PRESIDENTIAL ADDRESS. 419 



the more valuable of the two. And it is far from easy to see in 

 what manner he can repair the mischief which he has caused. 

 He may strain every nerve to kill down the pigeons, but he can 

 only do so at the cost of much labour and pecuniary expenditure. 

 He may alter his position towards the birds of prey, and en- 

 courage them in the future as zealously as he persecuted them 

 in the past ; but many long years must elapse before they can 

 attain to one tithe of their former numbers." 



It is my personal opinion that had there not been that whole- 

 sale destruction of the birds of prey referred to by Mr. Hancock 

 and scores of other practical men, the balance of life would have 

 been maintained, and there would have been no necessity for 

 campaigns against either Books or Sparrows. I am old enough 

 to remember when Hawks and Magpies might be seen daily in 

 the country, but now, thanks to the gamekeeper, they are rarely 

 to be found, except it be nailed against the kennel-end, dead. 

 I think it is within our province, as naturalists, to do something 

 towards bringing about a change in this respect, and I recom- 

 mend the subject to your consideration. 



Freshwater, Fish. 



As an angler I have always taken an interest in the future 

 prospects of the Salmon and Freshwater Fisheries of this coun- 

 try, a subject which for twenty-seven years has engaged the 

 attention of our Governments. I have long thought that, as a 

 department of Zoology, "Fishes" might receive greater atten- 

 tion at the hands of students of Natural History than they have 

 hitherto been accorded. There are many points upon which 

 information is required and will be welcomed by the official 

 Inspectors, and there are none so well qualified to make these 

 observations as students of Natural History, who have a wide 

 field before them. Assistance is sought in obtaining information 

 on such points as "The description of fish frequenting each 

 district ; the local varieties of each description of fish ; the re- 

 sult of the introduction of fish from other waters, and the 

 conditions necessary for the acclimatization of new fish; the 

 periods and manner of migration of fish, whether male or female; 



