ZOOLOGY. 39 



duct of one. Thus product increases faster than population. 

 But while product thus increases, ground rent also increases, 

 whether as fast or faster than population the speaker was not 

 prepared to say positively, but in some cases he mentioned 

 the rental had increased much more rapidly than population. 

 This rental at present, instead of being appropriated for com- 

 munity purposes, is taken by individuals and thus impoverishes 

 •the toiler. This latter fact, one of the most momentous in its 

 effects on society is certainly not noticed as it should be by 

 the exponents of the doctrines of Malthus. 



Mr. Gerald Fitzgerald read a paper on " Miracles." 



TWENTY-FIRST MEETING. 



Twenty-First Meeting, 7th April, 18S8, the President in the 

 chair. 



Donations and exchanges since last meeting, 42. 



S. D. Mills was elected a member. 



Alderman Flarry Piper read some notes on zoology : 



He referred to the collections of animals in ancient times, of which 

 that made by Alexander the Great for his preceptor Aristotle was the 

 lirst we have any account of. He then referred to modern collections. 

 In addition to the great collections at London and Paris there were 

 twenty-two others, some of which he had frequently visited. Mr. 

 Piper then dwelt at some length on the value of zoological collections 

 from various points of view. He pointed out some of the errors of 

 early writers on natural history, which arose from the want of 

 personal acquaintance with animals. Many of the scholars of our 

 public schools know more of the habits of animals than some of those 

 wiiters. He gave an account of the present state of the Zoo, which, 

 though small, was in excellent condition, and enforced the importance 

 of making it free to the public. 



Mr. Bain read a paper by J. B. Tyrrell, B.A., F.G.S., of the 



