12 



Science ; these are, for the most part, distinct from those in the National 

 Library. In the following pages the sign * prefixed to the title of a work 

 indicates that the work is in the Library of the South Australian Institute, 

 and a f that it is in the University Library. It will be the privilege of 

 the President elect of this Society to enlarge my summary of works and 

 papers bearing upon the Natural History of this country, and to keep the 

 members en conrant with what has been done during his year of office to 

 increase our knowledge of the natural products of this continent. 



In making ourselves acquainted with the actual extent of our know- 

 ledge respecting the Geology, Mineralogy, Zoology, and Botany of South 

 Australia, we are brought face to face with the fact that there are many 

 missing pages, and even chapters, in its history, and we shall learn that 

 our knowledge in many departments is mere technical barrenness. It is 

 one of the functions of the Society to make good these desiderata, and 

 to make the knowledge we have and shall acquire real, practical, and 

 i nteresting. From what follows, you may gather that there is great 

 scope for work in many branches of Natural Science. No member can 

 plead the want of a subject, and each one, by the careful examination of 

 the natural objects around him, may collect facts which may furnish 

 data for others of higher scientific attainments to collate, arrange, and 

 draw conclusions from — all that is demanded is strict accuracy of 

 detail, and allowing the facts to speak for themselves. Identi- 

 fication of species is a portion, though small, of the business 

 of systematic biology, and short synoptical faunas are useful to the 

 general naturalist. When our Zoology shall have been well investigated, 

 popular hand books and elaborate memoirs will doubtlessly follow. In 

 the preparation of synopses of our fauna, localities should be accurately 

 noted, particularly an the case of insects and land shells, which are of all 

 others those whose local stations are most closely dependent on vegeta- 

 tion. Hitherto the work of description has been done at home, with the 

 disadvantage of mistakes of habit and of multiplication of species, 

 which would be obviated if the species were described in their native 

 country. It seems to be a fruitful source of error as to locality, that of 

 giving the place whence the specimens were despatched as that of the 

 habitat. Several glaring mistakes of this kind might be mentioned. 

 One will suffice. Moloch horridus is recorded by Gray, ei Lizards of 

 Australia,'' from Adelaide and W. Australia. Several species originally 

 described as from New Holland, have not yet been referred to their true 



