﻿288 Canadia7i Record of Science. 



investigations carried on in the various countries of 

 the world have led, and how questions and difficulties 

 which were not known ten years ago rise before us. 

 They have attracted in recent times the attention of 

 many investigators. The finding of solutions for them, 

 the amplifying of these solutions and the proving them 

 correct is a great and attractive problem, and it is very 

 probable that in following this line of study further many" 

 important views with regard to the formation of our 

 planet will be brought forth. 



Of course, potent activity prevails in other directions. 

 In particular, I must not forget to allude to those studies 

 which have arisen from the comparison of meteorites with 

 the peculiarities of our world and which have led to the 

 most surprising results with regard to the probable nature 

 of the interior of our planet. In fact it may be said that 

 most probably iron and magnesium form the principal 

 part. 



I must, however, deny myself the pleasure of going 

 further into this subject. 



From all these observations, as from all searching study 

 of nature, many general points of view and connections of 

 ideas arise. 



The botanist who, in a quiet place observes the drooping 

 branches of the weeping willow, sees in the beautiful tree 

 a product of the art of gardening of ancient days, known 

 only in pistillate individuals, and propagated only by 

 shoots. If to the same student of nature genuine 

 Muskatel be presented at the festive board, he know\s that 

 the Muskatel vine is known only in pistillate individuals, 

 and an unsuspected chain of thought leads from the 

 gay company to the quiet abode of the weeping willow, a 

 change of thought quite foreign to his neighbor at the 

 table. 



On the map of the world, the geologist sees in Cook 

 Strait, which separates the two islands of New Zealand, 



