WANTED THE NATURAL HISTORY SOCIETY OF SCOTLAND 5 



climate is the object of continued observation and records 

 by the meteorologists. In so far as all these have national 

 support for their study, there is less need to make other 

 provision for them ; yet even in these there are side issues 

 that call for inquiry ; and there is room for extension of 

 the information acquired into forms that would bring it 

 more directly before those likely to be interested in such 

 things. 



It is, however, in the sciences of botany, zoology, and 

 anthropology that the want of co-operation and co-ordina- 

 tion is most evident and the urgent need of action is most 

 felt. Much has been done in the study of the flora and 

 fauna, and, especially in recent years, of the origin of the 

 human population of Scotland ; but that work has been 

 done in an isolated way by individual workers or by local 

 societies. It has rarely been done with reference to the 

 whole country, or as part of a general scheme. Much of 

 what has been done has been made known only to members 

 of the local society, or at least to few others ; and in a 

 short time much excellent work is forgotten, buried in 

 publications that can scarcely be procured or seen even for 

 reference. What has been put on record is most difficult 

 of access, and much of it has appeared under conditions 

 that tend to its being overlooked or out of reach of many 

 to whom it would be of great value. Some parts of the 

 work have been repeated needlessly, while very much 

 remains untouched or nearly so ; and there is at present no 

 means of readily learning what has been done, and what 

 awaits investigation. The need of a guide is urgent ; but 

 the guide must be one accepted as authoritative, not apt to 

 be overlooked or forgotten, and readily accessible to all 

 whenever required. 



The preparation of such a guide and its publication 

 would be of great and immediate service ; but the labour 

 is too great to be accomplished except by co-operation. 

 There is great need to supplement and extend the more 

 or less isolated efforts of the past by a definite scheme or 

 survey in which these efforts should have their due recogni- 

 tion and be preserved from loss. But such a survey should 

 be extended to the whole of Scotland and its islands, and 



