for the year 1883. xxvii 



Melbourne, but the great desirability of such a state of things 

 may impress on us the importance of forming our working 

 sections as opportunity arrives. There is no lack of fields 

 for research ; and I should like to see more of our members 

 engaged in particular lines of investigation, to follow up 

 perseveringly their special inquiries, and to promptly publish 

 the results. Natural history, social and sanitary science, 

 engineering, microscopical investigation, medical and physio- 

 logical science, geography, and ethnology, all offer to us in 

 this part of the world unbounded fields from which to raise 

 crops of knowledge for the benefit and enlightenment, if not 

 for the substantial advantage, of the community. Social and 

 sanitary science have strong claims on our attention ; and I 

 hope that our members will earnestly take these subjects 

 in hand, for it must be remembered that it is incumbent 

 upon a Society such as ours to perform its functions for the 

 advance of science, and for the welfare of the people among 

 whom it exists. Every member and associate of the Royal 

 Society therefore becomes in this view morally indebted, and 

 is in duty bound to assist to the best of his power in attain- 

 ing the objects of the association. 



