THE SCIENTIFIC EXPLORATION OF THE PENINSULA. XI 



a poor collecting trip still which does not yield some novelties even 

 in the low country. But we have in our 9,000 known species a 

 very large proportion of the flora, and enough to base at least some 

 deductions as to the origin and history of the flora of ihe Peninsula. 



We have practically a sample collection, not a complete one. 



The same thing applies, I take it, to most of the zoological 

 groups ; but I believe that I shall not be wrong in stating that in 

 Mammals, birds, reptiles and batrachians and butterflies we have 

 now an almost absolutely complete knowledge of the species. 

 The number of novelties to be added is probably small. Further 

 explorations in out of the way localities will probably yield im- 

 portant results in most groups. We have not enough naturalists to 

 get over the whole ground in a short time so that the residents in 

 these distant parts may often be able to assist in sending specimens 

 to our museums of insects or plants or other such things that they 

 may accidentally come across. As an example I may mention that 

 of two new kinds of bats which some years ago I accidentally ob- 

 tained I believe that neither have ever been caught again. 



I have now I think given some idea of the progress in Xatural 

 History that we have made here in the past quarter of a century. 

 It is very considerable ; but a great deal remains to be done. The 

 Society by its Journal and by indirectly and directly interesting- 

 residents in the knowledge of the Natural History of the Peninsula 

 has played an important part in this work, and I trust that it may 

 continue to do the same for very many vears to come. 



