The Victorian Era has closed. By the death of the 

 Gracious Lady who has so long reigned Queen over 

 this realm, an epoch marked by giant strides in the 

 development of our industries, arts, and sciences has 

 terminated. We can as little separate the sympathy of 

 the Queen with human progress as we can overestimate 

 the close relationship she held with all that was best 

 in her people ; such things are felt rather than seen 

 or written. 



As zoologists — few of us, indeed, having lived during 

 any other reign — we see focussed in this period the rise 

 of modern thought. In geology — uniformitarianism ; 

 in biology — the unfolding principles of evolution. If 

 strange animals were once brought to Imperial Eome, 

 how can we estimate the zoological treasures we have 

 acquired from our Greater Britain? It is not beyond 

 reason to say that a Natural History descriptive of the 

 fauna and flora of the regions now known as British 

 would represent the main features of Animated Nature. 



The Head of our polity has passed away. It has 

 at least been our privilege to largely make the journey 

 through life in the Era of Victoria. 



