PRESIDENT’S ADDRESS, 33 
to it, so that to all intents and purposes the matter remains 
unpublished. Hence, as I have already said, publication in the 
Colonies is too often practically no publication. 
The effect of this is often seen in popular books upon the 
Colonies, and in some too which are not intended to be popular, 
where the same long exploded errors. are carefully reproduced by 
generation after generation of writers. 
‘Whether the late distinguished President of the Royal Society 
is able or not to carry out his wishes, we cannot but be grateful to 
him for the full recognition he makes of our efforts to follow in 
the footsteps, although in but a feeble way, of the grand old 
parent Society. 
On September 16, 1884, the following letter appeared in the 
Sydney papers, and was afterwards reproduced by most of the 
other Colonial and some of the Home papers :— 
“Tae Brirish Assocratron. 
“'To the Editor. 
“ Sir,—During the past fortnight we have received several tele- 
grams from London respecting the late meeting of the British 
Association at Montreal, and in some of them references are made 
to suggestions that a future meeting should be held in Australia. 
“As far as one can judge, the idea seems to have been thrown 
out when Professor Moseley, F.R.S., announced Mr. Caldwell’s 
discovery of the oviparous nature of the platypus and Australian 
porcupine.* The news seems to have created or rather re-awakened 
interest in the peculiarities of Australian Natural History, and 
on the spur of the moment sume of the more enthusiastic members ~ 
appear to have proposed that a subsequent meeting of the British 
Association should be held in Australia. 
“The Victorian Premier, with commendable promptitude, at 
once telegraphed the necessary invitation for the Association to 
visit Melbourne next year; an invitation might also have gone 
from Sydney, and especially under the circumstances. Without 
such invitation the meeting is not likely to take place here, for th 
* Sent from Sydney by cable, 
