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THE AUSTRALIAN MUSEUM MAdAZINE. 



The Pan-Pacific Science Congress, 



The recent meeting of the Pan-Pacific 

 Science Congress was the most im- 

 portant scientific gathering that has 

 taken place in Austraha since the 

 British Association for the Advance- 

 ment of Science met here in 1914. 

 AustraUa is so far removed from the 

 great centres of scientific activity, and 

 the scientific workers are so few that 

 even a short sojourn in our midst of 

 the leaders of research in neighbouring 

 countries is bound to have a stimula- 

 ing effect. 



The Pacific Ocean and the lands 

 bordering upon it present many un- 

 solved problems which can best be 

 attacked by co-operation. Some of 

 the problems have no immediate econo- 

 mic bearing but others are closely 

 concerned with the material well-being 

 and happiness of the peoples, white or 

 coloured, inhabiting Pacific lands. Such 

 questions as irrigation, diseases of 

 farm crops and farm animals, the rav- 

 ages of the prickly pear and the blow- 

 fly, the distribution of insects in re- 

 lation to disease, are of vital importance 



to us, and others such as the decline in 

 native population, the evolution of 

 plant life in the Pacific, the origin and 

 structure of coral reefs, the physio- 

 graphic unity of the Pacific, are of 

 absorbing interest, not merely to 

 scientific men but to all. Most im- 

 portant of all perhaps is the bringing 

 together of chosen representatives of 

 the various Pacific countries to discuss 

 questions of common interest, which 

 cannot fail to promote that feeling of 

 international brotherhood which the 

 world so much needs. To quote the 

 noble words of His Excellency the late 

 Sir Walter Davidson, in the inaugural 

 address of the Sydney session. 



"■ Always in the deep recesses of our 

 hearts we wonder, nay we hope, and 

 indeed we believe, that meetings such 

 as ours will exorcise the demons of 

 jealousy and unrest, and lay them in a 

 limbo with the brutalities and follies 

 of the past. Nationhood and pride of 

 race is a glory only so long as its in- 

 spiration is actuated by peace on earth 

 and goodwill among men." 



Lecture Notes. 



On September 14th, Mr. J. R. 

 Kinghorn, under the auspices of the 

 Teachers' Federation, Goulburn, deli- 

 vered a Museum Extension Lecture 

 entitled our " Feathered Friends.'' 

 There have been several of these lec- 

 tures delivered at this centre, and the 

 proof of their popularity is shown by 

 the consistently good attendance at 

 them. 



The extension lectures were founded 

 in the interests of those, who, by reason 

 of distance, are unable to attend the 

 series delivered in the Museum. The 

 services of the lecturer are provided by 

 the Museum, but it is expected that 

 local residents will make arrangements 

 for the hall, lantern, and generally do 

 their part to make the scheme a success. 



On September 20th, Mr. W. H. 

 Thorpe lectured to the students of the 

 Presbyterian Ladies' College, Croydon, 

 utilising the College ethnological col- 

 lection to illustrate his remarks. 



Prof. E. Cossar Ewart, M.D.,F.R.S., 

 of the LTniversity of Edinburgh, on Sept- 

 ember 25th, lectured on " Feathers and 

 the Hatching of King Penguin." 



Further lectures will be delivered in 

 the Museum lecture theatre on the fol- 

 lowing dates at 8 p.m. Admission is 

 free. 



October 11th — "Bats and their 

 Habits, ' by Mr. E. L. Troughton. 



November 8th — " A Naturalist on the 

 Nepean River," by Mr. A.Musgrave. 



