120 THE AUSTRALIAN NATURALIST. 
interest. Our outings have been well selected and fairly well 
attended, and so far as ‘I can see the traditions of the Society 
have been well maintained. An Bxhibition was held on the 8th 
September last, which was considered to be our debut into the 
limelight of public favor, and, although that exhibition was un- 
doubtedly successful from a spectacular standpoint, the public 
did not rush to enrol under our banner. Now the point which 
naturally arises is—What interest have we in common with the 
public? Don’t you think we live too much to ourselves, and 
that if we are to make the progress that in common faimess 1s 
due to those foundation members who are even now the back- 
bone of the Society, we should march with the times and take our 
place in the van of those who are striving to preserve and pro- 
tect our native flora and fauna. Why, to me it appears to be 
our very life and breath, the mainspring of our existence, and 
yet as a Society we are unknown. In Vietoria and South Aus- 
tralia the Field Naturalists’ Society is a branch of the Royal 
Society, in the latter State it has a committee for the protection 
of its native fauna and flora, and also I believe a 2arks: Com- 
mittee and it is along these lines that I believe we can develop, 
and I appeal to you to-night firstly as Field Naturalists and 
secondly as Australians to pledge the Society to the protection 
and preservation of our flora and fauna, that wonderful gift that 
has come down through the ages uncontaminated by ‘outside in- 
fluences, the most wonderful and unique in the world, and so 
full of interest that the eyes and hands of the scientific world 
are, and have been gloating in its treasures, for some years past, 
filehing our heritage from us. Now the one sure way to do 
this is through our school children—and here we have the ex- 
ample of that wonderful body—the Gould League of Bird Lovers, 
who have done such valuable work through the influence of the 
children. We have the personnel. The question is, have we the 
will? That of course is for you to decide, but 1 feel so sure of 
it myself that I suggest we form two committees to start with— 
one for the protection of our native flora and fauna, and the- 
other to embrace forestry, agriculture and horticulture, whose 
main duty will be to prepare suitable papers for distribution 
amongst the schools and in connection with this | would point 
out that in the New Direetor of Education the country has a 
man with an open mind and whose first consideration will be 
the well-being of the children, and one, I feel sure. who if this 
matter is properly placed before him will weleome papers on 
