its appearance else- 

 where, having there become a scourge to agriculture, or other 

 forms of industry, it may be at once recognised and traced to its 

 home, where its antidote is no doubt to be found. 



It is perhaps difficult to make practicable suggestions as to the 

 method in which a Government could actively aid in scientific 



