yS JOURNAL OF SCIENCE. 



country. No doubt the leisured class is less numerous, till recently 

 had no existence in the colonies, and is of slow growth, being constantly 

 depleted by those who, having earned their leisure, choose to spend it 

 elsewhere. There is much truth in his remark ; but, on the other 

 hand, the outdoor life of a very large section of the community is 

 conducive to a knowledge of and interest in Nature and Natural 

 History. The toil here is not so unremitting or so unremunerative as 

 in other older communities, and more spare moments can be devoted to 

 the observation and study of living forms and natural features. It is 

 in this respect I apprehend that you welcome among you so large an 

 admixture of the popular, or, it I may so distinguish it, " lay " element, 

 and especially may I say of ladies whose time is likely to be more at 

 their own disposal, and who can take an active and seemly interest in 

 scientific research. I venture to think that the Association should 

 urge upon this "laj r " class particularly, the value, not only of the 

 acquisition and diffusion of knowledge, but also of scientific method. 

 Scientific method is of special value in these days, because information 

 is so easily acquired from text books, popular lectures, and magazine 

 articles, that people are tempted to plume themselves on the possession 

 of scientific knowledge, whereas they are in reality acquiring slipshod 

 habits of thought and study. Moreover, with more careful direction 

 their talents might enable them to act as guides and instructors in 

 science to those who must be trained from its elements. Again, in a 

 country like New Zealand, where there exist so many new varieties of 

 life, how desirable is accuracy of observation ; what to observe, when to 

 observe, and how to take notes of our observations, are habits specially 

 needful of acquisition. It is better to err on the side of noting some- 

 thing which may have been already observed, than to risk missing an 

 opportunity of contributing information concerning the structure and 

 habits of those plants and animals as to which science is still in a state 

 of infantile ignorance. Although our President is a gentleman of the 

 first rank in the field of scientific research, and although we have 

 among us many eminent men who devote themselves to the study of 

 various phenomena, there are many problems still unsolved. But we 

 entertain high expectations that the assembling of so many men of 

 science from other parts of the world will illumine our efforts to fathom 

 some of the mysteries with which nature has surrounded this, to us, 

 new world of life. I think, ladies and gentlemen, that both in respect 

 of scenery and natural phenomena you will find much that is not only 

 interesting, but unique, in New Zealand. No matter to which special 

 branch of science you may have devoted yourself, you will find 

 something to study in New Zealand, and in New Zealand alone. 

 Meteorologists will find something remarkable in the diversities of 

 climate over a country containing from semi-tropical Auckland to 

 antarctic Southland, but 100,000 square miles. They will note the 

 action produced on the rainfall by our great central range of Alps, and 

 the wonderful difference within a few miles in the vegetation and 

 appearance of the country. On the western side dense green forests, 

 and on the eastern side vast brown plains ; aud they will, perhaps, be 

 able to explain to us why Cook's Strait has earned the reputation of 

 being the blast-pipe of the Pacific. The naturalist will have ample 

 opportunity to study the marvellously successful results of acclimati- 

 sation. The Australian members will be specially interested to compare 



