July, 1915. The Queensland Naturalist. 
31 
continue to be a very successful and useful institution. And 
I believe that this success is due in a very great measure 
to the fact that its membership consists of two classes — those 
who have made the study of science their life’s business, 
and those who like myself are merely lovers of nature, and 
are seeking for more knowledge, as well as for opportunity 
for observation, and that between these two classes of members 
perfect freedom of intercourse exists, those with the greater 
knowledge in any one subject being always willing to impart 
their special knowledge to members in search of it. And 
I say, ‘‘ T^ong may the present good-fellowship continue, 
nd long may the Club prolong its life of usefulness ! ” 
Now as to fern collecting generally. I have heard 
IVof. Skertchly remark that when the Brisbane Field 
Naturalists' Club visits any place there is not much left 
when the}^ have done with it, and it might seem that to dig 
up and carry away plants from their natural dwelling places 
is assisting the general clearing away of natural flora and 
fauna which always follows the coming of man to new 
countiy. The carrying away of plants in this manner might 
be deprecated were it not for the fact that first of all the 
lovei- of nature will not wantonly despoil her nurseries, and 
secondly, that the possession and cultivation of plants afford 
great opportunities of acquiring knowledge of their habits, 
and of gaining a very great deal of pleasure from this 
occupation. 
No doubt there is a sort of fascination attached to the 
collection or pursuit of that which has been made the subject 
of a special hobby, and I have deri\^ed the greatest of pleasure 
from searching new localities with the chance of seeing for 
the first time some species of fern, or finding, perhaps, an 
old friend in a new locality. And for natural beauty and 
gracefulness it were hard to find anything to beat the fern 
family, containing as it does so great a variety both in size 
and form— from the minute and almost microscopical 
exqnisiteness of the genus Trichomanes, to tlie giant of the 
family, the Tree fern, which lends such an air of tropical 
splendour to the landscape which it adorns. To one whose 
early youth was spent in the colder climate of the Homeland, 
as mine was, the creek banks near to Toowoomba, clothed 
with the drooping fronds of the Maiden Hair fern (d. 
Aeihiopicuw) were wondrous sights, and so were the clumps 
of Tree ferns [AhophUa mtsimlis) in the midst of a grove 
of Palm trees. Those of you who had the good fortune to 
attend the Club’s excursion to Russell and Stradbroke 
Islands, will not easily forget the scene which met our view. 
As we neared the Eighteen Mile Swamp, we came upon a 
gully both sides of which were completely covered with the 
