xlvi President's Add 



ress 



Society is wise in trying to keep up the breed now that it 

 has been introduced for exploration purposes at so heavy an 

 outlay. I regard that Society as an invaluable auxiliary in 

 many ways to our labours, and sincerely trust that the noble 

 Zoological Garden it is founding in the Royal Park, will 

 facilitate the various important experiments contemplated 

 by its founder, and that it is destined to become a perma- 

 nent institution in the land. 



A few words as to the state of the scientific departments 

 of the Government, and my address must draw to a close. 

 Our Government Botanist, I need hardly tell you, has not 

 been idle during the past year. The first of the five volumes 

 in which the Plants Indigenous to Victoria are to be 

 described, has just been given to the world ; and while it is 

 superfluous to state that the contents do honour to his learn- 

 ing and assiduity, the style in which the work is issued must 

 be pronounced no less creditable to the Government Printing- 

 office. Dr. MueBer has likewise found materials enough 

 among the plants brought back by Mr. Frank Gregory from 

 his recent most interesting expedition in North-west 

 Australia, those collected by Stuart in the centre, and those 

 preserved on board the Victoria during her eventful voyage 

 through Torres' Straits to Carpentaria and back, to induce 

 him to recommence the issue of his well-known " Frag- 

 menta ; " whilst, with that rare magnanimity which marks 

 true science, he is opening the treasures of his herbal, and 

 giving his most strenuous aid to one of the first botanists of 

 England, Mr. Bentham, who has undertaken at the instance 

 of the Imperial Government, and with the aid of the colonies, 

 a compendious flora of the entire Australian continent. Of 

 the progress of the Geological Survey I will not speak, since 

 Mr. Selwyn has kindly promised to explain it to you him- 

 self on yonder map this evening. Nor is it requisite for me 

 to say much as to the National Museum, for all know that 



