214 THE AUSTRALIAN NATURALIST. 
teresting features, and further contributions from Mr, 
Macarthy will be looked for with pleasurable anticipation. 
Mr, Carpenter is also taking up a section of entomological 
study, which promises interesting results; and Miss Frog- 
gatt, in addition to providing the book above quoted, hag 
contributed some excellent notes to our journal. The re- 
sults attained by these workers are of a character con- 
ducive to the encouragement of other members to venture 
into this practically unlimited field of research. It must 
not be forgotten that Naturalists are mortal, and as our 
older members retire, or their contributions diminish, it 
is essential for the maintenance of the Society that other 
workers should be ready to occupy the vacated positions. 
The superficial aspect of ‘‘still life’? presented by plants, 
and their gradual and frequently inconspicuous move- 
ments, are probably less attractive than the more palpable 
metamorphoses of the fauna, yet there is much of interest 
in the ‘“‘Plant World’? which may be obtained without 
the aid of either microscope or an elaborate laboratory out- 
fit. Although it is desirable that observations should be 
made on indigenous plants growing under natural condi- 
tions, much preparatory work may be accomplished in 
the home garden. The results obtained by Mr. Cheel in 
the cultivation of Field-Beans might be cited as an ex- 
aniple. New forms brought about by artificial breeding, 
which, by the way, are few, and those occasioned by the 
intervention* of nature, which form the major portion of 
our new varieties, are indicative of the evolution of new 
botanical species and varieties among the indigenous vege- 
tation, and as these ‘‘breaks’’ frequently occur in our 
garden plants, opportunities for their investigation are 
more readily available than in the case of their “‘bush”’ 
confreres. In nature we are dealing with unstable 
material, which is constantly presenting a new facies. 
Though no two individuals are absolutely alike, it is diffi- 
cult in many instances to provide, in a descriptive work, 
characters sufficiently constant to detnitely nx a species 
so that it may be readily recognised and differentiated 
from its allies. As a consequence, this knowledge cannot 
be acquired exclusively from text-books, but must be 
supplemented by field work, so that the habits of the sub- 
ject, and the environment in which it exists, may be studied 
