December, 1926 
The Queensland Naturalist. 
5 
EVENING MEETING, MONDAY, 15th NOVEM- 
BER, 1926: — A lecture on the Great Barrier Reef was 
given by Professor II. C. Richards; the chair being taken 
by Dr. E. 0. Marks. 
Professor Richards said the fact that there was so 
extensive and interesting a coral formation off the coast 
of Queensland had not been so widely known, as it de- 
served to be. Furthermore, it was somewhat of a re- 
proach to Australia that until quite recently the investi- 
gation of the reef had been undertaken largely by 
scientists from overseas. The appointment of the Barrier 
Reef committee, consisting of Australian scientists, and 
largely financed with Australian •money,, had been a step 
towards removing that reproach. He touched upon the 
early discoveries of the reef, mentioning particularly the 
names of Captain James Cook, and Captain Bligli, of 
H.M.S. Bounty fame. In referring to the physical 
structure of the reef, he spoke of the need for an effective 
survey of the coast, with a view to minimising the fre- 
quent mishaps to shipping which had been taking place 
for years past. He also explained how the investigations 
had been approached from a scientific standpoint. Borings, 
he said, were started in May last on Michaelmas Reef. 
22 miles north-east of Cairns, that spot being in a central 
position between the northern and southern ends of the- 
reof. 
Professor Richards exhibited a series of lantern 
slides, illustrating various descriptions of coral reefs, and 
other views of the coastal islands. Some of the photo- 
graphs from which these were reproduced had been taken 
by Mr. E. Saville Kent, when Inspector of Fisheries to 
the Queensland Government, and others by the late Mr 
Charles Hedley. A picture was shown of Murray Island, 
on which Mr. Alfred Maer had carried out ecological 
studies into the different forms of marine life. Professor 
Richards stated that an ecological study was to be com- 
menced next year under the auspices of the Great Barrier 
Reef Committee on Low Islands, near Port Douglas. Mr. 
\ otts, a marine biologist, from England, was coming out 
to take charge of the investigations, accompanied bv two 
or three other scientists, and they would be assisted by 
some others on behalf of the Great Barrief Reef Com- 
mittee, their work probably occupying 12 months. A 
Commencement would be made in about July next. * 
