Bulletin 35 
316 
168 
haps erroneoush’, considered the criterion of a good education. It 
is quite common to come across persons who say that Darwinism 
is discredited by new discoveries especially bj' Mendelism ; they 
have no other idea of the meaning of Mendelism, and seeing that 
Page 24 
their notion of Darwinism is no more than I have stated above, 
they arrive at conclusions that would rather astonish the average 
biologist. 
I think it is the duty of Biologists to educate the uneducated 
in biological matters ; to tell them how matters reall}" stand, and 
to tell them how far old theories are or are not modified by new 
views. 
I would add to these very pertinent remarks the observation 
that they are no less applicable to Geology than to Biolog}'. I 
would further point out that while the paj'ment of professors, of 
geologists and entomologists and of other specialists is all very 
right and proper in its wa}*, it is of comparatively little value un- 
less there is a general diffusion of knowledge, which is one of our 
great needs and which was one of the objects we had hoped to 
attain by means of the Victoria Institute ; but that, as you know, 
has been perverted from its original objects. In illu.stration of 
what I say, I will mention a case of late occurrence here. It is 
that of the caterpillars for the collection and destruction of which 
planters paid mone}'. The collectors thought one kind of worm 
was as good as another, even though one might be a grub and 
the other a caterpillar. So they collected and were paid for grubs 
as well as caterpillars, though the distinction is easy to see ; and 
in this case the grub is harmle.ss while the caterpillar is noxious 
to the agriculturist. A ver}^ small knowledge of natural hi.story 
would have avoided this mistake. But what is needed is not 
merely the technical knowledge required for u.se in a particular 
case, but the development of the intelligence of the people for use 
in all cases, for upon this will follow the development of the in- 
du.stry and welfare of the colony. All measures for the advance- 
ment of the colony are usele.ss until you make up j'our mind to 
this. 
