Introduction

We have come to hear on these three days from as many members of the Expedition as we could assemble the results of their work in the Solomon Islands. We have the pleasure, also, in looking forward to contributions from six other scientists who, though not Expedition members, have independently added much to the exploration and study of the Solomons. We hope to enjoy the first occasion for a lengthy biogeographical discussion about the islands. This was the purpose of the Expedition set by its originator, the late Professor Carl Pantin, when he was chairman of the Southern Zone Research Committee. We owe to him and to the generosity of the Royal Society the grand opportunity we have had to visit those beautiful islands, to have explored them according to our predilections, and to be gathered here in such hospitality. Professor Pantin decided that the zoological side should be confined to marine and land invertebrata, being the groups most likely to assist in evaluating the geological connexions of the islands. To increase this aspect, and to test the results, we have the contribution by Professor Cain on the birds and of Dr Torben Wolff on the zoology of Rennell Island, which the Expedition was unable to visit. A geological setting has been prepared by Dr Thompson, which in his absence will be read by Dr Allum, who has himself investigated the occurrence and nature of faulting, particularly on Guadalcanal. Pantin left the botanists to decide for themselves and they have covered most groups of plant life, from the sea, where Dr Womersley and his assistant studied the seaweeds, to the totality of the land-flora excepting the microscopic algae and fungi. But we botanists have also invited Dr Thorne to inform to us on the remarkable differences between New Caledonia and the Solomons, as great as the differences between the British and Japanese floras, yet so much closer together. And we have invited Professor Good to put our findings in the general field of Melanesian and Malaysian plant-geography. Our sixth outside contribution is from Dr Brookfield on the new field of climatology in the Solomons. Regrettably, neither Dr Brookfield nor Dr Thorne is able to be with us.