Dr. W. H. Wong then addressed the meeting in the following words:—; This Society is to be a society of natural history. Natural _history has a wide scope, tangi heaven to earth, but the especial of this Society is to be the study and description of animal and plant life in China. Modern interest, in the science of geology in China began about the middle of the 19th' century with the translation of Dyall's masterpiece "Principles of Gedlogy." But the study of natural history in. China had a much earlier beginning, for we must admit that] such works as Erh Ya's and Teng:
Tsac's are certainly most serious attempts to sketch the plants and animals of China, Later, interest in Philosophy took the lead and as a Fesult the natural sciences were much neglected in China.
"The richness of Chinese flora and fauna has not failed to attract the! attention of many foreign scientists fand much work has been accomplished by them with the result that Several works of note have been Published. However, in contrast with geological research, which has deen carried on by & small group] fof men in a few institutions in close ce-operation one to the other, very] Iitele ce-operation exists between the many scientists, both foreign trid Chinese, who are conducting Tesearches in different. ways and on different subjects. Peking, Nan-have each several. such institutions without] much opportunity for meeting, disccusafon oF mutual encouragement fand help. By the formation of this society it is hoped that a new era wil begin in the study of the natural Yelences in China. This society, aa we shall seo in the proposed con-agitation, will have not only members in Poking but also, we hope, members in the different parts of China and of the world. Tu 1 way all naturalists "interested in Chinese fauna and flora, without Aistinetion of nationality, will be associated in the study of the sciences {in which they are interested."
A Common Meeting Place At the request of the Chairman} Mr, Roy Chapman Andrews also spoke, He said: come back from the field, as we have Tein a very delightful surprise Dut two or three days ago, and find under way such a. splendid for a Natural History Society here in Peking. All of us who have fan especial interest in palacon~ ology or geology, have felt that we needed very much a society of Biological science. We have some men here who are recognized authorities on the subject. Dr. Wilder certainly knows more about the birds of North China than does anyone ese, It is a great opportunity to have a society where men can meet and can discuss with, or get _encouragement from, others. T know, now that our expedition has just returned from the field, that the thing we want more than anything dae is to talk with men who are {interested in science about the things we have been investigating and to find out what has been going on in China and other parts of the world during our absence. In no way can this be furthered than by the forma. tion of a society such Society, the American Mammalogists, ete., soc have for their object the study of birds and mammals and yet, when one goes to their meetings, one is gute to find there men interested in the study of fish, or insects, reptiles, or any other branch science, giving one the opportunity of meeting men of kindred interests, of discussing problems related Aivectly or indirectly to their own.
T cannot express my approval too highly of a movement such as one, as I think that in Peking have many advantages, and we have one great advantage, that of having. 'a group of extremely interesting men and women, who are interested in the various branches of science: to et them together is a very important thing. I congratulate there of you who are responsible for this and wish to say that as occasions, rise, we will do everything we can to forward this movement.
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.