XXIV 



ately, true men of science do not measure by volume, weig-ht, pagres, 

 nor attractiveness of appearance, but by the real matter contained. 



This little association, however humble its publications, has contin- 

 ually contributed new matter, new facts, new finds, and truly scientific 

 descriptions. The Proceedings have not been replete with the para- 

 phrasing: of old knowledge. It has not been mere compilation of things 

 compiled before, and dry as such reading may be to some, the fact that 

 it is genuine must be interesting to many. 



Gradually there has been accumulated a museum of local fauna and 

 flora, and it is believed to be as complete in its scope as may be found 

 in any locality. Few sections have been so thoroughly explored by 

 men well versed in various branches of science as Staten Island. The 

 material collected has been named and classified, until the natural his- 

 tory and antiquities of the Island are splendidly represented. 



In some respects it is an advantage to do such work within an 

 insular locality. Its boundaries are defined. It may have been of great 

 assistance to this association to have so small a territory in which to 

 work. This has led to a thoroughness that might otherwise have 

 been dissipated by attempting too much on broad areas. Some may- 

 think that thoroughness may have removed opportunity for future 

 work, and that the rapid increase in settlement will so destroy all traces 

 of primitive nature as to make the field of this association chiefly an 

 oasis that once was. That the tendency is in this direction cannot be 

 doubted, but it takes a long time to destroy nature, sad as it may be 

 that so much is destroyed. 



The so-called march of progress seems unnecessarily ruthless, but it 

 is the way of civilized man to destroy everything first and then see 

 what he can do to restore it in some artificial way. The same charac- 

 teristic of mind that will change the name of Blazing Star to Linoleum- 

 ville will cut down the forest and upon its ruins build a park with con- 

 crete walks. 



However, we must take this little area, like the whale world, as we 

 find it and move along with it. Some day this association will have 

 no field in which to work, and then it will be a museum and a library, 

 and its field activity will be a tradition. This time is so far ahead, 

 however, that we can doubtless hold our fiftieth anniversary with the 

 Proceedings still reporting finds on the north shore and the south, from 

 the bottoms of the ponds and the tops of the trees — so we will not worry 

 regarding a posterity that has not yet helped or hurt us much. 



With the march of progress and the invasion of our repose by muni- 

 cipal affairs, it seems appropriate to make some changes in name and 



